Monthly Archives: July 2020

Male Authors of Colour Wk #3: ‘Urban King’ #10 Meet Debut Author, John Mozie #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesmatteruk #blackauthorsmatter

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John

Wait! It’s not over, Friday last week I thought I ran out of men for this month long promo. Nope, Urban King #10 from the male authors of colour popped up! Let’s get to know a bit about him and some fun facts. Looks like we’ve got another lovely Libra, and he has just published his debut novel.

  1. Star sign: Libra
  2. Fun facts: John is a story-teller and loves fantasy. Favourite movies range from the Bourne franchise to the Marvel Heroes like Thor, The Hulk and of course, Black Panther. John also loves African folklore and pulls a lot from there in writing this book. A keen cyclist and retired comic aficionado, John loves the lure of a good story. John is also a budding poet and is currently working on a collection of poems

 

Here’s John’s first novel he would like to share today….

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When 15-year-old Siyonna does a good turn for an elderly lady in the village, she receives a gift which turns out to be more than it seems. Back in the big city with her schoolfriends, any dangers which beset them are strangely defeated by Siyonna’s contact with the gift which only she knows about. Siyonna is the youngest of her large family and the last child remaining at home with her parents, in Lagos, Nigeria. When she visits her older sister in London, she meets some violent and dangerous criminals, bent on abducting her and her friends. They see the young girls as an easy target, until Siyonna’s gift brings them a fight no-one could have predicted. A wonderful adventure story, filled with unexpected twists and turns, of a young girl’s triumph of good over evil and her unique bond with the magical powers of a beautiful gift.

Wow! Now doesn’t that sound like a good action packed and interesting read? I’ve just bought a copy. At the time of writing it’s FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited and under $4.00 and just £2.99 for UK readers, check out  Amazon on the below links…

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1913653692/

USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1913653692/

Japan: https://www.amazon.jp/dp/1913653692/

If you like folklore, action and adventure you may wish to give this Author’s Amazon page a follow. I am sure there will be many more books to come, please leave him a review if you check out his work, I’m sure he’d love it!

Daily Gratitude Challenge Day #16: Hobbies and Interests #DailyGratitudeChallenge

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I’ve just read a really cool blog post by this blog I’ve been following Suzy Speaks. It’s day sixteen of her challenge she has set, for herself and her followers to write about a different topic they are grateful for and follow the  #DailyGratitudeChallenge. While it seems I’ve missed fifteen days of great topics, I’ll jump in today as hobbies and interests are something I’m deeply grateful for, in fact they kinda make me who I am.

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Astrology and The Solar System:

I’m a qualified astrologer with a diploma in astrological studies. The study of the solar system from this science I’m  extremely grateful for, and my love of this subject. It started out while I was a teen, if you remember the shop Woolworths I stumbled across the annual astrology book for Aquarius, with a horoscope for each day of the year. I bought one ever year! Until Woolworths when into administration of course. The love of the stars, Moon, planet’s energies never left me. I ended up completing my studies about one or two years back.

Why am I so grateful for this science? Well, while many think this is ‘woo woo witchy esoteric stuff’ (and I would agree LOL), if helped me to understand me, life events, where I am going and even confirmed that, yes I am born to be a writer or working the journalistic field. Simply by a detailed study of my own birth chart, with my actual date and time of birth. Basically, astrology give me a lot of healing and direction in life. When I studied the chart of my son and other people, I was amazed at the accuracy I had from friends whose charts I read. I was able to confirm things about their life, or experiences I could not have known. In the case of my son, it also confirmed his approach and experiences with learning.

The study of the Universe will never leave me, I follow it closely and look at what’s happening in the world, and the planet’s energies. Overall, I am grateful as this skill I have learned has helped me to help others heal as well as myself, and it’s just a cool thing to say, ‘yeah I’m an astrologer’ LOL.

