What did your Mom do for you that told you she really loved you?

I am sold o proud of my friend, Gina Holmes. We met online and became blog buddies. She invited me to share book reviewing tips on Novel Journey years ago, hung out at the Christys Banquet, and has been in my amen corner for the longest. The most touching moment of my friendship with Gina is when we prayed together at ACFW a few years back when it was held in Dallas. Her empathy, compassion, longsuffering, and vulnerability makes her appear almost angelic sometimes. She has supported authors for so many years and now it’s time to support her. Her knew book Crossing Oceans is our Saturday Spotlight.
Synopsis:
Nothing deepens a stream like a good rain . . . or makes it harder to cross.Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But life has a way of upending even the best-laid plans. Now, years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter must return to her sleepy North Carolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank-toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter.
As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love to change everything—to heal old hurts, to bring new beginnings . . . even to overcome the impossible.

——————————Kudos for the Book————————————————–
“Beautiful and heartfelt.”
Charles Martin, NYT bestselling author of Where the River Ends

“Poignant and unforgettable, CROSSING OCEANS will break your heart — and then put the pieces back together again. This is an uplifting and inspiring tale that reminds us to live every day as if it’s our last.”
Tess Gerritsen, NYT Best-selling author .

“Moving, heart-rending and poignant, a stunning debut. Holmes returns us to what matters in a too-short life—what it really is to come home.”
Tosca Lee, Author of Havah & Demon: A Memoir

“Gina Holmes explores the beauty, tenderness and tenacity of mother-love in Crossing Oceans with marvelous skill and insight. An outstanding debut from a gifted storyteller. Bravo!
Susan Meissner, Author of The Shape of Mercy
For our weekend Chatterbox answer the title question here or online use the hashtag #christianfiction

FridayFest: Neil Gaiman Can Speak for Me

This week is National Library Week and I almost missed it. Sleep deprived, struggling to fix my manuscript caused me to forget one of my favorite times of the year—this.  Why? '

1. Well for one- Neil Gaiman is this year’s spokesperson.

2. Libraries are the only institutions dedicated to reading, housing great literature, and supporting authors.

If you’re a novice reader, visit your local public library to check out a book. If you’re an avid reader, start a reading group at your public library. And if you’re an author, well…write well enough to become a spokesperson for them. LOL. just kidding. Really. If you’re an author, do I have to tell you what to do? How ‘bout you meet me there?

Congrats to Dakota Aycox, the winner of the 2010 

National Library Week Bookmark Contest

at my local (Newton County) Library. Isn’t it cute?

 

Check out your local libary to find out what celebrations are going on today and tomorrow.

GoodGirlz Contest Slumber Party

Author Reshonda Tate Billingsley has a super cute contest for teen BFF Girls Clubs. Teen Groups with minimum seven girls participating(book buyers) can win the chance to  have Reshonda Skype into their Good Girlz slumber party, receive a pizza party for up to 10 friends, autographed copies of the Good Girlz books and get featured on http://www.goodgirlz.org/
Check out my review of Caught Up in the Drama in Romantic Times Review April issue(on newstands now)
How to enter click the pic or visit http://www.goodgirlz.org/.

Essence Bestselling Author Sherri Lewis on Why Sequels Matter

Selling My Soul Blog Tour

Sherri Lewis’ writing was put on hold while she attended Howard University as an undergraduate, then medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. After working almost fifteen years in the medical field, Sherri left her position as a staff physician at a Georgia Department of Corrections’ Women’s prison to pursue writing and ministry full time.

Sherri is co-founder of the Faith-Based Black Fiction Writers of Atlanta with Essence Best-Selling author Tia McCollors. Selling My Soul is the anticipated sequel to Sherri’s debut novel, My Soul Cries Out. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  Visit Sherri online at www.sherrilewis.com.

Could you tell a little about the first book, My Soul Cries Out and why you decided to write the sequel, Selling My Soul?

