Whatcha Reading Wednesday: Swinging in the New Year

For anyone who is married or has ever been married, you know that sometimes married couples reach a point where the sex becomes predictable and maybe even a little boring. Some of these couples seek couples therapy to improve their sex lives, and some step outside the marriage to get what they're missing at home...but would/have you ever tried swinging as a means to bring the spark back into the bedroom? 

Synopsis:

Valerie and Daryl Watson (from My Secret Life: Confessions of a Housewife) overcame the obstacles when she cheated on him with a strip club owner/pimp, who also briefly turned her in an escort. Almost losing the love of her life after she told him the truth, Val vowed to never do anything that would put her marriage in jeopardy after Daryl forgave her. 
However, as good as things are between them, one thing remains the same- sex with her husband is extremely boring and predictable. 


When a friend invites the couple to attend her New Year’s Eve party swingers party, Val is excited about going, but she knows Daryl is not having it. Will she convince him to try something different for a change, or will this latest wild idea of hers to bring some excitement into their lives, have Daryl packing his bags and leaving for good? 

Click the link to get your copy for 0.99 cents or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Swinging-Year-Holiday-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B00R80ICGO

Sample Sunday...an excerpt from my upcoming novel: Sweet Taboo

Hey y'all..am I the only one who is glad Christmas has come and gone? I don't know why, but I just couldn't find my Christmas spirit this year, but oh well. 

Today, I want to give you a little sample of a novel that I wrote earlier this year. I had plans to have it released by the publishing company I was briefly signed to, but when those plans fell through, it's just been sitting in limbo (along with a few other projects I've started). Something kept telling me that I should not let this book just sit there in my computer documents, collecting dust, so I made the decision to self-publish it. **this is not the final version, scenes may be changed before book is released**

Synopsis:

The clock is ticking and Naomi Henderson is running out of time. Her 20 year class reunion is quickly approaching, and she’s determined to have a husband to flaunt in her ex-best friend and arch-nemesis, Laura Nixon’s, face. 

After a string of failed romances and bad luck forces Naomi to move back in with her widowed father, she’s shocked to find that not only does her dad have a new woman in his life, she’s white. As the family blends together, Naomi meets her step-mother’s nephew, Matthew. Not impressed in the least bit by her new family members, she wants nothing to do with these new people who have taken up space in her dad’s life and home. But no matter how much she tries to avoid Matt, the romantic tension between them is undeniable.  

Just when it looks like Matt has potential to be her white knight in shining armor, tragedy strikes, and Naomi quickly learns that while love may be blind, color isn’t. She’ll be forced to choose between the man she loves and a society that still isn’t accepting of interracial relationships once racism rears it’s ugly head.

Excerpt:

As soon as I made it downstairs, I knew something was odd. The television was on and there was noise coming from the kitchen. With daddy and Donna already gone, I thought someone had decided to break in. I looked around, trying to find something to protect myself with. My eyes focused on the iron fireplace tool set. 

I quickly ran over and grabbed one, then slowly made my way into the kitchen. Tightly gripping the long handle of the shovel, I crept towards the kitchen on my tippy toes. 

The refrigerator door was open and whoever was in here was humming a song to himself. Robbers are bold these days, I thought. They break in a persons home, then decided to raid the fridge and fix a damn snack before they leave…where they do that at? My heart was beating really fast, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead in anticipation of what was about to happen. Whoever was in the kitchen was either going to kill me, or I was going to kill him, but I wasn’t going out without a fight.

The intruder closed the refrigerator door just as I held the shovel over my head, ready to strike. We both yelled once we saw each other. I’m the take action first, ask questions later, type of girl, so I brought the shovel down hard over the head of who I now saw was a white guy, who was wearing only boxer brief underwear as soon as he closed the fridge and turned around.

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my father’s house?” I yelled, preparing to hit him over the head again.

He held his head with a painful look on his face. “Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

“I’m asking the questions here, and you still haven’t answered mine.” I went to strike him again, but he managed to grab the shovel before I hit him. 

He tossed the shovel across the room. The spot where I’d hit him over the head was already turning a dark purplish color. “I’m Matt. Do you always go around assaulting people with fireplace tools?”

“Do you always break into people’s homes then decided to fix yourself something to eat before you go, while wearing nothing but your damn drawers?” I shot back.

“First of all, I didn’t break in here. My aunt gave me her key. I’m staying here for a couple of weeks while my place is being painted and…”

“Your aunt? Who, Donna?”

“She’s the only aunt I have who lives here,” he snapped sarcastically while rubbing his forehead.

I simply stared in shock. Daddy hadn’t mentioned anything about this to me. “My father didn’t mention anything to me about you being here while they’re gone.”

“That’s because you were already asleep by the time I got here last night.”

My mouth was still open in shock, but it was also open for another reason. Matt was fine as hell! My eyes did a quick scan of his body, from head to toe. The very first thing I noticed about him were his piercing blue eyes and the sexy, smoldering squint he had, which kind of reminded me of how Clint Eastwood used to look in those old Western movies I used to watch sometimes with daddy. He had a tanned, buff chest, chiseled abs, and the bulge between his legs that was covered by the thin cotton material, was quite large and very noticeable.

“Oh,” was all I could say. I felt a little a little silly and embarrassed that I’d ran up in here like a mad woman and hit him over the head. “I’m sorry for hitting you; I thought you were a burglar.”

He pushed past me, bumping my shoulder as he walked by, still holding his head. “Whatever. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go find something for this headache I have now, thanks to your freaking paranoia.”

“I said I was sorry,” I yelled as I watched him as he walked out of the kitchen. He has a nice butt, too. Wait, what am I doing? I don’t know this boy from Adam. He could be lying. I headed upstairs in search of my cell phone. I needed to talk to daddy, ASAP. 