 

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My Sewing Machine and Fashion Design:

My nanna died when I was fourteen, her name’s Lucinda. She never worked she had eleven children, she was a homemaker and my grandfather worked. She arrived in the UK  with my grandfather from the Caribbean islands, and basically looked after all the family. It’s her I owe my interest and skill with a sewing machine to. She loved to sew, and I later on at school I  picked the subject ‘textiles’, which is now what we call ‘fashion design’ all these years later, as an option for my GCSEs at school when I was fourteen. I gained a C grade, not bad. It was in this class I learned how to use a machine, sew and express myself creatively with fabrics and materials. I also really loved my teacher, she was Italian if I remember correctly and so funky with her dress sense.

Later on, I started to collect dress making patterns for clothes, got my own machine and just before I had my son I was obsessed with making dresses. (That I had to wait until I had him to wear, as I was pregnant) . It took a while, YouTube, buying books to understand the patterns, and learn the craft to a more advanced level but I did it! I’ve not made a dress in about six years, since he was born. But I have my dress stand, and I named her Lucinda after my nana. As I write this I  feel like I should really go fabric shopping and do something.

In London, there is a high street called Goldhawk Road if I remember correctly, that has shop after shop after shop of fabric stores! I remember spending a lot of time there, and money before I had him.

I am grateful for this interest and hobby as, it really gave  me something to smile about when I was in school. I  looked forward to the classes, later on in life it also gave me a great sense of patience, working with accuracy, and learning the art of how to create clothing from materials. I am also grateful for it as I was heavily pregnant in the summer months, which was no fun and found myself indoors a lot of the time. My sewing machine and this interest gave me a pass time when it was too hot for me to leave the house.

 

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Civil Rights, Law, Politics

I just love this! I have an interest in all the above, I would not say it’s a hobby at all just an interest. That said, I am grateful for my interest in this area as it has allowed me to be able to make educated decisions, statements,  have opinions, and hold views on certain things that are backed up by rights and laws I am aware of, or have researched and can interpret.

I feel that this interest is probably something else that shapes me as a person, I won’t stand for anything that looks like it could be some kind of injustice, or breech of civil and human rights.  I am grateful for it as it has allowed me to be invested in causes such as women’s rights, human rights and the black lives matter movement.

Take a look at this cool daily gratitude challenge on Suzy Speaks and join in!

 

French police discriminate against black and Arab men, rights group says — Pressok

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Let’s not forget Adama Traore of Paris #Icantbreathe #blacklivesmatter

Know yourself

French police conduct discriminatory identity checks on black and Arab men, Human Rights Watch charged on Thursday, as angry protests over alleged racism in the security forces sweep across the country. France has seen numerous demonstrations in recent weeks protesting the actions of police, many coalescing around the 2016 death of young black man Adama Traore in […]

French police discriminate against black and Arab men, rights group says — Pressok

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Writing Prompt: Dancing! #RagtagDailyPrompt #RDP

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I’ve followed this blog RagTagDailyPromps for a little while,  today managed to log on just when they posted the prompt for the day so, I’ll take part today…’Dancing’

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One thing I just looooooooooooooooooove is dance, to watch it, do it, and learn it too! When I was about maybe seven  or eight years old, I attended my first ever dance class. It was ballet, tap and modern dance that I fell into. I kept this up until  about maybe 1999. I stopped as I suffered a knee injury! As a result all these years later I still have what the doctors called ‘fluid  on the joint’ of my right knee. It’s the reason I have trouble bending down or sitting on my knees, well, that and the fact that I’m the wrong side of thirty-five now LOL

One of the most fond memories I have of my dance classes is, when we did a choreographed dance to ‘ born to make you happy’ by Britney spears. I loved Britney as a pre-teen and teen. ( I still do if I’m honest with myself), but this song as a youngster in the 90s I adored, and really enjoyed the contemporary dance our class learned. We had a fantastic teacher, I remember everything down to my leotard I wore, sadly not all the steps. I’m thirty-seven we’re going  back to 1999 a long time ago!  Here’s the video for old times sake. As I play this in the background while I type, I still remember the words. Check out Britney’s moves! I love her.

