JUST RELEASED

ISBN: 9780979975776; ISBN10: 0979975778; Xpress Yourself Publishing; On Sale: 3/04/2008; Retail: $15.00; Format: Trade Paperback; Trim Size: 6 x 9; Pages: 252; Ages: 16 and Up

About the Book

In A Special Summer, twenty-five year old Summer Jackson is young, naïve, and inexperienced when it comes to men. Her life is dedicated to her career as a hospice nurse. The last thing on her mind is a man. When she unexpectedly, literally runs into handsome, Nick Stiles she immediately attempts to keep him at a distance.

From the moment Summer entered the room, Nick was completely captivated. All night he watched as she turned down would be suitors one after another. He is only too pleased when their worlds collide.  Intrigue fully envelops him as Summer makes an attempt to flee his overwhelmingly, powerful presence.  READ MORE…

Visit Victoria Wells @ Victoria Wells Online!

FIVE-STAR REVIEWS!

“A Special Summer was such a wonderful surprise. From the very first page, Ms. Wells lured me in. It speaks volumes for a writer’s abilities when they persuade you to read outside of your genre. I highly recommend this novel as it was certainly good to the last drop. I would not hesitate to pick up anything that Ms. Wells touches.”

— Tina Brooks McKinney, author of All That Drama

“A Special Summer is a treasure and would be enjoyed by anyone who believe in having that one time all consuming love. Victoria Wells takes her time unraveling the insecurities in each character. From the first page to the last I found myself pulling for Nick to finally accept the love Summer is giving him. If you believe in unconditional love, this is a must read…”

— Iris Bolling, Author

CELEBRATE WITH VICTORIA WELLS!

Join Victoria Wells as she celebrates the release of her debut novel, A Special Summer, on March 19, 2008 at North by Northwest, 7165 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119, from 5pm to 7pm. For more information, visit Victoria Wells online at www.victoria-wells.com.

Copies of A Special Summer are available at:
Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Target.com, Buy.com, XpressYourselfPublishing.org
 and many more online retailers, and bookstores every where!

A Special Summer is distributed by
Ingram Book Group
Baker & Taylor Books
Xpress Yourself Publishing

BY LEILONI DE GRUY, Staff Writer, Wave Newspapers, 21.FEB.08
Whether getting their work out through major publishing houses or small boutique publishers, L.A.’s black authors are determined to be seen by the book-buying public.

A literary shift has taken place since the days when W.E.B. DuBois became a best-selling author, a time when most black scribes wrote books that challenged racial inequalities, delved into African-American roots and encouraged movements for social justice.

But over the decades, as more liberties opened for people of color, their writings began to reflect a change as well. In today’s marketplace that means more street fiction, mysteries, thrillers, books on personal finance, romance novels and erotica.

With so many restrictions — marketing concerns, fierce competition and cultural disconnects among them — defining today’s publishing industry, many of L.A.’s contemporary black authors have either self-published or linked up with small, local publishing houses in order to get their work in front of the book-buying public.

Rosie Milligan, publisher of Milligan Books and owner of the South Los Angeles bookstore Express Yourself Books, is among those paving a pathway for local black authors — many of whom are novices.

“In the past few years, mainstream [publishers have] tried to dictate to African-Americans what we read … to dumb us down, to set an image … [creating] a paradigm shift. What they’re looking at is street fiction now, so good literary work has no balance,” Milligan said. “They want to give large advances for street fiction, for someone who’s not using proper English, for someone who’s using a lot of profanity, in the street and in the gutter. That’s the tone they are trying to set for us, so when you send them good literary pieces … they’re really trying to drive you into what they think you need to read. There’s been a big shift.”

At the same time, Milligan added, African-Americans today live in a markedly different social climate — one that in clear ways inform the types of books being written and published. “Fifteen to 25 years ago people were into being free, they were into their civil liberties, and they were interested in integration,” Milligan said. “Now we feel that we are free, like [we] no longer have to fight for it. That’s ironically been a big mistake that we’ve made as African-Americans … We’ve gotten away from trying to learn about the historical [aspect]. Some people wanted to get away from it because they felt like, ‘Why do we keep talking about slavery?’ ‘Why do we keep talking about these things? Let’s move on to something lighter, that’s in the past.’”

Though self- and independent publishing certainly defines much of L.A.’s black literary scene, hopes for going mainstream have not been completely lost. Authors like Terry McMillan and Eric J. Dickey, both of L.A., got their start by marketing their books in African-American bookstores. Others, like the single-named erotica sensation Zane, successfully used the Internet to promote their work. Now, all are mainstays on the New York Times bestseller list.

