Chapter Seventeen
1. “You won’t have anywhere to hide.” – Jay says this to Malik as a warning that if he was to get taken down again, Malik wouldn’t be able to get away again. I also put this line in here to let readers know why Malik wasn’t arrested along with Jay and Carmen. Apparently, he was hiding in Jay’s warehouse when the raid occurred or so he says.
2. You were always the one ready for war. – This is another comment which references a part of Diamonds in the Rough. In Part One of the Diamond Collection, readers are introduced to fraternal twin brothers, Malik and Rakim Washington. Malik runs with Jay all day while Rakim is a student at Brookstone University. Malik was considered to be the trigger happy hustler while Rakim was the brainiac of the two.
3. “Thank you and you’re welcome,” Malik shot back. – I got this phrase from the title of Kanye West’s book, Thank You and You’re Welcome, which was written with J. Sakiya Sandifer.
4. His relationship with Carmen had always been platonic, but that didn’t mean he never had feelings or thoughts. – One of my readers asked me why men were always attracted to Carmen. While she is attractive, it isn’t because of her looks. Carmen has a multi-million dollar empire, which gives her power and attracts men to her. She didn’t have this initially when she met Jay so he was attracted to her because of her innocence. Kane, was attracted to her because of her ambition (which eventually led to her downfall and imprisonment) while Malik looks at her as a dollar sign. As for Carlos, Jay’s best friend in Diamonds in the Rough, he wasn’t attracted to Carmen, he just wanted the pleasure of saying he bedded his girlfriend.
5. You know how to play a dirty game, Bonnie. – Although Jay is angry with Carmen, he uses the term Bonnie still as a term of endearment. Carmen is, in fact, the Bonnie to his Clyde.
What I Watched: Leela James “Fall for You”
If you watched the first ever Love & Hip-Hop Wedding (showcasing the nuptials of Yandy Smith and Mendeecees Harris) then you heard K. Michelle sing a song called “Fall for You.” The song is originally by soul singer, Leela James, who is also a star of RnB Divas LA. Check it out below:
You can also catch K. Michelle’s performance of the ballad here:
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Fifteen and Chapter Sixteen)
Chapter Fifteen
I didn’t want to skip this chapter, but after reading it, there wasn’t anything in it to really dissect. Therefore moving along to Chapter Sixteen…
Chapter Sixteen
1. Jay fired a shot, intending to miss. However, he got what he wanted, a flash of fear appeared in Blu’s eyes. He even turned around to stare at the bullet hole in the center of the wall. – Even to this day, I wonder if Jay made a mistake by not killing Blu in this scene. Then, I think to myself, if he had of killed him, there wouldn’t have been nearly as great of a plot as there is in Black Diamonds. The only person left to try and go after Jay would’ve been Jerome.
2. He left shortly after, going to the county jail where King was serving out his sentence. – This scene was written on purpose. Although King is incarcerated at the start of the novel, he still needed to have a presence so I came up with the idea to have Malik visit him in jail.
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Fourteen)
Chapter Fourteen
1. “I know, Princess, I know,” he told her, pulling off her skirt and onesie. – For some reason, I feel like all fathers are supposed to have a nickname for their daughters. My father’s nickname for me was Hard Rock, Carmen’s nickname is Peaches so it seemed only natural for Jay to call Nyla, Princess, since his eldest son is already nicknamed King.
2. Jay let out a deep growl, realizing that he had never slipped like he was.- Here we are again, another hint at this Leo thing (refer to Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds: Chapter Eleven). In this scene, Jay is growling because he has learned that Blu is trying to take over his cartel and Kane is gathering way too much evidence against him.
3. “We have a snake in the grass,” he finally responded. – I inserted this line, spoken by Malik, on purpose. One of my favorite songs by Waka Flocka Flame is “Snakes in the Grass,” and it seemed to fit perfectly into this scene. Malik says this during a cartel meeting (which ended in a bloodbath) to explain how the Brookstone PD were able to plant cameras in the basement of Continental where Jay was housing his drugs.
4. “You broke my heart.” – I don’t think I’ve watched a single Godfather movie, but for some reason, I knew this line. This line was originally spoken by Michael Corleone, a fictional character portrayed by Al Pacino in The Godfather II. Since Jay has been betrayed by Costa by allowing Blu to control the cartel, he expresses his hurt by saying this famous quote.
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Interview: KeKe Palmer on the Breakfast Club
This interview was originally posted on May 1, 2015, but I never watched it in completion only clips, but there is some really good stuff in here for young adults and women, period.
