True Lies by Margaret Johnson-Hodge $24.00 NOW $19.20 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

From Publishers Weekly An African-American woman gets more and less than she bargains for as she falls for a man with a child in the latest romantic drama from Johnson-Hodge (Some Sunday; Butterscotch Blues). When accountant Dajah Moore meets corrections officer Rick Trimmons, the attraction is instant. There's just one problem: Gina Alexander, the mother of Rick's four-year-old daughter, Kanisha. For Kanisha's sake, Rick still lives with irresponsible, hard-partying Gina, who is several years his junior. His feelings for Dajah spur him to end the relationship, but things don't exactly go smoothly from there. Dajah and Rick argue constantly, and unemployed Gina is a relentless irritant manipulating, blackmailing and stealing from Rick, using Kanisha as her trump card against him. Then he devises a scheme to purchase a two-family home so that he can be closer to his daughter; of course, once they move in (Rick downstairs, Gina and Kanisha up), it's a complete disaster, and Dajah finds herself running out of ways to "deflect the drama." When Gina gets arrested and loses custody of Kenisha, she resolves to better herself, but her renewal could be what finally forces Rick and Dajah apart. Despite clich‚d prose, much of it devoted to the woes of supporting characters, Johnson-Hodge moves easily and realistically between the middle-class world of Rick and Dajah and the seedier realm in which Gina operates. More importantly, she has created characters that, despite their flaws, readers will actually care about.  Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Review: True Lies by Margaret Johnson-Hodge... This book was very good. The author makes you relate with the character. I makes laugh and cry. I don't think anyone would want to be in Rick's shoe. I recommend this book. shanna chinaeyedoll@aol.com

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  Mirrored Life by Anita Bunkley $24.00 NOW $18.00 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Bad girl makes good-prison-issue cosmetology license in hand-in this pleasant bathtub book from the author of Balancing Act. After serving five years for her unintentional involvement in a robbery and murder in her tiny Texas town, and still mourning her mother's death and her father's descent into alcoholism, 20-year-old Sara Jane Talbot is ready to start over. Determined to succeed as a stylist, she moves into a halfway house in Dallas, gets hired at a swanky salon and starts experimenting with home beauty treatments from her mother's recipes. Thus is Serena St. James born-but she's broke and struggling to make it in a nearly all-white industry, until aging R&B star Diana Devreux pulls up in a limousine and demands a black stylist. Thanks to Serena's skill, Diana makes a huge comeback. Serena is handed a job as the diva's personal stylist and whisked off to a private cottage on her Las Vegas estate, where she gets involved with bodyguard Craig Alexander, a handsome charmer who adores her. All looks rosy until Craig reveals some romantic secrets and Joyce Ann Keller, the ringleader of the long-ago murder, comes looking for Sara Jane with blackmail and revenge on her mind. Shaky buildup of suspense and a bizarre, out-of-nowhere ending keep this book from really triumphing, but Sara Jane's spunky brand of tenacity is charming and Bunkley's clean prose keeps the story moving along at a good clip. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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  Sex Chronicles II: Gittin' Buck Wild by Zane $15.00 NOW $12.00  Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Zane is back with Gettin' Buck Wild: Sex Chronicles II, more stories for the legion of readers that made The Sex Chronicles a bestseller.

Zane's erotic short stories have captivated the minds of both sexes and all races. The Sex Chronicles: Shattering the Myth did exactly what its title implies -- exploded the myth that men are more sexual in nature than women, and that African-American women in particular are inhibited compared to their female counterparts of other cultures.

Her audience is growing by leaps and bounds, nurtured by her Internet site and her previous bestselling titles, including The Heat Seekers, her debut in hardcover. Zane knows exactly what her readers want, and in Gettin' Buck Wild she gives them some of her most provocative prose to date. Her characters and settings run the gamut from committed, monogamous couples looking to experiment, to the wild single sisters who belong to a very unconventional sorority. Zane tells the story of a high-paid multi-tasking career woman who gets her groove back in "When Opposites Attract," a couple who try something new in "The Subway -- A Quickie," and a new way of celebrating Christmas in "The Santa Claus." She spices up real-life scenarios with over-the-top sexual fantasy and ultimately gives her readers the best time they've ever had between the pages of a book.

With all-new characters and settings, Gettin' Buck Wild is Zane's hottest collection of stories yet. Smart, witty and extremely sexy, this second volume of Sex Chronicles is tailored to women -- but perfect for lovers to share.

