Blog — All the Buzz Reviews

Alec London Virtual Book Tour

January 23, 2012 By Renee Williams 2 Comments

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Stephanie Perry Moore and I am the author of over fifty Young Adult books. I love writing books to inspire and uplift people. I have been married to former NFL player, Derrick Moore for nearly eighteen years and we have three teens.

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

I was an intern for the Arsenio Hall show and I worked in the music video industry.

Who are your favorite authors?

Alex Haley, Beverly Jenkins, Terry McMillian, Max Lucado, Robin Jones Gunn, Victoria Christopher Murray and Vanessa Davis Griggs

What are your favorite books?

My favorite book is the bible. I also love Roots.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

When I was in the seventh grade I realized I wanted to write.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

It took me seven years to get my first book published. I got several rejections. I kept revising, praying and networking. Finally Moody Publications created an imprint Lift Every Voice that was the perfect fit for my work.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?

Yes I am a full time writer. I outline my novels, talk into a tape recorder, have my assistants transcribe them, and then edit the chapters.

About the Books

INTRODUCING THE ALEC LONDON SERIES

The Alec London Series is a series written for boys, 8 – 12 years old. Alec London is introduced in Stephanie Perry Moore’s previously released series, The Morgan Love Series. In this new series, readers get a glimpse of Alec’s life up close and personal. The series provides moral lessons that will aid in character development, teaching boys how to effectively deal with the various issues they face at this stage of life. The series will also help boys develop their English and math skills as they read through the stories and complete the entertaining and educational exercises provided at the end of each chapter and in the back of the book.

Making the Team

Alec London is a fourth grader whose have a tough time. His dad is the new assistant principal at school; his classmate Tyrod is bullying him; his brother, Antoine is mad with him and his mom is going away for a long period of time because of her job. Through the game of football, lessons from his dad and a story about a man named Joseph, Alec learns that God cares about him and will help him out when he is struggling.

Learning the Rules

Alec feels abandoned by his mom. Now his brother Antoine and their cousin Little P are mad with him. At school when his tries to take up for a new kid in school he gets into trouble. Alec is trying to do his best but he just can’t seem to get things right. When he goes to church on Easter Sunday, the pastor shares a message that helps him to look at everything a different way.

Going the Distance

The school year is ending. Alec is looking forward to sleeping late and no bullying. But dad and mom have other plans for him this summer. Dad wants him to play baseball and mom puts him in an acting camp. He doesn’t want to do either but decides to try anyway. Alec hates baseball but dad won’t let him quit. He loves acting but mom won’t let him continue when he gets a part in a Disney show. Alec is upset with his parents but he learns that even when things don’t go his way he must still obey God by honoring his parents.

Winning the Battle

The summer is over and Alec is back in school. Tyrod has a new friend Zarrick who also bullies Alec and mom is still away. In response to all that’s going on in his life Alec begins to act out in school, sleep in class and hang around with the wrong crowd. And, to protect himself, he starts taking karate lessons. With the help of his karate instructor, parents, old friends, Alec learns that being disciplined and learning to respond to things in a way that pleases God are important when it comes to winning the battle.

Taking the Lead

Alec is voted class president and joins the track team. Though Tyrod continues to bully him, Alec tries to become friends. Everything is going well for him until he loses his grandmother. Alec becomes sad and gets off track but running track and working with the Special Olympics kids helps him work through the things happening at home and school. When his team wins the county title Alec thinks about how proud his grandmother was of him for learning how to take the lead.

About the Authors

STEPHANIE PERRY MOORE is the author of many Young Adult Christian fiction titles, including the Payton Skky series, the Laurel Shadrach series, the Perry Skky Jr. series, the Faith Thomas Novelzine series, the Carmen Browne series, and the Beta Gamma Pi series. She is also the co-editor for the impactful BibleZine, REAL. Mrs. Moore speaks with young people across the country, showing them how they can live life fully and do it God’s way. Stephanie currently lives in the greater Atlanta area with her husband, Derrick, a former NFL player and author, and their three children. Visit her website at www.stephanieperrymoore.com.

DERRICK MOORE is a former NFL athlete who played for the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, and Arizona Cardinals following his successful college football career. Since his retirement from the NFL in 1998 he has been in demand as a motivational speaker for professional teams, civic groups, churches, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is on staff with FCA, serving as the chaplain of the football program at Georgia Tech. Derrick is the author of The Great Adventure and the general editor for the Strength and Honor Bible.

Purchase the Books Online at:

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

For More Information, Visit the author online at:

http://www.stephanieperrymoore.com

View the blog tour schedule at:

http://www.tywebbinvirtualevents.com

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops

Patricia Simmons Virtual Book Tour

January 9, 2012 By Renee Williams 15 Comments

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth. I’m passionate about researching my ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in my novels.

I’m a Christian author who believes in writing inspiration from cover-to-cover in stories filled with romance, comedy, and drama. I describe my salvation walk an amazing, powerful, unforgettable, and life-alternating experience after the water and fire baptismal.

Pat has a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, MA. I am blessed to be the recipients of several awards, nominated, and mentions.

I have been married for almost twenty-nine years and we have a son and daughter. I have converted my sofa-strapped, sports-fanatical husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, and GPS-guided chauffeur.

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

In my chosen field after graduating college, I’ve been a television news writer/assignment editor; radio talk host and board engineer; newspaper feature reporter. Outside of that, I paid medical claims for ten years, worked in a psychiatry department, and I was an area manager for a home party plan. I did that for ten years when my children were small. Currently, I’m a publicist for a yearly national book convention and work temp assignments from time to time.

Who are your favorite authors?

Hmmm. That’s hard to narrow down. I like a good story and that might entail trying new authors. I have fellow authors who I turn to for advice about anything from editing to marketing. Some of them do not write in my genre, but they would be my favorite authors that would be there for me. As for reading, Henry Louis Gates would probably be my favorite when it comes to the genealogy genre. Since I’m romance frantic and I want to keep my mind clean, I enjoy Christian romance by Vanessa Miller, Kendra Norman-Bellamy and others.

