Wednesday, April 29, 2015

BOOK REVIEW The Perfect Lie by Brian W. Smith


I lucked up and got this novella while it was on a free e-book promo. This was my first time reading a book by this author, but I loved the way he told this story, and I will definitely check out more of his work.

Blurb April 14, 2013
Treena Carter is about to marry the love of her life, Cedric Calderone, in one week. But, she has one problem - her ex-husband and thirteen year old daughter are determined to stop the wedding. And they come up with the "perfect lie" to make sure the wedding doesn't happen.

Review:
This story captured my attention from the first page until the last one. The author did a great job of showing the readers that you truly don't miss a good thing until it's gone. Jarvis definitely learned that, but his jealousy led him to using his daughter, Mya to tell the ultimate lie in an attempt to keep her mother- and his ex- Treena, from marrying her true love, Cedric. After what Jarvis and Mya did to this man, nobody would have blamed him if he had walked away from Treena and the relationship for good. I wasn't sure how things were going to play out, but I loved how it all came together in the end. That green eyed monster called jealousy is a dangerous thing. 

Rating: 


Partner, Let Me Upgrade You...

Ciara's snapback game is strong. I'm referring to her losing the baby weight after the birth of her son, and dropping Future and showing up to the White House State Dinner on the arm of Russell Wilson, QB for the Seattle Seahawks. Future who? If you didn't already know, CiCi was engaged to Future (who also appeared in her video, Body Party) and they recently had a little bundle of joy. Aww!! Not so much. See, Future also had three other chirren' with three different women. Well actually, Ciara makes baby mama #4. 

Ciara is a beautiful woman with some of the best dance moves I've seen since the late, great Aaliyah. But why she thought she could change a man with that much baggage, is mind boggling. I guess she thought her good looks or putting those dance moves to use in the bedroom would make things different, but it obviously didn't. I think she has a thing for the bad boys (i.e. 50 Cent) and to some (although I don't see it) Future fits the image of the kind of boys she likes. Future must have been doing something right, because CiCi was even playing nice with the other baby mamas, posing for family pics with them and all. But somewhere along the way, Ciara decided she wasn't down with the sister wife type ish, because she kicked Future to the curb a few months after the birth of her baby, because she found out he'd cheated on her (with baby mama #5, no doubt). Ladies, there is nothing wrong with being pretty or having the skills to pay the  bills in the bedroom, but it takes more than these things to keep a man. If he's not ready or willing to settle down with just one woman, having a baby or even getting married is not going to change anything. 

As a woman who was a single mom for many years before I got hitched, my heart went out to her, having to raise a baby by herself. But Ciara was not one to stay down for long. She has the support of her family to help with her adorable son, has a new album out, called Jackie, and she seems to have snagged herself a new boo in Russell. Now, I know the media can jump to conclusions sometimes, and they may just be good buddies, But whatever the case, they sure look good together and 'I Bet' (see video below) Future is somewhere mad as hell that he messed that up



He may not admit it, but seeing the woman that he cheated on, with a man who has him beat on every level (looks, money, class) has to have him feeling some type of way. I'll wait for his diss record...you already know it's coming. In the meantime, do your thing, Ciara. She did things right...she upgraded; and I ain't mad at her!

**UPDATE**
According to B. Scott, Future has responded to Ciara moving on with Russell by saying: "I wish I cared."
Newsflash a$$hole, if you really didn't care, you wouldn't have taken the time to comment with that lame response. And the fact that this was what he had to say shows that he clearly never cared for her at all, even after putting a ring on her finger and getting her pregnant. He really is LAME! We know you care boy...stop frontin'!

Monday, April 27, 2015

Umm, no I will NOT be rooting for Floyd 'Money/Womanizer' Mayweather

Unless you've been living in Mars for the last couple of months, everybody is all overly excited about the big Mayweather/ Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas this weekend. People are so hyped about this event, that I've even see a girl start a GoFundMe page, trying to get people to help her raise money to go to this event. According to ThinkProgress.org:  Tickets to the fight in Las Vegas on May 2, which started at $1500, sold out in 60 seconds. (The cheapest ticket currently available on StubHub is over $5,000. Floor seats are going for more than $100,000 each.) As many as 4 million people will spend around $100 to watch the fight on Pay-Per-View. The fighters are expected to divide up roughly $300 million for 36 minutes of work.

I, for one, will NOT be rooting to see 'Money' Mayweather this weekend though. You see, I have no desire to see a man who makes his living as a fighter (but who also uses his boxing advantage to abuse women who would never be able to defend themselves against him) in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Some people may look at him and see a great boxer, but I see a coward, who also has a very long domestic violence history against women, going back to 2002. He's plead guilty to domestic violence TWICE (probably to avoid a longer sentence) and he spent 90 days in jail following an incident where he was convicted of domestic violence against the mother of three of his children, Josie Harris. According to the police report, “Mayweather hit her in the back of the head, pulled her off a couch by her hair, and told her, ‘I’m going to kill you and the man you’re messing with.”

This is one of many examples where being an athlete seems to trump people seeing you for what you really are: a coward and a bully. Need I remind you that Ray Rice knocked his fiancee, Janae out cold, then dragged her lifeless body out of the elevator, like a rag doll. And in typical battered woman syndrome, Janae not only found a way to blame herself for what happened, she turned around and married the fool afterwards. Some people (both male and female) may get caught up in the sports, and forget that these so-called men are really insecure, poor excuses for men, but I'm not one of those people. 

