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Monday, October 25, 2010

Get to Know CiCi Foster


Synopsis:
Sunny Rain tells the story of three professional women living in Chicago whose lives seem perfect by anyone’s standards. Natalie has everything a woman could want-a thriving career, motherhood, and a rich husband who loves her. When she meets an older married man who becomes the object of her forbidden fantasies, he awakens her sexual desires and she risks it all-for lust.

Leslie is a sex fiend who can’t get enough lovin’ between the sheets. Determined to not settle for just one man, she prides herself on being a female player. Everything changes when she meets Derrick. Their passionate, hot sex leaves Leslie wanting more, until she discovers the truth behind his chiseled body and sexy smile.

Monica will stop at nothing to get her husband back. She desperately tries to steal her husband away from another woman only to discover secrets about his dark, sexual past.

Sunny Rain reveals the personal tragedies and triumphs of these three friends and how they find the courage to conquer their own fears and shady pasts.


Excerpt : “Oh shit baby. Your pussy is so wet,” he moaned in my ear. “Fuck me harder baby,” I begged, “I’m about to come.” And he did just that. The intense strokes made my toes curl and my eyes roll to the back of my head. I moaned loudly. For a brief moment, I was paralyzed, unable to speak or move.

Kenneth picked me up from the dresser and placed me on the bed. I got on my hands and knees and stuck my ass in the air. Kenneth entered me from behind as I arched my back, allowing him to go deeper. I enjoyed the feel of his balls banging against my wet pussy with every stroke.

Kenneth couldn’t hold out any longer. He shot his massive load in my already soaking pussy. We collapsed on the bed.

“It’s your turn to sleep in the wet spot,” I murmured, while scooting to the edge of the bed. “I slept in the one from earlier,” Kenneth teased, as he scooted me back to the center of the bed. “No baby. It don’t go by turns. You have to do it the whole day no matter how many times we do it.”

Kenneth got up and went to the attached bathroom. “How are you gonna change the rules when they benefit you?” “As a carrier of the good pussy, I get to amend rules as I see fit.” We both laughed. Kenneth handed me a wet towel and climbed back in bed.

I wiped both of our fluids from my vagina and tossed it in the hamper. A short while later, I drifted off to sleep in Kenneth’s arms. The sound of a closing door jolted me from my nap. I scanned the room, searching for Kenneth, but he was nowhere to be found.

Did his wife come home early from her trip? My heart damn near jumped out of my chest, as I heard footsteps approaching the bedroom. I quickly wrapped the sheet around me, just as the door flew open.




BiographyCi Ci Foster can be labeled as a true “Wonder Woman.” The multi-talented Chicago native’s unparalleled creativity, and unrelenting passion for entertainment have been instrumental in providing her with diverse opportunities in the film, modeling and publishing industries.

Foster’s career in entertainment began while she was a student as Chicago State University, where she received her B.A. in psychology and minored in theatre.

As a student, Ci Ci graced the stage in a variety of productions, but didn’t fully commit herself to pursuing her dream until she participated in a question and answer session for Rap So Dee, an off Broadway production.

Professionally, Ci Ci has enjoyed success in a host of independent films, print ads, and commercials. Her commercial credits include Meijers, Walgreens, and Euro-Pro Vacuum. Her film credits include Wages of Sin, This is the Remix, and The Piano Lesson.

In 2004, Ci Ci developed an interest in writing, and began honing her skills by writing short stories. Her debut novel, Sunny Rain, has just been released and is already receiving rave reviews.

A true entrepreneur at heart, Ci Ci recently formed her own production company with fellow actress Mashari Laila Bain, called Flower Goddess Productions. Through this company, Ci Ci produced her new documentary, I Heart Hollywood, a film that focuses on the trials and real life struggles of 14 actresses in Hollywood.

With all of her current accomplishments under her belt, more is yet to come for the new diva of urban erotica. Dubbed as a Phenomenal Woman by 50 in 52 Journey, an organization who honors ordinary people who do extraordinary things, Foster is truly a talent to be reckoned with.

She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters, and is currently working on her new novel, Hollywoodn’t.


