What happens after all your dreams come true? In these uplifting tales of faith and fortune, delve into the lives of three people whose hearts--and wallets--are on the line when an unexpected windfall tests them like never before. . .
Showers of Blessings by Angela Benson
Assistant pastor Ronnie has a shameful secret: he's a compulsive gambler. And just when it seems he's run out of luck, he finds salvation in a miraculous win. But nothing can keep Ronnie from recklessly betting his family's future. His only way out is through renewed faith--and a desperate act of redemption.
Second Chance Blessings by Marilynn Griffith
Pro football player Craig Richards has it all, from the trophy wife to the lavish mansion--until an injury costs him everything. Defeated, he returns to the community and church he left behind--and discovers his loss just might be a blessing in disguise. But will a second shot at fame and fortune lead him astray once more?
Knight In Pink Armor by Tia McCollors
Dara Knight's dream goes far beyond the multi-million dollar lottery she just won. Her real desire is to rebuild a poverty-stricken Atlanta community. But when a vicious gang sets out to destroy her project, will she have enough courage to prove that investing in people, against all odds, yields heaven-sent rewards?
We invite you this week to highlight your favorite FEMALE MINISTER in the comment section below. Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card.
Vanessa Miller of Dayton , Ohio is an Essence best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying and Abundant Rain. To date, Vanessa has written the Rain Series and the Storm Series. The books in the Rain Series are: Former Rain , Abundant Rain, and Latter Rain. The books in the Storm Series are: Rain Storm and Through The Storm . These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists. Yesterday’s Promise is the first book of a series entitled, Second Chance of Love. Whitaker House plans to release the next two books in October 2010 and January 2011. Visit her online at www.VanessaMiller.com.
List your published books.
Former Rain, Abundant Rain, Latter Rain, Rain Storm, Through the Storm, Forsaken and Yesterday’s Promise.
Which book did you find the hardest to birth?
Former Rain was the hardest book to write. It was my first and I was learning a lot about the skill of writing as I wrote that book. It took seven years from start to finish with several edits. I now write my books within two to three months.
Which book is your current favorite?
Through the Storm is my favorite book, because it is a mystery and I love reading mysteries. But each of my books have touched me in different ways.
How would you describe your writing style?
I write to touch the hearts and souls of my readers, other than that, I don’t believe I have a particular style.
Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind?
No. I like silence, so I can think.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Keep writing, and developing the skill that a writer needs to be successful. I would attend writer’s workshops and conferences. Once he/she finally gets that book deal I would advise that they learn everything they can about marketing that book. The market is saturated right now, so writers need to find ways to help their book stand out. Writers are often encouraged to write what they know. Have you found that to be the case with your writing? Yes, I mostly write redemption stories and that is because I have been redeemed. I want my readers to understand that God is always there for them. No matter what they’ve done, they can always turn back to God and be forgiven. However, my 2010 books are romance and women’s issue type books that are different from my earlier books, but I believe the reader will be touched by them as well.
About the Book
Melinda Johnson has always felt called to ministry. So, when her father, Bishop Langston Johnson, decides to step down after thirty years of leadership at Omega Christian Center, it seems only natural for her to take his place. But Bishop Johnson feels led by a God who has other things in mind, and to succeed him, he appoints Steven Marks-a man who is opposed to female pastors, not to mention the fact that he is Melinda’s ex-fiancé. Feeling defeated, Melinda nevertheless maintains her position as the church’s Missions and Community Outreach Director. Frequent interaction with the new bishop incites bitter sparring-and rekindles long-suppressed attraction, which grows only stronger when Melinda develops a relationship with Steven’s precious daughter, Brianna, who’s still struggling with the death of her mother. Can Steven and Melinda set aside past pains, forgive each other, and learn to love again? Or will their opposing positions regarding women preachers keep them forever at odds? Tell Us About Your Favorite Female Minister
We invite you this week to highlight your favorite FEMALE MINISTER in the comment section below. Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card.
Today I continue my series about literary service providers with another favorite of mine. Shades of Romance Magazine, othewise known as SORMAG to many of us. I remember when LaShaunda launched SORMAG. Way back when we were both aspiring romance writers. LaShaunda has a heart of gold and she gives and gives and gives to the literary community . I'm so happy to be able to feature her.
Introduce yourself to the readers. Hello everyone, my name is LaShaunda C. Hoffman. First I’m a wife, and mother of three. I work full time for the government and in my off time I’m the owner of SORMAG – Shades Of Romance Magazine. An online magazine. I’m also an aspiring writer, working on a few manuscripts.
