The love that her parents and extended family lavish her with knows no bounds.When the Tsikata’s idyllic life style begins to take a turn for the worse, Abebe's father places a nine-year-old Abebe in a shrine, hoping that the sacrifice of his daughter will serve as religious atonement for the crimes of his ancestors. Unspeakable acts befall Abebe for the fifteen years she is enslaved.When Abebe is finally released back into the world and finds herself not only dealing with the newness of Ghana, but also the fast-paced world of New York, she is broken—emotionally, mentally, physically, sexually, and spiritually. But to live the rest of her years on earth, she must learn to overcome her past, endure familial secrets, and learn to love herself—the good, the bad, and the ugly.In the tradition of Chris Cleave's Little Bee, My Name Is Butterfly is a contemporary story that offers an educational, eye opening account into the practice of ritual servitude in West Africa. Spanning decades and two continents, My Name Is Butterfly will break and heal your heart ….

    Not since Terry McMillan's Breaking Ice have so many African-American writers been brought together in one volume. A stellar collection of works from more than fifty hot names in fiction, Gumbo represents remarkable synergy. Edited by bestselling luminaries Marita Golden and E. Lynn Harris, this collection spans new and previously published tales of love and luck, inspiration and violation, hip new worlds and hallowed heritage from voices such as: Edwidge Danticat , Eric Jerome Dickey, Kenji Jasper, John Edgar Wideman, Terry McMillan, David Anthony Durham, Bertice Berry, and many, many more. Also featuring original stories by Golden and Harris themselves, Gumbo heralds the debut of the Hurston / Wright Legacy Awards for Published Black Writers (scheduled for October 2002), and all advances and royalties from the book will support the Hurston/ Wright Foundation. Combining authors with a variety of flavorful writing, Gumbo will have readers clamoring for second helpings.

    Louella, fed up with her lackluster love life, decides to contact her departed ancestors for some advice. Conjuring up her mother, grandmother, and aunt in a dream, she receives a delightful lesson in the art of reigniting the fires of love.Even more startling, the Johnsons discover they can help others rejuvenate their passions, heal their hearts, and mend their soulsWritten in language that is folksy yet eloquent, Jim and Louella's Homemade Heart-Fix Remedy is an uplifting and flat-out funny celebration of the connections between past and present, the importance of family, and the pleasures of the body and the heart.

    Achievement engenders pride, and the most significant accomplishments involving people, places, and events in black history are gathered in Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Events.

    But when her perfect life is shattered, she must confess to a history of carefully calculated deception. Claudine Jenkins was a musical prodigy who clung to her one true love—a violin given to her by her aunt Hattie Mae. Claudine grew up protecting herself from the tauntings of her father and her twin brother by eating herself into obesity. Her mother was an alcoholic who was indifferent to her, at best. But all that would soon change. Feared by most, yet adored for her exotic beauty, Hattie Mae Jones remained a mystery even to those who thought they knew her best. But when her dark past threatened to destroy her perfectly laid plans for the future, she became determined to have her way. Would she have gone as far as committing murder?What happens when three generations of lies come to the surface? Power, deceit, greed, and lust collide—leaving you with sheer Bliss.

    Leroy William Vaughn MD, MBA's masterpiece. Dr. Vaughn is not only one of the world's renowned ophthalmologists, but also one of the leading authorities on Black history. Basketball is Michael Jordan's game. Black history and ophthalmology are Dr. Vaughn's games. Dr. Vaughn's medical credentials and expertise as a diabetic eye specialist and as a remarkable surgeon make him a leader in his field. His knowledge as an historian is equally as outstanding. Dr. Vaughn's patients swear by him for his medical skills. Historians marvel at him because of his talents as a researcher and writer on the subject of Black history. Dr. Vaughn rattles off Black history facts like an orator recites a speech he has practiced on delivering for days. When it comes to reciting the roles Black people have played in world history, Dr. Vaughn has dazzled some of the most learned minds in America.