Steve Harvey's Mistake at Miss Universe Pageant Sheds Light On What's Wrong With People

By now we've all heard about Steve Harvey's BIG mistake announcing the winner of the Miss Universe 2015 Pageant last night. ICYMI, watch the  video below:

Sooo, yeah...that was awkward as hell, not only for the contestants, but also for Steve. Now, because we live in such a hateful world, people are coming for Steve's head...like I literally just saw a comment on Twitter that said he should be killed. First of all, it ain't that damn serious, people. The man made a mistake...it happens. I will be the first to admit that by the time I even thought to watch the pageant, they were already down to the top five ladies, so there wasn't a whole lot of buzz about the pageant anyway...not on my social media timelines. When I saw this, sure I posted about it...I mean, they let Miss Colombia stand there basking in the glory of being crowned the winner for all that time, then they were like, "Oops, my bad..we're gonna need that crown back." Yeah, that was really bad, and I, along with other people commented on it. I felt bad for the actual winner having to stand there listening to the crowd booing at the fact that she was the real winner. But I didn't feel any hatred or animosity towards Steve Harvey. I watch his shows often, and while he can be a bit self-righteous sometimes, he's a good guy, and it was obvious he felt horrible about what happened. He even took to social media to apologize...but of course there are some people who still have an issue with that. 

That they would rather have let Miss Colombia walk away with a crown and title that she didn't earn, rather than to have had Steve realize his mistake, and announce on live television that he'd made a mistake and let Miss Phillipines have her moment- which she deserved- says a lot about our society. Everybody wants something for nothing. Colombia, while beautiful, didn't wow me with her answers to her questions. Did you really listen to her (and the interpreters) answer when asked why she should be the next Miss Universe? 

It wasn't great. But people don't care that the woman who deserved to win would have walked away last night in second place...as long as they got what they wanted, right? YOU people are why our society is so fucked up. Why so many kids walk around feeling entitled to things they haven't worked hard for, why Donald Trump seriously thinks he should be POTUS. That sense of entitlement has seriously needs to stop, like ASAP. 

Now, y'all want Steve's head on a platter, and for what..because he made a mistake and apologized repeatedly for it? As usual, the cowardly internet racists and bullies have another reason to hide behind their phones and computers to make nasty comments (no surprise there) Like seriously, get over yourselves and shut the hell up because NOBODY cares about you. I'd bet all $20.00 in my bank account that none of you spewing off silly, immature, racist comments would ever say it to Steve's face (or any other black person for that matter). That says a hell of a lot more about your character than it does about his. And for those of you who think he's killed his career....please. This man is a brand, a mogul. He has hosted many shows (Showtime At The Apollo, multiple awards shows, Family Feud, his own talk show) Steve is not going anywhere anytime soon. He has shown that he is human and has a soul, unlike some of the people I've seen on social media. Someone with no soul would have walked away last night after realizing his mistake, and not said a word, to save face. You are the one's who should feel ashamed and embarrassed about this whole situation, not Steve. Check yourselves. 

Women Crush Everyday: Serena Williams Spokesperson of the Year

Okay, Serena is doing it. Her major accomplishments on the tennis court have earned her the coveted title of Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year. In spite of all the hate that's been thrown her way (being called a man, people with nothing even remotely interesting going on for themselves rejoicing in the fact that she lost a major tennis match earlier in the year, and other dumb criticism simply because she's a woman of color doing her thing) she's still come out on top by ignoring the hate, and not responding to white Americans who are intimidated by her. In spite of her accomplishments, some people still refuse to give her props. For instance, people are seriously outraged that Serena (A PERSON) won SportsPERSON of the year over American Pharaoh... a horse. (insert side-eye)  

It can't be easy constantly being baited by internet thugs who are rooting for you to fail, but Serena has remained classy through it all, and love her or hate her, she's definitely at the top of her game. Eat your hearts out haters. Congratulations Serena...you definitely deserve it! 

FREEBIE ALERT

'TIS THE SEASON FOR SWINGING??

Hey, y'all. Since it's close to Christmastime, I've decided to give readers a free book. It may be cold outside, but this steamy novella is sure to get you warm. Swinging in the New Year is actually a sequel to my very first novella, My Secret Life: Confessions of a Housewife. I decided I wasn't down with Val & Daryl's story, so I revisited them.

In My Secret Life, Val was bored with her sex life with Daryl, and in an attempt to bring some excitement into her life, she ended up in some pretty bad situations. Luckily, Daryl forgave her, but have things improved any, or is she still miserable, having lackluster sex with Daryl? I've included the synopsis below and again, it's FREE until Sunday, so make sure you get a copy.

Synopsis:

Valerie and Daryl Watson (from My Secret Life: Confessions of a Housewife) overcame the obstacles when she cheated on him with a strip club owner/pimp, who also briefly turned her in an escort. Almost losing the love of her life after she told him the truth, Val vowed to never do anything that would put her marriage in jeopardy after Daryl forgave her. 
However, as good as things are between them, one thing remains the same- sex with her husband is extremely boring and predictable. When a friend invites the couple to attend her New Year’s Eve party swingers party, Val is excited about going, but she knows Daryl is not having it. Will she convince him to try something different for a change, or will this latest wild idea of hers to bring some excitement into their lives, have Daryl packing his bags and leaving for good?  

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Swinging-Year-Holiday-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B00R80ICGO

Sample Sunday: A Chance Seduction

 A CHANCE SEDUCTION AVAILABLE NOW ON KINDLE

EXCERPT:

“Can I help you?” Imani’s voice snapped him out of his inappropriate daydream.

“I…uh…yeah; I have a package for you?” he stuttered. What the hell is wrong with you, man? his inner voice said. Chance, the irresistible ladies man is at a loss for words…I can’t believe it. 

Chance shook whatever effect Imani had on him off, and got himself together. No woman had even been able get and keep his attention like this…not with her clothes on. Imani hadn’t even done anything particularly sexy, yet he extremely turned on right now.

