I just wanted to share a few tips today about blogging with those of you who struggle with it. I’ve spoken with several authors who don’t blog often. They state that their blogging is inconsistent because of their schedules, lack of material, or they just don’t think about it.

Blogging can kinda be like your own diary that you share with the world. Whatever is in your heart or spirit that you want to share, go for it. People will like it or not.

Topics:

1. Get an idea of what you want to blog about and create your blog around that topic. The graphics, design, and content should support this idea. Whether it’s fashion, hair, DIY house ideas, crafting, or writing…go for what you love to make it passionate and fun.
   
   
2. Writing about something because it’s trendy or what others believe you should write about won’t work. Unfortunately, you will begin to view it as a chore. Your lack of enthusiasm about your topic will show in the writing. When you write about what you love, others will be engaged. Enthusiasm can be contagious! J
   
   

Example:

1. My content tends to follow a general flow. Every Monday is Motivational Monday Moment, where I share quotes focused on inspiration or motivation.
   
   
2. Tuesdays are Tête-à-Tête Tuesdays with Tyrone. One of my characters from The House of BeJeweled series, dishes on the other characters, haircare tips, and all other things that happen in the salon.
   
   
3. Wednesdays are writer Wednesdays where I share an excerpt from my novels, or invite other authors to share their posts.
   
   
4. Thursdays are generally thankful or throwback Thursdays. I express my gratitude about different subjects, or reflect on a particular year. However, I am capable of discussing some topic that I either rant about or just sharing what’s on my heart.
   
   

Schedule:

1. Look at your schedule and plan a time to sit down and write your blog posts. Stick to this particular schedule until it becomes routine/habit. The more often you stick to it and do it, you will begin to find it’s easier to flow.
   
   
2. Allow flexibility when necessary, but don’t change up your schedule too much. If you do, you’ll find yourself making excuses for not blogging.
   
   

Example:

1. I sit down every Friday afternoon and create my content for the next week’s blog posts. I have them scheduled to automatically post each morning at 6 AM.
   
   
2. If something pops up preventing me from creating my posts on Friday, I sit down Sunday afternoon and plan out my content.
   
   

Supporters:

1. It’s important to visit other blogs, and make that a part of your routine. Perhaps, a few times a week you can visit a few other blogs and leave comments. It doesn’t have to be a long dissertation, but leave a comment.
   
   
2. Your name will be linked to your website or whatever other address you have it set up to go to (e.g., blog, Google+, etc.). This will cause other bloggers to come back and visit you. I’ve not been consistent with this lately, but I’m working on it.
   
   
3. My old blog Writing My Dreams, gained just over a hundred supporters (not a lot, but…) by the work that I put in when I visited other blogs. I have to get back to doing that with this new blog.
   
   

Example:

1. I visit two-three blogs every two days and read the content. I randomly scroll through to find something that is interesting to me and pay them a visit. I read their content and leave a little comment. This usually takes about twenty minutes of my time, depending on how long their post is.
   
   

Share the Love:

Leave a comment at the end of each of your posts inviting your readers to leave a comment, follow your blog, or share your content.

Want to read more tips or share some of your own? Leave a comment to share. And simply follow this blog by clicking the Follow, Subscribe, or Email links in the upper right panel.

Hey Fabulous People! It's me Tyrone on this Terrific Tuesday and wait til you see what I've got in store for you!

So, hair is my specialty love, and I just adore my natural sisters. And I love it even more when they become bold and daring and take things over the edge. And today, the diva (Chelle Ramsey) that hosts this blog, and allows me to guest post on Tuesdays has done just that. Today this fierce sista has taken a bold step, in a direction I never thought she would.

She's gone natural twice in the past. The last time she went natural, her hair was thick, healthy, and beautiful. Against my direct orders, she decided to put that chemical madness back in her hair. Don't get me wrong, boo...she was gorgeous with the perm, but me and her husband told her it was no good. But, honey, she don't listen to no one, except them crazy voices in her head.

Long story short, it started breaking off...Chelle decided to go back natural using the braiding method again. She quickly got tired of braids this time, and said, hey...let's get natural the easier way.

Alright girlfriends, check out Chelle's journey below...

Okay baby dolls. She obviously couldn't make up her mind in the past about what to do, but now she's got to ride this one out. Are you ready folks? Girlfriends...it's time for the big reveal...

Alright girlfriends! You know what it is...I gotta get back to making that money. So, if you need your 'do did, call Tyrone! My card's below.

For more fabulous posts, inspiration, reveals, novel sneak peeks and more, follow this blog. Simply click the "Follow," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right panel.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” Rabindranath Tagore  

We often connect clouds with storms, thunder, rain, lightening, tribulation and trials. But this does not have to always take on a negative connotation. When adversity and trials come, we are to embrace the challenge with a positive attitude. I’m not saying that you’re supposed to jump up and down when it comes, or have that “I can’t wait until trials come my way attitude.” However, I am saying that you can embrace the change by having a different perspective on life’s trials.

James 1:2-4 encourages you to consider it joy when you face adversity. During these times your faith is being tested, which will lead to perseverance. And when that part of the test has been completed, you've grown, matured and you're completed...ready to move on to the next test.

Diverse trials in our lives come to mold, grow and shape us. They come to test our faith. However, the testing adds to the beauty of who we are, and our life experiences. When we come out refined as gold, we’re more stable in our emotions, persistent in our stance, and we’re stronger in our spirit and faith. The test allows us to share our testimony down the road with someone who may be experiencing a similar trial. Finally, God gets the glory in the end.

