Some time ago, I wrote this post about the many ways authors can benefit from their local library. Most of that information is still relevant. For instance, I mentioned that it is difficult, but not impossible, for indie authors to get their books in the library. From recent discussions posted in some Goodreads groups, some authors still lament this fact, while others report having had their books placed in the library system with not much trouble.

With all of that information at the back of my mind, I decided to approach the African American Research Library in Fort Lauderdale where I’d done a book signing for Coming Out of Egypt. I spoke with the very pleasant lady in charge of acquisitions, and she requested a copy of my book so she could evaluate it. After several phone conversations, she got back to me with the good news: my book was deemed acceptable, and she would recommend it be placed in the collections. This was another process and required some more waiting.

Finally, a few weeks ago, I was notified that Coming Out of Egypt is now in the collections at the library and may be placed in other branches in Broward County as well. I am thrilled, to say the least. My goal is to have all three books in the series on all the shelves in the county. You can see the other books here. If you live in the Fort Lauderdale area, will you do me the favor of visiting the African American Research Library and Cultural Center on Sistrunk Blvd., and checking out my book? If it’s not available, please ask the librarian to put it on hold. Thank you so much!

If you haven’t done so yet, please sign up for my mailing list where you will receive updates on my books, giveaways and other author events.

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I am still in a state of euphoria following the royal wedding on Saturday, which is why I’m so late writing this post today. I’ve been viewing all the stunning photos splashed all over the internet and reading the comments—some of which are downright, Pulitzer-prize worthy—and berating myself for not doing some work.

So, here goes. This post is intended for my fellow authors, but readers are welcome to peep over their shoulders to see the reason for some terrible reviews you see on Amazon. When agents and editors reject our work, they usually say that the fault is not with our writing. The story is just not the right fit for them. Yeah, right. And I’m the Duchess of Sussex.

Sometimes, the writing is bad, very bad. Typos, grammatical errors, misspellings, you name it, it’s there. Recently, I gave a bad review to a book that was given me in exchange for an honest review, and, truth be told, it contained none of those flaws mentioned above. In fact, the prose was beautiful. Descriptive passages to die for. But that’s where it ended for me. Even though the book belonged to a genre I don’t read, I was prepared to give it a shot, but try as I did, I couldn’t connect with the protagonist, couldn’t understand her motive, and most of the time I couldn’t understand what was taking place. It was a very difficult read.

I felt badly about giving such a poor rating, but I had to write my honest impression. I was happy to see that some other reviewers gave the book four stars, but it just didn’t work for me. So, the next time you get a poor rating, take it with a pinch of salt, as we say. Maybe it wasn’t the right choice for the reviewer, or she was distracted by a wedding—hers or someone else’s.

You can still pick up a copy of Coming Out of Egypt, book 1 of the Egypt series for just 99c. and In the Wilderness for $2.99. If you haven’t joined this newsletter, you are missing out on special offers. So, please sign up on the form below. And look out for In the Promised Land, the third and final book in the series, soon to be on preorder.

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If you are a book lover, you love the idea of getting free and/or discounted books. So here’s a chance to grab dozens of high quality books in your favorite genres to jumpstart your reading weekend. You will also be supporting a number of independent Goodreads authors.

I will be offering Coming Out of Egypt, the first book in the Egypt series FREE on Friday only. So don’t miss out. If you have not yet got your hands on a copy of this suspenseful drama, now is the perfect time.

Here’s a little blurb about the story:

When Marva accidentally kills her father while trying to protect her younger sister June from him, she anticipates a new beginning far from “Egypt” where they once lived. But her new life is not what she envisioned. The strain of trying to elude the detective , cope with her rebellious younger sister while holding down her job in a man’s domain drives her to drink. When Cicely, her former teacher, intervenes and leads the girls to Christ, Marva finds some measure of peace, but her fate still hangs in the balance. Will she find the love and understanding she craves, or will she get the judgement she deserves?

After reading Coming Out of Egypt, you would naturally want to know what happens to Marva and June next. The second book, In the Wilderness, will be discounted to 99c. tomorrow. Here’s the blurb:

Tortured by guilt over her secret crime and unable to confide in anyone, Marva contemplates suicide. But before she can carry out her well-laid plans, a horrible accident leaves her groping in the wilderness of amnesia. She later emerges to find that she must now face trial for murder.

 Written from a Christian perspective, In the Wilderness is not just about suicide. Like its prequel, Coming Out of Egypt, the dark matter covered in this book is offset by the exotic setting of Trinidad and Tobago, the one-sided romance between Marva and Jason – he loves her, she sees him only as a friend – crazy, giddy teenage love affairs and the transforming power of redemption.

My third offering for this Friday the 13th promo is my first book Women For All Seasons. This is a Christian non-fiction book based on women of the Bible and is also discounted to .99c. If you love Bible stories, you would want to add this book to your bookshelf.