Interview with CiCi
1. What inspired you to want to write erotic fiction? I’ve always been a huge fan of erotic fiction. It was just natural for me that when I started dabbling in writing, I would go that route.
2. How did you come up with the title of your book? A friend of mine Frantz came up with the title. I had been struggling for months trying to find the perfect title, and just kept drawing a blank. I was really started to get nervous because we were only a few months away from publication. Then one day a group of us were in the park and out of the blue he said, “Sunny Rain”. I loved it immediately.
3. Discuss the main characters in your book. What compelled you to create them? There are three main characters in Sunny rain- Natalie, Monica, and Leslie. Natalie is the one who seems to have it all together. What her friends don’t know is she is very good at burying her problems. At an early age, she programmed herself to self sabotage all her relationships in order to protect her feelings. Monica is the more reserved one. She has a very low self esteem and constantly seeks approval from others. Leslie is the social butterfly out of the group. She loves men and the idea of having them lust after her. I created these characters because these women are very relatable and so different from one another.
4. In what ways do you think your readers can relate to the characters in your book? I think the characters are very relatable. We all have certain aspects of each character that we can truly understand. These women could be your sister, cousin, friend, or maybe even you.
5. Do you think your book will impact how African American women will see relationships? I hope it gives a wake up call to women who are in unhealthy relationships to move on. Time is not on anyone’s side. A lot of women put a lot of time and energy into relationships that are destined to go nowhere. Most of the time the writing is on the wall early on, but we are too into the moment to see the truth. Years down the line, we say something like, “how could I have been so stupid.” As long as you learned something from it you are growing.
6. What do you want your readers to gain after reading your book? An understanding that we all have our own set of problems. What’s important is how we work through them.

7. What prevalent myths do you challenge in your book? The ‘all men are dogs’ is a myth challenged in ‘Sunny Rain’. I do believe a lot of men are dogs, and they give the good ones a bad name, but there are some good one’s left.

WebLinks:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cicifoster
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cicifoster
Website: www.CiCiFoster.com
Publisher: www.4heartspublications.com
Production Company: www.FlowerGoddessProductions.com
Email address for readers to contact you: cici@cicifoster.com
Link where book can be purchased: www.4heartspublications.com or www.amazon.com.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

AAMBC Fall Virtual Book Tours w/ Holly Spence



Synopsis: The drama, lies, deceit, and hidden secrets are revealed in this second release of the Covenant of Lies trilogy. Continue to follow the lives of the McFinley, Richardson and Taylor families. What will become of Jill and Shane’s budding relationship? Will the long time relationship between Henry and Carl survive the years of deceit and lies? Will Marcie’s relationship with her father be the final straw for Selma? “Covenant of Lies The Revealed Truth” is the second book in the “Covenant of Lies”series of self created web of lies by Author Holly Spence.

BIO:
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Holly Spence is a graduate of the School of Creative and Performing Arts in which she majored in Drama, Technical Theatre Management and Vocal Music. She attended the University of Cincinnati, majoring in Chemical Technology.

Mrs. Spence is an author (“Servant Leadership The Heart That Serves” and “Power of 10 Gaining Empowerment in 10 Minutes, 10 Words, 10 People”), Conference Speaker and Workshop Facilitator.

She’s the mother of 3 beautiful children: Heather, Jehoshua and Joshijah-rapha as well as best friend and covenant partner of Vinnie Spence.


Excerpt:
Courtney wakes up, her head is pounding and blood is all over her lab coat. She does not know how long she has been out, but she remembers being knocked out by Calvin Taylor. She looks at Selma’s bed and she is still sleep. Selma was administered a heavy dose of Percocet to help her sleep through the night as comfortable as possible. Courtney then began to look around for Marcie, calling her by name, but unable to move swiftly. Water in the bathroom is running. Courtney managed to get to her knees and use the couch to get to her feet. When Courtney opened the bathroom door, Marcie was in the shallow shower with water running, bruises on her arms and legs. Her shirt was around her neck; her bra ripped off, her pants and underwear, all at her ankles.

“Oh God!!! Marcie!” Marcie doesn’t reply nor does she move. Courtney turns off the water, runs outside for help. The officer was getting up off the floor the same time Courtney was coming out of Selma’s hospital room. “Sir, are you ok? I will have someone come by to look at you, don’t get up stay seated.”

Courtney made her way to the nurse’s station, the nurse looked up, “Oh Courtney, what in the world happened?” said the nurse.

“I was attacked by Calvin Taylor, Selma Taylor’s husband, please call hospital security and have them dispatch the police. I need to call down regarding my shift, I was supposed to report to work, what time is it?” Courtney sees the clock, “Oh no, I have been out for over 30 minutes? I also need someone to look at the officer outside Mrs. Taylor’s room and I need help getting Marcie Taylor to emergency for examination.”

