Authors
Xpress Yourself Publishing is just getting started! We are building a prestigious roster of talented writers. Want to be added to this list? Do you think you have what it takes to be a best-selling author? If so, submit your manuscript today.
DARLENE
DENISE is the newest addition to XYP, with her debut novel,
Served Up on a Tray, to be released in 2009.
With twenty years of experience in entertainment, promotions, public relations, marketing and event management, Darlene has excelled as a corporate communications liaison, with extensive knowledge and a professional persona. As a charismatic, effective leader and team player, with professional communication skills, Darlene is capable of effectively providing direction in order to solve problems, exceeding marketing goals; adept at thinking outside the box. Darlene's management style is characterized by selecting the right people for the right job, avoiding micromanaging.
Functioning as promotions representative for record labels on the east coast, Darlene’s duties include retail tracking, tour support, college-level radio relations, coordinating promotions with area businesses, and the acquisition of publicity for new releases. Successfully implements numerous events, concerts, private parties, by choosing venues, coordinating event times and locations with tour managers, promoting events via local radio and press interviews, arranging for retail store promotions, and working with all branches of the company to ensure the general success of the promotion. Acts as a liaison with clients, media and venues, and works closely with creative director in artist development and marketing.
In 1990, Darlene founded six degrees mgt., an entertainment/marketing firm. Personal service and strict attention to detail has become the trademark of six degrees mgt., spreading the company’s impeccable reputation nationwide. six degrees mgt. provides an array of management services, including commercial marketing, marketing programs, event management, media relations, philanthropic consultation and personal assistance.
Currently, Darlene is the Executive Director for Big Tigger's Street Corner Foundation, working to eradicate HIV/AIDS in the community.
Versatility
was one of author S.B. Redd's strengths during his fifteen-year career
in print journalism. Although he worked primarily as a sports reporter,
he also wrote capably on topics like religion and politics as a
free-lance writer for a national magazine.
"It used to be back in the dark and dingy days of smoke-filled newsrooms
the sports reporter was regarded as your best and most versatile writer
on the staff," he says. "We were the ones who brought the action before
a reader's eyes. We were the ones whose jobs depended on meeting tight
deadlines. I think out of jealousy, a stigma was affixed to our craft. I
can't tell you how many times I was viewed as just a sports writer
when I expressed an interest in non-sports writing jobs, although I had
proven myself otherwise."
Mr. Redd's debut novel, Temptation.com, to be published by
Xpress Yourself Publishing in 2009, is a scintillating work of erotica
fiction that delves into online dating and sexual and online porn
addictions.
"I think some people who have known me
over the years may not be surprised that I would actually write a book;
they may be more surprised with the genre," he says. "I'm not going to
say writing erotica is the perfect fit for me. I will say that my print
journalism background probably helped me with the ability to write with
detail and putting the reader into certain scenes."
Mr. Redd had aspirations of becoming a sports journalist as a sixth
grader. He worked on newspaper staffs in junior high school, high school
and in college. Upon graduation from Texas Southern University, in his
native Houston, he worked for more than a decade at daily newspapers in
Texas, Florida, Virginia and South Carolina. He earned a reputation for
delivering hard-hitting and cutting-edge news stories. In 1999, he was
nationally recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors for the
best news story for all newspapers with a daily circulation of 50,001 to
150,000.
He currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina, with his family.
Visit S.B. online at www.myspace.com/maverickbooks or www.maverick-books.com.
PATRICIA
ANN BRIDEWELL was born and
raised in Los Angeles, California. A love for reading and writing began
in early childhood. Three years ago, she started attending writers’
workshops and creative writing classes, which influenced her decision to
pursue the challenge of writing her first fiction novel, Reflections of
a Quiet Storm. She is currently working on her second novel, The
Revelation of a Lover, and has also written articles related to health
education and nursing. An article entitled, Permission to Enter, was
recently published in Advance for Nurses Magazine, March 3, 2008 issue,
and another article for future publication is entitled “Different
Doesn’t Mean Odd” – A Closer Look at Autism and Early Intervention in
African American Children.
Patricia graduated from Los Angeles Southwest College with an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing; she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Cum Laude from Holy Names University, and a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Mount Saint Mary’s College. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. Honor Society of Nursing – Nu Xi Chapter at Large, and the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation. She had worked as a secretary and then in office management for over twenty years prior to becoming a nurse. Her 11-year career in nursing has been multifaceted and includes: the emergency room, medical-surgical, home health, mental health, and education. Aside from writing books, she also works as an adjunct professor of nursing for two universities in Los Angeles, CA. and is a nurse consultant and mental health nurse. Patricia is a member of West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles; she resides in Lancaster, CA. and has two adult children and one grandchild.
