Big, bold, and beautiful are three adjectives that describe Erika to a tee. Named after her mother's favorite soap opera vixen, Erika Kane is self-assured, headstrong, and opinionated. But Erika is also unlucky in love. Whenever she thinks she's found everlasting love, it always ends up being short-lived--literally. She has three dead husbands to prove that point, and it has earned her the title of The Black Widow. Just when Erika is about to give up on true love, she learns that, like it does in the soaps, love sometimes shows up when you least expect it--though sometimes it can be deceiving. Once again, life has gone wrong for Artemis Clay. It seems like she's always been unlucky in love, and this time is even worse than she could imagine. Her own family looks down upon her, and everything looks hopeless. Artemis decides to leave everything behind for a last-minute getaway. While she's enjoying her newfound freedom, she comes across not one, but two reminders that maybe not all hope is lost. Is she ready to take a chance on love again?

    But as Hunter investigates, he finds the community turning against him, even as he falls deeply in love with Jade.

    Sheltered by her single mother and educated in an exclusive private school in Detroit, Grace was not ready for the harsh realities of an unforgiving world. Grace's naiveti coupled with her desire to experience life on her own terms leads her down a path of emotional devastation and physical abuse. Through a chance encounter Grace meets Mike, a successful design artist who introduces her to a relationship very different from her usual one-night-stands and affairs with married men. Things take a turn for the worse however when Grace's roommate walks in on her and her married personal trainer in their apartment. This betrayal tears apart Mike and Grace's romance and shatters the trust and friendship between Grace and Trina. In the midst of torn relationships and a life-shattering loss, Grace is left with no one to turn to except the God she thought had long since abandoned her.

    With the lack of love, dealing with rejection, bitterness and abuse Kierra and Brandon feel as though life couldn’t get any worse.Kierra is a motherless child who feels as though no one wants her. She regrets the day her mother and father conceived her. Being from a family that didn’t have much, she was determined to leave and never come back to the life she once lived. That is until she pops up pregnant from her overly possessive and abusive boyfriend, who doesn’t want her but doesn’t want anyone else to have her either. He goes through extreme measures to make sure that Kierra doesn’t get the attention she deserves from anyone else, even her best friend Brandon.Brandon comes from a family of wealth but everything that glitters is not always gold. Brandon deals with rejection from his father and although Brandon has everything he wants he still feels a void in his life. Brandon is raised in church but feels that all church is about is a fashion show and money. Brandon decides to leave his family and venture off into a world of his own, only to realize that there were some life lessons only his drunk father could teach him. Brandon ends up right back where he started; home. Kierra and Brandon are going through a lot from their youth all the way to adulthood, until a mentor steps into their life and guides them into the direction they should go. Only God can take the sting of rejection and depression and give them beauty for ashes.

    But if Mother Calloway has anything to do with it, she's going to have to go through hell first.

    But most of all, she gives thanks to God for giving her a phenomenal voice. Every time Deborah sings her heart out in church, she's transported by spiritual joy and a secret dream of superstardom that glorifies God before people all over the world. Her dream seems hopeless . . . until handsome rapper and hometown-boy-made-good Triage Blue hears her sing. With Triage's help, Deborah's demo tape lands on the desk of Lavelle Roberts, one of the R&B industry's biggest stars. Before she knows it, Deborah is hired as one of Lavelle's glamorous backup singers--and is plunged into a lifestyle far beyond her small-town ways. Under the guidance of sultry singer Phoebe Garland, Deborah finds herself at the hottest parties, wearing incredibly fancy clothes, and making more money than she'd ever thought possible. In the midst of all the excitement, she discovers thather gratitude and affection for the down-to-earth Triage is blossoming into something more. Yet in a world where having it all is never enough a

    Louis, 1975. Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church's pastor has gone on to see the King. Still, many people are wondering why he couldn't have just waited until after the Second Sunday in June-a day that's supposed to commemorate the church's 100th anniversary! It's praying time, but is anyone going to show up at the altar? Gethsemane's wealthy, conniving Deacon Cleavon Johnson is determined to have one of his own elected to the pulpit, and the rest of the deacons are at each other's throats. It's up to the women of Gethsemane to do something before time runs out. Their secret weapon? Sheba Cochran-a single mother, former disco party girl, and backslidden church member. Her assignment is to expose every slick-talking candidate endorsed by the church's power-hungry deacon. Then she meets Rev. George Wilson, a true man of God as fiery in love as he is strong in faith. As Deacon Johnson steps up his game to a lower level, Sheba, George, and the congregation must do some heaven-inspired maneuvering to save the future of...

    Wells-Barnett Tower. The place held such promise when it was built in the late 1970s. It was Harlem's hope for a new beginning -- an affordable, safe residence for people who couldn't afford to live downtown. But that was more than twenty-five years ago, before the devastating crack scourge hit. But the residents of Ida B. are resilient. They've built their own community and they look out for one another to the best of their abilities. Neighbors may argue, and even fight, but whenever one of them is in trouble, the whole building rallies around.Twenty-five-year-old Brenda Carver is a welfare mother of four children who longs to be a writer; Rosa Rivera is an aspiring actress who will let nothing stand in the way of her career; Sharif Goldsby is a political activist determined to change the world, starting with Harlem and the Ida B. There's also Miss Jackie, the middle-aged, back-stabbing gossip; Vincent, the former bank robber turned scam artist; Mrs. Harris, the elderly neighborhood fence; and high school honor student Ricky, who hopes to be one of the scramblers on the corner -- hawking crack to passersby.When a building resident kills herself and two of her children, the tenants make a collective vow to care for her surviving child.But that's just the beginning of the tragedies facing the residents of the Ida B. A shocking crime occurs in the building, and everyone becomes a suspect. With accusations flying, the tight community of the Ida B. begins to collapse under the strain. And, to top it all, they learn that their home of more than twenty years is about to be torn down.As the search for the killer intensifies, unsung heroes step forward -- at greatpersonal risk -- to right the wrongs that have been done. In Karen E. Quinones Miller's world, the people who stand out are the people who survive, and go on, against all odds, to share their wisdom and find their dreams. In a modern take on the classic sentiment, "There's no place like home," "Ida B." affirms that home is a place we love, even when it is less than perfect.

