CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS Review

While I was at Lackland Air Force Base I had the pleasure of meeting Cynthia. She was very nice, and proved it by purchasing a copy of Casting Down Imaginations. :-) She liked the book so much that she wrote a review about it in her newsletter, Writers' Wire. (Female writers , you may want to subscribe. I did!!!)

A nice portion of Cynthia's review of the book is below. You can read the full review on my Amazon.com page.

Casting Down Imaginations is a "niche" book on the surface. The author is young, black, and fairly traditional in her views. That didn't slow me down much - I'm a big fan of Amy Tan, and I'm not Chinese-American. Good women writers sail across ethnic borders without ever slowing down. Behind the conflict between Tan's traditional Chinese mothers and their modern American daughters is the same loving wrangling of my own experience, as a daughter and a mother. And the struggles of the main characters in Casting Down Imaginations were startlingly familiar to my 19-year-old self, who's still here somewhere, even after nearly 40 years.

Both girls are headed for college. Karen, still dealing with the painful aftermath of her adolescent rebellion, is determined to do well, stick to her principles, and come out on top. Anaya doesn't yet have the wildness out of her system - she can't wait to get away and do as she pleases without limits. (Been there, done that, wore out the T-shirt!)

Ultimately, both women find paths to success, but "success" isn't what either of them initially envisioned. Family drama, internal and interpersonal conflict, and crises of faith test them both; growing up isn't easy for these young women. LaShanda makes their stories real. The dialogue flows so naturally the reader can hear it - a couple of phrases have started to creep into my own middle-aged-white-woman vocabulary. (Insert blushing smiley face here. I sometimes feel a tad silly when I open my mouth and a 20-year-old pops out.) The girls and their families are all beautifully imperfect people; an old boyfriend is an endearing jerk; the right thing to do is sometimes clear as mud, and at other times quite obvious and apparently unattainable. It's life as we know it...

You can follow Cynthia on her blog, Pedal On Regardless, and on LinkedIn.  

Introducing THE DORKISS WAY

            I am so excited about the upcoming release of my novel The Dorkiss Way. As the first of May approaches, I get even more eager to sign the first copy and hand it over to one of my faithful readers. I’m so giddy with happiness that it is finally about to be in print, it’s almost impossible not to smile.

            This book is by far the most challenging piece I have ever written to date. The storyline alone was enough to keep me up at night writing and rewriting and rewriting and rewriting. The characters are more honest than any I’ve ever been given the privilege to present.

            The main character is a woman in her late twenties who has had horrible luck with men. She, like a lot of women, dreams of getting married, and feels the pressure to do so quickly now that she is close to turning thirty years old. Without giving away too much of the juicy plot, (and trust me, it is juicy!), she meets a Christian relationship coach who introduces her to Christ and the ways of the Lord, which includes celibacy until marriage. The new way of life proves to be adventerous as she is forced to deal with her past in order to embrace her future.

            I’m sure you understand my excitement now. The Dorkiss Way will be out only in a few short months. I’ll be sure to keep you all posted!

Love and Blessings,

LaShanda Michelle  

Yes, JESUS Loves YOU!!!

Standing on THIS Promise

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint. ~Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

Don't Worry