Please spread the word to all your friends and come out and support us tomorrow for this great event.

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I saw something funny on Facebook recently. The writer said (I’m paraphrasing) that her book contains no ex-boyfriend suddenly showing up from the past, no finding old letters and no old mansion for sale, or words to that effect. I laughed when I read it because so many of the book descriptions I read  are about those very things. Maybe there are readers who enjoy those books, but when I choose a book, I like one that takes me to parts unknown, tugs at my emotions and leaves me thinking about the characters long after I’ve reached THE END. So because I love to read those books, I try to write similar ones.

In Part 1 of this topic, I said there were many reasons to read In The Wilderness, Book 2 of the Egypt series, and the first reason I gave was:

No graphic scenes of sexual abuse

But before we get to that, here’s a short synopsis of the book:

When Marva accidentally kills her father while trying to protect her younger sister June from him, she anticipates a new beginning far from “Egypt” where they once lived. But her new life is not what she envisioned. The strain of trying to elude the detective who suspects her of the murder, cope with her rebellious younger sister and hold down her job in a man’s domain drive her to drink. When Cicely, her former teacher, intervenes and leads the girls to Christ, Marva finds some measure of peace, but guilt over her crime and the desire to save June from disgrace force her to contemplate suicide. Fortunately, a serious accident derails her plans, and both Marva and June discover their true calling – to serve God, and others, with all their heart and with all their strength.

Many people, myself included, are turned off by scenes of a child’s body being violated. I have started reading many books – some quite popular – and have put them down at the first hint of abuse. The content of In The Wilderness and its prequel Coming Out of Egypt focuses on the psychological effects of the abuse. The stories are clean and wholesome, but suspenseful. Marva and June occasionally reflect on how much their father hurt them, but for the most part, they confine  those painful memories to the back burner of their minds.

And speaking of graphic scenes, I believe the most graphic is in the beginning when Marva and June dispose of their father’s body.

Thunder rolled again, and Marva swallowed against the tightness in her throat. Summoning all her strength, she pulled. This time the body gave and slid over the smooth linoleum floor. Beads of perspiration ran down her face and fell on the dead man’s khaki pants. Once Marva got to the door, she had no choice but to let his head drop the one step to the ground outside.

Senses alert, she stopped and listened. The storage door still rattled and the wind rustled through the leaves like whispering ghosts. A shiver ran through her. It was unlikely that hunters, or any of their father’s laborers, would come through their property on a night like this, but one never knew. With June sticking to her like a shadow, they took the familiar path down the slope leading to the river. Swish-swish went the corpse as Marva dragged her father’s lifeless body over the carpet of dry leaves.

Notice, there’s no blood and gore, neither do I show how the murder took place. This, I believe, leaves the reader to wonder what is going on, how did all of this happen. This is not a crime or murder novel even though murder is involved.

You can get a further glimpse into Book 1 – Coming Out of Egypt by clicking on the form below. You will get to read the first five chapters so you can decide if you want to buy the book. Or if you have already decided you want to buy the book, click here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FNJ5EIU 

http://authl.it/ B01FNJ5EIU

Prefer print? http://amzn.to/2qCJsQA

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Sometimes when I browse Amazon or other book sites and read blurbs, I realize that there are other books whose subject matter is similar to mine. I have read some of those books, but in all honesty, I don’t like reading about child abuse, especially sexual abuse. Really? Then why did you write about it, I can hear you scream. The question is justified, and the answer is simple. I think it’s something that needs to be spoken about, exposed, denounced until the world ceases to turn a blind eye to this scourge in our midst. So, I’m not  knocking other novels that portray sexual abuse. They all have their place, although I cannot read graphic details about horrible things done to a child. In this series of articles, I will show you why I think you should read my Egypt series.

First, take a look at the short synopsis:

When Marva accidentally kills her father while trying to protect her younger sister June from him, she anticipates a new beginning far from “Egypt” where they once lived. But her new life is not what she envisioned. The strain of trying to elude the detective who suspects her, cope with her rebellious younger sister and hold down her job in a man’s domain drive her to drink. When Cicely, her former teacher, intervenes and leads the girls to Christ, Marva finds some measure of peace, but guilt over her crime and the desire to save June from disgrace force her to contemplate suicide. Fortunately, a serious accident derails her plans, and both Marva and June discover their true calling – to serve God, and others, with all their heart and with all their strength.

In the next post, one reason why you should read the Egypt series:

No graphic scenes of sexual abuse.

Book 2 In the Wilderness is now on preorder for 99c. until 8/17. Get your copy now by clicking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072WB8N25

If you have not yet read the first book and would like to do so, you can click  here.

And don’t forget to sign up below for my monthly newsletter where you can get updates on my books, giveaways and more.

