Monday, September 04, 2006

To Be Fabulous

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."- An excerpt from Marianne Williamsons' A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

Continue reading "To be Fabulous" »

Friday, September 01, 2006

Puritan Morality in early Pan African Novelist Thought

The image “http://myhero.com/ReadingRoom/books/135519.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.The image “http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/AAexhibit/harper.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

"As Iola finished, there was a ring of triumph in her voice, as if she were reviewing a path she had trodden with bleeding feet, and seen it change to lines of living light. Her soul seemed to be flashing through the rare loveliness of her face and etherealizing its beauty.
Everyone was spellbound. Dr. Latimer was entranced, and, turning to Hon. Dugdale, said, in a low voice and with deep-drawn breath," She is angelic!...She is strangely beautiful!...The tones of her voice are like benedictions of peace; her words a call to higher service and nobler life."
-Iola Leroy, written by Francis E.W. Harper 1892
When I was thirteen I fell in love with African American Women's Literature. The novel that done me in was Alice Walker's A Color Purple. In under grad I knew There Is a God when Agnes Scott College offered a course called Black Feminist Thought. What I didn't know was that my soul would leap for a stranger kind of fiction- Christian Fiction.
Once believed to be the first novel written by a Black author was Francis E.W. Harper's Iola Leroy. I return to this novel often as I write my own works both as a benchmark and as a warning. This month I want to share this novel with you, as it relates to early Black Christian Thought, sociodynamics between Black Women of the early nineteenth century, and what we can learn about storytelling, theme, and orthodoxy as new, liberated Christian writers.
You can pick up a copy of Iola Leroy at your local library or download the text version for free here. So there's no excuse. Ha. :) If you do, please let me know in the gospel fiction forum.
Other Reading Guides for Iola Leroy:
Related Articles:
Powered By Qumana

OTA: Happy Birthday, Mair!

Filename: j0336569.gif
Keywords: birthday cakes, birthday candles, birthdays ...
File Size: 25 KB

Happy Birthday, Claudia Mair Burney

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1576839788.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V56240053_.jpg

Click the bookcover for my review of her debut novel, Murder, Mayhem & a Fine Man
 
Today is Open Track Back Day, leave me your best blog entry of the week.  Stop by read them and tell me which entry was the best of the week.
 
Powered By Qumana

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Tiffany's October Buzz

Farther than I Meant to Go, Longer Than I Meant to Stay.

Tiffany Warren has a new book coming out in October. Check it out.

Charmayne Ellis is an established, polished professional. But out of loneliness and under pressure from her family, she allows the drop-dead gorgeous Travis Moon to work his chiseled-to-perfection charm on her.

Choosing to dismiss a gnawing feeling that he's not the man God intended for her, she ignores her pastor's advice and gets married. But Travis has only devastating secrets in exchange. Sure, Charmayne knew about his felony record before they got married - but when she faces his bisexual behavior and porn addiction it empties her bank account and costs her the career she loves.

Now, with the help of a Christian therapist, Charmayne will learn that her real problem was never her weight or her marital status. It was her own inability to trust God enough to wait on His best for her.

Click HERE to read the first chapter of Farther than I Meant to Go, Longer than I Meant to Stay

 

 
Powered By Qumana

Monday, August 28, 2006

TMA: Relevant Christianese

Join me at The Master's Artist Blog today, I'm asking you what's missing in Christian writing? Is it relevant? Too preachy? Too Racist? Not Godly enough?

Relevant Christianese

"Perhaps the reason why Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit New Orleans was because it is a den of sin down there. Ernesto is coming back to finish it off." My Sunday School classmate *Jack Turner, said to our group.
 
Before I could stop myself my chest rose, my fingers balled up. I huffed. "Then what about the 25, 000+ members of Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Baptist Church? They're NOs. They're Christian? Why weren't they spared? I have to tell you that your statement is dangerous. It is the reason so many negate Christianity?"
 