 

 

 

Later in life, believe it or not, I actually learned the dance movies to Britney’s ‘Slave For You’. That was when this song first came out. I can’t get enough of the way Britney moves her body!! Generally when she dances. I find her a very talented dancer, many disagree and feel she’s ‘taught’.  While this is true, just like say Beyonce you can Brit has natural talent.  I learned the routine from @1:36 time stamp  to @1:53 it’s not even two mins BUT, it took a lot of practice,  laughs, pausing, and sweat LOL

 

 

I really like belly dancing too over the ‘lock down’ period this year, during the pandemic, I have watched some YouTubers who give classes. I even bought a scarf with bells to wrap around my waist while I TRY to do the routines. These days I don’t really dance that much, as in classes,  I feel that my knee would not be able to support doing any  highly choreographed dance that well, but I do still have a love for it.

When I was in my twenties I spent a hella-lot-a time in clubs with my girlfriends, before I became a mum or had any really responsibilities in life. Each weekend we headed to central London,  to the array of clubs we had back then.  In my early teens and twenties I was ( and still am) a massive fan of soulful house music and the UK’s ‘Old Skool Garage’ anthems!  In east London there were some great places, also the club ‘Fabric’ back then was a spot we’d go to a lot.

I can’t pin-point exactly what it is I love about dance, or any kind of exercise that is dance based. For example pilates, aerobics, yoga and even pole dancing! It could be the music, and my love for that. If there’s a song I love I automatically feel like moving to it sober or not LOL. I also like how good it is for the soul, I find it releases ‘happy vibes’. If time was not a problem I think I’d love to try to learn how to pole dance, but classic pole dancing that’s elegant as well as pole dancing for…well gentlemen’s clubs LOL ( Why not!)

I would also like learn salsa, it is a lot of fun. I only ever did one class with a girlfriend as it was more like  her finding a ‘date’, rather than something we’d do each week. In all honesty, it’s time for me between juggling life and writing, I just don’t have the time. If I did, I would love to return to dance classes — gentle ones due to my knee and see if I’ve still got it!

Do you like to dance? If so what do you like to dance to? Do you have a favouite song or music?

Billionaire’s Club Book #1 by C. J Donley Book Review: 2.5 Stars + $25.00 Giveaway!

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Amara’s Calling
Billionaire’s Club Series Book 1
by C.L. Donley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Looking for your next billionaire book boyfriend? Meet Grayson Davis.
He’s a brilliant, bullied computer nerd turned handsome playboy, with a penchant for blondes. She’s the assistant to the assistant, who works on the third floor and is… not blonde. And secretly obsessed with him. Complete with all the classic “plain Jane” tropes you thought were hopelessly overdone, read the smart, sexy, binge worthy debut exceeding “billionaire romance” expectations!
Amara’s Calling is the first book in the Billionaire’s Club series of sinfully sexy romances. If you like unexpected love, lucrative deals, and billionaires with as much prowess in the bedroom as the boardroom, then you’ll love C.L. Donley’s steamy office affair.
Mya’s Pride
Billionaire’s Club Series Book 2
Mya McIntosh is attending the wedding of the year as the maid of honor to her best friend Amara Davis, the former employee and wife of billionaire social media mogul Grayson Davis. A dazzling destination wedding in Spain seems like the perfect setting for Mya to finally lose this pesky virginity of hers, but her prospects don’t look promising. Amara has high hopes that Mya could land one of Grayson’s billionaire best friends but Mya isn’t so sure, especially when it comes to Grayson’s obnoxious business partner Dale Abernathy. After a few awkward moments, bad first impressions, a ton of assumptions and a sexy interlude on top of a hill, Mya’s search for Mr. Right Now lands her somewhere she least expected: in love.
Kim’s Courage
Billionaire’s Club Series Book 3
The final book in the Billionaire’s Club Trilogy!
A year after her best friend Amara’s wedding united them, Kim Pritchard finds herself in the hospital with the baby she conceived with billionaire internet mogul Bel Hafiz. Not only has Kim neglected to tell Bel about his son, now she will have to tell him he’s fighting for his life in the NICU. Since the handsome middle eastern playboy “ghosted” her, she wonders if he even cares enough about either of them to reach out. Little does she know that Bel Hafiz has plenty to hide, including the fact that he hasn’t been able to get the gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Kimberly Pritchard out of his head, or his heart.
C.L. Donley is a future New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of multicultural and interracial romance, who believes romance novels that are impossible to put down are the only kind that should exist! Armed with a B.A. in English and M.A. in Writing, she is new to the romance game, having written her first novel, Amara’s Calling, after discovering the romance genre in September 2017. Donley writes in a style she calls “romantic realism” that is sophisticated yet simple, grounded yet unapologetically escapist, and character-driven rather than plot-driven. This style creates a unique, modern reading experience ideal for book club discussions, personal epiphanies, satisfying re-reads, and the occasional spiraling reviewer! Love it or hate it, fans and critics alike can’t deny her talent, and always find themselves coming back for more!
She loves hearing from readers and discussing her favorite parts of her own books, so feel free to indulge her.
$25 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