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I just want to wish you and yours a safe, happy and satisfying Fourth of July. As you celebrate with family and friends, take a moment to reflect on what makes this country great. Courageous men and women, boundless blessings from our Creator and – books. I couldn’t help throwing that in because I love books. I can’t imagine a world without them. So today, I salute my fellow writers and readers everywhere. After you’ve swallowed that last piece of barbecue and said good-bye to your last guest, make a little time to curl up with a good book. es

Here are two suggestions: Coming Out of Egypt – Book 1 in the Egypt series – a story of a beautiful young woman trying to rise above her crime and forge a new life for herself and her sister. You will read about her teacher who believes in her, her childhood friend who loves her, and a detective who wants to arrest her. Get it here.

In the Wilderness – Book 2 – Marva has to decide. Should she kill herself to avoid going to prison and shaming her sister? Preorder now.

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Today is the grand SIAFBB happening we’ve been talking about all week. What is it? It’s the Support Indie Authors Free & Bargain Book event. This is an event in which SIA members offer temporary discounts or freebie promos, and combine our collective marketing resources to showcase our works to a larger readership.

I will be promoting Women For All Seasons, my Christian non-fiction book based on women of the Bible. To know more about it you can go here. I will also be talking about my new Egypt series, Book 1, Coming Out of Egypt and Book 2 In The Wilderness, which is now on preorder.

This is your chance to get Women For All Seasons FREE and Coming Out of Egypt for only 99c. But just for today, so don’t miss this opportunity. And while you are there, please opt-in to my subscribe box so you can get updates on my books, author events and giveaways. So please pass the word on to your friends. The event starts at 8.00 a.m and goes on all day. I will be on at 3.00 p.m. Hope to see you there.

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Summer is here, and for many that means lazy days at the beach, the park or going on road trips. All wonderful places for you to take along a few books to pass the time. Well, this coming Saturday Jul. 1st, you have a chance to pick up some free and discounted books to slip into your tote. But in addition to adding to your bookshelf, you will be supporting independent authors. This event is the 3rd anniversary of the Support Indie Authors Free & Bargain Book Event. There will be over 75 Free and 99¢ books available from more than 25 Indie Authors.

It’s all taking place on Facebook and starts at 8.00 a.m EST so you can join in in your PJs or lounge on your patio. I will be among the many authors who will post about our books and you will be welcome to interact with us, ask questions and get to know us. I, of course, will be talking about the first books in my Egypt series, so you have an opportunity to learn more about them.

So head on over to https://www.facebook.com/events/15679

Thanks again for supporting Indie Authors!

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If you live in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area you would know that we have been having tons of rain since the weekend and it has been pouring all day. And so my book signing was a no go.

 

I have to thank my good friend, Ella, who came and brought a friend with her, so the afternoon was not a complete waste. They did buy books, listened attentively to my presentation – Power Point and all – and asked questions. So, I had some good practice and look forward to the next time.

 

If you have been following my posts, you know I always encourage you to never give up, so why should I? Keep following this page for information on where my next appearance will be and don’t forget to sign up to this blog for updates.

If you would like to get your copy of Coming Out of Egypt just click  here for paperback and here for the ebook.

God bless.

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Now that the elections are over, we can go back to what we enjoy the most – reading. The days are shorter, the nights are longer and cooler, just right to snuggle up with a good book.

But before you reach for that book that’s been gathering dust on your nightstand, stop and think for a moment. What do you look for in a good book? What makes you pick up the book in the first place? I would guess the first thing would be the cover, but you don’t just want to admire the cover, you want to read what is between the covers.

So what tickles your fancy? Is it the plot, the characters, or the beautiful prose? For me, I would say all three, and if you can place all of that in a breathtaking setting, you have a fan for life.

Notice I didn’t mention genre, even though there are certain types I will not read. Horror, vampire and detective novels with lots of blood and gore turn me off. As does erotica.

There was a time when I would have included sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian novels in the list. Then one of my friends decided to venture into worlds unknown and wrote her first sci-fi novel, Story In The Stars, and I was hooked. Then along came Hunger Games and I was drawn in, hook, line, and sinker.

So what was it about these two books in particular that kept me turning the pages?
1. Plot – this has to be compelling enough to keep me reading. While I love descriptive passages, they shouldn’t be so long that they draw me out of the story. Also, even though it is fiction, the plot should be believable.
2. Characters – I must fall in love with them. I must understand their motive and be able to defend them even when they slip up, as real people sometimes do.
3. Prose – Think of it as the special ingredients you add to a meal to make it mouthwatering and appetizing. Every morsel you bite should stimulate your taste buds for more. So it is with your writing. If it is flat, with grammatical errors, typos, lacking flavor, then it will not appeal to your reader no matter how great the story line is.

What kinds of books do you like? What is on your bookshelf or in your kindle right now? If you are looking for a book with a compelling plot, lovable characters, and flavorful prose, pick up a copy of Coming Out of Egypt, now available for just .99c on kindle. Or you can download it for free on Kindle Unlimited.

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