Sample Sunday The Hookup

    The Hookup 

AVAILABLE NOW on Kindle

for $1.99 or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt:

Jada sat on a barstool, snapping her fingers and dancing to the music, as the house band at the late B.B. King’s Blues Club entertained the audience by playing a mix of rhythm and blues. Jada watched people dance as she sipped on a Sex On The Beach cocktail- fitting for what she had in mind tonight- while Brice drank a beer. 

“Dance with me,” Brice said standing and reaching for her hand.

Jada took his hand and followed him to the dance floor. Having consumed two cocktails already, she was feeling frisky as she danced provocatively against Brice while she sang along with the band as they played the Johnnie Taylor classic, Who’s Making Love (To Your Old Lady.)

“Who’s making love to your old lady, while you were out making love,” Jada sang off key. 

“You’re a good dancer, although I wouldn’t have taken you as a blues kind of girl,” Brice told her.

“You can’t live in Memphis and not like the blues,” she told him. “When we were kids, mama used to blast blues all through the house every Saturday morning as we cleaned up the entire house.”

They danced to a few more songs until Jada started getting tired. Brice placed his hand possessively at the small of her back as they maneuvered through the crowd to get back to their table. A waitress came over and he ordered another Sex On The Beach for Jada and a beer for himself.

The lead female singer of the band was now rocking the house by singing After The Pain by Betty Wright, an oldie but definitely a goodie. Brice watched Jada as she snapped her fingers while singing along.

“What?” she asked as she noticed him staring at her.

“Nothing. You’re just a very beautiful woman and I can’t stop staring.”

“Thank you,” she blushed. The way Brice was staring at her was making her feel some type of way. Maybe it was the alcohol, but he suddenly looked better to her than he had when she’d met him at the car wash. 

“So, you know I gotta ask. How is it that a woman like you don’t have a man?”

“The one I have ain’t worth a damn,” Jada said.

“Uh oh…it’s like that, huh?”

“Yep…and then some. I’ve been with Todd for over a year and a half, but he can’t keep his eyes or his hands off other women.” Jada proceeded to tell Brice about her very complicated relationship with Todd.

“So, I’m the rebound guy?” he asked once she was finished.

Jada looked away, feeling a little guilty. That’s exactly what he was, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

Brice reached across the table and grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Hey, don’t feel bad. I guess I don’t mind being your jump off,” he said sadly.

Jada looked at him alarmed and shook her head. “No, please don’t think like that. Brice. I’m not trying to hurt you or play with your emotions,” she lied. That’s exactly what she was doing.

“If it means I get to be in your presence, I don’t care what I had to do.”

Jada smiled at him. “You just know all the right things to say, don’t you?”

“I do…but I’m telling the truth. If things go the way I hope they will, I’ll make you forget all about Todd,” he said staring into her eyes.

“And how do you plan to do that?” Jada asked.

“I have my ways.” He winked at her. “But enough about him, you 
ready to get back on the dance floor?”

On the floor, Jada and Brice danced to the smooth soul ballad, Tonight Is The Night. Halfway through the song, Brice’s hands slid lower, onto Jada’s ass and he pulled her closer to him. He knew they had just met, but he was really feeling her. 

“Somebody is excited,” she said as she looked into his eyes, the stiffness of his erection pressing against her.

“Sorry,” Brice said backing away slightly to put some space between them. He had been silently willing his hard on to go back down before she noticed.

“Don’t be,” Jada said pulling him back in. 

“Would it be too forward if I kissed you right now?”

“I was wondering what took you so long,” Jada responded. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Brice’s. He was a good kisser. Rather than act all overly aggressive, he took his time and gently circled her tongue with his own, while gently squeezing her ass, sending tingles down Jada’s spine as she pressed her lady lumps into his chest. 

“If we don’t stop now, I’m going to be tempted to take you into the bathroom and do bad things to you,” Brice said after the kiss ended. 

They went back to their table and enjoyed the rest of the night just talking and getting to know more about each other. Before they knew it, the club was closing. Brice opened the passenger side door for Jada before walking around to get in the driver’s seat. As he exited the parking lot, the song, If Only For One Night, by Luther Vandross came on the radio. He started singing the words to the song as he drove.

“What you know about Luther?” Jada asked, looking over at him. He actually had a smooth, silky singing voice.

“My mother loved Luther when I was growing up…she had all of his records at home.”

Twenty minutes later, they were pulling up in Jada’s driveway. “I had a really good time tonight, Brice,” Jada said as he walked her to the door. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. Still thinking about the kiss she’d shared with Brice, she wanted to invite him in, but didn’t want to appear too easy or forward. Men always said they like a woman to be a little aggressive, then held it against them later.

“I’m glad you had a good time,” Brice said staring into her eyes. He so desperately wanted to kiss her again, but he didn’t want to make her think that because they’d had such a nice date, that she now owed him sex. He wasn’t ready for the night to end, but one wrong move could turn her off, so he didn’t give in to the urge to kiss her. Luckily, Jada solved that problem by leaning in and giving him a soft peck on the lips. 

“Would you like to come in for a while?” she asked as she bit down on her lower lip in a suggestive manner.

Brice was totally shocked. Jada had definitely been full of surprises tonight. He’d thought she would be the type of woman with crazy dating rules, like no kissing until the third date, or no sex until the sixth. 

“Sure,” Brice said, when what he’d really wanted to say was, hell yeah!

Jada was a very beautiful woman, inside and out. She was sexy and intelligent, and her smile could light up an entire football stadium. He wasn’t sure why her man had felt the need to step out on her, but he was kind of glad he had, because he wouldn’t have had gotten to know her and spend time with her tonight.

Brice followed Jada into her modest apartment. It was nicely decorated in earth tones of brown and eggshell white, with tasteful accent throw pillows and decorations in torquoise on the walls and tables. At first glance, one would think Jada would be the type of female to have her place decked out in pinks and purples, or something girly. A man could feel masculine and right at home in here, though.

“Would you like something to drink?” Jada asked Brice as she gestured for him to have a seat on her chocolate brown leather reclining sofa. She’d already told herself that she was going to sleep with Brice tonight, but she suddenly needed a little liquid courage to go through with it. Luckily, she still had a bottle of wine in the fridge.

