Express Yo'Self Book Club

The members of the Express Yo'Self Book Club put on an awesome author showcase Saturday, April 26 at the Queensway Soul Cafe in Hampton, Va. Thank you for embracing authors and the written word.

Each of the 10 authors made a presentation. They varied from the writing experience, to reader expectations, writing series fiction, mastering non-fiction, and of course, readings!

Daniel Black, author of "Perfect Peace," and I paused for a photo.

It was a delight being with so many readers and fellow authors. I was so busy chatting, I forgot to take pictures during the afternoon! If anyone has any of the images taken during the event, please let me know. Here's one of part of the room as the evening was winding down.

Writers traveled from across the country to be there!

• Tonya Sharp Hyche, thriller writer from Texas is the author of "Faded Memories."
• Rae Johnson, author of "Abnormal Lives"
• Nakia Robinson, CEO of Right About It Publications and author of a series featuring Braxton
• Jacqueline Johnson, fantasy writer and author of "Test of Time"
• Aynoit Ashor, an empowerment workshop speaker from Chesterfield, Va.
• Mary Johnson, author of the spiritually based non-fiction book "Distractions Come in Many Forms"
• Ayesha L. Shoulders who writes contemporary women's fiction
• Kimberly T. Matthews, an author advocate who writes urban fiction
• Daniel Black, Clark Atlanta University English professor and author of literary fiction
• And, of course, moi! author of "Hidden Riches" and "The Fireman Finds a Wife."

Thanks again to the Express Yo'Self Book Club for a wonderful event!

UPDATE: For more photos from the event, go to Express Yo'Self Book Club Photos and to Facebook.

The Fireman Finds a Wife has hit shelves

It's here! I'm very excited about the publication of my newest novel THE FIREMAN FINDS A WIFE. It's the first book in the Cedar Springs series that takes a look at the lives and loves of congregation members in Cedar Springs, North Carolina.

Please join me on the journey!

First up is widow Summer Spencer and fire chief Cameron Jackson.

Her Unexpected Hero 
Widow Summer Spencer is eager for a quiet life - without the worry of loving a man who lives life in the fast lane. But when fire chief Cameron Jackson starts to woo her, it's tough to resist his charms. Chief Cam can't ignore the sparks between him and the stately beauty. But when he learns she's from the richest family in town, he's not sure he can ever measure up to her expectations. Can he set aside his fears and give true love another chance?

Picture Prompt 5

The set-up: A pretty summer day. A porch with plenty of cozy rockers. This image was taken in central Virginia.

Now for the fiction: What might disturb or alter the peaceful scene? Who or what will be occupying those chairs soon? What happens on this porch?

Picture Prompt 4 -- Lonely laptops

The setup: Three laptops in a row, a lamp, a dark-ish room and empty chairs.

Now for the fiction: What happened to the people? Why is this space abandoned?

Nature at Play

This deer was way more concerned with its meal than with me on Sunday. I ended up encountering a no through way area at Newport News Park and turned around. When I got back to the same spot, the entire family was there! One of two large ones were with three babies and did not look happy to see me, so I didn't pull out the camera for that image.

I shot these images at Newport News Park on Sunday, April 6 during a bird walk with the Hampton Roads Bird Club.

 

"Who are you looking at?"

In addition to a great horned owl, really cool sightings included a pair of wood ducks. The male of the species is beautiful, lots of color. His mate, who was swimming nearby, has muted colors-- better suited to merging with the habitat so predators can't find them, especially when nesting.

Yep, that's me. Looking through a scope at some of the birds.

 For the complete list of all of the day's participants and what we saw and heard on the three hour, 45 minute bird walk, check out the Hampton Roads Bird Club's site.

Picture Prompt 3 - Going to the chapel

The setup: This image is of the chapel at a hospital. It was taken in Pittsburgh, Pa., in late-afternoon to early evening.

Now for the fiction: Who was the next visitor(s) to the chapel and why was he/she/they there?

Picture Prompt 2 -- Snowstorm

The setup: This photo was taken during one of the seemingly never-ending snowstorms of Winter 2014. The view is from a second-story window. An hour later, there was another 3-4 inches of snow.

Now for the fiction: What incident or crime occurred and what was the fallout?