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Victoria Christopher Murray's Booksigning!

I was so excited to meet one of my favorite authors, Victoria Christopher Murray!  I was so excited in fact, that I actually was nervous and shaky when I was walking into the bookstore in Lansing!

I was so excited that she recognized me and gave me a hug!  I also met a new facebook friend too!

I read her book The Deal, The Dance and the Devil as well as her book on achapteramonth.com.  I am actually a character in this book which is so cool!  I am Jasmine's cousin that was reading a book at a wedding. Obviously Victoria things I read all the time.  I don't know why she would think that! LOL!  Maybe because I always have a book in my pictures!

I haven't been reading as much lately and I really miss it.  I haven't been blogging as much either.  I should have been reading tonight but I spent....well....lets just say a long time......just surfing the net and listening to music really loud.  My girls are at their grandparents' house tonight so I am home alone and loving it!

If you haven't read any of Victoria's books, you really should.  She is a great person and great author!

Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews

7th Annual African American Literary Awards Show Nominees - August 2, 2011

Voting for the 2011 African American Literary Awards Show is now open!

Voting started Friday, July 29, 2011 and ends on Friday, September 2, 2011
Winners will be announced at the live show on September, 22, 2011

Make sure you go to http://www.literaryawardshow.com/voting.html and cast your vote!

Here are the nominees:

Fiction

Dorothy by LaToya S. Watkins

He Was My Man First – Courtney Parker & Nancey Flowers

No One in the World: A Novel – E. Lynn Harris & RM Johnson

Mama Ruby – Mary Monroe

Money Can’t Buy Love – Connie Briscoe  :-)   Click on title to see my review (and giveaway!)



Self help

How To Get Out Of Your Own Way – Tyrese Gibson

The Strawberry Letter: Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn’t Sexy – Shirley Strawberry

Why Do I Have To Think Like A Man?: How To Think Like A Lady And Still Get The Man – Shanae Hall & Rhonda Frost  Priceless Inspirations – Antonia Carter

A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life – Demetria Lucas



Biography/Memoir

Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood – Ice T

The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring – Sugar Ray Leonard

Flavor Flav: The Icon The Memoir – Flavor Flav

Love Brought Me Back: A Journey of Loss and Gain – Natalie Cole

Transparent – Don Lemon



Christian Fiction

An Inconvenient Friend by Rhonda McKnight  :-) (click on the title to see my review)

Right Package, Wrong Baggage by Wanda B. Campbell

The Deal, The Dance & The Devil  by Victoria Christopher Murray  :-)  (click on the title to see my review)

Crowning Glory – Pat Simmons

Who Said It Would Be Easy?: A Story of Faith (Zane Presents) – Cheryl Faye



Erotica

Strawberries, Stilettos, and Steam – Imani True & Dreama Skye

Southern Comfort by Cynnamon Foster and Nina Foxx  :-)  (click on the title to see my review)

Sixty-Nine – Pynk

Smooth Operator – Risque

Nasty – Dr. XYZ



Street Fiction

Justify My Thug – Wahida Clark

My Kinda Girl - by Michael McGrew

The Prada Plan 2 – Ashley Antoinette

Welfare Wifeys: A Hood Rat Novel – K’wan

Memoirs Of An Accidental Hustler – JM Benjamin



Non Fiction

I Shall Not Die: Living A Psalm 118:17 Existence – Kendra Norman Bellamy

Fail Up: 20 Lessons on Building Success from Failure – Tavis Smiley

Black Woman Redefined: Dispelling Myths and Discovering Fulfillment in the Age of Michelle Obama – Sophia Nelson

Peace from Broken Pieces – Iyanla Vanzant

Becoming a Woman of Destiny: Turning Life’s Trials into Triumphs! – Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook



Mystery

Giving Up The Ghost by Stacy-Deanne

Ask Nicely and I Might by Lorraine Elzia

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey – Walter Mosley

Price Of Fame – Amaleka McCall

Surrender the Dark – L.A. Banks



Children/Young Adult

Getting Played by Celeste O. Norfleet

Drama Queens –ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Giant Steps To Change The World – Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee

Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Terrible Terrel – Whoopi Goldberg

Teen Girls Need L.O.V.E. by S.Dodson



Romance

Inseparable – Brenda Jackson

Sweet Persuasions– Rochelle Alers

Unexpected Interruptions – Trice Hickman  :-)  (click on the title to see my review)