What are your favorite books?

Christian romance and genealogy-related fiction or non-fiction books.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

It was during that time I lost a dear father-figure. I was very close with Pops’ daughter. After the funeral, instead of going to the grave site, I headed back to the house with some of the relatives to help prepare the food for the repast. While we waited, I began to weave a story to a few of the guests. Before long, I had a captive audience. When I finished telling the story, and some learned that I was making it up, they encouraged me write a book. My thoughts were yeah right. During that time, I was working as a radio host. I had interviewed famous and local people, and authors—many of them were self-published. At the time, I didn’t know the difference at the time.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

In one sentence, it was a generic case of receiving rejection letters from agent and publishers.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?

I always have a classic answer when people ask me if I write full time. When an author has a contract and a novel is due, an author will put in overtime to get it done. I have a fellow author, Lisa Watson, who jokes that I am the only person who stays at home and can’t get any writing done, and it’s not because I don’t try. People are constantly interrupting me. I used an excel timesheet to clock in and out when I write. That way I can go back and see if I put in eight hours like a full-time job. After I got laid off from my television job, I work a few temp assignments off and on, but basically I write and participate in vendor days at companies to sell my books to generate additional income. Writers don’t get paid every week or month. We get paid twice a year, unless we turn in a new book and receive advancement.

To be more productive, I try to begin my writing day by 10 am when I’m fully alert. The first thing in the morning, I read my Bible for up to an hour or three chapters and I make notes. It is usually during this time that God reveals plots for my stories as well as possible dialogues where I can inject Christian responses. When I write, I try to stay off the internet , except to check words on dictionary.com or biblegateway.com. Otherwise, I limit checking my emails for an hour or two at a time.

About the Book

The Jamieson Family Legacy series follow the lives of two Jamieson brothers in Boston, Kidd and Ace, and their cousin, Cameron, from St. Louis. The older brother, Kidd, is struggling with anger and resentment issues toward his absentee father who never married his mother. Yet, he had the audacity to demand his illegitimate sons carry his Jamieson name. Ace, on the other hand, is on his collision course to be a chip off the old block when it comes to women. Their highly MIT educated cousin, Cameron Jamieson, is all about saving family from self-destruction. Through genealogy research, Cameron’s mission is to show his cousins their worth as the eleventh generation descendants of a royal African tribe and to give them a choice: live with the stereotypical “angry black men” syndrome or to crush any obstacles that try and stop them to become strong successful black men.

There are three books in the Jamieson Legacy series: Guilty by Association (Kidd’s story), The Guilt Trip (Ace’s story), and Free from Guilt (Cameron’s story). Each of the three Jamieson men have to accept that their past and present are in God’s hand, and without Him they can’t advance to their future blessings. The bonus storyline in Guilty by Association is one that progresses the story of the much-loved character in the previous three book Guilty Series, Grandma BB. This time, she picks up a sidekick Mrs. Valentine.

Guilty by Association is the story of Boston bad boy Kevin “Kidd” Jamieson. His gripe is with his father who dared to insist that his two illegitimate sons carry his last name. To add insult to injury, the man never bothered to stick around to provide love and guidance as his boys matured into men. Kidd’s anger overflows into every area of his life. As his animosity festers, Kidd becomes as a roaring lion, seeking whatever and whomever he can devour. He’s as gritty as his cousin in St. Louis, Parke Jamieson VI, is polished. The two strong-willed men clash when Kidd relocates to St. Louis where his cousin assures him it’s a land of milk and money in job opportunities. Where is lands a job is far from it.

Through a series of events that involve Grandma BB, her dog named Silent Killer and her Stacy Adams shoes, Kidd meets two women who recognize his hostile tendencies and immediately begin to administer CPR to his soul. LPN Eva Savoy eventually becomes his “Eve,” a woman God created from the underlying goodness hidden in Kidd’s own heart.

Reluctantly, Kidd allows Parke to divulge information about their royal family heritage. While everyone’s care and compassion begins to smother Kidd, he struggles to keep up the bad boy attitude as his walls start to crumble. Kidd learns it’s not his association with the name that identifies him, but the man he becomes that defines him.

About the Author

Pat Simmons is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth. She is passionate about digging up the dirt on her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She has been a genealogy enthusiast since her great-grandmother died at the young age of ninety-seven years old. Pat has won numerous awards for her novels which include: Talk to Me, Grace and Humility and Still Guilty, which was voted the Best Inspirational Romance for 2010. Pat is best known for her Guilty series: Guilty of Love, Not Guilty of Love, and Still Guilty. She is continuing the series through the Jamieson Family Legacy trilogy: Guilty by Association, The Guilt Trip, Free From Guilt. Pat has recently been nominated for the best Christian fiction award by the African American Literary Awards for her latest release, Crowning Glory. Pat and her husband live in Missouri and have two children. Visit Patricia at:

www.patsimmons.net

twitter.com@patsimmons

facebook.com/patsimmonsauthor

View the blog tour schedule at :

http://www.tywebbin.com/blog-tours/authors-on-tour/2012-tours/

Patti Lacy Virtual Book Tour

October 10, 2011 By Renee Williams 8 Comments

Behind the Book Scenes with Patti Lacy

I. Where did you get the idea for this book?

Sigh. I’m about to let you in on a secret. After all, my tag line’s “Spanning Seas and Secrets,” and it fits me like my ratty but beloved old bathrobe.

Do you suffer from rapid-fire, random synapses? Join my club, folks! As described in more detail on Seekerville’s 9/11 post (http://seekerville.blogspot.com), I construct my novels by taming and corralling swirling brain “Twitters.” With God’s help, they’re woven into what I hope will be a page-turning book. For my fourth literary baby, Reclaiming Lily, the process started in a heart-rending way. If Jesus’s words, “In this world, you will have trouble,” resonate with you, READ ON!!!!!