“Didn’t your mama ever teach you that it’s not polite to stare?” Imani asked as she walked towards him.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it; the view was too nice for me to look away. I don’t know many men who wouldn’t stare at an ass like yours,” he said in the most seductive voice he could muster up.

Imani smirked as she reached for his handheld computer so she could sign for her package. Something about knowing that Chance had been staring at her ass, and that he was obviously a little flustered, made her happy. “You’re such a smooth-talker; I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.”

“Yes…but this time, I mean it. As a matter of fact, all you really need to do is look down to see how much of an effect you had on me just now.” he responded.

Imani shifted her eyes downward. Her eyes widened when she looked at his crotch and saw the bulge pushing against his work pants. She gulped hard to keep from drooling, and without realizing it, she licked her lips. Daamnn! Why was it so hot in there all of a sudden?

“You want this?” Chance asked walking towards her.

“Yes, I want all of it,” she answered. The naughty thought she’d had in her mind slipped out of her mouth, instead, and she wished she could take her words back.

Chance laughed out loud. “I’m flattered; but I was referring to the box; do you want it here, or would you like me to take it to the back for you?”

“Oh!” She felt sooo stupid at the moment. You really need to get it together, girl. “Y-you can set it here on the table, I guess.” Did she really just tell this man she wanted his dick? She couldn’t even look at him as she reached for the box he was holding.

Her fingers brushed against his as he handed it to her, and she could swear he deliberately grabbed her finger. She looked up at him, and saw the unmistakable lust in his eyes. Her breathing picked up as they stared into each other’s eyes for several seconds. She nervously licked her lips, which had suddenly become dry.

“Do you always lick your lips when you’re nervous?” Chance asked her.

“Who said I’m nervous?” Imani asked as she set the box on top of one of the dining tables. She attempted to use her nails to peel back the packaging tape from the top of the box.

“Let me help you,” Chance said. He came up beside her and removed a box cutter from his pocket.

Imani admired his muscular forearms as he opened the box. She wanted to use her tongue and trace the veins that snaked down the insides of them. When he turned to face her, she got a whiff of his cologne. Curve. She recognized it immediately. Kyle used to wear that same cologne. For some reason, it smelled so much better on Chance, though.

Whenever Kyle would wear this cologne- before she found out what a snake he was- it used to instantly turn her on. There was something about this men’s fragrance that was so seductive, and those same urges she used to get when Kyle wore it, she was starting to get them now.

Not realizing that she was doing it, she leaned in closer to Chance, inhaling his scent. Damn, he smells so good. She wanted to lean in closer, smell his neck, and maybe even lick it. Would he think she was weird if she did that?...

Writer Wednesday

Last week, I released my #African-American romance novel, A Chance Seduction. I've gotten lots of downloads on Kindle Unlimited, but no reviews yet. I really want to know how you feel. It's important to me as an author to know if I'm writing books that readers either enjoyed or even if you didn't, I won't know what to improve upon if I never get feedback. If you have read it, drop me a few lines on Amazon pleeaasssee...if you haven't read it, #1Click it for $2.99 or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited. I've included the synopsis below. Happy Reading!

Synopsis:

Love is risky business…

After her whole world suddenly comes crashing down around her, Imani Monroe builds a brick wall around her heart, and throws away the key, giving up on the notion of finding love. Opening a sophisticated supperclub is just the distraction she needs to stay away from men, like the charismatic Chance Alexander. Despite the hard outer shell she has around her, the smooth-talking delivery guy ignites the dying flame of passion inside her that she’d forgotten existed.

Chance is a love’em & leave’em type of guy, who thinks the notion of love and monogamy is for suckers; but there’s something about Imani that has his nose wide open. The attraction between them is obvious, but Imani is putting up a good front, pretending not to be interested in having anything more than a business relationship with him. Never one to back down from a challenge, he’s willing to bide his time- until she gives in and lets him rekindle the sexual fire within her.

http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Seduction-J-L-Sapphire-ebook/dp/B018IZ7IJE/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449090649&sr=1-3&keywords=Jl+sapphire

Get Ready To 1-click A Chance Seduction: Cover Reveal

After playing around with a few ideas, this is the final cover that I created for my latest novel, A Chance Seduction. This is my favorite book that I've written, and my best, if I do say so myself. I have grown so much as an author, and it'll show in this novel. While readers have always said I definitely can tell a good story, they need a little more character development...so I feel that I delivered this time around. I've included an excerpt for you to read below as I patiently wait on the powers that be at Amazon to give the green light to start 1-clicking. Enjoy!

Excerpt: 

“Didn’t your mama ever teach you that it’s not polite to stare?” Imani asked as she walked towards him.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it; the view was too nice for me to look away. I don’t know many men who wouldn’t stare at an ass like yours,” he said in the most seductive voice he could muster up.

Imani smirked as she reached for his handheld computer so she could sign for her package. Something about knowing that Chance had been staring at her made her and that he was obviously a little flustered, made her happy.

“You’re such a smooth-talker; I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.”

“Yes…but this time, I mean it. As a matter of fact, all you really need to do is look down to see how much of an effect you had on me just now.” he responded.

Imani shifted her eyes downward. Her eyes widened when she looked at his crotch and saw the bulge pushing against his work pants. She gulped hard to keep from drooling, and without realizing it, she licked her lips. Daamnn! Why was it so hot in there all of a sudden? 

“You want this?” Chance asked walking towards her.

“Yes, I want all of it,” she answered. The naughty thought she’d had in her mind slipped out of her mouth, instead, and she wished she could take her words back.

Chance laughed out loud. “I’m flattered; but I was referring to the box; do you want it here, or would you like me to take it to the back for you?” 