Have a motivated, faith-filled week.

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It's my baby boy's 14th birthday! We call him "Beast." For those of you who've been following me since my other blog, you know my family go by X-Men names. Well, today I'm sending a shout-out to a very special young man!

He's full of positive energy, supports others, works hard to remain on honor roll since elementary school, believes he can do everything and anything he puts his mind to, and he's truly got the love of God on the inside of him!

Help me give a warm birthday wish and birthday love to my baby boy!

Today's #throwbackthursday post comes from September 2012, when I first hopped on the road to the journey of being an indie author. At the time I was visiting Chicki Brown's blog and she spotlighted me in the post below.

Many things have changed since the time of this post. However, two of the major things were my name, I dropped the first initial and begin using the name everyone calls me, "Chelle." And I have pulled Reflections of Promises from the bookshelves. It is undergoing major editing and will have a new cover, as well. In the meantime, enjoy this post from Sister Scribbler.

READ ON...

Right now I am under the gun to wrap up Ain't Too Proud to Beg and get it to my editor, and I'm frighteningly behind. So...I've asked some of my writer friends, new and old, to visit and share something about their books. From now until November, you will meet some wonderful people and learn about some fabulous stories.

Today, I am so happy to welcome C. Michelle Ramsey.

C. Michelle Ramsey writes fiction stories that delve into the inner soul of a woman: her deepest secrets; her wildest dreams; and her darkest fears. She has a passion for creating works of art that entertain and take readers on an emotional roller coaster ride.
Ramsey is a native of Atlanta, GA where she currently resides with her husband and three children. She enjoys reading various fiction genres especially mysteries. A passionate NBA fan, she reserves a special place in her heart for the Los Angeles Lakers. “Reflections of Promises” is her first published novel. She is currently preparing the release of her second novel: “Real Secrets” in the fall of 2012.

 REFLECTIONS OF PROMISES EXCERPT 

Patricia laid her lime green Gucci bag on the table.  Sitting her car keys next to the bag on the table in the foyer, Patricia began to riffle through the stack of letters that she had gotten out of the mailbox.  The fourth letter drew her interest and immediate attention.  Written in a rushed and somehow distantly familiar handwriting, was her name and address and at the top where the return address should have been it was blank.  However, she saw that the postmark was from Atlanta.  She never received any mail from Atlanta here at the house, it was always sent to her Post Office Box, so her curiosity was aroused.  Tossing the other letters down next to her purse, she sat on the chair next to the table and slipped one Orange Opal manicured fingernail under the envelope’s seal to begin opening it.

Trisha,
        It’s been so long and I hate to disturb your new life, but there is a crisis at home and we can no longer manage without you.  I have been able to do this for a while but I can’t keep on.  The Lord is calling me home with Him and I am tired and anxious to be there. I tried to think of other alternatives, but you were my only choice.  I hope this situation doesn’t bring you grief in your new life but we desperately need you here.  Not more money, but we need you.  I’m tired baby.
Your Loving Mama

No!!!!!! This couldn’t be happening, not now. Jared’s and her marriage was already strained and she had been contemplating a separation. However, she did not want a divorce but she knew that their marriage could not endure this. The lies that she had told, the affairs that he had had and coldness she had exerted towards him had done enough devastation. There was no way that they would endure under this new pressure. She would call Mama from a phone booth.  Mama didn’t have her number and she didn’t know how she had gotten her address. 

Everything to do with home was sent to her P.O. Box that Jared didn’t know about.  If she called home from the house or her cell phone, he would surely see it on the phone bills. He was under the illusion that she no longer had any ties to Atlanta after the death of her grandparents. Picking up her keys from the table, she stuffed the letter in her handbag and began heading out the door just as Jared pulled up. Oh, God, not now, she thought. 

Sometimes we make choices to avoid drama in life. But what happens when the road we take to avoid it becomes the road that brings us face to face with it? Reflections of Promises is a tale of deception and betrayal that invokes passions deep within from page 1. When foundations are built on untruths, and cover-up, can everything that appears to be solid still stand?  

Enjoyed this #throwbackthursday post? Get more like them by joining this blog. Simply click Follow, Subscribe or Email links in the upper right panel. Can't wait to see you around here.

About the Author:

Té Russ found solace in reading at an early age and a vehicle which broadened her horizons. As an adolescent she used writing to express her unspoken words. Since then, she has gone from writing stories in diaries to attending college for journalism and falling in love, which has allowed those youthful words of love to blossom into a series of stories in her romance novels. This Texas wife and mother of three can be found reading, skydiving, cheering for her MMA fighting husband at, buzzing down the interstate on the back of motorcycles, or kayaking.

CONNECT WITH TE:

www.terussnovels.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/TeRussNovels(Page)

www.facebook.com/TeRussAuthor 

www.twitter.com/TeRussNovel

www.instagram.com/TeRussNovels

terussnovels@gmail.com


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Hey, baby dolls! It’s your best stylist…Tyrone! Yes, ma’am it’s another Tête-à-Tête Tuesday with Ty!

Everybody always got something to say about me and B.A.D. gossiping. For those of ya’ll that don’t know, B.A.D. are our two older stylists, who love to gossip. That would be Belinda and Darla. But the way I figure it is, if you don’t want us talking ‘bout you, then keep your drawers up, legs closed and business to yourself!

