HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Whatsoever is good, whatsoever is lovely ... think on these things. I hope and pray that your thoughts for 2007 will be positive and empowered, for as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

I was so busy hostessing, I didn't have a chance to write a fresh thought for 2007, but last year's offering: Endings and New Beginnings is still quite apropos.

Thanks so much for joining us, you were great!

Love,
Dee and Divine


Buried at PhotoCasket.com

The Countdown Begins...

Buried at PhotoCasket.com

And the party is about to wind down...

Winners so far:

Game 1 - Name that Author No 1
Phenomenal - The Love We Had by Dedan Tolbert


Game No. 2
Sylvia Hubbard - And Even If I Did by Kisha Green


Door Prize Winner
Mr. New - THE TRAIN-OF-THOUGHT WRITING METHOD:
Practical, User-Friendly Help for Beginning Writers by Kathi Macias

Game No. 3
Lilchoc - From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly by Renetta Randle

Please email your address to dee@deeswhite.com to receive your prize.

Will you be next?

We've also had New Year Greetings from authors Kisha Green and Kathi Macias and also from the Read Zone Book Review Team.

There's more to come. In the meantime, interact with the other guests, tell us about your New Year's resolutions, or tell us about your favorite Accomplishment of 2006.

Play some GAMES and win a prize. Stop by our Book Introduction Page, where we introduce to to new authors or new works from familiar authors. Mayhap something will be perfect for you or a friend.

NOTE: Authors if your book isn’t listed, tell us about it in the comments section.Again thanks for stopping by and enjoy yourself.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WISHING YOU

AND YOURS

A

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly:

Title: From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly

Author: Renetta J. Randle

Publisher: Shortcakes Productions

Release Date: September 2006

ISBN: 0978970004

Paperback: 116 pages

List Price: $16.00

Sale Price: $10.00 (at Shortcakes Productions)

New Year's Greetings from Shoi

Wishing all the readers and friends of Divine's Diary a Happy and Healthy New Year.

P.S. I'd also like to point your attention toward vouchers created specifically for guests of this party:

10% Discount Vouchers for the following Author-Friendly Services...

Just drop Shoi an email and tell her what you want...! (use email links below)

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Game No 5 - One of These Things

One of these titles just doesn't belong here!

Which one is different do you know?

Can you tell me which title doesn't belong here,

and I'll tell you if it is so!



Which of the following isn't a title?

• Alex's Dreams


• Saving Grace


• The Lady and The Thug


• Intimate Musings

Which title doesn't fit?

• Emma Jean Reborn


• From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly


• The Life of Teenagers Aint No Joke


• Daddy's Girl

BONUS: What children's show is the song from?

Game No 4 - Write Your Own Story

Hi Folks,

It's now your turn to write!

Write a paragraph (that makes sense) using the following book titles. They don’t have to be used in the order listed, just use them all. The best story wins!

• And Even If I Did


• Age is Just a Number


• From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly


• Intimate Musings


• Love is the Beautiful Black Woman


• Please Come Home for Christmas


• The Love We Had


• Until Next Time


• Just a Picture in a Frame


• Saving Grace: When Fate Steps In

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

On behalf of Read Zone Book Reviews and our Review Team, I want to wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year, so here goes:

Happy New Year Lovers of Literature! It's always the the perfect time for adding more choices to your "to be read" list. That being said, take a detour by the punch bowl, get yourself some punch and settle down to take a peek at our reviews completed in 2006.

In addition, don't miss our book introductions page and our excerpts page for a peek at up and coming authors and their latest selections.

Also, feel free to post your book recommendations in the comments section. Don’t forget to include the author’s name and genre of the book.

A Year in Review:

Active Christian Media:

• He Talk Like a White Boy by Joseph C. Phillips (Non-Fiction)


• Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed by Katharine DeBrecht (Children's Fiction)


• The Life of Teenagers Aint No Joke by Keith G. Wright (Non-Fiction)

FSB Associates:

• Why You're Still Single by Evan Marc Katz (Self-Help)

Read Zone Book Reviews:

• Emma Jean Reborn by Dr. Cupid Poe and Kathi Macias (Fiction)


• Played by Dana Davidson (Young Adult Fiction)

Game No 3 - Scramble!

UNSCRAMBLE THE FOLLOWING "MUST HAVE" ITEMS THAT BOOKS AND MOVIES HAVE LED US TO BELIEVE ARE TOTALLY NECESSARY TO CELEBRATE THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW YEAR.

LADU NGLA NEYS

LALB RDPO

CNFTETIO

CTDOUOWNN

JSUSE

MNIDITGH SISK

IOSEN AMKRE

APRTY THA

SFIGNIICATN TOHRE

MITE QSURAE

BONUS: After unscrambling, tell us if you agree or disagree with the above list.

New Year Greetings from Kathi Macias

If you’re serious about getting your dreams and ideas into print in this coming year, THE TRAIN-OF-THOUGHT WRITING METHOD: Practical, User-Friendly Help for Beginning Writers is the book for you. May it bless you as you bless others with your words in 2007!