“Sure. Do you have a beer? If not, a soda will be fine.”

“Is Corona okay?”

“Corona is always okay.” 

Jada went into the kitchen and got one of the Corona’s that she’d originally bought for Todd out of the fridge, and poured herself a glass of wine, which she tossed back in one gulp. She poured another glass, then joined Brice in the living room.

They sipped their drinks while lightly flirting with each other, neither wanting to make the first move. Jada finished her drink, then placed her Olivia Pope sized wine goblet on her glass coffee table. Then, before she lost her nerve, she leaned over and kissed Brice on the lips, softly at first, but then with more urgency. She climbed over onto his lap and their tongues intertwined with each others as Brice felt her up. He cupped her butt and squeezed. Her body was so soft. He moaned as Jada kissed his neck and gently bit his earlobes. 

Their lips parted briefly, so that they both could remove their shirts, then they connected again. Brice placed feathery kisses all over Jada’s neck, shoulders, and the rise of her ample breast. He gently bit her hardened nipples through the lace of her bra, causing her to moan softly. Jada reached around and unsnapped her bra then tossed it to the side. With full access to her mounds, Brice suckled a nipple while he massaged the other. Jada could feel his erection growing in size and becoming harder. As far as she could tell, he was definitely working with a little something between his legs.

Brice reached between them and pushed his hand inside Jada’s jeans. She became extremely moist as his fingers roamed inside of her. He looked at her, loving the way her face looked as she moaned softly while squirming on his lap. “Let me taste you,” he whispered.

Jada laid back on the couch and Brice removed her jeans and panties. He stood and stared down at her naked body for a moment. 
“You’re so beautiful, Jada.” He got on his knees and pulled her to the edge of the couch, placing both of her legs over his shoulders. He teased her by kissing the insides of her thighs, before he went in for the main course.

Jada squirmed and moaned as Brice buried his tongue deep inside of her. He had her so hot and bothered, she yelled his name out loud. She gripped the back of his bald head and held him in place as he stroked her insides with his tongue. Her legs were shaking like crazy, and she felt herself about to give in to an explosive orgasm. 

When Brice used the tip of his tongue to tickle her sensitive clit, Jada let go all over his face. Still, Brice continued lapping away at her. As much as Jada loved what he had just done with his mouth, she wanted more. When she couldn’t take anymore, she pushed his head away, stood up, and grabbed his hand, leading her into her bedroom. 

Yes, this was in total contradiction to what she’d said earlier, about taking the time to get to know a guy, but that was for a man she was going to consider dating or having a relationship with. She knew that she had no intention of entering into a serious relationship with Brice though. As much as she’d enjoyed their date tonight and he was good with his tongue, deep down she knew her heart still belonged to Todd. But while her heart still wanted Todd, right now her body wanted Brice. 

In her bedroom, they resumed kissing and groping, making out like two horny teenagers while making their way to her queen size bed. Brice placed kisses all over her body. 

Jada had every intention of going through with sleeping with him…until she turned her head to the left while Brice suckled her breast some more. She stared at a photo of her and Todd that they’d taken when they’d first got together. Suddenly, a feeling of guilt washed over her. Even though she’d caught Todd in the act of cheating many times, she still felt bad that she was about to do the same to him. 

“What’s wrong, baby?” Brice asked raising up to look into her eyes. A minute ago, she’d been all into him, but now she seemed to have checked out, like her mind was a million miles away. 

“I’m so sorry Brice, but I can’t do this,” she told him, pushing him off of her and turning to her side so that he wouldn’t see the tears that had began to form in her eyes. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed Todd. Talk about bad freaking timing. Here she was, buck naked in bed with another man, and she was thinking about Todd. 

“It’s okay, Jada,” Brice said as he wrapped his arms around her and held her from behind. “I’m not in this just for sex. I really like you, and I’ll wait until whenever you’re ready,” he said, placing a tender kiss on her shoulder.

Brice’s understanding words only made her feel worse. Deep down, she knew she didn’t really like him like that. She’d thought that she could have a meaningless one-night stand, then never give him a second thought, but she couldn’t do that to him, or to herself. Sex was much better when there was an emotional connection between the two people, in her opinion. And she knew that as good as he’d made her feel a few short minutes earlier, she felt no emotional connection with him. 

“Thanks for being so sweet and understanding, Brice,” she said giving him a kiss on the cheek. In another time, he would have been the perfect man for her. He had showered her with compliments all night and any other dude would be tripping on the fact that he’d taken her out and she wasn’t going to let him hit it afterwards. “You’re going to make some woman a great husband one day.”

“Who knows, maybe that woman will be you, one day.”

Not knowing how to respond to that, Jada simply smiled as they began putting their clothes back on. 

“Get some sleep, beautiful. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Brice kissed her on the forehead. Just as Brice was about to leave the room, Jada called him back. She wasn’t ready to be alone just yet. She’d really enjoyed Brice’s company tonight.

“Can you just stay and hold me for a while?”

He smiled and walked back over to her. “Of course.” He removed the diamond studs from his ears and reached to place them on the nightstand. One of them fell on the carpet. He bent over to look for it, but didn’t see it. 

“We can get that in the morning,” Jada said. 

Brice removed his shirt, then climbed back into bed with Jada. He wrapped his arms around her and spooned her and they fell asleep. 
***

Click the link to get your copy of The Hookup:

http://www.amazon.com/Hookup-J-L-Sapphire-ebook/dp/B0142ZWHAY

The Hookup: AVAILABLE NOW on Kindle & Kindle Unlimited

THE HOOKUP

**AVAILABLE NOW**

Ever had a random one night stand? Did it end well when/if you tried to break it off with them? Well, in Jada's case, it didn't end well at all. 

Blurb:

A one night stand gone wrong…

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 brings Jada and Brice together, Jada decides that he would be the perfect guy to use to get back at Todd for cheating on her. 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. 