Mm-hmm. Cuz when you run around doing dirt it’s gon’ get out. And if I say your slip is showing, boo…you betta check yourself.

Miss Nikki keep running to Ms. O complaining about everybody in her business. Then don’t come up in the salon using black and blue make-up, sweetie. Look, I’m the first one to tell you, ain’t no man got no right to put his hand on a woman. I know I ain’t letting none put they hands on me. Cuz I got something for you, if you try this diva!

But somebody please tell me how she gon’ keep coming to work, all beat up trying to cover it up with makeup, scarves, and long sleeves. Honey, that man is a drunk until the end of time and he ain’t caring nothing ‘bout her. I don’t know why she stay in that marriage. They ain’t got no kids, he ain’t got no job, and they ain’t got no love. Cuz love don’t hurt, baby!

I can’t count the number of times, Mrs. Darla, Ms. Belinda, Rory and me have said something to her about it. Not to mention, honey, I know for a fact Mrs. O have said something. She won’t front her out, but she won’t let something like that pass either.

But every time somebody says something, she wanna get defensive or lie about it. Why she taking up for that monster? Baby, it couldn’t be me. I’d like to meet him on the street…I’d whip his…giiirrrlll!!! He ain’t got nothing coming for this beast. But then again I’ve learned with age, some battles you just can’t fight. I can’t do nothing for her, if she sitting here denying it. She’d be one of those chicks to go to court and pretend like I jumped her husband for no reason. And I ain’t going to jail for nobody!

So, when you get mad about somebody gossiping about you…all I say is keep your business behind closed doors, don’t hang your dirty laundry on the line to be aired, and pull that slip up girlfriend!

Well, it’s been real, it’s been fabulous, but this divas got some dollars to clock! If you need your ‘do did, call me. You know the number. I’m at The House of BeJeweled. Oh, yeah, boo…pick up your copy now of one and two.

 Book 1_BeJeweled: The Flight of An Angel

Book 2_BeJeweled: What A Tangled Web We Weave

Enjoyed Tyrone's rant? Join the blog and get more gossip on Tuesdays. Simply click the Follow, Subscribe, or Email links in the upper right panel. I can't wait to see you.

Prayer is the conduit that connects us to the heart of God. Dr. Richard Leaphart

Two weeks ago my Pastor made this statement. As I listened to his message I began to think about my prayer life, and how I pray about everything and in every situation. I don’t often hear God’s response when I think I should, but as I continued to listen to Pastor’s message, I began to think about what I was doing wrong.

I pray and I spend time with God in the morning before I start my day and then again at the end of the day. I pray small prayers throughout the day. However, I came to the realization that I do a lot of talking and seldom sit still and listen to God’s heart.

Why? Because I’m an impatient, unorganized, crazy scheduled person. What I got from his entire message was that I need to be still and listen sometimes. After I pray, I can’t just get up and leave, but find the time to hear God, as well. Just as I have a conversation with people in life, I have to be prepared to hear what He has to say, as I hear what others have to say.

Not staying and listening can be a selfish aspect of my character. I want to be heard, but I don’t want to hear. Scratch that, I want to hear. I just don’t want to have to wait. And that’s a problem, because I’m on His time, He isn’t on mine.

Yes, I quite often asked Him to guide me and show me how I can bless others throughout my day. I asked Him to teach me how to do His will and lead others to Him. My prayers aren’t always of the “gimme factor.” But I quite often pray for others, and pray for His guidance and His will. But I wasn’t listening so that I could know what His will was, or where His guidance would leave me.

I was a selfish, all-about me, lover in my love affair with God. I wanted His heart focused on me, but my heart was not completely focused on His wants, His needs, or His desires. My words were saying one thing, but my actions were showing another.

Throughout the last week, I begin to be still and pay attention the way I used to when I first fell in love with God. And the more I stayed still, the more patient I became, the more OUR communication improved. It was no longer a one-sided love affair.

Prayer is an invocation, meditation, contemplation, imploration, an appeal, and so much more. Prayer is a dialogue (interchange, conversation, discussion) and a relationship with our Heavenly Father. It has the power to change our hearts, and revolutionize our lives! Prayer gives us strength, comfort, and power for living a righteous life both in the natural and the spiritual.

But to get the best out of our prayer life, we must set aside committed, undisturbed, and distraction-free time to spend with Him. We must care about His heart, willing to hear what lies on His heart. He wants more than a one-sided, lop-sided, love affair with His children. He wants all or nothing.

Do you give Him the best that you’ve got?

Have a blessed, prayer-filled, fully balanced love affair week.

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It's a wonderful writer Wednesday and today I'm excited to host my first guest author here on The Beautifully Inspired Blog. My dear friend and fellow writer's group member, Chicki Brown is here to heat up the pages with her thoroughly anticipated release, book four in the Stafford Brothers series, I'm Losing You. So, pull up a seat, chill out with your favorite reading device, and a cup of your favorite sipping beverage, and read on.

**WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS CONTENT ONLY SUITABLE FOR ADULTS. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Blurb:

Dr. Vic Stafford has an enviable career, a gorgeous wife, and two handsome, well-behaved sons. He travels extensively without his family, but after twelve years of marriage, former beauty queen wife, Ramona has become cold and distant. He suspects all isn’t as it seems and sets out to discover what is behind her attitude change.