In 2009, my mother contacted a physician named Dr. Chang for a medical procedure…and discovered a “God” connection. Years ago, my parents had taught English in Dr. Chang’s city. After that medical procedure, my mother awoke from anesthesia to find Dr. Chang in tears, saying, “You have cancer. But from this moment, you will be my American mother, and I will help you beat this.”

Our family embraced Dr. Chang, who shared the story of how she and her sisters saved their parents following their release from a Cultural Revolution era prison. I now had the multicultural and historical links that give breath to my stories.

Because both of my brothers are adopted, the questions swirling about that process fascinate me. Where’s that other family? Why did they place their precious swathed bundle into the arms of other folks? Since my parents had served in China, I was drawn into the “Lost Daughters” phenomena that has gained worldwide attention since the doors of China’s orphanages have been flung open. The seed of my character Lily/Joy germinated by a combination of those two interests.

A friend’s battle with PKD (polycystic kidney disease) provided the Jodi-Piccoult-like crisis that sizzled conflict through my story. Reclaiming Lily was born! After my agent’s tear-down and rebuilding of my proposal, e-mails zipped into publishers’ “in” boxes. I later signed a contract, traveled to China, and turned in my rough draft on November 15, 2010.

My adoption information is taken directly from the files and life of a friend who shared her daughter’s journey from China to central Illinois. I also read over twenty books about China, its history, its people, with a focus on those lost daughters. A key resource was The Waiting Child by Cindy Champnella.

Whew! If it sounds complicated, IT IS! Writing on other countries demands research, patience, and a willingness to bend old mindsets.

About the Book

A storm the size of Texas brews when Gloria Powell and Kai Chang meet in a Dallas hotel. They have come to discuss the future of Lily, the daughter Gloria adopted from China and the sister Kai hopes to reclaim. Kai is a doctor who had to give up her little sister during the Cultural Revolution and has since discovered that an inherited genetic defect may be waiting to fatally strike Lily.

Gloria’s relationship with her daughter is tattered and strained, and the arrival of Kai, despite the woman’s apparent good intentions, makes Gloria fearful. Gloria longs to restore her relationship with Lily, but in the wake of this potentially devastating diagnosis, is Kai an answer to prayer…or will her arrival force Gloria to sacrifice more than she ever imagined?

About the Author

Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University in 1977 with a BS in education. She taught at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, until she retired in 2006 to pursue writing full time. She and her husband, Alan, have two grown children. Visit Patti at http://www.pattilacy.com.

VISIT THE FULL BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE AT http://bit.ly/ReclaimingLilyVirtualBookTour.

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops

Patricia Raybon Virtual Book Tour

October 3, 2011 By Renee Williams 5 Comments

Tell us about yourself.

I write memoirs. I also write inspirational non-fiction on faith and spirituality. I grew up in the church in a small black neighborhood in Denver. Much of my writing is influenced by this background. Thus, my first book, My First White Friend, an award-winning memoir, is about race and forgiveness. My second book, I Told the Mountain to Move, a prayer memoir, follows my journey as a lifelong Christian to finally learn to pray. I loved writing both books and both were well-received—and life-changing to write.

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

I’m a trained journalist. So before writing books, I worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Colorado, where I grew up. For a dozen years, I worked in Denver where I was Sunday magazine editor at The Denver Post. Before that, I was a features writer. I specialized in writing human-interest articles, working for The Denver Post and later for the Scripps Howard newspaper in Denver, the Rocky Mountain News.

From there, after a year’s break, I left newspapers to teach journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder for 15 years. I taught magazine journalism to undergrads and graduate students. Then I left teaching to write full time.

However, in a big way I’m also a family person. I’ve been married to my husband Dan for 35 amazing years. We have two beautiful grown daughters, one great son-in-law and four awesome grandkids. Family and faith infuse my writing, in fact. Or as I say: My faith is my life. My family is, too. My writing reflects both aspects in a significant way.

Who are your favorite authors?

I love the classics. For memoir writing, for example, I love James Baldwin, Wallace Stegner, Tobias Wolff, Frederick Douglass—just to name a few. For fiction, I’m still learning from Charles Dickens, Eudora Welty, Toni Morrison and others.

Among faith writers, my favorites are Philip Yancey, Richard Foster, Eugene Peterson, Ann Spangler and so many others.

What are your favorite books?

The Bible tops the list. If I were ever lost on a deserted island, the Bible would be my first and last choice in reading. However, my favorite book of fiction, hands down, is Alan Payton’s extraordinary South African novel, Cry, the Beloved Country. It’s a pretty much perfect story, perfect novel, perfect drama and perfect morality play. The amazing thing is that Payton wrote it in only a few months. I love that part of the story because when writers have something truly important to say, nothing will stop them. That was true with this book and it remains my all-time favorite.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

I’ve been writing stories since I learned to read as a first grader. Then in third grade, my classroom teacher—Mrs. Laura Smith at Columbine Elementary School in Denver—asked me if I wanted to “be a writer.” I piped up: Yes! So she looked at me and said, “well, you are.” What a beautiful dream to give to a child who loves to write. In fact, when my first book came out, I invited Mrs. Smith to be my special guest at my first book signing at The Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver. I introduced her to the crowd and people stood and gave her a standing ovation. She has since passed away. But what a privilege to honor her that way. Her belief in me as a writer started me on my journey. Then my parents took it from there, always supporting my writing dreams. They never doubted I would be a writer. What a wonderful gift for Black parents to give a Black child growing up in the Fifties. I will be forever grateful to these beloved people for believing in me.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

I was published as a newspaper reporter for years. However, when I started teaching at the University of Colorado, I was required, for tenure, to be published in national venues. So I started writing personal essays about my life as an African American, a wife, a mother, a Christian and so on. Almost every time I submitted an essay—to USA Today, USA Weekend, National Public Radio, then to The New York Times Sunday Magazine–the essay would sell and get published.

