The Legacies

(Author Michelle Larks)

About the author

Michelle Larks is an Illinoisan native. She was born and raised in the Windy city, Chicago, and currently resides in a western suburb. Michelle was educated in the Chicago public school system and attended the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Michelle has released four books since 2003. The titles include A Myriad of Emotions, Crisis Mode, Mirrored Images in e-book format and Who's Your Daddy. Michelle contributed to two anthologies, Blended Families and The Midnight Clear. Urban Christian Books released Michelle's latest book, titled Keeping Misery Company on October 30, 2007. Her second book with Urban Christian titled The Legacies will be released in July of 2008.





About the book

The Legacies unfolds with Chicago teens, Morgan Foster, and Noah Stevens about to embark on their first year of college in downstate Illinois. Both are trying to escape their family legacies.

Morgan has led a life of luxury, and the heiress is poised to take the reins of the family's illegal pharmaceutical business. Noah's father is optimistic that his son will join him in the pulpit. Noah and Morgan hope to become anonymous faces in the crowd. Cupid shots an arrow through the young couple's heart and they soon fall in love.

In the twinkling of an eye, four years have elapsed and it's time for Noah and Morgan to face the music. But, as their parents discovers the hard way, ala Murphy's Law, that life doesn't always go as planned.

Noah's mother perishes in a terrible automobile accident, forcing the young man to make a deathbed promise. Morgan's mother finds herself on trial after the Feds through a terrible betrayal make a strong case against the elder Daniel's woman, which climaxes in a sensational murder trial.

Family drama, greed, feuds, power plays, teem in the tale of The Legacies and most of all tell the readers how God sends angels our way to help aid us through the trials and tribulations of life.

More about Michelle Larks:
www.MichelleLarks.com

Positively Positive

(Author Bhatupe Mhango)

About the author
Bhatupe has a background in political education, gender mainstreaming and HIV management. She has worked with a number of international organizations, including UNDP and the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

In her home country, Malawi, Bhatupe was involved in the networking and management of various social groups at national level and served as the Chairperson for the Young Women Leaders` Network and as Vice President for Public Relations for the Lilongwe Toastmasters Club.

She also served, by presidential appointment, on the board of the Malawi Institute of Management. In 2004 she produced a personal documentary of her experience of living with HIV titled Open Up that was disseminated both nationally and internationally for the use of youth empowerment programs in the area of HIV.

In 2005 she founded a women`s non-governmental organization called The Crisis Center which offers telephone counseling services to local women. Today, Bhatupe is a competent Toastmaster and is currently working as the 1st International Coordinator of UN Plus, an advocacy initiative within the United Nations, based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Positively Positive, a devotional on overcoming the challenges of living with HIV for young, Christian women (Kachere Series, 2006) is Bhatupe`s first publication. She has knowingly been living with HIV for 7 years now and is now working on her first novel, ``To all my sisters``, due end 2009.




About the book

Positively Positive is Bhatupe`s first book. It is a devotional written for the reader`s use over a period of one month. It delves into complicated issues of self-esteem and personal motivation. It asks difficult questions about purpose and drive and prompts the reader into developing a life-plan and a renewal of mindset on sensitive issues, such as those posed by HIV and AIDS.


The author can be contacted at:
watupe@yahoo.com

Raise the Red Teddy

Kobina Wright

About the author

Kobina Wright is many things, including the creator of the Hodaoa-Anibo language, but a by-stander, she is not! Whether you see her as a genius or something else, her work is sure to leave an impression on you.

Wright is a second generation Southern California native and attended the University of Georgia for two years before transferring to California State University, Fullerton, where she earned her BA in journalism, minoring in Afro-Ethnic Studies.

Performing on stage since the age of 5, Wright took to the arts of acting, singing and dancing early in her childhood and by the time she reached her mid-teens, she began taking her painting seriously. A portion of her painting titled "Dissonance" can be found on the cover of the first printing of second book titled "Growth Spurt." In her teens Wright also began studying choreography and in her third year of high school, co-founded the dance group "Ten Rows of Beans." Also in this year, with the help of her mother, Ernesta Wright, published her first book, a volume of poetry titled "Oh Yeah!" to help offset the cost of college expenses.

While attending the University of Georgia, Wright joined and performed with the dance group Pamoja. In Georgia, she had the opportunity to study modern dance and four years later, while attending California State University, Fullerton, founded the Likizo Dance Troupe, which performed for two years throughout Southern California, from Hollywood to San Diego. After graduating from CSUF, Wright published her second volume of poetry, " Growth Spurt" and worked as an assistant editor at Entrepreneur Press.