Here are some highlights:
- You can be a boss and be sexy at the same time
- Give in abundance, you get in abundance
- Nobody’s blessing is going to take away your blessing
- I shouldn’t have to feel like I need to be defined by social necessities in order to feel like I’m being who I am
Check it out…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XOY-F51VVA
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What I Watched: Azealia Banks “Ice Princess”
I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t really given much listen to Azealia Banks’ music aside from a few cuts from her Fantasea mixtape. However, I saw this video, “Ice Princess,” in the list of YouTube’s Suggested Videos and thought it was pretty cool. The song is pretty good, too. I always like the female rappers who can sing, too.
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Foodie 101 Alert: 7 Awesome Waffle Iron Recipes
So thanks to my reward points at work, I scored a new waffle iron. Mine is not circular, but square, but I’m certain I can do some of these recipes with it. I tried out the waffle iron for the first time this morning. My first two waffles weren’t picture worthy and although my last two were, I didn’t Instagram the moment. There will be more moments though that I’ll share. Here’s a video I found on YouTube regarding recipes specifically for the waffle iron. Enjoy!
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Behind the Book (The Ace of Diamonds): Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
1. They were standing around on the ramp like they had been waiting for her and Akaila to arrive. – Although Kristian, Akaila, Coco, and Dijuan are all in high school, I actually visualize my middle school as the setting for Brookstone High. Well, let me clarify, I envision the campus I remember as Beck Academy (Greenville, SC) as the setting. There were many ramps on campus, but this one in particular that my characters are at is the ramp just past the cafeteria that heads into the main academic building.
2. Blu paused as a red Cadillac pulled up in front of Kristian’s car.- I put Nicholas in this scene intentionally just so readers would know that he wasn’t going anywhere. Nicholas will be in the books for a while.
3. How they found something that had the size and look of a quarter, he didn’t know. – This line comes from the scene where Kane, Lieutenant Harris and Sanders are questioning Jarrod Luis. During the interrogation, an officer interrupts them and announces that the cameras that were planted in Continental have been destroyed. The look of the camera as described as being similar to a quarter is a reference to the movie, Enemy of the State, starring Will Smith. If you remember, the cameras in that movie looked just like a quarter.
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Twelve)
Chapter Twelve
- “Did you really come all the way here to bring Nyla?” – Jay asks Carmen this question after she brings Nyla to Puerto Rico for a visit. One of my readers told me she wanted Carmen to sleep with Jay in this scene, which I did think about; however, I felt like Carmen had done enough dirt. It was time for her to finally say no and not be vulnerable whenever Jay pressured her into being frisky, lol.
- Kane believed that their time was wasted until Jarrod pulled up driving an exterminator’s van. – So I was trying to find a clever way for Jay to sell his drugs aside from the stereotypical stuff (selling on corners, etc.). A guy friend suggested that Jay have a taxi cab service, which was a great idea, but I settled on an extermination business (Jay doesn’t really have this, it’s just a front).
- “First thing first, Seventeen wants to do a feature on Kristian. They faxed over this letter to our publicist.” – I had a subscription to Seventeen growing up so if Kristian was going to be on the cover of any teen magazine, Seventeen was going to be it.
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Eleven)
Chapter Eleven
- With the meeting coming to a close, Malik grabbed the steak knife that was on the table. – So in this scene, Malik has come to Blue Magic for a meeting regarding the Santiago cartel only to see Blu leading the discussion. Malik isn’t really a violent person, but I wanted to show that he could do a little damage if need be. He grabs the steak knife, but of course, he doesn’t end up using it.
- When the phone rang a sixth time, Jay mumbled a few curse words under his breath. He gave Nyla another quick glance before picking up his phone. There were six missed phone calls and all of them were from Malik. – The number six is symbolical. Any time it’s in my books, it’s there on purpose. Six is my 2nd favorite number, right behind seven.
- Her right index finger was right on top of his heart where he had the face of a lion tattooed.- Judging from a scene in Diamonds in the Rough, Jay’s birthday is supposed to be in June, I think. If I was really paying attention to the timeframe of that book, I would’ve moved it to August so could be a Leo. The lion tattoo on his chest is supposed to be there because he is a Leo, but according to what I previously wrote, he isn’t. IY YI YI!
- If anything, he probably only brought in two thousand a week in hustles. – This is one of Kane’s thoughts regarding Jarrod Luis, the teenager who eventually becomes an informant for the Brookstone PD. This line came from a memory I had when a male friend of mine was trying to get with a mutual female friend. To prove to her he could take care of her, he told her he could make two thousand a week in the streets. I remembered that conversation and threw it in the book.
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Beyonce + Nicki Minaj
The full video is available exclusively on Tidal. Most of the visuals on YouTube were deleted except for the teaser which you can view below.