Click here to join the discussion.
Powered By Qumana

Monday, August 14, 2006

Dee's ACFW Event

      http://gospelfiction.com/acfw.jpg

I'm at The Master's Artist today sharing a fun quiz I created regarding the ACFW quiz. Stop by this week here and at Gospel Fiction for a week long blogging event about the ACFW conference.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Sweet Magnolia in 3 Takes

Starting this fall Christan Fiction Blog will present book reviews in a different format than before. We will post a summary and description of the book, and at least two takes on the book from different reviewers and myself. If you are a book reviewer and would like to participate, please leave a comment. If you have a book, you want discussed, please contact me off loop. The next books for discussion are Tamika Johnson's Meet me at the Altar and Karen Kingsbury's Like Dandelion Dust.

Sweet Magnolia

Norma L. Jarrett

Summary

Summer Ledoux returns to her family’s New Orleans estate-the Ledoux Mansion for her wedding. While there she finds that her prestigious and well-guarded family name is steeped in dark secrets and a legacy curse that haunts both her and her sister Misa, a former supermodel. Harlem Moon, June, 256 pp, $16.95)

Take One: Shawneda Marks

Norma Jarrett offers readers a phenomenal read. The characters are believable and real. It delves into a much ignored topic in the black community that calls us to the carpet and shows the true effect of this bone in the african american communities closet. Setting the story between New Orleans and Houston brings the reader into the surroundings and settings with every turn of the page. For some the details would be too much but the intricate way this story unfolds is deserving of nothing less than a four star rating. Run to the nearest store and get yours today.
Take Two: Dee Stewart
Dee2Jarrett writes beautiful prose. Her close attention to detail, t romantic scenes, and New Orleans cultural references create an sweet, southern genteel mood for this story. Yet, the constant flashbacks and episodic chapters slow the story’s pace. Too many surprises and secrets add so much drama that it clouds the central themes of redemption and family responsibility from greater view.
Take Three: What's Your Take?
How do you feel about this novel?
Powered By Qumana

