Today is the second tour stop for The Ace of Diamonds. The book is spotlighted at I Know That Book! If you haven’t had a chance to enter the giveaway, you can do so here! You also can read a blurb about the book, excerpt, as well as a brief bio on the author! Visit the second tour stop by clicking on the banner below!
Today kicks off the 1st official Virtual Book Tour for The Ace of Diamonds. What is a Virtual Book Tour? A virtual book tour is online promotion for a book where the work/author is featured on a number of blogs geared towards avid readers and book lovers. Most virtual book tours feature giveaways, author interviews, reviews, and guestblogging. Visit the first stop today by clicking on the banner below! Make sure you enter to win a free copy of the book! Good luck!
This post is titled very appropriately. If you’re reading this post and have visited this blog before then you probably noticed that the theme of the site has changed. I also changed the theme for the Crown Jewelz Publishing site as well as the book trailers and covers of Diamonds in the Rough and Diamonds Are Forever. So, you may ask, what else is changing? Well, the second edition of Diamonds in the Rough, which is scheduled to be published on March 15, 2013, will feature the same story, however, told differently. None of the major details will change, so don’t fret! I have grown as a writer since I was twenty, twenty-one and want the story to reflect that. In addition, this blog site will go back to focusing on books, entertainment, etc. All major announcements, giveaways, and news regarding The Diamond Collection will be made via www.crownjewelzpub.com. I strongly urge everyone to follow the blog to stay up to date on giveaways, book releases and book trailers. Big thanks to everyone who has supported me and followed my journey! *Razzle~Dazzle*
Well, from the very start of my writing career, I have been getting interviewed by Mr. Joey Pinkney! Come, let’s go down memory lane. All the way from Diamonds in the Rough to The Ace of Diamonds!
Hey diamonds!
So if you’ve read my previous post as well as my Twitter and FB statuses then you know I’m working on the full-length book trailer for The Ace of Diamonds. Well, I’ve been going back and forth on this for a few weeks now and I still don’t have a concept that I feel 100%. So I’m going back to the drawing board this week and weekend until I have something that I want to share with the world.
Although I never officially put it out there, I had planned on releasing another sneak peek of the novel on January 15th. I have decided to postpone this until February, which is when the book is set to be released.
As of right now, I am still on schedule with the book’s release, but of course, I will post here first if there are any changes.
In addition, I am currently looking for book events and festivals to attend this year so you never know, I may come to your city!
Prologue
Dallas, Texas
November
“Sir, can I help you?”
Jay’s eyes traveled around the main lobby of Davenport Realty as he took in the space. It was tastefully decorated by illustrations of luxury home floor plans and commercial real estate properties. In addition, there were several framed portraits that lined the wooden walls. Jay’s attention was more focused on the single portrait of Lotus Pagua, which hung above the receptionist’s desk, than the receptionist in front of him. He was staring at the portrait when her voice sounded once again in his ears. This time, she had a slight attitude.
“Sir, do you have an appointment? Who are you here to see?” she asked.
Jay raised his brow, hearing the harshness in her tone. He looked down at her desk and saw an enormous amount of paperwork. He figured she had other things to do so he decided to stop stalling. “Lotus,” he told her.
The woman looked at him quizzically, and it was then that Jay realized his mistake. Most people were unaware that the owner of the real estate company was born Lotus Pagua. “Harold Davenport, I need to see Harold Davenport,” he told her, and then held up his briefcase as a sign that he had come on business. The woman didn’t seem to recognize him, a factor that could potentially work in his favor.
“You know, Harold Davenport retired. You chose the right day to come because he is actually in a meeting with the new CEO of the company. You’ll have to wait until the meeting is over, though. Why don’t you take a seat over there,” she suggested, as she stood up from her desk and pointed to a row of chairs in the waiting area. “Would you like some coffee?”
Jay ignored her question, and headed to the row of empty seats. He sat his briefcase in the seat next to him before giving the lobby another once-over. The building that housed Davenport Realty was far more upscale than the premier office in Brookstone. Jay assumed that the Texas location was more profitable.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” a male voice burgeoned. “Don’t make me have to come back up here. I retired for a reason.”
