Virtual Book Tour,  Loyal, a Young Adult Novel
Releasing August 30, 2016

About The Author

Yasmin Shiraz is an author, filmmaker, speaker and activist. She uses her passion for life to fuel her books, documentaries, speaking engagements and social activities. She’s spoken at over 100 colleges, universities, middle schools and high schools as well as non-profit organizations. 

She’s an award winning Writer/ Director and enjoys producing work on youth and community issues. By day, she’s the President of Still Eye Rise Media and runs the Yasmin Shiraz website.

About The Book

When a teen girl discovers her brother has been shot, she learns about firsthand about loyalty. Should her brother be more loyal to her or the gang members he's so eager to impress?

Purchase Link

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Tour hosted by WNL Book Tours 

Ten Things You Don’t Know About Author Yasmin Shiraz

1.  For three seasons, I was the casting director for a home improvement show on the DIY network. I love working in the entertainment business so when this opportunity arose, I embraced it and learned so much. I wrote books in the evening after I finished casting the show.

2.  I went to Lil’ Wayne’s 16^th birthday party in New Orleans. Yep, that happened. His big gift? A yellow two-seater Mercedes Benz.

3. I’m a fan of spinach smoothies. About a year ago I read about how green vegetables are good for your skin. Well, I decided to test the theory and started drinking spinach smoothies. I have discovered that spinach is great for my skin.

4. I taught college Sociology and Psychology courses at two different colleges. Though I loved teaching Sociology. I wasn’t a fan of teaching Psychology.

5. I’m a staunch supporter of meditation. When I was teaching college classes one of my students gave me a book on meditation. I read the book and have been a fan of meditation ever since. Meditating helps me to sleep better and relieves frustration.

6. I interviewed the famous lawyer Johnny Cochran about the OJ Simpson case.  Talking to him was like having a chat with greatness—truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

7. I do not eat gluten.  A few years ago a doctor told me to try to go gluten free for a few days to see if I’d feel better. Within three days, stomach issues cleared up and skin problems reduced. Eliminating gluten helped my overall health.

8. I was once suspended from high school for five days for fighting. A girl was taunting me and I sorta snapped in biology class. 

9.  I’ve been doing headstands since I was 4 years old. From time to time, when I’m doing yoga, my daughter or son will take a picture of me doing a headstand and I’ll post it on social media. None of my friends can believe I can do a headstand. But, the reality is: “I’ve been doing them my whole life.”  

10. I worked with a vocal coach so that I could learn to professionally narrate my own audio books. I’m so proud to say that my first novel, Exclusive, is now an audio book narrated by yours truly.

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Welcome Author Kristen Marquardt to my Blog!

Releasing Jesus from the Weeds

Published on July 21st, 2016

Published by WestBow Press

Published as Christian/Inspirational Poetry & Short Stories

From the pew to the pulpit to prayer, Kristen Marquardt’s writing has been serving God’s People in Connecticut for over thirty years. Her unique style in prose, poetry, and short story reminds us of our shared humanity and how our faith and faith struggles are no different than those of both biblical characters and the people we see everyday in our daily walk. With rare insight, Marquardt looks deeply into faith and strips away the boundaries that we all assume exist, reminding us that our hope is not ours alone, we all share a common path as God’s children.

"Kristen is a gifted writer, a writer that stirs the soul and causes us to think more openly the existence of God in ordinary life. I call Kristen a wisdom writer." ~ Rev. Dr. Sharon Ledbetter

You can buy the book from:

WestBowPress--http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-001034223/Releasing-Jesus-from-the-Weeds.aspx

Amazon--https://amzn.com/B01IW7W758

Barnes & Noble--http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-jesus-from-the-weeds-kristen-poirier-marquardt/1124111944?ean=9781512747669

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31238213-releasing-jesus-from-the-weeds

About the Author

Kristen Marquardt has been serving the church and God both volunteer and professionally for over 30 years, starting as a Sunday School teacher, CE Director, and Licensed Pastor. She holds a dual B..A. from Connecticut College in English Literature and Environmental Science and an M.S. In Theology and the Arts from Andover Newton Theological Seminary. She lives in Connecticut in a multigenerational home with her husband and many pets. She enjoys her family, writing, gardening and so much more...

Website: http://kpoiriermarquardt.wixsite.com/author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kpoiriermarquardt

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/kpoiriermarquardt

Welcome Teresa B. Howell to My Blog!

I love being able to introduce new authors. 
Here is my interview with new author, Teresa B. Howell.

Tell us about your journey to publication. 

My journey was a true learning curve. I made a lot of mistakes starting out by listening to people who misrepresented their talents and skills. I began to research diligently and learned not only how to self publish but also how to help others through this process. It took about a year of trial and error but I made it!

What is the takeaway message for the novel? 

