Category Archives: Astrology

TPC, Uncategorized, WHEN LOVE ISN'T ENOUGH, Writing

Update on the SOUL MATES… Trilogy?!

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Any artist will tell you that true inspiration seldom takes a linear or predictable path. We have no control over when the muse strikes us, or where she may take us once we engage the creative process. Sometimes you end up in surprising places.

My experience writing my first two (and soon to be three) novels has been one of these detour-ridden adventures — taking me to all sorts of unexpected places. For example, most people don’t know that I wrote SOUL MATES, the sequel to WHEN LOVE ISN’T ENOUGH first. I completed SOUL MATES in 2006, and shopped it around to agents and editors for several years. In the original version of SOUL MATES, the story that unfolds in WHEN LOVE takes place in three chapters worth of flashbacks. I was treating that whole Samantha/Tony/Angela saga as backstory, lol.

When I started shopping my manuscript around, I also started attending writer’s conferences and learning more and more about the craft of writing and how to develop a novel. You know, all the standard Writing 101 stuff about plotting and pacing and character development. In this process of becoming a better writer, I decided SOUL MATES needed a polish. When I went back in for this second major revision, I realized that I had just breezed through Tony and Samantha’s story, and not given it proper treatment. To remedy this problem, I decided to write a prequel to SOUL MATES, the novel that eventually became WHEN LOVE ISN’T ENOUGH.

There was one major lesson I learned from that process — never write novels in a series out of order! Man. Once I started working on WHEN LOVE, the story took off in ways I never imagined, which was awesome. But all these twists, turns and tangents now required me to go back in for a third major revision of SOUL MATES, to make sure all the threads were connected. For example, in the original iteration of Samantha and Tony’s love story, there was no Damion character. And those of you who’ve read WHEN LOVE know what a major player he is, so of course I need to go and write him into the sequel. Seamlessly. It’s a lot harder than it sounds.

So what I’m about to confess next is going to disappoint a number of you… The release of SOUL MATES is still a ways out. I’m afraid I’ve done it again, fallen prey to my muse and been taken off on another creative detour. I was working very hard on this final SOUL MATES revision, and making very good progress, when James made a comment that nagged at me. He noted that the elapsed time between the end of WHEN LOVE and the beginning of SOUL MATES is ten years.

“That’s kind of a long break, don’t you think? Aren’t you leaving a lot of stuff out?”

And he was right. Damn it.

So what I’ve been doing the last few months is working on a new novel, my third novel, the true sequel to WHEN LOVE ISN’T ENOUGH. It is tentatively titled, THE SPACE BETWEEN, and tells Samantha and Damion’s love story. I’m about a third of the way through, and I’m pretty confident that you guys will feel it was worth the wait. 🙂 And then, after I go back in for yet another revision (seriously, who knows where this new novel will take my characters, lol), I will release the long-awaited SOUL MATES to round out what has now officially become a trilogy. Sound like a plan?

I have been so touched and humbled by all the folks who have written to me, wondering when SOUL MATES will be available. I just love that folks are so invested in my characters, and I’m working as fast as I can to get you the next installment, I promise. I’ve officially taken an editing sabbatical and a TPC hiatus and am dedicating this entire year to WRITING. And before the year is out, you will have the next (and possibly final) piece of this love story for your reading enjoyment. In the meantime, I thank you all for your patience, support, and motivation. Knowing there are anxious fans and readers out there really keeps me going. So stay tuned – I promise it will be worth the wait!

TPC, Travel, Uncategorized, WHEN LOVE ISN'T ENOUGH

EVENT RECAP: NAACP Author Pavilion

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Sunday, July 24, 2011, James and I had a book signing at the NAACP Author Pavilion, which was held during the 102nd NAACP Annual Convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was a great day, meeting readers, writers, and random celebrities. Though its always nice to get my author on, at this particular event, I spent more time being starstruck than I did feeling like a published author. After all, we were signing alongside Ray Charles’ son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., NAACP Image Award winner for his book, You Don’t Know Me: Reflections of My Father, Ray Charles, and sharing the program with heavyweights like Antwone Fisher, Hill Harper, and Isaiah Washington. Sur-real. And a ridiculous amount of fun.

