L.A's Christmas Reading Traditions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhmo5wdKRYo


LaCharmine (L.A.) Jefferson
Author, Blogger

Website: www.lajefferson.com

My Blogs:

All Things Love @ http://all-things-love.blogspot.com

Naturally L.A. @ http://naturallyla.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter @lajefferson

Happy Holidays

Your author friend, L.A. Jefferson, wishes you and your family a happy holiday season!

Summer, Summer, Summer Time

                                         

Summer began about two weeks ago for some folks but it wasn't until July 9th that my youngest child celebrated his last day of school and I honestly don't know which one of us is happier! Seriously, it's been a overwhelming school year. Sleeping through my alarm clock nearly every morning, battling the worst winter weather the Midwest has experienced in over thirty years, scrambling to get my son to school on time every day, and nearly exhausting my flextime allowances on my job! On top of all of this, I've been fervently working to complete my second novel by the onset of fall. That shall come to pass!

While working towards that goal, I still plan to have a fantastic summer! Spending quality time with my family and friends--bike riding, badminton, golfing (trying to, at least), sitting by the poolside, visiting water parks/amusement parks, and of course, READING & WRITING! What fun would summer be without those two???  

Enjoy your summer and stay tuned for that book release notification :)

Til next time,

LA

 

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day weekend was far too busy to get any writing done. Saturday was a whirlwind of activities: sorority meeting, shopping for myself and my mom--I bought my mom a Belgian waffle maker and added two more charms to my Pandora bracelet I got for an early Mother's Day present--took my son to his friend's birthday party, and then attended my cousin's college graduation party.

 Sunday was early service at church with a couple of extra children (my niece & 2 nephews, along with my son).

Lunch at Red Lobster  with mom and family:

    Me, my sister, my niecey pooh, and 

    My mom.

    Me and my two children

    My son and my two nephews 

Lastly there was grocery shopping! Yep. Mother's don't stop being mothers just because it's Mother's Day. Like I tell my children often, life goes on after this holiday--I'm usually speaking of expectation of excessive spending for the Christmas holiday-- but the message is just as applicable for this holiday.

All the running around I did between those two days wore me out. I actually had to take a nap on Sunday just so that I could watch the season finale of Revenge. 

     Sleeping Beauty 😄

Nevertheless, writing was not far from my mind. At the close of my writing session on Friday, the romantic words I had been looking for on a scene I was working on finally appeared in my head. I held on to them all weekend until Monday morning until I could get back to my document.  Let me tell you, opening that document was like watching the sun breakthrough a sea of dark clouds--refreshing.

Now that I've honored my mom and been honored as a mom, it's time to get back to business...

L.A.

LA and the Spring Literary Cafe

What better way to kick off the long awaited for spring season with a literary cafe!

It'd been awhile since I had a speaking engagement but it was good practice for the promotions I'll be doing for the new novel slated for release this fall. Now I'm even more anxious about all that I have lined up for Reconciliation to Hell.

Stay tuned...

Author L.A. March MWN Highlights

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. With my iPhone nestled under my neck, there was no ignoring the buzz of the alarm. But even without the alarm, I was wide awake from the three little boys, ages 5 to 9 and a 3 yr old girl who were up at 7 AM. Everybody had somewhere to be that morning, including me. It was the 2nd Saturday of the month which meant my writers group was having its monthly meeting. What was the topic for the month? I had no idea, but I knew that I needed to be there.

"Ma, you know you're going to that meeting." My naysaying visiting college aged daughter challenged me. I totally understood why she doubted me. For the last six years that I've been a member, she's heard me say on the Friday before the meeting that I was going. Then when the day would come, I'd use any excuse not to go. So I can't blame her.

I don't know how the switch finally flipped in my head but now that I've gotten into the groove of going to the meetings, I can't imagine my 2nd Saturdays without them!

Here are a few of the highlights from this month's meeting:

1. Met a new author who's written and published a historical fiction based right here in the city of Detroit. The bulk of her time spent on the novel was on ...you guessed it, research!

2. Giving away your book fror free counts as a sale! According to Motown Writers Network founder, Sylvia Hubbard, when a reader buys your book for the promotional price of $0.00, it still counts in your sales numbers! So go ahead, have a promotion and boost your sales numbers too!

3. Want book reviews? Register as an author on www.netgalley.com and indicate that book is available for review.




LaCharmine (L.A.) Jefferson
Author

Follow me on Twitter @lajefferson

New Excerpt from My Upcoming Novel

New Excerpt from upcoming novel #RCH

“Wow, Lydia,” Sandra said in disbelief. “I expected much more of a reaction from you than this.” Sandra and Lydia were sitting crossed legged on the soft beige carpet of her family room enjoying barbecue chicken pizza, salad, and apple martinis.

     Lester had finally left after another an hour or so of cuddle time but not in time to miss Lydia’s arrival. The two of them nearly collided at the door.

     “Ugh.” Lydia groaned. “Why are you here?” Lydia asked seething. She and Lester were never quite fond of one another, but throughout he and Sandra’s marriage Lydia did make a concerted effort to be cordial of respect for Sandra. Since the separation and then the divorce proceedings Lydia had taken the kiddy gloves off.

