Vocal Expressions

It’s been quite some time since I have read Waiting to Exhale. But I loved it then and I loved the sequel, Getting To Happy, even more. For starters, I loved that Terry revisited these four sister girlfriends (Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine and Robin) after 15 years and allowed us readers to peek in on their lives. They have now matured into women dealing with what I would call the “what now” phase in their lives. The phase where you’ve been there done that and now it’s time for a change. And boy did they go through some changes: divorce, job loss, loss of a spouse, pill addiction, etc. But through it all, it was the sisterhood that kept them going, laughing, and challenging each other to be their better selves and to take control of their lives. Terry’s writing style drew me in as I was laughing out loud so many times during the book. I felt like I was out shopping with Robin, getting my hair done in Gloria’s salon (loved the guys selling bootleg DVDs), listening in on Savannah’s co...

Author's Bio: Nanette Buchanan is a wife, proud mother, and grandmother. She is currently employed full time in the State of New Jersey as a New Jersey Corrections Sergeant. Her literary journey began when she began putting pen to pad, writing poems and children stories while attending Rutgers University. I Pen Designs became a business, catering to personalized writings for gifts. Nanette's debut novel was released in December 2007 and I Pen Designs began its publishing division with its publication. Since then she has published a total of eight novels and one poetry collaboration. Her novels have a "what if" twist, topics with questions that readers may have about everyday living. Her latest work is The Stranger Within and the beginning of a new series is in the making. Her books are available in Kindle, Nook, and e-reader formats. What inspired you to write your book? I’ve always been a writer. Putting my thoughts on paper became a welcomed escaped for m...

On Saturday, November 21, 2015 I exhibited at the "It's A Holiday Schwing Thing" at Make Studio in Baltimore, MD. This event had something for everyone: jewelry, art, clothing, and of course books. I had a fantastic time hanging out with folks from LitMore and the Baltimore Review. And I really enjoyed the avid readers/book club members that stopped by to show our books some love! Here are some photos from the event:

Author’s Bio:  Dionne Peart was born in England to Jamaican parents and grew up in Canada. Her debut novel, Somerset Grove,   was inspired by the many stories of Caribbean families she grew up with while living in Winnipeg. The Jamaica Gleaner recognized Dionne's work as "part of an emerging genre of writing by Jamaicans in this society" and BET.com  featured her debut novel Somerset Grove on their "You Gotta Have It" list for January 2015. When she isn't writing, Dionne loves to read stories that explore another time, place and culture. She now live in Washington, D.C. where she practices law and serves as a literacy ambassador for the Read Across Jamaica Foundation. She is currently working on her next novel. What inspired you to write your book? I had not planned to write Butterfly when I did; I had actually been working on another novel, but long story short, I lost that manuscript. It wasn’t coming out the way I wanted it to when I tried to rewri...

On Saturday, November 7, 2015, I presented a workshop titled - "Smooches and Murder: The Elixir to Writing a Successful Romantic Suspense Novel," to the Black Writers' Guild in Baltimore, MD. The agenda covered the following topics: Defining the romantic suspense genre Common elements of a romantic suspense novel The importance of research Opening with a bang Plot development Heightening the tension (conflicts) Character development (protagonist, villain) Creating a satisfying ending Appendices (Story Planning Questionnaire, Planning Action Engagement, Plotting Sheet, Character Questionnaire) Wrap Up          The audience participation throughout the presentation and the Q & A session was great! And  I  had a FANTASTIC time presenting to them!           Also, Vickie Oliver-Lawson, a Baltimore Arts Education Examiner covered the workshop presentation and wrote a wonderful article for the Examiner. You ca...