LITERATURE

“The Daughter Of A Junkie: A True Love Story” Author Judge Terrinee Gundy  released a book about her life experiences as the daughter of a “J” who managed to escape the impoverished communities in which she lived describing her life from kindergarten, to Clark Atlanta University, to becoming a lawyer and a judge.

The latest installment of her book tour included a book signing and panel discussion with Grammy Winning Rapper Killer Mike moderated by Former Mayor Kasim Reed with a musical prelude provided by Dj Trauma.

To learn more or purchase a book visit: www.thedaughterofajunkie.com

We caught up with Judge Gundy for a dynamic discussion with JuicyPop host Miss J. Check out the inspiring interview below.

https://youtu.be/9S_7zXUQKIE

Photo credit: Christopher Mitchell.

“Dear Alpha Female: It’s Not Him. It’s You!” is a love letter to the over-achieving woman struggling with romantic relationships, says author Christal Jordan.

On sale February 7, 2023; Pre-Order at dearalphafemale.com

HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DEVON FRANKLIN RELEASES HIS FIRST AUDIBLE ORIGINAL AUDIO-ONLY MEMOIR, “IT TAKES A WOMAN” ON THURSDAY, APRIL 21

In this riveting and soul-stirring Audible Original, author and Hollywood insider DeVon Franklin introduces us to the women who raised him—a “village of love” that selflessly came together to shape him into the man he is today in the wake of his father’s tragic death. With this heartfelt memoir, Franklin inspires listeners to celebrate the universal power of women and embrace his village as their own.

HOLLYWOOD — Hollywood producer and bestselling author DeVon Franklin offers a personal twist on the African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child” — It Takes a Woman. In this riveting and soul-stirring Audible Original, Franklin’s first audio-only memoir, he introduces us to the women who raised him: a “village of love” that selflessly came together to shape DeVon into the man he is today. It Takes A Woman is available on Thursday, April 21 at Audible.com.

For the first time publicly, Franklin and his family discuss the aftermath of his father’s untimely death and the despair that could have destroyed their future. It Takes a Woman offers listeners an emotional journey of tragedy, triumph, and healing as Franklin, his mother, and his five living great-aunts recall how the women heeded the call to help raise him and his two brothers. The candid conversation—covering everything from marriage, death, divorce, and regret to colorfully frank advice about dating, sex, and money—uncovers old wounds that are still fresh and pain that is still piercing, as well as a family bond that is unbreakable.

The women’s willingness to open their hearts and souls elevates this listen beyond simple memoir. Guided by their faith, they share decades of hard-earned life experiences and inspiring lessons. It’s the foundation of love and communication that nurtured Franklin and his brothers, and one that will inspire listeners to embrace this village as their own.

It Takes a Woman, one family’s true story of hope, faith, and resilience, honors the sacrifices of a remarkable village of Black women as experienced through the eyes of a Black man. It’s also a universal celebration of the power of women to alter and enrich the lives they touch. For more information, visit audible.com.

About The Author DeVon Franklin

Named by Variety as one of the “Top 10 Producers to Watch” and by Oprah as “a different kind of Spiritual Teacher,” DeVon Franklin is a Hollywood Producer and New York Times bestselling author blazing his own unique trail with an unwavering commitment to uplifting the human spirit through entertainment.

DeVon serves as President and CEO of Franklin Entertainment, a dynamic production company in conjunction with Paramount Pictures and CBS TV Studios. He’s the driving force behind some of Hollywood’s most successful inspirational films including BREAKTHROUGH and MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN, as well as the soon to be released movie FLAMIN’ HOT for Disney and KINGDOM BUSINESS television series for BET.

In addition to his work as a producer, DeVon is also the author of multiple bestselling books such as THE SUCCESS COMMANDMENTS and his new Audible Original IT TAKES A WOMAN, which is a deeply personal look into the tragedy that transformed his family’s life forever.

DeVon serves the greater Hollywood community at large as Vice-President of the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. De

West Philadelphia native Miasha Coleman joined Merete Fields to share her career gems and discuss the release of her debut movie on Amazon Prime, Secret Society.