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  Talk of the Town by Tracie Howard, Danita Carter $12.95 Now $10.36 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Tracie Howard and Danita Carter's sizzling debut, Revenge Is Best Served Cold, broke "exciting new ground in African-American fiction" (Kimberla Lawson Roby). Now they're back—and so are their invincible heroines—in a sexy new novel of romance and wealth...Manhattan style.

From Russell Simmons: A mix of money, sex, and power with a suspenseful storyline that speaks to our aspirations.

Book Review: TALK OF THE TOWN, is an excellent follow up to Revenge Is Best Served Cold, these two new authors on the scene are dynamic. I can't wait for book 3.

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  Douglass' Women: (A Love Story) by Jewell Parker Rhodes $25.00 NOW $17.50  Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

The critically acclaimed author of Voodoo Dreams delivers an inspired work of historical fiction about the warring passions that drove the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass and two women -- one black, one white -- who loved him.

Douglass' Women reimagines the lives of an American hero, Frederick Douglass, and two women -- his wife and his mistress -- who loved him and lived in his shadow. Anna Douglass, a free woman of color, was Douglass' wife of forty-four years, who bore him five children. Ottilie Assing, a German-Jewish intellectual, provided him the companionship of the mind that he needed. Hurt by Douglass' infidelity, Anna rejected his notion that only literacy freed the mind. For her, familial love rivaled intellectual pursuits. Ottilie was raised by parents who embraced the ideal of free love, but found herself entrapped in an unfulfilling love triangle with America's most famous self-taught slave for nearly three decades.

In her finest novel to date, Jewell Parker Rhodes vividly resurrects these two extraordinary women from history, portraying the life they led together under the same roof of the Douglass home. Here, fiery emotions of passion, jealousy, and resentment churn as the women discover an uneasy solidarity in shared love for an exceptional and powerful man. Douglass' Women fills the gaps and silences that history has left in an unforgettable epic full of heartache and triumph.

The Washington Post

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  No More Mr. Nice Guy by C. Kelly Robinson $13.95 NOW $11.16 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Mitchell Stone has had it! No more Mr. Nice Guy. Sick and tired of dates that end with a pat on the back, he's decided it's time to even his odds with the ladies and become the type of man they really seem to want: a mysterious, mischievous, deceitful Dog! With the help of his “Player” instructors, Tony and Trey, he's dipping his toe into a stream of booty calls, baby-mamas, and sexual spin, winning over every woman who crosses his path!

Nikki Coleman has had it, too! The men in her life have been good for one thing: disappointment. There's her high school sweetheart, Barry, a successful attorney who got someone else pregnant and derailed Nikki's early hopes of marriage. Then there's Jomo, a guitarist who's great in bed—except Nikki's not the only one he's great in bed with. There's Mitchell Stone, an old friend and fellow executive at her record company, who's handsome but just a little too nice. Last but not least, there's her father, Gene Coleman, who took a few years to acknowledge that, yeah, she's his. Now that a case of sexual harassment has Nikki on the verge of losing her job and with it her entire career in the music industry, the lack of a strong man in her life is even more painful. She can survive on her own, but in her heart she wants a Mr. Right to stand by her side and help her ride out the storm.

Meanwhile, Mitchell is well on his way to becoming a real Player. With his handbook of “Dog rules” and a new, swaggering style, he's attracting women left and right. He's even got Nikki reconsidering their just-friends status. But has this Dog bitten off more than he can chew? And will Mitchell's newfound womanizing ways come backto bite him before he and Nikki find true love?

Author Biography: C. Kelly Robinson is a graduate of Howard University. He and his wife live in Dayton, Ohio, where he is currently working on his next two novels. Visit his website at www.ckellyrobinson.com.
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  A Little Piece of Sky by Nicole Bailey-Williams  $9.95 NOW $7.96 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

A poignant, powerful debut that combines the deep emotion of The House on Mango Street with uniquely creative storytelling.

Unfolding in a series of tiny vignettes, A Little Piece of Sky introduces an endearing new novelist and a truly unforgettable main character. In the first few chapters we meet a little girl named Song Byrd, who keenly reports on the world around her. She is African American (in a mostly Hispanic neighborhood), unwanted (conceived during an adulterous affair), and poor in the material sense but extraordinarily rich in spirit.

In piercingly insightful prose, Nicole Bailey-Williams takes readers on Song’s journey through life as she struggles against outsider status and intense guilt over her mother’s murder. Behind it all, places of pure joy, “dreaming the hurt away,” and glorious little pieces of sky shine through. Song’s tales--and Bailey-Williams’s narrative gift--are truly words to treasure.

