Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Arlena's Blog Information For Various Authors : Write Now Literary Book Tours Featuring: THE MANY ...
Arlena's Blog Information For Various Authors : Write Now Literary Book Tours Featuring: THE MANY ...: Book: The Many Facets of Me Tagline: From A Heart of Hurt to The Joy of Jesus Genre: Christian Non-Fiction Author: Dr. Wend...
Write Now Literary Book Tours Featuring: THE MANY FACETS OF ME By: Dr. Wendy Hall Sims My 29-30, 2019
Book: The Many Facets of Me
Tagline: From A Heart of
Hurt to The Joy of Jesus
Genre: Christian Non-Fiction
Author: Dr. Wendy Hall Sims
Release Date: June, 2019
Word Count: 11,837
BLURB:
Dr. Wendy Hall Sims in The Many Facets of Me shares
how she moved From A Heart of Hurt to The Joy of Jesus. She expounds
upon how God allowed the facets of her life to build her character and faith.
Dr. Sims encourages her readers to put their trust securely in God, who will
always channel every situation into one that will ultimately work for your
good. Being mocked (for the color of her skin) and molested at a very young
age, she identifies with those who have been hurt but encourages them like her,
to use their hurt to their advantage by spreading a message of love and hope.
She attributes her relationship with Christ for helping her to move from a
heart of hurt to the joy of Jesus.
About the Author
Dr. Wendy Hall Sims earned her Ph.D in Psychology and is
the Chief Operating Officer of Metropolitan Circles, LLC. She is the wife of
Pastor Samuel Sims, mother of three, and grandmother or seven. She resides in
Ringgold, Louisiana where she operates as the First Lady of We Care Ministries.
Chapter One
Pushing
Through To Reveal
The
Facets of Me
It has taken me some time to understand fully what my
journey is about. Of course, just like many of you, I still do not know the
story in full. Nevertheless, the bits and pieces have caused me to conclude,
there was not a hurt or pain strong enough to hinder, derail, or cancel out the
plans God had for me.
Now don’t get me wrong or jump to the wrong
understanding. My boast is definitely not in myself, because I can assure you
on many occasions I wanted to crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my
head, and pretend I had drifted away into the land of Peter Pan. Unfortunately
for those of you who wanted to hide like me, it does not exist and even if it
did, we were not created to inhabit that space.
We were created to be right where we were, experiencing
just what we did, in order to be who we would become, and if you ask me, I’d
say today, “I’m happy God allowed me to stay to finish the race. We always say,
“The race is not given to the swift or the strong but to the one who endures.”
Fact is, we have the running down pat, but it’s the enduring that myself and
those like me find hard.
Sure, it’s always easy for someone who has never gone
through anything to feel like it was not hard for them, but either way, there
still should be some sympathy somewhere deep down inside of you for those of us
who had a hard time. No, we don’t want your pity, but we would like you to
persuade us to push through because reality is, there are so many facets of
each of us and the only way you will ever sort through them is if you push
through.
You may be asking, “Why on earth is Wendy starting her
book off here?” Let me tell you why. Many of you will never uncover or reveal
the facets of you because you are too uninvolved with the process. What do I
mean? Anytime we are faced with moving to another level or finding out more
about what we are capable of or purposed to do, we first have to be pushed out
of the level we are on by being processed.
Take an orange for instance.
You cannot get to the beauty or the good part until you
peel away the orange peel. Then, if you are lazy, uninvolved, or don’t care,
you will just keep the protective layer of the hull stuck on the backside of
the orange. At this point, because it requires more time than you are able to
give, you become uninvolved and you eat through all the strands that could have
been peeled off. You never take the time to get to the pure beauty of the
orange because anything that requires you to do more than you desire, you check
out.
Take a homeless person.
Some of them are so skilled but troubles, situations, and
circumstances caused them to determine…I will be better off living on the
streets. Less worry, less stress, no bills, no obligations, and the only two
things that I’m concerning myself with is food and a place to lay my head.