Click the link below to get your copy today on Amazon for $1.99, or FREE if you have #KindleUnlimited 

http://www.amazon.com/Hookup-J-L-Sapphire-ebook/dp/B0142ZWHAY

So, it's okay to joke about a toddler being raped and sexually assaulted, but make a joke about Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner, and you deserve to die a slow and painful death?

So, ever since Bruce Jenner started calling himself a woman, anybody who doesn't refer to him as "her" or who doesn't think he deserves all the praise he's getting for wearing a dress and high heels, is a hater, or a homophobe, and all that jazz. Anything or anybody associated with Kim Kardashian- you'd better not dare criticize, because her mob of blind followers and fans will start a petition to have you shot by firing squad quicker than you can blink. On the other hand, when a grown ass, ugly ass white woman- who eerily smiles like the joker- makes a sick, twisted joke about a child under the age of five, those same people who praise Bruce for becoming Caitlyn, see no problem with this? Oh, okay.

As you may or may not have heard, Amy Poehler (I have no idea who she is, what show she's on, or anything else about her, other than she's an evil bitch who thinks it's funny to joke about a little black girl being sexually assaulted) made a joke about Beyonce and Jay Z's daughter, Blue Ivy, in which she said: "I can't wait for Blue Ivy to be old enough so R. Kelly can piss on her." Okay, WTF???

I get that she's a so-called comedian, or whatever. And I like some of Beyonce's music- not a fan of her husband's, though- but I'm not part of the Beehive (her faithful fans/stans) When I read this sick quote from Amy, I didn't get mad because the statement was made about the infamous Beyonce's daughter. No ma'am, this is way bigger than Beyonce. It wouldn't matter who's child it was- this is making a bold statement that it's okay for black girls/women to be raped and sexually assaulted; as a matter of fact, many people on Twitter think Amy's joke was hilarious. I'm sure those same people are the one's who protest the #BlackLivesMatter movement. But, I wonder how hilarious they would think it was if the joke was made about one of Brad Pitt and Angelina's kids (their biological ones, not the adopted ones.) Or, God forbid- North West. As the gorgeous Matthew McConaughey, who played Jake on A Time To Kill said, "Now, imagine she's white." See, statements like the one Amy made is just slap-your-knee, laugh until you cry, funny...until it's said about someone who looks like you. 

What she said was evil, sick, and highly offensive, not to mention stupid. Does she not know how much power Beyonce obviously possesses in Hollywood? I mean, let the Illuminati conspiracy theorists tell it, she works for the devil. She's married to a gangster, has ties to the President (think some Scandal type ish, in which she can pay someone like Huck to make you disappear), and if she doesn't get you, that Beehive damn sure will. Okay, what I  just said was dripped in sarcasm; I'm only joking about this, but Amy had better be glad that she said this about another celebrity who's constantly in the public eye, and who has to watch what she says and how she responds to ignorance. Although, she might still wanna watch her back, because while Beyone might brush what she said about her child off, her sister, Solange, doesn't seem to have a problem getting people in check...just ask Jay. Z.

These so-called comedians need to realize that there is a fine line between being funny, and being downright disrespectful, especially when an innocent child is involved. Blue Ivy didn't ask to be born, nor could she choose her parents. She was automatically thrust into the spotlight from the moment she was born. Celebrities have to take the bitter with the sweet, sometimes, and accept that hateful and hurtful things being said about them, come with the territory. But kids definitely need to be off limits. In the real world, messing with someone's child can earn you a trip to the nearest hospital, for real. I can't boycott a show or someone that I've never even heard of, but Amy just signed a death wish to whatever career she had, because the Beehive is destroying her on Twitter...and they don't show any signs of stopping no time soon. 

Book Review of Weep of the Willow by Iris Fambro-Carter

If you like historical romances, this is a must read....

Blurb:

Atlanta, Georgia 1983––Eva has been keeping a secret from her sister Annie. On her deathbed, Eva has to clear her conscience. It is time to right old wrongs. 

Crabtree, Georgia 1921––Luella Mae Jameson has found herself in the last place she ever expected to be…living life as the town whore. Luella Mae’s husband has run off with the first “river-hipped thang” that crossed his path, leaving her to take care of herself and their young daughter, Eva, the only way she knows how. After visiting the voodoo priestess, who cast two spells to give Luella Mae her heart’s desire, her life changes in ways she never expected.

Jimmy Thompson is everything society expects him to be…a successful businessman, married to a well-bred southern woman, and above all, a staunch racist and member of the Ku Klux Klan. The only problem is he’s been in love with a colored woman for most of his life and then he’s given the opportunity to have her.

In the midst of such violent times, where the lines have been drawn between segregated whites and the colored folk of Crabtree, Georgia, Weep Of The Willow dares to share their story of forbidden love and secrets. 

Review:

I have always love books set in the old days of slavery and prior to 1960, and this one did not disappoint. Interracial dating has and probably will always be taboo...even today, in 2015. 

Throughout the book, I had my reservations about Jimmy's love for Luella and a part of me just wanted to see him as the bad guy because of his ties with the KKK; but I also knew that Benjamin Ray's ego and disrespectful attitude towards women in general would be the end of him in some way or another. 

This story was the perfect example of how some people can't handle rejection, and the extreme lengths people go to if they feel defeated. I love how the story came together in the end. Excellent storytelling from the author. I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but the story was full of twists and turns, and just when you think you have everything figured out, you find out you're wrong. I literally felt as if I was there...back in the 1920's as I read the story. Some scenes were hard to read, and had me pissed off- especially since things haven't changed much these days. But do yourself a favor and read it. 

Rating:

Excerpt from The Hookup, coming August 18, 2015

So much has happened with my latest, soon to be, book release. I wrote the book earlier this year, with the intent to self-publish it, as I've done all of my other books. Then, I thought it would be a good business decision to sign with a publisher...maybe gain a little more exposure to myself as an author. I signed a two-book deal with Blackhouse Publishing...only things didn't work out. The book was supposed to had been released on July 28th, but it wasn't. Without going into details, I decided not to go with Blackhouse, and will be self-publishing my own book, after all, 

So, I've decided to give my readers a little tease from the book; hope you enjoy it...