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Ever After by Edwardo Jackson $13.95 NOW 11.16 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Nick and Jasmine are young and in love -- truly, madly, deeply. After two years of dating, Nick asks Jasmine to marry him, but she declines. Heartbroken, Nick moves to a new city to start over. As Nick winds his way through the various women Chicago has to offer, he becomes more and more disenchanted with his love life. Along the way, he tests many of his cardinal rules of dating, often with tragicomic results. Cardinal Rule of Dating No. 1: Never date someone from a health club. The whole premise is based upon physical attraction, a foundation with all the durability of rice paper. Yet Nick couldn't resist Asanti, a butterscotch-flavored honey with legs that are "peanut butter pistons of power". Cardinal Rule of Dating No. 5: Never date a neighbor. This one speaks for itself. If all hell breaks loose, you can't get rid of your neighbor . . . legally. All you can hope for is that the lease expires someday and you can watch her move out. But Renee was so cute. Through flashbacks to happier times with Jasmine, Nick uses the past to propel his future decisions. As he searches for a romance that could equal what he once felt for Jasmine, Nick wonders if, without her, he can he live happily ever after.

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  What You Owe Me by BeBe Moore Campbell $7.99 NOW $7.19 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Campbell (Brothers and Sisters) here tells the story of Hosanna Clark, a black maid in a Los Angeles hotel, and her surprising relationship with Gilda, a white Jewish ‚migr‚e from Poland. Just after World War II, the women join forces to promote a hand lotion that Gilda makes, with Gilda managing the financial end of their newborn partnership and Hosanna hustling the product. But just as they quit their jobs to make cosmetics for black women full time, Gilda disappears, as does all the cash in their joint bank account. Gilda starts her own cosmetics company, which brings her both fame and fortune, and Hosanna passes her jealousy, anger, and thirst for revenge on to her daughter, Matriece. Matriece goes to work for Gilda after Hosannah dies, with unfocused plans for revenge, but the crisis is unexpectedly resolved, with a happy ending for everyone. Campbell freights her story with ethical and religious messages and abundant black/white and parent/child conflicts it cannot quite sustain. Though the characters are well drawn, they are stereotypical, and their dialog is thin and somewhat stilted. Not as convincing as her other works but still a good read; recommended for public libraries. Joanna Burkhardt, Coll. of Continuing Education Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Providence-Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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  The Sisters of Theta Phi Kappa by Kayla Perrin $12.95 (Paper Back) NOW $10.36 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Jessica, Ellie, Shereen, and Yolanda were the brightest stars of the Theta Phi Kappa Sorority at Howard University. Now, ten years later, they seem to have it all. Jessica is in the limelight, a TV personality whose star is on the rise. Ellie is an optimist, happily engaged in the quest for love. Shereen is a stunning and powerful executive, and Yolanda, the strong-willed leader of the group, has defied her roots to capture her vision of the American dream. But years before, these four women banded together to keep a devastating secret-and now, ten years later, someone will do anything to see the secret brought to light. None of them anticipated the consequences of keeping the secret-and now, someone is trying to shatter all their lives. Intense, powerful, page-turning, and emotional, The Sisters of Theta Phi Kappa will keep you guessing and will make you think about the depths of friendship, the price of loyalty, and the bonds of sisterhood

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  Ways of Dying: A Novel by Zakes Mda $13.00 NOW $10.40 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Toloki is a "professional mourner" in a vast and violent city of the new South Africa. Day after day, he attends funerals in the townships, dressed with dignity in a threadbare suit, cape, and battered top hat, to comfort the grieving families of the victims of the city's crime, racial hatred, and crippling poverty. At a Christmas day funeral for a young boy, Toloki is reunited with Noria, a woman from his village. Together they help each other to heal the past, and as their story interweaves with those of their acquaintances, this elegant short novel provides a brutal, magical, funny, and painful picture of South Africa today.

About The Author: ZAKES MDA, novelist and playwright, has received every major South African prize for his work. Born in 1948, he has been a visiting professor at Yale University and the University of Vermont. He is writer-in-residence at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. He is also the author of The Heart of Redness.