Pursuing her passion for acting, Wright attended the Gloria Gifford Conservatory for the Performing Arts for two years where she discovered that her training in acting made her a better writer. At the GGC, Wright performed scenes from plays such as "Laundry and Bourbon;" "The Dreamer Examines His Pillow;" "Cheaters;" and "Savage in Limbo." She also directed a reading of scenes from her screenplay titled, "Snapped Back." Her experience at the GGC was instrumental in preparing her for her roles in movies such as "Sunday Morning Stripper;" "Messed in the Head;" and her notable performance in the horror film, "Dark Town." Other stage productions include "Soon As I Get Home;" "The Storm is Over;" "Teachers are Human Too;" and "The Little Red Hen."

Wright has written for publications such as LACMA Magazine, The Daily Titan, and CYH Magazine. In 2004 she wrote her third volume of poetry titled, "Say It! Say Gen-o-cide!!" dedicated to the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. In 2003 Wright created the Hodaoa-Anibo language and in 2004 published the first edition Hodaoa-Anibo Dictionary.

"I've been told so many times to just pick one or two things and concentrate on being good at that, but I've started out with one" then two" then three " then four" now how can I go back to one? In my world, I get to do everything, or almost everything I want to do. It may slow my pace of progress a little, but it lays a good foundation for inspiration in all my artistic interests." Kobina says.



About the book

There are so many single mothers around making
the same dating mistakes over and over and over
again. So why are there no warning signs? Your
children may not come with a handbook, but a single
mother sure would benefit from some tried and true
guidelines.

Raise the Red Teddy explores the some
of the pitfalls of dating that non-mothers don't have
to take into account. It's a whole different world to
consider from when you should allow your children to
meet Mommy's new "friend" to dealing with their
rejection of your new beau.


More about Kobina Wright:
www.dramaticpause.net

The Ultimate Plan

(Author Nicole B. Simpson)

About the author

Elder Nicole B. Simpson is the host of "The Power of Gospel Radio Show" that airs each week on Wednesday afternoons and Sunday evenings. As the host of "The Power of Gospel" she is honored and excited when a visionary comes along with a life changing message for the world.

God has given her that same type of message through her new release "The Ultimate Plan" because she has weathered the storms in her life and grasped the opportunity that presented itself during her wilderness season by moving into ministry full time, opening her own financial planning firm (Harvest Wealth Financial) and promoting economic empowerment in the penal system, throughout the body of Christ and at schools/organizations across America.

Society has encountered natural disasters too numerous to count, untimely and unfortunate shootings across America, and major layoffs for any employees working in the corporate and manufacturing sector-clearly we must have a plan of action in place to deal with these issues. The book "The Ultimate Plan" is a faith based financial planning book that helps us to protect ourselves from events in life that will naturally occur. Elder Simpson believes that opportunity presents itself in the midst of every storm. The question becomes, can you recognize it? How do you handle the crisis in your life?



About the book

Opportunity presents itself in the midst of the storm! Even with the best laid out plans, life happens. People die, people lose jobs, people separate, people start over, and sometimes people lose everything.

What separates survivors is the belief that in spite of tragedy, one can survive the pressures of life. Having a life plan is critical. This workshop will teach people how to take the necessary steps to ensure financial stability during the different seasons, giving them greatest opportunity to move forward in life.

Selling the Fantasy

(Author Stacey L. Ford)

About the author

Stacey L. Ford became a novelist by chance. After numerous talks with her girlfriends about the lack of available, single, quality men, Stacey and her friends jokingly had conversations about their perceived options as single Black women between the ages of thirty-five and forty-five: lesbianism, celibacy or polyamory (multiple partner relationships).

"None of these were viable options for me and my girlfriends, but the idea of man-sharing sure did stimulate a hot topic of discussion,"she says. The result was a manuscript titled, Selling the Fantasy, Stacey created to start a buzz about another alternative lifestyle starting to surface in African American communities.

"Black people are testing out so many different lifestyles five or ten years ago would have been considered taboo, such as bisexuality, swinging and polyamory. The idea of two women sharing one man, unfortunately, is not a new concept, but with poly relationships at least women can make the conscious decision if they want to participate, rather than finding out about the other woman across town,"she says.

Selling the Fantasy allows readers to peer into the life of a typical, single, Black woman and the tough decisions she must make if she wants to have the man of her dreams. It also compels women to contemplate the question, "Could I live this lifestyle if done correctly?"Stacey describes the novel as a compelling mixture of humor, romance, erotica and betrayal.

Stacey is a native of Oakland, California. She received her bachelor's degree in sociology from UCLA and an MBA in marketing from California State University, East Bay. She is a member of the National Black MBA Association and currently lives in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area with her son. She is presently hard at work on her next novel.

About the book

WHAT WOULD YOU SACRIFICE TO HAVE THE MAN OF YOUR DREAMS?

Would you...
Isolate yourself from family and friends?
Abandon your child?
Engage in a polyamory (multiple partner) relationship with your man and another woman?

Lisa Johnson appears to have it all. She is smart, attractive, has a successful career and could have any man she wants. Life is good for her, right? Wrong! Lisa consistently chooses men who bring heartache and drama to a relationship because of their exceptional good looks and ability to deceive women. Lisa's personal life undergoes an unexpected change when she meets the man of her dreams, who turns her entire world upside down.