Jay plastered a smile on his face as he saw Lotus walking into the reception area. He appeared to be in a dismal mood from the signs of stress on his face. It made Jay think twice about approaching him; however, he was determined that his visit to Dallas was not going to be in vain. He rose to his feet quickly and stepped into Lotus’ path.
“Uh…” Lotus uttered as he blinked his eyes twice to make sure he was seeing right. Certain that he was, he looked Jay over from head to toe. Lotus hadn’t spoken or seen Jay in years. Jay lived in New York, so Lotus knew that he had intentionally come to Texas and sought him out for a specific reason.
“Do you have a moment for Hector’s son?” Jay asked him with a smile. He followed Lotus’ gaze, which was fixed on his briefcase. He then looked back at him only to see that his facial expression had turned to one of nervousness.
“Sure, I was headed out,” Lotus told him, nodding his head. “Come with me.”
Jay quickly grabbed his briefcase and followed Lotus out of the building. A black limousine awaited them outside directly in front of Davenport Realty. Jay made no hesitation in getting inside although his own limo was across the street in the parking deck. Before turning to address Lotus, he sat his briefcase in between them and buckled his seatbelt.
“Why are you here?” Lotus asked. “You’re the last person I’d expect to see in Dallas.”
Jay chuckled, because it was obvious that Lotus was suspicious of his presence. He couldn’t blame him, either. It had been a long time since they had held a conversation, besides; Lotus wasn’t exactly his biggest fan. “Our paths are always bound to cross. I’m Hector’s son, remember? He was your best friend. I also have two kids by your daughter, Carmen, and not to mention a little princess on the way. Your grandkids are a good enough reason for us to talk.”
“Are you counting Rakim as your son?”
Jay looked over at Lotus hoping that he could read his facial expression. Instead of answering his question, he opened up his briefcase. He pulled out a white envelope and handed it to him.
“As you can see,” he said as Lotus opened the envelope, “I do believe that Rakim is my son. If you want me to be honest, I always believed that he was. I just didn’t push the issue as much as I should have. Now that Carmen has broken up with me, I am going to push the issue. Rakim is still very young, but he needs to know that I’m his father. By the time I get back to Brookstone, Carmen will have a copy of these court papers.”
Lotus looked at Jay as he took the papers out of the envelope. He read the documents quickly before placing the papers back inside. “Is this how you intend to get her back?” Lotus chuckled in disbelief. “You take her to court for a DNA test, and then sue her for paternity fraud? Rakim is almost a year old. If you really thought he was your son then you would have did this a long time ago. Why bring it up now?”
The question that Lotus posed was a good one. Jay was unsure of how to answer other than to explain that it took him awhile to make sense if it all. “Carmen told me that her husband couldn’t have kids. I believed her, but I got confused when Kane came with his paternity test. For a while, I thought that maybe a miracle had happened. You know, maybe he was Rakim’s father after all. Then, I used my common sense and remembered that Kane had never produced a child naturally. The only child that is biologically his is Kristian and they used in vitro to conceive her. I know that Rakim is my son. Since Carmen doesn’t want to admit that, I have to take matters into my own hands.”
Lotus gave the envelope back to him. “Okay, so what do you want from me?”
Jay focused the conversation on the real reason that he had come to Dallas. He had recently linked up with one of his old comrades who had helped him put millions into a new investment, one that he wanted Lotus to help him out with. His plan was to use their connection to his advantage.
“I figured that since I’m Hector’s son that you would help me.”
Lotus was taken aback. “Help you? Help you with what?”
Jay knew that what he said next was going to send Lotus into a fury. “I need a warehouse,” he told him, quickly.
“Oh hell no,” Lotus said, taking off his seatbelt. “Stop the car, Arnold. Pull over.”
