ReShonda Tate Billingsley



Status: Married

Children: 3, ages 4 - 11

Books: 21

ReShonda Tate Billingsley is the national bestselling author of 21 titles. She has won numerous awards for her journalism, fiction and poetry writing skills. ReShonda always did have an active imagination. From making up stories to crafting award-winning poems, the national bestselling author has always maintained a love for telling stories. After numerous rejections from publishers, she stepped out on faith, established her own publishing company, and released her debut novel, My Brother's Keeper. The book caught the attention of a literary agent, who secured a deal for ReShonda with Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books.

A former television and radio news reporter, ReShonda has been in the journalism business for more than two decades. Currently, she is the co-host of From Cover to Cover literary talk radio show, a freelance reporter, an editor for the Houston Defender Newspaper, as well as a professional editor, ghost writer and literary consultant. ReShonda has worked as a reporter for The National Enquirer and as an anchor and reporter for NBC, ABC and FOX television stations in Beaumont, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Houston, Texas. She left her job at FOX 26 News in Houston in 2007 to write full-time.

BEHIND THE BOOKS

What is a typical day in your life like? I get up and get my kids off to school, then hit the ground running, doing promotional work, consulting, editing, and working for the newspaper, where I'm an editor. Then, I cook dinner, do the whole family thing, put everyone to bed and write until three or four in the morning. I try to write during the day, but my muse doesn't like visiting until it's dark.

How supportive is your family when it comes to a deadline? My family is supportive all the time, especially when I am under deadline. But I think it's rare that I'm NOT under deadline. They give me my space, are understanding when I need to go underground and just generally support my whole literary career.

What do you wish to accomplish with each book? I want to inform, entertain and inspire. I love it when people say not only were my books entertaining, but it made them think about some particular issue.

Knowing the path you took to where you are now, what is one thing from your experiences that you wish to save other authors from experiencing (OR hope all authors experience)? Writing is a business. Yes, you can write this fantastic book, but if no one sees it, what good is that? You have to develop a sound business and marketing plan to get your books into the hands of readers. And no matter what, don't give up. When you can't go in through the front door, find another way in, just keep at it.

What female authors have influenced you? I am an avid reader, starting back with Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. As a teen, I loved V.C. Andrews and Mary Higgins Clark. Now, I love reading my friends Victoria Christopher Murray, Pat Tucker, Tiffany Warren, Kimberla Lawson Roby.....I could go on and on....

We do hope you've enjoyed our celebration of Women's History Month as we highlighted four phenomenal women! Whether at home, work or behind the pen, these women are getting it in and we salute them!!!



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This Week’s Reviews Include…



Carolyn Davenport-Moncel

It is FOR and ABOUT authors. Here we shine the light on authors who we’ve read, reviewed and recommend to others. In this edition we are shining our light on another gifted author...



A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2001. She received her bachelor's degree in Communications from Loyola University. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC, a bilingual Digital Project and Web Content Management firm with offices in Chicago, Paris and Geneva; and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications, a media relations training and publishing company. She has written, placed articles or been featured in such diverse publications as Entreprenuer.com, Expatica.com, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Wired News, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and Working Mother. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland, with her husband and two daughters. Author of Encounters in Paris – A Collection of Short Stories and 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover – A Novella and Other Short Stories, her latest collection is called Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories.

GETTING TO KNOW CAROLYN…

Cash or credit/debit card? It used to be credit card but given the current economy, it's cash! LOL

A salad isn’t a salad without: Tuna and boiled eggs.

What one invention could not you see yourself ever living without? A telephone because I love to talk too much!

Every woman should carry enough money to get home no matter where she's going in her purse. I had an older relative who once told me that as long as you have money, you can't get lost. :)

What's your favorite childhood memory? I have many but one is with my dad who passed away when I was four years old. We would have lunch together every day before he went to work. We would share one glass of milk in order to dunk our Oreo cookies.

The last book I read was...“The Marriage Plot” by Jeffrey Eugenides.