Kathi Macias
Speaker, editor, and Angel-award winning author of seventeen books, including the bestselling devotional A Moment A Day and the popular Matthews mystery series from B&H Publishing Book number 18, How Can I Run a Tight Ship when I’m Surrounded by Loose Cannons?, scheduled for 2008 release from New Hope Publishers.

The Train-of-Thought Writing Method:

Title: THE TRAIN-OF-THOUGHT WRITING METHOD: Practical, User-Friendly Help for Beginning Writers
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: AUTHORHOUSE
Release Date: FEBRUARY 28, 2005
ISBN-10: 142083259X
ISBN-13: 978-1420832594
Paperback: 96 pages
List Price: $15.50

Game No 2

Name that Main Character!

What is the name of the Main Character of Age is Just a Number?

1. Danielle


2. DayShawn


3. Divine


4. LaShawn

Name that Publisher!


Which one of the following Publishers is suing some of its authors?

1. Divine Truth Press


2. Genesis Press


3. GirlChild Press


4. Urban Books

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

And Even If I Did: A Novel

Title: AND EVEN IF I DID

Author: KISHA GREEN

Publisher: iUniverse, Inc.

Release Date: April 18, 2006

ISBN: 0595390137

Paperback: 256 Pages

List Price: $16.95

Name That Author!

Let the games begin!

FIRST TO GUESS BOTH ANSWERS CORRECTLY IS OUR WINNER (Leave your answer in the comments - YOU CAN ONLY WIN ONCE)

Name that Author - Multiple Choice No 1

Fly on the Wall was written by?

1. Wahida Clark
2. Joylynn Jossel
3. Trista Russell
4. Nikki Turner

Who wrote The Playa's Handbook?

1. Brenda Jackson
2. Janet Jackson
3. Lilian Jackson Braun
4. Monica Jackson

Welcome!

Hi,

I’m Divine and I’m so happy you decided to join us to welcome in the New Year! Dee is a little busy right now, so I'm gonna play hostess with the mostest until she's ready.

I’m grateful for this moment in time time because I know for a fact that some didn’t wake up this morning and some won’t wake up tomorrow morning, however, we’re going to live in the present. Thankful for the here and now, and hopeful for what will be in 2007. God has been faithful and if we can even meet Him one quarter of the way… He’ll do the rest!

That being said… time to PAR-TAY!

So how do we partay exactly without a chat room and/or video camera? (Personally, I’ze scared of those things, since I was traumatized when I first began online dating when a prospective suitor decided to go au natural for me. We were talking about children, mind you… then whoop… there it was! I didn’t go online again for a week after that. And thereafter if asked about having a webcam the answer was a quick NO! I’ve had much time to think on it… and I figure that maybe… I’d just made to big a deal of it all… after all… we were speaking about procreation… he’d just skipped ahead to the show-and-tell section… my bad!)

Anyway… back to how we party without seeing or hearing each other?

Well, I liked how LaShaunda handled Sormag’s Christmas Open House so in that vein, here’s what we’ll do:

Starting at 6 PM (EST) Dee or I will post games, trivia questions or scrambled words to be solved. The first person to post the correct answer in the comment section wins a prize!

We’ll also have a guest author stop by every hour to share New Year’s greetings and an excerpt of their book.

Activities:

• Name That Author!
• Name That Character!
• Your Turn to Write!
• And anything else we think up between now and then … LOL.

In the meantime, I'll get back to getting the punch made (alcohol free... since alcohol makes me waaaay too friendly).

If you do arrive before we get back, please sign the guest book (a/k/a comments) and make yourself comfortable, cause y'all really aren't guests... but family.

Peace,
Div

Calling all Authors, Bookstores and Book Clubs

You're Invited ...

By Whom: D.S. White

To What: A New Year's Eve Virtual Party

Held Where: Right Here

Date: Sunday, December 31, 2006

Time: 6:00 P.M. (EST)

Activities:Trivia, Guest Authors, Door Prizes, Contests and more...

If you plan to attend, please RSVP below so I know my catering numbers.

P.S. If you're an author who would like to have your book considered as a prize or contribute as a guest speaker email me.

P.S.S. If you're a bookstore and would like to offer a coupon or gift certificate as a prize email me.

P.S.S.S. If you're a book club and would like to tell us a bit about your club and supply a top 10 booklist of the books you've read in 2006 email me.

HUGE Book Contest

January 31, 2007 marks OOSA's second year anniversary. In celebration of our anniversary, we are having our largest contest to date. 31 days. 31 chances to win. Over 31 books.

Everyday in the month of January, you will have an opportunity to win a book. While you may only enter once a day, there is no limit to the number of days you enter or the number of times you can win. Certain days of the month will be JACKPOT days. On those days, there will either be multiple winners, or one winner of multiple books. You won't know unless you enter. You won't win unless you enter.

Contest starts January 1.

Good luck!

"If it's written, we'll read it."
oosaonlinebookclub.com

I'm Just Loving My New Template ...

Aren't you?