DeVon Franklin

One of the highlights was getting to chat with the uber inspirational DeVon Frankin, author of Produced by Faith: Enjoy Real Success without Losing Your True Self. DeVon, Vice President of Production for Columbia Pictures, has accomplished a lot at his relatively young age, and has written a book about how to succeed in business without compromising your faith (in his case, Christianity). I can’t wait to read his book, which is timely considering my recent entrepreneurial endeavors. You too can be inspired, by reading his book, following him on Twitter, or liking his Facebook fan page.

Also got to meet Ernessa Carter, author of 32 Candles who is right up there with Lolita Files when it comes to my favorite contemporary authors. And she was every bit as awesome as I imagined. If you’re looking for a smart, sassy, heartwarming, and hilarious coming-of-age novel, definitely check out her book!

And then quite randomly, I stumbled upon one of my favorite actors, Brian White! Turns out Brian also has a new book out, Black Carpenter: Straight Talk to Build a Solid Foundation. In addition to being a talented thespian, Brian is also very committed to youth empowerment, and he wrote this book “to create a tool box of essential life skills for the next generation.” Props to Mr. White for finding ways to use his fame to give back to the community. (Swoon) 😉

Like I said, it was a great day. Mocha Ochoa from The Oracle Group organized a great event, and I feel truly honored to have been included. Definitely one of the Lit highlights of 2011! 🙂

WHEN LOVE ISN'T ENOUGH, Writing

Positive Reinforcement

When I started writing my first novel back in 2002, I was writing for an audience of one… I didn’t start out on this path aiming to be a bestseller, or even to be published – I just had a story in my heart that I needed to get out, for primarily therapeutic and cathartic reasons. It wasn’t until a former flame read my work in progress and told me “This is amazing… this is what you should be doing with your life, you are a WRITER!” that I took this path seriously.

I completed my novel in late 2005, and began shopping it around to publishers in 2006. Around the same time, I started circulating it to interested friends and family. While the novel was getting rave reviews at that point, I had to take the praise with a grain of salt — after all, these were folks who loved me, so of course they are going to be a bit biased.

My debut novel, WHEN LOVE ISN’T ENOUGH, was published in November 2010. The transition to published author has been an interesting one for a reclusive spirit such as myself, but by far, the BEST thing about being published is all the feedback I’ve been getting from readers, most of whom are not a member of my friends and family cohort! All of my reviews on amazon to date have been 5-star, and I’ve been receiving a steady stream of phone calls and emails from satisfied readers telling me how much they “loved the book!”, “couldn’t put it down!” and “can’t wait for the sequel!” I literally cannot get enough of the accolades!

All of this has been immensely satisfying, to see folks engaged in my little story and connecting with my characters. I frequently tell my partners — I’m not in this for the fame or the fortune or to hit some Bestseller’s list. All I’ve ever wanted was for the folks who wanted to read my book, to be able to do so. That it is being met with such a positive response is just icing on the cake, as well as solid affirmation that I am indeed on the right path with this writing thing. Feels good to have finally found my calling. 🙂

If you’re curious to read for yourself what all the hype is about, pick up an autographed copy or download the book on Kindle or in the ebook format of your choice. And if you love the book, please feel free to add to the list of reviews on Amazon. 😉 My sincere thanks to everyone who has helped to make my dream come true… Your support is much appreciated. 🙂

Astrology, Uncategorized

Hold On, It’s going to be a Bumpy Month…

Dear Readers,

I hate to be the one to tell you that we all need to brace ourselves for a bumpy ride as we move through December, as a result of some challenging astrology. Not only do we have Mercury Retrograde to contend with from December 10-30, but we also have a challenging Lunar Eclipse in Gemini on 12/21/10 to add to the mix. Oy!