Another reason why some choose to turn a blind eye to guys like Mayweather and Rice, is because they share the same skin color. Yes, the race card seems to trump morals. For instance, in an article I just read a few minutes ago from verysmartbrothas.com, the writer- while admitting that Mayweather is a 'shitty human being' and even mentions his knowledge of his domestic violence history- still says he'll root for Mayweather this weekend, simple because he's black, then he had the nerve to ask, was this racist? Yeah, that confused the hell out of me too. Here's the link for that article: http://verysmartbrothas.com/rooting-for-shitty-human-floyd-mayweather-because-hes-black-is-this-racist/
Umm, if you had to ask sir, I think you already know that not only is is racist, it's ignorant as hell and says a lot about your character. I love my people, as much as the next person. But, I also know that just like there are some horrible white, Mexican, and any other race of people out there, there are also some horrible black people out there as well, who do ignorant, hateful things, and I'm not supporting ignorance or violence simply because the person is black. That's basically condoning their behavior. And I will NEVER condone or support any man who beats a woman to make himself feel superior. 

Mayweather is the same man who can't read a Dr. Seuss book without struggling. Perhaps he should spend less time posting photos of how much money he has on social media, and find himself a tutor...right after he finds a therapist to help him deal with the anger issues that he clearly has, especially when it comes to women. Normally, I would say, 'May the best man win,' but unless his opponent also likes to use women as target practice, there will only be one man in the ring Saturday night. So, it's whatever with me. It may be a little harsh to say that Mayweather could find himself in the same position that Apollo Creed found himself in when he fought that Russian dude in Rocky IV and I wouldn't feel bad, but anyhoo, que sera sera (singing in my Doris day voice). Until next time...

Friday, April 24, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: Exposed- When Good Wives Go Bad by Anna J.


Ever since I've had my Kindle, I rarely go to the library since I can get any book I want with just 1 click. However, I'm so glad I decided to go to the library a few days ago to donate a few copies of my own latest novel, because I came across this gem. 

Blurb:
 October 1, 2013
It has been said that in a marriage you only get eighty percent of what you need. When the other twenty percent is too tempting to turn down, do you decide to go with your family life, or do you take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity?
Simone, Te'Nae, and Shay are picture perfect wives and career women. Although they're able to juggle prestigious jobs, motherhood, and wifely duties with ease, they share a dark secret that, if exposed, could ruin everything they've worked hard to maintain. They will only get one chance to figure out if their families and marriages are worth more than the risks they're taking. They better hope they make the right decision, because once good wives go bad, there is no turning back, and the consequences can be major.


Review:
I thought this was a full length novel, but it was actually three short stories in one book. I liked the way each story blended into the next one, picking up where the previous story left off. 
The first story was about a policewoman named Simone who was in an abusive relationship with her husband, Darius. The irony was, she spent her days trying to help other abused women escape their abusers, while she herself was in the same situation. My mouth literally dropped open at times, as I could not believe Darius and the way he treated her. I kept yelling at the book like, "You're an officer of the law..shoot him!" When she had enough, she made the ultimate sacrifice to save her life. My heart truly went out to her.
In the next story, I felt like I was watching an unbelievable episode of some crime show on the ID Channel. Ta'Nae wasn't being physically abused by her husband, Malcolm, but he was cheating on her with several women, which was too much for her to accept. I could understand her being angry enough to want to do him harm, but she went a little overboard, then took her own life in the end. Because they had kids, I found her actions to be quite selfish, especially since she could have just took the kids and all his money, and moved on. Due to her extreme actions, it was hard to feel sorry for her. 
The last story was about the same as the previous one...Shay wasn't being abused; instead, her husband, Justin, was cheating on her with a few women. This one didn't end as tragically as Ta'Nae's but it did teach a valuable lesson about having affairs and the consequences that can come from sleeping around on your spouse. It's not worth it at all.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. There were some minor editing issues, but this was a very entertaining read about love, lies, and the need to get revenge. These were three very successful women, with careers and they certainly didn't fit the mold of the types of women who would be living the lives that they did. It just goes to show, abuse comes in many different forms and can happen to anybody, even you!

Rating:

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Scandal recap

Okay, now that my heartbeat has returned to normal...

Shonda was playing with every last one of my emotions tonight. First, she had us walking around humming old church hymns for a whole week, thinking Jake was really dead. I know I'm not the only one who almost literally shed some tears? And if I am, oh well. Jake is my boo, but I found it a little unbelievable that he would be taken down so easily since he's made his living being a killer. 

Brian White a*k*a* Russell has really played this role well, tricking Liv into thinking he's a good guy...well, until the end of the episode. When I tell y'all I literally HATE Papa Pope with a passion...there aren't enough words in the English language to describe it. I know Joe Morton is doing his job well, because I can just picture in my mind the party I'm going to throw when he finally gets taken down. Like, I am really praying the good Lord will allow me to live long enough to see that happen. I know I shouldn't let a fictional character have me thinking such evil thoughts, but I can't help it. Y'all are probably feeling the same way. Especially after he managed to take down the Russian dude that Liv sent to try to take him out, Liv's client and her kids. That scene was a little hard to watch, real talk. Why the babies, Lord??? 

Now, about that mini heart attack I almost had when Jake looked over and saw Russell in the bed beside him. All I could think was, really!!!! As much as I can't wait to see Papa Pope get shanked, I can't wait until Huck has some good ol' twisted, murderous fun with Russell- and by fun I mean doing him the same way he did my precious Jake. But we all know Huck will get carried away and probable chop his body up into pieces and do who knows what with them. 

The whole thing with Mellie was just blah...I'm really over her. But kuddos to Fitz for trying to help her out. I mean, it's the least he can do, seeing as how he's had his mistress all up in the White House, parading her around in Mellie's face. I need Fitz and Liv to get back together, for them to cue that music that always starts to play as they gaze into each other's eyes, or something. I need to see some sex, dammit! And I thought I was about to see it, when Liv sauntered over to Russell- who was lying on the bed looking like, "Come and get me, baby," - in her lingerie and climbed on top of him all seductive like. I was screaming, "NOOO! Liv is about to have sexy time with the man who tried to kill Jake!" At the same time, I was like, "Heeyyyy...Liv looks like she is about to rock Russell's world." And rock his world she did when she pulled that gun out and pushed it against his temple. My girl, she never let's me down.  