It is courtesy of Zoe at Chic&Sassy Designs. This is her "Spirit of Christmas" gift to the first to ask for it. When I first saw it, I fell in love with it, then noticed it was listed as "sold". I was so disappointed! However, I placed a comment anyway.

I decided to visit it again to moon longingly over it, then noticed the "sold" sign was gone and it was listed as "available". I placed another comment asking Zoe for clarification.

It turns out that the first person who requested it, decided to switch to Wordpress. (Works for me.)

Even more than that though, I'm noticing a trend lately. In days of old, if I wanted something and it even appeared to be unreachable ... I'd back off and think, Oh well.

However, lately, I'm noticing that that instinctive back off behavior, isn't always the end of it. Sometimes, I've been drawn to approach things from another angle or just ask a simple question, as I did with this template, and things turn around in my favor. I ought not to be too surprised, I guess. It is a Biblical principle. God says that we have not, because we ask not. I've been asking more lately and been receiving more lately.

So then the question comes down to ... all the other things I don't have ... have I not asked for them, are they not for me, have I not been asking the correct question or is it not yet time?

Okay ... Denzel Washington ... I get. He's someone else's husband so that's really not going to be answered ... LOL.

So I guess what I'm realizing is that obstacles are not necessarily bad things. Sometimes they may serve to deter me from something that's not good for me. Sometimes they may serve to build my character as I work up the courage to go for what I want. I just need to get my thought pattern tuned into the FSHG (Father Son and Holy Ghost) Network, so that I can discern which it is.

As we can clearly see by the reason we celebrate this season, the birth of Emmanuel (God with us) despite what we may feel or see God wants the best for us! "

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". (1 Corinthians 2:9) (Entire Chapter)

Peace,
Dee

A Gift For You

Hi Folks,

I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by and here we are again at "Merry Christmas".

So many things have happened, good, bad and ugly, but thanks to God ... we're still here.

That being said I'll get to the purpose of this note ... your Christmas gift!

Starting today and continuing for the next twelve days, I will be sharing with you the complete version of the First Edition of Age is Just a Number.

It will not be posted or archived anywhere but disseminated via my Greetings newsletter ONLY.

The first issue will be sent out at 7:00 PM EST today and at 12:00 noon every day until completion. So I guess I'll be having lunch with you guys for the next twelve days ... LOL.

I hope that reading it blesses you as much as it blessed me while writing.

I thank God for each and every one of you.

Peace,
Dee

P.S. Thanks to all who voted for me to win Author of the Month of December at C&B Books. It worked ... I Won!

P.S.S. Stay tuned for details of the Virtual Party on the last day!

P.S.S.S. I just asked to be a Judge on a Poetry Contest and the person in charge said Yes! Makes me think of that scripture "You have not because you ask not" I wonder how much in life I didn't receive, because I didn't ask?

Subscribe* below to receive your gift:

*If you were subscribed to any of my lists before November 23rd, you are already subscribed. If, however, you've never joined any of my lists or subscribed after November 23rd, subscribe below:

Subscribe to: Greetings
My Virtual Birthday and Holiday Greeting Card List.

Please Vote for Me!

Hi Folks,

Hope this note finds you well. While browsing the C&B Books Web site earlier today. I found out that AIJAN and I are part of a contest to become Author of the Month for December.

I'd love it if you'd place your vote for me. See voting instructions, as well as a note about the book itself.

Thanks in advance,

Dee

Q&A

Question: Would you live with your partner without marrying to get to know him or her?

My grandma used to say: "Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?"

What say you?

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the earth, sing unto the Lord a new song for He is worthy to be praised. Come before His presence with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise! Be thankful unto Him and bless His holy name, for He is worthy to be praised!

Hi Folks,

I just wanted to take a moment to send felicitations your way.

No I'm not going to ask you to respond with notes about "what you're thankful for" ... however, I do hope that you will take a moment at some point today to reflect on the changes a year makes ... maybe like me, you'll be able to say "What a difference a year makes!" Confused?

Check out how I felt this time last year... Those of you who've been with me for a while will know that my fears were warranted, but it turned out to be the stepping stone to the completion of my book. And this year, I'm thankful for my relationship with God, my family, my new church home as well as for each and every one of you!

Be Blessed, Be Productive, but most of all Be Happy!

Peace,
Dee

Parting Thought: For those of you who feel as I did last year check out this Web site and then maybe consider gifting a a family in need or better yet, if your church is not already a participant, consider having them sign up.

How Ya Like Meh Now?

Hi Folks,

It just gets better and better! During my routine status check on Amazon today, I noted that aside from the four for three incentive program Amazon had been running, they'd upped the game in my favor.

They've now added AIJAN to a better together pairing with no less than the original self-publishing guru herself, Karen E. Quinones Miller!

Better Together Buy this book with Satin Nights by Karen E. Quinones Miller today! Buy Together Today: $26.26 Customers who bought this item also bought Satin Nightsby Karen E. Quinones Miller Explore similar items :Books (1)

So ... how ya like meh now?

Dee's Announcement List

Hi Folks,

I'm still trying to get organized, and I've come up with what I think is a brilliant plan to stay on top of thoughts as they occur, news as it occurs, treats to be offered and the like.