Jay unbuckled his seatbelt as well. He grabbed Lotus’ shoulder, in an attempt to calm him down. “Lotus, come on, listen to me. I know you helped me with this before, but I need another one. I mean, you sold me the building for Blue Magic. I’m making honest of the restaurant, aren’t I? I promise you, I will—” Jay was interrupted as Lotus screamed in his ear.
“Are you out of your damn mind? What kind of shit are you getting into now?”
“I can’t go to anybody with this project. I don’t need a lot of ears or eyes on this. I trust you, Lotus. I know that you won’t publicize this sale like you do the others. I know you will take the warehouse out of your company’s listings way before the sale is even complete.”
Lotus shook his head, nervously. He knew that if Jay was asking for a warehouse then there was probably some illegal operation about to go down inside of it. The last time he had sold him one, he ended up using the space to house illegal drugs and weapons. Now, he wanted one again. Certain that Jay was still running a drug cartel, Lotus didn’t want anything to do with it. His days of working alongside a criminal enterprise were long gone.
“Sir, should I still pull over?” his driver asked.
Jay looked at Lotus, waiting for him to respond. He smiled when he told Arnold no. It was a clear sign that Lotus probably wanted to know more. If he did, Jay could potentially be leaving Dallas with a place to house his newest project.
“Jay,” Lotus began, “Do you really think that I’m going to risk my real estate business for your criminal enterprise? You know what, don’t answer that. Arnold, head back to the parking deck so we can drop Mr. Santiago off.”
Jay became uneasy as the conversation took an unexpected turn. He knew now that he had to pull out all of the stops if he wanted Lotus to comply. “I’m begging you. You were my father’s best friend, his right-hand man. I know our relationship hasn’t always been good, but I’m asking you to put our differences aside. I’m not trying to get you in any trouble. I want to keep everything that is done between us discrete.”
Lotus closed his eyes briefly as he thought of Jay’s father. Everything that Jay was saying was true. He had been Hector’s best friend. In addition, he was also legally Jay’s godfather. It was a secret that he had never made known. Part of the reason was because his main concern had always been in establishing a new identity. He didn’t want anything to do with Hector’s criminal enterprise, which was why he had broken away in the first place. Even now, he didn’t want to take part in Jay’s project. Lotus felt that if he gave Jay what he wanted, he wouldn’t be working in his best interest. Instead he could be aiding him in getting another seventeen year stint in prison.
As the limo eased into the median, Lotus knew that he was pressed for time. He still had to break the news to Jay that he wasn’t going to help him and reveal his secret. He knew that if he gave Jay a heartfelt explanation of why he wouldn’t help him that he would accept it. Besides, it was time for him to let a skeleton out of the closet.
“When you were first born,” he revealed, “I signed court documents to be your godfather. Hector wanted me to watch over you in case anything ever happened. I hate to admit that I failed in that department, but I did. Even when we reconnected, I didn’t play the part that I was supposed to. But, today is a new day.” Lotus turned towards Jay so that he was staring into his eyes. “I don’t want to see you back in prison. I don’t want to see you following in your father’s footsteps either. I know you’re still running the cartel. Right now, I’m looking out for your best interest. My daughter is having a baby by you that is due this month. You need to be around to see that child grow. I don’t believe that you intend to use this warehouse legally and because of that, I won’t help you. That doesn’t mean I hate you or I’m trying to be spiteful. It means that I want to look out for your best interest.”
Jay looked out the window as the driver parked the limo directly across from his own. The bomb that Lotus had dropped had made him speechless. He never thought in a million years that Lotus Pagua could be his godfather. Lotus was right when he said he hadn’t played the part. He had been absent from his life for many years. While his secret helped Jay to better understand Lotus’ stance, he still wanted his warehouse. Deep down, Jay knew that Lotus wouldn’t let up. Therefore, without bothering to respond, Jay got out of the vehicle.