Twice The Temptation – Francis Ray

The Proposal – Brenda Jackson



Short stories/Anthologies

A Woman’s Revenge by Tiffany L. Warren, Sherri Lewis and Rhonda McKnight –

Home Again: Stories of Restored Relationships by Wanda B. Campbell, Dijorn Moss, Tyora Moody and Trinea Moss

Between the Sheets – Tamika Newhouse, NiCola Mitchell and Anna Black



Magazines (Non -Literary)

Black Enterprise

Ebony

Uptown

JET

Upscale





Magazines (Literary)

Mosaic Books

Booking Matters

Written

African Voices

Black Literature Magazine



Humorist Award of the Year (Stand-up Comics)

Kevin Hart

Sherri Shepherd

Chris Spencer

Tony Rock

Rickey Smiley



Self Published Author of The Year

The Ultimate Question: Will Love Ever Know Me – Tamika Newhouse

Con Test: Double Life – Rahiem Brooks

Twisted – Ni’cola

Devour, One Man’s Tale of Love, Intimacy, and Ecstasy – D.A. Williams



Breakout Author of the Year

Tour Secrets – Winkk

The Putting Away – Sharel E. Gordon-Love

Open Your Eyes – Schelle Halloway

Shady – Dell Banks :-)  (click on the title to see my review)

Girl, Get Your Mind Right – Tionna Smalls



Publishing House Of The Year

St. Martin’s Press

Kensington

Kimani Press

Grand Central Publishing

Simon & Schuster



Independent Publisher Of The Year

Peace In The Storm

A New Quality Publishing

Delphine Publications

NCM Publishing

Black Dawn Books



Author Of The Year – Male

J.M. Benjamin – Memoirs Of An Accidental Hustler

Walter Mosley – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

E. Lynn Harris & RM Johnson – No One In The World

Carl Weber – Choir Director

K’wan – Welfare Wifeys



Author Of The Year – Female

Victoria Christopher Murray (The Deal, The Dance & The Devil )

Kimberla Lawson Roby – Love, Honor and Betray

Pat G’Orge Walker – Don’t Blame The Devil

Nancey Flowers & Courtney Parker – He Was My Man First

Sophia Nelson – Redefining The Black Woman



Bookclub of the Year

Black Expressions

AAMBC

The D-Cup Divas

African American Literary Book Club (AALBC)

Go On Girl Bookclub



Television Writer Of The Year

Tyler Perry – House Of Payne

Ali LeRoi – Are We There Yet

Mara Brock Akil – The Game

Stacy A. Littlejohn- Single Ladies

Shonda Rhimes – The Practice



Screenwriter Of The Year

Tracey E. Edmonds – Jumping The Broom

Salim Akil – Jumping The Broom

Tyler Perry – For Colored Girls

Tyler Perry – Madea’s Big Happy Family



Comic Strip

Aarron McGruder – Boondocks

Jerry Craft – Mama’s Boyz

Ray Billingsley – Curtis

Keith Knight – The K Chronicles

Robb Armstrong –Jumpstart



Comedy Author

Girl, Get Your Mind Right – Tionna Smalls

Is It Just Me?: Or is it nuts out there? – Whoopi Goldberg

Don’t Blame The Devil – Pat G’orge Walker

More info at www.literaryawardshow.com

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday, What Are You Reading

~Mailbox Monday~

Hosted this month by

The Bluestocking Guide

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

Here is what I got

It's Simple by Michelle Richardson

The general consensus is that relationships are easy to start but challenging to maintain. Although we may not think so, our choices ultimately determine the types of relationships we have. It's truly funny how after we've contributed to the chaotic state of the relationship, we hire therapists to fix us, to tell us it's not our fault when it typically is. The truth? Therapists don't fix us; they provide tools that guide us. Ultimately, we find the solutions ourselves and, for the most part, we really need to forget what we've heard. Relationships can be complicated, littered with challenges and that preventable thing called drama. Just ask Tia and Chase. 

They met as teenagers. Upon graduation from college, things got complicated. Chase was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers; Tia was offered a position in the Obama administration. Despite the geographical distance, Tia and Chase stayed together. 

But how easy is it to make love last? It's simple--if we can be honest, forgiving, and patient with each other. Here's a unique look at a progressive couple and how their choices impact their journey; providing a truthful and sometimes painful look at real life scenarios and how two fiercely driven and stubborn lovers choose to handle them. Experience life from a different perspective

Sent to me by the author for Review

************

I Want To Know My Future by Linda Dipman

What Happens when God fights for you!

