Finding Kennedy  will be available in audio on November 19th! The book will be narrated by Jakobi Diem and Wesleigh Siobhan, and I'm super excited for y'all to hear it.
• Pre-order here: https://amzn.to/32srOS4. 

Happiness In Jersey, is now available on Audible!

I'm super excited that this series is getting new life. When I first wrote this book, the only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to tell Jersey's story. I didn't expect that it'd turn into a full series when I wrote that first chapter, but by the time I was about half way through the story (and digging into the truth behind Jersey's customary snark), I knew I had something that could be expanded.

Five years and four books later, we'll finally get to hear the Prototype's journey into love, adulthood and fame. I love these characters and their journeys so much-- I can't wait for you all to experience it in a totally new way.

This book, and the rest of the series, will be narrated by talented voice actress, Wesleigh Siobhan. The super talented Jakobi Diem will show up for Finding Kennedy, Keeping Willow and Loving Cassie.  Finding Kennedy  releases on November 19th. 

If you're into it, take a listen + buy Happiness In Jersey  here---> https://amzn.to/2NjWmRs.

On Saturday we (myself, Nia Forrester and Lily Java) hosted Wine with Writers for the second time in Atlanta—and it was so dope. The panelists, the authors who came and dedicated their time, and of course, the readers, made it awesome and memorable. Here are five reasons why it goes down as one of my favorites.

1. The panel. The author panel this year was fire. We talked #blackloverevolution and man, when I say these women brough the heat... I'm not even joking. Joan Vassar, Piper Huguley and Nako were just phenomenal as they broke down the importance of celebrating black love, exploring and bringing the full humanity of black folks to their work, and so much more. At one point, my husband Mike literally shouted, "Joan for president!"—that's how ill she was with the breakdown. Hats off these incredibly smart, wise, women, and the books they create and share with us. 

​2. The volunteers were incredible. I feel like I can't say it enough—THANK YOU so much to everyone who volunteered and made this event a success. I can't front- I'm not the best at asking for help. I'm a pretty self-contained, do it all myself kind of person (which is not good, btw). But the second I asked you for help, you came through, with no hesitation, smiling, and down for whatever, and I am so, so thankful for you. This would not have worked without y'all, period, and that isn't lost on me. Kristen, Ciarra Hodges, Terri Gordon-Winston-- I love y'all for real (thanks for the pictures, Terri) And to my husband Mike, who was invaluable before, during and after the event-- keeping things moving, lifting and moving heavy stuff, helping with organization, taking great photos, etc., etc., etc., and on and on and on... Thank you. I married well. 

​3. The readers! I'm always blown away when people tell me they drove from other states to attend Wine with Writers. I know for sure we had folks from Alabama (hi, Enecia!), Houston (hi, Kay!), TN (hi, Vanita!), and North Carolina... and I'm sure I've missed some places. Like, you have no idea how humbled we are by your support of this indie author community.  You are all awesome and inspiring.

4. The authors. Beyond the panel, there were a lot of writers in the house. Special shout out to incredibly talented writers DL White and Michelle Mitchell who were in attendance signing books, and just generally being dope. Your live readings were both fantastic and added a special element to the night. Sharon C. Cooper, Lauren H. Kelly, Chicki Brown, Chelle Ramsey, and more who I may be missing, thanks for showing up and supporting-- your presence was super appreciated. 

5. Peters Street Station is awesome. Seriously, the staff was so kind and helpful-- and they're so supportive of the black creative community in Atlanta, they deserve a special shout out. So does that dope mural on the side of the building by @thepainterbae, which sums up the entire event... "Hey Brown Girl, You're Beautiful" ...

Guess what? Wine With Writers is headed back to Atlanta on Nov. 2, 2019! I'm super excited about this, obviously. The previous events have been so great, and the Wine With Writers that we held in Atlanta back in 2018 was really, really dope. I'm expecting more of the same this year because our theme is super timely—Black Love Revolution: A Million And One Stories To Tell.

Hosted by myself, Nia Forrester and Lily Java, this year we'll be joined by acclaimed authors, Joan Vassar, Nako, and Piper Huguley to discuss Black Love as a revolutionary concept from a historical and contemporary context. This year's event will be at Peters Street Station, and as usual, we'll have unlimited wine, light bites, jamming music and intimate conversation for folks who love books and want to mingle with the writers who create the worlds they love so much. 

New this year, we'll also have an Author Salon  which will feature authors DL White, Tasha L. Harrison, Shakir Rashaan, and Michelle Mitchell. They'll be on hand all evening to sign books. 

Like I said, I'm really excited about this year's event. If it sounds like your jam, make sure you come through on Nov. 2. Click the button below to register. Space is limited. 

