Wanda B. Campbell

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.

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?

Review

My Mother’s Child goes beyond the surface issues and devels into how the lack of selfworth can drive an individual to support the dreams of others and forget about living their own dream. Lyric and Michael are faced with some enlightening truths about themselves while being forced to make some hard choices. The vows, “For better or for worse” are tried by fire. Will the Stokes come out as pure gold?

Listen to an excerpt from My Mother’s Child

Visit Dwan online at http://dwanabrams.com.

View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/MyMothersChild.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Josiah Tucker, the son of a substance dependent and neglectful mother, spent most of his childhood years in the custody of the State, living in foster homes throughout Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of fourteen, he was taken from  the foster family that he had grown to love, the Smiths, and returned to his negligent birth mother. Enduring the hardships faced while living with his birth mother JT manages to makes something of his life.  However, fifteen years after being taken from the Smiths and at the peak of success, he finds himself feeling empty and at his lowest.  When he decides to reconnect with the Smiths, JT finds his faith in God renewed and discovers his attraction to his foster sister.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KENDRA NORMAN-BELLAMY is a national best-selling author and the founder of KNB Publications LLC. She is the organizer of Visions in Print, an Atlanta-based national organization for faith-based writers, and The Writer’s Hut, an online fellowship for African American Writers. She is the founder of Cruisin’ For Christ, a groundbreaking at-sea ministry that celebrates writing, gospel music and other God-glorifying arts, and also serves as a motivational speaker.

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kendra currently resides in Stone Mountain, George with her family. For more information, visit www.knb-publications.com

Book Review

In Fifteen Years, Kendra Norman-Bellamy takes a bold look into family dynamics and challenges the traditional definition of “family”.

From the opening pages, I was engaged in the life of Josiah (JT) Tucker. I related to his character on personal level, having experienced similar circumstances. The author did an excellent job of developing realistic characters with realistic struggles. I particularly enjoyed reading a novel in which the majority of the main characters are strong God-fearing men.

Fifteen Years presents many practical lessons on life. My favorites are: 1) Never judge someone without knowing their story and 2) Go get your leg!

View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/FifteenYearsBlogTour.

About Beautiful Ugly

Three friends with different struggles rely on God and each other to get by. Layla Hobbs has so much to offer, including a beautiful singing voice, but obesity and low self-esteem hold her back from life and finding true love. Envy Wilson has always been Layla’s backbone. But what about her own dark secrets? She won’t share them with anyone, and it’s starting to eat away at her from the inside. And then there’s Kacie Mayweather. Stricken with cerebral palsy, she’s had her share of men—five baby daddies for six children, in fact. But she’s never had one man to call her own. They’ll need plenty of faith and support from each other to see the real beauty that lies within each one of them and fulfill their deepest desires at last.

About the Author

Author Shelia E. Lipsey is a multi-award winning author.  Her novels are available at most bookstores nationwide as well as online.  Lipsey’s books have been called gripping, life-altering, memorable and realistic. Lipsey was recently awarded the 2009 Top Shelf Award for Beautiful Ugly by Black Pearls Magazine. She also won 2009 Shades of Romance Readers’ Choice Awards for My Son’s Wife in the following categories: Author of the Year, Christian fiction Book of the Year, Christian Romance of the Year, Best Book Cover of the Year, Best Fiction Book of the Year, among several other awards for her novels, Into Each Life and Sinsatiable.

My Review

Win this book

Shelia Lipsey is the author of three other Christian Fiction novels. The trivia question below is from one of those novels. Leave your response to the trivia question below in the comment section.

Name the protagonists in each of Shelia E. Lipsey’s novels.

Bernard Boulton has written a story about three men who seek to be whole in God through the spiritual leadership of a pastor. This gripping story is titled DO YOU WANNA BE MADE WHOLE?  Bernard is the pastor of New Mine Creek Church in southern Virginia. He is married to his wife of eighteen years, Vantoria and they are the parents of their son, Bernard Quincy. Bernard’s hobbies include reading, traveling and supporting his hometown team the Cleveland Cavaliers and Lebron James.

Bernard, what inspired you to write a novel about men?

My passion for seeing men succeed and overcome the many experiences of life was the inspiration for this story. And I wanted to introduce a male story in an industry that is dominated by women. 

Did your pastoral experience influence Do You Wanna Be Made Whole?

It did to a point. The main character is a pastor and one of the other characters is a preacher. I think that my life in the ministry and my history, coming from generations of preachers had great influence on this story.

What has been your greatest challenge since becoming an author?

Fear.  I was afraid this story wouldn’t be good enough. Would people buy it? Would the story impact people and would they enjoy it? Would I fail?       

What’s next for Bernard Boulton?