The sixth floor nurse scrambles to meet the request and makes the necessary calls. A second nurse joins Courtney to check out the officer. Courtney heads back down to Marcie with a gown and blankets in hand to cover Marcie. When Courtney gets back to the room, the nurse behind her tends to the officer to identify his injuries. Courtney opens the door. Marcie is still in the bathroom lying in the shower.

Visit the Author:
http://twitter.com/monarchpubllc
http://monarchpublicationsllc.blogspot.com/

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Get to Know Kenni York


Synopsis:
Marriage was intended to be good. It is our decisions, our inability to truly commit, and most importantly our novice communication skills that can cause our marriages to fail. This book explores ways to foster a healthy relationship in an honest and straightforward way. No sugar-coating. Sometimes it takes a stranger to call you on your bullshit before you realize “hey, I'm doing something wrong here”. Striving for Happily Ever is intended to make you rethink your outlook on the concept of marriage and truly come to terms with what it means to love someone and be committed to making marriage work.

Excerpt:
Life revolves around change. But in a marriage, you have to be willing to undergo these changes together and either accept your spouse's individual changes or figure out a way for you to coexist. Go into your marriage with the understanding that your spouse today is not going to be the same tomorrow. The beauty of sharing your lives together is journeying through life's changes together. Failure to get this or to be able to deal with it can result in a failed marriage.

Bio:
Kenni York is a 28 year old author, motivational speaker, and visionary. Her past literary accomplishments her murder mystery novel Ask No Questions, poetry autobiography A Girl's Perspective, and the first book of unique mystery series Merrilittle: Murder in a Small Town. Kenni writes for the popular ezine, Examiner.com . Her title is The Atlanta Marriage Examiner. In this capacity, Kenni explores various aspects of married life. Dedicated to encouraging happy unions, Kenni has brought her magaine column to radio. She hosts an online radio show entitled Marriage Talk with Kenni. It is her ambition, dedication to her craft, and desire to inspire that makes her a phenomenal role model and a unique author, always telling it like it is. Kenni's motto is ‘Every success begins with a dream'. It is a saying that motivates her to make her dreams a reality, believing that anything you can dream of can be done successfully.

Web links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Author-Kenni-York/170517131607
official website: www.kenniyork.webs.com
email address: kenniyork@yahoo.com
marriage blog / ezine column: http://www.examiner.com/marriage-in-atlanta/kenni-york


Excerpt:


Someone asked me how can you write a book about relationships and marriage as if you have the perfect marriage? Are you shitting me? No one has a perfect relationship or marriage. There is no such thing. But my answer to their question was this: “I can’t tell you how it is or if it is wrong if I have never experienced it myself”. To that end, the thoughts, ideas, comments, and information provided in this book are based off of my own personal experiences, experiences of those I know, and the surveys collected prior to starting this project. The purpose of this book is to get people to think objectively when deciding to enter into a marriage and to actually work at maintaining a healthy, open, and equal marital relationship.
As a married woman for the last six years, I can honestly say that this shit is no joke. It is hard. No, you’re not going to always do or say the right things. Yes, you’re going to mess up time and time again. Marriage is a continuous learning process. You’re learning about your spouse and his/her limitations as well as your own. If done right, your learning process will entail the growth of you both individually and as a couple. Currently, I possess a column for Examiner. com entitled The Atlanta Marriage Examiner. In this capacity, I cover many topics pertaining to marriage including the lovey-dovey stuff and the hard shit that some people just don’t want to discuss. No, I’m no marriage expert. Anyone who says they are is an obnoxious liar. Calling yourself an expert signifies that you know it all. This couldn’t be any further from the truth seeing as though we all learn something different everyday. I encourage you to read with an open mind and to approach your relationship with an open heart. For more insight regarding my views on various marital topics, I invite you to visit my online magazine column.

Interview with Kenni York
1. How long have you been writing?
I have always had a passion for writing and have been writing for years as a hobby. But, I have been writing professionally, so to speak, for about three years. My first writing project was with an online blog site 'Clever Parents'.

2. What prompted you to write Striving for Happily Ever After?
So many young women around me at the time seemed to be so excited about the idea of marriage but didn't really realize how much work is required to make a marriage work. People marry and then divorce like they are changing their wardrobes. Marriage wasn't intended to be that way. I wanted to give people a real, down-to-earth, straight-forward opinion on the ins and outs of a marriage and what it takes to foster a healthy relationship. I wanted to show people that you don't have to be a celebrity or a slf-proclaimed relationship expert to point out, honestly, where we go wrong in our relationships.