So I've created an announcement lis t... I think it's kind of pretty too. You know me ... it's gotta be cute. LOL. I "borrowed" the template from FA Goodwin--a fellow author whose book was announced in the first issue of my Reviews newsletter.

I don't want to spoil my own announcement, so read the actual announcement first hand and if you're not yet a subscriber, get on board--subscribe here.

Til next time,
Dee

Summer Book Scavenger Hunt

Hi Folks,

Have I got a gift for you! A chance to test your Internet savvy and win some books as well.

Fellow author, Trista Russell of EbonyAuthors.com sponsors three separate scavenger hunts. Forty authors, forty books and three chances to win!

The only stipulation, you must join her mailing list in order to participate. So hurry up and join and happy hunting to ya!

Peace,
Dee

Summer Book Scavenger Hunts

The scavenger hunts will be held on:

July 12th, August 16th, and September 13th

Participants will search the Internet to answer the 20 questions that will be listed below (websites will be provided with the questions) on July 12th and also sent via e-mail in the Ebony Authors newsletter. The first person to return to this webpage and enter all of the correct answers will receive 10 books. The second person will receive 3 books, and the third 2 books. All books are signed and will be mailed directly from the authors. Books titles and authors listed below.

Rules:

#1 You must be on the ebonyauthors.com mailing list to participate. If not, click here to join!

Scavenger Hunts Book List

• A Dream Come True, by Michael T. Owens


• Age is Just a Number: Adventures in Online Dating, by D.S. White


• Backroom Confessions, by Rose Jackson-Beavers


• Blind Temptations, by Lesley Hal


• Caught Up, by Deatri


• Changing Faces, Changing places, by Sydney Molare


• Daddy's Girl, by Linda D. Wattley


• Devil In The Mist, by Diane Dorce


• Diary of a Street Diva, by Ashley Jaquavis


• Dirt Ball Bad, by Lesley Nowlin


• Dirty Little Secrets, by Joy King


• Every Woman Needs a Wife, by Lissa Woodson


• Fatal Desire, by Jessica Tilles


• Going Broke, by Trista Russell


• How to Get Over Him and Learn From Your Mistakes, by Honilovee


• If I Ruled the World, by Joylynn Jossel


• KARMA, by Hashim Conner


• Lawd Mo Drama, by Tina McKinney


• Love Me Carefully, by A.C. Arthur


• Love, Pleasure and Pain, by Corlis Martin


• Make You Love Me, by Latonya Williams


• Mistaken Identity, by Sylvia Hubbard


• Mode One: Let The Women Know What You're REALLY Thinking, by Alan Roger Currie


• My Invisible Husband, by Shelia Goss


• My Woman His Wife, by Anna J


• Peace In The Storm, by Elissa Gabrielle


• Second Time Shame on Me, by Erica N. Martin


• Sooner or Later, by Cheryl Talley Moss


• The Art of Walking through Fires, by Beverly Welch


• The Mayor's Wife Wore Sapphires, by Marti Tucker


• The Party, by Saundra E. Harris


• The Product, by Marcus A. Parker


• The Rotation, by Jackie Young


• The Roux in the Gumbo, by Kim Robinson


• Two's Enough Three's A Crowd, by Brenda M. Hampton


• When Death Comes a Knockin', by Vanessa Johnson

Girls Most Likely: A Novel

by Sheila Williams
Published by One World/Ballantine

paperback US$13.95
ISBN: 0345464761

About the book:
"We didn't know then that the dramas we imagined weren't even warm-ups for what real life held for us."

From the fifth grade to their fifth decade, Vaughn, Reenie, Susan, and Audrey have shared secrets and dreamed dreams -- their lives connected like silk threads through rich fabric, pulling but never breaking at life's unexpected twists and turns. Meet the girls most likely

To Write the Great American Novel: Vaughn has a flair for words that makes her the unofficial diplomat of the foursome. She's great at keeping it together for everybody -- but herself.

To Marry a Prince: Sassy Reenie can break hearts as easily as she can take out a bully without breaking a nail. But her live-for-today attitude leads to a tragic mistake that will haunt the girls for years.

To be Famous: From the ashes of a ravaged home life, amid rumors and bad feelings, Susan rises to fame as a glamorous network anchorwoman, proving that success is the best revenge. But forgiveness is another matter.

To Run the World: Audrey is the ultimate overachiever, but this takes a devastating toll on her health, her career, and her family. Perfection is a race where the finish line keeps moving. What will she sacrifice to win?

Girls Most Likely is an emotional, uplifting, often hilarious glimpse into the lives of today's ever-changing African American women, sustained by love, laughter, and sisterhood.

Read an excerpt

About the author:
Sheila J. Williams was born in Columbus, Ohio. She attended Ohio Wesleyan University and is a graduate of the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. Sheila and her husband live in northern Kentucky.

For more information, please visit the author's Web site at www.sheilajwilliams.com.