Seems easy huh. A lot of homeless people will tell you it’s harder than you
think, but they are so disconnected from their struggle and facets until this
works for them.
Take the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 5.
He was dwelling amongst the tombs, hurting himself with
the same stones he probably used to lay his head on. The reality is, he checked
out because of what was in him. Get it?
Whether it is good or bad stuff, too much of anything has
the power to cause you to check out if you are not looking at things through a
Christ-centered approach. If you cannot see that God allowed you to be blessed
in order for you to be a blessing, you can in up in a tomb of selfishness.
If you fail to realize that God allowed you to face so
many hardships in your youth to perfect you in adulthood, you can end up in a
tomb of bitterness. And, my brothers and my sisters in every tomb is a mob
waiting to ultimately kill you because they understand if you ever come to
terms with all the facets God has put in you to carefully construct you
according to His plan and promises for your life, you will destroy them in
everyone you meet.
I thought giving you some space to journal would allow
you to write down some things that happen to you in your youth that you may have
never looked at as a facet, God was perfecting in you.
What are the facets you went through as a
child that enemy might have put in place to kill you, but God allowed to
perfect you?
Can you now see how these have helped you to
be a better you?
I was given a Pdf to read this author's novel: The Many Facets of Me
Arlena's Book Review: http://arlenasbookreviews-arlenadean.blogspot.com
Title: The Many Facets of Me: From A Heart of Hurt To The Joy of Jesus
Author: Dr. Wendy Hall Sims
Publisher: DS Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Many Facets of Me" by Dr. Wendy Hall Sims
My Rationalization:
I found 'The Many Facets of Me' by this author was absolutely well written and I was even able to identify with [understand] some of the things she had gone through in her life. From being bullied,[I was as a child too] rape, molestations, and divorce 'all things were meant to work together for the good.' Learning to forgive and seeing that 'God trusted her to 'Win' in the midst of all of her facets.' I loved how well this author was able to not only forgive the one who had molested her but also I loved how she was able to deal with her own mother through that whole situation.
Going through many facets in her life there was through prayer that she learned to see just how the power of prayer was able to register in her mind. She was able to 'know that God having chosen her was the reason that she survived.' I loved how this author was able to back all of her testimony with some powerful beautiful scriptures. Here are a few that are some wonderful reads: Isaiah 43:10, John 16:13, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Revelations 13:8, Romans 8:28, and Psalm 45:7. I read all of them and enjoyed all of them. I would definitely recommend for all to read 'The Many Facets of Me because you will get a lot out of this Christian Non-Fiction read.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Write Now Literary Book Tours Featuring: Does Your Vision Need an Engineer? by Rufus Chambers 111
Genre: Christian Leadership
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rufus
Chambers is a dynamic business & ministry professional with over 20 years
of experience who built a successful career in the construction industry. He
has an expertise in Project Management and a teaching gift that empowers
leaders and individuals to overcome challenges and achieve greatness. He has
worked on numerous construction projects in the role of an Owner’s Representative,
General Contractor, Construction Manager, and Construction Manager at Risk.
As a
dedicated ministry leader with significant corporate and ministry achievements,
Rufus has been afforded the opportunity to make significant inroads in the
communities of Oakland, Pittsburg, and Richmond. These inroads consist of
partnering with local school districts, faith-based organizations, non-profit
agencies, and law enforcement agencies in serving the previously mentioned
communities.
Rufus
resides in Los Angeles with his wife of over 15 years, and they have 2
beautiful daughters together.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Does Your
Vision Need an Engineer? It is a simple question with an answer that may seem
to be obvious. Countless people have dreams
and visions, but few are able to translate them into a practical plan that can
followed. Rufus Chambers takes readers
on a journey of understanding how to connect a plan of action to their divinely
inspired vision. If you are struggling
with understanding what to do next or who to recruit to join your team, this is
the book for you. There is nothing more
frustrating than having a vision but being clueless on how to actively
pursue. Rufus will take you into the
mind of a vision engineer, whose singular focus is creating a strategic plan
that can systematically execute vision.