The takeaway message is in spite of our title or position, we are all still human and will continuously make mistakes in order to grow.

What inspired you to write the book?

The death of a very close family member started me on this path.  I wrote songs and poetry every once in awhile but I really took writing seriously after my tragedy.  It was very therapeutic and became my inspiration to write other books.

What other authors do you read/recommend? 
I enjoy reading Kimberela Lawson Roby, Alice Walker, and Octavia Butler

Do you have any Advice to any aspiring writers?

Research, research, and more research

About the Author

Much like her book, which is about real life obstacles that detour us from the church and our faith. Teresa B. Howell brings dynamic truth to finding spirituality after realizing you have let the flesh have too much power. Teresa B. Howell is an Exceptional Children’s Director that has two Master Degrees in education and leadership.  She has received numerous awards and accolades in her profession, dedicated to mentoring and teaching students within the school system.  Teresa was born and raised in the church.  She witnessed the good and the not so good while not only attending, but also serving in various capacities in different church organizations.  Teresa decided in July 2015 to put her experiences and observations on paper, and her first novel That Church Life was born.  She aspires to be more than just the average Christian Author, which can be noted in her writing style.  Teresa’s literary path is inspired by her faith, family, and close friends.  She currently lives in Durham, NC with her husband and children.

About the Book

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The Church Gal Crew is leading the way to Salvation at Mt. Zion Holiness Church. Feisty Natalia Freemon is the “head” of the crew. Rebellious and outspoken, she has no problems challenging the church status quo. Years later however, her loss of faith will tragically impact her life.

Michelle Hanks, a country girl from a hardworking farm family is the peacemaker and “soul” of the crew. Although struggling with self-confidence she is wise beyond her years and can’t wait to escape the farm life and find success; even if it costs her soul.

Missy Jones, the “heart” of the crew, has the face of an angel and a voice sent from heaven. A pastor’s daughter raised in the church, Missy loves the ministry and her place in it. But the flesh is tempting, especially when it comes in the form of sexy church musician and Mt. Zion playboy Tommy.

In spite of her dedication to the word, Missy falls hard for Tommy, and then falls out of favor with the church. Trapped in a cycle of relationship abuse, Missy’s world is falling apart until Beanie, a reformed stick-up man turned Deacon, shows her real love. But when tragedy strikes, Missy is torn between the truth, that could jeopardize everything she loves, or a lie that could be her damnation.

These three best friends drift away from each other and the church but come back together through spiritual downfall, relationship crises, drug addiction, and even murder. Just some of the drama you’ll find, in that church life!

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A Sit-Down with Brand New Author: LaChelle Weaver.

I had the pleasure of interviewing brand new author, LaChelle Weaver. I read Sister Surrogate and simply had to ask her three questions.

1. What inspired you to write Sister Surrogate and how did you come up with the title?
I was in a nail salon getting a pedicure a few years ago flipping through a magazine, and I came across an ad about cervical cancer that featured three Caucasian sisters of which the youngest suffered from it. She was newly married with no children when she was diagnosed and she later succumbed to the disease. I said I wanted to write that story with three African-American sisters, but with a twist. The twist being the surrogacy angle. Rarely, do we hear about surrogacy in the African-American community. As for the title, that didn’t come easy. I usually struggle with titles, and as a writer I have to have a title first before I begin writing the story. So, during a brainstorming session with two of my writing sisters, I discussed with them my struggle and they helped me come up with the title. 
2. What is the main message of Sister Surrogate?
I never have a particular message in mind when writing a story, but my goal as a writer is to always provide an engaging and entertaining reading experience that will hopefully spark great conversations. I’m already receiving messages from readers of Sister Surrogate who’ve been having them with their own families, friends and co-workers. It’s exciting to hear their opinions and views on the issues in Sister Surrogate.
 3. Tell us about your journey to publication. 
While Sister Surrogate is my debut novel, my first published work was in the Brown Girls Books’ bestselling and award-nominated anthology, The Dating Game where my short story, “We Ain’t the Huxtables” was featured, which came out last year. It’s been a whirlwind, but I’ve been blessed with such amazing opportunities. 

Congrats, LaChelle, I certainly wish you all the best with your debut novel.

Meet the Author

LaChelle Weaver is one of the bestselling authors of Brown Girls Books’ #1 and award-nominated anthology, The Dating Game where you can read her short story, “We Ain’t the Huxtables”.

LaChelle is a native North Carolinian and avid reader whose love for writing and storytelling spans back to childhood. An English graduate of North Carolina State University, she’s always had a passion for weaving words together to create an entertaining and engaging reading experience. Her debut novel, Sister Surrogate released on July 12, 2016 under Brown Girls Books. For more about LaChelle and to stay informed about her future projects, you can visit her at www.lachelleweaverwrites.com and sign up to join her mailing list.