Excerpt: Girls Most Likely

One

I thought that I was fearless until the piece of paper that every sane adult over forty dreads arrived in my mailbox on a June afternoon: the invitation to my thirtieth high school class reunion

PURPLE TIGERS, CLASS OF 1971
IT'S REUNION TIME!
DATE: FRIDAY, AUGUST 25
TIME: 7:00 P.M. UNTIL ???
PLACE: THE IMPERIAL ARMS
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE
RSVP TO DARLA MARTIN-GILMORE BY AUGUST 5
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!!!

Damn it! I said to myself, fingering the white envelope trimmed in purple. I wondered if the French Foreign Legion was still in existence. I hadn't used my high school French in over twenty years but there were refresher courses. Maybe it wasn't too late to join the Witness Protection Program.

Why, for God's sake, the Imperial Arms? It had seen better days. Like forty years ago. And the buffet wasn't that good even then.

You have some choices, my conscience advised. You can kill yourself now or mark the envelope "Addressee Unknown" and drop it into the mailbox . . . or you could go.

Oh grow up, I answered back. What's wrong with suicide?

I would be fifty in a couple of years so I figured there weren't many things left in the world that could really scare me. After all, I was on my second marriage. I was not afraid of the dark -- I outgrew that when I was four. I will admit that I am the only mom who sits at the bottom of the bleachers at my son's football games. Heights make me queasy. And yes, cancer and Alzheimer's worry me. So I eat broccoli and do crossword puzzles to keep the gray cells from getting squishy. But other than that, I thought I was fearless. But there's nothing like the invitation to your thirtieth high school reunion to put ice cubes in your intestines.

Maybe I could run away from home.

"Hey! What's up?" My son, Keith, or "Jaws" as we call him because of his feeding habits, joined me in the hallway. He was chomping on an apple, talking with his mouth full, and holding a jar of peanut butter in one hand. Life was normal.

"What's with the psychedelic envelope?" he asked, with a burst of laughter in his voice. Bits of apple went everywhere.

"High school reunion," I answered. "And clean up that mess!"

"Ho, ho! How many years is it, Mom? Thirty-five? Forty?"

"Thirty, thank you. Get it right," I retorted.

"You're old."

"If you don't watch it, I'll stop feeding you," I warned him.

"Purple Tigers? Oh, this ought to be good. You old-school fogies limping around the dance floor to Al Green . . ."

"No, the Temptations, Sly and the Family Stone, Earth, Wind and Fire," I countered. I was remembering the wonderful music. "And there isn't anything 'old school' about it. It's just real music where people actually play the instruments. You know, musical instruments? Saxophones, trumpets, guitars?"

Keith shook his head and took another monstrous bite.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're going, right?" He patted me on the top of my head.

One of the lovely things about having a nearly grown son is that when he gets to be taller than you are, he treats you like an armrest.

"Go away, shoo," I said, pushing his two-hundred-pound frame toward the kitchen where it belonged. "Don't forget we have to talk about that football camp this evening. Oh, and that girl called again." I call her "that girl" because she has one of those amazing names that I can't pronounce. "La" on the front end and an "ishelle" on the back end. As my great-grandmother would say, "Mercy!"

"OK, but you should go, Ma. You don't look too bad for an old lady. A little short but . . ."

I love compliments.

"Beat it before I throw something at you," I yelled after him.

I looked at the invitation again.

Had it really been thirty years? It seemed like only yesterday that I had nearly been suspended for . . . Now I was sounding like an old-school fogy. Of course, it had been thirty years. I'd been to college, married, had two babies, divorced, married again, had one more baby; worked at three companies, one university, and one junior college; done innumerable loads of laundry, been a room mother three hundred times, cheered soccer, football, and volleyball games; and made more chili and Rice Krispies treats than I care to think about. Not to mention the gray hair that I religiously color every four weeks and the extra ten pounds I was carrying around -- OK, fifteen pounds.

Oh, yes, and those babies grew up. Becca was in San Francisco preparing to make me a grandmother. Yikes! Candace had just finished her master's degree and was spending the summer in Italy. Keith was headed toward his senior year in high school.

And there were the other things.

Thirty years ago my parents still lived on Greenway Avenue in a little beige stucco house. Our German shepherd, Ranger, held court in the backyard and Mrs. Adams poked her nose over the fence complaining about his barking. My oldest sister, Pat, would have been in the bathroom in front of the mirror combing her hair this way and that. My youngest sister, Jean, would have been in the window seat, coloring. Grandma Jane lived on the next block; the Methodist minister lived around the corner.

Time didn't march on, it flew at light speed. Dad was gone now, and Mother sold the little house and lived in a condo on the other side of town. Pat and her family live in Denver and Jean is stationed in Washington, D.C. My baby sister is a major in the U.S. Army. Grandma's gone, the reverend is gone, and Ranger was the third of several dogs by the same name, all of which were buried with pomp and circumstance and heartfelt tears in the backyard beneath the old maple tree.

Thank God for the memories. My high school yearbooks rest on top of the bookshelf in the family room. Keith leafs through them and makes fun of the way we dressed "back in the olden days," especially our afros. Of course, everything comes back, and now that bell-bottoms are on the runways in New York, my long-haired son looks at my high school picture with more respect. We were trendsetters.

