CALENDAR OF EVENTS
February 27, 2011
Sistah Turning Pages Book Club,
Fairview Heights IL
March 4-5, 2011
Diamond and Denims,
Upper Marlboro MD
April 10, 2011
Baltimore Book Festival
Balitmore MD
April 27 - May 1, 2011
Romance Slam Jam,
Baltimore MD
May 6-9 2011
Nashville TN
May 11 - 16, 2011
Diva Daze,
New Orleans, LA
May 14, 2011
Afro-American Bookstore,
New Orleans, LA
Book Release Party
TBD
June 9- 12, 2011
DST Regional,
Rosemount IL
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2011 Update From Ann Clay
Perfect love is rare indeed - for to be a lover will require that you continually have the subtlety of the very wise, the flexibility of the child, the sensitivity of the artist, the understanding of the philosopher, the acceptance of the saint, the tolerance of the scholar and the fortitude of the certain. (Leo Buscaglia)
Thank you for your continued support. I hope you’ve had an outstanding reading year thus far. It’s that time again. For the avid readers of the heart, I would like to introduce you to a new title this year, Protective Custody. It is my heart’s desire to present at least one new story each year for those of you who follow my work.
2011 is hopeful for me this year. For all of you E-book enthusiast, the year started out with several of my previous titles being available in E-book format. Check out my Amazon page to see what’s out there and available. I’m looking forward to introducing another book sometime late summer or early fall. So check me out here or look me up on Facebook or at Amazon.com.
Reader’s Corner
Here’s what’s happening on my writing front. Last year I released A Love For All Times in April 2010. The cast in this story brings a refreshing look at what it’s like to run into someone several times before you either take notice of them or make the first move; knowing your run-ins are not by chance. You never know what love opportunity you’re passing by. Angela and Brandon are in for a ride of their lives. As mentioned earlier, several titles are available in both print and E-books.
This year’s release is Protective Custody. It’s actually a throw back from one of my short stories in Waving from the Heart. I got a lot of emails from readers wanting to know more of Mikele and Eric. So, the two love birds got the chance to tell their story. Protective Custody is expected to hit the shelves in April 2011. Check out the excerpt at the bottom of the Reader’s Corner, or go out to your favorite on-line bookstore and check them out.
A number of you are still wondering what happened to Destined. All I can say is send your inquiries to Genesis Press. It’s been a long journey for this story, and I hope it will soon be out for publication. We’ll see and I’ll keep you posted.
I’ve started plotting more titles in the “No Time for Love” series. Priceless was the first title published from this series in 2009. The next title will be Second Chances. If you remember the short story in Waving from the Heart entitled One More Chance, well I got a number of requests for a follow-up to this story as well. Watch for more details in the coming months. I’m trying to have them done in early summer.
I KNOW! I KNOW! I KNOW! You’ve been on my case about Gumbo Love. It’s the follow-up story to More Than a Bargain and starts out with the wedding of my two main characters, Trae and Reggie. However, it is his oldest brother, Travis’s story. See the excerpts for this story at the end of Reader’s Corner. I’m not exactly sure what’s going to happen with this story yet. It’s DONE! Completed! And a few people have read it for inputs, but I’m not sure what to do with it yet. More to come soon.
I have several other projects in mind. A couple of them take me away from the Romance genre, but the stories have been in my heart for a while. Once I line up the plan I’ll tell you more about that venture as well.
2011 ROMANCE SLAM JAM – Baltimore MD
Get ready, get ready, and get re-a-day!! A cast of talented authors and prominent book clubs will invade the city of Baltimore MD for the 2011 Romance Slam Jam. This year’s theme is “Be Charmed By Romance.” Your favorite African American Romance Authors will partake in the 2011 conference starting on April 27, 2011. Our gracious hosts this year are members of the fabulous Sweet Soul Sisters Book Club, led by the award winning author, Ms. AC Arthur. The event will be jammed packed with TONS of fun, intimate reading sessions with bestselling and popular authors, and lots of books. Come check us out.
You’ll find all the details at http://www.romanceslamjam.org/conference/. Hope to see you there.
