Okay, I’ll let you all in on a little secret. Every time I hear “I’ll Always Love My Mama,” by The Intruders it brings tears to my eyes. Every single time . When I was a kid it used to make me cry because I would always feel sad for my own mother. She lost her mom when she was fourteen-years-old and her dad when she was nine-years-old. As I got older the words started to take on a more personal meaning. Growing up and watching your single mom struggle to make ends meet and knowing in your heart that you didn’t always make that easy for her gives the words of that song power, especially on Mother’s Day. I’m old enough--and somewhat wise enough--to know now that the love of a good mother is not something that is automatic or that should ever be taken for granted. My mother didn’t have to make the sacrifices she made for us. I know lots of women who have made other choices. And I’m not passing judgment. People do what they have to do. But I am saying that if you’ve had the privilege of having a mother love you, put you first and raise you with care, devotion and guidance, you should celebrate her every chance you get, not just on Mother’s Day. She deserves all that and more. So, happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there! I’m sending lots of cyber hugs, candy and flowers your way. Enjoy this day and everyday because mothers make the world go round. Enjoy this classic by The Intruders!



I’ll Always Love My Mama, The Intruders


Much love and peace,

Gwyneth

Labels: Happy Mother's Day, Tribute

I'm back! Well... sort of... I have a bunch of grading and other stuff to do so I'll still be visiting the blogesphere a little less frequently. But I made it back from Chicago on Sunday evening. I had a wonderful time at the Slam Jam. I met up with lots of author and reader friends that I only see once a year at the Slam. And I met lots of friends from the blogesphere for the very first time. My workshop on setting the scene went over well. My intimate session with readers was really nice. I only had one weird experience during the reader session. But it wasn't enough to put a damper on an otherwise excellent conference. The highlight for me was doing "Rapper's Delight" during Karaoke at the Ole School Jam. I'll have pictures soon. But if you can't wait for my pictures check out the following blog posts. I have also listed the Emma Award winners below. Congrats to all the winners! I'm happy to announce that the anthology I am a part of, Cuffed by Candlelight won the Emma for Favorite Anthology. Yay! :-) Okay, I need to go grade papers. See y'all soon.

Write Black

Urban Reviews Day Two

Urban Reviews Day Three

Urban Reviews Emma Awards

Favorite Anthology:
Cuffed By Candlelight by Beverly Jenkins, Gwyneth Bolton, Katherine D. Jones

Favorite Hero:
Reese Anthony Deadly Sexy by Beverly Jenkins

Favorite Heroine:
Teresa July Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins

Favorite Novel
Deadly Sexy by Beverly Jenkins

Favorite Novella
"Prisoner" by Beverly Jenkins

Favorite Sequel
Only You by Francis Ray

Favorite Steamy
Whisper Something Sweet by Deatri King-Bey

Favorite Suspense
Deadly Sexy by Beverly Jenkins

Cover of the Year
Deadly Sexy by Beverly Jenkins

Debut Author of the Year
LaConnie Taylor Jones When I’m With You

Author of the Year
Beverly Jenkins

Labels: Romance Slam Jam 2008

Well I'm on the road again. I'm heading to Chicago for the Romance Slam Jam! I love this conference and can't wait to get there and start chatting about my favorite thing in the world... Black Romance! YAY!

If you're in Chicago stop by the conference and check me out. I'll be participating in the following reader session and workshops:

May 1, 2008
Intimate Session, 1:00-1:50 pm

May 2, 2008
Workshop, "A Little More than Location, Location, Location: Setting the Scene in Your Novel," 11:00-12:00 pm

May 2, 2008
Reader Session with Gwyneth Bolton and Deatri King-Bey, 3:30-4:20 pm

May 3, 2008
Book Signing, 2:00-5:00 pm

See you when I get back!