Instagram: @nickiminaj
Instagram: @nickiminaj
Instagram: @nickiminaj
Instagram: @nickiminaj
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Mariah Carey “Infinity” (Teaser)
Here’s the teaser…
In case you want to hear the whole song, here’s a link to the post featuring the lyric video for “Infinity”
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Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar “Bad Blood”
1989 may be the first Taylor Swift album I’m going to buy
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Behind the Book: Chapter Ten and Part Two: Flashing Lights
Chapter Ten
- “Can we all sit down?” she asked looking back and forth between the two men. – Carmen is at the hospital about to give birth when Kane is served papers for paternity fraud. Jay is on one side of the bed while Kane is on the other. Of course, this arrangement was done on purpose so Carmen would be in the middle to represent that good ole fashion love triangle.
- “Do you want to do the honor? I’ll lead you through it. No worries, you can’t go wrong.”- Since Jay has missed two of his children’s births (King’s and Rakim’s), I figured it would not only be fair, but also special, if he got to witness Nyla’s birth. I took it a step further by also allowing him to deliver her. In this scene, Carmen’s doctor is giving him the opportunity to deliver his own child.
Part Two: Flashing Lights (Behind the Title): Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t throw a little ode to Kanye West in the book, right? This is just a hint to the reader that the book is about to become even spicier.
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Erica Campbell featuring Lecrae “Help”
I fell in love with this song last week. It’s been out for awhile, but I just now got hooked. It’s been on repeat several times throughout the past week. Enjoy!
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Official Synopsis for Black Diamonds
Within the last year, acclaimed fashion designer, Carmen Davenport, has witnessed the ups and downs of being romantically linked to one of New York’s most prominent men. On the heel of her engagement to Jay Santiago, a Puerto Rican businessman, she learns her oldest daughter has been kidnapped. A direct result of an ongoing war between her fiancé and a disgruntled drug kingpin, Carmen becomes determined to put an official end to the conflict.
She sets out to track down her daughter only to be met with unforeseen obstacles. A criminal investigation, led by her soon-to-be ex-husband, Michael Kane, leaves her fiancé behind bars. Due to Jay’s incarceration, Carmen is placed in the care of his estranged cousin, Gully. He constantly reminds Carmen of the price of fame, ultimately forcing her to take matters in her own hands. Determined to bring her daughter to safety, she takes a no holds barred approach to ensure her daughter’s return.
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Nine)
Chapter Nine
1. So far, she had spent the past hour or so flipping through several fashion magazines to find inspiration. – Have you ever watched a TV show centered on fashion (or even Life in the Fab Lane) and seen the number of designers who have cutouts from magazines around their office? I’ve seen it so much I figured Carmen should have the same. Everyone takes inspiration from some place.
2. She grabbed a letter opener off of her desk to use as a makeshift weapon. – Carmen is working at her office when she hears loud footsteps. Well aware the office is closed and security isn’t on duty, Carmen grabs the letter opener to protect herself. This idea came from a very old episode of Days of Our Lives. One of the female characters was in a home office, suspected she wasn’t alone and grabbed the letter opener off a desk to protect herself. I believe the character was Greta, but I’m not for sure.
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Eight)
Chapter Eight
1. Carmen opened up one of the cabinets, taking out a casserole dish. She sprayed it down with canola oil before ripping the edges off of six slices of bread. – Before I was writing this scene, I was browsing recipes for a breakfast casserole. Since this scene starts in the morning and Carmen is fixing breakfast, I located a recipe and simply inserted the steps into the chapter. I can’t remember exactly what Carmen was fixing, but it is a real recipe.
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Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Seven)
Chapter Seven
- Softly crying, she did the only thing she knew how; she prayed to God for guidance and strength. – This line comes from the scene when Kane leaves the house in the middle of the night. He’s bothered by the fact that Carmen is pregnant again by Jay since he is unable to give her a child. Just like I mentioned in Behind the Book: The Ace of Diamonds (Chapter Five) with Jay, I try to put references to God in my book so readers will know that despite my characters’ shortcomings they do have a relationship with God.
- “No, Jay, I have diabetes. I’ve known for years. Patricia and I didn’t publicize it. – Lotus breaks into Jay’s apartment to have a conversation with him regarding the diamonds he received and Carmen. He also discloses that he has diabetes. This was always planned even during the creation of the first book, Diamonds in the Rough. There is a scene near the end of that book where Patricia, Lotus’ wife, chastises him for some having too much sugar. I knew my readers wouldn’t remember that small detail, but I still planned on expounding on it later in the series.
- “No, Jay.” Lotus chuckled, “I’m talking about when you were six. I had brought Carmen to the house one day so Hector could see her. You were playing and you came into the parlor where we were. You asked to hold her. I let you and it was like pulling teeth to get her back. – I always thought that if Hector and Lotus were as good friends as I described them to be, there had to be some point in time when Jay and Carmen’s path crossed. I mean, if your best friend has a baby, you are going to come into contact with the child at some point in time, right? I figured this was the best time to insert a conversation where Lotus shares this information with Jay. I even shared how intrigued Jay was with Carmen even when he was six years old.
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Happy Mother’s Day from Crown Jewelz Publishing!
Simply Vogue 