Mercury retrograde is notorious for causing malfunctions and miscommunications of epic proportions. All things that fall under Mercury’s rule (communication, transportation, travel, technology/electronics) start to short-circuit and break down. Computers crash, car trouble, we lose things, miss our plane/train/bus, have terrible arguments with our loved ones — feel free to blame it all on Mercury Retrograde. Don’t make any major decisions or purchases while Mercury is Retro — when it goes direct, chances are you will second-guess your decision. Information is just too garbled right now. They say the amount of time Mercury spends in retrograde motion corresponds to the amount of time human beings spend asleep. Mercury Retro FORCES us to slow down, even though we’re socialized to “go go go, faster faster.” The best use of a retrograde period is to sync up with the energies… Draw inward, engage in introspection. This is not the time to barrel forward with new initiations, but rather to Review, Reflect, Refine, Reorganize, Reevaluate, etc. In general, anything with a “re” at the beginning of it is a suitable Retrograde activity.

I will refer you to my astrologer of choice, Susan Miller, to read more about what the month has in store for your sign, specifically. (Read for your rising sign, too, if you know what it is!) I also recommend reading what she has to say about Eclipses. An eclipse will always bring us unexpected news and events, with the purpose of moving us forward to the next life stage, quite rapidly in most cases. The goal is to dislodge us when we’re stuck, and get us off that proverbial fence so we can be on to the next… whatever. Patience is key in times like these. So is compassion for those around us, cause we’re all going through it, and not everyone handles stress well. Deep breathing can also help. And as bumpy as December may prove to be, I hear that January will be much better so just hold on! This too shall pass. 🙂

TPC, WHEN LOVE ISN'T ENOUGH, Writing

Back on the Grind

Well, “summer” is definitely over. The school year is about to start (which means things are ramping up at my day job), and TPC is about to launch ANOTHER book. Once again I find myself flanked with deadlines, overcommitted, and wondering how in the world I’m going to squeeze it all in and still manage to get 6 hours of sleep a night.

At the very top of the ‘To-Do’ List is the pre-production for my debut novel, WHEN LOVE ISN’T ENOUGH, which is scheduled for an October release. The pressure is officially on for me to power through the typesetting so we can proof and get to printing. Even though James and I made a pact this summer that there would be no more TPC after 11pm, I see several long, late nights ahead, burning the midnight oil, as I struggle to get this book to press.

I’ve been here before. The months leading up to the release of SELLOUT were some of my most stressful months in my adult life. Overextended would be an understatement, but I pushed through and got it done. But I’m trying to do things differently this time around. I need to find a better balance between work and life. I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor, which I can’t do if I’m burned out and exhausted all the time.

So here is my promise to myself as I enter this next stretch of insanity: I am going to work very hard, but still go to bed at reasonable hour. I am going to be kind to myself (and my partner). I am going to make time for exercise and remember to eat breakfast. 🙂 I am going to cut myself some slack if I happen to miss a deadline. And most importantly, I’m going to remember that I am human, not some superhero…

Wish me luck!

Astrology

Happy Eclipse Day!

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Well, for those of you that have been following my astrological ramblings, today is a Lunar Eclipse in Virgo/Pisces… What does that mean? It means that things around us are changing… Life stages are ending… Shit is hitting the proverbial fan… It can be good change, or challenging change, but change, around Eclipse time, is pretty much inevitable. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at what’s going on in the lives of those around you. I bet you’ll see a lot of drama, and, say it with me now, Change.

Susan Miller at AstrologyZone wrote a great article on what to expect during Eclipse time. I recommend that everyone read it – you may find it rather enlightening. Virgo and Pisces will be feeling it the most (note to self: call Corey), but from what I’ve read, bumps can expected for all signs. The focus of a lunar eclipse is on endings, so they tend to be a bit more emotional than the solar eclipses (which signify new beginnings). Things and people may pass out of your life as you get ready to move on to the next stage. My advice — let them go. You have to trust that something better is coming to fill that space.

