Rant: Indie Publishing Forever!

On Friday, YA author L.R. Giles published a post explaining to his readers why he’s been incognito as of late. The post, if you ask me, was actually full of good news: Giles signed with HarperCollins and his YA mystery will be published soon. In addition to that, he has already completed two novels that aren’t contracted to HarperCollins, but he must show them to his lit and film agents before anyone else.

“I’m not complaining,” Giles says of his good fortune. “I just want to explain why you, the loyal readers who have supported LIVE AGAIN, THE DARKNESS KEPT, and THE SHADOWS GALLERY, haven’t seen a new book from me in over a year.”

I salute and congratulate the brother on his publishing contract. I know that it was a lifelong dream for the brother, and his talent will take him far. But reading his story makes me wonder if I’d ever sign a contract should one of the Big Six approach me.

Book Review: Will Write for Shoes by Cathy Yardley

Just so you know, the full title of romance author Cathy Yardley’s how-to book is Will Write for Shoes: How to Write A Chick Lit Novel. Does it strike you as odd that I would read such a book? It shouldn’t – especially if you’ve already read my novel GUESTLIST.

In the weeks leading up to GUESTLIST’s release, whenever most people asked what genre it would fall into, I would say, without hesitation, “chick lit.” That response was usually followed by a look of utter perplexity.

But think about it. GUESTLIST is the story of a young woman who moves to New York City and attempts to adjust to life in her new surroundings. She begins looking for love (or, at least, companionship) and struggles to find a foothold in her career. Isn’t that basically what most chick lit books are about?

30-Day Book Challenge: A Book That Makes Me Sad

Okay, so I said previously that it would be difficult to talk about a book that makes me “sad.” But that may not be so true after all. Upon giving the topic more thought, a recent read came to mind, one that would actually require me to spoil major plot points to give an adequate explanation as to why, when I closed the book at the end, I felt a genuine sense of loss.

However, I shall not spoil anything. Instead, I will just give you the title of the book: Platinum by Aliya S. King.

Just to give a brief overview, Platinum tells the stories of four women whose lives revolve around the hip-hop music industry. They’re wives, girlfriends, mistresses; they’re mothers, business women, and superstars. And their lives are connected in one way or another. There’s Alex Maxwell, the journalist ghostwriting the memoir of Cleopatra Wright, a video vixen who’s rocked the mic of every MC on the Billboard charts. (See what I did there?) There’s also Beth Saddlebrook, wife to fading rap star Z and mother to his unruly sons, and her best friend, platinum-selling R&B diva Kipenzi Hill. Finally, there’s Josephine Bennett, a successful fashion maven married to superproducer Ras.