ISBN-10: 1795624744
ISBN-13: 978-1795624749
PURCHASE A COPY
Available at Amazon
Barnes & Noble
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR
Tour
hosted by wnlbooktours.com
Rufus, tell our readers 10 random facts about
you
1. I grew up in
Richmond, California
2. I graduated from St. Mary’s College High School in
Berkeley, CA
3. I met my and started dating my wife in 1996
4. I spent much of my honeymoon watching the news coverage
of the 9-1-1 Terrorist Attack
5. I went to catholic school from K thru 12th grade
6. I used to hate to read as a child
7. I never imagined that I would go back to college after
completing my undergraduate degree
8. I love classic cars
9. I enjoy sneakers
10. I don’t like big crowds
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Write Now Literary Book Tour for O'Shay & Sanaa By: Jonas Brinkley March 4-15, 2019
Write Now Literary is pleased to be
organizing a book tour for O’Shay & Sanaa by Jonas Brinkley. The tour will
run March 4-15, 2019. Book your own tour here.
Book Title:
O'shay & Sanaa: An Urban Romance
Genre:
Romance
Book
Release Date: March 21, 2019
Pre-Order:
B & N Kindle: http://bit.ly/2NuOsmA
Meet The Author:
Currently
an independent author, Jonas Brinkley was born in Georgia and was raised by his
mother in Tift County. His writing talent manifested from his teen years and by
the encouragement from his relatives and friends, he developed it by taking the
relevant college courses that honed not only his writing skills but also knowledge
on various fields like theosophy and business. He founded (Voice of My
Ancestors) Voma Publications LLC. J. Brinkley’s unconventional philosophies
about life and love are a gift that ought to be shared with the world via
writing.
About The Book
When O'shay
London met Sanaa Holland, it was an instant attraction. They dated for a while
and found themselves in love with each other. Finalizing their romance by tying
the knot, O'shay and Sanaa found things between them starting to fall apart
soon enough - happiness and fulfillment were replaced by grief and bitterness.
As the couple grapples with the circumstances that change their lives forever,
the question of what truly bonded them arose... LOVE, LUST or OBSESSION?
Excerpt
Sanaa sat
in the dressing room of the breathtakingly beautiful Crystal Ballroom in Metro
West,
Orlando, Florida. The wedding area was adorned with eighteen dimming
chandeliers, pipe and drape backdrops with up lights, Silver Chiavari chairs,
high top tables, ivory linens, gorgeous aqua and silver floral arrangements,
aqua candles, candelabras, and ceiling drapery. She still couldn't believe her
wedding day had finally arrived. She had told her bridesmaids and her maid of
honor to give her a minute to herself. Lana, Tasha, Renee, Niki, and her best
friend, Bria, had been her girls since their early college days. She couldn't
imagine this day without them. After Bria had finished applying the finishing
touches to Sanaa's make-up, the ladies left the room and quietly closed the
door behind them.
Sanaa
stared at her reflection in the mirror as she reminisced about first meeting
O'shay. They were both college students at the time. He was studying at the
University of Central Florida, working towards a degree in Aircraft
Engineering. He had wanted to someday become a pilot and Sanaa was studying
Criminal Justice at Keiser University. She aspired to be a criminal defense
attorney. They were at Starbucks, both of them cramming for midterms. Sanaa
tried not to stare when he walked through the door, but he was so handsome, he
literally took her breath away. She noticed him watching her too. He appeared
to be somewhat shy, and that's always a turn-on.
After a
while, they both got up to leave at the same time and as fate would have it,
they bumped into one another. They struck up a conversation and before parting,
exchanged phone numbers and made plans to hook up. They were inseparable from
that day forward. Now five years later, they both have promising careers and
big dreams for their future. They were about to become husband and wife.