There is definitely a lot of change going on in my life right now. Lots of good stuff, thankfully, and lots of clarity. And fun. I try to be thankful every day for the amazing life I’ve been blessed with, and the wonderful people who dot the landscape of my world. It’s times like these where you find out who your friends are. And I gotta say, the collection of people in my corner are pretty damn awesome 🙂

The Solar Eclipse in Virgo is due on September 11th, and no word yet on if it’s a good one or a challenging one, but it will be paving the way for new beginnings, which I always feel is a good thing. Anyways, I hope everyone has an alright time of it during this cosmic storm… Just remember–if you find yourself struggling, just trust that you are being moved to a better place… It may not seem like it at the time, but it’s true 🙂

Astrology

Mercury Retrograde, 6/15-7/9

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I’m sorry to have to report that another Mercury Retrograde is upon us. I know, I know, it feels like Mercury was just retrograde, lol. And technically, it was. Unfortunately for us, Mercury goes Retrograde once every three months, for about three weeks. This one is set to last through July 9th. Things will probably be a bit hectic and frustrating for the next few weeks. Just take a deep breath and blame it on the Retrograde…

Those of you that know what I’m talking about, know what I’m talking about. Mercury retrograde tends to cause malfunctions and miscommunications of epic proportions. All things that fall under Mercury’s rule (communication, transportation, travel, technology/electronics) start to short-circuit and break down. Computers crash, car trouble, we lose things, miss our plane/train/bus, have terrible arguments with our loved ones — feel free to blame it all on Mercury Retrograde. Don’t make any major decisions or purchases while Mercury is Retro — when it goes direct, chances are you will second-guess your decision. Information is just too garbled right now. They say the amount of time Mercury spends in retrograde motion corresponds to the amount of time human beings spend asleep. Mercury Retro FORCES us to slow down, even though we’re socialized to “go go go, faster faster.” The best use of a retrograde period is to sync up with the energies… Draw inward, engage in introspection. This is not the time to barrel forward with new initiations, but rather to Review, Reflect, Refine, Reorganize, Reevaluate, etc. In general, anything with a “re” at the beginning of it is a suitable Retrograde activity.

I had almost forgotten about Mercury Retrograde this month, not really feeling it at all, until it hit me this week full force. Man do I want to punch someone. Came into work on Monday morning, after a GREAT weekend, to the rudest and most condescending email I’ve ever received in my life. You know those emails where you’re reading through, and all you can think to yourself is “WTF???” My first instinct was to write back and tell that person precisely where to go, but then I counted to ten and realized that Mercury is Retrograde, and a war of the words is probably not the best idea right now. So I held my tongue best I could. That’s all we really can do in times like these, cause whatever we try to communicate is probably going to come out all wrong. Actually, most of the people I’ve talked to this week have had some kind of a communication-related meltdown with a loved one, (glad to know I’m not alone ladies!), so I’m trying not to take it personally, but man, I can’t wait til this shit is over and everything goes back to normal.

Thankfully, there is a bright side to the Retrofunk. Mercury also has a way of REuniting and REconnecting you with folks from your past, and this time around, I’ve been blessed with some fabulous reunions and blasts from the past. That part has been really fun, and it continues next weekend with an Old Skool Mateo Reunion at Beresford Park and KC’s return to the Mainland… Yay!

Well, I wish everyone the best of luck getting through Retrograde. It’s never pretty, but if we remember to breathe, we’ll get through it. Patience (with yourself, and others) is key. Good luck!

Astrology

Mercury Retrograde, 2/13-3/7

I’m sorry to have to report that another Mercury Retrograde is upon us. I know, I know, it feels like Mercury was just retrograde, lol. And technically, it was. Unfortunately for us, Mercury goes Retrograde once every three months, for about three weeks. This one is set to last through March 7th. Things will probably be a bit hectic and frustrating for the next three weeks. Just take a deep breath and blame it on the Retrograde…

Those of you that know what I’m talking about, know what I’m talking about. Mercury retrograde tends to cause malfunctions and miscommunications of epic proportions. All things that fall under Mercury’s rule (communication, transportation, travel, technology/electronics) start to short-circuit and break down. Computers crash, car trouble, we lose things, miss our plane/train/bus, have terrible arguments with our loved ones — feel free to blame it all on Mercury Retrograde. Don’t make any major decisions or purchases while Mercury is Retro — when it goes direct, chances are you will second-guess your decision. Information is just too garbled right now. They say the amount of time Mercury spends in retrograde motion corresponds to the amount of time human beings spend asleep. Mercury Retro FORCES us to slow down, even though we’re socialized to “go go go, faster faster.” The best use of a retrograde period is to sync up with the energies… Draw inward, engage in introspection. This is not the time to barrel forward with new initiations, but rather to Review, Reflect, Refine, Reorganize, Reevaluate, etc. In general, anything with a “re” at the beginning of it is a suitable Retrograde activity.