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  Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat $15.95 Now $11.96 Ages 12-Up Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

From The Publisher: In award-winning author Edwidge Danticat's first novel for young readers, it is election time in Haiti. Bombs are going off in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, and Celiane Esperance and her mother are nearly killed, giving them a fresh resolve to join Celiane's father in Brooklyn, New York. The harsh winter and concrete landscape are a shock to Celiane, who witnesses her parents' struggle to earn a living, her brother's uneasy adjustment to America, and her own encounters with learning difficulties and school violence.
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  Rhythms by Donna Hill $12.95 NOW $10.36 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

It all began in 1927, in the small town of Rudell, Mississippi, after the sudden and tragic death of Cora Harvey's parents. She has nothing left except her burning desire to become a singer. But her dream will never come true in Rudell, especially if she marries the man she adores, Dr. David Mackey. So when she sets out for Chicago, everyone in the close knit community, including David believes that the next time they see Cora, her name will be in lights. However, it's not long before Cora finds herself back in Rudell and back in David's arms harboring a secret she dare not reveal. . .A secret that will cause her daughter, Emma to flee Rudell with no intention of ever looking back. And even when Emma finds the perfect man and happiness at last, she is determined to do whatever it takes to keep her family's shameful past at bay. Then the dream that began with Cora comes full circle with her beloved granddaughter Parris whose melodic voice fills the dimly lit nightclubs of New York City. Yet, when tragedy strikes, opening a door to the past, Parris discovers the hidden truths that have ripped the family apart---but which may ultimately bind them together at last.

From the dusty roads of the Delta to the pulsing metropolis of New York City, Rhythms is a rich, unforgettable tale about loss and healing, redemption and love.

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  Bliss by Gabrielle Pina $12.95 NOW 10.36 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

“Sometimes a lie is the best thing.”

Francesca Valentine is a successful, beautiful, world-renowned violinist. But when her perfect life is shattered, she must confess to a history of carefully calculated deception.

Claudine Jenkins was a musical prodigy who clung to her one true love—a violin given to her by her aunt Hattie Mae. Claudine grew up protecting herself from the tauntings of her father and her twin brother by eating herself into obesity. Her mother was an alcoholic who was indifferent to her, at best. But all that would soon change.

Feared by most, yet adored for her exotic beauty, Hattie Mae Jones remained a mystery even to those who thought they knew her best. But when her dark past threatened to destroy her perfectly laid plans for the future, she became determined to have her way. Would she have gone as far as committing murder?

What happens when three generations of lies come to the surface? Power, deceit, greed, and lust collide—leaving you with sheer Bliss.

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An Ordinary Woman : A Novel about Friendship, Marriage and Adultery  by Donna Hill $23.95 NOW $ 17.96 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

AN ORDINARY WOMAN - October 2002, St. Martin's Press
"When do we first begin to covet? We begin to covet what we see everyday." --Anonymous

This is an awesome story about friendship, love and betrayal. It's filled with the kind of soul-searching self-revelation that most of us shy away from but it makes the book very poignant and realistic. I feel that every woman who reads this book will see herself in one of the main characters: Lisa with her safe, organized approach to life, or Asha with her spontaneous free spirit. This is a great story and one that takes the reader on a personal journey of self-knowledge. Bravo Ms. Hill!!!!--Reviewer: Erika Stevens, SCBC Dallas

"You'll find out soon enough. So I may as well say it now. I slept with my best friend's husband. There is no explanation. Not a real one anyway, not one that people will accept, especially the people who know me. I don't understand what happened. It just did … over time, I suppose. I've been going over every detail in my head from the first time I met Ross Davis right up until the moment Lisa found out what went on between us. If I ever wanted to die, it was at that moment. But I didn't die. I had to face what we'd done. What I'd done. I had to look my best friend in the face and try to explain …" --ASHA

What People Are Saying: ...a powerful novel of two friends and the forces that rip them apart...Alternately tough and tender, and consistently insightful... (John A. Williams, winner American Book Award, National Institute of Arts and Letters, and author of The Man Who Cried I Am, Captain Blackman and Clifford's Blues)  —John A. Williams


Donna grabs you, right out of the box, with a tale that's both provocative and audacious...an engaging, fast-paced read... (Lolita Files, bestselling author of Child of God)  —Lolita Files


...an extraordinary observation of love, betrayal and hope... (Margaret Johnson-Hodge, author of Some Sunday)  —Margaret Johnson-Hodge

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God's Gift To Women by Michael Baisden $22.95 NOW $18.36 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Julian Payne has spent countless night shifts trying to make it as a radio personality on an obscure AM station in Chicago. While most of the world is asleep, he captivates his growing audience with his smooth and masculine voice. His ratings rise as more and more emotionally scarred women tune in to get Julian's advice about their relationship issues.

Julian's own attempts at having a love life are complicated by his ten-year-old daughter, Samantha, who believes that no woman is good enough to take the place of her deceased mother. It's hard enough to find the right woman and keep her happy, but keeping Samantha happy is damn near impossible. But soon Julian's issues as a single parent become the least of his problems.