Then, after publishing a couple of pieces in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, agents started contacting me, asking if I’d written a book and could they represent me. I hadn’t written a book. But after about the 30^th or so agent contacted me, my husband gave me a pep talk, saying, “Maybe it’s time you wrote that book.” So that’s what I did. I wrote my racial forgiveness memoir, My First White Friend. However, I had an agent before I even had a book idea. Highly unusual. It doesn’t happen like that anymore.

But there’s more to the story. Because my new agent was friends with an editor at Penguin Putnam, a major publishing house, and they offered me a book contract. But my agent turned it down, asking for more money, and Penguin agreed. Again, highly unusual. So I’m grateful for this unique aspect of my journey to publication.

Many writers struggle for years to find representation. But, for some reason, I was blessed to land an agent, a publishing house and a contract for my first book—which is still in print. I learned a lot in that experience. The main thing it taught me is to believe in yourself, especially as a writer. I didn’t know a soul in New York, but I submitted my essays to the New York Times and the magazine editor bought them. I also learned to always present my best work. I’ve had success selling my articles and books, I believe, because I aim for excellence. Editors appreciate that. Readers do, too. So that’s what I try to offer. Quality work.

I also try to watch what God is doing—and let God lead. When I get ahead of God, whether in my book life or my family life, I get off track. The Bible says God sees the beginning from the end, so I try to follow where God is going. When it comes to book writing, His path for me is always best.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day.

I write full-time when I’m working on a book. That means, my mornings start with devotions and reflection and prayer—trying to listen to God. Then I sit down and get to work. I write weekdays, breaking for lunch, then finishing about 5. I have a family. So I can’t stay buried forever in my office. I want to cook dinner with my husband, talk on the phone to my daughters, grandchildren, friends and church buddies.

That ebb and flow of life finds its way back into my writing. So I like what the author Anne Lamott says—that writing is about paying attention. So when things happen in your life, if you’re a writer, take mental notes. God may be trying to say: Put that in your book!

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops Tagged With: author, bound-for-glory, christian, God's-great-blessings, one-year-devotional, patricia-rayborn, virtual-book-tour

Louisiana Culture and the Paranormal by Lynn Emery

August 10, 2011 By Renee Williams 4 Comments

Being a Louisiana native, south Louisiana to be exact, I have a unique view of the supernatural. Unlike most of the other states in the country, here we view the paranormal as “normal”. Our culture incorporates belief in traditional religions. We’re not called “The Bible Belt” for nothing. Yet along with being faithful Catholics, Baptists, Methodists and other conventional religious denominations, our culture is infused with Native American and African spiritual traditions and beliefs. I grew up hearing about spells and gris-gris.

For the most part when I read about Louisiana voodoo or Marie Laveau in books, the authors typically write a mixture of stereotypes and incorrect facts. That old cliché “Truth is stranger than fiction” definitely applies. Naturally I don’t have enough space to give this topic the full attention it needs, so I’ll just provide a few tips from this Louisiana native Creole (mixture of African, Choctaw Indian, and Spanish descent). Feel free to use them in your fiction. J

Marie Laveau perfected the art of creating a layer of fiction to disguise the truth of New Orleans voodoo. She was brilliant at PR, recognizing the value of creating a mystique for the public. She perfected the public performance of voodoo celebrations that helped her become a force in New Orleans, and even in state politics. She used a network of Creole freeborn servants, slaves and merchants to gather inside information. Her clients were convinced she had mystical powers to learn all these secrets. Marie also used her brains and skills to free slaves. I highly recommend VoodooQueen- The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau by Martha Ward (www.marthaward.net/), a thoroughly researched and well documented account of the real story of this voodoo icon. In fact, you’ll learn much about old New Orleans and Louisiana history.

Voodoo as practice in rural Louisiana is different from what you see as a tourist in New Orleans. Actually most of what you see as a tourist is just that, created for the consumption of “outsiders”. In rural Louisiana, in most of the state really, true voodoo practitioners are very secretive. They don’t advertise. You must find them only through their former clients, friends and relatives, who will first feel out if you can be trusted to keep your mouth shut.

This is just a small sample of the unique culture of Louisiana. I haven’t even touched on traiteurs , loup garou and more. Here are a few more books I can recommend if you want to write stories about Louisiana:

The Free People of Color of New Orleans by Mary Gehman
Dictionary of Louisiana Creole by Albert Valdman, Thomas A. Klingler, Margaret M. Marshall and Kevin J. Rottet
Louisiana Ghosts by Tracie Trog

Of course, cher, you can get a taste of Louisiana reading my novels – mais, yeah! You can shop through my Kindle Store, Nook Books or Smashwords for the eBook editions. You can get discounts by visiting my online stores – Ebooks and Print Editions

Lynn Emery

www.lynnemery.com

http://twitter.com/#!/LEmeryWriter

About Lynn

Lynn sold her first novel in 1995 to Kensington publishing for their groundbreaking Arabesque line. NIGHT MAGIC went on to be recognized for Excellence in Romance Fiction for 1995 by Romantic Times Magazine. Her third novel, AFTER ALL, became a movie produced by BET and aired on December 3, 1999. Holly Robinson Peete was the female lead as Michelle Toussaint, an investigative television reporter.

In 2004 Lynn won three coveted Emma Awards. She was chosen Author of the Year and her novel KISS LONLEY GOODBYE won Best Novel and Favorite Hero. GOOD WOMAN BLUES (August 2005, HarperCollins Publishers) was nominated by Romantic Times Magazine for Best Multicultural Mainstream novel of 2005.