VICTORIA
WELLS is a Philadelphia native. In 1991 she graduated from Community
College of Philadelphia under her legal name Gaye Riddick-Burden with an
Associate Degree in Applied Sciences majoring in Nursing. She furthered
her education and went on to earn a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in
Nursing from LaSalle University.
Wells (Riddick-Burden) is employed as an adult nurse practitioner at a
center city hospital. She has dedicated her fifteen year career as a
nurse to taking care of patients with sickle cell disease.
In 2005, Wells was nominated for the Nursing Spectrum’s Nursing
Excellence Award in the category of Clinical Care for her work with
sickle cell patients. On May 10, 2005 Wells became the regional winner
of the 2005 Nursing Excellence Award in Clinical Care. On October 24,
2005, Wells was awarded the Nursing Spectrum’s National title, “Nurse of
the Year” in Clinical Care at the Chicago Ritz-Carlton. Nursing Spectrum
wrote, “Riddick-Burden is a strong advocate for patients with sickle
cell disease. She was instrumental in designing and implementing the
outpatient Sickle Cell Day Treatment Unit for these often underserved
patients. The program is driven by Riddick-Burden’s desire to provide
timely and effective care to patients with sickle cell crisis,
decreasing long waits in the ED and avoiding inpatient stays that
separates patients from their families.”
On March 19, 2006, Wells was awarded the Movers and Shakers Award
presented by the American Women’s Heritage Society, National Association
of University Women, National Association of Phi Delta Kappa, Top Ladies
of Distinction and Two Thousand African American Women. This recognition
was bestowed upon Wells because of her dedication to the nursing
profession and community outreach.
Wells has been a lover of books since childhood. As a child she would
spend hours reading. To this day reading remains a favorite pastime.
Wells’ favorite genre is African American romance.
While taking a creative writing course in college, Wells became
interested in writing. The final assignment for the course was to
rewrite the last chapter of The Color Purple. Wells received
not only an A for the assignment, but for the course as well.
Professionally, Wells has written and lectured extensively on sickle
cell disease. However, in 2005 after being encouraged by family and
friends, she decided to pick up her pen and write her first romance
novel.
A Special Summer is Wells’ first novel which she
self-published and will be re-released by XYP in 2008. Wells is married
with three children, she and her family live in the Philadelphia area.
Visit Victoria Wells online at www.victoria-wells.com.
Allyson
Deese, aka “Caramel Vixen,” is an author and a poet as well as a student
majoring in Medical Office Administration. She resides in North
Carolina. Although only in her twenties, she has been writing poetry
for most of her life and has now began penning her poetry into the pages
of her fictional stories of multiple genres. "Discovering the Joy
Within," an inspirational short story in The Triumph of My Soul (www.thetriumphofmysoul.com),
is Allyson’s first work of fiction to be published.
Allyson has written, along with her sisters of the pen, Linda R. Herman and Tinisha N. Johnson, an inspirational anthology, Somebody Prayed for Me due for release Early 2009 with XYP. www.somebodyprayed4me.webs.com
Please read more on Allyson by visiting her on my space. www.myspace.com/allysondeese
Caramel Vixen’s first short story “Ready For Love” will be featured in Shani Greene-Dowdell’s upcoming anthology Mocha Chocolate: A Taste of Ecstasy. Available March 2008. www.shanibooks.com
Caramel has completed her debut Novella “Office Affairs” which will be available soon in e-book format from Lady Leo Publishing www.ladyleopublishing.org and will be published with XYP in print late 2009.
You can also read more on Caramel Vixen works at www.myspace.com/cookie_delicious
CHLOE
R is a published author and poet. Her short stories can be
found in Erogenous Zone (Xpress Yourself Publishing),
Mental Seductions (Diva Books Publishing) and
Mocha Chocolate (Shanibooks, Inc.). Her article,
Hiding From Erotica?, is
featured in Noire Magazine and she answers the question
What Turns You On?, in the February 2008 edition of
PassionScape. Chloe's debut novel, Discovering Love, is
scheduled for release in 2009 by Xpress Yourself Publishing. For more
information, visit her at
http://www.chloewrites.com.