“Oh!” She felt sooo stupid at the moment. You really need to get it together, girl. “Y-you can set it here on the table, I guess.” Did she really just tell this man she wanted his dick? She couldn’t even look at him as she reached for the box he was holding. Her fingers brushed against his as he handed it to her, and she could swear he deliberately grabbed her finger. She looked up at him, and saw the unmistakable lust in his eyes. Her breathing picked up as they stared into each other’s eyes for several seconds. She nervously licked her lips, which had suddenly become dry. 

“Do you always lick your lips when you’re nervous?” Chance asked her.

“Who said I’m nervous?” Imani asked as she set the box on top of one of the dining tables. She attempted to use her nails to peel back the packaging tape from the top of the box. 

“Let me help you,” Chance said. He came up beside her and removed a box cutter from his pocket. Imani admired his muscular forearms as he opened the box. She wanted to use her tongue and trace the veins that snaked down the insides of them. When he turned to face her, she got a whiff of his cologne. Curve. She recognized it immediately. Kyle used to wear that same cologne. For some reason, it smelled so much better on Chance, though. 

Whenever Kyle would wear this cologne- before she found out what a snake he was- it used to instantly turn her on. There was something about this men’s fragrance that was so seductive, and those same urges she used to get when Kyle wore it, she was starting to get them now. Not realizing that she was doing it, she leaned in closer to Chance, inhaling his scent. Damn, he smells so good. She wanted to lean in closer, smell his neck, and maybe even lick it. Would he think she was weird if she did that? 

“You want me, don’t you?” Chance’s deep baritone brought her back to the present, and to the realization that she really didn’t like him as a person. Yes, he was fine- nobody could take that away from him- but he was extremely arrogant and conceited, traits she hated in a man.

“No…not at all,” she said nonchalantly as she began looking through the contents of the box; trying to act as if she hadn’t wanted to jump his bones a few seconds earlier.

“Your eyes say differently; and the eyes never lie,” Chance told her.

Imani ignored him, and instead removed one of the Cabernet flute glasses from the box. “These are perfect,” she said. She let her delicate fingers glide over the narrow stem, then traced the finely cut sheer rim at the top of the glass.

“What I wouldn’t give to be that glass right now,” Chance said.

She looked at him in annoyance. “You’re still here? I thought you left.”

“You really want me to leave?” he asked taking a step closer to her. He looked down at her beautiful face. Her burgundy colored lips were slightly parted, and he could hear her shallow breathing. She looked up at him from under her big, doe eyes for a second, then dropped her gaze to his lips before looking back up at him again. She nervously looked around. He was in her personal space, and he had her body trapped between his and the table. Him being so close to her made her extremely nervous. She licked her lips again.

“I let you get away with that the last time, but there’s only so much teasing a man can take. Why do you insist on tempting me like that, Imani?”

“I’m sorry, I have no idea what you mean,” she said in confusion.

“You keep licking your lips. When I see you glide your tongue across your lips, all I can wonder is what it would feel like gliding across me.”

Instinctively, her eyes dropped to the spot between his thighs again. “Oh,” was all she could say. Great minds think alike, because I wonder the exact same thing. 

“Why don’t you stop playing this game, Imani?”

“What game?”

“Pretending like you don’t want me as much as I want you. We both know that‘s bullshit.”

Chance being in such close proximity to her, and the seductive smell of his Curve cologne put her under his spell. His gaze was intense, his breathing was hard and fast, and he looked as if he wanted to take her right here on the dining table. The bad part about it was, she couldn’t even lie, the thought of that excited her. She stared him in the eye, as if she were daring him to make the first move.

Luckily, the enchantment was broken when Raymond called out to her from the kitchen, freeing her from the erotic voodoo Chance had her under. She placed her hand on his chest and lightly pushed him away, putting some space between them. “Who said it was a game?” she asked as she turned and folded the flaps on the box closed. Without saying another word, she stepped around him and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Chance there with a puzzled expression. He had been sure that Imani had been about to give in and let him give her a taste of what would happen once he got her alone. 

“One more thing before you go,” he called to her.

Imani stopped walking and turned to face him. “What?”

“You can have this,” he dropped his eyes towards the lower half of his body, “anytime you want. Just say the word.” He walked away before she could respond to what he’d just said. As he climbed into his truck, he thought about what had just happened. Had Imani been any other woman, they would be in her office, fucking each other’s brains out on the desk. She was definitely good at this hard-to-get game she was playing. He loved a challenge as much as the next man, but he wasn’t used to having to work this hard or wait this long to get a woman, and he was beginning to lose interest and patience with her... 

Teaser Tuesday: A Chance Seduction

A Chance Seduction... Coming Soon

My Current WIP..

I stay writing. I love it. Writing helps me escape my own problems (for a little while), as I get so involved i the lives of my characters and trying to tell their stories, that's all I focus on. 

So, my latest novel is called A Chance Seduction. I'm really excited, because I think this one is even better than the other one's before (I'm supposed to think that, right?) Synopsis and a special sneak peek video below. Stay tuned...



Synopsis:

Love is risky business…

After her whole world suddenly comes crashing down around her, Imani Monroe builds a brick wall around her heart, and throws away the key, giving up on the notion of finding love. Opening a sophisticated supperclub is just the distraction she needs to stay away from men, like the charismatic Chance Alexander. Despite the hard outer shell she has around her, the smooth-talking delivery guy ignites the dying flame of passion inside her that she’d forgotten existed. 

Chance is a love’em & leave’em type of guy, who thinks the notion of love and monogamy is for suckers; but there’s something about Imani that has his nose wide open. The attraction between them is obvious, but Imani is putting up a good front, pretending not to be interested in having anything more than a business relationship with him. Never one to back down from a challenge, he’s willing to bide his time- until she gives in and lets him rekindle the sexual fire within her.