What do you do when your family, friends and church turn against you?   What happens when everything you were taught by your church and family about God is suddenly turned upside down and has to change in order for you to survive? This is a true life story! Every chapter keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next! “I want to know my Future?” Elizabeth pleaded as she was thrown in jail, denied justice and deprived of her children by an unjust Judge. She was attacked by members of her own church. Her life became a living hell and her only hope of reprieve came from the supernatural intervention of the Almighty God. “My Ways are not human ways. Trust in Me, God has Spoken!” Elizabeth studied the words that were at the end of every written message. She read her Bible and sought scriptures to understand what it all meant. She prayed and within the chaos of her life she found an unbreakable faith in God. She held the hand of God and He took her life and preformed miracles. He gave her supernatural strength, confidence and a determination to stand up to everyone who rose up to fight against her.

Sent to me by the author for review

****************

Baby, Put That Gun Down by Leander Jackie Grogan

Put That Gun Down introduces the greatest legal mind to ever come out of the know-all, show-all state of Missouri. He's been shot, cut and scaled with hot grits, and is tired of getting beat up by women. If producing his own iconic version of Joe Millionaire will free him from the grips of the the double-dealing, gun-running, pot-peddling, throat-slashing Honey Ho motorcycle gang, then lights, camera, action ... let the show begin. Baby, Put That Gun Down is a wacky, quick-humored roller coaster ride over the Georgia Pines, through the Louisiana Cajun-infested swamps, and into the awaiting arms of ill-tempered female gang members who might mow you down with an AK-47 or even worse, choke you to death with a yard of tongue. Of course, no hapless, Harley Davis scatter-brains are going to keep the manly duo of Attorney Frazier (Shaft’s daddy) and Dr. Hadley Peabody III (Shaft’s white step-daddy) from their shameless rendezvous with the A-list gold diggers awaiting them in New York and LA; that is, unless somebody does something stupid and falls in love; which brings us to the true essence of this hilarious journey. In the end, the story is about the awkward quest for companionship in a contemporary world of disappointing relationships, and the ultimate reward of finding love in the eye of the storm. Every reader that has loved and lost and even won in the eHarmony, Match.com crapshoot called dating will see the flickering light of hope beckoning them to open their heart and climb aboard the old romance bus one more time.

Purchased

********************

The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray

What would you do for five million dollars? Adam and Evia Langston have lived in their own little garden of Eden since the two married at the age of seventeen. Working their way up from the humblest of beginnings, the Langstons have thrived beyond anything they could have ever imagined. Now they live in the finest home, drive the best cars, and indulge in all the trimmings that signify their massive success.  

But then the recession hits and rips apart the family’s financial stability. Unable to support their three children and other relatives, Adam and Evia find themselves drowning in financial trouble and teetering on the brink of complete disaster. With nowhere to turn, the Langstons have no idea what to do. 

Until Shay-Shaunté, Evia’s multimillionaire boss, comes to the Langstons with a five-million-dollar offer that seems so hard to refuse. Will the Langstons make this deal? Or will they recognize that the glitter of five million dollars may be far from gold?

Purchased - I will be meeting her in July and getting her autograph in it!!!!!  I already read and reviewed this one!

***********************

Derailed by D. Skies

Ever have dreams that took your mind to places reality couldn't? Kristle wanted it all, money, power, and lavish possessions. But being a poor girl from the South side of Chicago, she had no idea how she was going to get it all. She busts her butt to get her finances to a generous amount using her dope girl skills when it is all whisked away on a whim. Kristle is left without a pot to piss in and has to regain her life back by fending for herself anyway she can. She finds a way to make some money and learns to live off civil means. But as things are starting to look up again they come tumbling back down with a house fire. Just as Kristle is about to give up she encounters a man that gives her a strange note. The note introduces her to an opportunity of a lifetime with a few stipulations. It's a game that needs to be played in a timely fashion or Kristle is a dead girl. If she successfully completes her task she gets more money than she's ever seen before in her life. What she doesn't know is that the tasks are not ordinary and the person making her play the game is someone she least expects.