BABA
EVANS MOORE is an award-winning author of While the
Village Sleeps, The Pastor’s Letter, and Just A Picture in
a Frame. As the recipient of the Falcon Edge Male Taskforce’s Men
of the Millennium award, Baba is now blazing trails in family
literacy. He is a strong advocate for parents to read a variety of books
and to urge their children to read. He resides in Maryland and is
currently a Parent Educator in the DC Public School’s Toyota Family
Literacy Program.
Baba's novel, An Extraordinary Affair, will be released June 3, 2008 by XYP.
Visit Baba online at BabaEvans.com.
Lessy’B
was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She began writing in high
school, where her English teacher encouraged her to go into Journalism
because she wrote so well, but she had other career goals; well as you
can see from her work, writing has still been her passion.
Lessy’B writes about things that are near and dear to her. She has been many places and has seen many things and a lot of it is reflected in her writing. When she entered college, her major was Paralegal, but she didn’t think it was challenging enough, so she is currently working on a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Criminal Justice.
Lessy'B enjoys interior design, traveling, but mostly spending time with her family. She is also an enthusiast of fine arts, museums and plays. She has served in the military for almost twenty years and looks forward to retiring so she can pursue her passion for writing novels. She has three beautiful children, a very special guy and resides in Enterprise, AL.
John
R Williams-The Author was born and raised on the Southside of
Chicago, Illinois and is the eldest of three sons. A product of a
single parent home, John discovered a deep appreciation for the arts
at an early age through music, poetry and writing. As a child he was
exposed to both the bitter and sweet parts of life growing up in the
inner city.
Born
and raised in Sacramento, California, Robin Renee Robinson moved to LA
to pursue a career in front of the camera in the early ‘80s. Although
she had stars in her eyes, Robin was not one to waitress or to starve
for that matter, so her nine-to-five’s included stints at ABC-TV,
Lorimar Productions, Motown Productions, Eddie Murphy Productions, Wing
Records, Ivory Way Productions (Keenen Wayans production company) Sony
Pictures Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox Television. Her
duties were varied and included working in casting, creative affairs,
marketing, post and pre production, and business affairs.
After obtaining her AA from Los Angeles City College, Robin went on to USC where she majored in Broadcast Journalism. Years later, Robin reunited with USC when she was tapped to be one of fifteen (out of a field of 300) who made it into the prestigious Guy Hanks/Marvin Miller Screenwriting Program after submitting a “Wayans Brothers” (television series) spec script. Robin eventually earned her BA in Management from Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga in 2005.
Robin’s first novel: “Chocolate Lemons and Peppermint Tears: The Bittersweet Life of Xena” will be published by XYP in 2009. Initially, the first chapter “In the Beginning” was an entry in Essence’s short story contest in 1990. She didn’t win; however, that chapter evolved into the tome it is today. She has also penned teleplays, a screenplay, a stage play, an awards show, and poetry.
In December 2007, Robin completed a run in the original stage play “The Gift.” She does voiceovers, has done stand-up, is signed with Cast Images, a local talent agency in Sacramento, and she enjoys to journal; has been doing so since she was 12 years old. She is an avid reader, loves to dance, collects refrigerator magnets and will soon begin work on her next novel.
CHRIS BERMAN
resides in Saint Augustine, Florida with his wife, Lareesa Polyakova and
daughters Marina and Sabrina. Chris has an extensive background in
astronomy and is a spaceflight enthusiast; familiar with the space
programs both here in America and in Russia.
Author
HAZEL MILLS knew that she wanted to
be a writer from the moment she penned the first words of a poem titled
“A Tree” when she was in the third grade. Even though she majored in
business at the University of Alabama, writing continued to be her first
love.
Hazel’s short erotic fiction can be seen in Playgirl Magazine’s Erotic Encounters (January 2007 issue) and in Best Lesbian Love Stories: New York City, edited by Simone Thorne. Hazel also has an essay published in Jolie Dupre’s series in The Blushing Ladies Journal. PassionScape is her monthly column published online by EDC Creations and Sankofa Literary Society. She lives in the Birmingham area with her husband and children. Hazel’s debut collection of erotic Bare Necessities: Sensuous Tales of Passion will be released summer 2008 by Xpress Yourself Publishing. Visit Hazel at www.hazelmillsstories.com and on MySpace at www.myspace.com/hazelmillsstories.