Labels

"hold out" (1) 1question (4) 1questionMay (2) 1questionspring (3) 1questionsummer (2) 1questionwinter (7) 2011 (2) 30 Days to Build a Better Blog (5) 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog (17) 9/11 (2) a good man blog watch (2) aaliyah (2) about me (1) Academy award (2) acfw-vip (2) Africa (1) african america (3) african american christian fiction (19) african american history (8) altartainment (1) amazon (9) american heart (1) american idol (1) amish (4) amy grant (1) Amy wallace (1) andrew carroll (1) angela bassett (1) Arts (2) atlanta (3) atlanta journal (1) atlanta tornado (1) audition (1) authentic creation (1) author (1) author interview (12) author read-in (3) authors (6) authors read in (2) authors read-in (1) awards (11) barbie (1) Basketball (1) bath luxe (2) bational wear red day (1) bbaw (1) bea (2) best of (8) bestsellers (2) bethany house (4) bible (3) bible study (3) bill gates (1) billie jean (1) birthday (3) black authors (2) black authors network (1) black christian novel (1) black christmas plays (4) black hawk down (1) black history (1) black in america (2) black men in america (1) black spiritualism (4) blacklitchat (2) blog alliances (1) blog talk radio (22) blog tour (14) blogalicious (2) blogcatalog (1) bloggers unite (9) blogging (7) bloglight (1) blogtalkradio (6) blythe (1) book (3) book arts (1) book awards (12) book blogging (5) book chat (3) book club (6) book cover (4) book deals (1) book events (9) book fun (2) book marketing (51) book pick (1) book pr (1) book preview (9) book promotion (7) book proposal (2) book release party (2) book review (52) book review submission form (5) book signing (4) book tour (4) book trailer (21) bookbyte (3) bookclub (2) books (3) brook promotion (1) bubble bath (1) bynum (1) c.s. lewis (1) camy tang (2) career (1) carl weber (1) carleen brice (1) casting call (9) cba (2) cfba (4) children books (7) chip macgregor (2) choir (1) chris well (2) christian (2) christian comedy (1) christian detective novel (1) christian ethics (7) christian fiction (13) christian fiction blog alliance (2) christian fiction news (28) christian fiction online magazine (26) christian living (2) christian movie (1) christian novel (4) christian publisher (2) christian retailing (2) christian romance (4) christian summer book (9) christian writer's carnival (1) christian writer's guide (1) Christianity (4) christmas (14) christmas story (14) Christy Award (4) christy awards (3) chronicles of narnia (2) chuck holton (1) chuck palahniuk (1) church news (1) cindy (1) cindy woodsmall (9) civil rights (1) claudia burney (10) clown girl (1) cnn (2) coco brother (2) contest (20) contests (6) controversy (1) convention (3) copyright (1) craft (1) creston mapes (1) cupcakes (2) cyndy salzmann (1) darfur (2) dargur (1) david c. cook (4) David Talbert (1) deanne gist (2) deborah raney (1) decaturbookfestival (1) dee and marina (4) dee stewart (19) dee stewart hezekiah walker (1) dee stewart linda beed (1) deegospelpr (11) dekker (5) denzel washington (1) denzel washington. (1) Derek Fisher (1) designer shoes (1) devotions (1) DiAnn Mills (1) digital publishing (2) disney (2) domestic violence (1) don hoesel (1) doodle (1) dwan abrams (2) e-reader (4) e. lynn harris (1) Earth day (2) eartha kitt (1) easter (4) ecpa (1) editing (2) ella curry (2) England (1) eric wilson (1) essence magazine (3) ethics (3) excerpts (9) facebook (3) faith and fiction retreat (11) Faith anf fiction retreat (1) faith*in*fiction (3) fashion show (1) father's day (1) fictin in rather short takes (1) Fiction (1) fiction in rather short takes (33) flag of our fathers (1) followthereader (1) fox faith (1) frank peretti (1) friday afternoon club myster (1) friday afternoon club mystery (1) friday fest (8) fuge recipes (1) genesis awards (1) George Jackson (1) giveaway (8) Golden State Warriors (1) good reads (4) gospel dream (1) gospel fiction (3) gospel music (19) gospel play (13) Grace (1) guestblog (9) haiti (1) haley kilpatrick (1) hank stewart (1) harper collins (1) Harriet Beecher Stowe (1) harry potter (2) Hawaiian Islands (1) heart disease (2) help wanted (1) historical (9) hope for women (1) horror (3) house of faith (1) human trafficking (1) I Dream of Jeannie (1) ibook (2) imprints (1) inciting incident (1) infuze magazine (1) inspirational monday (2) inspys (1) interviews (12) iThink (1) itw (3) jeanee damoff (2) jeff gerke (1) jena 