I have written a nonfiction inspirational work on God’s favor that I want to release in Spring or Summer of 2010. A sequel to Do You Wanna Be Made Whole is also in the works.

About the Book

Pastor James Maxwell knows the pain of making poor choices that damages families. He has dedicated his life to helping men avoid the mistakes that he has made in his life. Now he walks through the valley with three of his spiritual sons as they try to find their way to wholeness.

Will Pastor Maxwell be able to help Theo find forgiveness for the one who betrayed him? Can he help Michael who suffered a great tragedy in his life? Will he be able to help Adam face his past and discover a new future?

Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/DoYouWannaBeMadeWhole

For more information, visit www.bernardboulton.com

My heart rejoices in the Lord for allowing me to see another year with a sound mind.  As I look back over 2009, I realize I have nothing to complain about. Sure during the past year I wasn’t on the mountain top everyday. In fact, some days were dreadful. However, God carried me through every valley. On my worst day someone, somewhere is worst off than I. Therefore I will not complain.

2010 is a milestone year for me. I will become a grandmother and turn 40. Reluctantly, I’ve stopped kicking and screaming and I have accepted the fact that I’m entering into a new phase of life. I still refuse to be called grandma or grandmother. Instead I’ve chosen Mimi. As for turning the big 4-0, the alternative to not getting older is dying. When I consider all the friends and classmates who have left this life in their prime, my souls truly cries out, “hallelujah!”  I know God left me here for divine purpose.

This year I am proud to announce my publishing company, Micah 6:8 Books, LLC, will produce its first anthology, Home Again, in November.  More information about this awesome project, including submissions guidelines, will follow in a few days.

Also, my third novel, Right Package, Wrong Baggage, is scheduled for release from Urban Christian in October.  Right Package, Wrong Baggage is my favorite story to date. I pray it blesses you. Look out for contests and giveaways.

Blessings and happy writing and reading.

About the Book

Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it’s truly in God’s will for them to stay married.

Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?

About the Author

Rhonda McKnight owns Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today (www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com ), a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction.  She’s also the vice president of the Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for almost twelve years.

Rhonda, tell us how you came up with the idea for this story? I woke up one morning and these people were talking in my head, or rather arguing. (LOL).  I thought this could be interesting, turned on the creativity, and came up with the “issues” in their marriage. I also did a lot of research about heart disease.  Jonah is a pediatric cardiologist and that’s central to the story. I knew absolutely nothing about heart disease before I wrote this novel.

Who is your ideal reader? I think most people will think my ideal reader is women who are married. While I think the book will definitely appeal to married women, I’d love for single woman who are thinking about marriage or waiting on Mr. Right to read the book. There is a valuable lesson for single women in the story. Faith chose to overlook a very important issue prior to her marriage to Jonah. This issue becomes a huge source of pain for her. Ten years later her ideal black man has her pulling her hair out.

Name something about the book that will appeal to readers? I think readers will find it appealing, because more than half of it is written from Jonah’s point of view. My informal research amongst readers has taught me that women readers love stories that are written from a man’s perspective. Like most men, Jonah is complex. He’s a love to hate kind of guy. People will love him because he’s dedicated his life to physically healing children, but he’s emotionally and spiritually sick himself.  What a burden for Faith. Faith’s pain will have some folks shaking their heads at Jonah.

When’s your next book being released?  My second novel, An Inconvenient Friend comes out August 1, 2010. I have a nasty little character in Secrets and Lies who gets her own story, and what a story it is. She’s up to no good. Can she be redeemed?

How can readers find out more about you? Readers may contact me at my website at www.rhondamcknight.net. I love for people to sign my guestbook and share their thoughts about the story. I’m also a complete Facebook addict. You’ll definitely find me there more than you should at www.facebook.com/rhondamcknight

Jewell Powell, author of Marriage 101, offers eight biblical insights to transform any marriage?

Act Biblically - is a person who does what is right even when others are not. Regardless of how your spouse or anyone else is treating you, you are responsible for doing the word. We can no longer point the finger or blame our spouses as to why we are not doing God’s word.

Love Biblically - is a person who can love like God. To love people, especially our spouses unconditionally without expecting anything in return.

Talk Biblically - is to say what God word says. The word says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” We can say what scriptures say because God is faithful to His word

Repent Biblically - is a person who changes his or her attitude and behavior ” The scripture tells us to Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” You cannot continue to say I am sorry to the Lord or others while still doing the same things. True repentance results in a changed life with new or different behavior/thinking and is visible to others.

Unite Biblically - is to become ‘one’. Agreement is the key to becoming one. God says, “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose” (Philippians 2:2 NLT) Two people cannot walk hand in hand yet go in separate directions - one mind, one purpose.