much love and peace,

Gwyneth

Labels: My Life

Traveling at the end of the semester is always crazy hectic. And with three conferences happening so late this year I'm feeling the crunch. I have so much stuff to do in order to wrap up the semester and get ready for Slam Jam next week, I feel like I'm running to catch up with myself. Running around like a chicken with its head cut off as my mom used to say... Anyway, RT was fun. I was bad. I didn't take any pictures of my own. Sorry, guys. I was too busy being a fan girl... Hopefully my friends will share. Shameless plea for folks to send me the pictures they promised... Please... :-) Because I certainly posed for enough, grinning like a fool the entire time. I did the fan girl squee as usual, just like I always do when I see Brenda Jackson and L. A. Banks. I'm surprised I was able to form a sentence to talk to these ladies. I love their novels so much. And they are such nice down to earth sistas. I just took notes on how to treat readers when you meet them. Not that I have any readers that will fan girl squee and gush like me when I meet my favs. Anyway, I also got to hang out with some of my new favorite authors who I also consider friends. I got to hang with A. C. Arthur, Kimberly Kaye Terry, Maureen Smith and Ann Christopher. I finally met Ann Aguirre and Vivi Anna. And yes, they both rock. I got to hang out with my Central New York Romance Writers chapter members, authors Susan St. Thomas and Nancy Henderson. Susan and I were roomies and danced our behinds off. Well, maybe not our entire behinds, but you get the idea... I went to a panel with J. R. Ward on it and got to see her talk about the Black Dagger Brothers. I also met two sista-authors who I have just recently discovered but so far have enjoyed everything I've read by them, Bridget Midway and Eve Vaughn. The highlight of the conference was meeting my new Kimani editor, Kelli Martin. She was just as cool in person as she has been to work with. She rocks!

I had a blast even though I didn't dress up for the Fairy Ball or the Vampire Ball. I might dress up if I go next year, because some of those fairy wings looked so-oo cute. I have to say, I wanted me some sparkling fairy wings... Anyway, I now have to finish up the semester, make one possibly life-changing decision, and get ready for Slam Jam... Why did I say I would do a workshop on this topic? Why didn't I pick a topic that I've done lots of times before? Because I'm crazy that's why! I'll be back soon guys. And I'm working on a few changes that might give Gwyneth's Blog a little face lift.

much love and peace,

Gwyneth

PICTURES ADDED

See what begging for pictures on the blog will get you? Pictures to share. ;-) The awesome Kimberly Kaye Terry sent me some pictures and I snatched a picture from the wonderful Ann Christopher's blog. She has a bunch of great picture from the conference over there so you should all go and check them out.

Here's a picture from the African American Romance Panel.



Here's the panel again, Maureen Smith, me, Brenda Jackson, Kimberly Kaye Terry, A. C. Arthur and editor Kelli Martin.



I stole this picture of me L. A. Banks and Kimberly Kaye Terry from Ann's blog. I couldn't help it. It's L. A. Banks... And Ann has lots of pictures over there. ;-)

Labels: My Life

I'm off to attend my first ever Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention in Pittsburgh. And I'm really looking forward to it. I've always looked at the pictures from the conventions in the past when they print them in the magazine with awe and wonder. They look like they really know how to have a good time. And then there's the fact that I get to spend the entire weekend talking about romance with readers and writers. Those of you who read this blog know how happy that makes me. I'm so geeked I can hardly stand it! See you all on Monday.

much love and peace,


Gwyneth

Labels: My Life

Debut Author Niambi Brown Davis



GB: So, Niambi, tell us a little bit about yourself. In addition to the standard biography, what’s one thing about you that most people would be surprised by?

NBD: My kids encouraged me to enter the “Dancing with the Moms” competition on Good Morning America! I did not, but I do plan to train with a former Latin champion to become a student instructor. At one time, I considered Pro-Am competition (an amateur paired with a professional dancer). But in order to reach that level, everything else in life would come to a very expensive and complete stop. And as much as I love dancing, I love writing even more.

GB: Tell us little about your road to publication. What was it like getting the call? Holding your novel in your hands for the first time?

NBD: The first words that come to mind are “long and winding.” What I did not know would fill an entire set of encyclopedias. After I won third place in 2003 for the Aspiring Writers Contest at Romance Slam Jam, I was certain it was only a matter of time before my book would be out there. Not! My manuscript was rejected and revised, rejected and revised again, until I came up with the version that was accepted by Parker Publishing. The call was actually an email, and talk about an out-of-body experience - I was speechless; anybody looking would swear I was having a seizure! I have not received the book yet, but when I do get it in my hands, I will be doing some of that dancing I told you about.

GB: Tell us a little bit about your novel From Dusk to Dawn . What was your inspiration for writing it?

NBD: It is the story of a man and a woman who are opposites in every way – in faith, in age, in goals for their life. In spite of all their differences, they fall deeply in love. There are obstacles, each of which they overcome, until their love is tested by the greatest challenge of their relationship. In the end, will love or fear conquer all? The inspiration for the story was an African-American woman expatriate I met many years ago in Trinidad. When I had to come up with an introductory paragraph in a writing class, she popped into my mind. Afterwards, I applied the “what-if” test, until I came up with the story of Ayo and Bilal.

GB: What’s next on the horizon for you? Do you have any other novels scheduled for publication? What’s in the works?

NBD: Next up is a historical that has been percolating for at least two years. It is the story of a young black woman in 18th century England who finds love halfway around the world. In her words, she has had a taste of love and of freedom, and she will risk everything to get it back. Then there is the story of a woman accused of burning down her home. She seeks refuge in the British Virgin Islands where she owns a boat. She becomes a luxury charter captain while trying to find out who framed her and why. A character from Dusk to Dawn plays a major role in this one.

GB: What are you reading right now? What kind of books do you like to read?

NBD: Right now, I cannot wait to get into Pearl Cleage’s new release. Of course, I am the number one fan of a great romance. I love historical fiction and books with magical, supernatural storylines, suspense and mysteries, and those with heroines over 40.

GB: Do you have any advice for other writers dreaming of their own debut?

NBD: Be patient, persevere and be prepared. Keep yourself open to opportunity. It can drop into your lap when you least expect it, and may be the stepping-stone that will take you to the next level.



Book Blurb:

By the time she was 22, Ayo Montgomery had been an expatriate, a wife, a mother and a widow. Twenty years later, she’s finally at a place of peace in her life. Her son is away at school in Florida. Her soap and body products business is flourishing. She doesn’t know what she’s missing until Bilal Abdul Salaam walks into her life. Bilal has been looking for a woman to love, cherish, have children and grow old with. On the hottest day of the year, he finds her, and she’s everything he didn’t expect. He’s Muslim and she most definitely is not. Ayo is 42 and has already raised a son. He’s 32 and ready to start a family of his own. But both are overwhelmed by a smoldering attraction that refuses to acknowledge their differences. As they work their way through each obstacle, they discover their love is strong enough, passionate enough and deep enough to make every sacrifice worthwhile.

Check out Niambi’s wonderful book trailer here:



Find out more about Niambi and her books here:

http://www.niambibrowndavis.com

http://www.niambibrowndavis.blogspot.com

http://www.myspace.com/niambibrowndavis

Labels: About a Book

This is how we do the old to the new…

Because there’s something about Mary…

“Real Love”




Just so you know, I will be a Mary J. Blige fan for life! She had me ever since she came out looking for a “Real Love” in 1992. Hell, I was feeling her when she was singing back up hooks for Father MC in “I’ll Do For You.” There’s just something about a Mary J. Blige fan. We will buy her CDs no matter what. Even those fans grumbling that they don’t like her music now that she’s happy and in love will fork down their cash and purchase each new release. We can’t help it. I’m so happy that her last two CDs have been ones that I can rock track after track after track without skipping. Honestly, I haven’t done that with a Mary CD since My Life . I don’t really know what it is about Mary that inspires such diehard loyalty in us fans. It could be because she’s so real. Or it might be because she makes us feel . It might be because she gave a generation of young women a voice when no one was speaking our pain. And now that some of us have grown up with her, found love, feel content and know that real love and happiness comes from within, we’re all feeling “Just Fine.” Do you think that there’s something about Mary? Has an artist ever touched you the way Mary touches her fans?


“Just Fine”

Labels: This Is How We Do The Old To The New..., Throwback Thursdays