I have to admit, for a minute, Scandal almost lost me as a viewer because it started to get a little far-fetched, but these last few episodes have given me my entire life, as they have gone back to the original formula. Now, we gotta wait two whole weeks to find out what happens next, so until next time, y'all be good! "I'll holla!" (Cedric The Entertainer voice) 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

5 Reasons To Wait Until Your 30's To Jump The Broom



I can remember as a teenager, saying I can't wait to get out of high school, get married, and live happily ever after with my husband. I was in love with the idea of love. However, I've grown up and have experienced & learned a lot about love and relationships since then. One of the most important things I've learned is that love don't love nobody. What I'm saying is, it all looks good and sounds nice...in the beginning. As young women, we fantasize about putting on a beautiful white (or off-white for some of us, don't judge) and walking down the aisle towards our knight in shining armor. As a 36 year old woman, I know now that my fantasies and actually being married in real life, are as different as night and day. Had I ran off and gotten married in my 20's, I'm sure I'd be a divorcee by now. I'm not against marriage, hell I AM married. But I would tell any young woman under the age of thirty to not get caught up in the fantasy of it all and wait. And below are a few reasons for doing so.

1. You haven't experienced anything in life yet. Tying yourself down to a man straight out of high school or college is a very bad idea. You've only recently left the comfort and security of your parents home. You haven't learned what it's like to be independent, rather you become DEPENDENT on someone else to take care of you. One of the greatest feelings for me when I was a single twenty-something was knowing that I didn't have to have a man around.The damsel in distress thing is okay sometimes, but you need to know how to be alone and not feel totally helpless. 

2.  Neither of you are financially stable. Most twenty something's are only recently graduating college, and haven't had the chance to become financially stable. Unless you know somebody, who knows somebody, you have no real work experience, thus making it harder to get a good job. You're still transitioning from college life or just leaving the comfort of your parents house, and haven't learned that recreation and shopping at the mall now has to take a backseat to paying bills and taking care of your home. Money is one of the main reasons for many marriages being torn apart. 

3. You'll be more tempted to cheat. You're not ready to be sexually tied down to one man yet. Infidelity is another one of the main factors as to why marriages don't work, even for older couples. In your 20's, settling down while you're that young is just asking for trouble down the line, because eventually you're going to come across someone of the opposite sex who appeals to you and be tempted to cheat, especially if you haven't really learned to control those sexual urges...which most young people can't. You'll be ready to go out and get buckwild in your thirties, which will make it harder to be looked at as marriage material. Don't sleep around...that's not what I'm saying. Wait, I take that back- that's exactly what I'm saying. Allow yourself time to get all the sexual experimentation out of the way BEFORE you say I Do so you won't be tempted to step outside your marriage and experiment later on.  

4. Resentment. Due to the lack of experience and money, one or both of your hopes, dreams and goals for the future fly out the window.This leads to arguments and silent resentment of your spouse, especially if one of you did manage to go out and live out your dreams while the other had to put theirs on hold for the sake of the family/marriage. You'll become content with how things are, but you'll never be truly happy. 

5. You'll always wonder, what if. You might miss finding your real soulmate because you settled down too soon. It's easy to think that you'll be together forever when you're in your twenties. You don't know who else is out there, and eventually you're going to start to wonder, what if? What if I chose the wrong mate and the next guy is better suited for me. At that age, you're still trying to figure out what you like and don't like, so it's important not to jump on the first guy you think you're in love with.

I know that the many wedding shows on tv make marriage seem like it's the greatest thing ever, and it can be sometimes. I know that having a flashy wedding seems exciting and fun, but that wedding is just one day. It's all the days after that, that mean something. Looking back, I realize that the 20's are for having fun, finding yourself, making stupid mistakes that hopefully, you will have learned from by the time you turn 30, not for being a married woman. One last thing, as much money as it costs to have that elaborate wedding, it can cost just as much to pay for a divorce, sometimes more. So take your time, enjoy your twenties while you still have them. There really should be no rush to take such a huge step, but if you must...good luck. You'll need it! 

#Marriage #JumpingTheBroom #Relationships 

#MagSwag Wendy Williams is a vision in white on the cover of Ebony

YOU BETTER WERK MS. WENDY!!!
My favorite talk show host is 50, fabulous, and looking like a black angel (in my Phaeda Parks voice) on the cover of the May issue of Ebony magazine. The controversial radio show hostess turned successful talk show host is elegant in all white everything, and I have never seen her wig look better. Her wardrobe, make-up, and hair stylists all deserve raises for this well put together look. 

Wendy can be a little crass sometimes, and she's made her living being a professional gossiper. She's known for telling women to find a rich man and trap him with a baby, or calling people less than smart, and sometimes even I roll my eyes at her unsolicited advice, but I have to give props when they are do and she is killing it on this cover.

In this issue, Wendy talks about her relationships with her two Kevin's (husband and son) as well as something we have in common-being a proud homebody. The issue also discusses how other successful mom's balance work and family and if requiring police officers to wear body cameras is a good idea or not. Personally, I don't think it'll matter one bit if dirty cops are caught on tape murdering unarmed black men..it'll always be their words against the deceased victims', but I'd be very interested in reading that article. I haven't brought a magazine in a while, because these days, everything is put on social media, but I just might have to purchase this one. 

The issue hits newsstands this Friday, 4/24


#MagSwag People Magazine names Sandra Bullock World's Most Beautiful Woman

In the latest issue of People magazine, Sandra Bullock is named the Most Beautiful Woman in the World. By whose standards, exactly? 