Identify Biblically - is a person who allows the Holy Spirit to guide them and teach them who they should be in Christ Jesus. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  I am what the word says I am, I can do what the word says I can do

Submit Biblically - is a person who can surrender their will to others and to God. We honor God when we submit to others. “Be submissive to every human institution and authority for the sake of the Lord, … Biblical submission is to voluntarily yield in love and a willingness to consider another person’s need more important than our own. I’ve learned that we can honor God (Whom we have not seen) by honoring our brethren (especially our spouses), whom we have seen.

Minister Biblically - is to allow God to use you to minister to the people in your sphere of influence - basically win souls for the Kingdom “Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This letter is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts” (2 Cor 3:3) Jesus wants us to be his living epistle. To minister biblically is not in what we say but in how we live our lives as Christians.

How did you apply these eight elements to your own relationship with your husband?

For example, Act biblically.  We argue a lot about dinner.  I hate to cook and Lewis wants a fresh cook meal every day.  No microwave, no can, no frozen dinners.  One morning we had a big argument and he told me I better have dinner for him tonight.  The first thought that came to my mind was call and apologize and ask Lewis what he wanted for dinner.  My flesh was screaming no way “I will have bread and water waiting for him when he got home”.  After a few minutes, I called and apologize and asked him what he wanted for dinner.  Acting biblically is doing what is right.  It is doing what God tells you to do even when you don’t want to. 

Another example, Repent Biblically.  I was a wife who nagged, was mouthy and judgmental and would slice and dice him with my tongue.  When I learned the true meaning of repentance, I understood that I just couldn’t say I am sorry and continue doing the same thing.  My repentance became real and visible because I no longer nagged, judged or use my tongue as a weapon.      

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In July of 1992, Jewell met her Prince Charming at a Roy Rogers restaurant. When the couple decided to marry four years later, both were aware of the latest marriage statistics and the legacy of divorce that lay between them. Her parents divorced when she was four, after moving the family to Maryland, leaving her to be raised by a single mother. To circumvent the odds, they went through pre-marital counseling, attended church regularly and felt a strong love for one another. They believed they were ready for marriage.

While desiring to have a happily ever after, Jewell found life after marriage anything but a fairy tale. In 2001, she and her husband, Lewis, had been married for five years but were growing apart, after experiencing problems with infertility, sleeping in separate bedrooms and Lewis’s increasing disinterest in going to church. As she searched for answers to her marital troubles, Jewell found herself on a journey, seeking answers to save her marriage.

Despite a shaky beginning, the Powells now have a relationship with a strong foundation. After successfully resolving their marital problems, they started the Happily Ever After Marriage Ministry to help others do the same. Her new book, Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith (Revell Books February 2009, ISBN 978-0-8007-3332-2, $13.99), offers hope and guidance to help transform broken relationships through the use of biblical wisdom in a simple workbook format.

Jewell serves as co-owner of Antiok Holdings, an emerging full-service management consulting firm, which she owns with her husband. She earned a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Maryland and is pursuing a Master of Divinity. The Powells reside in southern Maryland with their two daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Your marriage can be strong, healthy, happy, and blessed. Marriage coach Jewell Powell shows you how in this 8-week plan for marital success. She reveals how God’s truths can transform two individuals into the union he desires. Laying a spiritual foundation is crucial to your marriage. In Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith, you will discover God’s purpose for marriage, how to develop godly character, how to communicate effectively, and much more. With biblical examples, study questions, and Scripture meditations perfect for individuals or couples, you will be challenged to examine areas in your life that may need change so that your marriage can thrive.

Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/Marriage101.

For more information about, visit Jewell at http://www.marriage101.us/.

Book Review

Marriage 101 is a great ministry tool for married couples.  Those in waiting can also learn valuable lessons from this transparent step by step guide. I have been married for 20 years and lead Couple’s Ministry for 10 years. I found Jewel Powell’s revelations refreshing and practical. While reading this book, I found myself re-evaluating my commitment to marriage.

Keep listening to God, Ms. Powell.

Jacquelin Thomas is an award winning, bestselling author with twenty-nine titles in print. Her books have garnered several awards, including two EMMA awards, the Romance In Color Reviewers Award, Readers Choice Award and the Atlanta Choice Award in the Religious & Spiritual category. Jacquelin was a 2005 honoree at the Houston Black Film Festival for the movie adaptation of her novel, Hidden Blessings. She was the first recipient to receive the Writers Achievement Award at the North Carolina Book Festival in Winston-Salem.      

Although Jacquelin initially published in the romance genre, she decided to follow the call on her heart to write Christian fiction because she seeks to write books that will touch your heart and uplift your spirits with tales of characters who yearn to have an intimate relationship with God.  Committed to writing books that glorify God and her growing teen audience, Jacquelin published the first of her Young Adult Inspirational Fiction series titled Simply Divine in October 2006.  Her second book in the series, Divine Confidential was nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award.  She has since gone on to publish two more books in the series.  When asked why she is so passionate about writing teen novels, Thomas shares that teens are confronted with so much-sex, drugs, violence and abuse, physically and mentally. They need to not only listen to what the world says about these things but also to what the Bible says.