What is your guilty pleasure? Embarrassing my daughters by singing really cheesy songs aloud while walking down the street with them. But that's not guilty, that's just fun! LOL

My favorite movie of all times is...now The Color Purple but Gentleman's Agreement with Gregory Peck is a very close second.

Writing is...a necessity.

What is your favorite room in your house? My bedroom because I do everything there.

PRAISE FOR ENCOUNTERS IN PARIS


"...Carolyn Moncel is definitely an author I will be looking for in the future." -ChickLitReviews.com

"...Her stories were so good, that I found myself wanting to know more..." - PageReaders

"...A fun read that blends plenty of romance, "Encounters in Paris" is quite the pick, recommended." -The Midwest Book Review

"...Encounters in Paris does a wonderful job capturing readers into the life of the main character. The descriptions of Paris will have readers believing they are actually there…" - A&RBC Reviews

PRAISE FOR 5 REASONS TO LEAVE A LOVER



"...I love this author's ability to write strong characters that pull the readers into each story. This is the second book I have read from Carolyn Moncel and she never fails to give readers an exceptionally well-written book." --OOSA Online Book Club.

"...The author's real strength is in her character development, giving each character a unique personality that transcends across all cultures." --APOOO BookClub

"...A wonderful author...If you like short stories, or novellas, then please grab a copy of the wonderfully talented Carolyn Moncel's book. It's worthy of the 5 star rating..." --ReadersFavorite.com

COMING SOON…



Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories (March 2012)
Would you ever reveal a dark secret to a complete stranger – even if you knew you’d never meet that person again? This question is at the heart of Railway Confessions – A Collection of Short Stories. As passengers traveling aboard a TGV high-speed train from Paris to Geneva one summer evening, three couples casually disclose very intimate, truthful details that could potentially transform their lives either for the better or for the worst. In the story, "My Brother's Keeper," a couple must come to terms with the murders that each of them had a hand in committing and their aftermaths; In "A Choice in the Matter," another couple must address the questions of wanted and unwanted pregnancies and the circumstances for which such requests are ever acceptable; and in the last story entitled, “Pretty Prisons,” a last couple must deal with love, infidelity and all of its complexities. Ellery Roulet and Lola Sanchez from 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover return, and along with four others, confront their deepest fears with unexpected results.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR CAROLYN…

I have three projects in the hopper right now. I’m having so much fun writing a young adult novel called Nearly Lost You. Since I am collaborating with my teenage daughter, Chloe, we are writing under the pen name, Ella Swinton. The story follows the adventures (or rather misadventures) of Isobel Ballou, a sassy yet snarky, multiracial 15-year-old girl from Evanston, Illinois. It’s the Parent Trap turned upside down but we hope that teens and adult women in particular will find it an equally enjoyable read.

Additionally, I am finishing up the last book in the Ellery Roulet series called Geneva Nights, which will be a novel and will tie together all the characters introduced in previous works like Encounters in Paris and 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover. New characters also emerge including a very sexy new man who definitely has his eye on Ellery Roulet.

Last, I have another working novel tentatively called That House on the Hill. For 40 years a family has been divided due to an on-going feud. When the family’s patriarch dies in Chicago, the surviving relatives gather to settle the estate and also return him to his final resting place within the family crypt in Eastern France. A lost diary and a tree located in a small town hold the keys as to why the feud occurred in the first place. This story is still in the research phase but so far one character has already emerged and she’s a sister girl from where else? Chicago! LOL Danielle Deschamps is married to one of the French-American sons. She’s all about family and finds it difficult to understand how other families can remain estranged for so long. As for their predicament, she calls it as she sees it and at times, makes the in-laws around her quite uncomfortable. However, it’s her outspoken nature and keen and truthful observations that propel the family forward so the feud can end and healing can occur.

For more information about Carolyn Moncel, please visit:

Author Website: http://www.carolynmoncel.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carolynmoncel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.moncel

ALL THINGS LITERARY AWARDS 2012

Stepping to the stage is: All Things Literary Awards 2012


OOSA Online Book Club is pleased to present the first-ever ALL THINGS LITERARY AWARDS 2012. The winners will reflect a celebration of reading and writing.