“Black bookstores have the greatest ability of breaking [in] new authors. Fifteen to 16 years ago we got a book called ‘Tapping the Power Within: A Path to Self-Empowerment for Black Women’ by Iyanla Vanzant and the black bookstores knew immediately this was going to be a great book. It did very, very well and she ended up signing with Simon & Schuster and becoming a bestselling author,” said James Fugate, owner of Eso Won Books. “It may not have happened if you hadn’t had black bookstores.”

Fugate recalls when McMillan began contacting black bookstores in the late 1980s about “Mama,” her debut novel. “That helped pass the word along,” he said. “Even with Zane, or the ‘Coldest Winter Ever’ by Sista Souljah, I think black bookstores knew well before anybody else that [these] were going to be big books and really promoted them.”

Charlene E. Green, a 38-year-old L.A. black author, is all-too-familiar with the waiting process. Her manuscript, “One Man’s Treasure,” sat on the shelf for four years while she and Milligan attempted to sell mainstream publishers on the material.

It was not until she submitted her book to Urban Soul, an imprint of New York-based Kensington Publishing that is now releasing the novel, that she saw any progress. Still, her story illustrates the sort of obstacles faced by black authors whose names aren’t among the handful familiar to the mainstream market, and therefore find it virtually impossible to attract interest from major publishing houses.

“Street fiction … has actually been out for a long time and it’s hard to get a book of substance out there when you’re not known,” said Green, who originally self-published her tome. “When shopping ‘One Man’s Treasure’ … I found it very difficult because [publishers] were saying, ‘It’s a good book but it’s just not what we’re looking for.’ That was frustrating.”

In a very big way, publishing houses who give opportunities to black authors of all ages are helping to bridge a gap between the generations. The elders can share the wisdom of age with younger generations, while youth offer insight into the modern-day black experience.

“We need to bridge the gap. Listen to the children, they have a lot to say, they can teach us something, then listen to the elders … and learn because they can tell you what this role has been like, climbing the hill,” said Milligan, who has published authors as young as seven years-old. “That’s been a market that was totally omitted from mainstream publishers because they didn’t dare look at our seniors [or youth] and say ‘do they have a story?’ ‘What can they write about?’ ‘Do people want to read their stories?’ The answer is yes.”

Having published more than 50 books by black authors from L.A. — including 14 that she wrote — Milligan is also the founder of Black Writers on Tour. The annual event assembles an average of 400 black authors from around the country to conduct readings in different cities throughout the year, offering yet another tool to get the word out about their work.

“The days have come and gone where you need to depend on mainstream publishers,” Milligan said. “[Today], you can publish your own books and market yourself.” – Photo by Gary McCarthy

The First Chronicle of Zayashariya: OUT OF NIGHT is a story of sorcery, slaughter, and struggle with self. Out of Night provides a spiritual twist that unites fantasy and science fiction with the battle with faith and the numinous world. Zayashariya abandons her birthright and escapes the planet Night on a spaceship destined for freedom. Once she flees, she unexpectedly arrives in the town of Wilzasp where she is blamed for the sudden rising death rate. The panic-stricken people seek to destroy her and she finds herself betwixt blood craving natives and demons chasing her through the realms. In the meantime, she is entangled within a concupiscent relationship with a prominent member of Wilzasp society and her love affair causes her to ponder the questions: Can a person truly change their nature? Can emotions blind reality? Is good and evil a distinctive definition or are there fine lines in which they blur into various shades of gray? Can love prevent you from seeing the inner demon in others? Is a spiritless world a realistic world?

By Urban Reviews, February 7, 2008

The Triumph Of My Soul Anthology was so beautifully written by
various authors, this is the first time I have read an inspirational
anthology that kept my atttention. This is how I reviewed each short
story:

Triumph Of My Soul 5 stars and more for the Soul!!

Julian’s Grace by Jessica Tilles 5 stars
Marathon by Bill Holmes 3 stars
A Test Of Faith by Lorraine Elzia 5 stars
A Stroke Of Purpose by Keisha Dawn 3 stars
The Vanilla Room 5 stars
Discovering the Joy Within by Allyson Deese 3 stars
A Mother, Her Son, and The Father by Fon James 5 stars
He Loves Us, Always by Linda Wattley 4 stars
The Ministry Of Motherhood by Cheryl Lacey Donovan 3 stars
Breaking The Chains Of Abuse by Casche Russell 3 stars
When You Least Expect by Dike Okoro 5 stars
Doors by Ebonee Monique 5 stars
Word On The Street by Jarold Imes Jarold Imes 3 stars
One Woman’s Journey by Linda R. Herman 3 stars
I’m Still Here by Kim Robinson 4 stars
The Triumph Of My Soul by Elissa Gabrielle 4 stars

Visit www.TheTriumphOfMySoul.com for more information on the anthology and its authors!