Ramona Stafford has lived a privileged life since her marriage to Vic. She spends her time doing charity work and making her husband, who is now the chief of surgery at the largest hospital in the south, look good. Mona has everything most women would kill for, but it’s not enough. She wants more, and Vic seems unable to give it to her.

Is money and status enough to keep their marriage alive?

EXCERPT:

Mona made sure the boys showered and got ready for bed before she returned to the master bedroom where Vic was watching TV. He didn’t say a word to her while she searched through her dresser for something to sleep in, but she felt his gaze on her. If only Maite wasn’t occupying the pool house, she’d go out there and spend the night. He obviously wasn’t leaving their bedroom. Once she chose an unsexy baseball-style nightshirt and retrieved a tube of make-up remover from the bathroom, she went down the hall to one of the guestrooms. No one had slept in the room since houseguests visited last year.

Mona undressed, removed her make-up and crawled into the bed. Sometime later, after she’d given up on squeezing her eyes shut and trying to make sleep come, she sensed she was no longer alone. When she turned over and blinked, she saw Vic standing just inside the doorway, his tall form just barely illuminated by the light from the hall. She cringed. Was he actually coming to continue their argument? God, she was still livid from their earlier confrontation. Rather, he surprised her when he wordlessly moved toward the bed, pulled back the covers and slid in beside her without a word.

“Vic, this isn’t–” she started to protest until he pulled her into his arms and his mouth came down on hers in a punishing kiss. As much as she wanted to refuse, the force of his kiss and the urgent hardness pressed against her stomach rendered her incapable. It had been months since he’d made love to her, and she couldn’t resist him. She didn’t want to resist him. The satin smoothness of his skin and the fragrance of his signature cologne, combined with a scent which was uniquely Vic, never failed to arouse her. Her hands roamed over his shoulders and back of their own accord. When they reached the elastic waistband of his briefs, her anger over his questions about Rayvon melted away. He moaned when she slipped her fingers under the band and ran her hands over the firmness of his butt then rolled onto his side and undid the buttons down the front of her nightshirt. Automatically, she rose up so he could get it over her shoulders and arms. As soon as he tossed it onto the floor, his mouth left a searing trail of kisses down her neck and finally to her breasts where he lingered.

Damn him! He knew what she loved and what made her crazy. The sound of him sucking at her nipples sent an automatic signal to her legs to open wide. No matter how wildly she wriggled her hips, he angled his body away from her so his erection pressed against her thigh and not where she wanted it most.

Finally, he tested her readiness with two of his long expert fingers then growled against her ear, “You’re so wet, you can’t tell me you don’t want this.”

Cursing herself for her weakness, all she could do was purr and mimic the movement of his fingers with her hips. It felt so good, and it had been so long since they had been together. She closed her eyes and imagined her body floating on the wave of rhythm he’d created. When he raised his body above her and lifted one of her legs onto his shoulder, it was clear he wasn’t getting ready to be gentle. He plunged into her in one hard stroke, going so deep she uttered a loud gasp and hooked her other leg behind his. For a moment, the force of his strokes shocked her. With each one, he sank into her then withdrew almost all the way. Her hips lifted off the mattress to keep him from leaving her body. Rough lovemaking wasn’t typical for him, but it excited her so much, she dug her nails into his shoulders and surrendered to his passion.

Every time she tried to kiss him, he pulled back, and when he sensed she was on the verge of climax, he withdrew and took his time changing their position. Finally, after he’d done this three or four times, he flipped her over, wedged a pillow under her hips and pinned her hands against the mattress so she couldn’t move from beneath him. In all the years they’d been together, Mona couldn’t ever remember him being so aggressive. He was so hard he didn’t even need to guide himself into her. Doing it this way put him at the perfect angle to hit her spot. Vic knew her body so well. A few short minutes later, his name filled the room as she screamed her release. In a few seconds, he uttered a roar unlike anything she’d ever heard from him. Thankfully, the boys’ rooms were at the opposite end of the floor.

When it was all over, Vic didn’t pull her back against him so they could spoon the way they used to. He fumbled around on the floor with one arm for his briefs then sat up and pulled them on. He got up and glared down at her with such a cold look in his eyes it sent a chill down her back. “He’ll never be able to make you scream like that.” He walked out leaving her body still quivering and her mouth unable to form any comprehensible words.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY:

Kindle - http://amzn.to/1KMoCXi

Coming soon to Kobo and in paperback on CreateSpace.com


CONNECT WITH CHICKI BROWN ONLINE:

Blog: http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/@Chicki663 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/chicki663/

Amazon Central Author Page: http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/qcsiMD

Heeeyyyy!!! It's Tuesday and honey I'm back!!! And I'm calling somebody out today. Baby, I don't usually put my clients on front street. But when they scheming and scandalous, I just call it like I see it.

I trust my people to be who they say they gon' be. So, if you keep it one hundred, then that's what I expect from you. If you lie and cheat, then that's what I expect from you. And if you scandalous, then honey, I don't expect nothing less.

I treat some people with a long-handled spoon. That spoon sometimes don't go far enough. Ms. O's heart is too trusting and too kind. When we having a staff meeting at the salon, that means it's for staff only, boo! Not you. So, don't go showing up an hour early when you know you ain't got no business being there. Especially when your only reason is to find out any bit of gossip you can.

It's bad enough when you just being straight nosy. But when you put everybody else's business on blast...baby, you scandalous!