Purchase A Copy:
Barnes & Noble
Kindle: http://bit.ly/2NuOsmA
Connect Socially:
Tour hosted by Write Now Literary
I was given a chance to read and review "O'Shay & Sanaa"...
Title: O'Shay & Sanaa
Author: J. Brinkley
Publisher: Voma Publications LLC
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"O'Shay & Sanaa" by J. Brinkley
My Rationalization:
I will say this was quite some read because I thought this was about a true romance of O'shay and Sanaa. However, what started out as a sweet romance didn't end up quite that way. I think the first clue was when Sanaa's father had questions about O'shay and his father who was in prison. I am sure there may have been other clues to what was really going on with O'shay but this author did a good job with hiding them. I did find it somewhat interesting that he [O'shay] didn't want to talk about his father even to Sanaa. Yes, there 'happiness and fulfillment were definitely been replace by grief and bitterness.' Was this a marriage of "Love, Lust or Obsession" well definitely not love because true love doesn't act like this! Definitely, something was going on with O'shay because by the end of this story it was evident that he needed help. We are left with a cliffhanger wondering will Sanaa be OK. So, until then we will have to wait and see if the craziness of O'shay will be revealed to why he acted so horribly to Sanaa whom she was supposed to be the love of his life.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Write Now Literary Book Tour for Josephine Baker's Last Dance by Sherry Jones February 25 - March 1, 2019
Write Now
Literary is pleased to be organizing a book tour for
Josephine Baker’s Last Dance by Sherry Jones. The tour will run February
25-March 1, 2019. Book your own tour here.
Read the first chapter
ISBN-10: 1501102443
ISBN-13: 978-1501102448
Genre: Historical
About Sherry Jones
Author and journalist Sherry Jones is best known
for her international bestseller The Jewel of Medina. She is also the author of
The Sword of Medina, Four Sisters, All Queens, The Sharp Hook of Love, and the
novella White Heart. Sherry lives in Spokane, WA, where, like Josephine
Baker, she enjoys dancing, singing, eating, advocating for equality, and
drinking champagne. Visit her online at AuthorSherryJones.com.
About the Book
From the author of The Jewel of Medina, a moving
and insightful novel based on the life of legendary performer and activist
Josephine Baker, perfect for fans of The Paris Wife and Hidden Figures.
Discover the fascinating and singular life story
of Josephine Baker—actress, singer, dancer, Civil Rights activist, member of
the French Resistance during WWII, and a woman dedicated to erasing prejudice
and creating a more equitable world—in Josephine Baker’s Last Dance.
In this illuminating biographical novel, Sherry
Jones brings to life Josephine's early years in servitude and poverty in
America, her rise to fame as a showgirl in her famous banana skirt, her
activism against discrimination, and her many loves and losses. From 1920s
Paris to 1960s Washington, to her final, triumphant performance, one of the
most extraordinary lives of the twentieth century comes to stunning life on the
page.
With intimate prose and comprehensive research,
Sherry Jones brings this remarkable and compelling public figure into focus for
the first time in a joyous celebration of a life lived in technicolor, a
powerful woman who continues to inspire today.
Connect Socially
Purchase copies Amazon
Tour organized by Write Now Literary www.wnlbooktours.com
Why did you write your book?
Working as a journalist for
30-plus years, I made little money--but I gained something more valuable: a
conviction that I was making a difference in my community and in the wider
world.
During my decades as a newspaper
reporter and then as a correspondent for a national news agency, I discovered
the power of the written word to tear down, uplift, and transform.
So it makes perfect sense
that, when I turned to fiction, I would write books about women who made their
mark on the world.
From the Prophet Muhammad’s
favorite wife to four sisters who became European queens in the 13th
century, my protagonists are movers and shakers. Josephine Baker may be the
most important of them all because of all she did for her “people”--the
African-American community.