After years of struggling in Chicago, Julian gets his big break: a top radio station in Houston hires him to host their late-night talk show. While celebrating his last evening in Chicago with friends, he meets the sexy and intriguing Olivia Brown. Julian can't help being attracted to her dark, flowing hair, toned body, and hazel eyes that could put a man in a trance. Olivia makes her desire to spend the night with Julian clear right away. When Julian warns her that he's on a plane in the morning and has only one night to offer, Olivia assures him that a no promises-no commitment evening is just what she's looking for.

Once in Houston, Julian begins to build his reputation and his audience faster than he ever dreamed. He meets and pursues the beautiful Dr. Terri Ross, a woman with class and her own counseling practice. But Olivia has her own plans for Julian. The calls start coming. She shows up in town "on business." She waits for him outside the radio station. Suddenly Julian finds himself in a situation with a deranged woman who is determined to win him over -- or make his life a living hell.

Michael Baisden's hottest offering yet, God's Gift to Women is a suspenseful tale about the consequences of sex with a stranger and what one man will have to do to save himself and those he loves from the wrath of a woman scorned.

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  P.G. County by Connie Briscoe $24.95 NOW $18.71 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Connie Briscoe’s previous novels have won the accolades of critics, positions on national bestseller lists, and the loyalty of millions of fans. Essence magazine called Sisters and Lovers “a frank and funny tale,” and Mademoiselle dubbed it “riveting ...lively...hilarious.” The San Francisco Chronicle had high praise for Big Girls Don’t Cry, declaring “[It] brims with warmth, energy, and a positive message.” With P.G. County, Briscoe serves up a sexy, lush, and irresistible portrait of an elite African American community in Maryland.

Now meet the women of P. G. County:

Barbara Bentley is fifty, rich, fabulous, and the wife of the powerful Bradford Bentley. She has more than enough trouble keeping track of her handsome but all-hands husband while keeping her drinking problem in check

Pearl is a hairdresser who lives on the outskirts of the tony Silver Lake with her grown son, Kenyatta. As Pearl strives to grow her business and recover from a bad divorce, she also has to deal with Kenyatta’s new girlfriend, Ashley, who is not at all the match Pearl imagined for her son.

The married Jolene, the black-sheep daughter of a prominent judge, beds down more than one promising candidate as she pursues a wealthy and powerful replacement for her earnest and hardworking husband.

Candice Johnson is remarried, white, and liberal, at least she always fancied herself as such until her daughter enters into a serious relationship with a young black man, and Candice’s life as she knows it is suddenly called into question.

Lee is a teenager on the run from her mother’s abusive boyfriend and in search of her own father whom she believes to be handsome, rich,and all-powerful.

In Connie Briscoe’s big new splashy novel, five lives intersect in the swish and swanky, rich and raucous Prince George’s County. With more than a nod to Peyton Place, Connie Briscoe has created a fabulously fun novel that will delight, excite, and entertain.

BOOK REVIEW:  12-16-02 P.G. COUNTY -This is a must read. I read this book in one afternoon. I couldn't put it down. SCstarza@aol.com

BOOK REVIEW:  10-28-02 P.G.County is a real page turner. I couldn't wait to see how the characters lives would unfold.

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  SilkyDreamGirl by Cris Burks $12.95 Now $10.36 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Katie has reached the end of her rope. Her fourth marriage is falling apart, she’s drowning in debt but can’t find a job, and now she has to care for the sons of husband number four. To top it off, her mother won’t stop harping on Katie’s weight, as if the scale held the answer to all these troubles.

Like millions of women, Katie decides to tune out her real-life woes by tuning in to the Internet. There, she sheds her plus-size wardrobe and emerges as SilkyDreamGirl, an identity as luscious as the desserts she craves. Soon Katie's imaginary self, who is persuasive, in control, and very sexy, starts taking charge in Katie's off-line world. Inspired by her sultry chat-room dates, she turns the tables on her badgering ex and starts enjoying the sweet life. She even turns her affection for confections into a lucrative baking business. Clever, fast-paced, and good for the soul, SilkyDreamGirl is a terrific treat that’s low in calories and high in fun.

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  Love Frustration by R. M. Johnson $23.00 Now $17.25 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Jayson Abrahms is tired of dating, tired of the games involved, and wants nothing more than to settle down. Thankfully, in less than a week he will marry Faith Sheppard, the love of his life. But there is one minor issue -- Jayson's longtime best friend, Asha Mills. Not only is she gorgeous, but Asha and Jayson also used to be lovers. Concerned about Asha's intentions, Faith delivers an ultimatum to Jayson, forcing him to face the toughest decision of his life: Either Asha goes, or there will be no wedding.

