Did I Shave My Legs for This?

Happy 2021 to you all. I pray that February will be an improvement to the year that has to bring some redemption to what 2020 was. I hope all of you are well and the coronavirus hasn’t negatively affected the majority of you. I realize that I have taken quite the hiatus from my blog however as you can see, I’ve been quite busy. In 2019, I finished my first book, Bryce August, the Beginning which is the first installment of a romantic trilogy. The first novel tells the story of the clueless but privileged Bryce August, a 21 year old heir to a wealthy enterprise. Bryce is a part of the wealthy Augusts of the Potomac, Maryland region of the United States. The Augusts are an influential family who has managed to hold onto generational wealth by arranging marriages to other prominent blacks. Their tradition is simple, your parents select your husband or wife, and if you refuse, you won’t get your inheritance. Although the tradition is simple, Bryce is anything but simple as he detests who his parents has selected and has fallen for another woman. What will Bryce do? What will he uncover in his quest for a way out?

In completing my first installment, I was a lot like Bryce, clueless, I made a lot of mistakes with the self- publishing route with Amazon Direct Publishing and hiring an amateur editor. There were a lot of mistakes that were made but upon such there were some triumphs as well, and I was able to capitalize upon them. Those triumphs pushed me forward no matter how I received criticism from others and myself. Then not to mention during one of the most difficult years of my life, I managed to publish the sequel, Bryce August, Redemption. Here in this installment not only does Bryce redeem himself but I do as well. This go around, I knew how to handle Amazon, I knew how to navigate the publishing portal and I acquired a more seasoned editor for my work and thus a more polished creation was made. Despite the difficulty of the year, I improved quite well.

With this story, Bryce grows up, he is faced with constant obstacles but instead of cowering or whining about it, he faces it all. In this installment, it’s apparent what Bryce will do with or without the support of loved ones. Readers also get a chance to see the different side of Bryce’s best friend, Larry and his ever changing mother, Myra. I am eager to build upon these developments and finish the story of this industrious young man, so I pray that 2021 is good to me in that regard. What are you looking forward to this year? Please share.

SMOOCHES!

This year marked 5 years ago that I lost my best friend to senseless gun violence, sometimes I still cannot believe that he’s not here with me. There are times when I want to call him and tell him about the absurdities I am facing while dating and even in the workplace and I can’t. During those times I’m either sad, numb or enraged. I take solace in the fact that he taught me what true friendship is. During these trying times, I’m trying to be as he was with me, patient and understanding and never judgmental. Love on your people as you have them because pretty soon, God will want them back. Rest in love EJ, I miss you so much old boy.