3. What is your favorite chapter of the book?

Your friendships & Your marriage...This chapter explores how your behavior and demeanor should be around your 'homies' with regards to your spouse. Simply put, attitudes are contagious. However you treat and/or regard your spouse will be how your friends treat or regard them. It's all about respect. Your marriage doesn't stand a chance unless that respect is established.

4. What has marriage taught you in general?
Its taught me patience. So often people are quick to say what they will or will not do in a certain situation. But, we never know what we will do until we are actually IN that situation. Today, some people are so ready to just toss their marriages in the trash instead of putting in the work and effort it takes to repair and rebuild the relationship. After my six years of marriage,reviewing my relationship, and writing this book, I realize that I have an inner strength that I never new existed.

5. What are some of your other projects?
I currently have a ezine column entitled Atlanta Marriage Examiner. I also host a blogradio show entitled Marriagetalk with Kenni. As for books, I currently have two murder mysteries out: Ask No Questions and Merrilittle: Murder in a Small Town. Merrilittle is actually going to be a murder mystery series intended for young adult readers. And my best selling book is my poetry autobiography, A Girl's Perspective.

6. Can readers expect any other self-help books or marriage related projects in the future?

At this point I have not planned to do another self-help or marriage-based book...but you never know what the future holds. To do anything I have to be inspired by something. So, I'm open to the prospect of it, but there's nothing currently in the works.

7. What are your literary endeavors?
I am currently working on an urban fiction novel that I anticipate to be a big seller. Of course I have plans to work on my Merrilittle series as well. With all of my projects, it's my hope to enlighten, entertain, and inspire. That's all I truly desire to do. Do I hope to sit on a best seller list one day? Of course, what author doesn't? But, if it doesn't happen, that's okay too. It wasn't intended for everyone to reach high levels of fame. So, I don't aspire to be famous. I aspire to write what's in my heart and to share it with others who are interested.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Unsigned Hype By Booker T Mattison

Synopsis: Tory Tyson is a teenaged music prodigy. A classically trained pianist who is more interested in making beats than playing Bach. And a victory in the Unsigned Hype demo contest will give him exactly what he wants out of life - a successful music career. But can Tory handle the fame and fortune that he seeks?

Bio:

Booker T. Mattison is an author and filmmaker who wrote the screenplay for and directed the film adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's "The Gilded Six Bits," which aired on Showtime. It starred Chad Coleman (The Wire), T'keyah Keymah (That's So Raven, Cosby, In Living Color) and Wendell Pierce (Treme', The Wire, Ray).


Mattison has written and directed music videos that have aired on BET, MTV Europe and The Gospel Music Channel.


Mattison's debut novel Unsigned Hype was published by Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group in June 2009. Unsigned Hype has been optioned by the producers of "Hustle & Flow", "Black Snake Moan", "Run's House" and "Def Comedy Jam". Mattison's second novel, Snitch, will be published by Revell May 1st, 2011.

Mattison has taught Literary Criticism at the College of New Rochelle (NY), film production at Brooklyn College and currently teaches Directing and Screenwriting at Regent University (VA).

He received his Master of Fine Arts in film from New York University and his Bachelor of Science in mass communication from Norfolk State University.

Weblinks:

www.bookertmattison.com
www.facebook.com/booker.t.mattison
www.twitter.com/bookertmattison

Book Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAng4M3rPzc&feature=related


Excerpt:

