When I began writing Coming Out of Egypt sixteen years ago, I never dreamed that sexual assault, the book’s subject matter, would be so much in the news today. But it is, and women from all walks of life are coming forward to tell their stories and they are inspiring others to do so. Does that mean that sexual assault will go away completely? I don’t thinks so, but it may deter some would-be perpetrators from carrying out these vicious acts.

Coming Out of Egypt is set in the 1980s, a time when such things were only whispered about. The protagonist is seventeen-year-old Marva who, along with her younger sister June, was sexually abused by their father. As with most sexual assault victims, the girls were too ashamed to tell anyone what they were being subjected to. One night, unable to take it anymore, Marva killed her father. This is where the story begins.

I am still amazed at the timeliness of this story and I think you will be too. Also, the psychological traits displayed by sexual abuse victims are well portrayed in these characters. But despite the disturbing subject matter, there is much light-hearted content to balance those agonizing moments:

June and her penchant for attracting boys; the passionate romance between Cicely and David; the vivid descriptions of the exotic setting and most of all, the redemptive message that unfolds as a flower (according to one reviewer) throughout the book.

Here is what some reviewers are saying about Coming Out of Egypt:

Solid book. Well written. Important topic. Engaging characters – CM

Coming Out of Egypt is a story of survival that grips your attention from beginning to end.- Eunice Matchett

The story of abuse in any form is hard to read, but more, when it is incest by a trusted parent. Who do you turn to when there is no one to turn to when a relationship goes wrong? God! This story shows what it looks like when the trust in a relationship is gone and there is no one to whom you can turn. Through many different relationships and through many different eyes we see how this walk looks and possibly feels. We are never alone or forsaken. – Titagee

If you would like to judge for yourself if what these readers said is true, why don’t you get a copy for yourself? Just click on the image below.

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I am pleased to feature the Cover Reveal for this exciting new Women’s Fiction by E.A. Fournier

Still Breathing

Date Published: November 17, 2018
Designer: Damonza
Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Book description

Newly widowed and on the threshold of seventy, Lizzie Warton questions the value of her remaining years. Uncharacteristically, she decides for the first time in her life to do what she wants, instead of what everyone expects.

Against the wishes of family and friends, she sets out for Africa to work at a Ugandan middle school. When she lands at night in the Entebbe airport, her hosts are not there to meet her. Near panic, she hires a local taxi. The driver drugs her, steals everything, and dumps her limp body in a slum. Waking in the dark, she feels someone tugging off her shoes.

Without money, a passport, clothes, or medications, Lizzie is forced to start over and find a way to survive. Soon she learns that nothing in Africa is as it appears. The grind of daily life in the third-world is beyond anything Lizzie imagined. Nevertheless, encouraged by budding friendships in surprising places, and against every sensible instinct she’s ever developed, Lizzie’s own personal search for meaning becomes the grand adventure of a lifetime.

Excerpt

“Hey, muzungu! Over here!”

“Lady, best prices in Owino!”

“I have jeans. You want jeans? New styles from America!”

“Hey! Pretty white lady! Over here!”

“Best quality! Best prices! Today, only for you, muzungu!”

“I have a new shipment! Come and see!”

“Muzungu! Lady, what you need?”

Lizzie was sick of the accented voices shouting at her. She had yet to see another white woman in the claustrophobic market. Warned in advance, she had ignored the hands on her arms, the fingers trailing across her fingers, even the nudges to move her toward their shops, but she was fed up with the vendors’ constant calls aimed at her. Still, she doggedly maintained her wooden smile, even though she was gritting her teeth behind it.

At one point, a vendor called out a question in Luganda and someone else answered it. Lizzie was sure it had something to do with her. Laughter broke out and other voices chimed in with more quips. Grinning faces nodded at her as she walked away.

Lizzie shot a questioning look at Mrs. Birungi, who rolled her eyes, even though a smile tugged at her mouth. “It is nothing – just vendor talk. Ignore it. We need to go over that way.” Birungi pointed to a split in the congested path ahead, and steered them to the right.

Afiya pulled abreast of Lizzie a little later as they bobbed through a brief open place in the moving crowd. “They said they not sure if you are white or Ugandan.”

“What?”

“It was joke. Our people always make jokes.”

“How was it a joke?”

“Somebody said you half Ugandan.” The girl suppressed a grin.

“I don’t get it.”

“They said you have white top but Ugandan bottom.” Afiya smiled broadly as she said the line.

Lizzie looked back at her, puzzled.

“This kind bottom.” Afiya patted her own rump. “Word means both things. They admired your…bottom.” Afiya couldn’t help but giggle as she repeated the word.