Tell us about your literary business. Shades of Romance Magazine or SORMAG as I call it. Is an online magazine for readers and writers of multi-cultural literature. It is an interactive magazine that features author interviews, blog tours, columns, book reviews and articles. I started it in 2000 to help promote authors and their books. It has moved from site to print to a blog over the last 10 years.
Who are your customers? Our customers are mainly authors looking to promote their books. Sometimes we’ll have a few businesses promote their events or products. We welcome business that want to reach readers 18 – 65.
Our readers are book readers, book clubs, and authors.
How did you get started? I have always had a love for books. I fell in love with romance books and had a hard time finding places on the web that promoted the multi-cultural books. I decided to start a magazine that would help promote multi-cultural books. We started off just promoting romances and then we moved to all types of books. We celebrate 10 years of promoting books and their authors.
Like all business, there are ups and downs in publishing. The current economic downturn has caused a sharp reduction in book sales. How does this affect your business? A lot of my customers have tighten up their promotion belt, which means less ad sales than in the past. Some have come to me with a budget and I try to work with their budget because I understand that most publishers aren’t paying big advances like they use to. I’m willing to work with my customers. My goal is to help them promote their products.
Share a rewarding or successful literary experience you’ve had recently. This month I’m on the cover of the EKG Literary Magazine, which is a blessing, because I’m usually the one doing the interviewing. It was a nice write up about me and what I do with the magazine. I am very thankful for the opportunity and exposure to their readers. - http://ekgliterarymag.com/
How would you like to improve your business? I would like to see SORMAG at more literary events. I see this as a way to meet new readers. I know there are a lot of readers who don’t know about us and I would like to be able to attend more events in order to do this.
What do you enjoy reading? Any Christian Fiction favorites or recent notable reads? I enjoy all types of books. I try to read at least two books a month. Usually I have a paperback and a book I’m listening to. I’m currently reading, Dreams That Won't Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams. I enjoy her style of writing.
Celebrate Women in Leadership Series
with Dawn McCoy
During the month of March 2010, Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks will highlight great women in leadership during Women’s History Month.
Rhonda: Thank you for allowing me to be a guest blogger today at Urban Christian Fiction. Today, in the Celebrate Women in Leadership series, I want to highlight Nannie Helen Burroughs.
What I most like about courageous Nannie Helen Burroughs was that she was a fearless woman ahead of her time. She was a civil rights activist, teacher, and noted orator. She was the founded the National Training School for Women and Girls in Washington, DC in 1901. She was a pivotal force who made an impact as a leader through religious and educational efforts, particularly for African American women.
First, Burroughs shared moral values, such as a solid work ethic to help young women become self-sufficient wage earners. In 1896, she joined other women to form the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) to promote political mobilization of Black women. As her political partisanship ripened, she became a much sought- after participant in that arena, particularly by the Republican Party.
Also, in 1900 at the annual meeting of the National Baptist Convention in Virginia, Burroughs gave a speech, “How the Sisters Are Hindered from Helping.” Her speech gained her national recognition and led the served as a lightning rod for the formation of the largest Black women’s organization in the United States, the Woman’s Convention (WC) an auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention (NBC). Because of her hard work, leadership, and dedication, the membership of the WC grew dramatically, reaching one million members in 1903 and 1.5 million in 1907.
When Herbert Hoover was elected president in 1928, he chose Burroughs to head a fact-finding commission on housing. In 1909, she founded the National Training School for Women and Girls, which was renamed the Nannie Helen Burroughs School in 1964.
Nannie Helen Burroughs is often quoted because she was an amazing leader with unparalled courage. She once said that "What we need are mental and spiritual giants who are aflame with a purpose . . . We're a race ready for crusade, for we've recognized that we're a race on this continent that can work out its own salvation.”
TOUR GIVEAWAY: Blog visitors who leave comments OR radio callers with questions for Dawn are eligible to win an autographed copy of Leadership Building Block and a copy of the Effective Community Engagement CD.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dawn McCoy is author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider's Guide to Success. As one of the youngest elected African-American elected to the Sacramento City Unified School Board, McCoy shares seven leadership fundamentals in her book. Inspiring readers to be top in their field, Dawn shares her insights based upon twenty years serving as a nonprofit and government executive.