My client, Ame was pretty new to the shop. One of my other divas recommended her and I had been doing her hair for a short while. But it was something 'bout that child I didn't trust. I don't know if it was those little beady eyes, or that sneaky smile. Ms. O on the other hand always being cool and looking out for people.

So, Ame come showing up at the salon early one day, knowing she wasn't supposed to be there 'til an hour later. Ms. O kind enough to let her sit inside instead of leaving her out in the parking lot. Some drama break out on the team...and when I say drama...honey ain't nothing betta than a hood rat fight!

But it's cool cuz we keep our dirty laundry in our own basket. So, somebody please tell me why in the hell we see all this drama on Instagram, YouTube and all them other sites. Girlfriend, it was a hot, funky mess! These two ratchet heffas up here fighting and acting a fool, hair ain't on point, weave ain't popping, and this ghetto fool done went and posted it out there for the world to see! Then had the nerve to link it back to the salon's website.

Ame, you know who you are! And I'm coming for ya, boo! Don't let me catch you in downtown Atlanta. It's gon' be on. Trust me...this six foot three diva gon' be waiting!

Sorry 'bout that. Ya'll know I don't like getting ghetto. But, sometimes people make me just go there. And then her video went viral. Now Ms. O's dreams of opening a second salon, just might not happen.

I'm not telling. Check it out for yourself. BEJEWELED: WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE

In the meantime, if you need your do did, give me a call. My card's below. Oh, and if you see that chick Ame, or know where she's at, call me. Ame, I got these posters on every light pole, every telephone, and every tower downtown. I'm looking for you! Oh, they're in Decatur, too!

TaTa For Now!
Ty

It's a Sanctified Sunday Sampler. We're taking a look into Nikki's woes. What happens when you don't have a personal relationship with God? What happens when you question His very existence? Will He hear your prayers?

An Excerpt from BeJeweled: What A Tangled Web We Weave

Chapter: Prayers Unheard

Read On...

Her shoulders shook with anguish as she contemplated the day. Her simple decision to enjoy a day to herself had turned into a nightmare. The entire salon crew had witnessed her husband’s drunken rage and her subsequent embarrassment. Wesley had been hurt by her decision to go after her husband and refuse his assistance. And she knew her husband was livid and wanted nothing more at the moment than to place his fingers around her neck and squeeze tightly and slowly.

Nikki wondered if Carlos had seen her with Wesley and drawn his own crazy conclusion. She wondered if he had seen Wesley preparing to defend her honor. Maybe that’s why he was so angry, she thought. No one had ever given him a chance to explain himself, and they definitely had not given the two of them the chance to talk. Who did they think they were, anyway? This was her life, and no one had to live it but her.

Nikki sunk down on her knees the way she had seen her own mother do and clasped her hands together. She sighed, feeling stupid for talking to someone she could not see. She decided to pray inside of her head.

Lord, are You real? Do You hear me? Cuz if You are, how come You’re never there for me? I mean…I know Mama, Mrs. O, and Wes believes in You, but I don’t know what to think. I mean, I feel like I’m still being punished. Okay, so I got pregnant at 16 and dropped out of school and had an abortion. But if You know anything, You know it was for the best. With Mama working two jobs to take care of me and my sister, Yamile, I couldn’t bring a child in on her. She could barely take care of us. Besides, I was wild back then and I didn’t know who the father was. But I’ve changed now, I’m not the same person I used to be. So why are You still punishing me for that? Why is my life such a disaster? All I ever wanted was to be loved. This was not the life I envisioned for myself. I wanted a husband and children and a normal life. I didn’t want all this violence. I’m so tired of it. So tired. Why can’t You just make Carlos okay again? Why can’t You help us have a normal life? Why did You give us so much pain, God?

Nikki shed the tears that had built up throughout the years, tears no one had ever seen, not even her husband. Tears for a pregnancy she had terminated, tears for her past promiscuous behavior, tears for a failed marriage, and tears for lost hopes and dreams.

Grab your copy of BeJeweled: What A Tangled Web We Weave today.

Today's #tbt post is a re-post from Writing My Dreams. We're traveling back to 2002. Read on...

A warm spring night in May 2002, surrounded by a hundred of our closest country music loving, boot stompin', hillybilly blues singing friends. My husband's work terminal had just won an all expense paid trip to Gatlinburg, TN. In a safety competition, the national company had offered it up as a prize to the terminal with the least safety violations. And the Cincinnati terminal with my husband at the helm of safety awareness, won!  We entered a karaoke club where everyone was turning those bottles up, and singing to the top of their lungs. We weren't drinkers...those people who only drink on special occasions (New Years Eve...and nothing else).

But that night I had an Amaretto Sour (my fave), and he had a gin and juice. At the urging of the crowd, my baby decided to go up on the stage and sing "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. Well at least that's who we thought sung it, that's the only version we'd ever heard. He loved that song and he could rip it in a heartbeat. But as he cleared his throat (and eyes)...and held that microphone up close, out came a pouring of hillbilly music. Huh? Since when did Otis do country? WTH? He tried desperately to make it through that song to that beat, and it wasn't working for him. He wasn't feeling it, so he asked the DJ if they had Otis' version, they had no clue what he was talking about. So my baby did what only he can do...pulled up his britches, put on that wonderful smile, and that glisten in his eyes, and belted out his favorite song to a country tune. And boy did he jam!   