     “Because this is my house.” Lester was quick to answer.

     “Hmph. Not much longer.”

     Oh Lawd, Sandra thought to herself. Right about now she was wishing that her girls were at home. At least then, Lester and Lydia would have exerted some effort to behave civilly towards one another. She had followed Lester to the door to kiss him goodbye when he opened the door to find Lydia standing on the other side.  She wanted so badly to open her mouth and put a stop to the exchange. Instead she’d just stood there. The corners of Lester’s mouth turned from an angry frown into a cunning grin.

     “Okay. Obviously you and Sandra need to talk.” He turned back Sandra and kissed her on the lips before brushing past Lydia. Was that for my benefit or hers? Sandra wondered.

     Sandra hadn’t fully turned away from closing the door before Lydia lit into her.

     “And what the hell did he mean by that?”  But Lydia was a smart woman. She didn’t need it spelled out but she wanted to hear Sandra say the words.

     Sandra did. “Lester and I getting back together.”

     Lydia took no time at all to absorb the news. As though it was no surprise at all. No objections. No questioning Sandra’s decision. Lydia only nodded her head and then said, “Let’s order some pizza.”

     Either Lydia had really expected this outcome or she had enough to contend with in her own marriage. Lydia and Roy—Sandra’s cousin, had been married a little over eighteen months. It was a miracle that they’d made it down the aisle after Lydia almost ruined their relationship backpedaling with an old frame. And now that they had, Roy was putting the pressure on Lydia to have a baby while she wanted to focus on getting her career back on track. 

     “Can’t I enjoy being a wife for a little while before I become of mother?” Lydia’s complaints fell upon deaf ears. Lydia was the sole member of her team. Everybody else was in favor of a baby. Team Roy!

     “Well it’s not a whole lot for me to say.” Lydia went on to say. “You know that I understand more than anybody about the need to make decisions without the input or advice of your friends. I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. Life is going to be a little different with Felicia and L.J. in the picture. Are you prepared for that? ” Lydia asked.

    This process of working things out with Lester hadn’t involved a lot of conversation about Felicia. L.J., yes, but not Felicia. Lester definitely had his shortcomings as a husband but he excelled as a father. And he had no intentions of being any less of a father to L.J.

     Sandra couldn’t do anything but respect that. So she and Lester made an agreement. Sandra wouldn’t interfere with his relationship with his son as long as he was honest with her about anything that happened between him and Felicia while they were separated. She didn’t want any more surprises.

     Lester contemplated for a few minutes before he fessed up. “Yes, Sandra. I slept with her a couple of times after you kicked me out. But I knew nothing good would come of that so I cut it off and made it clear to Felicia that our only relationship would be as parents to L.J.”

     Honesty was best. If Lester had said anything but that Sandra would have called him a liar to his face! Sandra knew that Felicia would have gladly slid into the role of Mrs. Lester Anderson if Sandra had given her the opportunity. What woman wouldn’t? To be married to an attractive, wealthy and successful man like Lester Anderson was what most women wished for. They could deny it all they wanted but Sandra knew most women would have did just as she’d done, turning a blind eye to Lester’s infidelity. The perks that came along with him were a small price to pay. She lived in a grand home in an upscale community. Her children could attend the best private schools. And she had the notoriety of the Anderson name.

     Men have been cheating on their wives since the beginning of time. And their women have been forgiving them for just as long. Sandra figured it was far better to deal with a financially successful cheater than a broke one so she might as well stay put.

     Even with her Ivy League education and corporate law position, Felicia would have done the same.  Obviously so, if she tried to seduce Lester. But it didn’t work. Sandra and her family were                            intact and Felicia would have to keep sitting on the sidelines.

     “Of course, it’ll be different having a child around my house who isn’t mine but I’m sure I can handle a dose of L.J. and Felicia every other week.” Sandra finally said taking a small bite of pizza into her mouth. 

     “I’m glad you’ve got that all figured out. I just wish you hadn’t let me embarrass myself in front of Lester like that.” Lydia said speaking to her and Lester’s clashing at the front door. “Thanks to you he got quite a laugh at my expense. Now, that, I have a problem with.”  The friends of twenty years laughed at that and then settled into the throwback movie they were watching on DVD.

     Any other time Sandra wouldn’t have been able to sit through any Ben Stiller movie, let alone her favorite one, Meet the Parents. Aside from laughing at the comedic antics of Ben, watching Lydia convulse in uncontrollable laughter on her favorite parts would send Sandra into the same spell. But not this time.

     Tonight her mind was wondering in and out about Lester’s claim to being a changed man. That he really hadn’t grasped the severity of his behavior until he held those divorce papers in his hand. Realizing that Sandra would actually leave him, break up their family had shown him the error of his ways. He promised to never cheat on her again.

     Was he the changed man that he claimed to be? Or was he playing the ultimate game of deceit? Was she a fool to believe him? After all, he’d told her the same thing a thousand times before? How many times had he begged her forgiveness, promising to never do it again, while adorning her with her favorite luxuries? She lost count a long time ago. Had filing for divorce finally garnered her the results she desired? It sure better had, she thought, because as soon as she spilled the beans about this reconciliation, she was relinquishing all future complaining rights, as well she should. 

@L.A. Jefferson