1

Somebody’s banging on my front door and it’s rocking the house harder than the beat I’m laying down in my bedroom. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the jump-out squad was knocking the door off the hinges with a battering ram.
When I peek through the peephole, I see Fat Mike bouncing around like he’s about to wet his Red Monkey jean shorts. At eighteen, he’s three years older than me and if you saw him on the block you’d swear Biggie had been born again.
“Open the door, son!”
When I do I get bum-rushed. Fat Mike is out of breath, and sweat drops pop off his forehead like a thousand little balled-up fists.
“They chose my demo, son!” he says, working hard to catch his breath. “And you know what else? Mixmaster Magic told me I had some banging beats!”
Now I’m officially floored.
For those of you who’ve been living under a rock for the past fifteen years, Mixmaster Magic is THE radio DJ in hip-hop on the “nation’s number one station,” Power 97. Not only is Mixmaster Magic a hip-hip pioneer, he’s a hip-hop institution. Every rapper who’s had a hit record for the last ten years has premiered their song on his show, Magic Hour which is syndicated on five hundred thirty radio stations across the country and simulcast online.
“Yo, son. He said your beats sound like a cross between Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, and Just Blaze all rolled up in one! Round one is this Friday at 7 p.m.!”
I’ve never seen Fat Mike run before, but he’s already gone. Now all I see is his back—and rolls of sweaty, jiggly flesh as he barrels up the block.
The 40 bus stops on the corner and burps a cloud of white smoke. My moms gets off and waves to Fat Mike just as he hits the boulevard and melts into the chocolate people parade.
Moms will be forty on her next birthday. She’s not all secretive about her age like a lot of women because according to her, “each year you live is a blessing to be celebrated.” That might be true, but I think it also has to do with the fact that she doesn’t look a day over twenty-five. My friends always tell me how fine she is with her “mocha china doll face” and “matching coffee colored hair and eyes.” It’s my sonly duty to act offended, but as long as they’re respectful my fuss is just a front because I know it’s all true.
Moms is not even halfway in the house before I’m up in her grill like charcoal and cheeseburgers.
“Unsigned Hype picked Fat Mike’s demo!”
She gives me that plastic, parade-float smile she uses only in family photos.
“Tory, that’s great for your music, but you know how I feel about Power 97.”
I didn’t mention that Moms is real religious. She thinks you shouldn’t listen to, watch, or read anything that goes against the Bible. Translation: don’t entertain anything that could possibly be entertaining.
“Moms, a lot of hip-hop isn’t supposed to be real. It’s the rapper’s imagination. No different from a movie or a video game.”
Now why did I go and say that? She starts quoting Scripture, saying something about casting down imaginations and making thoughts obey Christ. Man, I wouldn’t know how to do that even if I wanted to. Sometimes it’s like she’s speaking a foreign language. And I’m kind of disappointed because I thought she’d be happier for me.
She rubs my head and pulls me into a hug. “But I’ll follow the competition as long as you’re in it, because you’re my modern-day Mozart and I love you.”

I’ve never been a saint. The only saints I know are the names on churches and schools around my way like St. Ursula, St. Peter, and St. Something on the abandoned building at the end of my block. I’m the youngest of three brothers, and I never knew my pops. He died when my moms was still pregnant with me. He was coming home late from work one night, and according to my moms it was a botched robbery attempt. They didn’t get any money because my dad fought back. That part makes me feel proud, but in the end I guess he still lost.
My older brothers, Corey and Devin, say they remember him. They were three and two, so I guess they would.
Because I don’t have any actual memories of my dad I’ve created my own out of stories I’ve heard and pictures I’ve seen. In my mind these memories are as real as the ones that Corey and Devin have. I’ve always wondered if Dad really is somewhere looking down on us or if that’s just something people say to create the illusion of an afterlife.
My moms is the executive assistant for a partner in a law firm in New York City, so we have it better than most kids on my block. She found religion five years ago and anytime I say that she goes into this “it’s not about religion, it’s about relationship” thing. How can you have a relationship with somebody you’ve never seen? She actually talks to God like he’s going to answer and calls him “Father” and really means it. She even told me he can be the father I never had. Okay, Moms. Right.
But I’m cool with the religious stuff because she doesn’t yell as much anymore. It’s only when she tries to push it on me that it becomes a problem. I still remember her drinking White Zin and going to the club with her girlfriends one Friday a month. Now she hangs out at church on days besides Sunday. And she won’t even do the Harlem Shake when I play one of my beats for her. And she’s the one who taught me how to Harlem Shake!
I’m in tenth grade now, but after school lets out next month, I won’t be going back. I’m dropping out because I know what I want to do with my life, and what they teach in school (if you want to call it teaching) isn’t preparing me for my vocation. Geometry can’t show me how to make music, and being in the school band is not going to get me a record deal.
I guess since I’ve been talking to you this long I should tell you my name. It’s Tory Tyson. But I go by Terror Tory because I bring terror to all producers and DJs. And when I blow up (pun intended), I’m not taking sides, I’m taking over—terriTory, that is.
I’ve been into producing music since I was like ten years old. I started deejaying at friends’ birthday parties in my neighborhood in Mount Vernon around the same time. Mount Vernon is a small city right outside of the Bronx. I mean small like 68,000 people.
My dad left behind a huge record collection. I’m talking hundreds of records. I have popular stuff and rare stuff with songs you can’t get off “best of” CDs. I make more money when I spin at parties for older folks in their thirties and forties than I do at parties for people my age. So those old records do come in handy.
The older folks’ parties I do are mostly for my mom’s friends, which means they knew my dad. They’re always telling me my DJ style is just like his was, and that I look just like him. It doesn’t seem right that these people have actual memories of my dad and I don’t. I wonder what the guy in the sky who made my moms a widow has to say about that.
But enough of the sentimental stuff.
My record collection is also where I get all the hot samples you hear in my beats. I’m ready to come out with my own record instead of spinning everybody else’s. I’ve been saving all my money from my gigs so I can stop recording in the bedroom I share with my brothers and record a professional-sounding demo in a real studio. That’s when I’ll start sending my stuff around to record labels in the city.
Now I’m going to tell you why you should be glad you’re getting to know me now instead of later. One day I’m going to produce songs for all the top hip-hop artists. That’s where Fat Mike comes in. He’s the best emcee in Mount Vernon and he also works in the mail room at Power 97. I met him through my brother Devin’s friend Cheryl who is Fat Mike’s sister. That’s how I found out that Fat Mike was looking for beats. He became my first client when he paid me $100 to produce the three songs on his demo. I charged him another $7.25 an hour to record in my bedroom. I know, you’re wondering how I came up with $7.25, right? That’s minimum wage in New York. Talent fees can be negotiated, but studio time is never free. Fat Mike said that’s what the rap stars say when they come through the station.

