Scattered Thoughts, Random Musings

Happy hump day! I would like to welcome Shawn Richards to my blog today and he is here talking about the petition he started, "The Renaissance Minority Writers Movement". As a writer and lover of poetry, I quickly got behind this movement. Fifteen days ago, I signed the petition and here are some reasons why you should too... Could you explain how the petition to BET came about? [Shawn Richards:] The idea for [it] actually came about 10 years ago. Around that time I was just starting to get serious about writing. I remember watching the BET awards that year, and talking to a friend about what had happened on the show. We started joking about how there should be an award for black authors. We both ended up laughing it, but the idea stuck with me over time. Eventually, I decided to do something to make it happen. Why is it important to you to see literature and poetry recognized in the BET awards? [SR:] Because our kids need an alternative to what they are being con...

Today I have the lovely Tia Kelly on my blog and her new release, Playing for Love . And she has generously offered to give a FREE copy to a lucky commenter so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think of the excerpt! Playing for Love By Tia Kelly Kenneth Wilkerson, baseball's MVP of breaking hearts isn't in Craymont looking for complications. With an injury that has him sidelined from the game he loves, and the latest scandal in his wake involving a woman who is very much engaged to someone else, the last thing he needs is to get mixed up with Paige Scott. Paige Scott, a former party-girl, has a very murky past and even murkier relationship with Kenneth's best friend Carlos Ortiz. Paige knows Carlos watched her go from it girl to broken and when she finally healed, he made it clear to her that he would not step aside to let another man in just to do it again. But Kenneth lets nothing stand between him and what he loves. Love for the game… h...