Good Friday & Marriages, Too

Today I will be heading to the movies to see Why Did I Get Married, Too? WachooWatching?

3 Writers with a Mission this Easter

He Is Alive!

I am grateful to be sharing this month’s column with you during the Easter season, because Christ has risen and He is alive. To celebrate this momentous good news, we are spotlighting three storytellers who share how their works aren’t just great reads but evangelizing tools to share the gospel with the world: Lea Ann McCombs, Dr. Sherri Lewis and Cathy Liggett.

Let me introduce You…

Tyler Perry’s New Cast Announced

Tyler Perry announced the cast for his next film, ”For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.” (One of my fave plays)

Based on Ntozake Shange’s award-winning 1975 play.

Synopsis:

Structurally, For Colored Girls is a series of 20 poems, referred collectively as a "choreopoem", performed through a cast of nameless women, each known only by a color: "Lady in Yellow", "Lady in Purple", etc.. The poems deal with love, abandonment, rape, and abortion. The performances of the seven actresses are focused on their specific stories; i.e., Lady in Blue's visceral account of a woman who chooses to have an abortion; and Lady in Red's tale of domestic violence.

The Cast: Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Jurnee Smollett, Kimberly Elise, Kerry Washington, and Macy Gray.

Filming is set to begin in 2010 and will be released on January 14, 2011.

“Making a film of ‘For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf’ is a dream come true for me. Ntozake Shange’s play is a magnificent tribute to the strength and dignity of women of color, and I think audiences of all generations will be able to recognize and embrace the experiences these women represent. Creatively, this movie is one of the most exciting undertakings of my career.” state Perry.

TPT: Blood Ransom

This week's Trailer Park is Lisa Harris' Blood Ransom

BLOOD RANSOM: Book one in a captivating new series from Zondervan, April 2010

Romance and adventure drive this powerful thriller about the modern-day slave trade and those who dare to challenge it. Deep in the heart of Africa, two American lives are about to change forever. Natalie Sinclair and Dr. Chad Talcott want to make a difference in underdeveloped African villages …but they didn;t count on risking their lives in the process. Read the prologue and first chapter here.

2010 TWESTIVAL

Some 12 percent of all children in Malawi do not survive to celebrate their fifth birthday. Photo: Concern Worldwide
Today is Twesitval and our focus this year is very important.

This year proceeds from Twestival will be donated to Concern. Concern Worldwide has been selected as the TWESTIVAL GLOBAL 2010 recipient for education. Proceeds will benefit their work providing access to quality education for out-of-school children, orphans, child laborers, conflict-affected children, and children affected by HIV and AIDS.
In Atlanta our Atlanta Twestival will help provide clean water in schools. Come out tonight to HUB Atlanta. Chipotle Mexican Grill will host dinner. Yum!

How to Get a Book Deal without an Agent? #MondayMotivation

Part 1: Contagious Joy Writing Series

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

At noon today my daughter, Selah will become ten-years-old. For those of you who follow me on this blog and throughout the blogoshphere know that today you are witnessing a miracle. I should have been dead ten years ago, seven years ago…shoot: three years ago. And I believe if it were not for your prayers, support, and encouragement I would have been. Moreover, if it were not for your prayers and encouragement I wouldn’t have received a publishing contract this year.

Ten years of working hard to manage and improve my heart condition, to become a better person and parent,to promote great writers, and to not just stay alive, but fight to live a better life… to see this day my cup runs over with joy. In the past ten years—and especially the past few months—I’ve received calls and emails from aspiring writers and published authors on how did I get a deal during a time like this in publishing. The economy is still down, the digitization of publishing has the industry in a quagmire, major authors are losing contracts, bookstores are closing, and agents are more selective than ever before.

How did I get across the gatekeepers and land a deal without an agent? It’s simple. Live with Contagious Joy.

Continue reading "Spring Writing Series Kicks Off with Contagious Joy" »

Reading Now: Chris Cleave's Little Bee #followthereader

[First line] I wish I was a British pound coin instead of an African girl. Everyone would be pleased to see me coming.

Most days I'm consumed with reviewing a book for a magazine, a client, or a friend or writing a magazine article, white paper on publishing and marketing or soon to be published book. Did you like that long sentence? But what I love to do, what this blog is purposed to do is to discover and share brilliant books. Little Bee is a big book I've been wanting to talk about since last year, but never got the chance to. If you're preparing your Spring Must Read Books list, please add it.

A brief about Little Bee in Chris Cleave's own words...

I will be compiling a Spring Must Reads of 2010 within the next two weeks. If you would like to nominate a book, please use disqus below or twitter or facebook(email only, do not post on my wall) you're recommendation. Use hashtag #followthereader. Thank you.