My Review of The Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie

By now, we've all seen or heard about the Facebook video that's gone viral of the guy eating the Patti LaBelle sweet potato pie, which he thought tasted so good, it made it break out in song and dance, Patti LaBelle style. If you've somehow missed it, watch the video below,

So, I (like the majority of people on social media) simply had to go out and get the pie after seeing this video. I went to Walmart yesterday, and literally said a silent prayer, "Lord, please let them have this Patti LaBelle pie when I get there." My daughter was with me, and she was like, "I sure hope they got that pie; 'cause if they don't, you're gonna be mad." So, I get to Walmart, and power walk through the parking lot, trying to hurry inside. I got over to the pie Thanksgiving display table, and my heart sank, because I didn't see Patti. Then, I walked around the table, and there she was. YES! I grabbed up Patti, then headed to the checkout counter. I couldn't wait to get home to taste this pie, y'all. 

So, I get home, get a fork, and cut me a slice, thinking I'm about to go into Patti LaBelle mode as soon as I taste it. Well, I didn't have the same reaction the guy in the video did. First of all, I'm not really big on sweet potato pie, anyway. I'll eat maybe a slice or two at Thanksgiving time, then I'm over it. Anyway, Patti's pie was good, don't get me wrong, but she got a little too happy with the nutmeg. I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to sing too, but oh well. I paid $3.66 to see what all the hype was about, so I wasn't too mad. 

Have you tasted the infamous Patti LaBelle pie, and what are your thoughts? Regardless of whether you liked it or not, this man got the world talking about this pie, and even received a call from Patti, herself, after she saw his video. 

Writer/Whatcha Reading Wednesday

I have so many books on my Kindle, sometimes I forget about some of them. Hi, my name is Joyce, and I'm a 1-click-a-holic. Amazon get's what few coins I usually have left over to spend on myself. And no matter how many books I have on my Kindle, I often find myself saying I don't have anything to read. 
So, I decided to scroll through my Kindle library, in an attempt to actually read some of the books I've bought, and I came across this one by Author Dyphia Blount. I started and can't stop reading it. I'm not even halfway through, and I'm already feeling a range of emotions, from anger to sympathy for June, the main character. 
When I first read the tagline under the title, I thought, "Huh?" But I get it, now. Synopsis and purchase link below. 

Synopsis (from Amazon):
What happens when you give the best you've got and it's still not enough? June and Marcus were happily married, or at least she thought so. Marcus had fell out of love with June, but didn't know how to tell her without breaking her heart. He used tactics that come across as inconsiderate and selfish, but he knew he had to do it because he'd been involved in acts of infidelity. Although it wasn't his fault, it happened and now they all had to live with the consequences; including his four year old baby girl. June has been trying to please Marcus in the oral sex department for years but just couldn't seem to bring him to completion. She sought help from a friend which she planned to execute, but someone beat her to the punch. What she didn't understand was that he needed a deeper connection from her. He needed to feel needed and wanted and to be the King of his castle. Will she do her or fight for her family?   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0149J3H2U/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_10kqwb0R68JN4

Just Say No To Netflix & Chill

Image courtesy of Youtube

Okay, let me just say, I'm a 37 year old woman, and Netflix & Chill, is nothing more than 'making it a Blockbuster night' for the younger generation. We were Netflixing & Chilling before Netflix was even thought about; only instead of all the high definition ways we have of watching movies today, we had VHS tapes and/or dvd's. And yes, there was the possibility that at some point while watching the movie, a little hanky panky was going on, and it may have even led to getting it on afterwards. Hey, if you're grown and consenting, that's your business. However, hanging out at the crib, watching movies, and maybe hooking up afterwards, was NOT a substitute for a real date, nor should it be now.

In my day, we didn't have cell phones, laptops, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter...the list goes on and on. We actually TALKED to the person we were interested in, whether in person or sneaking on the phone after your mama went to sleep. We went out to movies, bowling, dancing...whatever. Men actually courted  (click the link if you need to know what that means) women. He came to your house, GOT OUT OF THE CAR, walked to your door, told you that you looked nice while walking you back to the car, opened the car door for you, took you on the date, asked you about your likes, dislikes, and interests BEFORE he really tried to get to KNOW you. These are things that happen on a real date. And, young ladies of this generation, please understand that Netflix & Chill is not a date. 

I know that we live in a sex-crazed world, where everything is all about wanting to hook up, be his side-chick, booty-call, bae, trap queen, or whatever. Some of our young ladies have no real female role models to look up to, so they're looking at these Love & Hip Hop reality stars for relationship advice on how to get, keep, or be loyal to a man. I just read yesterday that Toya (Lil Wayne's ex) has given Memphitz (her womanizer husband) 8 hall passes per year to go out and cheat on her. What in the entire hell???? I wish I would give my husband permission to go out and cheat on me, possibly catch an STD from one of those 8 (and probably more) women, and bring it back to me. This is the type of woman some of you young girls are taking relationship advice from? Then, you have these wannabe rappers and simple-minded young men, who walk around hollering, "She's my trap queen," which means she's the baddest type of female who's 100% loyal and non-petty, but to me are code words for, "she's someone that I can tell the sky is green, when it's really blue, and she'll believe it, simply because I said it, but she's so desperate (loyal) to be with me, she'll believe anything I tell her."  These same types of guys are convincing you that allowing him to come lay up at your place, Netflixing & Chilling, rather than getting his ass up and taking you out on a real date, is how you can prove your loyalty to him. Because if you settle for less- $7.99 for a Netflix subscription and maybe $20.00 for a pizza and drinks- as opposed to him spending around $100.00 on dinner and a movie (at a real restaurant and movie theater) he'll know you're not after his money...and that proves you're a down ass bish. 

