October came in like a blast of wind. It reminded me of just how fast time flies. I can't believe that next month is Thanksgiving and Christmas is right around the corner and soon another year will be coming to an end. I haven't met all of my goals for this year, but I'm thankful that I have a couple of months left to get it together.

First, I'd like to welcome the newest author to sign with Amani Publishing from Wickliffe, Ohio. Her name is Alesica Smith, and she's a poetess. The title of her book is Exhale: Wordz from Tha' Soul.  Alesica is a single parent who has been writing poetry for a while. She's excited about signing with Amani Publishing and so am I. Her book is expected to be available by February 15, 2009.

The Local Authors Network is off the ground. We had our first meeting on Saturday, September 27th. We had a nice showing considering the fact that Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden decided to stop in town during the same time as our meeting was scheduled. I went with a book and was prepared to read to myself for two hours, but some other writers decided to join me. We had a wonderful time discussing our writing projects and aspirations. Hopefully, everyone learned something from the meeting and will return to the next one on Saturday, November 15th, at the Main Library at 10:00 AM. This time, we'll meet in Program Room A/B on the main floor to accommodate the larger crowd that we're expecting.

RAW Sistaz (Reading & Writing Sistaz) Bookclub is hosting an online Writer's Conference beginning on Tuesday, October 28th, and lasting until Sunday, November 2nd. I will be conducting a couple of workshops so if you don't want to miss them, please register at your earliest convenience. RAW Sistaz is the number one online African-American bookclub. They also do book reviews, marketing, and other services for published and self-published authors. For more details, please visit: www.rawsistaz.com

The Women in Business Expo (hosted by You Can Women) held in August at Tallahassee Community College was an awesome event. It was so wonderful that one of the participates decided to have one in her city of Jacksonville, Florida. The date is set for Saturday, January 17, 2009. So stay tuned for more details as they develop. I'll also be presenting a publishing workshop at this event, and I'm looking forward to seeing some local people in Jacksonville. For more details regarding this program, please contact entrepreneur: Tonya M. Moore, tonya@aSpaLifestyle.com

I have to say a special "thank you" to everyone emailing me to ask about when my next novel will be available titled A Man of My Own. As you may or may not know, this is the title that I signed with an agent to sell to a major publisher. Well, the traditional publishing process moves a whole lot slower than the self-publishing process so I'm patiently waiting for my big break. In the meantime, I just finished editing my next nonfiction project titled Moving the Furniture: 52 Ways to Keep Your Marriage Fresh. Hopefully, the book will be available by February 1, 2009. I'm excited about this book and praying that it will help some married couples rekindled their unions. With twenty-seven years of marriage under my belt and a degree in counseling, I'm looking forward to receiving feedback about this publication. I also have a foreword in the book from the editor, Marilynn Griffith, author of Rhythms of Grace, and many more titles.

The fourth annual Local African-American Authors Day program will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2009. The theme for next year is: Poetry. Each author will bring a favorite poem to share with the audience and we'll have an "Open Mic" session open to the general public. The event is always free and will be held again at Amen-Ra's Bookshop at 812 S. Macomb Street. If you're an author or aspiring author, please come out to meet other authors and our supportive community members.

Black Marriage Weekend is coming up on Friday, March 20, 2009. I'm honored to be the keynote speaker for the luncheon on Saturday, March 21. Please mark your calendars for this momentous event (if you're married and want to celebrate with us). For more details regarding the conference location and price, please contact Karen Randolph at: Randolphkd@aol.com

SistahFaith Garments of Praise Conference will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2009, at Tallahassee Community College from 10:00 - 4:00 PM. SistahFaith is a network of Christian women, ministers, and writers. Marilynn Griffith will be hosting the first conference. For more details, please visit the website at: www.sistahfaith.com
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That's it for now. Thanks for reading my message and please leave a comment because I love receiving email...