My Soul Cries Out is about Monica Day, a newly married Christian woman, who comes home to find her husband Kevin, the minister of music in their church, in bed with another man. The book deals with a controversial issue whispered about in the pews but not dealt with in most churches – sexual identity and Christianity. In the book, Kevin was struggling with his sexual identity after being molested by two deacons in the church. The Bishop of the church wanted to cover up Kevin’s past and current indiscretion because Kevin is an awesome anointed worship leader whose music has exponentially increased attendance at his mega-church. To be honest, after dealing with such difficult, painful, taboo issues, I never wanted to see the characters from My Soul Cries Out again. However, readers enjoyed it so much, they pretty much demanded a sequel. Every email, every comment, every bit of feedback I got on the book wanted to know what happened to Monica and Kevin, whether justice ever come to the deacons, and did the Bishop get what he deserved. I finally gave in and wrote the sequel, Selling My Soul, to resolve off all the issues the readers asked me to address.

The main character is Trina, Monica’s best friend, who left for a 2 year mission trip to Africa not long after helping Monica deal with the initial shock of her marriage falling apart. In the sequel, Trina returns just as the whole scandal with the deacons molesting young boys in Bishop’s church has broken into the national news. Trina has to return to her career in public relations when she comes home to discover that she’s about to lose her house and that her mother has terminal cancer and can’t cover her bills. Her first client is Bishop Walker whose first priority is to protect his name to keep his mega-church status intact. When Trina tries to refuse to help someone who’s allowed so much pain in so many lives, Bishop Walker threatens to out Monica’s husband Kevin. Faced with the cost of her mom’s medical care, the threat of losing her house and Kevin’s reputation being ruined, Trina has to decide whether to sell her soul.

About the Book

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.

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

If It's Not Fun, Don't Write it

Contagious Joy Spring Writing Series, Part 2

I believe that there is a plan and a purpose for each person's life and that there are forces working in the universe to bring about good and to create a community of love and brotherhood...those who can attune themselves to these forces--to God's purpose--can become special instruments of His will.

- Coretta Scott King

It’s 1:30ish and I’m still up editing my novel. My manuscript has to be turned into my editor by the 15th and it still needs a good working. Surprisingly I thought I would be sick of this story by now, but the more I rewrite, the more joy I feel. Why?

Visit TMA to read more here.

Weekend Chatterbox: Why Aren’t Black Successful Women Married?

Tonight I will be attending a televised debate hosted by ABC News Nightline. Watch the Youtube Video to get the gist of it.

The Debate: Arguing it is difficult for a successful black woman to find an equal match will be Emmy award-winning co-host of "The View" Sherri Shepherd and Jacque Reid, star of VHI's "Let's Talk About Pep." Arguing that single black women need to look beyond stereotypes when finding a man will be "CSI: NY" actor/writer Hill Harper and Jimi Izrael, author of The Denzel Principle. The tall task of moderating the fireworks required a tandem approach: comedian/self-styled romance expert Steve Harvey and "Nightline" correspondent Vicki Mabrey will be at the helm.

I will be meeting the debaters and moderators for a press brief before the event, because I’m covering it for Hope for Women Magazine(stay tuned for the article next week) But in the meantime I would like to get your responses. You could be included in the column, “Why aren’t Black Successful Women Married?”

Thursday Writer’s Talk: Cindy Woodsmall

So proud of author bud Cindy Woodsmall. Check out her Talk at Ohio State University. She shares her writing process and the hard work she puts in making her stories realistic and honoring the Amish community.

Nora at Psalm516 has a great contest with Cindy at her blog.

BIG GIVE AWAY - For your chance to win a Signed copy of WHEN THE HEART CRIES, Cindy's First book, a Signed copy of THE SOUND OF SLEIGH BELLS and TWO Pot holders made by Amish woman. Leave a comment about the interview and a way to contacting you if you win. DRAWING is on APRIL 12th