About the book

When LaShaun Rousselle returns home to Beau Chene, Louisiana all hell breaks loose.

Ten years ago LaShaun left for Los Angeles to get away from a scandalous past, which included being a suspect in a vicious killing. With whispers about voodoo and how she got away with murder, LaShaun decides to wipe the slate clean and start a new life. She leaves behind the Rousselle family legacy, and her infamous grandmother,

Odette, who taught her too well how to use her psychic powers. Now LaShaun is back in Beau Chene. Monmon Odette is dying, and LaShaun comes home to make peace with her grandmother and the past. She has to fight off greedy relatives out to get Monmon Odette’s considerable estate, hostile town folk, and a nasty little demon determined to rule her world. She faces down all challengers with help from sexy deputy Chase Broussard, who puts his reputation on the line because he knows she’s not a murderer.

Filed Under: Guest bloggers Tagged With: a-darker-shade-of-midnight, author, lynn-emery, novel

Master of Disguises Blog Tour

July 11, 2011 By Renee Williams 4 Comments

About the Author

James Benjamin was born and raised as a Christian in Winston-Salem, NC. While growing up, James succumbed to the street life and was lured by the many faces of the enemy. Through his trials and tribulations, his faith in God ended up saving his life and provided an impactful testimony to share with others in his shoes. James has dedicated his life to spreading God’s word through his unique prospective and hopes to help change others lives as He did for him. He is also enrolled at the University of Phoenix, acquiring his associate’s degree. James Benjamin is also a student at Apostle Fredrick Price Ministry Training School class of 2013.

Visit the author at http://www.masterofdisguises.com OR http://masterofdisguises.wordpress.com

Visit the blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/MasterofDisguises

All the Buzz Reviews

www.allthebuzzreviews.com

Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised as a Christian in Winston-Salem, NC. While growing up, I succumbed to the street life and was lured by the many faces of the enemy. Through trials and tribulations, my faith in God ended up saving my life and provided an impactful testimony to share with others in my shoes. I have dedicated my life to spreading God’s word through my unique prospective and hopes to help change others lives as He did for me. I am also a student at Apostle Fredrick Price Ministry Training School class of 2013. I am also enrolled at the University of Phoenix, acquiring my associate’s degree.

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

I have always worked customer service jobs. I am 26 years old and have not had as many jobs. The jobs that I have worked always were customer service.

What are your favorite books/authors?

My favorite authors: Fredrick Price, T.D. Jakes, Hill Harper, John Grisham

My Favorite Books: Letters to a Young Brother, Master of Disguises, He-Motions, Battle of the Mind

When did you begin to realize you wanted to right?

I really didn’t know that I was a writer; I realized that I liked to write when my first book was published in 2009. The whole publishing experience and going to book festivals really captivated my mind and opened me up to a new world. I love it!!!

Tell us about your journey to publication.

My Journey to publication was a 5 year long journey. I had to actually go through trials and tribulations in my life and then get to a point where I am able to talk about it. My book is a testimony of life experiences and overcoming them through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. The journey was not easy but if I can change one person, the journey was worth it.

Are you a full time writer? If so, describe your day.

No I am not a full time writer yet, but look forward to the day that it happens. Now I am working full time in downtown Los Angeles as a product report specialist.

About the Book

James Benjamin is a living miracle. He was on a path towards destruction, and through his faith in God, was saved. In his first, self-published book titled “Master of Disguises,” James guides readers through his compelling story of struggling in the street life, and finding sanctuary through The Lord. Most importantly, he unveils the enemy, and the many disguises the enemy has. He provides inspiration where many feel hopeless, and educates individuals who are lost as he once was. James lives to tell his story to help keep young men and women off the streets and away from the grips of the enemy.

Benjamin’s story is one that attracts the groups that are hard to communicate to: teens and their parents, prisoners, people living the street life and their families, and the African American street community. Those that are experiencing hardships can easily listen to James as he used to be in their shoes. His prospective is inviting, as he leaves no secrets and lays out his life for the readers. James exposes the many faces of the enemy that he experienced to help the next individual detect and defeat them. As he learned through his own struggles, James finds it essential that Christians be aware of the enemy’s disguises. In his case, it almost cost him his life.

Purchase the Book Online at:

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

BooksaMillion.com

BOOK TRAILER for Master of Disguises

http://youtu.be/0zlz64C8oyE

For More Information

Visit the author at http://www.masterofdisguises.com OR http://masterofdisguises.wordpress.com

Visit the blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/MasterofDisguises

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops Tagged With: author, James-Benjamin, Master-of-Disguises, novel, virtual-book-tour

Money Can’t Buy Love Blog Tour

July 11, 2011 By Renee Williams 3 Comments

About the Author

Connie Briscoe has been a full-time published author for more than 17 years. Her work has hit the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Visit her online at http://conniebriscoe.com.

All The Buzz Reviews

http://www.allthebuzzreviews.com

Tell us about yourself.

I have had seven novels, one novella, and one nonfiction book published. My work has appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly. A Long Way From Home, the story of my ancestors, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

My nonfiction title Jewels, a photo-essay book featuring luminaries such as actress Ruby Dee and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, was coauthored with photographer Michael Cunningham. The collection of novellas was coauthored with Lolita Files and Anita Bunkley.

My latest novel is MONEY CAN’T BUY LOVE, the story of Lenora Stone, a photographer with money and man troubles who suddenly wins millions in the lottery and meets the guy of her dreams. The question: Will Lenora smarten up about men and money? Or will she blow it all?

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

I worked as an editor and managing editor for years before I became a published author. I was also a research analyst long ago and far away.

What are your favorite books?