A motivational speaker, coach, and founder of Flourish Leadership Group, a leadership development and communications firm, Dawn is dedicated to transforming ordinary people into extraordinary leaders. In recent years, she has worked with organizations to develop their vision and create phenomenal results. Dawn has worked with hundreds of individuals to help them capture their spirit of leadership and truly become the effective leaders they were meant to be.
Visit Dawn online at FlourishLeadership.com.
Read an excerpt online and visit the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/LeadershipBuildingBlocks.
Today, I continue my features on literary services providers by introducing Renee Williams. I selected Renee for this feature, because I've observed that she works very hard supporting authors. In particular she is very good to us that are newly published.
Hello Renee, introduce yourself to the readers. I am Renee Williams, born and raised in the same little town in Southeast Texas. I’m an avid reader, and have been since my youth. I am the mother of two, step mother of three and the grandmother of three with a fourth on the way. I am presently employed as an administrative assistant to the best boss in the world! I love God!!! I am active in several ministries at my church.
Tell us about your literary business. I am the owner of Literary Signature Services, which encompasses several endeavors. I love event planning and working with authors, so I offer my services to them in planning dinners and/or multi-day events for them and their readers. I am also a literary blogger/reviewer at All the Buzz (http://www.allthebuzzreviews.com), where I post reviews, author interviews, event recaps, as well as being a tour stop for many virtual tours. Last year I launched A Hopeful Romantic (http://www.ahopefulromantic.com), which is home to all things romance.
I also have an inspirational blog, The Master’s Vessel (http://www.themastersvessel.com). I love spreading God’s love and God’s word, and offering an encouraging word to everyone in need.
Most recently, I have delved head first into web design, offering customized web sites and blogs to authors, or really anyone who wants a beautiful site at a reasonable price! In addition to my own sites, I have most recently designed the new blog site of national best-selling author Francis Ray (http://www.francisrayblog.com) as well as the site for romance author Victoria Wells (http://www.victoria-wells.com). I have two more that I am working on right now, and hope to add more in the future.
And finally, LOL, I also plan virtual tours for authors who are seeking an affordable, yet effective way of promoting their latest release.
I’ve got another major project in the works, but it may be a year or so before it’s fully launched.
Who are your customers? Even though I promote to authors, all of my sites are for everyone, especially the readers. As a reader myself, I love being able to go to sites where I can interact with an author and learn more about them.
How did you get started? Brenda Jackson was coming to Texas a few years ago for a romance writers convention. I knew I wanted to meet her since she is one of my all-time favorite authors. So I started planning a dinner for her, which was wonderful, and that’s when the bug hit. LOL From there, I branched off into being a reviewer, and All the Buzz was born. The virtual tours came from working with Marlive Harris of TheGRITS (http://www.thegrits.com), who is my mentor and shero! Web design came about from having to design my own blogs (again with the help of Marlive) because I couldn’t afford the high prices a lot of web designers charge.
Like all business, there are ups and downs in publishing. The current economic downturn has caused a sharp reduction in book sales. How does this affect your business? It cuts down on all aspects – advertising, virtual tours, web design.
Share a rewarding or successful literary experience you’ve had recently. Being able to work with any author is a rewarding and successful experience for me. It’s not an opportunity many get, so I value each one.
Where do you see Literary Signature Services in five years? I see Literary Signature Services as being a force to be reckoned with in the literary industry, providing all aspects of service – quality and professional service – at a reasonable cost, for the writer who is just starting out to the best-selling author who has numerous books under their belt.
What do you enjoy reading? Any Christian Fiction favorites or recent notable reads? I enjoy reading romance, Christian fiction, mystery/suspense. The most recent notable Christian fiction reads for me are Heavenly Places by Kimberly Cash Tate and the Jubilant Soul series of books by Stacy Hawkins Adams.
Where can writers find you on the Internet? All the Buzz – http://www.allthebuzzreviews.com , A Hopeful Romantic – http://www.ahopefulromantic.com, The Master’s Vessel – http://www.themastersvessel.com
When Trina Michaels steps off the plane after her two-year missions trip in Africa, she realizes that other than longing to see her mother and her best friend, her heart aches to fly back to the place that now feels more like home than anywhere she’s… ever lived. And to the man who’s stolen her heart.
Her dream of a quick return to Mozambique fades within hours when Trina discovers that her mother has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Trina is forced to go back to her job as a publicist to cover her mother’s health costs.