I pick up the book from 1971, which is my favorite year. I flip through it whenever I want to feel good. It's like a worn house slipper, completely broken in. It is like meat loaf and mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter. And I always open it to the same page. There we are. It's the picture of the National Honor Society and we're standing in the front row: me, Audrey, Reenie, and Su -- best friends since elementary and junior high school. Inseparable. We are wearing plaid jumpers with pleated skirts, V-neck sweaters, and knee socks. Cheerleader skirts. Afros and hooped earrings. Dashikis. And smiles. Lots and lots of smiles, real ones. Life was full of possibilities then.

On the day we graduated we promised to stay in touch, but we scattered. Our times together grew further apart but were no less cherished. And I think all of us would agree that the times we spent together growing up were some of the best times of our lives. Those were the days when we weren't afraid to experiment or make mistakes. Those were the days before our lives would need revision, before our souls would need restoration. Those were the days before we learned that we wouldn't live forever, the days before regrets. And, in many ways, those were the last days that we had friendships so close that our skins inhaled the fibers of the mohair sweaters we borrowed from one another.

Irene, Audrey, and Susan were the girls I grew up with. The girls who turned the double-Dutch ropes when I was nine, who invited me to their slumber parties and told me their secrets, some of which I've kept to this day. In high school, they got their own page in the yearbook because they were the "girls most likely": to succeed, to marry a millionaire, to be rich and famous, and to negotiate world peace. They were the girls most likely to do everything wonderful. I was on the fringes of their lives, basking in the reflection of their friendship and taking advantage of the benefits that came with being seen with them.

We were born in the early fifties. Our mothers named us after their favorite movie stars: Susan Hayward, Irene Dunne, and Audrey Hepburn. And like the screen queens, we were told to behave ourselves and do what was expected of us: white gloves and a hat to church on Sunday; Fisk, Spelman, or Howard; a "good" job teaching school or working for the government (thirty years in and a pension out), or, God willing, marry a doctor and not have to work at all. Of course, we were colored then and things were changing in the world.

Excerpt from GIRLS MOST LIKELY by Sheila Williams. Copyright Sheila Williams; published by arrangement with One World/Ballantine Books (on-sale July 25, 2006; $13.95)

For more information, please visit the author's Web site at www.sheilajwilliams.com.

E-book & Affiliate Program in the Hizzouse!

Hello Folks,

I'm just so thrilled I could burst! I've just turned the second half of my print book into an E-book (all by my little self). I first got the idea from another author in one of my Yahoo Groups when she announced her books on the bestsellers list.

I have submitted my book to the same publisher she uses and it has been accepted, and will be available soon. Then I got impatient and I got to thinking ... ummm ... why can't you do that for yourself as well?

So I fiddled and fretted, and deleted and uploaded, and amended and created and finally ... Look! In your inbox ... it's a bird, no ... a plane ... nope ... it's ... Age is Just a Number: Adventures in Online Dating--all 90 pages of it!

To view the table of contents, read excerpts, place your order, or find out more information about the E-book affiliate program please click here.

Reviews and comments about errors or downright snafus are always welcome.

Peace,
Dee

Here it Is!

Here's the Book! This is the book that houses my poem: The Strong Black Woman is Dead! Or Is She?

I received an additional email from Sara of BlackExpressions and it was mailed out two days ago. It should be here by the weekend. I'll let you know the verdict as soon as I gobble it up. But in case you can't wait either... here it is:

Trouble Don't Last Always

I know by its very definition, the word surprise means that something unexpected happens, but as we both know, surprises can be good, bad, or indifferent.

By 10 a.m. today I’d had three surprises; and get this—they were all good, great even!

That was in total opposition to my day yesterday. When:

• The phone wouldn’t stop ringing,


• Notes were making nests on my desk; and


• I didn’t leave the office until the cleaners came. And the song in my soul was, Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen

Well today:

• My boss brought me some of her famous baked ziti. (Y’all know how I love Italian food)


• She also told me I could leave early; and


• I received an email from Sara at Black Expression 2005 (Yahoo Writers Group) with fabulous news!

It went like this:

Dear Dee,

Your poem titled: "The Strong Woman is Not Dead" is included in our anthology.

Please send us an address to mail it to you.

Sincerely,
Sara

My decorous response:

REALLY?!!?!!!?

Yeeee hawwwww!

What a lovely surprise!

My mailing address is:

D.S. White
P.O. Box 145
Whitehall, PA 18052-0145

Thanks for the great news Sara.

Dee.

Although the little gremlin on my left shoulder tried to bring up the fact that the title of the poem was actually "The Strong Black Woman Is Dead! Or Is She?" I treated it like my alarm clock and beat it into submission, while I continued doing a dance of joy and thought to myself, trouble truly don’t last always.

Bio

Born 40 years ago in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago through the power of prayer, Dee's life has not always been easy. But had someone told her years ago that her name Diane meant Divine, it might have saved her a lot of the time she spent thinking up ways to "fit in".