Born in 1906 and raised in
the St. Louis slums, she knew racism first-hand, abused by the white woman in
whose home she worked at age 7; traumatized by the East St. Louis Race Riots in
1917, when white workers and their families set fire to black families’ homes and
shot and lynched those who tried to escape; confronted by men in white hoods
and “whites only” signs in the American South as a girl of 13 touring on the
black vaudeville circuit, and much more.
In Paris at age 19, she
discovered a different world, one in which black people and white ate together,
sat in theaters and on streetcars and buses together, danced onstage together,
and even married one another. She must have thought she’d died and gone to heaven.
But hatred wasn’t so easy to
escape. It followed her: to Paris, where white Americans confronted her and
even had her removed from the hotel where she was lodging; to Germany, where
Hitler’s Brownshirts threatened her; and all around the world, as she performed
her famous “banana dance” in spite of protesters’ calling her a “black demon”—and
worse.
By the time the Nazis invaded
Paris in 1940, Josephine Baker was already working as a spy for the nascent
Resistance movement, seducing generals and diplomats to confide in her, then
carrying the information across borders.
Empowered by these
experiences, she embarked on her third U.S. tour in 1951 with another goal in
mind: to put an end to racial segregation. She publicly declared that she would
perform in no nightclubs or theaters and patronize no businesses that
segregated their clientele.
As a result, many venues
allowed black people through their doors for the first time—and Ms. Baker
became the target of an FBI investigation into her alleged ties with the
Communist Party. Her outspokenness resulted in many canceled gigs and the loss
of a movie deal, and ultimately the loss of her castle in southern France.
She never gave up or
expressed any regrets about her activism, though. Indeed, she persisted. In
1963, she was invited to Washington, D.C., to speak at the March on Washington
with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—the only woman to speak.
I wrote JOSEPHINE BAKER’S
LAST DANCE to remind the world that the woman in the banana skirt was so much
more than that. Josephine Baker was a force of nature and a force for change,
and gave everything she had in effort to make a difference for African-Americans.
By telling her story as well
as the stories of all my fictional heroines, I hope to make a difference, too.
This is why I exist, and why I write.
Friday, February 22, 2019
Book Blast Tour: My Last Baggage Call Aboard Air Force ONE February 22. 2019
Write Now Literary Book Tours is pleased to be
organizing a book blast tour for My Last Baggage Call Aboard Air Force One by
Glenn W. Powell. This tour will run Feb 22, 2019. Click here to book your own book
tour.
Genre of Book: Memoir, Motivational, Military Life and
History
ISBN-10: 1986878406
ISBN-13: 978-1986878401
About the Book
Sergeant
Glenn W. Powell’s MY LAST BAGGAGE CALL is the story of a most unlikely young
man who leaves his working-class environment of Toledo, Ohio, to become a
soldier. Seeking excitement and a way to “make something of himself,” Glenn
Powell’s journey exceeds his wildest dreams—a journey that began in basic
training in Fort Hood, Texas ends at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue—the most
important address in the world. MY LAST BAGGAGE CALL is about so much more than
Glenn Powell’s military journey, but about poignant memories of family,
friendships, sacrifices, and love—central to his story is Ronda Holloway, the
beautiful young woman he falls in love with in Manheim, Germany, and, who joins
him on his life journey as wife, soulmate and mother to their two sons. MY LAST
BAGGAGE CALL offers readers a glimpse into Sergeant Glenn Powell’s 30-year
transformation from the much-beloved boy who seeks more in life…to the man, who
discovers it—in adventure, in friendships, and in service to three American
presidents. a service he delivered with pride, unquestioned loyalty,
distinction and in the end, great admiration.
Meet Glenn
Sergeant First Class Glenn W. Powell (Retired) is a native of
Toledo, Ohio. He enlisted into the United States Army in 1982 and retired in
2002. During his military career, he served as a heavy vehicle driver, a squad
leader, and non-commissioned officer.