    It is only through her cake-decorating business and encouragement from her best friend that she begins to reconstruct her life, eventually realizing she has enough room in her heart to forgive him. Love-starved Toya doesn’t want to emulate others’ failed relationships. As she begins to strengthen her morals and stops seducing married men—she is surprised to discover that she shares some similarities with Amos. Tomiko is a beautiful but lonely woman. Despite having a successful career in writing, she attempts to keep aspects of herself and her past buried as a coping mechanism. However, new love reawakens her faith in both herself and men.As Cass, Toya, and Tomiko reconcile their feelings of abandonment, Amos reflects on his life and the decisions he made. And by revisiting their painful pasts, they all find ways to reconnect with each other and live with compassion.

    That's why no one is more surprised than her when she starts dating Thomas Anthony Young, the fit and handsome office heartthrob. After eight months together, Tiffany is sure that he's about to propose at any minute.Instead, she's taken off guard when they have a senseless argument. Thomas abruptly departs for a business trip, leaving Tiffany hurt and confused. In an effort to cheer herself up, she calls her friend Alicia for some company. Alicia already has plans to attend the wedding of a cousin she's not too fond of. She suggests that Tiffany go with her. They'll make a brief appearance and then spend the rest of the day together, shopping and catching up. Neither one of them is prepared for the pandemonium that breaks loose when they get to the wedding and Tiffany discovers that Thomas is the groom!

    She's forgiven him for his affair, but she won't forget, even though her heart is telling her to. Shortly after she files divorce papers, she finds out her non-profit organization is being investigated by the IRS for money laundering. In the midst of the very public scandal, Angelina becomes ill. Through financial and physical trials, she learns that faith and forgiveness may really be the cure for all that ails her, but can she forgive the people who hurt her most?Sexy, successful Dr. Gregory Preston didn't appreciate his wife when he had her. His affair with a devious man-stealer has him put out of his home and put off with women who continue to throw themselves at him. Greg wants his wife back, but he'll have to do some fancy operating to get her. When the secrets and lies from his past continue to mess up his future, Greg finds himself looking to the God he abandoned long ago for a miracle only faith can provide.Samaria Jacobs finally has the one thing she's always wanted: a man with money. The fact that she's in love with him is a bonus, but even so, life is anything but blissful. She's paying for her past sins in ways she never imagined and living in fear that the secret she's keeping will separate them forever.

     Shawn Klein has it all. The beautiful girlfriend. The scholarship to play football at Vanderbilt after he graduates high school. At eighteen, he leads worship at his father’s prosperous megachurch. His life is perfect. So why isn’t he happy? Everything changes when Shawn’s parents bring Ellie into their home to care for her until she gives birth. It’s the life with a real family that Ellie has always dreamed about, and the kind of future Shawn never knew he wanted, until Ellie’s past threatens to destroy everything. Jenny McBride has lost her faith and her reason to live in a terrible accident in Colorado Springs, but meeting the pregnant teenager, Ellie just might turn things around. When Jenny arrives in Tennessee to adopt Ellie's baby, only one thing is certain. A baby will be born, along with a crime of passion, and a desperate struggle to bury the truth.

    It is a story of temptation, love, lust, anger, and betrayal. Ms. Stimpson writes a fictional novel that is inspirational and full of hope." --Urban Reviews Sensible single mother Patricia "Peaches" Miller isn't about to follow in her mama's footsteps and become dependent on a man. But when she doesn't see eye to eye with the man she wants to marry, she knows that returning to a life of girls' nights out, retail therapy, and chocolate peanut clusters just won't do for her. Then Raphael, her son's father, steps back into the picture--and clearly his attraction to Peaches is stronger than ever. There's just one problem. Raphael has already pledged his heart to another woman.Peaches has been praying for a perfect family for a long time. Deep down she knows this can't be God's idea of an answer--but can you blame a girl for hoping? Now, as she battles with temptation, and with her faith, she's not sure which will win..."Michelle Stimpson will have you laughing, crying and relating to each of her vivid, vocal characters." --AAMBC Book Reviews "Michelle's characters always have their own vibrant personalities--this one will keep talking in your head long after the book is through!" --Kendra Norman-Bellamy

    She shut down and sold the successful movie production company they ran together and fled the country, refusing to hear his excuses. Now she is in hiding, but is she hiding something as well? Her best friend Tracie has undergone a dramatic transformation in order to elude Angelo Gonsales, head of the Internet Crime Division of the FBI. He has discovered her identity, and tracked her location. Will she be convicted of her alleged crimes? "In-Laws and Play Cousins: Three Sides to Every Story," reunites four childhood friends, brings closure to the unfortunate circumstances and renders bittersweet justice for the true villains.