February 5, 2008
By OOSA Online Book Club “O.O.S.A.” (World Wide Web, USA)
Reviewed by: Tekisha

“Consequences: When Love is Blind” by Linda R. Herman is the best
fiction book I’ve read this year. I want to give the author a
standing ovation because that was a great book!

Sade Peters is married to Andre with two beautiful twins, Andrea and
AJ. She thought she had the perfect life and family, until her
seventeen-year-anniversary. Sade discovered more about her husband’s dirty laundry than anticipated. And what she discovered changed her life forever. Sade chose to live with this secret for a while until more drama began to arise. She thought she had taken more than enough, apparently not. Will Sade began to handle this drama, or will it be too late?

I love this book; it is now officially one of the best books I have
read. I loved the way the author kept the details to a minimum and
got straight to the point. This book should be recommended to all
African American females as an “eye-opener.” It should come as no
surprise then the five star rating.

To learn more about Linda Herman and “Consequences: When Love Is Blind,” visit www.XpressYourselfPublishing.org!

A Special Summer

   Victoria Wells Scheduled Publication Date: March 4, 2008                                   252 pages / Cost: $15 ISBN-13: 978-0-9799757-7-6ISBN-10: 09799757-7-8

Available from Xpress Yourself, LLC:

www.xpressyourselfpublishing.org Amazon.com and at bookstores everywhere “Nick pushed himself up slightly enough to stare down into her face. Her expression revealed she wanted him. A mischievous smirk played at his lips. ‘You do want me to take this off, don’t you?’”                                                            – Victoria Wells, author of A Special Summer Human connection is at the heart and soul of seductive new romance novel by local author, Victoria Wells 

Victoria Wells’ inaugural novel, A Special Summer, explores the universal themes and compelling experiences of family, motherhood and romance, which transcend race and gender. Her timeless account of the human condition is relevant and provides a real connection through the perspective of a cast of sensitive, strong, smart, self-sufficient contemporary African-American characters. 

At the soul of this steamy, sultry tale of seduction is a shocking secret that threatens to be the kiss of death for an once-in-a-lifetime romance between siren Summer Jackson and her luscious love interest, Nick Stiles. Through the prism of the couple’s painstaking web of love, lust, loss and longing, we find out just how razor-thin the double-edged line between romance and rage can be. But the beauty of this story is that it delves not only into the precarious intimacy of a romantic couple, but into the dynamics of an entire community. The parent-child, father-son, girlfriend-sister and male-bonding relationships are at the forefront of this “explorationship.” These human interactions are inextricably intertwined to tell a titillating story of heartache and passion. 

“A Special Summer is a book for all seasons,” says Victoria Wells. “It is a classic romance novel of pure escapism, but it also has a universal scope. The story has a redemptive quality and sprit when two wounded souls are healed through forgiveness. Whether you are a single mom, a married couple, sister or brother, I think you will identify, in some capacity, with the main characters choices, circumstances and challenges to work through their relationship issues.”

Victoria Wells has been a lover of modern romance since reading her first novel at age 15. Victoria, 40, is a nurse practitioner, wife and the proud mother of three beautiful children: Martia, Leroy, and Melanie. Victoria grew up in the Germantown section of Philadelphia and currently lives in East Oak Lane.

She has taken the sensitivity of her training as a medical professional and applied it to the pages of her new novel. As a nurse in the Greater Philadelphia area over the last 17 years, she has written and lectured extensively on health, particularly the cause of sickle cell disease. Her dedication as an advocate for patients has earned her the Regional and National 2005 Nursing Spectrum’s Nurse of the Year Nursing Excellence Award in clinical care.

In 2006, Wells was awarded the Movers and Shakers Award by various organizations — the American Women Heritage Society, National Association of University Women, National Association of Phi Delta Kappa, Top Ladies Distinction and Two Thousand African American Women. Wells has been recognized by Philadelphia City Council for her nursing achievements and community involvement. 