In September 1991, SFC Powell joined the George HW Bush White
House as a chauffeur, and in 1992, was promoted to transportation coordinator
for the white house Press Corps, serving in the Clinton Administration.
In December 1995, he assumed the duties of transportation
supervisor for Air Force One.
In January 2001, during his service under President George W.
Bush, SFC Powell was transferred to the White House Military Office, Customer
Support and Organizational Development where he served as deputy director.
SFC Powell retired with distinction from the Military in 2002. He
received numerous awards and decorations throughout his service, including the
Legion of Merit Metal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Achievement
Medal, and the United States Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf
clusters. He received U.S. Service Ribbons for both domestic and overseas
service.
Glenn and Ronda Holloway Powell have been married for 25 years,
and have three sons, Darius, Warren, and Glenn, II. They reside in Virginia.
For more information, or to contact Glenn Powell regarding availability for
speaking opportunities, please email him at glennwpowell@aol.com.
Excerpt
A Soldier’s Story
Shortly after I turned 18, I enlisted in the army. Around that
time, I learned that the young woman I’d been dating was pregnant, so going
into the army would be an opportunity to provide for my child. The army sent me
to Fort Dix in New Jersey for boot camp training on April 22, 1982. It was the
perfect enlistment site for me.
Because of the popular television show, Dallas, I had in mind that
I wanted to go to Fort Hood, Texas and meet JR Ewing. Not only did I meet Larry
Hagman, the actor who played JR, but I also met the entire cast at one of the
big Dallas malls. That was in the 80s when the networks spent money to have
cast members show up to greet their fans, and when fans could easily get a
photo with the stars. Meeting JR had been on my mental bucket list. Later I
learned that “Klinger” from Mash and Danny Thomas were both from Toledo, and so
I added them to the list.
In 1983, I re-enlisted and chose Hawaii as my next army stint.
There for 18 months, I’m convinced that the Hawaii move helped me look long and
hard at myself and my future. In Hawaii, I decided I needed to better myself. I
enrolled at the Wahiawa Community School for Adults and got my high school
diploma. My mother was so disappointed when I didn’t graduate from high school,
so I did it as much for her as for myself.
My long transportation management career began in Wahiawa. I was
one of a large number of applicants who applied for a temporary mission of
driving for the Sergeant Major for the division. He was the senior enlisted man
at the post. I beat out the other candidates for that position. Later, I drove
for the one-star general at the post. After that, I returned to my unit and
worked as the battalion mail clerk until he left in 1985. While there, I met
friends and mentors who would help me decide on my career journey. That same
year, I was asked to re-enlist, and First Sergeant Herbert Harris became a
lifelong mentor and friend. Sergeant Harris recommended that I choose Fort
Eustis in Newport News, Virginia for my re-enlistment. I remained at Fort
Eustis from April 1985 until January 1988.
I became a squad leader, and for the next six months, I managed a
squad of truck drivers in and around the base. After that, I was set on
transportation becoming my specialty, but my career trajectory changed some
when I was appointed to head up NCO Training, where I was responsible for the
training of 270 soldiers.
Around this time, I met First Sergeant Fletcher Walker. He was
sent in to straighten out our company, and he did just that. He would stand up
at the top of the stairs with his hat covering his eyes but looking down at us.
Sergeant Walker was a ‘soldier among soldiers,’ an airborne paratrooper, a
Vietnam Veteran who had been shot three times. There was no one more surprised
when he chose me to run the training.
I knew he had high expectations, and I was determined not to
disappoint him. He was the kind of leaders for whom soldiers would fight and
die. He was a true hero who taught me how to be a soldier and a man. He shared
a lot about life with me. I imitated him in many ways so much that everyone
would call me “Baby Walker.” I met his family and it was an honor. He retired
as a Command Sergeant Major.
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