After rocking the literary world with the release of her novel, Secret Society, now celebrating its 15-year anniversary, Miasha turned her book into a movie starring Reyna Love, Erica Pinkett, Vivica A. Fox, Jeremy Meeks,Vince De Paul, and Tray Chaney.

Check out Merete’s interview with the Author and Filmmaker Miasha Coleman below.

About Secret Society

Celess and Tina play the game too well to be considered your average gold diggers. And they’re winning too. But when the secret they both share comes out, that same shovel that got them out of the dirt could very well bury them. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Secret Society is a first of it’s kind, cautionary tale filled with high fashion, high lifestyle, and high drama.

Click Here to watch the Secret Society Trailer 

A Safe Space for Black Girls: Career Advice Columnist, Merete Geohagen, sat down with author of “Never Have a Bad Day: A Guide to a Lifestyle of Leadership” and former Wells Fargo executive Nasim Al-Hakim to talk about his choice in leaving Corporate America, the inspiration behind his book, and targeted advice for professionals.

Nasim is originally from Brooklyn, NY but the summer leading to his senior year his family moved to Columbia, South Carolina. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do but he had a testament to hard work and was able to migrate into amazing opportunities inspire of being one of the only (or one of two) people of color in these environments.

To get your career advice, make sure you write to Merete at her Career Advice Column here!

He tells us three gems to remember while you are navigating the profession space:

(1) You Should Have a Mentor.  You can seek them out and they don’t have to be at your company, but you need someone to help and develop and plan your career with you.

(2) You Don’t Need Blend In. You are unique and the point is for companies to find people that do not to look like the status quo.  You have to be confident in being different in these spaces.

(3) Be sure to–watch the video to learn the third!

EMMY AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST AND TV PERSONALITY
MIKE HILL CELEBRATES HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY
WITH THE RELEASE OF HIS NEW MEMOIR OPEN MIKE AUGUST 19

Having Suicidal Thoughts, Cheating & Lies & How Writing This Book Saved His Life

Open Mike is raw, transparent, personal and unfiltered. Writing this memoir saved Mike’s life. This book is full of Mike’s unpacked trauma that he has never been able to fully unload until now. Embracing and understanding his own demons, secrets and lies with therapy changed the trajectory of his healing and wholeness and his goal is to empower other black men to treat their own silent trauma, especially now. Hill shares from his book:

Open Mike Memoir Excerpt:
“I just couldn’t catch a break. I had been humbled. Depressed to the point of having suicidal thoughts. After being out of work for almost 2 years, I finally had a job at a major network and now I was running in to this drama…

“Once again, I was nine, maybe ten. She came over and started rubbing on my legs. I really didn’t know shit about my sexuality, I knew I liked girls and not boys, but damn, I was so young and this shit was confusing to me. So I forcefully pushed her hands away and said “Get Off Of Me,” now my stepfather Richard gave me another lesson and he said “No Michael, if a woman wants to do that, let her do what she wants.” I included this story because I think it affected why behavior for many years of my life.

Mike Hill’s fiancé’ Cynthia Bailey (“Real Housewives of Atlanta”) wrote a very touching forward to his book, here’s a portion:

“I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be his fiancée today. Number one I don’t think that he would have ever proposed to me, and number two, I never would have accepted if he had. It is difficult to walk towards your future if you are still fighting demons of your past. You can’t call yourself a King if you don’t feel worthy of the crown. Trade the mask for the crown. It’s a better fit…” says Bailey.

Thanks to the matchmaking skills of host Steve Harvey where Hill and Bailey first met on his show in 2018, Mike proposed on the show in 2019 and RHOA fans can witness their love and see if they will get married this year on the upcoming new season.

Open Mike is available for preorder everywhere books are sold.

Pre-Order Here:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/open-mike-cynthia-bailey/1136942789?ean=9781734234671

Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell Esq. to Host Atlanta Book Launch on November 16th!

Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell Esq. is a Supreme Performance Personal and Professional Development Coach whose clients experience maximum Life ROI by leveraging her skills and expertise as an Attorney, CPA, Certified Christian Life Coach and Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, and New Thought Christian Practitioner (minister). Hailing from Miami, Florida, Lynita is a multifaceted Powerhouse with a strong commitment to empowering others to achieve their highest vision for life both personally and professionally. An Amazon Best-Selling Author, Lynita celebrated her fourth book release, Knocked Down, Set Straight: Face It, Speak It, Forgive It, Release It during an Atlanta book launch event on Saturday, November 16th. Tickets for her next event will be available at: www.LynitaMitchellBlackwell.com.

Lynita has founded and led several businesses that include an eponymous law firm through which she has been recognized as a Top 100 Lawyer in Georgia; an accounting firm; an award-winning media company that published five magazines, two of which were voted as ATL’s Hottest; and publishing company that published 7 bestselling authors. As an advocate for women globally, she is also the co-founder of the Jewell Jackson McCabe Emerging Institute, a leadership training and development non-profit that has served over 400 women and girls both nationally and abroad.

With every professional accomplishment and “win”, there was an equal and corresponding challenge and “loss” that included a brutal battle with endometriosis, struggles with self-esteem and body image, and career changes that created terrifying fork-in-the-road decisions. Lynita’s deep dedication to clients leverages the wisdom gained from overcoming these fears and includes utilizing her entire portfolio of skills and resources to prosper, promote, and propel them toward their optimal Aggregate Intelligence™ in their businesses, careers, relationships, and self-development. Her efforts are curated to help clients release their deepest fears so they may live prosperously in every way. As CEO of Leading Through Living, Lynita’s services include both one-on-one and group coaching, immersive experiences, transformational live events, and on-demand webinars; all designed to free clients from the paralysis of fear and set them on course for successful living.

As a beacon of light and inspiration to many, Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell will continue helping professional women move past the fears that eclipse their shine and embrace the brilliance to live a fully prosperous life. Connect with her at www.LynitaMitchellBlackwell.com and download the Leading Through Living app from the Google Play and Apple App Store.

IG: lynitamitchellblackwellesq

Turning Her Passion for Writing into Royalty Publishing House: My interview with Porscha Sterling

By: Sherifat Mohammed

Have you ever wondered about the mastermind behind the great stories we read in books while we are on vacation, stuck at the airport or just at home relaxing? Who is she or he? I got the opportunity to interview one of the masterminds— Porscha Sterling. She is the best-selling author behind the series “Bad Boys Do It Better.” The series sold 5,000 copies in the first 24 hours of its release. She was recently awarded the Literacy Excellence Award by Sheen Magazine. What is even more amazing about Porscha is that she used her master degree in Business Management coupled with her passion for writing to start her own publishing company Royalty Publishing House, which is a full service publishing company. Her publishing company is the second largest urban publishing house in the nation. Royalty Publishing House publishes many top-selling novels in the urban contemporary romance, interracial romance and women’s fiction genres. In my interview with Porscha, we discuss her passion for writing, her inspiration for starting her own publishing company and so much more. Do yourself a favor and check out my interview with Porscha Sterling.

SM: When did you realize that writing was your passion and how long have you been writing? So, that’s like a two-part question.

PS: Ok. I actually started writing when I was very very young. I always used writing as my outlet. If I was frustrated or going through something—I would turn to writing as a means of relaxing and kind of exploring my creative side. So, I started writing really young. I’ve always had a love for reading books. So, that kinda segued into me [thinking]hey, I think I can do this. I have stories I think I would like to tell. So, I’ve been in creative writing contests all the way back from elementary school. I’ve always used that as my creative outlet. So, when life happened—I went to college, graduated with a degree in business. Got my masters and all that—I hit a rough patch in my life where I was working in a career where I thought I enjoyed and loved and quickly found out that hey, this is not for me. Then I returned to writing. I wrote my first book that I ended up publishing—it was called “Three Queens” at the time and I never wrote it with the intent on putting this out so, other people could read it. I was really writing it just to deal with a lot of the frustration that I was personally going through. I created these stories about these characters and after letting a couple of my friends read it— they were like you should really see about getting this published, and that’s how I started writing professionally.