 Visit www.victoria.wells.comTo view a trailer of A Special Summer, log onto:

 Youtube.com (Search: “A Special Summer by Victoria Wells”)  

 For a review copy, please contact:Xpress Yourself PublishingContact: Erica Hart, PRP.O. Box 1615Upper Marlboro, MD 20773 (202) 528-0450 Erica.Hart@xpressyourselfpublishing.org www.xpressyourselfpublishing.org “Engaging, vibrant and compelling with true-to-life characters you will talk about long after the last chapter.”   — Jessica Tilles, author of Unfinished Business on A Special Summer ###PRESS CONTACTS:           

author@victoria-wells.com

267-307-6514 or

215-901-2070                                                                               January / 2008

From OldMustyBooks.com
By Rachel on Jan 29, 2008 in Authors, Featured, Genre, Review

I have been working really hard to read new literature. In fact, this is one of my goals for 2008 – to read a new book each month in a genre I wouldn’t normally gravitate to, from an author I’ve never heard of. So far this year, I’ve read four in that category.

The newest book I’ve just completed is coming out on February 1st. Searchable Whereabouts is a murder mystery with a great twist.

As context, when I received Searchable Whereabouts from Tinisha Nicole Johnson, I was starting the second section of Ulysses by James Joyce, the third short story in an EB White’s The Second Tree from the Corner and was several chapters into Stephen Crane’s Maggie the Girl From the Street. I knew ahead of time Tinisha’s book was not a usual genre for me, and I was curious about if it would grab my attention and how it would fit into my reading schedule.

Searchable Whereabouts fit perfectly! Its an easy read, great for vacation or a relaxing rainy day. The chapters are short, the vernacular is easy to understand, and there’s a little less than 300 pages. This is one of those books where you can get absorbed in the story not realizing several hours has passed.

Tinisha Nicole Johnson found a good balance of mystery, heartbreak, joy and romance; mixed it all together and came up with Searchable Whereabouts. Once I got sucked in – and it didn’t take long – I didn’t want to put the book down until I knew “whodunit”, how it was done, and why it was done.

The plot in this murder mystery was definitely intriguing and I found myself excited about all the twists and turns the story took. I think its important to note that I didn’t anticipate most of the twists before they happened in the story line. I really liked that even though the mystery was solved at the end, the ending was not what you would call a “happy ending”. I finished the book yesterday, and all day today, I’ve been wondering what happens to Rahkel now. How will the events in this novel affect her life? I don’t often read sequel books, but I’d be curious about Rahkel’s life, that’s for sure!

The telling of the story is done in the first person by the main character. The relationships built in this book were quite believable – in fact, I felt like I “knew” a few of them personally. The way the author continued to feed the reader information about the relationships throughout the book made each character functional to the story. The characters were “real” and the situations they were dealing with internally were dealt with in a real way.

I recommend this book to anyone who needs a break from heavy reading but wants a good plotline and realistic characters!

Visit Tinisha Nicole Johnson’s website to learn more: Writer/Author/Poet

On January 22, 2008, in a mass email to all of its customers, authors, publishers, etc., Simba Sana, Founder and CEO of Karibu Books, dropped the bomb on the African American community. Effective February 10, 2008, Karibu Books, a popular cultural institution in the African American community, will close its doors to the masses of people who loved, supported and adored what it stood for: Bringing you books written by and about African Americans, 24/7.

It took me a couple of days to digest it all. I feel empty, very empty. I feel like I have no place to go…I feel like sucking on my thumb, I want to be coddled. I kind of feel like I felt the day I lost my mother on November 15, 2007. However, not to that degree, but there’s still this emptiness. My mother was my biggest supporter. It was devastating when I lost her. And, I will go so far as to say, I feel devastated losing Karibu Books too. Does any of this make sense? Am I upset? You’re damn right I am! I feel like I’ve lost my best friend, my supporter and my literary lover. Will I be able to go on, knowing that I don’t have Karibu to lean on? Sure there are many other black bookstores an author, like myself, could turn to. However, I don’t want to! I have been spoiled rotten to the tenth degree! I want my Karibu Books. In all of my six years of being an author and publisher, I’ve never been met with so much warmth, support and love, as with Karibu Books. Not that I’m putting down other black bookstores, but let’s face it…and I’m sure other authors would concur…to sign at Karibu, or even have five books on the shelf, we didn’t have to jump through hoops like you do with the others. Ask and ye shall receive, and we did just that!