The Hookup (excerpt)

Chapter One

Jada Lewis sat in the interrogation room down at the Memphis Police Department, wringing her hands nervously. She would have never guessed that she’d ever find herself in any type of situation that would have warranted her being questioned about a crime. She usually kept to herself, minded her own business, and didn’t bother anybody. She had never been a social butterfly, and other than her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Todd Thompson, she was a bit of a loner.

How did things get so bad, she thought to herself as she waited for someone to come in and question her. She looked around the cold room, towards the glass windows on the left wall. She knew how these things worked. Because she was a home-body, her life revolved around watching tv. One of her favorite shows was The First 48 on A & E. She knew that there were probably police officers standing on the other side of the glass, watching her every move. 

She propped her elbows up on the table, holding her head in her hands in anguish. If she could take back everything that had happened over the last few weeks, she would. But unfortunately, time doesn’t go backwards. 

Just then, the door opened, and in walked a very stylish black woman, holding what looked like a recorder, a legal notepad, and an ink pen. 

“How’re you holding up, Jada?” the kind-faced woman asked. Her voice was soothing, but Jada knew that behind her kind words, lay a pit-bull in a skirt. “I’m Sergeant Arnita Smith,” she said holding her hand out to Jada.

Jada shook her hand across the table, taking in the detectives appearance. The fuschia long sleeved, ruffled button down blouse, sleek black pencil skirt, and peep-toe stilettos she was wearing made her look more like a sexy school teacher, and less like a hard-nosed officer of the law. “I-I’m fine, thank you,” she mumbled.

“That’s good. So, I’m going to be taking your statement about the events that happened tonight. Can I get you anything before we start, a coke…cigarette?”

“I don’t smoke, thank you,” Jada said in her soft, timid voice. “A coke would be fine, though.”

“Okay, one coke coming right up. While I’m gone, I want you to go ahead and start writing your statement about what happened,” Sgt. Smith said, pushing the notepad and pen in Jada’s direction. “Just be as honest and accurate as you can, okay?” she said before leaving the room.

Jada nodded her head as she reached for the pen and pad. Her mind was a big jumble of mess. She didn’t want to remember anything about the events that had taken place tonight, but in order to move on, she had to. Tears burned her tired eyes, as she began to write. She was a few paragraphs in, when Sgt. Smith re-entered the room, a cup of ice and a can of Coke in her hands.

“Looks like you’ve gotten quite a bit written down there,” she said reaching for the pad to read over what Jada had written so far, as Jada opened the can of soda, poured it over the ice, and took a long drink. She had lied to herself and said that she was going to try to kick her soda habit, but she welcomed the subtle bitterness of the caffeine at that moment.

“Okay, I’ll give you a break from writing. Why don’t we start with the verbal statement. I’ll be recording our conversation for legal purposes, okay?” Sgt. Smith said.

Jada shook her head yes.

“Before we start, would you like a lawyer present?”

“Am I under arrest?” Jada asked in alarm. She was under the impression that she’d only been asked to come to the station to give her account about what all had happened tonight.

“No, you’re not. I was just giving you the option,” Sgt. Smith said with a warm smile on her face. 

“Then no ma’am, I don’t need a lawyer,” Jada said.

“Okay, then.” Sgt. Smith pressed a button on the top of the recorder. “Why don’t you just start from the beginning. How did you come to know Mr. Brice Sullivan?”

“Umm, I met him a few weeks ago at a car wash,” Jada said. She shivered as Brice’s face flashed in her mind. If she knew then, all that she knew now about Brice, she would never had given him a second glance, let alone go out with him. 

“And had you ever saw him before that day?”

“No, never,” Jada said nervously. The woman sitting across from her wasn’t being harsh, like most police usually are, but she was still intimidating. 

“I see. So were you two in a relationship or…”

“No,” Jada interrupted her. “We were never in a relationship…not like that.”

“Are you saying that your relationship was purely sexual?”

“Yes, I mean, no. I-I went out with him once, then we went back to my place afterwards; but it was only once. We kissed and fooled around a little, but we didn’t have sex. I’d told him from the beginning that I wasn’t looking for anything serious with him; that I’d just wanted to get back at my boyfriend for cheating on me. I thought Brice understood that.”

Jada poured the remainder of her coke into her glass and drank it, before she explained the rest of her complicated relationship with Brice to Sgt. Smith… 

The Fresh Prince Reboot: A good idea, or should Hollywood leave the old shows alone?

...In west Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground was where I spent most of my days,
Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool, and shootin' some b-ball outside of the school,
When a couple of guys who were up to no good, started making trouble in my neighborhood,
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared, she said "'You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air."... (yes, I sang that as I was typing it) 

It's funny that I can remember the words to the theme song of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, but I can barely remember my kids ages, sometimes. This 90's sitcom is one of my all-time favorites, and I still watch re-runs on Nick At Night and on MTV regularly. It's one of those shows that immediately reminds me of my glorious, carefree teenage years, when life was simple and fun, and I didn't have any real responsibilities. So, when I heard about a possible reboot of the show, I got a little happy. But, the tv industry hasn't done very well with trying to reboot old tv shows in the past. Via Vibe.com: According to TVLine, Fresh Prince 2.0 is in the very early development stages and Will Smith, star of the hit ’90s sitcom, and his Overbrook Entertainment production house are said to be on-board. Smith will reportedly hold down executive producer duties alongside Overbrook producing partners James Lassiter, Caleeb Pinkett and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

I'm really trying to imagine what possible storyline they could go with if this does happen. Has Will finally gotten married? Is Hillary still shallow, self-absorbed, and not the brightest crayon in the box? Did Jeffery go back to London or does he still have to cut Carlton's meat for him? Did Ashley ever get her singing career going, because once I found out that Make Up Your Mind was a real song, recorded by Tatyana Ali, I downloaded it on my mp3 and still get my jam on, to this day (don't judge me), and what's little Nicky up to now? It's kind of hard to imagine the show without James Avery - a*k*a* Uncle Phil- who passed away in 2013. And after Janet Hubert- the original Aunt Viv- was let go, the mom's storyline got a little weak; I just wasn't feeling Daphne Maxwell Reid...she really brought nothing to the show, and isn't as memorable as Janet- if only she didn't hate Will Smith with every inch of her being, still, after over 20 years have gone by.  