Lizzie understood and sighed. “Well, I guess that’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard.” In her mind, a little appreciative thought blossomed at still being noticed in that way, at all. She hastily chided herself and kept walking, but her hips now swayed a tiny bit more, nevertheless.

Originally from South Minneapolis, Gene Fournier earned a BA in Philosophy & Literature from St. Louis University followed by a Masters in Film from USC. Gene is a member of the Writers Guild of America west (WGA) and worked as a screenwriter and editor in Hollywood, but sadly, he never got that big break.

Seeking a return to his roots after twelve years in California, he accepted a Director of Media position with a multinational company headquartered in the Midwest. For thirty years he wrote, directed, edited and distributed corporate video programs around the world, managed live presentations, and orchestrated the creative elements for national and international meetings.

Retired now, with his seven children grown, and a dozen grandchildren to distract him, Gene is finally able to write down the stories he’s been carrying in his head all these years.

Contact Information

Website: https://www.eafournier.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gammera
Blog: https://www.eafournier.com/blog
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40097206-still-breathing

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My Black History spotlight this week is on Terry McMillan, one of the most successful writers of our time. She is the  author of several magazine articles, and six bestselling books, two of which, Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, became blockbuster movies.

Terry began her writing career in 1987 with the publication of her first novel, Mama, which started out as a short story. Terry followed the advice of members of the Harlem Writers’ Guild who told her that Mama ought to be a novel. After six weeks, she’d expanded her short story into a novel of over 400 pages. Terry sent her collection of short stories to Houghton Mifflin, expecting to get some free editorial advice. It turned out that Houghton Mifflin was more interested in Mama, which she’d mentioned briefly in her letter. Terry sent them some pages from the book and they loved it.

Here’s the opening line of Mama: “Mildred hid the ax beneath the mattress of the cot in the dining room.” Who wouldn’t want to continue reading after that?

For me, this is where the story of Terry’s rise to fame really got my attention. The writer of the article in encyclopedia.com says that typically first novels don’t get a lot of publicity. I can relate. But, the article continues, Terry was not about to let her hard work go to waste. When the publishers told her they couldn’t do more for her, Terry struck out on her own. She wrote over 3000 letters to bookstores, universities and colleges, and by the end of the summer of 1987 she was scheduled for several readings. Instead of waiting on her publicist to arrange her publicity tour, Terry did it herself. By the time Waiting to Exhale was published in 1992, Terry McMillan had become a sensation. The movie grossed $66 million.

So, what lessons can we as writers learn from Terry McMillan?

1. Read. Terry discovered the beauty of reading from working in the library. Prior to that, she had not been exposed to books by black writers. In an interview, Terry says she felt embarrassed when she came across a book by James Baldwin with his picture on the cover. After reading the autobiography of Malcolm X, Terry  realized that black literature was nothing to be ashamed of.

2. Study. Terry attended Los Angeles City College, where she immersed herself in African American classics. She then went on to the University of California at Berkeley and pursued a Master’s degree in Film at Columbia University. She also attended McDowell and Yaddo artist colonies.

3. Take advice. Had Terry not listened to the advice of the Harlem Writers Guild, she may not have published Mama, which launched her writing career.

4. Take charge. (This is my favorite) Don’t sit back and wait on others to do everything for you. Had Terry waited on her publishers to handle all her marketing for her, Mama may have fallen flat and her career may have never got off the ground.

In reading about this great, contemporary African American author, I feel proud to be a writer even though I have not begun to scratch the surface of what she has done. Still, she has motivated me, and I daresay other writers, to strive to be the best we can be. For that, we owe her a debt of gratitude.

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Is your head spinning from all the Cyber Monday sales out there? When all is said and done, what really calms you after a long, busy day is curling up with a good book and your favorite beverage. So, take a few moments to click on my offerings for Cyber Monday. They range from Christian non-fiction to women’s fiction with lots of suspense and emotion. Here’s the first one:

Some of the women featured in Women For All Seasons played an integral part in the life of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas time. Read about Mary, the young virgin and the risk she took when she said “yes” to the angel and agreed to become mother of the Savior of the world. Then there’s Ruth, a woman outside of the Jewish covenant, but she became Jesus’s ancestor. Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha who followed Jesus and ministered to Him. All the stories are told from the point of view of each woman so you get an intimate view of how God used them despite their flaws. This book will make a great gift for yourself or a friend this Christmas.

If you read my blog, you would know about my first novel Coming Out of Egypt, book 1 of the Egypt series. This book received a five-star rating from Katherine Bennet of Readers’ Favorite. Here’s what she said:

The story flows beautifully and is truly written in a compelling way. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a well written story with fully fleshed out characters who feel very real. You will not regret a single moment of time you spend with Marva and June.