Karibu Books was more than a bookstore, they were family. I don’t know of any other bookstore where I could pick up the phone and call the owner on his celly  just to shoot the breeze. Simba gave me my first credit card processor. Better known by many as the knuckle buster. You know that bluish-green American Express metal contraption you push back and forth to make the imprint of the card on the ancient credit slips? Yeah, that’s the one. I’ll always cherish it. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t call and ask for, and didn’t receive it. Yes, they spoiled the hell out of this author.

HEAR ME LOUD AND CLEAR literary world, Jessica Tilles and Xpress Yourself Publishing LOVES Karibu Books. Always have, and always will. I pray that one day, Karibu will make a comeback! And, when it does, we’ll be sittin’ right here, waitin’.

Owners: Simba and Yao

I will miss you:  Lee MacDonald (the best damn events coordinator in the business, all around sweet sister; always greeted me with a huge smile and a hug); Sunny Sana (what will I do without my Sunshine? It’s been difficult for the past few months, I’ve missed your perky phone calls. But, as Whitney Houston said it best, “I’ll always love you,” because my sister, they just don’t get any better than you!); Simba Sana (what can I say? Your continued support over the years was more than I’d received from my own family. I don’t have much to offer, if you’re ever in need, and if I have it, it’s yours!); Yao (owner and founder — what can I say? If there was ever a more peaceful soul that I’ve ever met in my life, you’re it. I remember my very first encounter with you. It was at a book event at Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD. You and I had a blast, talking and sharing viewpoints. You will sorely be missed, on the real!); store managers and employees (thank you for making my many evenings with Karibu a pleasant one. The XYP authors are forever indebted for the wonderful support you’ve given over the years!).

Karibu Books’ Staff

Well, I’ve said my good-byes. I’ll go in the corner and lick my wounds like a scorned lover.

Below is the sad news I received on January 22. I’ll miss you, Karibu, but I’ll keep it moving, with you in my heart!

* * *

Dear Karibu Customers,

After 15 years of service within the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Karibu Books, a Black bookstore chain will be closing its doors. We sincerely thank each and every one of you for your patronage and support. We are optimistic that our mission to empower and educate through a comprehensive selection of books by and about people of African descent will continue to resonate within the communities we proudly served.

Since 1993, we have been blessed to help thousands of local, regional and national authors share their incredible stories of faith, hope, love, peace, politics and race. We can’t begin to express our gratitude for the countless authors who have graced our six stores and enriched our customers’ lives.We will be closing our Security Square (Baltimore, MD) and Forestville locations on Sunday, January 27. The remaining locations, Bowie Town Center, The Mall at Prince Georges and Iverson Mall will close on Sunday, February 10. Our Pentagon City store is already closed.Effective immediately, all inventory at all locations will be 50% off. All fixtures will also be available for purchase on February 10. See individual store managers for more information.

Again, we respectfully thank you for your loyalty, laughter and love.

Sincerely,
Simba Sana
CEO
Karibu Books 

15 Trends to Watch in 2008
Source: By Mike Shatzkin, Publishers Weekly, 1/7/2008

My favourite quote:

“The Internet will drive 21st-century publishing enterprises to be more like what professional publishing has always been: highly vertical and format-agnostic.”

And here are the top 15 highlights (more behind the link):

1. The popularity of e-books will increase.
2. Sales of books in electronic form to public libraries will continue to grow.
3. This will be the Year of the Author.
4. Publishers will start acquiring specialized Web sites to get content for their books and to target niche audiences.
5. Christmas 2008 will be the first one in which sales of customized books, enabled by the Internet and print-on-demand, will become substantial.
6. XML will no longer be considered optional.
7. Apple, seeing the growth in use of Kindle and Sony Reader, will move to turn the iPhone and iPod into e-book readers.
8. B&N will continue to leverage the book trade’s most sophisticated supply chain to lengthen its lead over Borders and all other bricks-and-mortar retailers.
9. The lack of a competitive supply-chain infrastructure will continue to handicap Borders, hurting both sales and profits.
10. Although overall sales will remain paltry, increased activity by publishers selling direct to consumers from their Web sites, particularly digital downloads, will lead to “read and listen” bundles of e-books and digital audio and other pricing experiments.
11. Literary agents will begin to experience the same kind of consolidation that has hit other parts of the book business.
12. Publishers will rethink the traditional sales conference and begin to move toward a continuous publishing model.
13. Some publishers will begin producing a hardcover edition of every paperback and a large-print edition of every title.
14. Publishers will push harder to publicize books through the Internet channels as print and broadcast media continue to lose audience to the Web.
15. In addition to being the Year of the Author, 2008 will be the Year of the Experiment.

Interesting list.