Vocal Expressions

On Sunday, April 28, 2019 I was one of many exhibitors (authors of various genres, poets, etc.) at the 14 th Annual Kensington Day of the Book Festival in Old Town Kensington, Maryland. This was my first time participating at this book festival which was an outdoor event near the train station. And yes, I did see a few trains go by which garnered attention from both adults and children. Anyway, after setting up I met my table mates to my left (Mihir Jaiswal) and to my right (folks from The Writer’s Center – Chevy Chase) and across from me the familiar face of F.J. Talley, author of Take Hart , whom I met last year at the Creatures, Crimes and Creativity (C3) writers’ conference in Columbia, MD. The day went by quickly with folks stopping by to browse, purchase my books and/or simply to chat about the art of writing. I met some other authors whom I connected with on social media (Maria Leonard Olsen, author of 50 After 50 and Glen Mourning, author of the Crunchy Life Kids’ Serie...

On Thursday, April 18, 2019 I was one of three authors who participated in the Zora’s Den Reading Series “In Our Own Words” hosted by its founder, Victoria Adams-Kennedy at Nancy by SNAC in Baltimore, Maryland. The other two authors were Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman and Adina Ferguson. This reading series had a little something for everyone. Khadijah had a poetic flow going on with her engaging poems, Adina had a real and honest take on life with her non-fiction essays and I had a romantic suspense vibe going on. There were lots of laughter, vocal high-fives, and support for each other. Yes, indeed it was a great evening spent with wonderful African American sister scribes sharing what we love to do and connecting with the audience too. I am thankful for this opportunity provided by Victoria in creating a space where we can express ourselves unapologetically in our own voices. Cheers to Zora’s Den! Side note: Zora’s Den is a secret group on Fa...

This was my first time reading anything by Henry Kane and I definitely see myself reading more from him in the future. So, let’s get right into this novel and meet Jonathan Joseph Carson aka Jonathan Joe, an older successful married lawyer who is newly married to Dolores, a much younger woman who could be his granddaughter. Well, we can all see where this is headed. Yes, husband has jealous rages, beats young woman who then finds a lover whom she hopes will save her, but not before husband devises a plan to murder him. Despite the fact this was written over fifty years ago, the formula still works today. I loved the twists and turns of this novel especially showing folks are loyal to those who they work for. Also, how far someone would go to frame someone else and quiet those who can point a finger at them. The dialogue was great and the scenes were very descriptive. A must read if you are a fan of suspenseful noir novels. Two thumbs up! Here are my favorite lines: Kelly...

Author’s Bio: Carlos J. Avent was born to Gloria and Horace Avent in Baltimore, MD. He’s an alumnus of Baltimore City College and Morgan State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He earned his Master of Science in Higher Education with a certification in Instructional Design and Technology from Walden University. Carlos resides in Baltimore, MD with his wife, Kelle’ and their daughter, Lyric. Carlos’ life as a writer and author include theater script writing, being a contributing writer for the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, Baltimore City College Alumni Newsletter, and a review of the nationally toured stage play, “A Night in Miami”. Other writing opportunities included being a featured sports blogger, covering the Baltimore Ravens for Fansided and Fox Sports in 2015 and 2016. In 2018, Carlos released and self-published his first book, 10 Extraordinary Lessons from an Ordinary Dad. DL: What inspired you to write your book? CJA: I’ve be...

Author’s Bio: Jacki Kelly has been writing since her fourth-grade teacher made her keep a journal for a grade. Now she does it to keep track of all the fascinating and heartbreaking moments that life throws our way. Poetry, personal essays, short stories and novels have all occupied space in her heart and her hard drive. Jacki loves to read almost as much as she likes to write. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s walking her adorable cocker spaniel or on the golf course. Her idea of bliss is squeezing all this stuff into one day. Happy Reading! DL: What inspired you to write your book? JK: I started this book a few years ago because the female heroine came to me while I was reading another romance. I wanted to write about a woman that had some baggage, but she remained strong and in charge of her life. I often hear women talk about the perfect man and began to wonder if such a thing existed . We all have our idea of what the perfect man is, but hopefully we don’t overlook...