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens... 

Back to school shopping: A cheap parents worst nightmare.

If you're like me, the words back to school shopping terrifies you...especially if your children are teenagers. Back to school shopping has become more expensive than Christmas shopping. Lord, these kids act like that first week of school is like going to New York Fashion Week. Everybody is trying to outdo everybody else, so they simply must have the hottest clothes, shoes, cell phones, weaves, and everything else kids act like they have to have, these days...things that our parents didn't care two cents about buying for us. My very oldschool grandparents raised me from birth, so there wasn't really a lot of going out and buying the latest fashions to wear to school- unless you count going to consignment shops and/or garage sales to look through someone else's hand-me-down's as shopping. We got school supplies, maybe a new pair of inexpensive but functional, horribly ugly shoes (and that was only if you couldn't fit your older sibling's shoes that they had outgrown) and we were sent out the door. They truly were those parents who would say, "I'm sending you to school to learn, not to look good." 

Well, times have changed, and even though I'm cheap as hell when it comes to shopping for myself, I'm so happy to be sending my kids back to school after three long months of summer, I didn't mind damn near going broke, this time. My 16 year old son and 11 (going on 30) year old daughter have spent nearly the whole summer arguing over everything from who holds the remote, to who sits on which end of the same couch (and one doesn't want the other one to touch them in any way), to trying to outdo each other in almost everything, including cartwheels and splits in my living room. My 11 year old usually won at occupying the remote, which meant we were subjected to watching the Disney Channel EVERYDAY, ALL DAY, since May. If I hear the freaking theme songs to Victorious, iCarly, and that damn Jessie one more time, I'm going to go crazier than my husband already thinks I am. My son is no better, because even though he's 16, he never got over his love of Spongebob; so whenever he managed to get his hands on the remote, this was his go-to tv show. Spongebob is the equivalent to nails on a chalkboard, and literally makes me want to kill whoever created the show and lends his or her voice to Spongebob's character. I spent most of the summer in my bedroom, trying to drown out the sounds of torture from those irritating voices.

Yep, when I look at what I've been subjected to this summer, I couldn't wait to go back to school shopping this time. I felt so good at knowing that they'll be out of my hair for about 7 hours each day, that I happily spent nearly $130.00 on a pair of sneakers for my son, alone. Normally, I would ask him if he's crazy to even think of picking up a pair of shoes that cost that much; but as the meme said, I simply smiled and said, "Sure...you can get them". I didn't even care. I think he was just as shocked to be getting those shoes as I was at telling him that he could, as he watched me  happily count the money out to the cashier. It's just money...we can't take it with us, right? I just wanna break out in a happy dance, and once they get on that school bus Monday morning, I probably will. Patiently counting down the days...

#BackToSchool #Shopping  

Janet is back with the No Sleep video...

Janet Jackson is back, y'all! A few weeks ago, she released the audio version of her latest hit, No Sleep, and I quickly went to Amazon and bought it to add to my mp3 collection. A few days later, the version with J. Cole came out. And nowww, the video has been released. I love me some Janet, but I am a little disappointed with the video. And this is just my opinion, people- I'm allowed to have one of those, just as you are. If you love it, more power to you. Janet is beautiful, as always, and she still has that gorgeous smile; but this song suggests that she can't wait to meet up with her lover, so they can make love until the wee hours of the morning, hence the lyrics:

48 hours in love

It oughta be a weekend marathon

So you better get ready, my king

Cause I'ma be the queen of insomnia

Stay wide awake

For every moment we spend together

Cause every second you're awake

Feels like forever

You're missing me

I'm missing you

Wherever we meet, we ain't gonna get no sleep

You came to me to get back with you

Cause we are complete, we ain't gonna get no sleep...

However, for me, the video doesn't match the lyrics. I know she's older now and married, but where's the sexiness. At one point, she shows a picture of her with her dad- the infamous Joe Jackson- which, while adorable, it confuses me as to how that ties into the video. Then, just as I'm getting into the groove of this sensual, sexy song, J. Cole ruins it for me. I am one of those people who doesn't think every song needs a rap verse added to make it hot. The song was perfectly fine without him. 

I guess I shouldn't have expected too much, seeing as how Janet- who was honored with the Ultimate Icon Award and a dance tribute performed by Ciara, Tinashe and Jason Derulo at the BET Awards back in June- had everybody watching that long, drawn out, overrated awards show, in hopes of seeing her tear the stage up; but to our utter disappointment, she came out,announced her Unbreakable World Tour, got her award, and left...sans a performance. I'm not saying she needs to try to compete with the younger artists out there, because none of them have anything on her; I just hoped she would give me some of that old Janet vibe from back in the 90's. I'm talking about that Anytime, Anyplace, That's The Way Love Goes, type of video- sexy without being trashy. Regardless, this is my jam, and I keep it on repeat...without J. Cole completely ruining my vibe. And I wish somebody would tell him to comb his damn hair!!! What is with the boys and men these days walking around with their hair all over their heads? Anyway, watch the video for No Sleep, below. #JanetJackson #NoSleep 

#MagSwag My WCW (and every other day) Serena Williams on the cover of New York magazine

I really don't need a reason to gush over my woman crush, Serena Williams, but this split pose she's doing on uneven bars for the photo shoot for the cover of New York magazine, just makes me stare in amazement. I can't do splits on the floor, let alone on uneven bars. I'm a straight woman...I'm not down with kissing girls, and all that; but, if I were going to swing over to the other side, Serena would be my ideal woman. Not only does she have abs for days, some women are literally dying after spending thousands of dollars on illegal butt injections, trying to get a booty like hers. And it's not just her physical appearance that has most of the world mesmerized. In case you've been living under a rock for the last decade or so, 'Serena Williams is the best women’s tennis player in the world, breezing through one of the best seasons of her life. Should she win the U.S. Open next month, she will have swept all four grand slams in a calendar year.' *  

(*This article appears in the August 10, 2015 issue of New York Magazine.)