Submit nominations online, in each of the categories, beginning April 1, 2012 through April 30, 2012. Nominations will be determined by the public, publishers nominations and a judging panel. A list of eligible entries will be compiled and sent to a confidential advisory committee. The committee ensures that all entries meet the eligibility criteria and all entries are in appropriate categories. The finalists will be asked to submit their complete novel via electronic submission. The works of the finalists will be read and evaluated by the panel of judges according to specific guidelines void of any identifying information. One winner will be selected per category. The winners will be determined through guidelines and a point system that will be followed by each of the judges.

The winners will be announced in St Louis at OOSA’s Pajama Book Jam in October.

Eligibility Requirements:
The nominee must have a new and original work published within the time period of March 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012. Books that are solely eBooks are not eligible.

Who May Nominate?
The nomination process is open. One nomination per category. Multiple nominations will be disregarded.

About the Judges:
To ensure fairness, the judging panel is made up of readers from across the U.S. , men and women of varying ages whose tastes expand the spectrum and include all genres.

Confidential Process:
To ensure integrity, the identity of the final nominees will be kept strictly confidential until after the judging process has been completed. The identity of the judges will remain confidential.

In addition, the Brenda Hampton Honorary Literacy Award winner will be announced. The winner of this award represents unique individuals who put forth every effort to uphold the standards of African American Literature. This honor includes writers, reviewers, editors, publishers, agents…all who have remained dedicated to the cause for years, who have inspired many others along the way and who have had a great impact on the industry as a whole. Recommendations for this award can be sent to:
brendahampton_1@netzero.net

About Us:
The All Things Literary Awards is presented by OOSA Online Book Club, an award-winning book club and reviewing team founded in 2005.

Victoria Christopher Murray



Status: Widowed

Children: 1, age 22

Books: 16

Victoria Christopher Murray is the best-selling author of several adult and teen novels. Her books are Christ-centered, so decide what that means to you. She is blessed to be living her passion - writing and talking about Christ everyday!

A native of Queens, New York, Victoria always knew she would become an author, even as she was taking an unlikely path to that destination. She first left New York to attend Hampton University where she majored in Communication Disorders. After graduating, Victoria attended New York University where she received her MBA. She spent many years in Corporate America. However, Victoria never lost the dream to write and when the "bug" hit her again in 1997, she answered the call.

Victoria originally self published her novel, Temptation. In 2000, Time Warner published Temptation. It made numerous best sellers list and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Literature. Victoria has gone on to write several other novels. She has received numerous awards including the Golden Pen Award for Best Inspirational Fiction and the Phyllis Wheatley Trailblazer Award for being the pioneer in African American Christian Fiction.

Victoria splits her time between Los Angeles and Washington D.C. She is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

BEHIND THE BOOKS

What is a typical day in your life like? I try to write something every day, but I usually spend my morning in worship (reading my Bible) and working out. Then, I spend the afternoon writing and doing other kinds of writing projects.
How supportive is your family when it comes to a deadline? Everyone understands deadlines now. Especially since I'm working on my 17th book.

What do you wish to accomplish with each book? I just pray that I give everyone a story that they will enjoy and will make them either go back and read my other books or wait (impatiently) for the next one.

What advice would you give to female aspiring authors? I would say what I always say. Writers are readers and writers are writers. You must read in order to learn, in order to be encouraged, in order to be motivated. And you MUST write everyday. It is especially hard for women because of the other demands on our lives. But you have to make room for your dream. It doesn't matter if you write one word a day, one paragraph, a day or one page a day, you just have to be committed to writing something. I say that we must have the same commitment to ourselves that we give to others.

What female authors have influenced you? I think the female author who influenced me the most was Yolanda Joe. Years ago, I saw her on a television program talking about her book, Falling Leaves of Ivy. I ran to the store the next day, picked it up, read it, loved it and said, "I can do this." That was in the mid-90s and I've been writing ever since.

Stay tuned next week as we highlight another incredible woman!



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