I Ain't Said Nothin' But A Word...

I went on a date! With the hubby! It’s been ages since we had a real date night. Health issues, timing issues, deadline issues, and princess issues have been all up in our way. But I was reminded that adults need to take adult time to appreciate each other, and adults in a relationship need to take time with each other to remember why.  Big Daddy and I went to UNC-TV for an exclusive, intimate In Studio concert by country music sensation, Rissi Palmer . Think MTV’s Unplugged. The performance was being filmed as a local complement to the next Ken Burns documentary, Country Music .  I can’t begin to tell you what a spectacular time we had. I’m a huge Rissi Palmer fan so for me this was a dream come true. It was hard to contain my excitement and not come across as a crazed stalker! But she was a sheer delight with an incredibly welcoming spirit. Y’all know though, that in my crazed fan mindset, she and I are now the best of friends! Some of you may remember my POST...

I started this blog thirteen years ago today. It feels like a lifetime has passed since my very first post . Since July 16, 2006 I've written about my divorce, a new relationship, graduations, grandchildren being born, illnesses survived, and milestones accomplished. Back then I had the body of a twenty-year-old and now I have a head full of gray hair.  I don’t blog nearly as much as I did when I first started. And not because I don’t want to because I do. I sometimes still feel like my hands are tied, the things I used to write about, not things I can still share. Or things that anyone would be interested in reading. That’s just me being in my own head when I don’t need to be. But this space is still my go-to spot to rant about absolutely nothing, where everyone knows I won’t bite my tongue if I decide to spew about something important. Writing has become a chore of sorts. In all honesty, there are days that I’m not sure I still want to do this. There are also days w...

REUNITED BY THE BADGE Book 3 in the TO SERVE AND SEDUCE SERIES Coming October 1, 2019 PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW! REUNITED BY THE BADGE AMAZON: https:// amzn.to/2IWQuM1   BARNES&NOBLE: http:// bit.ly/2xgHRVV   KOBO: b it.ly/2YrxDxy A megacorporation starts killing patients... And two exes must reunite to save lives! When he discovers his patients' lives are threatened, Dr. Paul Reilly can turn to only one person: Simone Black. She will have his back, even if they don't agree on much else. But as the former lovers work together to track down the evildoers who are tampering with medications, they rediscover unexpected feelings for one another...even as an enemy wants to silence them permanently. 

I continue to struggle with my son’s mental health situation. I’m tired of being blamed for his failings. To hear him tell it I am the root cause of all his mental health issues. Me and the catastrophic relationship that was my marriage to his father. What he “endured” in our home is why he struggles now.  I hear the blame, the castigation fueled with bitterness and I find myself unable to comprehend what the hell he is talking about. Clearly, my memories of his childhood and his memories are very different. With each hateful word I find myself questioning where I went wrong. What did I do to have failed him so miserably? We have yet to have that conversation where I’m given any specifics. I hear his words and feel like a deer caught in headlights, blinded with no understanding that makes any sense. His wife routinely calls me out of my name, her disrespect so abundant that I could compile an entire ratchet novel with the text messages that are meant to be hurtful. ...

It’s been a few years since I last read the book 72-Hour Hold by late author Bebe Moore Campbell. It’s a fictional story about a mother grappling with her daughter’s severe mental illness (bipolar disorder) and the tribulations of navigating a woefully inadequate mental health care system. The story, grounded in some hard truths, was based on the author’s personal experiences with her own child. I remember the wealth of emotions that book took me through as we followed the heroine’s desperate efforts to help her baby girl. I can still vividly feel the pain she felt as she grieved the loss of their mother-daughter relationship. The fear, guilt and hopelessness were tangible. So were the barriers they faced. The stigma surrounding mental illness, the mistrust of the medical community, and that black community culture that said problems at home should remain there, only to be discussed around the family dinner table on the second Sunday of the month, were very real. It was a ...

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DON'T MISS THE TEMPTATION! Searching for the truth proves dangerous to his heart... TEMPTED BY THE BADGE Book Two in the series, To Serve and Seduce! Amazon   Barnes & Noble

2018 has been rough. Not gonna lie. I’ll be thrilled to see the year done and finished. Come midnight I plan to give Father Time a good swift kick and then I'll be waving both hands to welcome the Baby New Year. Every time I think about the last twelve months I get teary-eyed, wanting to burst out into the ugly cry. It was that rough! So rough that I couldn’t begin to comprehend the New Year being any better. Usually, when I reflect back, I am able to choke back the tears and pull myself together. This past weekend I was blessed to be in the midst of greatness, celebrating with a gathering of women who lifted my spirit and helped me see the future in a whole other light. They were women of faith, coming together in such a dynamic manner that it would be impossible to deny the magic that happene d in the home of our host. In that circle of sisterhood and friendship I found it nearly impossible to choke back the tears and so I cried.  A good cry can be liberating. When tear...