I started feeling this one the second it hit (it’s been ugly!), and most everyone I’ve talked to is experiencing some kind of mercury-related breakdown. Remember to breathe people-we’ll get through it. Patience (with yourself, and others) is key.

Astrology

Mercury Retrograde, 10/28-11/17

I’m sorry to have to report that another Mercury Retrograde is upon us. I know, I know, it feels like Mercury was just retrograde, lol. And technically, it was. Unfortunately for us, Mercury goes Retrograde once every three months, for about three weeks. This one is set to last through November 17th. Things will probably be a bit hectic and frustrating for the next three weeks. Just take a deep breath and blame it on the Retrograde…

Those of you that know what I’m talking about, know what I’m talking about. Mercury retrograde tends to cause malfunctions and miscommunications of epic proportions. All things that fall under Mercury’s rule (communication, transportation, travel, technology/electronics) start to short-circuit and break down. Computers crash, car trouble, we lose things, miss our plane/train/bus, have terrible arguments with our loved ones — feel free to blame it all on Mercury Retrograde. Don’t make any major decisions or purchase while Mercury is Retro — when it goes direct, chances are you will second-guess your decision. Information is just too garbled right now. They say the amount of time Mercury spends in retrograde motion corresponds to the amount of time human beings spend asleep. Mercury Retro FORCES us to slow down, even though we’re socialized to “go go go, faster faster.” The best use of a retrograde period is to sync up with the energies… Draw inward, engage in introspection. This is not the time to barrel forward with new initiations, but rather to Review, Reflect, Refine, Reorganize, Reevaluate, etc. In general, anything with a “re” at the beginning of it is a suitable Retrograde activity.

I like to brave the Retrogrades by barricading myself in my house and not talking to anybody… Kidding. 🙂 I do try to use them productively. I’ve decided this Retrograde will be spent revising this latest draft of WHEN LOVE, reconnecting with old friends (yay!), revisiting some relationship issues with my significant other, and revaluating my short and long-term publishing goals. The goals timeline has to be completely reworked people… Oooh, I kinda like the idea of a Mercury Retro to-do list, lol.

Astrology

Warning: Eclipse Ahead!

Heads up people, today is a Lunar Eclipse in Pisces. Susan Miller at astrologyzone.com has predicted that the first week of September was going to be a little bumpy due to the Eclipse and some other harsh planetary aspects. Read your monthly horoscope(s) for more details…

Some of you may already be feeling stressed and crazy. Most of the people I’ve talked to this week are definitely feeling something. Eclipses just love to push people closer to that proverbial ‘breaking point.’ Not to say that eclipses are always bad–sometimes they bring unexpected good news. But I’m sorry to report that this first one isn’t likely to be one of them. The Solar Eclipse on September 22nd, should be better.

Those of us who study astrology know that the days surrounding an Eclipse are very important. Eclipses tend to bring unexpected events and force confrontations – the goal being to “unstick” you if you are stuck or stagnating. The harder you’re clinging to an inappropriate pattern/person/activity, the more powerful the Eclipses punch to get you moving on to a better place.

I highly recommend reading what Susan Miller has to say about Eclipses. She cautions not to act or initiate major moves/conversations/changes on the day of an Eclipse. Instead she urges us to slow down, observe what is happening around us, and look for the lesson.

One thing to keep in mind is, no matter how painful or unexpected your Eclipse news, its purpose is to move you on to a better place. The Universe may be smacking you upside the head kinda hard, but it is a blessing in disguise. You just have to trust that everything happens for a reason…