SM: You own your own publishing company—Royalty Publishing House—What inspired you to create your own publishing company?

PS: My personal experience with publishing my first series is what inspired me to begin my own publishing company. I realized through that experience that a lot of authors needed a little bit more direction. They were looking for a company that they could sign to and it wouldn’t just be them putting their material out and without them actually going through a development phase while they’re being signed. I had a goal of not only starting my publishing company but specifically working with first time authors and helping them through the journey of developing their career. With Royalty Publishing House—I started it with specific goal and I always keep that goal in mind. It’s not just owning a publishing company and publishing books—I take part in mentoring my authors—throughout their writing journeys and throughout their career and making sure that they develop into the best author that they can be. So, my experience is what drove me to start my own publishing company and that’s what I continue to do today.

SM: What makes your publishing company different from other publishing companies? What makes Royalty Publishing House stand out?

PS: What makes Royalty stand out is— it goes back to why I started it. I started Royalty with a goal in mind. Not just be a publisher but a mentor. There’s a lot different of things that I do differently from a lot of publishing companies. I hold personal webinars with my authors and give them advice on their writing to enrich their writing. I give them advice on branding and how to create an effective brand. How to reach out to more readers. It’s well beyond just simply having an author send in a book and we put it out and releasing it to the masses. It’s more about that development piece and helping them to grow throughout their career.

SM: What do you think makes your publishing company successful?

PS: I think it’s because I have a group of authors who sincerely want to be the best that they can be. They want to put out the best book. They’re talented already and they strive for more and that’s definitely what makes Royalty successful. We have a very rigorous process that we go through before a book is even released—even though we are a fairly small independent publishing company. I say fairly small, but I have over 80 authors. Even though it’s a small company, in relation to a major publishing company, the authors still go through a very rigorous process. We have a lot of things in place in regards to editing and development of the characters and the storylines in the books before they’re published. I think for that reason we deliver the best product that we can by the time it’s available for the readers to access it. That’s definitely a part of what makes Royalty so successful.

SM: Is Royalty Publishing House accepting authors? If so, what genres do you work in or with?

PS: Yes, definitely. I’m always accepting new authors. I specifically specialize in romance. With Royalty— the majority of our novels are urban romance novels, but I put out contemporary romance, Christian romance and we have paranormal romance. So, basically if it’s romance we are going to specialize in that. I for one am I strong reader of romance it’s the genre that I prefer to read. It’s the genre that I prefer to write in. But across the board we are very open to different areas to writing as long as its romance— we put it out.

SM: For up and coming authors or others who would like to start their own publishing company— what advice would you give them?

PS: Any author or anyone looking to be a publisher—I will definitely tell them, first and foremost you have to remember that you never stop learning. So, it doesn’t matter at what level you come into the game when it comes writing or publishing. You always have to continue to study your craft. Study your audience and strive to be the best author you can be. I’m constantly reading articles. I’m constantly reading other books. I’m constantly reading any kind of new research related to writing or the publishing business as a whole. I would definitely say that you’re always a learner. And then I will say stay focused at every level. It’s really easy when you work for yourself and have your own business, to slack off sometimes. But you always have to remember to stay focused and remember the reason why you started and that will help you to maintain your drive.

SM: Finally, what should we expect or be on the lookout for from you in the near future?

PS: Well actually it was just announced that I will have a partnership that I’ve been working on for quite a long time with a major publishing house—Kensington Publishing. So, I was able to partner with a major publishing company. So, that our books can be available worldwide, on ebooks and audio books or paperback—depending on what the reader prefers. So, that’s something I’m really excited about. I have other things in the works. I have the Lit app, it’s a reading app that was created by myself and my husband, where we release books as well. We have a lot coming. I’m also working on my next series. So, I’m really excited about that. I’m always thinking about new opportunities. So, there’s a lot to come, and I’m excited about all of it.