While I do think she's pretty and I sort of like some of her movies, I don't see her as the most beautiful woman in the world. She's not even the prettiest white woman in Hollyweird, I mean Hollywood! 

I'm not sure what the criteria is for earning this title, but I have to disagree with this decision. When I see Sandra, I think more, cute girl-next-door, not beautiful or drop-dead gorgeous, though. Even on this cover, she just looks rather plain Jane-ish! Was Charlize Theron, not in the running? Or maybe she's already had her turn, IDK. Either way, congrats to Sandra. 

BOOK REVIEW: Wreckless (Lunch Break Series) by Stephanie Nicole Norris


I came across this book a few days ago while browsing the #FreeBlackKindleEBooks page on Facebook. What drew me in was the Lunch Break Series...letting me know it was a short story. I'm usually so busy with work, taking care of the kids, writing my own books, and everything else, that I rarely have time to sit down and read a full length novel. For those reasons, I've been reading a lot more short stories than usual. I'm so glad I came across this one, because it was pure entertainment from the first page.

Blurb:
 December 30, 2013
Publisher: Love is a Drug, Ink
Jasmine Johnson wants nothing more than to be swept off her feet by classmate and cutie Maurice Desmon Jones. Everything about him, from his obvious confidence to his charisma, makes her melt like ice cream on a sundae cone.

One day, someone threatens to challenge her for his affection and Jasmine goes into a jealous rage, unable to control her emotions. Obsession sends her over the edge and there is no turning back. In the eye of a brewing storm, she has to come up with a clever way to get out of the catastrophe she has created and she won’t give up, even if she has to die trying.


Review:
Talk about a crime of Passion!!! I wasn't expecting this story to be what it was, but I wasn't disappointed. Jasmine had a huge crush on Maurice, and became enraged when she walked in on her roommate, Teresa in bed with him. The story just gets all out of control from there. Lies, a murder, a cover-up... I felt as if I were watching a Lifetime movie. Jasmine totally lost it and was just a complete nutcase, willing to get rid of anybody who got in her way, all in the name of love. I was rooting for Saundra the entire time, and literally held my breath more than a few times because every time it looked like the story would go in one direction, something else would happen.I loved that this book was straight and to the point, without all the extra fluffiness, in an attempt to make the story longer, like some authors tend to do. There were a few errors, but nothing that took away from the story. Bravo to this author for capturing my attention and taking me on a wild ride in less than 70 pages!!

Rating:




#BookReview #StephanieNicoleNorris #LoveIsADrugInk 

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

*Snippet* The Head Mistress :The Meeting



Ebony


I watched Terrence- the newest member to be accepted into The Basement- for several moments as he discreetly eyed the scantily clad women milling around the room. I know he’s new here, because I am the sole owner of The Basement- an underground lounge that I’d opened two years ago after the untimely death of my late husband, Robert.

I, and I alone, approved the requests and applications of every man who wished to enter my private establishment, but getting inside is far from easy. I’m very strict about the men I choose to do business with, and not just any old horny thug off the streets is allowed in here. The men I do business with inside these four walls are prominent politicians, police officers, doctors, professors, and even a few are judges. All members must go through an extensive phone and email interview process with me, before they get the privilege of knowing what goes on after hours inside Ebony’s- the soul food restaurant that I run upstairs during regular business hours, here in the Windy City. 

Before I go any further, let me tell you a little about myself. I am Head Mistress Ebony Williams. Some people also refer to me as Madame Ebony. In addition to running my successful restaurant during the day, I also run a secret society sex club- a brothel, you could say, at night. Most women would turn their noses up at me if they knew I was in the business of prostitution, which is why other than the women I’ve hired to service my prestigious clients, only men are allowed through the kitchen and down the stairs of my restaurant. Exchanging sexual favors for money is the world’s oldest profession, and men do it everyday. And I’m a firm believer that anything men can do, women can do better. 

Aside from having to be wealthy, there is one other requirement my clients must meet- they must be married. I like to refer to The Basement as a single married men’s club.
The men who frequent my lounge are stuck in boring marriages with their wives, who usually hold all the power in their marriages. Almost all of my clients only married their women for personal gain or social status, and she knew it. Their wives were all about keeping up appearances in public, but in private, they were self-absorbed prudes- both in and out of the bedroom. 

My clients have sexual fetishes that their spouses aren’t interested in or willing to engage them in; these guys long for exciting, wild, passionate sex. Cruising the streets looking for hookers is out of the question, since not only would their wives leave them if they found out, they would lose their jobs, and the public shame and embarrassment would be too much to bare. They simply can’t take chances on some fool with a camera taking photos of them and selling them to the highest bidder. In a nutshell, they have a lot to lose.
That’s where I come in. I provide a private environment for these men to come and get their freak on with one of my girls. Here, they can have all the hot, filthy, freaky, pornographic sex they want, then go home to their boring wives, most of whom are totally clueless. The one’s who do know or suspect that their husbands are cheating, usually don’t care, as long as he keeps up the facade that they have the perfect marriage in public. 

Currently, I have twenty girls- who are called mistresses- working for me, all of which have been carefully chosen and are under a contract that says they can’t discuss anything about my private club, beyond these four walls. I have only the best girls working here, some of which have been flown in from foreign countries. Not only are they all extremely beautiful, they are all down for any and everything when it comes to sex. After all, the men who are lucky enough to gain access into my forbidden world, are only here to have their sexual fantasies fulfilled…to get what they don’t get at home. And they are all willing to pay thousands of dollars to have their way with one of my beauties, in as many positions, and for as long as he wants to. I’ve instructed my girls to set a base price of $2,000.00 upfront- of which I get half; but they are more than willing to negotiate with their perspective clients on a higher price, depending on what he wants her to do, as long as I get half of whatever she brings in. 