Start making these so-called men earn the right to get your goodies, young women. Trust me, that same b.s. he's feeding you about being 'down' for him, he's feeding a couple of other women the same thing. Know that you deserve a man who feels that you are worth doing more than hanging out at your place, watching movies, and having sex. Stop settling for that. It's bad enough that men want a woman to settle for this, but I actually saw a post on Facebook where women were defending the whole Netflix & Chill thing, talking about throw in some X-Box and it's cool with her. And if you're already in a committed relationship with a man, and if he sees you as more than just a 'friend with benefits', there's nothing wrong with this. But if he's someone you're trying to get to know, and hopefully date, you can tell yourself all day long that it won't bother you if he doesn't think enough of you to actually court you and get to know you (outside of the bedroom) that it's okay with you; that you don't need him to spend 'X' amount of money on you for a date, and that you're cool with being his booty call; but take some advice from me, the same thing you settle for in a relationship, will eventually become the very things you hate. You might be cool with a guy only seeing you as his Netflix & Chill bae, for now; but as time goes on, unless you really don't value yourself at all, you will want more than to just be know as his cuddy buddy. You'll want him to actually show that he loves- or even cares- about you...YOU, not what's between your thighs, and he won't be able to do it, because you don't mean anything to him; you're just the chick he hooks up with to do the horizontal polka from time to time. Then, you'll be upset that you've given this man your body so many times, and he couldn't care less about you.

Regardless of how cool people try to tell you it is to sleep with a man when he's not offering you anything in return, other than to be known as his bae, his trap queen, or whatever, it's not cool, nor is it cute. Know your worth, because if you don't, he won't either. And you deserve more than to just be given the title, Netflix & Chill bae, a*k*a* cuddy buddy, a*k*a* booty call.

Writer Wednesday

I must say, I had a few reservations about #NANOWRIMO because I hate working (writing) under pressure, and feeling like I'm on a deadline. However, I must say, it's not that hard. If anything, it keeps me disciplined...knowing that I've set a personal goal for myself, and since I'm a Virgo, a perfectionist, and I hate starting things and not following through, I'm determined to finish this novel by the end of November. 

I just banged out another chapter on A Chance Seduction, the name of the novel I'm writing, and my current word count is 10,039. It's only my fourth day of writing, but according to my stats, if I keep writing at the pace I am, I should be finished with the book by November 20th (which is also my son's 17th birthday). So, I plan to keep at it. Are you participating in #NANOWRIMO ? How's it going for you? If you are, stay determined and don't quit. Who knows, this novel might be 'the one' to make you famous, so don't doubt yourself. Happy Writing! 

Kicking off NANOWRIMO

November kicks off #NANOWRIMO and I've decided to commit myself to starting and completing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Part of the reason why I love self-publishing is that I can write at my own pace, when and if I feel like it and not be on anybody's deadlines, but I feel confident that I can do it. I got in 1,438 words my first day, which isn't bad. 

It helps that I already had the synopsis and concept for the next book I planned to write, so all I have to do now is just write it. I like to challenge myself, and I try to do that with each book that I write. I also want to step outside my comfort zone and even submit a query to a publisher, so wish me luck. 

Are you participating in NANOWRIMO? 

Book Review: Life After by Keith Thomas Walker

I came across this book on another author's page. It was free on Amazon at the time that I 1 clicked it, but as good as it was, I would have gladly paid any amount. 

Synopsis: 

Donna’s marriage seems perfect. An unexpected event sends her reeling - even more so when a pregnant mistress steps forward. Marcel survives a divorce, but there’s no solace when he loses his only child. Love has caused Donna and Marcel nothing but pain, but it may be the only thing powerful enough to heal their broken hearts.

Review: 

This is my first book by Keith Thomas Walker, but not my last. He's gained a new fan. This story was very well-written. Keith definitely has a way with words. Nolan- smdh...I hate what happened to him, but he brought that on himself. Sometimes it's best to appreciate what you got at home. Donna handled that situation the best way she could, especially while trying to raise her teenage son, who thought the world of his father. Character development was great...I loved and could relate to each of the characters. Donna and her friends sound like fun. My heart went out to Marcel, after all he'd gone through, but I'm so glad he got himself some help, and everything worked out between him and Donna. Those love scenes...I had to fan myself while reading them. They were very well-written and sensual. Great job.

Rating: 

Celebrating Halloween: Harmless fun or glorifying evil?

I was watching Wendy Williams the other day, and she said something about how she doesn't like to celebrate Halloween, because she believes it's an evil day for all the crazies to wreck havoc all over the world, but she was going to dress up, anyway. 

For many, Halloween (a*k*a* The Day Of The dead) is a fun, festive holiday, where people get to dress up in costumes, and pretend to be their favorite pop culture characters, such as witches, zombies, and vampires. Kids are excited about trick-or-treating and eating candy, while adults like to get out the horror movies, and get a little spooked while watching them. It's all in good fun, right? Or is it?

Many people, especially Christians, view Halloween as the Devil's holiday... a night where evil takes over the world, and anybody celebrating this holiday- 'the day that the Celts believed was a transition between the seasons, and a bridge to the world of the dead'- is glorifying the devil and his evil ways. Me, personally, I like the silliness of it all- the cute, sometimes corny costumes, giving out candy to the kids, eating caramel apples, being a little jumpy while watching scary movies and sipping on hot chocolate. 

What's your take on it? Do you view Halloween as fun and harmless, or as an evil day that should be done away with for good? 

My Top 10 Favorite Scary Movies

Halloween is fast approaching. I love this time of the year, and even though I'm a big, old, scaredy-cat, I love snuggling up with my blanket, some snacks, and watching my favorite horror movies. So, I've decided to compose a list of those movies that always cause me to jump at things that go bump in the night, as well as some that make me laugh more than be scared of them. Maybe you'll see a few of your faves. 