2002 FUN FACTS
Average Cost of new house $228,700.00 
Average Median Income $42,409.00Average Cost of a Gallon of Gas: $1.61
Kelly Clarkson wins first American Idol contest 

2002 BIG NEWS EVENTS: 
Pennsylvania miners rescued after spending 77 hours in a dark, flooded mine shaft (July 28). 
Snipers prey upon DC suburbs, killing ten and wounding others (Oct. 2–24).
Police arrest two sniper suspects, John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo (Oct. 24) 
The No Child Left Behind Act is passed and President George W. Bush signs into law.
George Bush creates the Department of Homeland Security to fight threats of terrorism. 
Elizabeth Smart is kidnapped from her family's Salt Lake City home (Found Alive in 2003)

2002 TOP MOVIES:
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Spider Man
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Men in Black II
Die Another Day
Signs
Ice Age
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Minority Report
Chicago
The Pianist
About Schmidt
Gangs of New York     

2002 BILLBOARD NO. 1 SONGS:

• December 15, 2001 - January 25, 2002:  U Got It Bad - Usher 
• January 26 - February 22:  How You Remind Me - Nickelback 
• February 23 - March 8:  Always On Time - Ja Rule featuring Ashanti 
• March 9 - April 19:  Ain't It Funny - Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule                
• April 20 - June 28:  Foolish- Ashanti
• June 29 - August 16:  Hot In Herre - Nelly 
• August 17 - October 25:  Dilemma - Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland 
• October 26 - November 8:  A Moment Like This - Kelly Clarkson 
• November 9, 2002- January 31, 2003:  Lose Yourself - Eminem

What's your Thursday Throwback memory? #tbt

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This #writerwednesday I am sharing a post from my old blog, Writing My Dreams. It's a snippet from my third novel, Is The Grass Really Greener? Read on...

Today's #writerwednesday brings a sample from one of my earlier books, Is The Grass Really Greener? I have found that in life we often lose a sense of appreciation for what we have been blessed with. We find ourselves comparing our lives to others and wanting to sample a different portion of life.

We question what if my funds looked like this? Or what if my body was shaped like that? Or what if I had done this instead of that? And worse yet, when a woman is in a lonely marriage she may even begin to seek attention elsewhere. Well that's exactly where Davina finds herself as she begins to experience a significant weight loss. And it can only lead to one place...trouble!

Is The Grass Really Greener is a women's fiction story focused on the tale of five best friends struggling with their current life situation. They each are looking for something better in life and as they envy one another, they began to take steps that they may soon regret. Their choices brings their morals into question, they step beyond the boundaries of sanity, and steeped in drama they even create scandals.


EXCERPT IS THE GRASS REALLY GREENER?

CHAPTER 40 - WHEN THE GLASS OVERFLOWS _DAVINA


“I feel great; I’m down another 20 pounds with only 15 more to go and I have more energy than I did before. You know you could not have told me a year ago any of this was possible. I didn’t see my weight as being an issue really and I wasn’t concerned with my health, but I feel like a new woman,” Davina revealed as the glow on her face shone through.

“That’s good, the most important thing is not how much weight you’ve lost, but how you feel on the inside. I want you to take a break once a week though, working out seven days isn’t recommended, even for a fitness lover like me,” Keith replied, sitting on the floor in front of Davina as she straddled the leg press.

“Quit playing, you work out every day…” Davina said, swatting at him playfully.

He avoided her swat and grabbed her by the hand as leverage to pull up into a standing position. “No, I just walk or run on Sundays, I don’t actually work out; at least not in this form and you shouldn’t either.”

“But it gives me something to do and keeps me motivated,” she began as she stood up next to him, still smiling. “Besides, the kids stay busy with their friends and extracurricular activities and my husband is always traveling with his business. He doesn’t even have time to coach the boys’ football team anymore. So I have to do something that is all about Davina,” she shared.

“Well you can still do that and it doesn’t have to be about working out. Go out with friends, treat yourself to a movie, go to a museum or park, anything just have a day of relaxation for yourself,” Keith said, following behind her as she began to head towards the room’s exit door.

“Yeah, I probably could do something like that. My girlfriends and I meet up to have our monthly time together, but other than that we’ve all become consumed with our lives. I will have to overcome my fear of looking strange by going out to the movies or dinner alone,” she giggled, imagining the thought.

“You don’t have to go alone; we can go do something together. I’m always free on the weekends, my part-time staff does most of the work then,” he said in a low inviting tone. They were the only two left in the gym on a Friday night. He was following behind her prepared to lock the doors after setting the alarm so they could exit the building.

Davina came to a standstill and turned around to address this last comment, not realizing he was so close. She bumped into him and the two became frozen in time. The tension between the two of them was so thick, you could feel the heat emanating from them both whenever they were close to one another. The emotions they had been ignoring for the past three months with the slightest brush of a fingertip, batting of the eyes, or smile at one another finally came to a head. She had called Keith a week after their arrival back to town from the family reunion when she found herself alone and scheduled a workout. They had changed their once a week routine into a four day a week routine. The other three days she worked out at home. And now they could not ignore what had been transpiring any longer.

Keith bent slightly and brushed his lips across hers, looking into her eyes for the invitation to go further. And when she did not reject him or close her eyes, he placed his right hand lightly at the small of her back. He licked her lips and found her parting them, hungering to taste the inside of his mouth the way he desired to taste hers. There was a minty taste on her breath from the gum she had been chewing earlier and they lost themselves in their kisses and caresses.