I’m usually in my office, keeping an eye on everything, by watching the expensive video monitors I’d had installed, but right now, I’m sitting on a chaise lounge in the middle of the room on a raised platform. Unhappily married men and their chosen sex workers, are milling around me. Sexual activity is allowed in any area of the club, either out in the open, or in one of the five private rooms down the narrow, dark hallway. 

I sip on a glass of red wine as I watch Terrence Stanford fidget with the wedding band on his left hand. He’s nervous, which is normal for new members, but I can tell he’s a bonafide freak…he just needs the right woman to bring it out of him. He’s tall, dark, and boyishly handsome. Normally, I don’t interact with my clients, other than an obligatory hello or thanks for coming, when they’re leaving; but there’s something about Terrence that has me intrigued. It could be, because he reminds me so much of my late husband, Robert. He has the same full lips, tapered haircut, and goatee that Robert had. Immediately, I began to wonder if the package between his legs is as big as Robert’s had been. 

For some reason unknown, I got a little jealous as I watched him interact with Angel- a dark 
haired, exotic, Puerto Rican beauty who’d just walked over and sat on the barstool next to him. I decided that I wanted to find out what he was working with for myself. Right then and there, I told myself that Terrence was going to be mine, and I needed to claim my property before he got too engaged with Angel. According to several of my clients, she was the biggest freak of all my girls, and she had these men speaking in tongues while she gave them the best head that money could buy. She was usually requested by several men on the same night, and I had to auction her to the highest bidder. Once, I’d had a man pay $10,000.00 to spend the night with her, that’s how good she was at what she did.

I like to get my vajayjay licked, every now and then; but these days, I’m more about getting my money, than I am getting an orgasm. However, all the money in the world can’t hold me, kiss me, or make my kitty purr when I get horny, like I am right now. Forget about a spark, Terrence had ignited a blazing flame inside my thong, and he didn’t even know it. He’d only recently been approved for access into The Basement about a week ago; however, this wasn’t his first night here. He’d visited twice before- once last Tuesday, and again the next night- but other than sip on a drink while casually flirting with a few girls, he hadn’t slept with any of them. 

According to what he’d told me during his first phone interview, he was a college professor- he taught Psychology at Chicago State University. Also, he’d been married to his high school sweetheart, Crystal, for two years. His wife’s father was a judge, and her mother, a retired teacher. Crystal was studying to become a pediatrician and rarely had time for him because she was always at school or studying, which meant she rarely had time to screw him. Needless to say, their marriage had become sexless and boring. He’d been tempted to cheat a few times with a couple of his students who’d been willing to exchange sex for a passing grade, but something had always stopped him. When I’d asked how he’d come to know about me and this establishment, he told me that he had a buddy- a police officer- who was a member, and he’d briefly mentioned it to him. 

I tossed back the remainder of my wine, then got up and made my way over to the bar where he was. I gently touched Angel on the shoulder. 

“Angel, see that gentleman over there?” I pointed to a handsome man at the other end of the bar. “He’d like to speak with you for a moment,” I told her. 

She immediately got the message- that I wanted Terrence for myself- and she got up and headed in the direction that I’d pointed her in.

“Hello, Terrence…enjoying yourself?” I asked taking the seat Angel had just vacated.

“Uh…y-yes,” he stuttered.

I laughed. “You’re not acting like it; why are you so nervous?”

He shrugged. “I’ve never been to a place like this.” 

Friday, April 17, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay


Anyone who really knows me, knows that I am totally addicted to cupcakes. Seriously, I think  I need therapy. So, while browsing the shelves in the library for something interesting to read, the cupcakes on  the cover of this cozy mystery caught my eye. 

Blurb:  January 4, 2011
Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura's Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery is gearing up for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately someone has iced Baxter Malloy on his first date with Mel's mother. Now Mom's a suspect, and Mel and Angie need to find time around frosting to dig into the man's shady past and discover who served him his just desserts.

Review:
This book had everything I look for in a cozy mystery: cupcakes, mystery, and a touch of romance. It took me inside the selfish, and often embellished lives of the rich and famous.I loved the wit and sarcastic humor between the main characters- Mel, Angie, and Tat- almost as much as I loved the recipes of the cupcakes being made throughout the book. The couples cupcake baking class is definitely something I could see myself convincing my husband to attend. I was able to figure out who the killer was about half-way through the story, but still enjoyed reading it through until the end to see  how everything played out. I was really hoping that Angie and Tate would work things out, but who knows...stranger things have happened. I don't want to include too many spoilers, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and would love to read the rest of the series.

Rating:



Thursday, April 16, 2015

Cyber Bullying

I was watching The Steve Harvey Show a few minutes ago, and a very interesting subject was being discussed, which got me to thinking- does sharing things about your personal life online automatically mean you've put yourself out there for the world to criticize you if they see fit? 

In a segment on the show, Kyra, the mother of two year old Mariah Anderson, was extremely upset because a photo that she had shared of her daughter- who suffers from a disorder that affects her chromosomes- on her second birthday was being used to provide jokes and laughs, at her baby's expense. When she posted the photos, Kyra was especially happy because she wasn't sure how much longer her child would live. What was meant to be celebrated, became hurtful after she realized the photos she posted were being circulated on social media and were being made fun of in the form of memes. Now, this photo in particular, I saw it, but I never re-posted, shared, or commented on it, because even though I personally think baby Mariah is adorable, I saw all the jokes and negative comments being made and thought, 'I'm not going to join in on the laughter and jokes!' because I could tell she was obviously suffering from some form of sickness, even though I didn't know that at the time. Now let me make this clear, I'm not a saint, nor have I ever claimed to be one. I am a natural giggle box- meaning I laugh at just about any and everything...IF it's funny. However, I didn't find the jokes and comments being made about this baby funny at all. I won't re-post her photo here, because the mother and her child have suffered enough from the photos continuously being circulated on the internet, but if you want to read the story, here's the link to the segment: http://www.steveharveytv.com/a-parents-horrifying-story-of-cyber-bullying-over-their-two-year-old-daughters-photo/

A few days after I first saw the pic on Facebook, I came across a news story where Kyra was upset because she'd found out that the photos she'd shared of her baby were being made fun of, and she was asking people to delete the pics and memes being made. Naturally, there were some people who still felt the need to talk trash, saying "She should have never posted the photos in the first place if she didn't want public scrutiny." Even after seeing that their hateful words and pics hurt this mother, they still continued to do it. 