Other reviewers expressed similar views:
Solid book. Well written. Important topic. Engaging characters – C.M

Suspense kept me glued to my kindle – Amazonia

In The Wilderness is book 2 of the Egypt series. In this book Marva and June are older and a little more, well, you’ll see for yourself. Here is what one reviewer said:

This book is so superbly written! I think the cover does a great job of setting the mood. This story will make you think, make you feel, and just touch you in a way you did not expect. – Texas Book Nook

And another:
Wow, I truly enjoyed Angela Joseph’s writing style in this novel. Sometimes it can take me a bit to get into a story, but I felt like the way this story flowed was effortless. I truly enjoyed Marva as a character from the beginning and understood her motives throughout the story.

For Cyber Monday and a few more days you can get each of these books for .99c. That’s a great deal for some great books. Don’t miss out!

Sign up for my mailing list so you can receive updates on special offers for all my books and those of other authors. Until next time, happy reading.

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Another year is almost over, and as I look back on the past months, I am tempted to reflect on all the awful things that took place – hurricanes, earthquakes, terrorism, mass murders – and according to the news media, everything was “the worst.” In light of all that, should we be thankful? I am still thankful – for God, my family, friends and associates and for the opportunity to reach thousands of people in cyberspace.
So, let us enjoy Thanksgiving, enjoy our families and friends and, yes, our food. Let us share whatever we can with those who are not as fortunate as we are, for it is in giving we receive.

To show you how much I care, I’m making Coming Out of Egypt, the first book in the Egypt trilogy, FREE from Black Friday until Sunday Nov. 26th.
Tweet: Get Coming Out of Egypt FREE #BlackFriday to 11/26 #womensfiction https://ctt.ec/swKZe+ B01FNJ5EIU

So, spread the word to all your friends and if you have not done so yet, sign up for my blog where you can get more updates and giveaways.

Blurb for Coming Out of Egypt

Set in the lovely island of Trinidad, Coming Out of Egypt tells the story of Marva Garcia, seventeen, and her sister June, thirteen, who were both sexually abused by their father. Following the death of their mother a year previously, Marva assumes the role of mother to June. Unable to tolerate their father’s abuse any longer, Marva accidentally kills him one night while trying to protect June from him.
This sends the girls’ lives into a further downward spiral as Marva tries desperately to elude the police, control June’s teenage hormonal escapades and hold down a job in a man’s domain. Will Marva be punished for her crime?
If you enjoy this book, why not pick up the sequel In the Wilderness so you don’t have to wait to see what happens next?

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Greetings once again from sunny Florida! I’m thankful to God that we survived hurricane Irma. Some parts of my neighborhood still look like … well, like a storm hit it, but the crews are doing a great job clearing away fallen trees and branches and tidying the place up. Supermarkets have water again – YIPPEE! – and gas is flowing in the gas stations. My thoughts and prayers are with those in the Caribbean who are now under the gun from hurricane Maria. Please remember them in your prayers and help where you are able.

I promised to update you at least once a month on events in which I will be participating – book signings, giveaways, book reviews and the like. Well, in two days’ time from Sept. 21^st – Oct. 3^rd, I’m participating in an exciting group giveaway of women’s fiction books – Life Changing in the Face of Adversity – Women’s Fiction at its Best

Here’s the link for you to find out more about this exciting giveaway. https://www.instafreebie.com/gg/aWoOiHIiRh3jWYDPccjC   Instafreebie has organized this event and I know it’s going to be a smash. You can win a copy of my book Coming Out of Egypt as well as other stellar women’s fiction books.

Here’s a short blurb for Coming Out of Egypt:

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 police, 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 she still has to be on her guard. Will she one day find the love and happiness she craves, or will she get the punishment she deserves?

Please share this information with your friends and ask them to share as well. Stay tuned for more updates. And please sign up for my newsletter if you haven’t done so yet.

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Tomorrow is the anniversary of our nation’s independence. Fourth of July is one of the most popular holidays here in the US, and many people have the day off from work. That means barbecues, trips to the beach or some other hangout venue, and of course, fireworks when the sun goes down. If you are like me, you would take advantage of the time off to catch up on some reading.

Let me recommend a book that is sure to become a summer reading favorite. It’s my first novel Coming Out Of Egypt which I’ve written about before. This is a clean, compelling read about two sisters trying to forge a new life for themselves while trying to put their abusive past behind them. It’s a story that combines romance, suspense and redemption in a way that will leave a lasting impression on the reader. There is no cussing or swearing and no sex, but trust me, you won’t want to put it down.

So today, I have a special reason for bringing this book to your attention. I’m running a special promo until Tuesday. You can get Coming Out Of Egypt on Amazon kindle during this special promotional period for just 99c. Or you can download it for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Just click on the image below.

Happy reading and Happy Fourth!

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