Because Fat Mike is always hanging out at Power, even on his days off, he knew about the Unsigned Hype demo contest before it was even announced on the air. The contest has three rounds, so if he wins, I win, because my music will be heard all over New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut at least three times. Even better than that, the winner gets a recording contract with Vantage Records, the hottest hip-hop label on the planet.
Fat Mike already told me that once he gets signed he wants me to produce everything he does. After that happens, all I need is one hit for my production fees to go through the roof. Then I can charge as much as $30,000 for each song I produce. So by the time I’m eighteen, I’ll get a Lexus SUV. Then I’m getting out of Mount Vernon and buying me a crib in Harlem, where my dad used to teach. One thing my moms taught me is that we don’t rent, we buy. Our two-bedroom house might not be the greatest, but it’s ours.
Simply put, once I come out I’m going to be the man. Watch me. I have it all figured out.
My best friend, Boo Boo (I’ve known him since kindergarten and I still don’t know his real name), just got home from juvenile detention last week. He was sent to Woodfield for six months for breaking all the windows out of our band teacher’s F-150. We’re the same age, but I feel a little older than him now because his life was on hold for half a year while I was learning a lot of things on the outside.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Boo Boo asked me to go with him the night he trashed Mr. Pisarcik’s truck. I told him he was crazy. My moms is a lot nicer these days, but she’d still kill me for doing something like that. And to tell you the truth, even though Mr. Pisarcik is always giving me and Boo Boo detention, sometimes for no good reason, messing up his truck didn’t seem like the right thing to do. A better way to get back at him would’ve been to take his loud, jingling key ring and lock him in the band room at the end of the day. It would’ve been awhile before anybody knew he was in there since he’s usually the last one to leave school. And even when he got out he wouldn’t have been able to start his truck because he keeps all his keys on that same ring. But the best part would have been Mr. Pisarcik waiting for a tow truck in this part of town at night.
In case you couldn’t tell by his last name, Mr. Pisarcik is white. And the only thing over here that would have looked like him at that time of night would have been those spanking white cross trainers he wears with those colorful ties and striped shirts. Nothing would have happened to him, but I know he would’ve been spooked out of his mind, for real.
Since Boo Boo’s been out, he’s joined up with a group called the Young Warriors. Yancy and Carl, the two men who run the group, are in their twenties. They’re into helping people my age stay out of trouble and off the streets. They’re some pretty cool dudes, and not just because they bought and reopened the recreation center that’s been closed down for as long as I can remember. They drive nice cars, but not all tricked out with rims and tinted windows. Yancy has an Accord, and Carl has a Camry. They dress nice too, usually a sports jacket and slacks and a crisply ironed shirt. No ties or pointed-toed shoes because that would be wack. Just some casual leather shoes they could rock with jeans if they had my style.
Wait, I haven’t even told you my style yet. I’ll start by telling you what it’s not. I’m not into looking like no gangster (not that my moms would allow me to do that and live in her house anyway). But braids or stuff on my teeth? That’s not me. Tattoos are also out. I can’t see myself being a wrinkled old man explaining to my grandkids why I have words and pictures painted all over me. Plus, how’s the artwork going to look on a shriveled-up old body anyway?
I think some people would do anything no matter how crazy it looks, just because they see it on TV or in a magazine. Followers. That’s something I’ll never be.
But as far as my clothes go, I like jeans that fit me and a nice shirt. Like Kanye West or Jay-Z. They don’t look all hard, but they still look cool. That’s me in a nutshell.
In a short amount of time, Yancy and Carl have been able to get all kinds of people involved in the Young Warriors, from teenagers to schoolteachers. The first thing they put together was a community barbeque where everybody helped remove the graffiti from the building. They’d heard about my DJ skills, so they hired me to do the music. They even paid me as good as the older folks do—$150 for the event. Another cool thing they started is a basketball league. Now most of my friends go up there after school to ball. They’re also planning on having block parties once school lets out, and they told me they want me to spin for those too. It’s looking like it’s going to be a good summer.
There’s something else I wasn’t going to tell you, but I might as well since I’m spilling half my guts anyway. I saw this fly young thing at the barbeque. She looked like a teenage version of BeyoncĂ© minus the tight clothes. I’d never seen her before, and that’s surprising because Mount Vernon is only four square miles. She didn’t look at me or anything, but I still think she could like me if she actually saw me. I was trying everything to make her notice. I did my best scratching, mixing, and cross fading, but she wasn’t moved by anything I did or played. Then she left before it was over. The next time I’ll put on Jimmy Spicer’s “Adventures of Super Rhymes.” That’s an old-school song that’s thirteen minutes long. That should be enough time for me to introduce myself and get her number.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

