July 19, 2010
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Looking for Love . . .
Lifelong friends Coco, Nita, and Tia have spent years looking for love in the arms of flashy pro athletes, hoping to land a baller but ending up with a stream of failed relationships. The beautiful and demure Coco has endured years of physical abuse from her boyfriend, Sonny, while Tia, a single mother, has dated her fair share of cheaters and yearns for a stable companion who will be a father figure to her son. And feisty, seductive Nita is tired of being the million-dollar mistress and wants to settle down — if she can find someone worth coming home to.
Changing the Game . . .
Now that the women are approaching thirty, they’re finding it harder than ever to compete with the pro groupies. Determined to change the game and find some worthwhile men, Tia hatches an outrageous plan. Soon the trio is “holy rolling,” masquerading as God-fearing churchgoers at a local conference for young ministers in the hopes of snagging a prominent pastor. But will their big gamble pay off? Men of the cloth are still just men, after all. As the three friends meet their potential life partners, they will have to decide how far they want to take their holy rollers scheme — each risking heartbreak while taking a chance on finding a reliable, responsible man to love and cherish, flaws and all.
Gallery
Available July 6, 2010 in Paperback
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July 19, 2010
An exuberant return to the four unforgettable heroines of Waiting to Exhale–the novel that changed African American fiction forever.
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Terry McMillan’s Waiting to Exhale was more than just a bestselling novel-its publication was a watershed moment in literary history. McMillan’s sassy and vibrant story about four African American women struggling to find love and their place in the world touched a cultural nerve, inspired a blockbuster film, and generated a devoted audience.
Now, McMillan revisits Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine, and Robin fifteen years later. Each is at her own midlife crossroads: Savannah has awakened to the fact that she’s made too many concessions in her marriage, and decides to face life single again-at fifty-one. Bernadine has watched her megadivorce settlement dwindle, been swindled by her husband number two, and conned herself into thinking that a few pills will help distract her from her pain. Robin has an all-American case of shopaholism, while the big dream of her life-to wear a wedding dress- has gone unrealized. And for years, Gloria has taken happiness and security for granted. But being at the wrong place at the wrong time can change everything. All four are learning to heal past hurts and to reclaim their joy and their dreams; but they return to us full of spirit, sass, and faith in one another. They’ve exhaled: now they are learning to breathe.
Viking Adult
Available September 7, 2010 in Hardcover
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May 16, 2010
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Tyra Banks: A Biography tells the story of one of today’s most visible, successful, and inspiring young African American women. It is a revealing look at Banks’ meteoric rise from geeky adolescent to supermodel, actress, and TV mogul — all in just seven years after initially being turned down by a number of agencies.
In following the life of Tyra Banks, this authoritative biography finds the sources of her determination not just to succeed but to aggressively promote positive female role models and debunk biases and stereotypes too-often applied to women. Among the highlights are Banks’ years as youth correspondent for Oprah Winfrey and her extensive philanthropic work, establishing scholarships, charities, and camps, while providing self-help advice for young women.
Greenwood
Available 02/26/10 in Hardcover
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May 12, 2010
- The first vegan guide geared to African American women
- More than forty delicious and nutritious recipes highlighted with color photographs
- Menus and advice on transitioning from omnivore to vegan
- Resource information and a comprehensive shopping list for restocking the fridge and pantry
African American women are facing a health crisis: Heart disease, stroke, and diabetes occur more frequently among them than among women of other races. Black women comprise the heftiest group in the nation — 80 percent are overweight, and 50 percent obese. Decades of studies show that these chronic diseases can be prevented and even reversed with a plant-based diet. But how can you control your weight and health without sacrificing great food and gorgeous curves?
Just ask Tracye Lynn McQuirter. With attitude, inspiration, and expertise, in By Any Greens Necessary, McQuirter shows women how to stay healthy, hippy, and happy by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes as part of an active lifestyle. The book is a call to action that all women should heed.
By Any Greens Necessary:
A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat
by Tracye Lynn McQuirter MPH
Lawrence Hill Books, May 1, 2010
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February 13, 2010
Amistad
Available 01/01/10 in Hardcover
An ambitious and startling debut novel that follows the lives of four women at a resort popular among slaveholders who bring their enslaved mistresses
wench \’wench\ n. from Middle English “wenchel,” 1 a: a girl, maid, young woman; a female child.
Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It’s their open secret.
Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at Tawawa House. They have become friends over the years as they reunite and share developments in their own lives and on their respective plantations. They don’t bother too much with questions of freedom, though the resort is situated in free territory — but when truth-telling Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking of running away, things change. To run is to leave behind everything these women value most — friends and families still down South — and for some it also means escaping from the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the most inhuman, brutal of circumstances — all while they are bearing witness to the end of an era. An engaging, page-turning, and wholly original novel, Wench explores, with an unflinching eye, the moral complexities of slavery.
February 13, 2010
I’m Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen — My Journey Home
by Shoshana Johnson
Touchstone
Available 02/02/10 in Hardcover
In March of 2003, when Operation Iraqi Freedom was only days old, world headlines were made when a U.S. army convoy was attacked in the city of An-Nasiriyah en route to Baghdad. Several soldiers were killed and others were taken prisoner.
Jessica Lynch became the face and name associated with this tragedy, but another female soldier, Shoshana Johnson, was also wounded and captured in the ambush. A video of Shoshana being interrogated by her captors was soon broadcast on Spanish-language television and then picked up by American media. Shoshana had become the first black female prisoner of war in United States history. She was held for twenty-two days.
When Shoshana returned to the United States, she received numerous awards for her valor, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War medals. She appeared on news networks and national television shows such as Oprah, Ellen, The Tonight Show, and Larry King Live, but she was bound by a military gag order. She was unable to discuss what really happened in Iraq — until now.
Shoshana holds nothing back in this harrowing account of an ordinary woman caught in an extraordinary circumstance. She reveals decisions made by higher-ups that may have led to the capture, describes the pain of post-traumatic stress disorder, and shares the surprising story of how a specialist in a maintenance company ended up on the front lines of war.
Divulging personal emotions and frustrations while raising fresh political issues, I’m Still Standing is the never-before-told and much anticipated story of the headline-making ambush, capture, and rescue described with the exceptional bravery and candor of a single mom and soldier who became an American hero.
December 19, 2009
Something Old, New, Borrowed & True
by Pamela R. Jeffers
Harvest Time Innerations Available 11/2/09
Tvoya Harrington is a woman caught between two loves and too many lies. She’s about to marry the man of her hopes and dreams when a childhood sweetheart returns home to bury his father. Perfectly-laid wedding plans start to crumble as long-buried secrets are unearthed and Tvoya begins to wonder if the man she thinks is the answer to her prayers is really God-sent.
Something Old, New, Borrowed & True, by debut Christian Fiction author Pamela R. Jeffers, is an engrossing and inspirational tale about matters of the heart and trusting God – even through the unexpected twists that test your faith, friendships and family.
November 15, 2009
Dare to Be a Man: The Truth Every Man Must Know . . . And Every Woman Needs to Know About Him
by David G Evans
Putnam Adult
Available 09/17/09
The bestselling author, television and radio personality, and in-demand speaker, offers insight, enlightenment, and empowerment to men and the women who love them.
What does it mean to be a real man? Does it mean being the biggest, strongest guy around? The man with the most money, cars, and possessions? The man with the most power and respect? Many men think so. And many women are frustrated as they try to figure out exactly what that means for them and their relationship with those men. But Bishop David Evans is here to tell us something different. A true man is the man who dares to live up to God’s design. Within every man, there’s a man that God wants to release: a man of confidence, purpose, strength, destiny, consistency, sensitivity, accountability, and loyalty-who is spiritual and loving. A problem solver and a leader. Within every man is a true identity waiting to be fulfilled. When that true man appears, he’ll realize that responsibility is not something to run from, but rather something to be embraced. He’ll learn that sovereignty can happen only when he becomes obedient to God. He’ll see that his relationship with the family he creates isn’t about limitations, but about freedom. Only when he becomes that true man can he make himself ready for the woman who loves him.