About the Book

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Bridgette, Ivy, and Savannah have always been close...but their sisterhood hasn't been without its challenges. Yet these sisters always manage to come together in times of need. 

When Savannah, the youngest sister, is faced with a life-altering illness, which threatens her lifelong desire to have children, one of her sisters offers to give her the ultimate gift - to become her surrogate. 

While Savannah is overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude about her impending motherhood, not everyone in the family shares her sentiments. In fact, the upcoming bundle of joy has created a discord that this family may never be able to overcome. 

Excerpt

 Savannah was filled with a myriad of emotions, which had become commonplace over the past few weeks. She was happy, but apprehensive at the same time. She was sad, but now, optimistic and hopeful again. Honestly, she’d never considered surrogacy. She didn’t know anything about it other than what she’d seen on TV and she would’ve never paid some stranger to carry her baby. She knew that there were cases where that hadn’t ended well for the intended parents, and she couldn’t imagine being that mother who placed all her hope on another woman fulfilling her dreams of motherhood, and then snatching it away because she’d had a sudden change of heart. It was unimaginable, but now here her sister was offering her a similar dream.  Purchase Your Copy

 

My Review

The bond between sisters is a strong one. No matter what Bridgette, Ivy and Savannah faced, they had each other. The question arises when reading Sister Surrogate is, should you put your sister above your immediate family? And, if you do, are you prepared to handle the consequences. But no matter what happens, the fact remains that the love between sisters is unshakeable. An intriguing read from this debut author. 

Contact and social media links:

Website: www.lachelleweaverwrites.com

Blog: www.lachelleweaverwrites.com/lachelle-writes

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lachelleweaverwrites

Instagram: www.instagram.com/luv_words

Twitter: www.twitter.com/luvwrds94

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/lachelleweaver

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/lachelleweaver

Welcome Joy Avery to my Blog!

Book Title: Another Man's Treasure Publication Date: June 18, 2016 ASIN: B01HAKBZ0Q Genre: Contemporary Romance

About the Author

 

 By day, Joy Avery works as a customer service assistant. By night, the North Carolina native travels to imaginary worlds—creating characters whose romantic journeys invariably end happily ever after. Since she was a young girl growing up in Garner, Joy knew she wanted to write. Stumbling onto romance novels, she discovered her passion for love stories; instantly, she knew these were the type stories she wanted to pen. Real characters. Real journeys. Real good love is what you’ll find in a Joy Avery romance. Joy is married with one child. When not writing, she enjoys reading, cake decorating, pretending to expertly play the piano, driving her husband insane, and playing with her two dogs. Joy is a member of Romance Writers of America and Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.

About the Book

 

 Graphic artist Trinity Hargrove never knew real passion until she sleeps with her boss’s son. Mistake number one. Mistake number two…liking it too much. But they agreed to only one night. Simple enough, right? Wrong. He may be out of her bed, but their intense night together still burns in her memories. As long as she keeps her distance from the oh-so-desirable Xander Duval, everything will be okay. Unfortunately, fate won’t go along with her plan. Restaurateur Xander Duval agrees to Trinity’s “one night” stipulation, but only in theory. He has no intentions of not being with her again. Especially when his mind—nor body—will allow him to forget the fire that blazed between them until the wee hours of the morning. When Trinity is injured in an automobile accident, he jumps at the opportunity to be her arms and legs. He plans to show her just how determined he is to make her his…for far longer than just one night. Read A Preview: http://a.co/14ZfHvW

 Amazon: http://bit.ly/anothermanstreasure

Website: http://www.joyavery.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjoyavery 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorjoyavery 

 Tour hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours www.wnlbooktours.com

Announcing a New Release: LIE TO ME

I am so pleased to bring you the second book of the Nothing but the Truth Series. I released my 11th book on my son's birthday. So, I guess you could say I now have twins. Please enjoy this fast-paced read.

Lie to Me

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A marriage on the rocks, a wedding in the works, and the woman who will change all their lives.

Sydney and Noah Charleston are joyful they are about to become parents. But a scary possibility threatens to shake up their marriage especially when Sydney learns Noah has kept even more lies from her. Will she be able to forgive this time? 

Monica Riley has a dangerous love for Lance Forbes which is why she stayed away from him. But when she is offered a large sum of cash, Monica returns to town to rekindle her romance with Lance. Will Monica get back her man? 

Belinda Santiago and Lance Forbes are deep into wedding preparations while struggling to remain celibate. When Lance's old flame stirs up mischief, Will their love survive? 

Portia Hendricks has a crush on the new office hottie, Nathaniel Lyons. The problem is Nathaniel has his eyes on Sydney. Worse yet, Sydney seems flattered by his charms. Will she be able to keep her best friend out of trouble? 

The 2nd book of the Nothing But the Truth series will keep you guessing until it's stunning conclusion. One thing is certain at the end of this read, nothing will ever be the same.