Davina began to grind against his pelvis and he grabbed her plump behind pulling her in closer to him.

She felt her pulse racing and her heart pounding in her chest. This man, this man, this man…what the hell? She suddenly pulled back, wiping her moist lips with the back of her right hand.

She couldn’t believe she had done this; she was a married woman with three kids and had no right to be here in this place at this time. Keith held her head up and holding her head in his hands, he looked into her eyes.

I hope you enjoyed today's #writerwednesday sample. If you did, please click HERE or on the link below to get your copy of Is The Grass Really Greener?AMAZON


Thanks for dropping in and as always please leave a comment, because I just love chatting with you.

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Okay girlfriends, last week I chatted about going natural and gave you some tips for your edges. Today, I'm going back a little bit to update you on some hot gossip. Some of you tuned in two weeks ago, and heard about the drama brewing in the shop. Honey chile, when I say things went haywire, they went hay-freaking-wire!

It's another Tête-à-Tête Tuesday with Tyrone! So grab a glass of your favorite sipping beverage and something comfortable to sit on and let's chit-chat, honey.

So, you remember how Black came up in the shop with his fine self getting trouble started. Folks getting all hot in the britches over him, acting like they can't think straight. Angel acting dumb and naïve like she don't know her man's a ho. Later that day both Angel and Kianna dipped from the shop and I don't know where they went.

Well, let me just say this...the staff at The House of BeJeweled downtown experienced a restructure. The drama that kicked off turned the shop upside down on its head. Mrs. O wasn't at the shop the day before when things started stirring up. But when she came back the next day, honey, her head got spun around like that child on the exorcist. I don't think she knew if she was coming or going.

But one good thing did come out of that day. Mrs. O announced that she will be opening a second shop. The House of BeJeweled II will be located in Buckhead. So, you can look forward to an entirely new selection of staff to choose from when getting your services. And honey you best believe I'll be bringing the scoop on their drama, too.

In the meantime, I'm gon' ask ya'll to keep Angel and her family in your prayers. They need all the prayer they can get. But let me make myself clear, if you meet or see a six foot, one inch, dark chocolate bald brother, with slanted brown eyes, with a mustache, beard and full, sexy lips...run for your life!

I ain't playing! Honey, if his name Terrence or Black, girl you betta get the hell outta dodge, cuz he ain't nothing but T-R-O-U-B-L-E! And if you have any doubt for one moment who he is, check to see if he's got this tattoo on his right arm, it looks like a warrior band. Then if you still ain't sure, ask to see his chest. It's a roaring lion's head with its teeth bared. Sexy, but still, run girl, run!
 
In the meantime, I want ya'll to go check out the first book in the series, BeJeweled: The Flight of an Angel, and book two, BeJeweled: What A Tangled Web We Weave. And if you already read it, leave a review on those pages linked in the titles above. And you can check Chelle Ramsey out on Amazon.

But honey, I got these divas lined up waiting for their 'do to get did. So, we'll chat again next week. And if you need to see me to get them edges laid, or that hair on point, my card's below...

Divas don't forget one important thing...Follow this blog chile! Join by clicking the "Follow This Blog," link in the right panel, or the "Subscribe in a Reader," link. You may also sign up and get posts right to your inbox, by entering your email address in the link titled, you guessed it, "Enter Your Email Address."

"You don't always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens." - Mandy Hale

We make our plans in life and sometimes things just don't go according to plan. Unfortunately, we get all in our emotions, and we're broken, disgusted, and depressed.

I don't believe we are supposed to give up on our ideas and goals when things don't go according to plan. I believe sometimes the course we've plotted is changed, because God has something greater in store for us. And sometimes, He has looked down the road a ways and seen something in our plan that would have surely destroyed us, or our destiny.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)

Just as the quote at the beginning of this post says, sometimes you simply need to just breathe, let go, and trust.

Breathe to clear your mind and spirit of anything negative.

Let go of something that you cannot control.

And trust that He will work it all out for your good.

According to Romans 8 and verse 38, He works "in" all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. And you must trust that His purpose and design for our lives is so much greater than anything we could ever imagine with our finite minds.

This week when things do not go according to plan, trust in the Master Planner, who's plans are by design far greater. For He ultimately has a master plan in mind.

Welcome to my #SundaySampler. I'm sharing an excerpt from Book 3 in The House of BeJeweled today. Sometimes, men can be so dunce when it comes to a woman's intentions, especially when he's not interested. But what happens when the woman is making no apologies about her intentions and she's throwing it at him?

Will Wesley get caught up, or can he withstand the pressure of sensual seduction? Here's an excerpt from BeJeweled: Remix. Read on...

“Mmm, Wesley that feels sooo good,” she declared, wriggling her shoulders. “Can you go lower? My lower back is killing me.”

He rotated his thumbs in little miniature circles working his way down her smooth caramel colored skin, until he reached her lower back.

“Is that it?” Wesley asked.

“Yeah, that feels good but can you go a little lower?” she purred.

“Here?”

“A little lower…lower…lower—”

“Mrs. Dunham, I think right here should be good enough, don’t you?” Wesley asked, his voice a little more tense than normal.

Pamela Dunham was married to a successful investment banker and was used to getting whatever she wanted. Because Wesley had not given in to her enticements she desired him all the more.