Women have long been misled about what a real man is. Unsure about what to look for and expect in a partner, they have unrealistic expectations and unmet needs. They demand what men can’t and shouldn’t give them, yet don’t allow men to embody the role that God has called them to. In Dare to Be a Man, women learn to identify a man who lives up to God’s design and to foster the spiritual growth of the men in their lives. With its inspiring and empowering message, as well as practical application, Dare to Be a Man is essential reading for all men and the women who love them.
August 1, 2009
Palgrave Macmillan
Available 07/15/09
Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book analyzes Black women’s involvement in American political life, focusing on what they did to gain political power between 1961 and 2001, and why, in many cases, they did not succeed. Harris demonstrates that Black women have tried to gain centrality through their participation in Presidential Commissions, Black feminist organizations, theatrical productions, film adaptations of literature, beauty pageants, electoral politics, and Presidential appointments. Harris contends that ’success’ in this area means that the feminist-identified Black women in the Congressional Black Caucus who voted against Clarence Thomas’s appointment would have spoken on behalf of Anita Hill; Senator Carol Moseley Braun would have won re-election; Lani Gunier would have had a hearing; Dr. Joycelyn Elders would have maintained her post; and Congresswoman Barbara Lee wouldn’t have stood alone in her opposition to the Iraq war resolution.
June 2, 2009
I Didn’t Work This Hard Just to Get Married: Successful Single Black Women Speak Out
by Nika C. Beamon, Bella DePaulo (Foreword)
Lawrence Hill Books
Available 05/01/09
Can you be happily single?
As June, the most country’s most popular wedding month, fast approaches, women will be bombarded with countless images and media suggestions that that they tie the knot. The reality is that statistics show most American women will spend more years of their adult lives unmarried rather than married. For African American women, the prospect of marriage is dismal; a staggering 70 percent of them live without a man.
Despite the bleak data about the state of marriage, the entire nation is still wedding crazy. Every movie and television show ends with a walk down the aisle; it’s the proverbial happy ending. According to The Wedding Report, a Tucson, Ariz.-based research firm, couples are willing to pay a fortunate to get their “happily ever after.” Even with the recent economic troubles, on average they’ll spend about 6 thousand less for weddings this year than last. But, that’s not saying much since the average cost of a wedding in 2008 was $21,814.
So, the question must be asked: is it possible to be happily single with “matrimania” seemingly everywhere? A book: I Didn’t Work This Hard Just to Get Married by Nika C. Beamon says yes you can but to do it you have to buck convention.
In I Didn’t Work This Hard Just to Get Married, through lively and revealing interviews with women from various walks of life, Nika Beamon explores the challenges and issues affecting single black women who defy expectations. Among the women who share their stories in the book: Actress Kim Coles, Movie Producer Effie T. Brown (‘Real Women Have Curves’) and Interior Designer Sheila Bridges.
Now you may think the women in this book bash men or have no use for them however, it’s quite the contrary. Almost everyone seems to want to share their life with someone. The catch is that until or unless they find that person, they have resolved to live their lives to the fullest. For them, having a happy life is achieved about surrounding themselves with love, sharing their talents and gifts with others, and relying on “girl power” to get through the tough times; something Cheetah Girls creator Deborah Gregory knows a lot about. A former foster child, Gregory has inspired generations of girls to follow their passion and in this project she shows grown women how to do the same.
All of the women in I Didn’t Work This Hard Just to Get Married candidly discuss aging without a man and reevaluate dating, single homeownership, career, and children. The book speaks directly to the black woman’s experience, addressing unique challenges such as income discrepancies between genders, the high rate of male incarceration, and the Baby Momma Syndrome. The women discuss the false expectations they face from men, from families, and from friends.
Written in the best tradition of girlfriend talking to girlfriend, the book delivers tales of lessons learned, hard times and good times, told by women who found ways to achieve their dreams by defying convention. Their conclusion: singlehood, whether temporary or permanent, and though often challenging, is a fulfilling state.
To read an excerpt:
http://www.redroom.com/member/denali17
To watch video trailer for the book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8DcbQsQawk
To find out about signings or readings in your area:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=70022821825
To contact the author: Denali17 @optonline.net, Denali1217@yahoo.com