A strong black woman, Dee has realized forgiveness is essential to achieve the peace she has sought all her life. She has come to terms with the angst of her birth and realizes even her name has purpose in God's eyes. She's real enough to admit that some of her limitations in life were self-induced. She's not ashamed to admit she's not perfect, and at times may need to be lovingly reminded that "It's not about you!" But she prays she will always surround herself with people who will hold her accountable to the need to have and show compassion.

Her first blook (book based on a blog) Age is Just a Number, will be released June 1, 2006. Pre-orders available at Amazon, ATWC Books, Barnes and Noble and The Book ClubHouse. (Utilize the discount code housecode at checkout to receive an additional 10% off until May 31, 2006.)

Introducing Cover No. 4

No, this cover will not replace cover number three, but it will work in conjunction with cover number three. Not one to give up easily when I have a thought in mind, I recalled a book format that I've come across from time to time.

In that format two entire books would be printed in one volume and both would have their covers, the catch?

The second book's cover would be smack dab in the middle of the book. A book, within a book, so to speak, I often thought it was pretty neat, because I like to have visuals to match the words I'm reading. But maybe that's just me?

I'm not quite sure how I feel about all the aqua, but it would be in greyscale anyway, so that's not really an issue. I just like the concept.

Anyway... there you have it. My brilliant solution--for today.

What are your thoughts?

Virtual Tales

The now defunct serial website, keepitcoming.net has a successor-- virtualtales.com due to start on May 1st.

I've been brainstorming, since this edition will include roughly 20 episodes, (14 more episodes than the first edition) and the story will be nowhere near finished anytime soon. I'm considering selling the serial rights to virtualtales.com so that those interested can get the continuation of the story (for a fee of $3.99 a month, which equals 8 episodes or about 24 pages of reading material a month).

Thoughts anyone?

Part I: THE SECRET LIFE OF DIVINE

Monday, August 16, 2004, 7:20 a.m.

I scribble furiously from the first-row corner seat aboard Lantabus Metro. I'm anxious to capture the thoughts and words as they come, honestly, naturally. As I write, I wonder how I ever made it to this point.

A little over three years ago, I quit a well-paying, soul-destroying job in title insurance. Around the same time, I discovered my fiance's impending fatherhood, which he credited to my decision to reclaim my virginity until our wedding in six months. (I guess he took my urge not to merge harder than I thought.) On the spiritual side, since I'd been too busy coping with life to pick up the internal phone, God sent a messenger to tell me that my services were required as preacher, teacher, and mentor extraordinaire.

Aside from a daily struggle with depression and a weight gain of thirty pounds, I thought I was pretty much taking it all in stride. Then, due to unforeseen circumstances, my landlord gave me forty-five days notice to vacate my apartment. Again, sudden changes ordinarily wouldn't faze me. I've been a long time subscriber to the "life happens" train of thought. But for the self-employed, apartment hunting is not a cakewalk. Add defunct child support payments, an elderly parent with special needs, a growing teenager, and my New York City location to the equation, and I'm sure you can understand my dilemma.

I "remained calm" even though my life was the equivalent of a five-alarm fire. I was on a forty day fast at the time, so I knew God had my back. I was even bold enough to tell God, "This one's on you." Nevertheless, I was ripe for a distraction, a diversion, a denial facilitator: some kind of heavy-duty mode of escapism.

And wouldn' t you know it--I found one!

My journal remembers..

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saturday, March 15, 2003, 5:00 a.m.

I hit the jackpot last night! I'd just returned from choir rehearsal and was unwinding with a copy of Ebony Magazine when I came across an article about two couples. One couple is newlywed; the other is newly engaged. I know, I know--what's so remarkable about that? Let me finish. Both couples met each other online through dating Web sites! Go figure. I didn't even know dating Web sites existed! I love technology!

According to the article, the couples "met" online and, despite the sad rap that the Internet has for unsuccessful connections, they managed to beat the odds. Residing in different states seemed not to pose a problem for them. As I processed the article's information, my heart began to race and I experienced a certain sense of exhilaration. In my mind's eye I fast-forwarded straight to the culmination of a successful connection for myself.

Me, Divine, walking down (or is it up?) the aisle, wearing a beautiful buttercup-yellow , empire style gown, with a rip away skirt for dancing and showing off my jump-back-Tina-Turner legs. Of course, in this vision I am a size 10 again, and not the mismatched size 16/12 (top/bottom) that I am presently. My auburn tinted locks are braided in an intricate Nefertiti upsweep that just oozes royalty. My nails are unfortunately acrylic (an inveterate nail biter, I can only distort reality so far), and the groom--oh, the groom...he is Morris Chestnut and Shemar Moore of "The Brothers" and Boris Kodjoe of "Soul Food" all rolled into one. It is so real I can feel the goose bumps, sweaty palms, and knocking knees--finished by a sense of relief as the Divine in my vision silently whispers, "Thank you Je-sus!"

I hasted to get to the computer in my home office, adjacent to my bedroom. The fate of the magazine went unnoticed as it hit the floor. I logged on to one of the Web sites referenced in the Ebony article, Blackplanet.com. I ran a search and sat mesmerized as I viewed with awe the works of God's hands in all their multicolored glory. They came in all shapes, heights, sizes and sexual preferences. Occupations ranged from blue collar to executive level. Profile after profile, each one more tantalizing than the next.