Jacquelin is a member of the National Writers Union, Romance Writers of America and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She is happily married to her best friend and is the proud mother of three children. Jacquelin and her family live in North Carolina.

Marrying a handsome, wealthy lawyer and living in a Hollywood Hills mansion . . . it’s a dream come true for twenty-four-year-old Jana, from the moment Lawrence Collins swept her off her feet and into his luxurious world. True, she put her studies at a local Bible college on hold in order to wed after a six-month whirlwind romance. Beautiful and vivacious, with a stunning body, Jana knows men like Lawrence don’t come along every day, and she vows to be a perfect companion-the ideal wife-to this sexy, powerful man. But at what price?

From her wardrobe and hairstyle to her friends and her choice of church, Lawrence seems to want to change Jana into someone she’s not . . . and soon, the man Jana thought she knew will test her values and her faith with a shocking revelation that goes against everything she believes-how far will Jana be willing to go to keep the man she loves? With her “ideal” marriage falling apart, Jana-the real, modest, smart, and strong girl who knows what she stands for-must put her trust in God, and follow His guiding light out of the darkness of a broken relationship.

Drawing from a moving scripture tale with an insightful message for women today, Jacquelin Thomas delivers a provocative and enlightening new novel.

BOOK REVIEW

5 Stars!

Jana thinks she has it all when she gives up Bible College and marries rich and powerful Lawrence Collins. Settling into a life of luxury, she soon learns that every thing has a price, including love.

In The Ideal Wife, Jacquelin Thomas takes the ideology of submission to a whole new level. This novel not only ministers to women, but also challenges men to evaluate their motives for wanting The Ideal Wife.  

For more information about Jacquelin, visit her at http://www.jacquelinthomas.com/

Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/TheIdealWife.

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.

FORSAKEN is Vanessa’s newest book. Forsaken is the story of a fallen pastor’s journey back to God. Vanessa believes that each of her books will touch readers across the country in a special way. It is, after all her God-given destiny to write novels that bring deliverance to God’s people.

About the Book

Pastor Jerome Tyler “JT” Thomas is charismatic behind the pulpit, charming to all he comes in contact with, and lethal to those who linger too long. Since the age of twenty-two, when he prayed for God to keep him out of prison, JT knew he would preach the gospel. Bishop Turner makes it possible; but there are strings attached, and now JT isn’t sure he can stay tied down.

Cutting loose causes more problems than JT anticipated. When an old friend from his days on the streets resurfaces and his extracurricular activity comes knocking on his front door, JT’s life and the lives of those close to him spiral out of control. Now he will need divine intervention to make things right. But how much help can a man hope to receive when he feels he’s been forsaken by God?

Read Excerpt

Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/Forsaken.  

Meet LaCricia A’ngelle, author of Girl, Naw!

LaCricia A`ngelle is a licensed Evangelist, writer, and the President and CEO of His Pen Publishing LLC. A native of Chicago, LaCricia currently resides in Tennessee with her four children. Girl, Naw! is her first novel.

Her writing career began when she was a child writing songs, and short stories. LaCricia has always had a God given gift of putting words together.

As a Christian Fiction author, LaCricia not only writes for entertainment, but she also writes for ministry. Her goal in every piece of written work is to draw someone closer to Christ. The characters face real situations. LaCricia writes so that anyone can read her work and get something out of it, whether they are young or old. When you read a LaCricia A`ngelle original prepare to laugh, cry, pray, and stop to say “hmmm.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

Antoinette Walker has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Those that know and respect her think she has it all, a wonderful husband, children that thrive in school, and a counseling practice that is growing by leaps and bounds. When hidden things from her past begin to surface, they threaten to destroy everything Antoinette loves. Only God can give her the strength to continue to counsel other women, as she struggles with her own issues of forgiveness. Will her faith be strong enough to help her stand in the midst of opposition?

Read Excerpt

BOOK REVIEW

In her debut novel, Girl Naw!, Lacricia A’ngelle  brings Christian fiction to life. From the beginning A’ngelle envelopes you into the life of Antoinette Walker, the counselor who listens and liberally offers advice to others. When her own life began to unravel, who does she turn to? Will the advice she has given to others be enough to heal the old wounds etched in her heart?

Girl Naw! demonstrates the power of forgiveness on every level and demands that one examines the hiddens areas of the heart and allow God’s complete healing to take place.

This is a must read for everyone struggling with forgiveness.

Wanda B. Campbell

For more information about LaCricia, visit her at http://lacriciaangelle.com/