That's one of the biggest problems with social media- it's a platform for bullies and cowards to say what they want, because they will more than likely never meet the person being made fun of, so there will be no consequences. It's no different than celebrities, or even authors. When I first started writing, one of my biggest setbacks was the negativity that I knew was sure to come with putting my work out there for the world to read. As good as I think my books are, I knew that not everybody would agree. The first time I read a negative review, I almost let it discourage me into never writing again, but then I thought, who cares what these haters think. Could they commit themselves to sitting down for days, hours, and sometimes months at a time to write a book? Nope, because they're too busy scrolling on social media, hating on the people that do. 

A long time ago, someone told me, "Everybody is not going to like you, and you just have to be okay with that." That's the same thing that applies with social media. Just because you post things that you're proud of, doesn't mean other's will share your enthusiasm. Luckily, I've learned to tell people what they can do with themselves if they have an issue with what I post, and I move on. Like Steve told Kyra, "You have to take things with a grain of salt and just tell people to kiss your ass, sometimes; because most of the time, when people go out of their way to be hurtful, hateful, and negative, it has absolutely nothing to do with you." It's so easy to sit behind a laptop or smart phone and criticize the next person, because they have nothing else going for themselves, so they hate on a person who does. 

Looking at how sad and upset Kyra was as she talked about the hurtful things she had to read about her baby, was heartbreaking. Unfortunately, most people won't care. In fact, it will only make them come at her ever harder. If you let a bully know they've hurt you, you've given them more ammunition to keep coming after you.  We live in a cold, cruel world, where compassion and empathy has all but disappeared. And social media only makes matters such as these worse. Some people seem to think that if you don't want to be criticized, you should keep your personal life to yourself and off the internet. Do you agree with this? Does sharing things about your private life automatically mean that you've opened your door and invited the haters to step inside your world and pick it apart, piece by piece? Would love to hear thoughts! 

Is it ever okay to admit to crushing on a woman's husband?

This is what I get for following Wendy Williams on Google+. I stumbled upon this cup of tea that I hadn't heard anything about until about twenty minutes ago.

It seems that my girl, KeKe Palmer is or has filmed a movie called Brotherly Love with my other girl, Tia Mowry-Hardricts's husband, Cory. 

Apparently, KeKe made a statement about crushing on Cory, who I think is a cutie (please don't come for me next, Tia) and Tia didn't think her comment was cute, in the least bit. As celebrities often do, Tia tweeted, then deleted a comment: "Saying you like married men in interviews is not cute...IJS!" She also posted a picture on Instagram, with the caption: Class goes a long way. I happen to follow Tia on Instagram and I saw the pic and comment just yesterday, but I had no idea what it meant, although my shade radar told me she was feeling a little salty when she posted that. 
Leave it to Wendy Williams to give insight- KeKe Palmer just so happened to be on her show and as we all know, Wendy couldn't wait to ask about this. KeKe laughingly said, she meant nothing by the comment, which she says she made when she was around ten years old, as she has been knowing Cory for a while, and that she doesn't like married men's no more (wait, I'm getting confused..the men's comment is from the 'delivert' guy) Anyway, Tia was not amused and set her straight real quick. You can see KeKe's interview with Wendy below while I take a quick potty break...


Okay, I'm back. So, now that you've watched the video, do you think KeKe was out of line, or did Tia overreact? I'm having mixed feelings about this one. As a married woman, I totally get where Tia was coming from...we have to get some of these chicks in check, because they will try it, and sometimes, we do have to take it there. But, I honestly don't think KeKe meant anything by saying that; however, she should have kept that little tidbit of info to herself. Going on national television to admit another woman's husband has you feeling some type of way...honey, those are fighting words. On the other hand, as beautiful as Girl Melanie, I mean Tia is, I think she was just having a little insecure moment because KeKe was slaying the red carpet in that aqua gown at the premier of her and Cory's movie. 

All wives have felt a little insecure when other beautiful women are in the vicinity of our men, whether we admit it or not. Because men are usually clueless, or pretend not to notice when another woman is skinning and grinning up in their faces, us wives have to step in and protect our men- like a lioness protects her cubs from all the other animals that are stalking them, just waiting on us to turn our backs so they can sink their teeth into them. That doesn't seem to be the case here, though. Hopefully, they will get it together. KeKe doesn't seem like the messy type, or the home-wrecking type. Do you think it's ever okay to publicly admit to liking another woman's hubby, even if it is just a harmless crush? If this should ever happen to you, would you react the way Tia did and call the woman out on it? 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Double Standards

I was scrolling through my Facebook timeline and came across the story that Kimora Lee Simmons just welcomed a baby boy with her hubby Tim Leissner. The thought that immediately went through my mind was, doesn't this make her fourth child...with 3 different men? Now, before some of you get your panties in a bunch, I'm not judging Ms. Kimora at all. I have two beautiful children from two different relationships myself, so more power to her. She's grown, she was married to her children's father's at some point, and if she's happy, that's all that matters. However, four kids by three different men, regardless of whether she was married to the men or not, isn't a good look. It certainly wouldn't be a good look if Kimora was Kisha from the hood, so why the double standard?