Lotus took a deep breath as Jay’s lofty frame disappeared into a white limo. He wasn’t quite sure how to take Jay’s reaction. In addition, he was very curious about his godson’s newest venture. What are you up to now? You’re too much like your father, always working on something. Lotus sighed at the comparison. He got ready to direct Arnold towards his house until he noticed a black velvet bag on the seat opposite of him. He had never seen Jay place it there but he figured his godson had pulled a fast one on him. Lotus picked the bag up, loosened the strings, and glanced down into it. A slight snicker escaped his lips as he saw that the bag was full of diamonds.
Well, to answer that question, a couple of places. The books are in listings for Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Booksamillion.com. All you have to do is a search for “Diamonds in the Rough by Vogue” and/or “Diamonds are Forever by Vogue.” Diamonds in the Rough can also be found on the Kindle while Diamonds are Forever is on the Kindle as well as the Nook.
I had mentioned previously that the next post on Behind the Book would feature Kristian Kane, but I’ve decided to postpone Behind the Book so that I can concentrate on learning more about the publishing industry and finalizing The Ace of Diamonds. Right now, the book has been placed with an editor and I am looking forward to a February 2013 release date. I would’ve much preferred January, but to make sure the book is available to you all in the necessary formats (Amazon/ Kindle, Nook, etc.), it is best to be on the safe side and give it a February 2013 release date rather than one in January. This part of the process is completely out of my hands since it can take 2-6 weeks for the book to get into the necessary catalogs.
I want to say thank you to everyone who has inquired about the book, sent me words of encouragement, voted on covers, etc. I appreciate it all and in the words of Lil’ Wayne, Sorry 4 The Wait!
In writing the Diamond Collection, I have always tried to illustrate Tiara Smith Washington as a ride or die friend. Ever since the beginning of Diamonds in the Rough (DITR), she is right by Carmen’s side and stays there even when Carmen does some not so pleasant things. Although Tiara is only a supporting character, her story is equally important because of her contributions to Flame.
To start, little is revealed about Tiara’s background. Most of this information I have saved for book six of the collection, which is entitled The Diamond Tiara. While this novel does follow the chain of events that occur within the series, it will focus more on Tiara than in previous works. In terms of things that have been revealed, it is known early on that Tiara does not have a great relationship with her mother. She was raised by her grandmother in West Brookstone until she turned five. It was then that she moved in with her mother and new stepfather. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that a series of events occurred, which weakened the relationship Tiara had with her mom. When it comes to her biological father, she never met him and knows very little about him. Aside from her parents and grandmother, she doesn’t have any close relatives until she marries Malik, which occurs at the end of Diamonds are Forever.
I decided to have these two in a relationship because I didn’t want either party to be single considering the amount of time that had passed between the first two books. Instead of creating new characters as their love interests, I decided to put these two together. I also wanted the relationship to be a secret to further illustrate how Carmen’s tryst with Carlos impacted Tiara. It is because of her friend’s betrayal that Tiara fears that every man who crosses her path will somehow fall for her friend instead of her. In addition, she believes that she will always be in Carmen’s shadow because of her friend’s wealth and power. Tiara is not necessarily jealous, but as she gets older, she realizes that she needs to have her own identity outside of Carmen.
Some of this also stems from her position at Flame. It is no secret that Tiara is fully responsible for Flame being a thriving business. If it wasn’t for her taking over the finances of Flame when Carmen was arrested, the clothing company would not have come become a multi-million dollar brand. Tiara actually gave up her college career (she was majoring in Business Administration at Brookstone University) in order to devote her time to Flame. Once Carmen was released, she relinquished control of the business and took a position as Vice President. For seventeen years, she worked alongside Carmen without ever owning one single percent of Flame. Though she is paid well for her work, Tiara will eventually begin to want more, which will be shown in future works.
As far as Tiara’s physical appearance, I wanted her look to be totally different from Carmen. When I envision Tiara, I see a woman who is about 5’7 or 5’8, small-framed with slight curves, and wears a jet black Indian Remy sew-in (LOL). To give you more of a visual, just picture Ciara on the front cover of her Evolution disc. This is the closest I can get in terms of a physical image. Moreover, as I write this blog post, one of my co-workers who is currently reading DITR, tells me that she thinks the girl on the front cover of the book seems more fit for Tiara than Carmen.