Jayson reluctantly sets out to end the friendship but cannot bring himself to do it. When he lies to Faith and tells her Asha is out of the picture, he never expects Faith to learn his secret, but Faith bumps into Asha and, discovering the truth, decides to get even with Jayson for his betrayal. Meanwhile, Jayson still believes that things are as they should be and, a few days before the wedding, sets out to meet Faith at a hotel room where a surprise party is promised for her. Hoping to surprise his fiancée with a gift of roses when he walks into the room, Jayson instead receives a horrible shock.

When a videotape of that night's painful events surfaces, Jayson finally starts to unravel the web of lies that has been cast around him. Because it is not just Faith who has been harboring secrets from him; Asha is also turning out to be a very different woman from the one he fell in love with years ago.

Never turning away from the harshness of reality, Love Frustration candidly confronts what happens when people have what they don't want and love what they can't have.

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  Echoes of a Distant Summer: A Novel by Guy Johnson $24.95 NOW $17.47 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

“You done lived a tough life, boy, and I know I’m part responsible for that. I ain’t askin’ you to excuse me or forgive me. Just know I did the best I knew to do. I was just tryin’ to make you tough enough to deal with the world. To stand tall among men, I knew you had to be strong and have yo’ own mind.”

“You were preparing me for war, Grandfather.”

Guy Johnson, the author of the critically acclaimed debut Standing at the Scratch Line, continues the Tremain family saga.

Jackson St. Clair Tremain hasn’t spoken to his grandfather King in nearly twenty years. Disgusted by the violence and bloodlust that seemed to be his grandfather’s way of life, Jackson chose to distance himself from King and live a simpler life. But now King is gravely ill, and his impending death places Jackson’s life—as well as those of his family and friends—in jeopardy. Reluctantly, Jackson travels to Mexico to see King. But after a brief reconciliation, his grandfather is assassinated, and Jackson suspects that his grandmother Serena may have had a hand in it. Jackson takes control of King’s organization, and as he does, he reflects on the summers he spent in Mexico as a child and the lessons he learned there at the knee of his strong-willed, complex grandfather.

In Echoes of a Distant Summer, Guy Johnson introduces us to a new hero, Jackson St. Clair Tremain, who learns that, like his grandfather, he must be willing to protect those he loves—at all costs.

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  Child of God by Lolita Files, $13.00 Paper Now $10.40 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Everybody knows everybody else's business in Downtown, Tennessee. Neighbors while away afternoons at the local bar, swapping rumors about voodoo, incest, and illegitimate children. Usually they're gossiping about the Boten clan.

In this epic family saga, Lolita Files unveils the hidden lives of three generations of the Boten family. She introduces us to Grandma Amalie, a mother so fiercely protective, she will quietly sacrifice everything for her son. There's Grace, who conceals the identity of her child's father for more than twenty years. There's Aunt Sukie, whose strange power over her husband, Walter, is matched only by the strength of her dark magic. And then there's Lay, the bad seed, whose secret betrayals will cost his family dearly.

The family's past begins rising to the surface when a mysterious fire takes the life of young Ophelia Boten's infant son. The tragedy sets the family in motion, its members on a quest for self-discovery that will lead them to the drug world of inner-city Detroit, a midwestern college campus, the jungles of Vietnam, and back again. Ophelia sets her own course, one that will ultimately bring her into the arms of a caring and benevolent lover. But before she can embrace her new life and begin a family of her own, she must fully understand and accept the Boten clan's tormented legacy.

Inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet, Child of God is a story of family bonds, of forbidden love, of sacrifice and redemption. Moving deftly forward and backward in time, the narrative weaves the past with the present, and the family's mistakes echo unforgettably through each successive generation. As rich as it is rewarding, this is Lolita Files's most ambitious novel to date.

Book Review: 9-10-02 Child of God "was the best book that I have read in a longtime, next to Sista Souljah's novel. Lolita Files really out-done herself with this novel. I read this book in 4 1/2 hours. It was the best, and believe me, I have read some good books, but this one captured me in no time. panative@hotmail.com

Book Review: You just have to read this one. This book seems very confusing in the beginning, but it straightens itself out and leaves you craving more. This is a true Lolita Files continuance. pnuttrey@aol.com

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  Autumn Leaves by Victor McGlothin $24.95 NOW $18.71  Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

Marshall Coates and Rorey Garland are on top of the world--best friends and superstar athletes with millions in professional contracts just around the corner. But their lives are far from perfect. Despite loving the best thing that ever happened to him-his girlfriend, Jasmine Reynolds-Marshall is constantly faced with the shapely sirens who always seem to accompany the limelight. And Rorey has a dark secret that could destroy their friendship and his life.