Not all of us greet the Christmas holiday with goodwill and cheer. I am often ready for it to be over when I see the Halloween decorations coming down. For some, the holiday takes an emotional toll on our spirits that doesn’t ring of cheer or happy. I struggle with depression during the holidays, most especially if it’s been a rough year. I know that I’m not alone. Irrational expectations, money concerns, and the occasional holiday hazard can easily throw the best of us into a tailspin. But it doesn’t have to be all-consuming and if we prepare ourselves, we can get ourselves through the season. First, have a game plan. Be ready to take care of yourself as the end of the year descends on us. Include reading a book, or napping, into your schedule. Take time for you. Self-care is the best care because you know best what you need. Make you a priority. Next, ready yourself for family conflict and avoid it. It’s okay to say no to discussions that will get your bra s...

I so enjoyed talking to AllAUTHOR about writing my favorite books! Please, take a moment and check me out! INTERVIEW AT AllAUTHOR!

TEMPTED BY THE BADGE Book 2 in the To Serve and Seduce Series Former Chicago cop Mingus Black is used to liars. So why does the private investigator believe a teacher who insists she’s being framed? Joanna Barnes is totally convincing…in more ways than one. The chemistry between Mingus and Joanna becomes perilously potent, but until he can find out who framed her for a heinous crime, everything they love hangs in the balance. PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW!

In 1918 Mary Turner, a young, married black woman and mother of two was lynched by a white mob in Lowndes County, Georgia, for protesting the lynching and murder of her husband. Mary Turner, who was eight months pregnant, was tied and hung upside down by the ankles, her clothes soaked with gasoline, and burned from her body. Her belly was slit open with a knife until her unborn child fell to the ground. Its little head was crushed by a member of the mob with his heel, and the crowd shot hundreds of bullets into Mary's body. Racially motivated mob violence by whites against black people in the American South was commonplace between 1880 and 1930, the lives of thousands of individuals including at least 159 women, lost. When I first read about Mary Turner it sent me searching for more information. I became obsessed with the horrid details, unable to comprehend that level of cruelty. I wondered about the white men and women who stood by and did nothing, their glee captured i...

I often wonder what men who assault women tell their daughters. What do they say about their convictions or allegations of improprieties? How do they forewarn them about predators? Do they even caution them against men who prey? Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been accused of pinning a young woman to a bed, groping her and covering her mouth when she screamed. Allegedly, there was alcohol involved. He was a seventeen-year old student. The girl was fifteen. The GOP would like to brush the allegations aside, seemingly inconvenienced by the timing of the revelation. Many have called her a liar. Some have said they don’t care, party priorities more important than morality. Even their Commander-in-Chief saw fit to castigate the now adult woman’s integrity. Brett Kavanaugh has two daughters. The very public debate about his alleged actions, about rape culture in America, about the dynamics of women who say no and men who do anyway, has surely invoked questions and convers...

It's RELEASE DAY for the paperback version of my newest book A STALLION DREAM! It is also my last Kimani Romance! First week sales are critical to its success, so PLEASE, support it by buying a copy if you can. And get one for a friend! You won't be disappointed! And there's still time to PRE-ORDER the Ebook version coming September 1st! PLEASE and THANK YOU! A STALLION DREAM - It's time for a great read! Click for AMAZON Click for Barnes & Noble!

Two years ago I felt compelled to write a post about being a black woman, and a writer. It was in response to a white reader who was offended that I was breathing. Two years have passed and sadly, little has changed. I still get the occasional hate message questioning what makes me so damn special although it's not necessarily worded in a positive manner. Since it's Throwback Thursday and almost two years to the day of my original post I thought I'd repost it. I have new fans who don't really know me or haven't heard my story. This will be an introduction of sorts. Insight into how I tick and how I won't roll. So sit back and enjoy! And if you're inclined, explore my blog a little. I'm sure you'll find something entertaining! BEING BLACK - Originally posted 8/4/16 I received an email from someone who wanted to know who I thought I was. There were some expletives and the N-word was used a time or two. Seems something I wrote struck a sensitive...

If you liked the cover of my book, Brawn (A One Love Short Story), please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com! Click to Vote!

Our current President and his administration lie. They lie with a voracity that is absolutely mind-boggling. If he can say his is bigger, better, and brighter he could care less whether there is any truth to his declarations. He will never acknowledge his shortcomings and will readily lay the blame for his transgressions at the feet of Jesus if he thinks it will keep him in favor with his political base. He is determined to give those who voted for him a wall. A miles-long continuum of brick, mortar, and armed guards intended to keep out the black and brown-skinned people he, and others, believe are a threat to the great white way of America. He has no understanding why there has been obstruction, that thus far, has kept that wall from rising. History has clearly taught 45 nothing. But then one must know history to learn from it. There is no understanding of why walls don’t work and most inevitably come down. He cannot comprehend the reasons for rebellion when people...