​

I'm having a chat on June 2nd for LOVING CASSIE at 7pm EST! Click to join what should be a dope, lively discussion with my writer-sisters Lily Java and Nia Forrester.  
👉🏿👉🏿
Join the discussion: https://www.facebook.com/events/2730546413653738/

Sooo... Guess what? Turns out I'll be at Indie Love in the A 2019! It was a last minute addition but I'm happy to once again take part in one of the most important indie romance events around. If you're in Atlanta (or nearby), you should come through. It's happening on June 22nd and registration ends on June 1. Register here for Indie Love: https://www.indielovee.com/indie-love-atl-2019

I will have VERY LIMITED copies of my books on hand, so if you're planning on coming, please consider pre-ordering! You can pre-order here: https://form.jotform.com/90323923085152

Woo-hoo!  Loving Cassie is now available on Amazon!

If you haven't joined my newsletter yet, now is a great time to do so, because there'll be an exclusive giveaway in the new that goes out tomorrow morning. Also,  it's a great time to join my FB reader group so you can keep up with all the places where we'll be chatting about what goes down with Cassie + Bam! 

One more thing– if you enjoy Cassie + Bam's story, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads! 

Loving Cassie  will arrive on May 24th! Woo-hoo! I'm really excited for you all to delve back into the The Prototype's world and meet these two characters, who have instantly earned a place as one of my favorite couples. 

Check out an excerpt below: 

Kennedy was shaking me awake way before I was ready to function.

“I’m up,” I croaked, to get her to stop jerking on my shoulder. I buried my head in her comforter, struggling to push myself into consciousness. It felt like my body was filled with concrete. Probably because I was operating on a little over two hours of sleep, messing around with Bam.

Bam: A sudden impact or occurrence.

His face crowded into my brain, his lips on my ear, beard scratching my skin, his skilled hands on my body. I ran a hand down my face, like that would erase the memory, or my attraction to him. I could still smell him in my clothes from last night. I heard Kennedy already rustling around and finally pushed myself to set up, blinking sand out of my eyes.
She was rummaging through her bag, and looked up at me. She smiled sleepily.

“We can crash in the van,” she informed me, yawning. “The guys never make us drive.”
Probably another southern thing I wasn’t privy to living in the Midwest. I nodded, rubbing my eyes as I swung my legs over the twin sized bed, standing and heading into the bathroom. When I came out a few minutes later, Kennedy was fully dressed, lugging her bag into the living room.

“They’re outside,” she said quietly, moving further down the darkened hallway. I saw light peering from the kitchen. Pepper was already up?

I headed back into the bedroom and dressed quickly, throwing on a pair of leggings, a t-shirt and shoving Bam’s hoodie over my head again after I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I pulled my skull cap on and rolled my carryon out of the bedroom.

“I can’t believe you’re awake,” I greeted Pepper, who was standing in the living room, wearing a lavender jogging suit, her hair hanging down the middle of her back in one long braid. She looked as if she’d been up and at it for hours.

“Had to see my grand-girls off,” she said smiling.
I released my bag, moving to hug her. Her embrace was warm and comforting when I inhaled her.

“You come back sooner. Not later. Understand?”

I nodded, hugging her tight. “Definitely.”

“I mean it, Ru.” Her voice was firm and I nodded again.

“I promise.”

“Remember what I told you. Take care of you too,” she said gently in my ear.

I felt tears welling in my eyes when I nodded again. “I will.”

Kennedy and Pepper exchanged their good-byes and then we were pushing through the front door less than two minutes later. The air was crisp, the sky still dark because even the sun couldn’t be bothered to make an appearance yet. The van was parked at the curb, engine humming quietly, billows of smoke exiting from the rear exhaust pipe because of the temperature.

My eyes immediately landed on Bam at the rear of the van, standing next to Travis as they hoisted Kennedy’s bags into the back. He was wearing a navy blue thermal and a pair of gray sweats and he looked so good, I almost tripped on the steps leading down to the sidewalk. I exhaled, catching myself, and dragged my carry-on behind me, the wheels extra loud on the concrete because it was so early and still outside. Bam looked up at me then, his gaze connecting with mine. He smiled a little, and my stomach tightened. I looked away.

“Y’all can go on and get in. The heat’s on, so it’s warm,” Travis told us, his eyes on Kennedy, who was standing at the curb shivering as they loaded the bags.

“Right on,” I said, starting toward the doors.

“Cupcake.”
It was Bam’s deep voice calling me. I hesitated for a second before turning and looking at him. A half-grin was on his face when he jerked his head, beckoning me to him. I chewed on the inside of my lip, staring at him while I debated. He chuckled.

“C’mere, Cassandra.”

Reluctantly, I made my way to the back of the van.

“I got the rest,” Bam dismissed Travis, his voice early morning gruff, which was insanely arousing.

“Aight.” Travis smiled at me before loping around to the driver’s side.

I stood there toeing the gravel and stuffed my hands into the oversized hoodie I’d decided I was stealing and taking back home with me because it was so comfortable.