Purchased

*****************

Differences: Sibling Rivalry is Bad... But it's Worse When There's Money Involved by Brian W. Smith

A wealthy man dies and leaves his dysfunctional kids $100,000 each. But in order to get their inheritance, they have to team up and go on a scavenger hunt to find the money. They have forty-eight hours to find the money or it will be donated to charity. Can these six malcontents deal with their differences long enough to find the money?

Purchased

********************************************************

Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Book Reviews/Posts Last Week:

This Week:

Mon., 13      The MPire: Death Cometh (Book 2) by T.L. James –NURTURE Book Tour

 

Tues., 14      Revelations (Jane Perry #3)  by Laurel Dewey Pump Up Your Book Virtual Tour

Wed., 15      Flesh and Bones" by Paul Levine Review  pumpupyourbook.com 

Thurs., 16     Paul Levine Interview

Fri.,    17      N.H.I. (No Humans Involved) by Ray Ellis (Pump Up Your Book Tour)

Currently Reading:

Up Next to Read This Week:

Growing Pains;Kendras Diaries by K. P. Smith

http://kendrasdiaries.com/

Upcoming review will be on 

Week With An Author - K.P. Smith (6/20-6/24)

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Book Review - The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil by Victoria Christopher Murray

The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil 
by Victoria Christopher Murray

• 
  
• Paperback: 416 pages (I read e-book)
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (June 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439194254
• ISBN-13: 978-1439194256
• SOURCE:  Received Advance e-book from Victoria Christopher Murray.

About the Book:

What would you do for five million dollars? Adam and Evia Langston have lived in their own little garden of Eden since the two married at the age of seventeen. Working their way up from the humblest of beginnings, the Langstons have thrived beyond anything they could have ever imagined. Now they live in the finest home, drive the best cars, and indulge in all the trimmings that signify their massive success.

But then the recession hits and rips apart the family’s financial stability. Unable to support their three children and other relatives, Adam and Evia find themselves drowning in financial trouble and teetering on the brink of complete disaster. With nowhere to turn, the Langstons have no idea what to do.

Until Shay-Shaunté, Evia’s multimillionaire boss, comes to the Langstons with a five-million-dollar offer that seems so hard to refuse. Will the Langstons make this deal? Or will they recognize that the glitter of five million dollars may be far from gold?

About the Author:

Victoria Christopher Murray always knew she would become an author, even as she was taking an unlikely path to that destination. A native of Queens, Victoria first left New York to attend Hampton University where she majored in Communication Disorders. After graduating, Victoria attended New York University where she received her MBA.


Victoria spent ten years in Corporate America before she tested her entrepreneurial spirit. She opened a Financial Services Agency for Aegon, USA where she managed the number one division for nine consecutive years. However, Victoria never lost the dream to write and when the "bug" hit her again in 1997, she answered the call.


Victoria originally self published Temptation. "I wanted to write a book as entertaining as any book on the market, put God in the middle, and have the book still be a page-turner. I wasn't writing to any particular genre - I didn't even know Christian fiction existed. I just wanted to write about people I knew and characters I could relate to."


In 2000, Time Warner published Temptation. Temptation made numerous best sellers list and remained on the Essence bestsellers list for nine consecutive months. In 2001, Temptation was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Literature.


Since Temptation, Victoria has written nine other adult novels, including: JOY, Grown Folks Business, The Ex Files, and the popular Jasmine Cox Larson Bush series. She was a contributor to the first Christian fiction anthology, Blessed Assurance and the Contributing Editor for the Aspire Women of Color Bible published by Zondervan. Victoria has received numerous awards including the Golden Pen Award for Best Inspirational Fiction and the Phyllis Wheatley Trailblazer Award for being the pioneer in African American Christian Fiction. Since 2007, Victoria has won six African American Literary Awards for best novel, best Christian fiction and Author of the Year - Female.


In 2008, Victoria's first novels in her Christian fiction teen series - The Divine Divas - were published. "I was concerned with what our young ladies were reading. I decided to do something about that - give them stories full of drama, but with a message." The Divine Divas has already been optioned to become a television series.