PÉRON
FITZGERALD LONG was born in Rock Hill, SC, where he also
currently resides. As told to him by his mother, he has always had a
fascination with words and began to teach himself how to read and write
at age 4 and began creating stories by the age of 6.
Since college, Péron has worked mostly in the field of Social Services, as well as in the film industry as a production assistant. While working as a production assistant, he was giving the opportunity to work with some of Hollywood’s greatest actors such as Ruby Dee, Richard Roundtree, Diahann Carroll and Lonette McKee, to name a few. While working in the field of Social Services, he has worked mostly with individuals with some form of disability, which lead him to design and patent a line of clothing specifically catering to their many needs to provide comfort to some of their daily struggles.
If It Ain’t Right Its Wrong is his first published novel. Pulpit Confessions will be his first novel released by XYP!
To learn more about Péron F. Long visit: www.peronflong.com
D.L. SPARKS, author of All That Glitters, lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two kids. A passion for reading, which started at an early age, blossomed into a love of everything literary. D.L. has a monthly book review column in a local community magazine. In her spare time, D.L. enjoys spending time with her family and watching movies. She is an avid reader and a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
D.L.Sparks can be reached at: www.myspace.com/dlsparksonline or dlsparks2006@hotmail.com
LINDA
R. HERMAN resides in South Georgia with
her husband and their three kids. While raising two teens and a two year
old as well as holding down a full time job as an emergency 911 dispatcher,
this young woman makes the time to read and write.
Linda dabbles in many writing genres. She anticipates the release of her first novella, Consequences: When Love is Blind. Though a work of fiction, the novella will hopefully raise the awareness of women concerning the spread of HIV/AIDS in our community. “It’s going to take unity and a lot of faith in God to beat this deadly disease.”
Born and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin,
DELORSE A. BROWN is a wife, mother and the fifteenth of seventeen children. She
attended Beloit Memorial High and later became a single working mother. In
2000, Delorse married and continued to work for a small company until the
doors were permanently closed in 2005. During that time, she became a
full-time housewife, and decided to take up the hobby of writing. Her debut
novel, All or Nothing, will be released in 2008.
TINISHA
NICOLE JOHNSON lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and two
children. She began writing as a hobby at the age of eleven-mostly poetry,
which in later years turned into short stories and then novels.
Searchable Whereabouts is not her first novel, however, it is the first
to be published. Some of her poetry can be displayed on the following site:
www.poetrypoem.com/poetrytnj.
Additionally, Tinisha writes articles for a local urban community magazine, Denver’s Finest Underground. She published a short story entitled, Mother and Son Moment, in the Chicken Soup for the African American Soul in 2004. Lastly, she holds an Associates Degree in Paralegal and a Bachelors Degree in Business Management.
When Tinisha isn’t writing, she spends time with her family and friends, likes to travel and both her and her husband run a business together.
NATAKI A. SUGGS
is the author of
A Life Beyond Limits: Overcoming Private
Pain, a wife and mother of two. Born and raised in the metropolitan
Washington, DC area, Suggs began writing at a young age. By the age of
eleven, she had already won first place in a poetry writing contest. When
the prime of adolescence hit Suggs’ life, some experiences halted her knack
for writing. However overcoming these same trials caused her to remember and
rebirth her passion for writing.
Over the years, Suggs has used her writing as a therapeutic expression. Her poetry cries out to those who feel as if they are alone in their struggles and attempts to give them feelings of hope and freedom. Although she doesn’t hold a formal degree, she believes that overcoming trials are her greatest achievements. Through her works, it is her goal to invoke change in people’s lives.
In her spare time, she reads motivational books. She also finds time to volunteer for Hospice. Since another one of her passions is youth, she is currently a substitute teacher at Laurel High School of Prince George’s County, Maryland. In the midst of everything in her life, she always gives credence to the Lord Jesus Christ because without Him, she knows that she wouldn’t have a story to tell, a poem to write, or a life to live.
MIA A. MOORE
grew up in Illinois approximately thirty miles west of Chicago. She studied
English literature at the University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a
Bachelors of Arts on Mother’s Day. While caring for her young family, she
continued her studies at the university, attending graduate school and
teaching undergraduate English composition.
Mia has been making up and writing stories of love and romance since as long as she can remember. She has always had a passion for literature, writing, communication, rhetoric, and language. Even though, it may seem as if she was always destined to traverse the path of the romance writer, her vision was not always so clear when it came to her destiny. Recent life changes, like Lasik, has brought destiny in clear, full focus. Mia is ready and it is on! Her debut novel, Tonight I Give In, will be released June 2007 by Xpress Yourself Publishing, and she is currently working on her second novel.