I pulled an all-nighter, yes I did. I wouldn't bet money on it, but I might be willing to swear that I heard strains of "So Many Men, So Little Time...How Can I Choo-oose" playing faintly in the background as I set about launching a full-fledged assault on the men of Blackplanet...

To Be Continued...

Introduction

MEET DIVINE: female, thirty-seven, slaphappy, young at heart, self-employed; an online newbie, living in New York. She is fresh out of a long-term relationship and has completed the two-year mandatory wound-licking I-hate-men mourning period. Unfortunately for Divine, someone neglected to inform her that dating has been upgraded to new millennium level. But maybe she shouldn’t worry...hemlines aren’t the only things that have gone up.

Thirty-somethings are premium dating material now ... at least for the twenty-year-olds … Divine’s experiences are the basis for the story I call Age Is Just a Number, a lens through which to view the world of online dating.

Since the year 2003, I’ve logged much time online—chatting, emailing and IMing. In that time, I’ve probably spoken with over two hundred people, male and female, and I’ve realized something:

I’ve realized that there are many Divines in the world. They come in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities and financial brackets, drawn together by a commonality, a deep-seated loneliness or hunger for something—and by the generally accepted idea that the solution is in finding a mate.

This recounting, although entertaining, is intended to acknowledge that such a need exists, affirm the validity of that need, share the pain, caution the naïve, and pose the question that maybe...just maybe...the accepted solution ought to be an ongoing relationship with God.

In this blook you’ll find online dating articles, reviews and recommendations of online dating sites, a few extras, and of course, the first twelve episodes of serial Age is Just a Number.

Welcome to my world!

Peace,
Dee

Foreword

This book (or "blook" as it has recently been coined) is based heavily on my blog Age Is Just a Number, which was created to recount an extraordinary two-year span of my life. Due to my hectic work schedule and doubts about the feasibility of readership, project AIJAN ground to a halt after a mere two episodes.

First I tried listing it in the Memoirs section of a serial Website, keepingitcoming.net. My story sat and sat and sat, with nary a purchaser. I could tell folks were clicking on the page, but there was no purchase in sight--not even during the buy-one-story-full-price, get-another-for-a-penny sale!

My brash confidence took a beating! My story had drama, betrayal, flashers and more--add to that a snazzy cover image with a gorgeous model (me... LOL). What more did they want?

(By the way, you will be seeing "LOL" a lot. It's an internet abbreviation that means "Laughing Out Loud." When I first began to use Instant Messaging I thought it meant "Lots of Love," which gave me quite a fuzzy feeling about the internet, but you'll read more about that later.)

I rallied. I tried pumping the story on my own Web sites and was again disappointed, if not befuddled. This was great stuff! Had the whole world gone mad? Then one day, in an email from one of my writing groups, the word "blog" turned up. "I've just updated my blog!"

What, pray tell, is a blog? I asked myself. I then clicked my way to the neatest discovery since sliced bread--blogging! Once I dusted off my flailing confidence and began blogging, I realized that I'd found my niche! Something about a blog and the word "publish" seems to get my creative juices flowing in a way that Microsoft Word does not.

A few weeks went by and I received a sporadic comment or two--nothing like the droves I'd envisioned. But just about the time my confidence again began to dwindle, I made another phenomenal discovery via another blogger's post--BlogExplosion! A traffic exchange Web site, where for every two blogs you surf, you receive one visit, BlogExplosion meant a new beginning for me. It didn't take me long to realize that extended surfing equaled visits, and visits equaled feedback--otherwise known as comments!

Due to copyright issues, this blook is not an exact replica of the AIJAN blog. Certain posts found online are not in the blook and vice versa. In addition, all pictures except those of me or taken by me have been deleted from the print version.

I did try to maintain the conversational tone and overall feel of the blogging experience. I've also held onto comments that enhanced the original posts. The beauty of linking was preserved in the Links section. In addition, I've retained the original dates so that you can have an idea of the time frame of the book. You have the option of reading straight through to get that "as-it-occurred" feeling, or you may utilize the table of contents to read by category. A glossary has also been provided for terms that might be unfamiliar.

Review No. 2

If there is one word to describe the musings of this delightful first-time author it would be “refreshing.” D.S. White is refreshingly honest, refreshingly funny, and refreshingly human. I feel as if I’ve just discovered a long-lost friend or relative. Readers will relate to the absolutely real words and thoughts that decorate the pages of this “blook” (the first I’ve ever read, by the way), and will come away from their read with insight to their own hearts and lives.

~Kathi Macias

Review No. 1

My Thoughts

As an avid internet surfer I can relate with a lot of stuff in this work, it was well written and well thought out.The internet can be cruel as well as kind, we are all now taking it all for granted as it's becoming part of everyone's life.

Blogs are extensions of the website front page and chatroom dialogue, This comes together excellent and anyone who surfs the big wide web will relate to this. Good piece of work, well worth reading.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

~Steve Robinson