Victoria splits her time between Los Angeles and Washington D.C. In Los Angeles, she attends Bible Enrichment Fellowship International Church under the spiritual tutelage of Dr. Beverly "BAM" Crawford and in Washington, D.C., she fellowships at Metropolitan Baptist Church under Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. She is also a member of the Long Beach Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
(source: http://www.victoriachristophermurray.com/author.html)

My Review:

Evia and Adam Langston met when they were very young. I laughed when I saw that Evia called him "Banana-Pudding-Guy"! LOL!  They lived in "Barry Farm which was the oldest African American neighborhood in DC and it was still ninety-nine percent black and one hundred percent poor." (e-book location 205-11)  It was a very high crime and drug area.   Something happened and things moved along much faster than they anticipated.  Adam's mother Ruby was very good to Evia and treated her like her own--unlike Evia's own mother.  They got married and had the twin girls and later a little boy.  They were doing well for a while, but their situation was changing and they were falling fast.


Adam was not working anymore.  Luckily Evia had a job at Ferossity.  The owner and boss Shay-Shaunte' showed Evia a five million dollar check. It was made right out to Evia.  She just has to accept the terms. What were the terms?  Would she accept them?  Five million dollars is very tempting that is for sure, but are the terms worth it?


Evia's grandmother had always told her that when something just doesn't seem right, you should really listen to  your "alarm" that tells you to watch out.  Yes, Evia and Adam were in a world of trouble with their financial situation.  They were struggling with paying their house payment, tuition at the children's school, and Adam's mother's care.  Adam did not want people to know that they were in financial trouble.  He especially didn't want their children to know.  Their daughters had a big party coming up that they wanted their parents to throw.  There was no way Adam was going to let them down.  He was determined that he was going to get a job and be back in good financial standing.  He knew what it was like growing up and having nothing. He didn't want that for his children. Did he get a job?  You will have to read to find out what happens.


Victoria Christopher Murray really made me think.  What would I do if I was offered 5 million dollars on the terms that were offered?  


I started The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil on one night and read till I couldn't keep my eyes open.  I got back at the book the next night and finished it late into the night!  I was totally engrossed in this book and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next! Victoria Christopher Murray did an excellent job developing the characters and really pulling me in to the story.   This is a page turner that  I highly recommend that you buy!

My Rating:

5/5 diamonds - Page Turner - highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

Where to Find Victoria Christopher Murray:

victoriachristophermurray.com

She is also on tour!!!!!  Here is her schedule:

Jun 6

BARNES & NOBLE

1701 Mallory Lane

Brentwood,TN

7:00PM

Jun 7

BARNES& NOBLE

4100 Summit Plaza Drive

Louisville,KY

7:00PM

Jun 8

KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY

14 West 10th Street

Kansas City,MO

6:30PM

Jun 9

LEFT BANK BOOKS

399 N. Euclid Ave

St. Louis,MO

7:00PM

Jun 10

TATTERED COVER

2526 East Colfax Avenue

Denver,CO

7:30PM

Jun 12

LA UNIQUE AFRICAN AMERICAN BOOKS & CULTURAL CENTER

111 N 6th Street

Camden,NJ

3:00PM

Jun 16

BARNES & NOBLE / UNION STATION

50 Massachusetts Avenue NE

Washington,DC

5:00PM

Jun 17

AFRI-WARE BOOKS

440 S. Ridgeland Avenue

Oak Park,IL

6:30PM

Jun 18

GREAT MIDWEST BOOK FEST 2011

Terri Lynn's

4740 W. Bradley Rd.

Milwaukee,WI

1:00PM

Jun 20

BOOKS-A-MILLION

8108 Abercorn Street

Savannah,GA

7:00PM

Jun 21

BOOKS-A-MILLION/THOMASVILLE VILLAGE SQUARE

3521-E Thomasville Road

Tallahassee,FL

7:00PM

Jun 22

BOOKS-A-MILLION

9400 Atlantic Boulevard

Jacksonville,FL

7:00PM

Jun 23

FAITH& FICTION RETREAT

Ponte Verda,FL

12:00AM

Jun 28

CARVER SCHOOL ROAD BRANCH

4915 Lansing Drive

Winston-Salem,NC

7:00PM

Jun 30

BAYOU SOUL WRITERS AND READER'S CONFERENCE

New Orleans,LA

12:00AM

Jul 7

SCHULER BOOKS & MUSIC

2820 Towne Center Blvd.

Lansing,MI

7:00PM

(I can't wait for this one!!!! I will be there!!!)

Jul 9

WALMART

11930 Acton Lane

Waldorf,,MD

11:00AM

Jul 23

AFRAMERICAN BOOKSTORE

3226 Lake Street

Omaha,NE

3:00PM

(Source: http://www.victoriachristophermurray.com/tour.html)

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.