She’s assigned a damage control client, Bishop Walker, a megachurch pastor accused of covering up a church sex scandal within his church involving the molestation of young boys. Representing him could cost Trina her most valued friendship, the love of her life, and her soul.
Who I’ve Become is NOT who I AM, is Sonya Visor’s first non-fiction book. Her passion is to minister to the people who hide behind masks. Sonya’s calling is to break and destroy the yokes of bondage, releasing the power of God into the lives of others by the preached Word and prayers of deliverance. When you can find the strength, to step into who you truly are; you can find the strength to BE THE (Tru U).TruU Ministriesis the women’s ministry that God has charged her with to help other’s become free. Sonya shares her heart with her husband, Pastor Tony Visor, who she calls her better half, for nineteen years. She and her husband have ministered effectively in the city of Racine together at NCC since 1999. Sonya is blessed to love two sons, Jason and Tony, Jr. Visit her online at sonyavisor.com.
About the Book
Who are you when nobody’s looking? It’s time to take off what hides who you truly are…the mask! Are you tired of going around family, friends and church folk with a frozen smile and a broken heart? Unmask your true identity and learn your real name as pastor’s wife and playwright Sonya Visor cuts to the heart with dynamic testimony of sexual molestation at a young age. BEING SILENT GAVE POWER to the hands that touched her life. Can hands meant to protect you also have the power to crush your identity? YES! But when we stop allowing a mask of shame to hold us captive with CLOSED mouths, WE CAN let Jesus be real in our lives. Discover who you have become and embrace who you really are in a book that goes past the pews and what other’s think about you — to bring glory to God by being transparent and transformed. It’s time to take off your mask and let the true you show up!
Dwan Abrams is a full-time novelist, freelance editor, and publisher. She’s the best-selling author of My Mother’s Child (the sequel to Divorcing the Devil), Married Strangers, Divorcing the Devil, Only True Love Waits, and The Scream Within. She’s the founder, publisher, and editorial director of Nevaeh Publishing, LLC a small press independent publishing house. She’s currently signed to Urban Christian, an imprint of Urban Books/Kensington. Her sixth novel, the second book in the Married Series, is set to hit national bookshelves in 2011.
List your published books.
My Mother’s Child, Married Strangers, Divorcing the Devil, Only True Love Waits, and The Scream Within. I also have an ebook on self-publishing and small presses.
Which book did you find the hardest to birth?
My Mother’s Child was the hardest to birth because of the subject matter. I had to write from the male perspective when dealing with the deranged stalker and the husband of one of his victims. That was challenging.
Which book is your current favorite?
My Mother’s Child because of the unexpected outcome.
How would you describe your writing style?
According to Robert Frost, “Style is that which indicates how the writer takes himself and what he is saying. It is the mind skating circles around itself as it moves forward." I used to consider myself to be a “seat of the pants” writer. I just sat down and wrote as the ideas came to me. As I grow and change, so have my preferences. I now prefer to do character sketches and brief outlines. Nothing too detailed. Just enough to give me a well-rounded view of the characters and keep the story at an even pace.
Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind?
No. Since I get most of my writing done at night, I usually turn on the TV with the volume down low. Other times I prefer silence.
Tell us anything about you as a writer that you think might be interesting or unusual. I’m actually shy. What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Read a lot and study the craft. Don’t fall so in love with your work that you can’t take constructive criticism. Writers are often encouraged to write what they know. Have you found that to be the case with your writing? There may be little things that I’ll throw in here and there like locations and food preferences, but the premises of my stories aren’t pages from my life.
About the Book
Lyric Stokes lives, by most standards, a charmed life. Married to Michael Stokes, a prominent heart surgeon, she has financial security and lives in the lap of luxury. All is not perfect, though. Lyric feels inadequate because she gave birth to a daughter, rather than the son that her husband so desperately wanted. After an unexpected turn of events, Lyric discovers that she’s pregnant again, but now she has to decide whether she even wants to keep the child she has longed for. She seeks solace in her church, where her daughter also feels at home; but they can’t get Michael to join them. Disagreeing with organized religion, he has put his job before all else, including God. The distance between the couple grows further every day. Nigel Fredericks has a history of stalking women. He’s been accused, but never convicted. Now he’s set his sights on Lyric. She’s at a low point in her life, and Nigel knows just how to take advantage of that vulnerability. Lyric’s life is turned upside down; Nigel is like a cancer eating away at her mental stability, her marriage, and ultimately, her life. Will Michael reevaluate his priorities and his faith in time to save his family?