In Dallas, Kennedy James is a beautiful art curator who's romantically involved with the wealthy but self-centered society climber Simpson Stone. When confronted with the dilemma of what's more important, getting what she wants or having the man she needs, she finds herself caught up in a tumultuous war of the heart. When she's offered a chance at true love with a less glamorous man will she be able to take it?

As their lives converge, which of them will manage to capture happiness? And which will fall, beautiful but doomed, like autumn leaves?

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  Who Killed Tiffany Jones by Mavis Kaye, Bill Adler (Creator), Mel Watkins (Creator) $22.95 Now $16.07 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

There's a $10,000 reward for solving the crime -- It could be yours! Interactive reading at its most exciting. Who Killed Tiffany Jones? is a page-turning thriller, packed with intriguing characters spoofing real-life celebrities and faraway, exotic locales. The clever reader who discovers whodunit could win $10,000!

Who Killed Tiffany Jones? is a page-turning thriller, packed with intriguing characters spoofing real-life celebrities and faraway, exotic locales. The clever reader who discovers whodunit could win $10,000!

The sensational killings that have rocked the seemingly untouchable world of international jet-setters and powerful glitterati appear to be unrelated -- but former police detective Kim Carlyle senses there's a thread connecting them all. After one of Kim's clients, celebrated chanteuse Tiffany Jones, is slain backstage during a performance at the Apollo Theater, the savvy and beautiful Carlyle pieces together the clues. And what she discovers is a scheme whose complexity, dare and danger were beyond her wildest imaginings.

Interactive reading at its most exciting, Who Killed Tiffany Jones? is a page-turning thriller packed with international intrigue, celebrity-based characters, faraway, exotic locales -- and a chance for a clever reader to cash in on the mystery!

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  Gonna Lay Down My Burdens by Mary Monroe $24.00 Now $18.00 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

  Leslie: A Novel by Omar Tyree $21.00 Now $15.75  Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

To some she's intelligent and beautiful.
To others she's proud and dangerous.

At the historically black college of Dillard University in the lush mystical city of New Orleans, the beautiful and serious Leslie Beaudet is struggling with a dark secret of power in a world that is pulling her in many different directions.

In the eyes of her Haitian immigrant father, Leslie is a queen who deserves more than the broken dreams and carnage of poverty. To her Black Indian mother, she is a source of pride and strength, a reason for carrying on. To her younger sister, already the mother of two and a high school dropout, Leslie is the only person who cares enough to share her woes. To her brother, she is the victim he failed to protect. To her college peers and teachers, Leslie is a determined, resourceful student, most likely to succeed, yet always impenetrably private.

When a series of murders befall her New Orleans community, they increasingly point in Leslie's direction. Slowly, her friends and relatives realize they've never really known Leslie -- a complicated young woman terrified of failure, struggling with painful family secrets, praying for security that has eluded everyone around her, and craving the power to change her fate, a power that was hidden from her until now...when it's too late to stop her.

BOOK REVIEW: 12-16-02 This book is great. Omar Tyree has out done himself. This book hooks you with mysterious look into the voodoo religion. Leslie is a powerful woman and will let all of new orleans know. I highly recommend this book for any reader.  Thank You,  Shavonne (chinaeyedoll@aol.com)

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  Reaching Back by Nea Ann Simone $15.00 Now $11.00 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

  I'm Telling: A Novel by Karen E. Quinones Miller $21.00 Now $15.76 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

  Candy Don't Come in Gray by Roslyn Carrington $14.00 Now $11.20 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

From The Publisher: Riding high on the success of his critically acclaimed mystery debut, Up Jumped the Devil, and his dazzling second novel, Hidden in Plain View, Blair S. Walker continues the adventures of sleuthing Baltimore newspaperman Darryl Billups. In Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes, appearances can be deceiving . . . and just as deadly.

Every two months for the last seventeen years, the payments for unit number nine at a storage facility in West Baltimore have arrived without fail. After the money orders mysteriously stop, a grisly surprise is found inside the abandoned space: the mummified remains of black socialite Adrienne Hudson. The victim’s husband was none other than Charles Hudson, one of Baltimore’s greatest business leaders, who has since remarried a much younger woman. Adrienne’s disappearance during an apparent robbery in 1984 shocked and saddened the people of Baltimore. Now her murder has reopened old wounds, and cast a shadow of suspicion on a pillar of the community.