What do you think? Is there anything else you would like to know about Tiara? Leave a comment!
The best place to start when discussing Carmen is with her name. Let me first say that there is no significance or meaning behind her middle name (Denise) or her last name (Davenport). Those names were just chosen randomly when I started writing the first book. For her first name, I chose the name “Carmen,” after watching Carmen Jones, a 1954 adaptation of the play Carmen, which starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. I fell in love with the way the name sounded and wanted to use it in a novel. Thus, the character of Carmen was born.
Then, in 2001, another adaptation of the play came along that showcased one of the traits that I wanted Carmen to have. That trait was ambition and the movie was Carmen: A Hip-Hopera, which starred Beyonce Knowles and Mekhi Phifer. In the movie, Beyonce plays Carmen Brown an aspiring actress whose aspirations to make it to the top are so great that she doesn’t care who she hurts along the way. Sound sort of familiar?
While I definitely did not want to make a spin-off of Carmen: A Hip Hopera, I did want to take the trait of ambition and illustrate it in my novel. I showed this in the journey that Carmen takes to save Flame, the clothing boutique she inherits from her mother. If you’ve read the book, Diamonds in the Rough, then you know that Carmen does a few things that will make anybody question her morals and values. My goal was to create shock value by first showing her as a virginal, well-to-do college student who evolves into a woman who is somewhat of a femme fatale. The ultimate good girl gone bad. The good part about all of this is that Carmen is able to work through all of her obstacles and still come out on top.
It is this position of power that brings me to my next discussion. It may seem that every man wants or desires her, but it is not because of Carmen’s looks. Yes, she is attractive, which almost every main female character of a novel is, but it is Carmen’s wealth and power that attracts her to men. It is often said that a man will run from a financially independent woman, but if you are on the same level as her than there is no need to run. You are attracted to her status because her status is equal to yours. Besides, most of the men who are running after Carmen are on the same financial level as her. (Some of you may argue that Kane wasn’t, but you have to remember that Carmen was not rich or successful when they first met. She was a struggling store owner whose parents had moved to Dallas, Texas, leaving her to fend for herself.)
Speaking of attraction, I would like to share the visual I see when I think of Carmen. I see a woman who has a curvaceous shape, stands about 5’6, with dark brown eyes that matches a dark mocha skin tone. Her hair is relaxed and hangs just past her shoulders. I think the model depicted on the front cover of Diamonds in the Rough is a good representation of what I see. Even the model on Diamonds are Forever is a good match.
What do you see when you think of Carmen? Feel free to share
For those of you who haven’t read the books, check them out, and concoct your own visual masterpiece!
Tidbits about Carmen
-At the beginning of Diamonds in the Rough, Carmen is 21.
-At the beginning of Diamonds are Forever, Carmen is 39.
-Her favorite wine is Alice White Chardonnay
-One of her favorite foods to eat is honey barbecue ribs which is served at the fictional Old Town Bistro
-Her ethnic makeup consists of African-American, Bahamian, and… (This will be revealed in a future novel!)
-At the conclusion of Diamonds are Forever, Carmen is mother to 6 children!
-Carmen is an only child (currently)
Something else you want to know? Leave a comment!
The fictional Brookstone, New York is the main setting of The Diamond Collection. Other minor settings are San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dallas, Texas, and the fictional Copperton City, Georgia, which will be introduced in The Ace of Diamonds.
When I first started writing Diamonds in the Rough, I knew that I wanted the main characters to live in a city that matched the lifestyles that I wanted them to have. In other words, I wanted them to live in a populous city that was fast-paced, vibrant, had glitz, glamour and offered a wealth of opportunities. In addition, I wanted it to be a place that was also crime-ridden. The first place I thought of was New York City. The added bonus was that it was known for being immersed with entertainment and fashion. To me, it was the perfect setting for the novel.