“After careful thought and consideration, I’ve decided that last night was a mistake,” I declared in a rush before he could speak. Better to just get it out there so that my entire trip wouldn’t be ruined with weird awkwardness.

Bam grinned at my announcement, hoisting Kennedy’s second bag into the back, biceps flexing.
“You did, huh?”

“Yes.”

“I called you after you left.” He looked over at me as he effortlessly picked up my heavy shoulder bag.

“I turned my phone off. What were you gonna say?”

“That I hope you don’t think last night was a mistake.” He smirked and grabbed my other bag, arranging it in the back so that it fit with the others.

“I prolly shouldn’tve let things go that far.”

His eyes had turned serious when he turned to face me, shutting the back doors. I stayed quiet, mostly because it was difficult to speak when Bam was looking at me the way he was.

“Me askin’ you to come over wasn’t about that. I just wanted your company.”

His gaze was zeroed in on mine, his chocolate eyes tired but full of heat.

“But I’m not gonna front. Our chemistry is unreal, Cass. I got carried away.”

I drew in a breath at his admission. Bam didn’t talk like a boy. He tucked his hands into his sweat pockets, his eyes never leaving my face.

“It’s not just on you. I’m the one who got carried away.”

“And now you’re shook.”

His tone was matter-of-fact. I looked down at the oil stained gravel, shaking my head in denial.

“I’m not ‘shook.’ I just think we need to chill.” I looked up at him again. “Don’t you?”

“No.”

I tilted my head to the side. “So you’re sayin’ you wanna be my rebound? Because that’s what it would be.” I exhaled, staring at the ground again. “I don’t have the head space, or the emotional capacity or fortitude to deal with… anything.”

“Emotional fortitude?”

When I looked up again, he was biting on the inside of his lip, holding back a smile.
“Don’t make fun of me. I’m trying to be real here.”


“I’m sorry.” Only he didn’t look sorry at all because he was still grinning. “You’re just super cute.”

He squinted at me like he was trying to figure out how it was possible, or where I came from, and grabbed the bottom hem of my hoodie, pulling me closer slowly, like he was giving me a chance to pull away if I wanted to. I didn’t.

“You have too many women,” I accused tilting my head up to meet his eyes, ignoring the way my heart was racing standing so close to him. He smelled like soap and detergent, and man. “Not that I care. I’m not here for this anyway. I just wanted—” I stopped and shook my head, sighing, looking across the street at Pepper’s neighbor’s house, shivering a little in the cold.

“You just wanted what?”

​“To breathe…”

So, this past weekend I had an opportunity to attend Girl, Have You Met in Memphis, TN (Blackhaven, Orange Mound!)  and it was beyond awesome.

There has been a lot of discussion lately about racism within the mainstream romance industry, which honestly, is nothing new, but has recently emerged as a hot button topic.

For me, I think events like Girl, Have You Met continue to demonstrate that mainstream inclusion isn't necessary for black authors to thrive. Why try to shove your way into spaces where you're not wanted, and more importantly, where you are not valued? I'm personally over trying to prove my humanity to folks who are not interested in acknowledging it. It's tiring and often times, futile. 

And, to keep it a buck, if you have a romance community or organization and you've actively ignored black women/black stories, or made black women feel shunned from those spaces, you probably lack culture currency or relevancy anyway.  Why? Because Black women are the culture. And I don't believe that I'm overstating here, or speaking from a defensive position. It's just the truth. If we are absent, so is your cultural relevancy and currency, especially heading into 2020. You need us. And in our absence, you come across as out of touch and, well... kinda corny. 

At any rate, I went off on a tangent but it always is so refreshing and affirming to be in spaces where black women, black men and black love are represented, embraced and valued. That's what happened this weekend. Here are a few more reasons why Girl, Have You Met was dope: 

1.  The panel discussion was fantastic. Some jewels were dropped about the importance of displaying black love in all of its many forms, the importance of the space black romance/women's fiction writers occupy and why women tend to be so hard on their heroines (the consensus was... please stop). It was lovely. #blackromancematters

2. Readers! I've said it before and I'll say it again: reading readers who read are awesome. Y'all show so much love. Even when certain people ran out of books (ahem), y'all still signed up to have them mailed to you, stopped by to chat and show love. (And if you ordered from me, your books are being mailed out ASAP, promise!)

3. Authors! Even though I usually don't get to interact a lot at these events, it's always so cool to meet and mingle with people you respect. It's all love. 

3. Christina C. Jones + Alexandra Warren are dope. It's their vision that made the event (which was lovely and beautifully decorated) happen in the first place. The importance of what they're doing with Girl Have You Read (their site and podcast which focuses on black romance) and their annual event, Girl, Have You Met which will head into its fourth year in 2020, isn't lost on any of us in this community. Y'all are appreciated beyond measure for the love you show and the passion that you demonstrate. You both rock.