The haters- i.e. conservative white folks and opponents who can't beat her- love to rag on her for looking like and being built like a man. Funny, because many men these days are breaking their piggy banks, trying to look like Serena. Ironically, in 2012, Danish tennis player, Caroline Wozniacki  appeared on court during a match, doing an impersonation of Williams, by padding her skirt and shirt, trying to imitate Serena. If she's supposed to be so manly, then what was the point in this racist so-called joke, which many people felt was in poor taste. Serena did as black folks are always expected to do when we're mocked, called racist names, and treated in a disrespectful manner- she laughed it off, made her own jokes about the issue, then let it go. Which clearly goes to show she has more class in her pinky finger, than Wozniacki and all the others who thought it was so hilarious, have in their entire bodies. 

Serena seems to be taking the high road to all the criticism she gets in regards to her curvaceous body, by beating the brakes off her opponents on the tennis court. People fear what they can't understand and when they can't beat you, they find another way to try to tear you down. But my girl, Serena, has no worries. Eat your heart out, haters. 

#WCW #SerenaWilliams 

Season 2 of Empire is right around the corner..and I can't wait.

Like most people, I have been going through Empire withdrawals over the last couple of months. Wednesday nights just haven't been the same without seeing Cookie, Lucious, Boo Boo Kitty, and the gang. But, we don't have to wait much longer to see the hit show, which premiered on FOX last season, because season 2 is set to return on September 23rd...still too damn far away, but it's within arms reach. 

FOX Network was smart...at least where Empire is concerned. They knew they would have a hit on their hands with this show, from the writer, co-creator, director and producer, Lee Daniels, to the cast. Taraji and Terrence have an undeniable, sexy onscreen chemistry...like, you just can't help but wonder if they've gotten their freak on at some point in real life. And the rest of the cast- while they may have been unknown at the beginning- have proven themselves to be able to handle their own, as well. I see a lot of people on social media talk about how Power is a much better show, but a lot of people don't get the chance to watch and see for themselves, because everyone doesn't have Starz, which is why the show- produced by Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson - has not been acknowledged as much, and met with the same positive reception that Empire has. 

I just hope that now that Empire has become such a big hit- which means everybody and their mama wants to be a part of this hit tv drama- that the original storyline doesn't get overshadowed by all of the celebrities slated to make cameos on the next season. So far, Marisa Tomei, Pitbull, Mariah Carey, Chris Rock Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Ludacris, and Adam Rodriguez, are just some of the stars expected to make appearances on the show next season. 

Watch the trailer for season 2 below.

Just a friendly F.Y.I.: You should never walk up to a married woman and start telling her things about her husband that he hasn't told her...especially if she doesn't know you from Eve!

I realize that times have changed a lot since I was young, but no matter how much things change, there is one thing that should remain the same, especially when a married man/woman is involved- RESPECT! I know all about the side-chick revolution, where some women proudly proclaim to be a married man's chick on the side; and due to shows like Scandal, Being Mary Jane, Love & Hip Hop, and some of these other reality shows, single women have gotten real bold in thinking they can come at a married woman about her husband any type of way. Well, all I have to say to that is...don't let those tv shows have you on the negative end of an episode of Snapped. In the real world, not too many married women are going to turn the other cheek. If you're not sleeping with her husband, and genuinely are just trying to have conversation, please make that known ahead of time.

It was a similar incident I had the other day, which is the reason for this post. I was at work- and pretty much everybody knows I really hate my job, but not too many people love their job, right. Anyway, this girl (I didn't -and still don't- have a clue as to who she is) came up to the window with a stack of lottery tickets, wanting them all repeated. That's irritating enough, not to mention that it takes a minute, and a line of other customers was standing behind her. 

So, I start running the tickets through the machine, and she immediately starts a conversation that went something like this: "You tell your husband I said he's slacking." Of course, that made me pause for a second and actually take a look at her, then. She goes on talking. "We all are supposed to be going out and kicking it, but he's never got time, or he's always working," or something like that. Now, I'm really looking at her like, 'Who the hell are you?,' while at the same time thinking, my husband certainly hasn't mentioned to me he's supposed to be hanging out with some other chick. Maybe it was my silence that made her pause, or maybe she'd saw the look that said, 'This heifer is about to get on my nerves,' that I was trying to disguise; but something happened that made her feel the need to finally mention to me that she's also married, that her husband knows my husband, and they were classmates. Whatever. I silently breathed a sigh of relief, not because what I had initially thought she was talking about was wrong, but because I wouldn't end up needing bail money that night, after all. Like I said, females are real bold these days, and some of them wouldn't think twice about walking up to a woman and telling her to her face that she's sleeping with her husband. 

I realize that in the south especially, people feel like if they know your spouse, then they know you; but, yeah, I'm not that chick. Instead of her walking up to me and immediately telling me that she's supposed to be hanging out with my husband (she later changed it to WE all were supposed to hang out), and because I had no idea who she was- and still don't know, so how was I supposed to know I was included in the WE- she should have introduced herself first, or something; because her approach almost made me show her the bad side of being quiet and a Virgo. I've always heard 'you don't ever want to piss the quiet one's off '...and a quiet Virgo is even worse.

There is a way to approach someone about their spouse, and that certainly wasn't the right way for her to approach me, which is what I told my husband...because that's a good way to catch a beat down. His response was, "That's just her...she's always been that way...she likes to talk, and she felt that because she knows me, she knows you." I let it ride with an "Mmm hmm," but we both know that if the situation was reversed, and some strange man walked up to him and started telling him to tell his wife that she's slipping, and they were supposed to be hanging out, he'd be ready to go to jail. It's a matter of respect, plain and simple. I'm going to go out on a limb and say she probably didn't mean anything by it, but just a friendly F.Y.I., please step to a married man/woman correct about their spouse. If y'all are friends or cool with each other, that's one thing; but to walk up to someone you don't know personally...you might wanna choose words wisely. These days, people react first, and think later..when it's much too late. I.J.S. 