Having never visited New York, I realized early on when I first started developing ideas for the novel that this would be somewhat of a problem. Almost everything I knew about the city came from what I saw on television and the internet. Deep down, I knew that I could make it work. The plus of having a real city/state in a novel is that it allows your readers to form an instant connection with the book. It is easier for them to visualize the setting if it is a place that they are already familiar with. For example, if the setting was New York City and I had the characters in Times Square, most readers will automatically see busy streets, tons of people, and billboards everywhere.
However, with a fictional city, you can create more of your own world. You can create your own restaurants, your own street names, your own colleges, etc. You have more creative control with a fictional city than one that actually exists. The good part about this is that you can take some elements of various “real” cities and combine them into one.
Realizing this, the city of Brookstone, New York was born.
To begin, I’m unsure of where the name actually came from. I just remember writing and typing Brookstone. It’s like it came to life on its own. In the series, Brookstone is one of the biggest cities in the state of New York. It’s not as big as New York City, but it’s a decent size. It is also divided into two parts, East Brookstone and West Brookstone. East Brookstone is stereotyped as the part of the city where the upper class resides while the lower class is considered to live in West Brookstone. To illustrate this, I have Carmen, whose family is well off, living in East Brookstone while her best friend, Tiara, whose family is lower middle class, lives in West Brookstone. I put these characters in two different parts of the city to show that they do mingle despite the stereotypes.
As for the businesses that are established throughout the book, most are in Downtown Brookstone, which is on the Eastside. Below are a few major landmarks that are mentioned in the series.
Landmarks in Brookstone, New York
Brookstone High School- attended by Carmen and Tiara (and a few others who I’ll discuss later *winks*)
Brookstone University- attended by Carmen, Tiara, and Rakim
Davenport Realty- owned by Harold Davenport/ Lotus Pagua (Carmen’s father)
Flame, Inc. – clothing company owned by Carmen (previously owned by her mother, Patricia Davenport)
Sapphire- hip-hop club and bar owned by Jay (was previously an elite gentleman’s club owned by his father, Hector Santiago)
Blue Magic- soul food restaurant owned by Jay and Carmen (introduced in Diamonds are Forever)
Iceland- jewelry store owned by Jay Santiago (introduced in Diamonds are Forever)
Something else you want to know? Leave a comment!
It has been almost a year since my last book release and I have gotten numerous messages regarding the third book. The Ace of Diamonds is complete and has been submitted to my publisher. I am waiting to see if it has been accepted or not. So, let’s keep our fingers cross! In terms of Black Diamonds, which is Book Four, I am halfway finished with the re-write. A big thank you to everyone who has supported me! *Razzle~Dazzle*
So I’ve been getting this question a lot…Hey! What’s going on with the third book? Well, let’s say this. I completed the third book last year sometime in the fall, but decided to change a lot of things in it. There were characters introduced that weren’t vital to the entire collection that I decided to cut thus somewhat changing the plot of the novel. There were also things set to happen in the fourth book (Black Diamonds) that I decided to let happen in the 3rd book. My goal is to have it finished by the end of March. Will that happen? I hope so- keep your fingers crossed.
Special Guest on this upcoming show will be Author Vogue, Author of the Novel: “Diamonds in the Rough”
She will be discussing her upcoming events as well as her new upcoming projects.
…
December 4, 2010- Book Signing at The Book Knack
The Book Knack Bookstore
742 N Anderson Rd
Rock Hill, SC
12-2pm
I will be signing copies of Diamonds in the Rough and Diamonds are Forever
Book Cover Concept by Vogue
The Diamond Collection continues.
Carmen
Eight months pregnant, and Carmen Davenport is unsure of what is waiting for her outside of the Metropolitan Correctional Facility. For six grueling months, she sat in a cold cell with only the thought of her unborn son, Jayceon King Santiago, keeping her sane.
Tiara
Carmen returns to Brookstone to discover that Flame, Inc. is now a multi-million dollar enterprise. It’s all thanks to her best friend Tiara.