AAMBC Fall Book Tours with L'Mignon


Synopsis:
New author, L’Mignon, takes pride in bringing the girl next door character to reality for her readers, creating a story that many can identify with in some fashion. In her first novel, Skeletons in Her Closet she introduces us to McKenzie Johnson. Over the years McKenzie has become so involved in work she neglects having a social life. As a New Year begins, McKenzie is convinced by her friends to trade in her conservative business attire for some sexier club gear and finally let her hair down.
All work and no play is never any fun. Not knowing when she will get out again she is determined to make the most of this night. Unbeknown to her, not only will she enjoy a fun night with the girls but also meet the man she would soon marry, Milton Williams. Ordinarily, she would never go for a man that she met in a club, but there is something different about Milton once she takes the time to get to know him. He is everything she has always wanted and felt she needed to make her life complete. But as with all things in life, McKenzie’s journey with Milton is not an easy one.
L'Mignon leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end wondering how this story will play out.

Excerpt of your book
On the outside I, McKenzie Johnson, came across as being your average girl next door. Go to work, come home, go out occasionally with the girls, you know the type. I am definitely the kind of girl every man’s mother would just love. Indeed, the kind of girl every man dreams of. I am like a chameleon. I can adapt to any environment and still hold my own. I worked as a business professor at a local community college. I really enjoyed working in this environment. Sometimes it was complicated having students older than me and some the same age. But all in all it was interesting.
I have always been dead set on establishing my career as a teacher before entertaining anything as it would relate to my personal life. For a period in my life I became so consumed with school and developing a career that my friends would have to schedule time for us to grab dinner or a movie. I started out at the high school level but knew that would be a temporary situation as I did not have the tolerance to deal with the immaturity of the high school students at times. The only worry I had with the college level is that there was a greater chance that I would see my students out in some of the local hang out spots. Regardless my age in comparison to theirs I needed them to always respect me as their professor. Bad enough I had to prove myself to some of my older colleagues. Being a professor at thirty-five was impossible in the eyes of some. However, I worked hard for every degree that I held and was surely reminded of it every time I received a bill that a student loan payment was due. The administration recognized my accomplishments so to my colleagues there really was nothing left to prove.
My friends always teased that I was too devoted to my credibility as a professor. They just did not get it. But they did have a point. As Kelly would say, ‘what’s the point of hard work if you don’t play just as hard’? Kelly and I had been friends since high school. If any one knew me she was clearly one of very few that knew everything about me. She and our friend Jay were always convincing me that I needed to branch out and devote just as much time to my personal life as I did my profession. I had come along way from the McKenzie I was back in the day and it would be an honor for any man to have me. I knew this but it was just hard conveying that into my everyday life. I had not been on a date in years. Jay and Kelly did make some attempts over the years to hook me up. But nothing ever materialized. The men they picked for me were more the type of men they would date. They both liked men that had an edge to them. It did not matter where they worked or any of that. They just needed him to look fine and be able to lay it down in the bedroom. They had no problem calling me snooty. They were such loyal friends and had no problem at all speaking their minds. I have to admit as harsh as they were at times, it made sense. Jay and Kelly were persistent they did not care how long they had to continue to sing the same mantra. They knew eventually I would give in and accommodate their requests to venture out with them and let my hair down.
As I new year was about to set in I decided that this would be the last year that Jay and Kelly would be chanting that mantra. Even my mom was pressuring me to get out there and see what life had to offer outside of the classroom. Kelly and Jay had been telling me about a party they were going to attend to bring in the a new year, so I figured the best gift to them would be a phone call saying that I would join them. When I placed the call I have to say I never heard either of them scream so loud.
“You mean to tell me that after all these years you finally stepping out with the girls. Lord it is going to snow tonight,” Kelly said. Jay just screamed when I told her. They were excited. As crazy as it may seem it had been three years since I had been to a club with the girls. We have done dinner and a movie but nothing of this sort. This was clearly about to be a new start for me.