The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora

Neale Hurston, Mama by Terry McMillan, Hollywood Wives by Jackie

Collins, Invisible Life and Just As I Am by E. Lynn Harris, The Other

Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon. Yes, I’m all over the place.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

As far back as I can remember but it took maturity, life experience, lots reading about writing, and practice at the craft before I began to think I could actually get published.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

My journey was actually rather short as my first submission to an agent was Sisters and Lovers and it went on to publication and sales of more than 600,000 copies. I still pinch myself about that. But that success came after years of preparation—taking writing courses, working as an editor polishing the work of others, and reading books about the craft and business of writing.

The market has changed so much since Sisters and Lovers was published and it was actually harder in some ways to get my latest novel Money Can’t Buy Love to print.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?

Yes, I have been a full-time writer since Sisters and Lovers was published. My routine varies from novel to novel and year to year.

Sometimes if I get behind in my schedule I will work pretty much around the clock, but in general I try to get in a few hours or more of writing six or seven days a week. That doesn’t include any research. I may also need to do.

If anyone wants to know more about me and my work, they should feel free to stop by my blog at http://writerrevealed.com

About the Book

At age thirty-eight, instead of socializing with Baltimore’s A-list, Lenora Stone photographs them for Baltimore Scene, a glossy magazine filled with beautiful people who, unlike Lenora, never have to worry about car trouble and overdue bills. Lately even things with her boyfriend Gerald haven’t been right. They’ve been together for three years but he can’t seem to ask the one question she’s been waiting to hear.

Then just when she thinks things can’t get worse, Lenora wins the jackpot in the Maryland lottery. In a heartbeat, all her dreams become possible. She quits her job and indulges her every desire—starting with a shiny, silver BMW and a million-dollar mansion. Gerald is finally ready to put a ring on her finger, and the city’s most exclusive women’s group is dying for her to join.

Yet as her life starts to come together, the things Lenora holds dear begin to fall apart. Has her world really changed for the better, or does fortune come with a heavy price?

Purchase the Book Online at:

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

BooksaMillion.com

For More Information

Visit the author online at http://conniebriscoe.com.

Visit blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/MoneyCantBuyLoveBlogTour

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops Tagged With: author, Connie-Briscoe, Money-Can't-Buy-Love, novel, virtual-book-tour

A Good Excuse To Be Bad Blog Tour with Miranda Parker

July 4, 2011 By Renee Williams 4 Comments

About the Author

Miranda Parker is the author of the Evangeline Crawford Bounty Hunter Series. After graduating from college, she began working as a features editor for various magazines and spent many years as a publicist for national recording artists, actors, ministers, and authors. However, writing fun, fiesty, redemptive bad girl gone good stories is her passion. She resides with her family in Georgia near a horse ranch and her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop. On a perfect day she can be found curled up with a good book or in a movie theater with a bucket of popcorn.

Visit the author online at http://www.mirandaparker.com/.

Tell us about yourself.

Hi, I’m Miranda Parker. Currently, I write romantic comedy thrillers for Kensington Publishing Corp. My novel A Good Excuse to Be Bad is the first book in the Angel Crawford Series. It releases this month (July 2011.)

Outside of writing I am the mother of a very sweet eleven year old daughter, a Girl Scout leader, member of the Black Doll Affair, painter, publicist, blogger, book critic, cupcake baker, and good friend to many. We live in an Atlanta suburb near a horse ranch.

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

I have published over fifty features articles for newspapers and magazines since 1991, focusing on subjects in lifestyle, religion arts and entertainment.

Because I am an Agnes Scott College alumnae, I’ve had the privilege to have worked in some of most well known companies on the planet. I’ve worked as a graphics designer for The Coca Cola Company Coke USA during the launch of the Polar Bear campaign. I’ve been an art historian for Atlanta History Center, Atlanta Heritage Row and HOCI during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. I’ve worked in PR for The Centers for Disease Control School of Adolescent Health, Muscular Dystrophy Associate, Bellsouth, ILSI, Ernst Van Praag, A T &T Southeast Marketing Division, even Agnes Scott College. I pinch myself when I think of all the places I’ve worked and the experiences I gained while working there.

Who are your favorite authors?

Anne Lamott, Chuck Palahniuk, Edgar Allan Poe, Thomas Hardy, Zora Neale Hurston, William Faulkner, Nella Larsen, Tosca Lee, Sharon Ewell Foster, Kate White, Walter Mosley, Sidney Sheldon, and Steve Martin

What are your favorite books?

Thomas Hardy Tess of the d’Ubervilles, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, Tosca Lee’s Devil: A Memoir, Kate White’s Bailey Weggins Mysteries, Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins Mysteries, Terry McMillan Waiting to Exhale, Nancy Drew Mysteries, Sweet Valley High Novels, The Holy Bible, the works of William Shakespeare, and Herman Mellville’s “Billy Bud.”

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

Writing was forced on me, because I was in the gifted program in secondary schools. After fifth grade, the AP English students in our school district ran the school newspapers and literary review. By the time I began undergrad I naturally gravitated to writing a column for the college newspaper, submitting shorts for the literary journals, writing literary criticism and essays for the local paper, and taking college level creative writing classes. Surprisingly, I never thought I would be a professional writer. I was going to be an architect. I wanted a profession that could guarantee financial stability for me and my family. However, my life changed a few months after I finally got my dream job. I call it divine intervention, because I know I wouldn’t have had the experience to write the stories that I write not, let alone become published.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

I wrote this story years ago as a part of a year -long writing workshop with author Chuck Palaknuik [ Fight Club, Choke] that was featured in Poets & Writers Magazine. Chucky P taught us how to tell a modern story in a way that glues the reader to the character’s journey.

At the time I was the only African-American and woman in the group. They gave me a lot of grief about my romantic story lines, but it was the best fun. They helped me come out of my shell and realize what type of stories intrigued me. Moreover, I got the toughest and best critiques to help me become a better writer.