MagSwag: The lovely, talented Misty Copeland graces the latest issue of Essence Magazine

The September issue of Essence magazine features Misty Copeland - the first Black woman to perform the lead in Swan Lake for the American Ballet Theatre, and then days later becoming the first Black woman to be promoted to principal ballerina in the ABT's 75-year history. 

"I can't believe my life right now," she told cover story writer (and friend) Julee Wilson Wareham.

Black women are always getting a bad rap, especially when being compared to our white counterparts. We're often held up to the white folks standards of beauty and success, accused of being  'angry black women' when we demand respect, and often made to feel like we could never accomplish something as important and monumental as performing the lead role in ballet.

When I was a child, I loved watching ballet and gymnastics, and anything that had to do with dance. But the one thing I noticed was that there weren't many ballerinas or gymnasts who looked like me. I grew up with the notion that all ballerinas were white, because that's what was mainly shown on tv. Yeah, we may have been in the background performing minor, less important roles- as black women are in every other aspect of life- but we weren't praised, talked about, and respected like the white dancers.

"I'm going to continue to be who I am and my experiences as a Black woman have made me who I am," says Copeland. "All of a sudden now that I am in this position, I'm not going to say 'I'm just a dancer.' It's a huge deal because I'm a Black woman. That's why it's a big deal."

Also in this months issue, there is a very important- and much need to be discussed- article about black women and police brutality. We often hear about black men being killed by police- sadly, way more often than we should; but the fact that at least 5 black women (including 28-year old Sandra Bland and 18-year old Kindra Chapman) were killed while in police custody in the month of July 2015 alone, is definitely a subject that needs to be addressed. The police will have us to believe that these women all killed themselves while in jail, but I for one, am not buying it. 

Pick up the September issue of ESSENCE on newsstands 

August 14th.

Dear Waitress: I'm really not rude, I'm just real picky about paying my hard earned coins on subpar food/customer service.

So, my hubby's homeboy came over to get a haircut. Some how or another, my kitchen also serves as his barbershop, but whatever. So while he was cutting his homies hair, they started talking about any and everything, as they always do. Tonight, they got on the subject of going out to eat. I was watching something on tv, while simultaneously playing referee to my son and daughter, when I heard my husband say my name in his conversation. For some reason, he'd decided to bring up old ish, and tell his homie about an incident we had at Applebee's one time, where the customer service was really bad...so bad, that I left the restaurant without touching my food or drink. Of course, my husband was trying to make me look like I just got an attitude for no reason, but I told him if he's going to tell the story, then tell it right. So, here's what really happened:

A year or so ago, we went out to dinner. It was our anniversary, and it was on a Wednesday (that's not important, I just remember what day it was) So anyway, we have only been to Applebee's to eat twice in the 8 years we've been together- that time being the second and last time. We get in the restaurant, and the hostess (a black girl) shows us to our table- so far, so good. So, once we're seated, our waitress comes over with menus to take our drink orders. She's a white girl, and she seemed cool...at first. I ordered a sweet tea, and my husband got water like he always does when we go out, because he usually ends up ordering a few Corona's at some point. So, while she's gone to get our drinks, we're looking over the menu trying to decide what we want. I had seen some surf-n-turf type dish on Applebee's Facebook page earlier that day that I wanted to try, and my husband- who always makes his order more complicated than it has to be- wanted a couple of different things off the menu. 

The waitress comes back with our drinks and asks if we're ready to order. I am, but as always, my old man is still undecided. He finally tells her what he wants. I think I wanted to order an appetizer as well. So, the waitress starts telling us what we should order, instead of what we asked for. She was trying to tell us we should order some appetizer platter, which had items on it neither of us wanted, which is what I told her. She got a little snooty with me and said, "Well, it's cheaper..that's all I'm trying to say."

Okay, first of all, I didn't ask her what was cheaper. If I couldn't afford to come out to eat, I would have stayed home and cooked (which is what I should have done). It wasn't so much what she said,it was that little attitude she had when she said it. On this particular day, Aunt Flo had decided to pop in for a visit, so her little attitude only caused me to get one in return. I told her, I didn't ask her what the food costs, I told her what I would like to have. She didn't say, "Whatever," but I read it all over her face as she turned around and walked away with her nose up. Okay, so before I go further, let me back up. When she came to take our orders, I'd told her the sweet tea wasn't sweet at all...as a matter of fact, it tasted like they forgot to add the sugar, so I'd asked if I could have a coke, instead. In the south, when we say sweet tea, it should taste like they poured a whole bag of sugar in it. After she got all snooty with me over my order and walked away, she had the girl who had been the hostess bring me the coke to replace the tea. Obviously, she had told her what happened, because the black chick walks over with the Coke, slams it down on the table a little harder than was necessary, and walked off without saying a word.

Okay, ladies...men might pretend not to notice shade being thrown around- like my husband did- but I peeped it. And there was no way in HELL I was going to take a sip of that Coke. Who knows what they could have done. I've been a waitress before, and I know how some people who work in restaurants can get when they have a customer they don't care for. Nope, they weren't gonna get me...not that day. Not only did I not want the drink, I didn't even want the food I'd ordered. The little snooty waitress and the hostess had both left a bad taste in my mouth. And even though my husband was trying to tell his homie that I was just going off for the sake of going off, I really was trying to keep my cool...so I wouldn't go off. By that time, I really just wanted to leave, but I looked up and here comes the waitress bringing our food to the table. I told her- as nicely as I could- that I wouldn't be eating the food, after all, and that she could take it back to the kitchen. I never touched my food or drink. 

She must have really gotten in her feelings then, because she said something like, "I really don't know what your problem is, I was only trying to help you earlier," but she got a little louder with me than I cared for. I took another deep breath, and told her AGAIN that I didn't want the food and that she could take it back. Let me add that while this is going on, my husband- who I call Mikey because he'll eat ANYTHING- was already chowing down on his food...and probably trying to stay out of it. She gave me the 'whatever' look again, and went got her manager. He came over to try to diffuse the situation, and I will say that he was very nice. I told him what had happened and explained that while she may have been trying to be nice, I know what I wanted to eat, and rather than she bring me what I asked for, she got all huffy because I didn't order what she THOUGHT I should have ordered, instead. He apologized and not only did he tell me to take the food for free, he gave Mickey his food for free too. And after all that, I still never ate the food, although I think Mickey did. We left there and went to Chili's Bar & Grill- our usual place- and I ordered my usual meal. The white girl who was my waitress there was very nice, and didn't have a shitty attitude- and I was equally as nice to her. I left her the tip that 'lil Ms. Thang back at Applebee's would have gotten.