Brief Excerpt

“Get out the car!”

Fourteen-year-old Noah Charleston raked his hands through his chin-length hair then gripped the wheel.

“Did you hear me? I said to get out!” the hooded young man banged on the glass.

Noah turned to see the barrel of a 9MM Glock pointed at his head. He looked to his right to see two other assailants pounding on the window. Noah knew the locks were activated in his parents eight year old Toyota Camry, but he pressed them anyway.

“Noah!” Mary Charleston yelled from the back seat.

“They’re going to kill us,” Peter Charleston chimed in, twisting his hands.

Noah saw his parents frightened expressions and made his decision. He bent his lanky frame close to the wheel. “Put your heads down,” he commanded.

It was one a.m. The streets were deserted. Noah gunned the gas and tore through the red light. He hunched over expecting to hear the distinct sounds of siren.

Two loud claps boomed throughout the otherwise quiet streets.

Noah looked over at his dad. “Are you all right?”

Peter’s bottom lip trembled.

“We’ll be fine,” Noah said, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

There was another loud clap. The car swerved out of his control. Noah gripped the wheel and instinctively curved with  the car.

“What’s that?” Mary asked.

“They hit a tire.” Noah gritted his teeth. He heard the sound of metal scraping the ground and knew he had no choice but to hit the brakes.

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About the Author

Michelle Lindo-Rice is an award winning, bestselling author of the “Able to Love” and “On the Right Path” series. She enjoys crafting fiction centered around the four "F" words: Faith, Friendship, Family, and Forgiveness. She is the 2015 winner of the Black Writers And Book Clubs Rocks Female Author of the Year Award.
Originally from Jamaica West Indies, Michelle Lindo-Rice calls herself a lifelong learner. She has earned degrees from New York University, SUNY at Stony Brook, Teachers College Columbia University and Argosy University, A pastor’s kid, Michelle upholds the faith, preaching, teaching, and ministering through praise and worship. Feel free to connect with her at michellelindorice.com

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Book Review: One Sunday at a Time

About the Book

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In this soap opera in print, the main character, Deborah, asks herself, “What does crazy look like?” Let Deborah tell it, it's the reflection that looks back at her in the mirror. She has a career she loves, two beautiful children and a handsome and successful husband. Her life seems to be the blueprint almost every woman she knows would kill to live. But working full-time, being a full-time mother, full-time wife and a full-time Sunday only Christian seems to be taking its toll on her. With all the scheming and shenanigans Deborah orchestrated to get this lifestyle, she might have to come up with a whole set of new ones to maintain it.

Lynox is Deborah's husband who she thanks God for putting back into her life after a game of cat and mouse that defies the laws of romance. He feels that all Deborah needs is to let her hair down, maybe make some new friends and live a little. When Deborah agrees and then suspects Lynox of having an affair with the woman that he suggested she form a friendship with, will he live to regret his own 
advice? 

My Review

I read One Sunday at a Time over a few days. Each time I read, I couldn't help but think of how Deborah represents so many women I know. We have full-time jobs. We have a family to take care of. Some of us have husbands or significant others as well. We sometimes become overwhelmed with all we have to do. What drew me in was that Deborah refused to seek the help she needed. Many times, people who are suffering from mental illness do not view counseling or medication as God's resources. Deborah took me on a crazy journey. Her husband, Lynox, was strong and faithful. This read will make you reflect and make changes for what is important: Our relationship with God, our health, and our relationship with our loved ones. Everything else is secondary.

Author Bio: 

BLESSEDselling Author E. N. Joy is the author behind the “New Day Divas,” “Still Divas,” “Always Divas” and “Forever Divas" series, all which have been coined “Soap Operas in Print.” She is an Essence Magazine Bestselling Author who wrote secular books under the names Joylynn M. Jossel and JOY. Her title, If I Ruled the World, earned her a book blurb from Grammy Award Winning Artist, Erykah Badu. An All Night Man, an anthology she penned with New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Jackson, earned the Borders bestselling African American romance award. Her Urban Fiction title, Dollar Bill (Triple Crown Publications), appeared in Newsweek and has been translated to Japanese. Her children’s book titled The Secret Olivia Told Me, written under the name N. Joy, received a Coretta Scott King Honor from the American Library Association. The book was also acquired by Scholastic Books and has sold almost 100,000 copies. Elementary and middle school children have fallen in love with reading and creative writing as a result of the readings and workshops E. N. Joy instructs in schools nationwide.

Author Website: www.enjoywrites.com

Virtual BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Party July 10, 2016 event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1586905054933340/

Social Media:

Facebook: AuthorENJoy

Twitter: @enjoywrites

Pinterest: @authorENjoy

Instagram: @bestselling_author_enjoy

Periscope:  @Author_E_N_Joy 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/enjoywrites