However, after all of that, I lost this novel twice when my computers committed suicide. Thanks to my writing group buddies, they helped me rewrite the story and pushed me to the Romance Slam Jam Writing Contest. I placed third! What’s funny about that is when I received my notes back from the judges I realized one of my crit buddies (an Essence Magazine bestselling author) had notes hidden in the manuscript that I forgot to delete. LOL. Deatri King Bey of Romance Slam Jam gifted me a chance to have A Good Excuse to Be Bad read by Selena James at Kensington.

She loved it and here we are. I hope readers will love it, too.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?

I am a full time writer. However, my day isn’t filled with working on my novels. I begin the day blogging, writing press releases for clients, and writing articles for magazines. The afternoon is spent booking clients, responding to queries, and planning events for myself and my clients. Novel writing time usually comes around midnight.

About the Book

Smart gorgeous, and too tough for her own good, bail recovery agent and single mom Evangeline Crawford moved to the burbs for a quiet life. Fortunately, it’s not turning out that way…

Angel has to admit she’s feeling restless. The only excitement in her life is her schoolgirl crush on the town’s new pastor, Justus-too-Hot-to-be-Holy Morgan. But a fateful encounter and a job gone wrong at Club Night Candy in Underground Atlanta is about to change all that…Soon, Angel’s trying to save her divazilla twin sister from her big mouth and a scandalous murder charge, and probing a church cover-up–with none other than Justus by her side. But Angel has one more pressing concern; will Bella be ready for kindergarten? Only time will tell for this bad girl gone good whose days are once again far from boring–and hopefully far from numbered…

Book Trailer

Watch on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_-iIDGCMP4

Purchase the Book Online at:

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

BooksaMillion.com

For More Information

Visit the author online at http://www.mirandaparker.com/.

Visit blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/AGoodExcuseToBeBadBlogTour

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops Tagged With: A-Good-Excuse-To-Be-Bad, author, Miranda-Parker, novel, virtual-book-tour

He Left Me Blog Tour with C. M. Jones

June 20, 2011 By Renee Williams 5 Comments

He Left Me Blog Tour

About the Author

C. M. Jones is well on her way to becoming a household name. She has just completed her third publication, He Left Me, a story about a close knit family from Ghana West Africa that faces harsh realities very different from anything that they have ever seen. She is also the co-owner of a publishing company with her family, HortonJones Inc. In addition she offers writing seminars and motivational speaking services. When asked about her endeavors, C. M. Jones has said that writing and mentoring is her ministry, and she does it all to the glory of the most high God, Jesus Christ.

Her debut novella, I Still Do, which was published through Author House but is now a part of the HortonJones, Inc. portfolio, sold thousands of copies in the United States and abroad as well as the sequel, Nothing Is Too Hard For God. This Christian fiction writer indeed is no stranger to writing creative and inspiring stories. She began writing at the young age of eight years old while acting in her elementary school drama club.

C. M. Jones has written countless poems, musicals and short stories that include themes of redemption, forgiveness and a real picture of the things that can happen in life, when you have faith in Jesus Christ.
C. M. Jones is committed to continuing to publish and promote her work with her own publishing company, HortonJones, Inc., and hopes to one day see her writings on the big screen. C. M. Jones is a wife and mother who draws inspiration from her husband, children and her relationship with Jesus Christ.

Visit the author at http://cmjonestheauthor.com
Visit blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/HeLeftMeBlogTour

Tell us about yourself.
I am a Christian woman first, then a military Spouse; a Mother; an Author/Entrepreneur and high school Teacher. I love to read, cook and spend time with my family. My family is currently stationed in Kaiserslautern Germany and we love it. I am also an Eastern Star and I am very active with my local chapter in Germany because I love to give back to my community. My husband and I co-own HortonJones, Inc., a small publishing company, and we pray that one day HortonJones, Inc. will be a multi-million dollar corporation

What types of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?
In the past I have been a Telemarketer, an Administrative assistant, a Wedding Coordinator and a cellular phone Customer Service Representative.

Who are your favorite authors?
My favorite author is Kendra Norman-Bellamy, I will stop whatever I am doing and read any of her books; she is amazing and so humbled. I also like Michelle Stimpson, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Lily Ratliff, the late BeBe Moore Campbell and many others.

What are your favorite books?
As far as my favorite books, I love anything by Kendra Bellamy as well as a book by T. d. Jakes, Naked and Not Ashamed.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?
I started writing when I was eight years old. I would write poems and short plays. Also at that time, I was an actress in my elementary school drama club and I was one of the writers for the club. I never stopped writing after that, I just tried my hand and many different types of literature, songs, musicals, etc., and I loved it. But, I was 24 before I wrote my first book.

Tell us about your journey to publication.
My journey to publication was not one with many bumps in the road because I knew what I wanted. I knew exactly what I wanted everything to look like and how I wanted it marketed, etc., so I quickly came to the conclusion that I needed to self-publish. Shortly after that my husband and I decided to open our own publishing company, HortonJones, Inc., and the rest is history.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?
I am only a full-time writer during the summer months because during the other months in the year, I teach high school English. When I am writing full-time my day consist of exercise in the morning at around 7 am; then breakfast, a cup of tea or coffee with a bagel while looking out the window or sitting on the porch; and then it’s non-stop writing for the next four hours while my kids are at camp. After four hours I take a break and eat lunch, most likely a salad or something light so that I don’t get sleepy and then I write for two more hours, and then pick up my kids from camp.

About the Book

Tete Abula was born into a wealthy West African family. Through an arranged marriage based on the customs of their tribes, Tete becomes Kenu’s wife. But several years and five kids later, a lot has changed including their wants, desires and religious beliefs. It’s not until Kenu leaves Tete and the children that they both begin to see what was right in front on them the whole time.

Kenu and Tete both believe they know how to rebuild their family and their lives, but the family’s generational curses have blinded their eyes. Is it too late? Are the children’s lives ruined because of their parents’ and grandparents’ decisions?