Kenneth Maxwell is a hot new comedian who is suave and debonair, but also a master of manipulation. As Kenneth's power, fortune and fame continue to flourish, so does his desire to persuade two women to enter into a poly relationship. Kenneth gets his wish by successfully enticing beautiful, executive chef, Cassandra Russell, to commit her entire existence to him and his lifestyle and he sells Lisa the fantasy of a life filled with luxury, wealth and romance if she chooses to make three "small"sacrifices.

Lisa, Kenneth and Cassandra begin their journey together by sharing intimate moments and unspeakable sexual adventures. The thrilling ride comes to a screeching halt when one of Lisa's friends executes a plan to demolish Kenneth's career and sabotage their romance.

Selling the Fantasy is an erotic and emotional roller coaster you will definitely want to ride and not get off.

More about Stacey L. Ford:
www.StaceyLFord.com

Deutschland Black & White

Deutschland Black & White

(Author Noah Sow, Germany)


About the author

Noah Sow, born and raised in Bavaria, has been working in radio since she turned eighteen. She became known mainly as a radio host in personality shows on WDR Einslive, HR3, Radio Fritz, and YouFm, as well as through numerous TV activities.

Noah Sow has been living in Hamburg since 1998. This multi-talented musician, voice artist, radio playwright, author, and producer has made a name for herself as a composer and singer. She is internationally active on rock music stages with her band Noah Sow & Das Heimlich Maneuver (www.myspace.com/noahso), with many of her songs dealing with political issues.

It was never a question for Noah Sow to look away and ignore grievances. In 2001 she initiated the founding of the association der braune mob e.V., the first antiracist German mediawatch organization (www.derbraunemob.de), whose goals she is actively committed to as chairperson.

Her Book Deutschland Black & White is based on her extensive experiences as an anti-racism activist

About the book

Non-Germans may be surprised to learn about the existence of numerous Black Germans (Schwarze Deutsche) who have always been here. Even the most cautious estimates say that there are far more than 1,000,000 Blacks currently living in Germany, most of whom are German citizens. This makes up more than one percent of the country's population.

Nevertheless, many Germans are unfamiliar with this fact and would never guess that their own country has a Black minority. This is due to the lingering phantasm of German nationality being defined by racial terms. Up until today, the majority of Germans likes to pretend that all Germans are (must be) white and whoever is not white simply cannot be German. This belief prevails to the extent that many even have the opinion that there can't be racism in Germany as there are no Black Germans. Both, of course, are wrong.

Many Black Germans and Blacks in Germany have already been killed by racist mobs or died while in police custody; they are harassed on a daily basis and face a panoply of direct and indirect racial discrimination.

The mainstream Germans have created a culture of wishful thinking in which the historical facts of the obvious presence of Black Germans for many centuries are being ignored or even subjected to attempts to wipe them out on an institutionalized level. The non-acceptance of this part of their own history penetrates what Germans learn in school about Germany's colonial activities (close to nothing) and their own ethnic composition (nothing), as well as the way in which Black persons are shown, treated and displayed in contemporary literature, children's literature, film, media and advertising: as inferior, other, 100% foreign, exotic, helpless, objectified, not belonging.

At the same time, Germany likes to present itself as a country that has learned from its past and is open to dealing with its xenophobic issues.

With my book, I want to show that Germany needs to do much more than a little scraping on the surface in order to become the advanced and democratic country it likes to present itself as. I was curious to see whether there really is a willingness within Germany's white majority population to deal with their racist issues even if this means saying goodbye to some racist traditions or if it is really all just talk, which would mean that my country wouldn't be ready for another level of insight, consciousness and an actual change, as well as a stop to the oppression of its Black minority population. I'm thrilled and excited to this day, as I haven't gotten the definite answer yet.

But in my opinion sanity, reason and humanity are going to win this time around.

More about Noah Sow:
http://www.noahsow.de/

Actress Tamala Jones and Miasha, the Writing Diva Celebrate "Sistah for Sale"

Actress Tamala Jones and Miasha, the Writing Diva, recently celebrated the release of the author's latest hot fiction release, "Sistah for Sale" at a book signing party in Atlantic City, NJ! The recent Spitzer sex scandal has propelled interest in Miasha's timely tome "Sistah for Sale" from Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, Inc., as Miasha details the life of a young woman born into the sex trade industy.

"This is my fourth novel," cites Miasha, "but with this one, I did more research than writing. People don't realize that the sex trade industry, the trafficking of human beings, is a bigger illegal business than drugs even. It's a growing multi-billion dollar business. With "Sistah for Sale" it was my goal to personalize the drama of the women involved and give the reader a deeper insight into this underworld. I also wanted to provide a stream of hope to these women. They can change their lives."

Visit Miasha, the Writing Diva at her new interactive website, www.miasha.com