I decided to read a few of the comments because I was bored and had nothing else to do, and quite a few people shared my thoughts. But then I came across one commenter who said that, "People are acting like having 3 baby daddies is the end of the world. In Kimora's case, it's okay because these are wealthy people who have millions of dollars to take care of the kids, so there's nothing wrong with it? There are regular chicks who have children by different men who can't even get money for diapers from them." HUH? So, it's okay for celebrities to play musical beds, but if an ordinary girl, who may also have money to take care of her children was in the same situation, she'd be called every THOT, whore, slut, and every other degrading name there is for women who have multiple children by different men. The comments on that thread were quite entertaining, with one commenter saying, "It makes no difference if you're on welfare with 3 baby daddies, or if you're a millionaire, a hoe is a hoe!" while others agreed that, because she was actually married to these wealthy men when she had her children, that made her situation different. 

But why is her situation different? Because she's famous? Yes, she may have been married to all of the men, but having three ex-husband's isn't something to brag about either. Honestly, that kind of suggests that Kimora may be the one with the ticky ticky, boom boom behavior, and the men aren't necessarily the problem. Which means that she has some personal issues within herself that won't get solved by her jumping from man to man. IJS!

Anyhoo, Kimora Lee- who even though married to Leissner, still goes by the last name of her first and most famous ex-husband, Russell Simmons- seems to be happy, and I'm happy for her. But, she's a celebrity and her business is put out there for people to speak on it, so... In the famous words of Kanye, "I ain't saying she's a gold digger, but she ain't messin' with no broke______!" I ain't mad at her though; she knows how to sniff out a rich man and work her magic on them. Having a kid by every man she dates, guarantees that she'll never have to worry about her pocketbook being empty. But, what is this teaching her 15 and 12 year old daughters?That it's okay to hop from man to man and/or have kids by every guy they get involved with, as long as he's rich? 

Like I said earlier, if she wasn't a celebrity and was instead, Nae Nae from around the way, would those defending Kimora still feel the same way? I'd bet my next paycheck- okay maybe not the whole paycheck, because I got bills- but I'd bet a few dollars the answer would be, no! Anyway, congrats Kimora and Tim on the birth of baby, Wolfe Lee. I will say this, she picks the right men to make babies with, her children are beautiful.  

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

#MagSwag

This month, Time magazine discusses #BlackLivesMatter and the debate on racism and law enforcement after 50 year old, unarmed Walter Scott was shot and killed by a white police officer. His death was caught on video by a bystander, who recorded the incident on his cell phone. In the video, Scott is seen fleeing his car after a traffic stop. The officer fires 8 shots, hitting Scott in the back. His excuse? Scott was reaching for his taser, and he felt threatened. Luckily, the video taken by the bystander contradicts everything the officer claimed happened, even showing him throwing said taser beside the victim, who lay face-down, taking his last breaths, then the officer going back over to pick the taser up. Even more disgusting, the black police officer who watched him do this, and said nothing, while roughly handcuffing a man who had been shot in the back lay dying; backing his lies up in his police report.

I am so sick and tired of police getting away with murdering black men, especially, using the excuse that they feel threatened. If you can't handle a suspect without always having to draw your weapon, perhaps you should choose another career. Yes, I know there are good officers who put their lives on the line everyday to protect the public, but the dirty cops are making it very hard to appreciate any officer of the law, even the good one's. I used to always feel a sense of safety whenever a police officer was around, but these days, that feeling of safety has been replaced by fear for myself, my husband, and especially, my 16 year old son. When the people who have taken an oath to protect and serve, are now who you have to fear the most, there is a serious problem. 

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Coming Soon by J.L. Sapphire

#ComingSoon My latest novella, One Night Stand.

Somewhere last week between work, and my 24/7, nonstop job of being the maid at my house, I found time to write a short story.

I don't have a release date set yet, but I'm hoping to have this one published by June. I'm sure most of us have had one-night stands or flings in our lifetime. This is the story of Jada, a young lady who has a one-night stand that turns into a nightmare. The synopsis is included below. 

Synopsis:
Jada Lewis is sick and tired of her boyfriend, Todd’s constant cheating, and verbal abuse. After she catches him red-handed with another woman- once again- she sets out to get even for a change, hoping to meet someone to make her forget about Todd, if only for one night. 

This is where Brice Sullivan comes in. After a chance encounter, Jada decides that he would be the perfect guy to use to get back at Todd. She knows that she’s still in love with Todd, but she wants to teach him a lesson- that she won’t wait forever for him to get his act together. 

However, what was intended to be a one-time hookup with Brice, turns into much more as things begin to spiral out of control. One night of pleasure, is definitely proving to have some painful consequences. 

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Strutting in Stilettos: Pros & Cons

For as long as I can remember, I've loved high heels. I know I wasn't the only one who liked playing dress-up in mama's high heels when I was little. Being a bit of a tomboy, however, I've never found any reason to wear them other than a few times in life: prom, my wedding day, and occasionally, during sexy time activities with the hubby. If I do decide to wear them, in an attempt to look cute, you'd best believe I'm sitting down or perched up against something for support. If I were the type of woman to wear heels all the time though, I'd definitely want a sexy pair, like the ones in the picture. I definitely wouldn't be a kitten heel, type of chick. I'm a firm believer of, if you're gonna do it, do it right, and a pair of four or five inch stilettos would be the only way to go. Why?Because they're the best; and as with other flat things (i.e. our bosom) that doesn't get a man's attention, flat shoes are not gonna turn a man's head. 

Pros: 
Obviously, women love high heels because they exude sexiness. Wearing them makes our calves, bodies and postures look better, makes us look slender and taller, gives us more confidence, accentuates our curves, makes us look & feel more attractive, and gets us plenty of admiring looks from the fellas, because men love stilettos. For shorter women, they add a few inches to their height, and taller women feel like Naomi Campbell doing her thing on the catwalk. Sure, flats or sandals are cute sometimes, but we look an feel sexier in a pair of heels.