EXCERPTS:
Protective Custody
ISBN: 978-0-9834860-1-5
Prioritybooks Publications
April 2011
Mikele Edwards, the apple of her father’s eye, is unaware of the dangers tapping at the door of her secure world. Realization of the imminent danger comes when her last-minute vacation turns to a plight for survival and the need for a protector. On the run from a dangerous criminal, intent on her capture, Mikele skirts across the country seeking refuge, not knowing if or when she will be able to return to her carefree world again. The only thing keeping her sane is the warmth and protection of a man she now loves more than her own heart.
Tall, dark, and dangerously handsome, Commander Eric Morris did not expect his latest assignment to be so captivating. The concept of a bodyguard extends beyond physical protection the moment he lays eyes on her. He knows the agency’s policy… never get close to those you’re protecting. But something about Mikele breaks the barrier of his control. He’ll do anything to keep her from the clutches of a notorious drug lord, even if he has to break the rules. The raw urgent need to protect her is fueled by both his sense of duty and his refusal to live without her.
Eric and Mikele are forced to exist together for protection. Can they survive their passion? Will his action jeopardize his job and her life?
EXCERPTS:
A Love for all Times
Angela Moore and Brandon Knight are dynamic as individuals, but the love they find with each other is delicious, steamy, and spontaneous. Angela, a smart and respected information technology executive, struggles to balance love and career, and chooses to concentrate her efforts on her career. However, her passion for her career is soon upstaged by the wistfully erotic passion stirred by a tall, dark, and handsome businessman.
Brandon built an import/export business from the floor up with the assistance of two very close friends. And even though successful in his business, he finds himself without a wife or children to share his accomplishments. His mother and Godmother are hell bent on finding him a wife, someone to enjoy the fruits of his labor, but more pointedly to give them grandchildren.
Brandon is determined to find his own bride, in his own time. But after bumping into Angela on several occasions, he finds himself closer to marriage than he expects. Their attraction is swift and heady. The chemistry quickly ignites and before long the passion between them is irreversible.
In the midst of their newfound romance a sour twist of fate and a rehash of past relationships threaten both their love and their lives. However, true love sustains even the lewdest of schemes. Both Angela and Brandon fight for what is theirs with all their might. The blissful passionate filled days and nights Angela and Brandon spend together are testaments that true love arises in the most commonplaces. After all, a true love is for a life time.
Gumbo Love
Autumn Grimillon finds herself in a dreaded predicament,, the maid of honor for one of her oldest and dearest friends. Her duties as maid of honor get sticky when she is paired with the groom's older brother, Travis Brooks. She has no intentions of getting to know Travis, let alone falling madly in love with him. The one thing that Travis has is the one thing that she fears the most about a man. However, completely charmed by his southern New Orleans drawl, good looks, and gentle ways she lets down her guard in order to discover the man hidden beneath the giant. But something in Autumn's past won't let her forget that a man like Travis is out of her reach.
Travis's futile attempt as a career bachelor falls short when he meets his soon-to-be sister-in-law's maid of honor. Refusing to commit to any woman, he finds himself wrapped in a love quandary that no man ever escapes. When he finally decides that Autumn is the one woman capable of tying him down, not only does he loses his heart but nearly loses himself as well when a secret formed by old stigmas become the one thing standing in the way of his true happiness.
For Autumn and Travis, the recipe for a good gumbo love can be ruined if the gumbo file (heart) is stale or the roux (trust) is burnt. The main ingredients for a gumbo love can be tainted by deep traditions and ancestral perspectives. However, Autumn and Travis quickly learn that using fresh, authentic ingredients, in the right quantity, and cooked on low heat, will harvest the fragrant, age old recipe, love. There's nothing more delectable than a spicy, hearty bowl of Cajun gumbo love.
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Gumbo Love Recipe:
2 fully-intact hearts
4 cups of passion
3 tablespoons of trust
1 meeting episode
1 engagement ring
2 witnesses
1 official
No meddling family
Mix the two fully-intact hearts at an unforgettable meeting place. Allow them to brew until passion is unforgettably steamy. Throw in a well planned engagement proposal,, bring the ring, and don't tell the family until the last minute. Add an official, two witness, and unbelievable honeymoon getaway. Let simmer until completely done.
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