E books
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Waiting on the World to Change
If someone questions why there’s a need for more diverse representation (for example book covers and content) but also in other forms of media besides publishing, please refer them to this heartfelt speech by recent Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o. Nyong’o spoke at Essence magazine’s Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, after winning the Best Breakthrough Performance award. She recalls a letter she got from a young girl, and how she could relate:
“ . . . I too remember a time when I would turn on the TV and only see pale skin. I got teased and taunted about my night shaded skin. And my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter skinned.
“The morning would come and I would be so excited about seeing my new skin that I would refuse to look down at myself before I was in front of a mirror, because I wanted to see my fair face first. And every day I experienced just the same disappointment at being just as dark as I had been the day before.
“I tried to negotiate with God. I told him I would stop stealing sugar cubes at night if he gave me what I wanted. I would listen to my mother’s every word and never lose my school sweater again if he just made me a little lighter. But, I guess God was unimpressed with my bargaining chips because I never woke up lighter.”
“ . . . And then Alek Wek came on the scene. A celebrated model, she was dark as night,” she said, adding: “I couldn’t believe that people were embracing a woman that looked so much like me as beautiful. Now I had a spring in my step because I felt more seen, more appreciated by the far-away gatekeepers of beauty.”
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More FUBU books, and down to the wire
I’ve put up excerpts from The Player and The 13th Step.
The Player The 13th Step would be categorized as women’s fiction, though there is an erotic relationship in the book. It’s also part suspense and features an older heroine (she’s forty-five). Click either photo for a blurb and an excerpt.
More to come . . .
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RUSH
RUSH is the love story of a motorcycle gang member who falls for a Somali Bantu refugee.
Before I forget, an excerpt of The Stone Hero is now up. The Stone Hero is the sequel to The Stone Boy, and it tells the story of what happens five years later to the main couple Nicole and Derek.
More promos:
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The Queen of Comedy, a tale of Black Hollywood
I wanted to do something special for African American history month, so I think I’ll release The Queen of Comedy. While there is romance in the book, there’s also a lot of history. It’s an epic, generational tale that spans the 1920s until the present day.
I’ve posted a five chapter excerpt of The Queen of Comedy and I’m going to have a free download this week on Amazon with fifteen chapters (this book is long). It’s more for those who enjoy fictional history, especially the history of African Americans who were stars and were wealthy during a time period that had barriers, both visible and invisible. In addition, there’s the rivalry between family members when one becomes a bigger star than the other.
It’s an exploration of family dynamics, and how black women were viewed during that era, especially those who were highly independent.
Brilliant comic. Flawed woman. One legendary career.
Most people recognize the face, if not the name. That apple cheeked, rich brown face with the inviting smile that adorns baking products worldwide. Older movie goers fondly recall her role as the friendly, wise cracking maid in over one hundred films. But to her family and spurned lovers, the tongue of Honi Hawkins was brutally uncompromising and anything but funny, as she strived to become THE QUEEN OF COMEDY. ©
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A month of LOVE
Besides the debut of The Men of Hilton Hall serial, the novellas You Give Good Love and RUSH will be released early this month (I’m working hard on making it this Wednesday, Feb 5th).
There’s also the side bar blog post of The Tools of Seduction, where I list the scenes from some of my books that have the leads coming together in various romantic ways.
First though, here’s a brief excerpt from You Give Good Love, where the Russian/African American heroine Marina Roth gets her first glimpse of Eric Decker:
Marina, from YOU GIVE GOOD LOVE Excerpt from You Give Good Love:
Okay, okay. My daughter says nobody cares about their meeting. She wanted me to post something a bit more erotic:
“I’d worship every part of you,” his said, while his thumb circled her nipple with a maddening, airy touch. Worst of all, he stopped just when she could feel herself clinch. “But I can respect that we just met, and you don’t know me-”
Damn it. She wanted him to stuff his mouth with her breasts. She wanted his face buried in her crotch. “Oh will you just shut up.” She fisted his collar, pulling his face to hers. Now this was a man who knew how to kiss. Her hands moved to span his chest so she could touch every muscle, from his six pack abs to those hard as rock pectorals. She could swear he groaned once his lips left hers. Sugar, we’re going down. ‘Cause his perfect orb of a head was descending right where it could do the most good. And the most damage.
Here’s the “meeting” excerpt:
With their bout moving fast and furious, she managed to nick him in the cheek with a counterpunch. In response he gave her a wicked smile. At least he was smart enough not be a braggart. There was no macho posing, no beckoning with his fingers for her to bring it. That kind of posturing was only done in the movies. In a real fight, the cooler head and skill set usually triumphed. But the operative word was “usually” because they were both at a disadvantage with the amount of people boxing them in.
Busy dancing out of the way as he attacked, she couldn’t help wondering what the hell they fighting for. On a hunch, Marina gave him the universal sign for stop. With her arm outstretched she held up her palm. Her other hand snaked around to her backside and the waistband of her pants, where she pulled out a 9mm. With both of her arms raised above her head she gave him an choice. And a way out. Contemplating her offer, his satiny black as night brows lowered, almost blocking out large upturned eyes that were just as dark. Then he backed just far enough out of reach to give her reason to hope.
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BLACK is the new black
Oh how I love the look of black and white photos. I even love old black and white movies.
Here’s a GIF I created that (hopefully) shows what’s so special and rich about black and white pics:
Here’s the finished ad (minus the dissolve):
Another GIF I created (link is now active):
The male photos are on the book covers I’ve created:
You Give Good Love. Bodyguards to bickering teen stars fall for each other. -
MEN and their GIFs
I’m busy editing and working on promotional GIFS for a number of ebooks, like RAZHER, Rise of the Gargoyles, RUSH, Gaijin and the upcoming serial The Men of Hilton Hall.
More GIFs will be up shortly!
Over at RED, I’m experimenting with a new photo gallery plugin, in order to show more multicultural books from various authors on the site. I think I’ll go with multiple sliding galleries, because that way more books can be highlighted.
- E books, Historical fiction, Middle Grade Fantasy, New Adult, Novella, Paranormal romance, Scifi, Women's fiction, YA Contemporary, YA Fantasy, YA historical, YA Novella
Seeing RED
After I put up the post EACH ONE, REACH ONE I decided there was more I needed to do, besides putting links in the sidebar of this site.
So on this day remembering Martin Luther King Jr, I’m setting up a new site, one that I hope will become a one stop shop if a reader (or author) wants to peruse books with protagonists of color in all genres. The books won’t be sold on the site, but there will be links directing buyers and others to the websites where an author’s work can be purchased. I’m working on the new site now, on another browser. If you’d like to take a peek at what I’ve got so far, the site is
This is how I’m trying to set it up (columns, video set up, featured books slider)
Right now I mainly have place holders up. My hope is simply to become an asset for those without advertising budgets, or those new to self publishing, or those who aren’t listed on the front page of Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Maybe I can compile a decent database of authors and their novels. And I’ll have GIFs and book trailers up there also.
I’d also like to promote sites that review multicultural works, and those that interview authors of color. Hopefully, the site will be fully functional by February 🙂