Cons:
But just as with everything else that we love, there's always a downside. And constantly wearing stilettos have some very serious consequences. When worn for long periods of time, heels cause damage and severe pain to a woman's hips, spine, knees, ankles, toes, and feet, especially for women who never learned to correctly walk in high heels. Don't believe me, just check out Real Housewives of Atlanta Claudia Jordan's feet. She was also one of the Deal or no Deal models, and she was saying on RHOA how her she has some of the ugliest feet ever, complete with corns and bunions, as a result of constantly wearing heels. Yes, the shoes are beautiful and make our legs look longer and sexier, but the higher the height of the heel, the more pressure that is put on the forefoot, which results in twisted and swollen ankles. 

I'm a big clutz and I have a hard enough time walking around in sneakers without tripping over my own feet, and now that I've gotten older, my knees are really bad, so wearing stilettos all the time is out of the question for me. But for women who wear them everyday, you have to decide what's more important: looking sexy or suffering from the consequences that constantly wearing high heels can cause you in the long run. It's almost like those prescription drug commercials they show on tv for depression and other things- sure, the meds will treat the problem, but there are just as many, if not more so, serious side-effects that go along with taking them. So, you have to choose between the lesser of the two evils; take a chance and hope everything works out in the end.   

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

#FreeBooks Because I'm feeling generous...


I wrote this novella last summer and released part 2, Masquerade 2: Consequences & Repercussions, on 3/17/15. As part of the KDP #FreePromotion Masquerade: Nina's Revenge is free for the next day or so.

If you haven't read, the synopsis and Amazon link is below. Take advantage of this freebie, it won't last long. 

Synopsis:
 August 13, 2014
Nina has always been over-weight but is surprised when she gains the affection of Braxton- a sexy jock and ladies man- who is used to getting anything and anybody he wants. After dropping out of college to follow her man and help him accomplish his dreams, Nina is now living the perfect life- or so she thinks- as a pampered housewife to wealthy realtor Braxton. But her world is shattered when he announces on the night of their 20th anniversary that he's leaving her...for her best friend...whom he has a 15 year old secret love-child with.
Heartbroken and depressed, Nina gains even more weight as bitterness and the need to get even consumes her. 6 years go by before she decides to use the money from her divorce settlement and get plastic surgery- altering her appearance drastically. Now looking and feeling younger & sexier, she carries out her plan to exact revenge on her cheating ex-husband and her back stabbing best friend and what better way to do so than to seduce their now 21 year old son, Christian whom she meets at Braxton’s annual masquerade ball.
With her new appearance and a fake name, Nina a*k*a Camille, uses her manipulation and sex skills to get Christian to give her all the money she needs to support the extravagant lifestyle she was accustomed to while married to Braxton. She gets more than she expected once Braxton becomes sexually attracted to who he thinks is his son’s new girlfriend and he’s willing to pay her to keep him satisfied and to keep her mouth shut, never realizing that she‘s his ex-wife.
When the truth about Nina comes out, families will be torn apart and relationships will be ruined but will Nina get the last laugh she thinks she rightfully deserves?



Tuesday, April 7, 2015

The #ImNoAngel Campaign by Lane Bryant...it's about time!


Yesterday, I was absentmindedly scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook, and I saw several celebs, including Amber Riley, Fantasia, and Mary Mary, endorsing Lane Bryant's #ImNoAngel Campaign.

Yes, this is obviously taking a shot at Victoria's Secret 'Angels' and all I wondered was...what took so long? As a fellow full-figured gal, I can't tell you how many times I've gone into Vicky's Secrets, hoping to find something to both make me feel sexy, and entice my hubby...only to find that the cute little panties and bras they sell in there, are obviously NOT meant for a gal like me- one with size DDD breasts and panties larger than a size 10.

I'm so glad someone over at Lane Bryant heard the silent cry of plus-sized women around the world and created this campaign. I was so happy as I scrolled and saw the models in the ad, and the many female celebrities who were happy to be a part of this.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater and I can always give any woman (no matter what size she is) her props if she deserves them, but I'm sooooo tired of watching the Victoria's Secret Angels fashion show every year and seeing those size two models strutting their stuff down the runway. They're so skinty (in my Mr. Brown voice) they look like they're going to topple over from the weight of those wings. But while the lingerie and wings are beautiful, I'm always thinking, "When is a real woman going to walk out?" And by real woman, I mean a realistic looking woman, one with a few stretch marks, or a little cellulite, or who doesn't have wash-board abs. Because realistically, women don't have the perfect bodies they advertise.



Per Lane Bryant spokeswoman: "The women who wear Cacique know that sexy comes in many shapes and sizes. They’re no angels—and they own it. Join the women who are redefining sexy by posting your personal statement of confidence using the hashtag #ImNoAngel". Young girls watch those fashion shows and sexy commercials, aspiring to be like those angels, going to extreme lengths such as dieting at age 9, or more serious things, such as anorexia- all in the name of having a perfect body; because the worlds tells us women that in order to succeed and be considered beautiful, we must be a perfect size. Lane Bryant's campaign will hopefully make girls who are bigger, realize she's just as beautiful. See the ad campaign below.


I don't know if we'll see any plus size-models walking down the runway at Victoria's Secret fashion show any time soon, but Lane Bryant is making it loud and clear, in a bold statement to Victoria's Secret with this campaign. 

Again, this isn't to say that I hate Victoria's Secret or slim women; but ALL women need to know we are beautiful, and that no where in the book does it say that sexy is only one size. And a campaign like this seems to be long overdue, as the hashtag has taken off on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Sorry Vicky's Secret Angels, Lane Bryant has officially broken the internet.