Now, what I was trying to explain to my husband and his homie is this: It's expensive as hell eating out these days. But it seems that the higher the price of take-out, fast food, and dining out, the worse the quality of the food and service is getting. If I'm going to a restaurant to spend my hard-earned coins, I would like to have what I want to eat, since I'm the one paying for it. The rude waitress' argument was that by buying that damn platter she kept trying to sell me, I would save a few dollars than I would if I ordered things separately. Okay, I got that. But, there were several items on that platter that neither me nor my husband would have eaten. It would have been thrown away- or whatever they do with uneaten food- and we still would have wasted food and money. The money wasn't coming out of her pockets either way, so I really didn't know why she got so pissed off about what I was spending my money on. 

In hindsight, I realize that Aunt Flo's unexpected visit may have had a lot more to do with my attitude than that little girl did, and maybe she just caught me on the wrong day. As I told my snitching husband, I'm always nice in restaurants, because I know waitressing can be hell, sometimes. Leave it to him to bring up another incident at another restaurant where I was a little...less than nice; but luckily, I had my kiddos to back me up on that one, because they were there with us that time and even my son was like, "Yeah, that place was just bad."  "And the food was nasty,"  my daughter chimed in. Again, I have acknowledged that I can be a witch...sometimes; but I've rarely have bad experiences in restaurants. Other than these two minor incidents, we've always had nice waiters & waitresses and food. And I'm a foodie and a fatty, so I get real picky about my food. Like, I will be ready to cry if I order something and it's not right. But I, like most people, are tired of subpar customer service, especially when dining out. I guess next time, I'll keep my ass at home and cook. Mickey would love that, because while I might be picky and a little rude, he's cheap and cooking at home is so much cheaper. And I can stop embarrassing him in public! 

National Book Lovers Day 2015

As if I needed another reason to celebrate my love of books, 

Book Lovers Day is a National holiday. Who knew? I'll admit, I didn't until today; but now that I know, I will definitely be celebrating by kicking my feet up, grabbing a snack, and indulging in a good book today. I'm supposed to be working on my current WIP, but reading just sounds like so much more fun.

If you don't have one already, head over to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or whatever your favorite site to buy books, and support and author today by purchasing and reading a book today. Oh, and don't forget to leave a review when you're done. Happy Reading! 

Book Review: Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal

My love and obsession with the Sweet Valley Twins Series started when I was in middle school, and continued until I was in high school. Nostalgia kicks in everytime I think about how I used to love laying across my bed, the radio on, reading about Liz & Jess and their crazy escapades, while eating a bowl of ice cream. Those were truly some of the best times of my life, and if I could go back to being a carefree, sixth grade student, I would....maybe for a little while. So, coming across this series, which fast forwards to the twins in their 30's, made me happy as hell....

Blurb:

What terrible secret has torn Jessica and Elizabeth apart?

Ten years after Sweet Valley High, the Wakefield twins have had a falling out of epic proportions. When Jessica commits a complete and utter betrayal, Elizabeth flees to New York to escape the pain. Jessica remains in California, dealing with the fallout of her heart-wrenching choices. But with Elizabeth as her enemy, Sweet Valley is no longer the idyllic town of their youth.

Elizabeth soon decides the only way to heal her broken heart is to get revenge for Jessica’s duplicity. Always the “good” twin, Elizabeth about to turn the tables…

Francine Pascal finally unfolds the continuing story of Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield—and the whole gang from Sweet Valley—that will delight and surprise the millions of fans of these beloved characters.

Review:

I picked up my first Sweet Valley book when I was in 6th grade. It was Book 3 in the series: The Haunted House. These quickly became my favorite books. Now, I'm almost 37, I was happy to find that books had been written about the twins now in their 30's. Disappointed doesn't begin to describe how I felt while reading. I have never been so bored while reading any book...like, EVER! And speaking of the word 'like', I don't care if I never see that word again. Jessica's valley girl talk, with all the, "I so hated that," and "Like, Oh my God...I can't believe she totally said that," irked my soul and I gave myself a headache from rolling my eyes so much. I know they're supposed to be adults now, but she still speaks as if she's a kid. From the first page, it was clear what big thing had happened that caused Liz to run off to New York, vowing never to speak to Jess and Todd again, but while we kept getting flashbacks leading up to it, we didn't get the whole story until around 65% of the book..and even then, it was tame compared to how I had been imagining Liz would find out about Jess and Todd's secret. 

I pride myself on speaking proper English and being a spelling whiz, but even I had a hard time trying to pronounce and comprehend the meaning of all the big words the author used. I found myself skipping over a lot of Liz's dialogue when she was in New York and all that was happening with the theater, because it was just boring...but I suppose she had to have something to do while she was there, avoiding her family back home. I don't like to leave bad reviews, and normally if I can't rate at least 3 stars, I won't...in an attempt not to be rude just for the sake of being rude...like some reader's love to do. But seeing as how instant nostalgia kicked in when I came across this and the excitement I felt to be reading Sweet Valley again, only to be let down, I couldn't let this one ride. I forced myself to finish this book, only because I hate starting things and not finishing; but I feel absolutely nothing now that I'm done...other than relief that it's over. I have the first 3 books that followed this one, but I highly doubt I'll read them after this. I rarely ever base my decision to read or not read a book based on other customer reviews, because as an author myself, I know that some of those reviews- both good and bad- are mostly baised, and could be from people who just don't care for the author personally; but this is one time I should have paid attention to the fact that on both Amazon & Goodreads, this book struggled to get 3 stars, even with hundreds of reviewers. 

As with movies and tv shows that Hollywood keep trying to remake and recreate, Francine Pascal should have left this series alone, because this was bad...really bad. That is all!

Rating: