As a matter of fact, it seems that is all she has been in the twenty-plus years she and her husband, Edward, have been married. But the kids are grown and out of the house, and she's ready to live a few dreams of her own. Edward, however, would like to keep things just the way they are, and Denise realizes that if she doesn't do something drastic, then all she will ever be is a mother and wife. When Denise drops the bomb at Thanksgiving dinner that she is leaving Edward and selling the house, everyone is stunned, and her announcement opens the door to Morrison Family Dysfunction 101. Edward moves in with his crazy Aunt Etta, their daughter Christine moves back home when she suspects her husband is cheating on her, and their son Anthony is simply dazed and confused. In the midst of it all, Edward hatches a plan to get his wife back. Not only does he plan to be back at home and in their bed, but he also knows that, come Christmas, he and Denise will be...Rockin' Around That Christmas Tree.

    

    John's books already knows how her stories come alive, and this account of her own life is no exception. Her powers of description make the story leap from the page and the reader is transported to far off places and times; and the people and the things she describes can almost be touched, smelled and seen. Patricia was not just a gifted story-teller, though; she was also a deeply committed follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose spiritual journey began when she was only six years old. 'My name is Patricia, ' she prayed, 'and if You are really calling me I want to come and be Yours. ' Out of that small beginning there issued a river of life and light and blessing that went on increasing right up to the end of her life. Although she always thought of herself as 'an ordinary sort of girl', her life was extraordinary because of her supreme love for Jesus Christ. The life portrayed here is not that of the self-conscious saint, concerned only with her own saintliness. On the contrary these pages offer us an inside view of someone utterly human, prone to mistakes and failures like the rest of us, yet suffused with the love of God and a contagious joy and peace that was like the bubbling up of a perpetual fountain.

    

    A man and a woman sit at the same dinner table, an ocean of worry separating them. An iceberg sets out to dance. A sword swallower ponders his dating prospects. "The vessel is simple, a rowboat among yachts," the poet observes in "Ukulele." "No one hides a Tommy gun in its case. / No bluesman runs over his uke in a whiskey rage."Beasley's voice is pithy and playful, with a ferocious intelligence that invites comparison to both Sylvia Plath and Dorothy Parker. In one of six signature sestinas, she warns, "You must not use a house to build a home, / and never look for poetry in poems." The collection’s centerpiece is a haunting sequence that engages The Traveler's Vade Mecum, an 1853 compendium of phrases for use by mail, telegraph, or the enigmatic “Instantaneous Letter Writer."Assembled over ten years and thousands of miles, these poems illuminate how intimacy is lost and gained during our travels. Decisive, funny, and as compassionate as she is merciless, Beasley is a reckoning force on the page.

    . . Set in the highest ranks of the music industry’s fame machine, Diamond Life is an intoxicating story of love, sex, ambition, money, betrayal, and the surprising realities of making it big. Alex Maxwell’s career as a journalist and celebrity ghost writer is taking off, despite the slightly embarrassing authorship of hip-hop super-groupie Cleo Wright’s memoir. And while Alex’s star is on the rise, it pales in comparison to her husband Birdie’s multiplatinum debut and world tour. Slowly but surely, everything they swore would never happen begins to come true, like leaving Brooklyn for a mansion in suburban Jersey and letting a reality TV crew into their home. Birdie is confronted time and again by the sexy groupies who pursue famous rappers like heat-seeking missiles and he’s forced to make some life-changing choices. Meanwhile, aging rapper Z, in recovery from drug addiction, is too busy trying to repair his marriage to leave much time for his son Zander, newly signed to Z’s label and struggling to maintain his appeal in the wake of a domestic violence scandal with his diva girlfriend Bunny. Record label president Jake is trying to deal with the death of his wife, multiplatinum R&B artist Kipenzi Hill, by drowning his sorrows in alcohol and women. When he meets Lily, a beautiful, quiet waitress, he can’t get her out of his head. But Lily has her own problems to handle and she wants nothing to do with the fame, drama, and baggage that Jake carries with him. This juicy follow-up to Aliya S. King’s Platinum is a scintillating roman à clef that takes readers behind the curtain once again for the real scoop on the biggest players in the hip-hop game—and the first ladies who hold them together.

    Keece and Paris are in marital bliss with a little one on the way. Keece is finally content with his life. That is until it is revealed that he may have already fathered a child. Keece is livid, and the only person with the answers to his questions is Riley, who finds another possible way to stay in his life, but will it cost Keece his marriage?Shymar is released from jail with one thing on his mind, and that is revenge. Hearing his girlfriend, Alyssa, fight for her life leaves Shymar feeling crushed and angry. Shymar is itching to know the whereabouts of Alyssa, and only one person that can give it to him is Keece.Will Keece dodge yet another bullet from Riley and be able to keep Paris in his life? Will Shymar catch up to Keece and avenge Alyssa’s death? Follow this riveting drama to see who will be the last one standing.

     Naeem Black is the controlled, reserved, dangerously alluring and handsome businessman who makes it his personal mission to see Emory out of her state of depression. He lives his life without much chaos and with strict order. Until she unknowingly and almost innocently takes ahold of his heart and doesn’t let go. Damsel in Distress Knight in Shining Armor The tale of love we all are so familiar with.... But love isn't easy. Over-coming insecurities isn't easy. Allowing someone to love you, especially the broken parts of you is scary. And loving someone who is broken can prove to be difficult. With the odds not in their favor, what will prevail? Fight or Flight? Mercy Boutchat is the wild child with a even wilder heart. With no plans of settling down any time soon, she embarks on what is supposed to a situationship filled with insatiable lust and spontaneous combustions of pleasure...That is, until unexpected feelings get involved and she finds herself agreeing to the one thing she swore to never get involved in; Commitment. And with the one person who is mentally, her equal and physically attractive as she is... Leilani Elaine Mercer is finally living her fairytale. Her man is out of the streets. Her babies are on their way and she is finally going to get her event planning company going. In the midst of her happiness, the bearer of bad news dons her doorstep. Secrets are revealed. Loyalties are questioned and everything her and Malakhi worked so hard to build can come crashing down with one wrong explanation... Ain't Gonna Let You II is the highly anticipated sequel to The Prelude. Between these pages you find out there is growth, in love and trust where you least expect it.

    Well, according to her twin brother Cole, that is. Cole's resentment toward him has been there for as long as she can remember.So it goes without saying that she needs to stay away from Jake if she wants to keep the peace. That should be easy, right?Except there's one problem: Jake is assigned as her partner for a school paper. And as if that's not enough, she also needs his help to get back in her best friend's good graces.Callie knows that getting close to him is not a good idea. Too bad she's starting to like him...

    Add a mother who's back on the run from the Federal Government for a murder of a undercover agent that has been her right hand for years, along with the family main henchman Papa Bear who's now her mysterious lover. Amil Walker has set it in stone that she's definitely the head of the throne and will do whatever it takes to keep her family and their multi-million dollar empire secure. Amil has cut all ties with the Colombian Cartel and with a stroke of good luck she bounces back even stronger with a bigger and better plug with the Arabians in Dubai. And with the Feds still hot on the Walker family trail, who knows what will happen next. Will Amil sacrifice herself to save her family or will she pull the ultimate betrayal? Something that she's been known to do in the past.

    The love is stronger and the bonds they have for one another are tighter, yet drama still follows them. Kenya is back to get her revenge on Briana and she'll do whatever it takes to make Adonis want her. Loyalty is tested and lines are crossed– will the couples fight till the end or will their bonds be broken forever? A Kingpins Dream 2: Forever ain't enough

    Ashleigh is madly in love with the potential she once saw in her boyfriend, Dre. It's no secret that everyone doesn't live up to their potential and he proves that true. Amanda was shown love in its purest form only for life to shuffle the deck and deal her a losing hand. They say time heals all things but the lost of her first love still haunts her years later. When life proves to be too much the duo decides to skip town for a change of scenery. Twin brothers, Harlem and Houston have quickly made a name for themselves in the streets of New York. Running the streets leave little time for love so running into Amanda and Ashleigh was something neither men expected but was surely welcomed. An unplanned 7 day vacation and a chance encounter changes the way these women think when it comes to men. Is less than a week enough for Houston and Harlem to sweep these feisty women off of their feet? Will Amanda finally try love for a second go round? Will Ashleigh finally accept the love that she deserves?

    Teaching students to "transgress" against racial, sexual, and class boundaries in order to achieve the gift of freedom is, for hooks, the teacher's most important goal.Bell hooks speaks to the heart of education today: how can we rethink teaching practices in the age of multiculturalism? What do we do about teachers who do not want to teach, and students who do not want to learn? How should we deal with racism and sexism in the classroom?Full of passion and politics, Teaching to Transgress combines practical knowledge of the classroom with a deeply felt connection to the world of emotions and feelings. This is the rare book about teachers and students that dares to raise critical questions about eros and rage, grief and reconciliation, and the future of teaching itself."To educate as the practice of freedom," writes bell hooks, "is a way of teaching that any one can learn." Teaching to Transgress is the record of one gifted teacher's struggle to make classrooms work.–from the back of the book

    But now, they are coming the realization that happily ever after might not be attainable, or even a reality. Harlow’s dreams of walking down the aisle are shattered when a muffled gunshot forces her to question her new husband’s character. Is Drake Morgan the determined entrepreneur she thought he was or a gangster and ruthless killer? After a bout with alcoholism and an emotional breakdown, Nivea is trying to rebuild her life, but the explosive result of her child’s paternity test threatens to destroy her fragile family ties. Desperate for her new man to put a ring on it, Vangie sacrifices her morals and puts a lifelong friendship to the test. From the bestselling author of Big Juicy Lips and Double Dippin’, this edgy new novel is sure to please both Allison Hobbs fans and newcomers looking for a spicy read.

    When Wise is locked up and sentenced to fifteen years, he tells Emery to go on with her life if it’s meant to be they would get back together. Now years later Emery is happy with a career and family of her own, when Wise is released earlier than expected he sets off to do what he said he was going to do, find Emery. Emery’s heart belongs to Wise but it also belongs to her husband. Now she is forced with the hard decision to choose between the man who was there with her from the start through everything and the man who picked her up when she didn’t have anything or anybody. Who will Emery choose? Filled with sex, betrayal and drama