 

 Amara’s Calling

Kim’s Review 2.5- 3 Stars– I Liked Parts, Struggled With Some

Thank you to Silver Dagger Tours for my free copy, in exchange for an honest review all opinions are my own. Overall for me I think  it’s a case of  ‘wrong reader’, as I’m sure there will be lots of people will love this story and whole series. It’s not a traditional billionaire’s romance, which is fine and no problems for me, this is why I picked it up! I loved the book’s blurb, the cover and promise of a great romance, I was so convinced I’d love all of this as I  love billionaire romance and multicultural romance! While this one was an okay read for me personally, there were three things that I struggled with.

Characters-  As I started to read I found some of the ‘play’ on the racial differences between the hero and heroine a little too much, distracting,  or it came across in a very strange way to me as  reader. As a reader who is a woman of colour as I started to follow the story – especially  Amara the heroine of colour I couldn’t connect with her actions, or POV easy. The hero Grayson- the billionaire himself is not a  billionaire I could fall for, I also couldn’t connect well with him. The characters to me I had a hard time with.

Plot-I found it a little hard at times to believe Amara’s behaviour, how she swore and came across to her powerful CEO boss early on, in meetings etc.  And his response to her behaviour as a boss. I started to  question reality for both the hero and heroine overall as I read.

 Confusion- I also found it hard to keep up with the fact that Amara goes by ‘Amy’ at work, but is narrated as Amara by the author, this would change from one sentence to another at times, I got confused…a little!

Overall for me I think it boils down to this, while I love interracial romance the play and story telling of this one came across as something I could not resonate with, but  it could have been meant as humour.  The characters, their actions, and reality  I found  a little hard to resonate with.  I believe there is a readership and people who will love this non-traditional billionaire romance, in my case possibly I am the wrong reader!  It’s more me, than the book or author. Give it a read and download if it takes your fancy, I am just one reader.  2.5- 3  stars from me, I wish the author lots of luck, and a brilliant readership for her series. And I thank Silver Dagger for my review copy.

Male Authors of Colour Wk3: ‘Urban King’ #9 Author Pugh #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesmatteruk #blackauthorsmatter

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Pugh

Last but by no means least is ‘Urban King’ #9  of the male authors of colour line up. It’s Author Pugh! He writes in the general urban fiction genre, however his work crosses over into the suspense and thrill genre. At the time of writing this Author Pugh has five books published on Amazon, his latest work was also ‘book of the month’ for Aspiring Authors Magazine LLC last month!