6 (3) jill elizabeth nelson (1) job announcement (1) juanita bynum (3) juanita bynumemkm (1) juneteenth (4) karen kingsbury (3) kathy herman (1) kim brooks (1) kim cash tate (1) kimani press (1) kimberla lawson roby (2) Kindle (1) kristy dykes (2) laura bush (1) lent (11) leny (1) librarything book reviews (2) lifetime tv (1) lifeway (2) linda hargrove (2) links (1) lisa samson (3) literacy (1) literary agent (3) Literature (2) love (1) M M (1) madea girl talk (1) marcher lord press (1) marilynne robinson (1) marilynnn griffith (5) marina woods (2) marines (2) marketing (5) marketing christian fiction blog (1) marriage (1) mary demuth (1) mary hart (1) media candy (10) medical fiction (2) melody carlson (2) meme (1) Memorial day (3) michael jackson (1) mike duran (1) ministry (3) miranda parker (26) mochareaders (1) mombloggers (2) mommyfest (5) monday mention (3) monika drake (1) morgan freeman (1) mothers (3) motivationmonday (6) movie (14) mtv awards (1) myspace (1) nanowrimo (7) Nat Turner (1) National Basketball Association (1) national book month (1) NBA (1) networking (1) New York Times (1) Newsletters (1) nicole seitz (5) non-fiction (2) novel (2) novel writing (10) ny times bestseller (1) obama (14) off-topic Thursday (3) offf-topic Thursday (2) olympia vernon (1) online bookstore (5) oprah (2) ott (2) Pacific War (1) pam perry (1) parenting (2) party (1) pat simmons (1) pay it forward (2) Pearl Harbor (1) people magazine (1) Philippines (1) play (2) plug and play (1) po bronson (1) politics of the mass media (1) poll (1) prayer cell (4) prayer request (3) preorder pick (2) prince caspian (1) princess dominique (1) publishing (14) race and religion (3) radio (1) radio talk show (4) rawsistaz (4) reading series (4) rebeca seitz (1) reflections (1) relief journal (1) Relief Journal christian writing (3) Religion and Spirituality (3) renovating becky miller (1) reshonda tate billingsley (5) retreat (1) rhonda bowen (5) rhonda mcknight (9) richmond (1) romance (6) romantic times (2) romantic times magazine (8) rt convention (2) saint patrick's day (1) sally e.stuart (1) saturday christian carnival (3) Science fiction (3) secret life of bees (2) selah (3) self-publish (2) shana burton (8) sharon ewell foster (6) sharon hink (3) shawneda marks (1) shelfari (1) sher (1) sherri lewis (12) shine in 09 (5) shoes (1) Shopping (1) short story (2) Sidney Sheldon (1) single women (1) sistahfaith (1) skype (2) Slave ship (1) social media (7) social network (2) social network problogger (7) social networking (2) social networkingh (1) sormag (1) South Carolina (1) specfiction (3) speedlink (8) spiritual autobiography (3) Sports (1) spotlight (2) stacy hawkins adams (6) star wars (1) steeple hill (1) storytellers (3) stranger than fiction (1) sudan (1) summer (8) sunrise (1) survey (2) sxsw (1) t.l. hines angela hunt (1) tavis smiley (2) tavis smley (2) teen (4) the first lady (3) the master's artis (2) the master's artist (56) the masters artist (6) the shack (2) the spirit of your story (1) the stones cry out (1) the trouble with publishing (2) theology (2) thomas nelson (7) thriller thursday (7) tia mccollors (1) tiffany warren (7) titletrakk (1) to (1) tolkien (1) top ten (25) tosca lee (1) tours (1) trailer park tuesday (61) trailer park tuesdaycngdkvb (1) travis Hunter (1) tribute (12) tricia goyer (4) tuesday (2) tv (1) twitter (22) ty moody (3) tyler perry (55) tyler pery (1) tyler play (1) United States (3) urban christian book (5) Utah Jazz (1) utterz (10) valentine (2) vanessa davis griggs (1) vanessa miller (2) veteran's day (2) video (2) wachooreading (2) walmart (1) wanza leftwich (1) warren buffet (1) WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group (1) weakend read (2) wedding (1) wednesday wrap (11) weekend chat (29) weekend chatter (17) weekend read (11) westbow (1) what i'm reading (3) what's done in the dark (1) why fiction matters (9) widcard (1) wiki (1) wild card (12) wildcard (32) Wings of Glory (1) womanist thought (1) women (1) women of faith (2) women's ministry (1) workshops (4) world aids day (1) World War II (1) write-or-die chick (3) writer's call (3) writer's conference (8) writer's prompt (2) writing (4) writing conference (8) writing contest (8) writing journey (2) writing life (38) writing opportunities (2) writing project (5) writing tip (3) writing workshop (2) x-files (1) yolanda king (1) young adult (5) youtube (4) zondervan (5)