Destiny will have its way in their lives, but the question is, are they each other’s destined end.

Watch on You Tube: http://youtu.be/Rvw9PNUsWkc

Purchase the Book Online at:
Amazon.com
BooksaMillion.com
BarnesandNoble.com

For More Information

Visit the author at http://cmjonestheauthor.com
Visit blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/HeLeftMeBlogTour

Filed Under: Author interviews, Virtual tour stops Tagged With: author, c-m-jones, christian-fiction, He-Left-Me, novel, virtual-book-tour

The Revelation Gate Blog Tour

May 30, 2011 By Renee Williams 1 Comment

The Revelation Gate Blog Tour

About the Author

Brian L. Thompson, Great Nation Publishing’s President/Owner and author of The Lost Testament, is a licensed educator, and former professional journalist.

He showed an early interest in classical literature and the arts, particularly after his poem, “Black Sunday,” received an honorable mention in Gwynedd-Mercy College’s literary contest for high school students in 1993.

A 1994 North Penn High School graduate, he continued his education at Morehouse College in Atlanta. While there, Thompson wrote for the Maroon Tiger newspaper; moving up the ranks from staff writer, to Sports Editor, and finally to Editor-in Chief.

After earning his Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in English in 1998, he transitioned to a staff writer position at Montgomery Newspapers.

In 2000, his second as a professional journalist, he returned to the field of academics at Temple University, earning a Master’s Degree in secondary education in 2001.

Thompson then turned to education at West Charlotte High and Newton High schools respectively while simultaneously researching and writing his first Christian fiction novel, The Lost Testament – a project self-described as a “faith-based tale with every day characters engaged in a thrilling plot.”

During this time, he also helped edit author Sabra Robinson’s anthology of inspirational stories entitled The Lost Sheep: How I Got (And AM Still Getting) Over the Hump – A Personal Account of God’s Restoration After Doubting His Purpose, the Church, and Human Existence.

He and his family reside in Georgia.

Visit the author at http://www.greatnationpublishing.com

Visit blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/TheRevelationGate

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a born writer and teacher. The first thing I remember writing was a poem to a girl when I was 12 years old. That’s how I started writing poetry, and I’ve been writing ever since. I don’t remember writing my first story, but I took a creative writing class in high school taught by Dr. Kathy Walsh that changed my life. That, plus my senior English teacher, Toni Salaam-Butz, inspired me to want to write. I love Jesus and my family. My musical taste ranges from classic rock to classical music, R&B and old school rap. I love to read when I have time. And it’s my life’s ambition to read Ulysses by James Joyce and understand it.

What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?

I’ve done a lot of different things that helped make me who I am today. I’ve worked in fast food, at seafood restaurants, stocked candles, and sold men’s suits. I was a professional journalist for three years, taught English and journalism for six years, and worked as a substitute teacher. I once had an assignment inside a special needs classroom.

Who are your favorite authors?

I love the classics: Shakespeare, Tolstoy, and the like. I like Harlem Renaissance authors, like Ann Petry, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston. I greatly admire Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye for the Left Behind series. I’m able to do what I do because of what they did to make Christian fiction popular.

What are your favorite books?

Beloved by Toni Morrison is my favorite challenge. I didn’t understand any of it until I got to the last third of the book. I loved Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey.

When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?

Not until my senior year at Morehouse College in 1998. My creative writing teacher, Cindy Lutenbacher, had a lot to do with that. At the senior picnic, when we announced our career aspirations, I said I wanted to be a novelist. She clapped and I never forgot that.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

It’s full of U-turns and detours. When I thought my first book, The Lost Testament, was done, I sent out queries to agents and got around 20 rejections. Acceptance is such an imprecise science, so I revised and tried it again. Same results. So, in 2005, my mother bought me a book: “The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing” by Tom and Marilyn Ross, which I ignored once I got accepted by an agent.

As misfortune would have it, the young lady who requested the manuscript left that company and I ended up in the slush pile. That’s when I picked up the book on self-publishing and started learning about it. In 2010, I met Stephanie Perry-Moore, whose first book took a similar amount of time to publish. She advised me to self-publish, sell 2,000 copies, do it again, and then mainstream publish.

After prayer and meditation, I found that this is the route that God wanted me to go. I created Great Nation Publishing in May of 2010. The rest is history.

Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?

After prayer time and breakfast, I do a little recreational web surfing to get my synapses firing. Since I independently publish, sometimes, most of my day is spent on marketing, book balancing, publicity, and/or booking appearances.

On writing days, I get my comfort zone working (coffee or herbal tea + Pandora station + good temperature) and start writing. I map out plots in my head, which I don’t recommend to anyone unless it works for you. Eventually, I do put up some sort of physical representation of what’s going on up there on the wall in front of my desk. And I write until I can’t write anymore.

About the Book

After 800 years of oppression, the Uché abandon all hope of liberation – until a boy with unbreakable bones emerges from the wilderness. . .

For centuries, Uché seers foretold the birth of a deliverer called Mkombozi – one fated to enter The Revelation Gate and lead them to freedom.

Knowing this, the king of the barbarous Ot? does his best to eliminate the lone threat to his dominion. When his best efforts fail, he allies himself with a self-proclaimed emperor who reveals the true natures of The Revelation Gate and the Uché hero.

Meanwhile, as Mkombozi’s mother wavers between feelings of abandonment and crises of faith, her people ready themselves to wage an unwinnable war – minus faith in their deliverer, whose fate ushers him to an uncertain destination.

Merging elements of political intrigue and social class relations together in an allegorical, character-driven plot, The Revelation Gate confronts issues of doubt, star-crossed love, and the power of the individual.

Purchase the Book Online at:

http://www.brianlthompson.co/Books.html

For More Information

Visit the author at http://www.greatnationpublishing.com

Visit blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/TheRevelationGate