Kane
The man responsible for Carmen’s imprisonment and the disbanding of the Santiago cartel, Michael Antonio Kane, is now a permanent resident of Brookstone. Without a doubt, Carmen knows that their paths will cross
Jay
He may have received a life sentence, but Carmen is certain that Jay will find his way back to Brookstone.
Diamonds Are Forever is a reunion with familiar characters and another look into the dramatic lives of Brookstone’s finest. Can they all just get along?
Diamonds are Forever is the second of ten books that comprise “The Diamond Collection.”
________________________________________________________________________________
Prologue
May
The steel gray bars separated into two as Carmen stepped one foot out of the cell. She had told herself that when this day came that she wasn’t going to look back. She was going to put one foot in front of the other and continue walking, leaving behind the stale smell of the quarters, the loud yelling of the inmates around her and the memory of being locked up. She did exactly that. She put one foot in front of the other as the guards led her out of the cell and into a small room. They closed the door behind her allowing her to change out of the orange jumpsuit that she had been wearing for nearly six months.
Carmen stared at the window knowing that the guards were watching her change. Through the last six months, she had grown accustomed to the lack of privacy. Carmen stared at the plastic bag that lay on the table. In the bag were the clothes she was wearing when she was arrested. Carmen slid the jumpsuit off, anxious to get back inside of real clothes. The jumpsuit fell at her ankles and she grabbed the dress, pulling it over her head. It stopped just about two inches above her knees. She grabbed the flip-flops, putting her feet inside of them. She felt for the holes in her ears, hoping that the holes hadn’t closed up and slid the earrings inside. Carmen waited, knowing that they were watching her. It was only a matter of seconds before they were going to open the door.
Carmen waited until she heard the sound of the door opening before she moved. She grabbed the plastic bag and followed the guard out of the room and down towards the releasing department to collect the money that had been left in her account.
“Going home,” one of the other inmates asked as she walked by.
“Yes ma’am,” Carmen answered. She kept walking, knowing that the inmate had to be new to the facility because she had never seen her before. Carmen stood in line, seeing another woman being released until it was her turn. She filled out the card with her information and handed it to the clerk.
“Are you having a girl or boy?” the guard asked, peering down at her belly.
“A boy,” Carmen replied, starting to drum her fingers on the counter as she waited for the clerk to hand her the leftover money. Carmen touched her head, feeling the tight cornrows that she had gotten the night before. Due to the vitamins and pills she had to take for the baby; her hair had grown almost down her back. Carmen knew that she wouldn’t be able to take care of her hair because she was in prison so she quickly made friends with an inmate who could braid. Carmen got her hair braided regularly, trading braids for food and postage stamps.
“Here you are,” the clerk said, handing Carmen an envelope. Carmen took it from her hands and slid it into the plastic bag.
“Ready?” the guard asked.
“I’ve been ready for six months,” Carmen told the guard. Carmen followed the guard down the long hallway. She could feel tears starting to wail up in her eyes as it hit her. It was over. Her prison days were over.
So this is my final stop on my Virtual Book Tour. WHOO HOO! It feels good to say I completed one! This was one of my first marketing strategies as a published author.
http://cindy-vine.blogspot.com/2010/08/introducing-vogue.html
Author Vogue hosts “A Diamond Affair” Book Release Dinner Party
Fort Mill, SC-July 21, 2010- First-time author, Vogue, will host, “A Diamond Affair,” a book release dinner party and signing from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 29, 2010 at Captain Steve’s Family Seafood Restaurant at 1975 Hwy 21 Bypass in Fort Mill, SC.
Vogue will be signing copies of her debut novel, Diamonds in the Rough, which is the first installment of a ten book urban fiction series aptly named The Diamond Collection. Released on June 1, 2010, Vogue has been named as Author of the Month by Angelique the Novelist, BK Walker Books, Etc. and Levitate Magazine.
Please Note: Guests are responsible for their own meal. Dress attire is business casual and guests are highly encouraged to wear black, white and/or pink.
Simply Vogue 