1. The original Halloween, not that crappy, poor excuse for a remake, by Rob Zombie. This movie is a classic. The little boy kills his sister, is sent away to the crazy house, escapes fifteen years later, and walks around, stalking the people of Haddonfield, while his psychiatrist stalks him. Michael never says anything, he just does that creepy breathing through his even creepier mask. There had been many nights where I've closed my eyes to go to sleep, only to pop them back open, after an image of Mike standing over me invaded my thoughts.

2. The three witches who prey on little children, so they can maintain their youth...it's cute and funny, and family-friendly. And we get to see Sarah-Jessica Parker playing someone other than the delusional, Carrie Bradshaw.

3. Self-explanatory. I mean, who over the age of 35 doesn't like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang? Linus foregoes trick-or-treating, and instead decides to wait for the Great Pumpkin to come, despite the ridicule from the others. 

4. Brandon Lee as Eric, and his fiancee are murdered the night before his wedding. He later rises from the grave, takes on the gothic persona of a crow (a super-natural avenger) and gets his revenge on all the thugs responsible for ending their lives. The fact that Brandon Lee was accidentally killed on set while filming the movie, only adds to the spookiness and darkness of the film, as they were still filming the movie, so special effects had to be used to finish the scenes that weren't completed. 

5. Eddie Murphy as a vampire can only mean one thing- hilarious. Max, Eddie's character, heads to New York to find a mate, which leads him to Angela Bassett (Rita), a police detective with lots of mental issues. In true Eddie Murphy fashion, he plays multiple characters. Besides Max, the vampire, he's also the blunt, Preacher Pauly, and another minor character, Guido, a mob-type idiot, all in an attempt to get close to Rita. This movies is far more funny than it is scary, but one of my favorites to go to when I want to watch a scary movie, but I'm not in the mood for all the gore and creepiness.

6. Michael Jackson's 13 minute-long video is like watching a short film. Michael and his girl go to the movies, she gets scared and wants to leave, so they do. You've seen the video. It's a classic, and the choreography Michael (after he turns into a zombie) and the other un-dead characters- who have risen from their graves- do in the middle of the street, while Michael's date watches in fear, is and always will be some of the best dancing ever. RIP Michael Jackson.

 7. Throwback to the 90's. This was one of those classic slasher movies. I can do without all of the crappy sequels that came after Scream 2, and the horrible remakes, which my daughter loves. Give me Neve Campbell kicking butt in the original, please. The killers creepy voice in the beginning, asking her, "What's your favorite scary movie," still resonates in my mind, and the mask- along with Michael Myer's mask- has cost me many nights of peaceful sleep.

8. "Barbara, they're coming to get you, Barbara."  Seems like Johnny got got, first. In a refreshing twist from the usual formula in horror movies, the black guy doesn't die first. He tries to control the zombie situation the best he can, while also trying to keep the rest of the people in the house they're trapped in, alive. After enduring the night from hell, it's not the zombies that kill him, but rather a trigger-happy cop, who saw movement, so he shot first, without bothering to find out if the guy was innocent. Sounds sadly familiar...as this still happens today.

9. Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates will never not be scary to me. I really don't care for the remake, with Vince Vaughn as Norman...he just never wowed me. But Anthony, he was Norman, personified. Beneath his seemingly good guy persona, Norman (who wouldn't hurt a fly) had some serious mental issues. His mother had verbally abused him, to the point of him killing her. After digging her body up from the grave and keeping her hidden in his house, he lives his life as his mentally ill mother, Norma...killing the bad women who stop at the motel to stay the night, because Norma has always instilled in him that women were bad. Creepy. 

10. I hate this damn dog. This is the reason why I will never own a dog. Leave it to Stephen King to take what is supposed to be man's best friend, and turn him into a murderous, disgusting, killer. Cujo gets rabies, then suddenly goes from friendly family pet, to a nasty, slobbering, dog, who stalks a woman and her son in her car. I always say, a gun would have taken care of Cujo, but then there wouldn't have been much of a movie.


So, there you have it, my top ten favorite scary movies. What's your favorite scary movie? 

Sleep Paralysis or something much more darker...

Have you ever had this happen to you? You're asleep, then suddenly, your body jumps...as if something jumps inside of you. You're jolted awake from the sudden force of whatever has invaded your body. You're completely frozen- you can't move or even talk?

This first happened to me when I was about 18 or 19. When I was in middle school, my family moved into this two-story home. My grandparents raised me from birth, I've never lived with my mother. We had a pretty big family, so moving to he bigger house was a good thing..at first. The house hadn't been lived in for a while before we moved in, so of course, we had to put a lot of work into it before we moved in...painting, cleaning. My grandma had assigned each of us a room to clean, so we could get done quicker. She gave me a bucket of water and Murphy's Oil Soap, and told me to clean the baseboards, so we could paint them later. Okay, no big deal. So, I go to my assigned room, get on my knees, and I'm scrubbing the baseboards. Suddenly, I felt the presence of someone standing behind me. I thought maybe my grandma had walked into the room, so I didn't bother to turn around, at first. But the presence stayed there. Nobody ever said anything, but I could feel someone standing over my shoulder. I wondered if it was my grandma, why she never said anything. Finally, I decided to turn around, only nobody was there. I thought that was strange, but I shrugged it off and went on.

After we finally got moved in weeks later, we were all sitting around the living room, just talking and watching tv. My two uncles were joking about the house being haunted, and said if we started hearing strange noises, it was probably the ghost of the old man who used to own the home, and who had apparently died in there. That got my immediate attention, as I've always believed that ghosts are real. The first thing I thought of was the feeling I'd had that day weeks before that someone was standing over my shoulder while I was scrubbing those baseboards. As time went on, I would always hear really strange noises around that house, especially at nighttime; but I never said anything, because I knew nobody would believe me, anyway.