Biography
L’Mignon was born June 29, 1979 in Richmond, VA. She graduated from Highland Springs High School in 1997. She attended Strayer University, where she received both her Associates and Bachelors Degree, majoring in Business Administration with a primary focus in Contract Management. This fall she will be returning to college to pursue her MBA with a focus in Human Resources Management.
She is the proud mother of a ten-year-old son, Makari. When she is not on the baseball or football field with Makari she can be found writing, working on various projects, or spending time with her family. L’Mignon is a social butterfly who values being able to spend time with very supportive and caring friends; and the women of the Ladies of Life~Love~Laughter chapter registered with the Red Hat Society, where she serves as chapter queen.
Skeletons in Her Closet, her first novel, was released March 2010. L’Mignon takes pride in bringing the girl next door character to reality for her readers. It is her aspiration to continue to write novels that everyday people can relate to and refer back to their daily lives.

Interview with the Author:1. How did you come up with the pen name, L’Mignon?
When I sought out to establish a pen name I wanted something that was going to be a unique representation of me. My middle name alone is very unique. So I thought I would combine that with the first initial of my first name, hence L’Mignon was created.
2. How long did it take you to complete Skeletons in Her Closet?I started Skeletons in Her Closet in 2007. I completed the first six chapters before putting it on a very long pause. I pulled it out in August 2009 after my 30th birthday and vowed that I would have it completed and released before my 31st birthday. After pulling it out it took me five months to have it completed and on in route to the editor.
3. What has been the response from the readers of Skeletons in Her Closet?The response to date has been amazing. I really was not expecting the great feedback that I have from the readers. Readers have gone so far as to compare my writings to that of Zane, which is an honor. Since reading and completing Skeletons in Her Closet the readers have been constantly emailing me to see when the second novel will be available.
4. Does the main character, McKenzie, embody any of your actual personality?Like me McKenzie has a great sense of style when it comes to her attire. Through out the novel she clearly makes sure to put a lot of detail into her gear. In my actual life, I am big on appearance and believe in looking and dressing for the occasion.
5. Will there be another book from L’Mignon?
There will definitely be more to come from me. I have even gone as far as tentatively titling the second novel, Seven Nights & Seven Days. I am aiming to have this one available March 2011
6. Can you see Skeletons in Her Closet being a film or stage play?
I read Skeletons in Her Closet for the first time a month ago on an airplane ride to California. As I was reading it vivid images was playing out in my mind. I could clearly see different scenes and even the soundtrack played in my head. I am hoping that by the time I finish the McKenzie series I will be in the developing stages of having it at transpired into, at the very least, a stage play.
7. Are there other avenues you would like to pursue?
In addition to writing, I would like to venture into being a radio host. I would like to have a female hosted version of a Michael Baisden Show. I would also like to venture into public speaking. I think as a single mother & a product of Richmond Redevelopment Housing Authority, the political way of saying projects, I have had the stereo types stacked against me. And to overcome and excel where I should be is a message of motivation alone.

Find the Author at:
www.lmignon.com
email: mignon629@gmail.com
Book Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVaz7Rze-gw

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