As a writer, she endeavors to create well-developed, multi-layered stories of love and romance with believable human beings at the center. Mia writes novels with perfectly flawed, round, dynamic characters located within the framework of emotionally complex storylines, defined by friendship, romance, intimacy, sensuality, passion, and love. She desires to entertain with engrossing stories in which the reader will become emotionally invested, free of gratuitous drama—drama just for the sake of drama without a well-constructed purpose. Her ultimate goal is to make you laugh, cry, think, and believe.
On a personal note, Mia loves spending time with her family. When she is not writing, her interests include reading, shopping, cooking, and volunteering. She also likes listening to music, playing an occasional video game, and watching sports. Mia is an avid sports fan. During March Madness, she is seriously into “bracketology” and practically sequesters herself at game time (there really is nothing like the tournament). Her favorite channel is the NFL Network. Mia really loves football like a man, but truly appreciates certain aspects of the game like a woman.
KENDA
BELL is an ESSENCE Best Selling author and a self-described cultural sociologist who loves
to dictate the unspoken words of the heart for the masses, with
creativity along with a large helping of sass. She is a member
of the Baltimore Urban League and is active in various
community-based activities for women and children. She is
currently researching and interviewing for a non-fiction version
of For Every Love There Is a Reason, tentatively titled
For Every Love There Is a Reason: Issues of The Hearts.
She has been published in Baltimore Magazine and Honey Magazine.
Currently an online columnist at www.mahoganybutterfly.com,
she resides in Baltimore, Maryland with her king in training,
Keegan.
When Kenda is not writing, or driving her publisher crazy (love yah), she enjoys exploring the world with all five senses to learn and grow. She also is a closet TV junkie who O.D.s on anything from reality television to the History Channel. She can be reached at kb621@aol.com or www.myspace.com/foreverylove. Visit Kenda online at www.kendabell.com.
Kenda's debut novel,
For
Every Love There Is A Reason will be released February 14, 2007.
MICHAEL J.
BURT is a native of Washington, DC, and the author of Experience
Is Impossible Without a
Love Changes will be released February 5, 2007!
MAKENZI was born
and raised in Cleveland, Ohio but has relocated to Norfolk,
Virginia. She majored in Business and has worked in the
financial industry for several years. She has only been writing
for three years and since then she has produced two fiction
novels,
That's How I Like It! and the follow-up
Dangerously, to be released by Xpress Yourself Publishing
September 15, 2006.
Makenzi is a member of VYSS whose mission is: "To promote, stimulate and motivate the creativity and vision of African American females."
As
a respected poet, writer and author on the
Philadelphia spoken word scene, ESSENCE Best Seller and Award-Winning
author, BILL HOLMES has
touched many souls through his creative endeavors
by striving towards excellence in everything he does.
His
performances have captivated many audiences
through his unique style of humor, insight, spirituality,
pride, and most importantly, love and appreciation of
a woman. His work has been featured in The Philadelphia Tribune, Essence
Magazine, the spoken word CD Urban Assault, and the anthology
Mine Eyes Have Seen Into the Millennium. Holmes' debut novel,
One Love,
is now available!
JESSICA
TILLES is a best-selling author,
publisher of
Xpress Yourself Publishing, LLC and
founder of
The Writer's Assistant. A native of Washington, DC, she is a
creative writer in all genres of fiction, with several titles in print:
Anything Goes,
In My Sisters' Corner,
Apple Tree,
Sweet Revenge,
Fatal Desire, Unfinished
Business, editor of the best-selling anthology,
Erogenous Zone: A Sexual Voyage,
and contributing author of "Julian's Grace" to
The Triumph of My Soul
edited by Elissa Gabrielle.
Listed in Heather Covington’s Top 100 Literary Divas, Jessica remains humble in her literary endeavors and continues to assist authors with the business of self-publishing through The Writer’s Assistant.
As publisher of Xpress Yourself Publishing (affectionately known as XYP), she is helping to mold the literary careers of 23 talented authors, which includes two ESSENCE Best Sellers, an award-winning author, several award nominees, and a finalist for the 2008 NAACP Image Award nomination in the Best Debut Novel category. Annually, XYP publishes 10 to 20 titles.
Visit Jessica Tilles online at www.jessicatilles.com.