The day this 'sleep paralysis' happened, scared the hell out of me. My grandma and I have always butted heads. I was a teenager, who was in college, but still living at home, had started dating a guy that she hated, and I often thought she was trying to control every aspect of my life, which caused us to not get along that well. I was lying across the bed one day, and I fell asleep. Suddenly, my body jumped, and my eyes opened. I could hear my grandma calling me for something, so I went to get up to go see what she wanted, only I couldn't move. I kept trying to get up from that bed, but it was like I was being held down by invisible men. I couldn't even open my mouth to answer her, but I could still hear her calling me, almost as if she were getting agitated that I wasn't answering her. To say I was scared because I didn't know what was wrong, would be an understatement. I felt like my body was being taken over by something evil, and I was powerless to do anything about it. After a minute or so, my body jerked again, and whatever it was, suddenly released me. I was able to get right up after that, and I quickly ran out of my room. I got to the living room to see what my grandma wanted, and as expected, she was mad....because she thought I'd been intentionally ignoring her. "Didn't you hear me calling you, girl?" she'd asked me. I wanted to tell her that I'd been trying to get up to come see what she wanted, but no way would she had believed me.

The second time it happened, was a few years ago. I'm now 37, and my husband (soon to be ex husband) had fallen asleep on the living room couch, and I was in bed in our room. My body jerked again, which was what woke me. It was pitch black in the room. I glanced at the clock, and it was after midnight. Even though this had happened before, I was even more scared this time. Again, I couldn't move or speak. In my mind, I was calling for my husband to come help me, but I couldn't speak. Again, I felt as if I was in the presence of something evil, and the only thing I could do then, was pray. I said a mental prayer, asking God to please protect me from whatever this was that kept bothering me. I repeated Jesus' name over and over, until my body jerked again, and the evil spirit left me alone.

Having had this happen to me twice, I decided to research it, to see if I could find some explanation for this, although in my heart I felt this was the devil sending his demons to overpower me. I came across the scientific explanation for whatever it was. It's called a sleep paralysis. The definition of a sleep paralysis is-  a temporary inability to move or speak that happens when you're waking up or, less commonly, falling asleep. Although you're awake, your body is briefly paralysed, after which you can move and speak as normal.

Even though this is supposedly a 'normal' thing that happens to many people, I still have a hard time believing this. If this was a normal thing, why does it only seem to go away when I call on Jesus' name to protect me. If this is typical, it wouldn't matter if I called on Jesus' name or not. I'm a firm believer that the devil is busy trying to destroy the world and everyone in it, and what better way to get into someone's mind than when they're sleeping. Several people I've talked to have had this happen to them, but we all pretty much feel the same- we're not buying the scientific explanation for it. This is something much more creepy, and just down right scary. To not have control over your own body, to not be able to move or speak, is terrifying. Have you ever had this happen to you? How did it make you feel? Do you believe the scientific explanation, or do you think it's something much more darker?

MagSwag: The November Issue of Ebony has a lot of people in their feelings...

The November issue of Ebony magazine has some people in their feelings. By now, we're all aware of the fifty or so women who have suddenly stepped into the public eye and announced that they were drugged, raped, and sexually assaulted by Bill Cosby- some of the incidents happened back in the day while he was playing America's favorite, seemingly perfect, tv-dad, Heathcliff Huxtable.

I, too, watched The Cosby Show as a kid, and while I did get a laugh out of Cliff and his antics, and the adorable Rudy and Budddd, I am not naive enough to think that fifty (and counting) women are ALL lying about this man, and the things he's being accused of. Okay, so Janice Dickinson and Beverly Johnson's allegations of being drugged and taken advantage of are a little questionable, but EVERYBODY is not lying.

Listen, Black people. I know we don't get very many positive role-models, and we're often not shown in a good light on television, especially these days. The Cosby Show was as close to perfection for us as we've ever gotten. For those of us who didn't come from families like The Cosby's, it gave us a glimmer of hope for the future- that we could be doctors and lawyers, and have beautiful, intelligent children who went on to HBCU's, and have great future's, rather than be doomed to forever living in the ghetto, struggling to keep our heads above water, as was portrayed in movies like Lean On Me, and tv sitcoms like Good Times. We all probably wanted a dad like Cliff Huxtable, and a mom like Claire. And while the rest of the cast had nothing to do with Bill Cosby's disgusting acts against women, and what they all did for television shouldn't be overshadowed by his scandal, Bill Cosby is not Cliff Huxtable. He is not a perfect man, or even a good man. He's a pig, who preyed on women, because he had the means and the power, and the money to do so and get away with it for so long.

I know that there are some of my people who, even though Bill admitted- under oath- that he did, in fact, use Quaaludes to drug women back in the day, still want to believe that he is innocent, and all  of these women coming forward are part of some smear campaign, orchestrated by someone with more money and/or power than he has, to take him down and tarnish his legacy. To those people I say, stop drinking the kool-aid. Even with the evidence in your faces, you still want to blame the women for coming forward now, rather than when it happened; you want to blame Ebony magazine for this cover, which shows that the perfect family image we had of Cliff Huxtable (a character played by Bill Cosby) has been shattered forever, rather than blame the person who is really responsible for his own demise...and that's Bill Cosby, himself. Y'all sound like those mom's whose son has been accused of a crime...even with clear evidence put in your faces, showing you that your beloved son did exactly what he's being accused of, you're still saying, "That's not my baby...he's innocent."

Learn to separate fact from fiction. Bill Cosby did, in fact, drug, grope, and sexually assault women...he admitted this...this is a fact. The Cosby Show- as beautifully choreographed as the opening dance numbers were, and as beautiful and classy as Claire Huxtable was; and Cliff Huxtable- as funny, smart, caring, and loving as he was- was fiction. That was tv land...this is the real world; and in the real world, sometimes people that we have put our faith, trust, and confidence in, do horrible things and let us down, even if we don't want to believe it. Ebony magazine did not ruin Bill Cosby's legacy with this cover, he did that all by himself...and no one should be blamed for that, but him.