Fun facts

Star sign:  Pisces 2/20

Hobbies:   reading, writing, exercising & watch suspense shows
Meet The Author
The author known as PUGH was born February in Chicago,Illinois. He grew up on Chicago’s norhside and as a teenager migrated to Perrine, a southwest section of Miami Dade County,Fl. He has published 3 novels,”Mini Distractionz” ,” 39 Lashes of Karma” & The newly released ” Major Repercussions “. He enjoys writing and reading even more. Taking CEU classes are also a passion of his. He has certificates in “Introduction to Philosophy” “African American literature ” & “Introduction to Shakespeare ” are a few of his accolades. He is presently putting the finishing touches on his 4th book.
Here’s Author Pugh’s latest work… What a fantastic cover
Pugh bookRunny Clem aka Mini-size awakes to find himself handcuffed to a hospital bed and partially paralyzed. The aftermath of a high-speed pursuit after being set up by a confidential informant.

As the news spread about his condition and eventually, the loss of freedom, Mini becomes the perfect prey to those who wickedly placed in their minds, that he will forever be damaged goods.

Years later… Breaking news reports that a violent convict has escaped, and have left a trail of dead bodies behind.

As the manhunt for Mini intensifies, he quickly realizes that he has very few places to go and even fewer people to run to. The revelation leaves him with the limited choice of seeking help from one of the very people who he vowed to kill.

A decision that sets in motion all of the elements of betrayal, deceit, and hunger for revenge. When the smoke clears, all involved, including Mini; somehow, someway will become victims of Major repercussions!

Check out Author Pugh’s Amazon Pagehere and give him a follow for more up and coming work! if you do download a book please leave him a review, I’m sure he’d love it.

Male Authors of Colour Wk #3: ‘Urban King’ #8 Julian Foster #blacklivesmatteruk #blacklivesmatter #blackauthorsmatter

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Julian

It’s the last day of the male authors of colour promo and line up, I’ve run out of men! More than twenty-five have graced my blogs over the last two weeks. For today, let’s meet ‘Urban King’ #8 Julian Foster. From what I know about this author, he is a deeply spiritual man, and someone who is very in-tune with his African descent. I love this about him from conversations that I’ve had. He seems to be a man who is drawn to the esoteric, unusual and all things philosophical. At the time of writing this, Author Julian Foster has one debut novel  published on Amazon, with some wonderful reviews.

Fun Facts

Star sign: Aries

Hobbies: Hobbies: Indie Movies/Reading Photography

Meet The Author

Julian Foster is a novelist from Rochester, New York. He began his writing career as a spoken word artist under the stage name Tearz, performing with his group The Vagabonds. Julian has been in gangs, gone to jail, and has now come full circle. He hopes to bridge people from different walks of life through the power of the written, visual, and performance arts.

 

Julian bookSixteen-year-old Ketasia (Ke-Ke) M. Singleton thinks she has it all figured out, trading her body for weed and head-bread to keep up appearances on her block. When Ke-Ke catches the eye of Cry, a mid-level, lesbian drug dealer, she finally sees a chance to step up to the next level and learn how to make some steady paper.

Though Ke-Ke’s need to appear in charge of herself leads to a quick rise in social status, her temper and misused intelligence also leave a wake of destruction in her path, putting her life and the lives of those she loves in danger. Will she wake up before it’s too late?

Told with unflinching rawness, Before I Wake is at once a devastatingly and profoundly believable portrait of the psychological and emotional nuances of a sixteen-year-old girl in the gauntlet of the inner city.

“I would like to introduce you to. This author may be new to the literary scene but writes like a seasoned vet. His vivid imagery puts the reader right in the action on the pages. will be around from now on. He’s got next.” – Sa’id Salaam (Author of the Dope Girl series)

Check out this book here on Amazon.

If you  like urban fiction, with a touch of  emotional pull, you may want to give this author’s Amazon page a follow here. I am sure there will be other books coming soon. If you do pick up a book of his, please leave him a review! I’m sure he’d love it.