Into this lurid state of affairs steps Baltimore Herald reporter Darryl Billups, who is set to marry his long-time, live-in girlfriend, Yolanda, and become an instant father to her wonderful four-year old son. Nervous about the upcoming wedding after thirty-three years of bachelorhood, he welcomes any distraction and eagerly throws himself into the sordid case.

Yet after receiving sensitive inside information from a contact in the police department, Darryl discovers there’s much more to the story than meets the eye. Maneuvering through a world of lies and deception, privilege and power, Darryl uncovers secrets and bombshellswhich will lead him to an unlikely suspect–one who will shake the foundations of a proud city . . . and one that just may cost Darryl his life.

Seamlessly blending action, romance, comedy, and relentless suspense, Blair S. Walker has written a stunning mystery full of unexpected twists–and featuring a hero fans will delightfully welcome back and new readers will adore.

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  His Insignificant Other  by Karen V. Siplin $23.00 Now $18.40 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

His Insignificant Other is one of the funniest and most endearing debut novels to hit the shelf since Bridget Jones's Diary. With a freshness and wit that is at times laugh-out-loud funny, at others heartbreaking, Karen V. Siplin brings to life a truly memorable character.

"They say there are few guarantees in life, but when you're a woman on the verge of turning thirty, there are several. Without fail, a gorgeous woman will always manage to introduce herself to your boyfriend at a party the very minute you stick a chicken wing in your mouth. The part of you that turned off the telephone ringer and lowered the volume on the answering machine just to have a couple of hours to yourself will disappear and you'll want to talk to the man in your life, whether he's special or not, every minute of the day. And the moment you and your boyfriend reach a significant milestone, like an anniversary, a woman from his past is sure to reappear."

These are the words of Casey Beck, a twenty-nine-year-old African-American college professor from New York City who is sick of her job, her friends, her boyfriend, even the margaritas at her favorite Southern-style bar. Staring at the road to thirty, Casey is hoping for a little love, a little sex and a little bit more out of her world. And then — boom. Her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, whom she had hoped never to see again — the ex-girlfriend who had slept with her man only a few months before; the ex-girlfriend who always acted prettier, sexier, smarter, cooler than her — walks into her apartment one night and refuses to leave her life.

A hilarious, heartrending look at twenty-something living, His Insignificant Other is the story of a group of friends who are trying to decide whether it's time to settle down or move on. When Casey finds herself re-examining the contented couple life she thought she had created, she begins to realize that sometimes the pictures we paint for our own happiness are not always so accurate. Telling more than just the story of a bored professional searching for satisfaction, Karen V. Siplin brings to light the ennui that exists in all of our lives, both at the workplace and in the bedroom.

Whether laughing or crying at the wild, risky world of relationships, His Insignificant Other is a candid look at life and love on the verge of thirty.
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Promises to Keep by Gloria Mallette $13.95 Now $10.80 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards

New from the author of the national bestseller Shades of Jade: a story about the tragic loss of a son, the struggle to keep a family together, and the hunt for a murderer who didn’t leave any clues behind

After a bitter divorce, Troy Kirkwood and his five-year-old daughter, Meika, move in with his parents, Nola and Ron. Troy is a devoted father and son. During an outing with his daughter he is called away—and never returns. Nola and Ron know that something must be terribly wrong, and Meika can’t stop asking where her daddy is. Four days later the police discover Troy’s body, with two bullet holes in it.

As soon as Vann, Troy’s older brother, hears the news, he promises to find Troy’s killer and bring him to justice. There’s just one problem—the police have no leads and Troy had almost no enemies. To make matters worse, Troy’s crack-addicted ex-wife has recently resurfaced and is demanding custody of their daughter.

The Kirkwoods are not about to give up Troy’s only child. But as they struggle through family court and Troy’s murder investigation, it takes their combined emotional strength to keep the family intact. And they slowly begin to realize that even if Troy’s murder is solved, the pain of losing a child never really goes away.

Book Review: 9-2-02 Promises to Keep: This book was so enthralling I couldnt put it down!! For every emotion they went thru so did the reader! A must read! Rboston@imn.org

Book Review: Promises to keep... This is a EXCELLENT book from begining to end!!!! While reading I felt a part of the family and felt their emotions. I read this book in one night. Nubianqn2@aol.com

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  Wisdom by Heather Neff $24.00 Now $18.00 Order by CK, MO & Call-In Credit Cards