She sat up allowing her towel to drop down as she faced him with her breasts aiming towards him. She grabbed his hand, massaging it in the palm and absently pulling it towards her as she looked him in the eye.

“Why do you play so hard to get?”

Catching him off guard at how blatant she came at him, he was not prepared when she placed his hand on her waiting breast. He jerked it back as if he had just been burned by a hot stove.

“Mrs. D, I don’t play hard to get. I’ve just got mad respect for you. I could never treat you like some chick in the streets. Besides, you’re a married woman and I try not to get caught up in extramarital affairs. Too, much drama. You feel me? Married.”


Pick up Books 1 and 2 in The House of BeJeweled series today. Don't forget to follow this blog, by clicking the Follow or Subscriber links in the right panel. You can also follow along by entering your email address in the "Enter Your Email Address" box in the right panel. See you soon.

This morning on the drive to take my daughter to school I was listening to 104.7 FM, The Fish. The topic was whether or not schools should be allowed to monitor social media for children when they are outside of school.

The purpose? To determine if students are using it for purposes of cyber-bullying, or if an issue occurs between students after school, which could possibly spill over into the school environment. They believe it will help get a handle on the situation.

One sixteen-year-old called in and said she understood if they monitored students' social media, if the students were using the school's Wi-Fi. However, she went on to say that students can still use direct messaging (DM) to have arguments, or cyber bully someone if they chose. I asked my 15-year-old daughter for her opinion on it.

B said she saw both sides of the coin. On one hand she understood the need for privacy, and teens wanting to keep their social media world separate from the school world. Yet, she stated they should also be aware of what they are posting, realizing it is a possibility that their posts are being monitored. And she felt it was silly and immature to use social media to bully someone. This is something they should not be engaging in any way, and if it wasn't occurring the need to monitor would be limited.

She believed that many students are not as safe as they think they are on. She went on to cite, how often students call out their user name in public to others, asking for followers, likes, and so forth. She stated anyone can overhear a student's user name, and how often they don't make their accounts private, because they want multiple likes and friends. B said this increases the likelihood of hacked accounts, bullying, and predators watching and engaging with them.

Alternatively, she understood the school's desire to monitor students' social media activity. She stated they have a responsibility to protect the students and to provide a safe environment for students to learn in. She believed that this was prohibited when cyber-bullying exists, or social media is used for creating "beef" among students and it spills over into the school. Yet, she agreed with the caller on the radio that it is impossible to completely monitor the activities online and eradicate the problem. She stated that just as the caller said, you always have inbox and DM options available, which no one can monitor.

Using me and her father as an example, B stated that parents have the right to feel their students are safe when we send them to school, and we expect they will be protected. Allowing teachers and administration the right to monitor students' social media use, enables them to provide that safe and protective environment we as parents expect.

Further discussion allowed her to express that she was thankful that throughout the years, we have monitored and set regulations regarding social media use in our home. This includes, which social media they have access to, and the fact there is constant disclosure between the my husband and myself, and our kids. My oldest (21) did not always abide and went and got a FB account against our wishes at the age of 16. It eventually created some issues for him, which he did work his way through. However, it was a great lesson for the two younger ones, and since then they "get" their parents.

We allow social media accounts in our home to a certain extent. My children do not have access to all social media out there, and it's very limited what they do have access to. On multiple occasions after something occurred in school, as a result of social media use outside the school, B has come to thank us for not allowing her to have certain accounts.

In one particular instance in middle school, she was blamed for starting a bullying post against one child, and she really had nothing to do with it. The ironic part about it, at that time she did not have a tablet, phone, laptop, or anything. The counselors investigated in an effort to get to the bottom of it and found she had been lied on. The child who actually started the trouble was uncovered and disciplined accordingly. In that instance, B was once again thankful for our stand on social media.

What are your views on schools monitoring students' social media activities? Leave a comment below.

It's a #throwbackthursday blog post and I'm traveling a short distance ago, to last year this time. It was Wednesday, September 3, 2014 and I shared a post from BeJeweled: The Flight of an Angel, chapter 18: Moving On.

Read on...

Today's #writerwednesday shares a snippet from BeJeweled: The Flight of an Angel. Olivia has been busy with preparations for the opening of her second salon in the Buckhead location. A few challenges have been tossed her way that would slow the average person down. But Olivia is determined to keep her focus on her goals and move ahead with her plans, despite the brewing storms all around her. What she isn't prepared for is an encounter with a stranger. Could the encounter be a planned meeting that has more to it than meets the eye, or is serendipity at work?


CHAPTER 18: MOVING ON
Atlanta had experienced severe thunderstorms and tornadoes for an entire week in mid-July. They were past the tornado season and this many storms at once was an anomaly for the city.

The damage that had occurred as a result had been horrendous and painful on the pockets of insurance companies.

The frequent threat of floods and tornado damage had made it difficult to travel around and handle business. Construction on the new salon had come to a complete stand-still as the workers scurried around securing their homes and helping to repair the homes of neighbors and families in the aftermath. She was glad that they were moving forward again as the month drew near to a close.

After shutting off the ignition, she pulled her sunglasses down from her head thankful for the warm, blinding rays of the sun that had returned to the city. She was stopping in to see how renovations for her new location were coming along. The storms had barely stopped before the contractors were back at work, making the necessary repairs and renovations for the new salon.

Walking up to the glass and brick building, she beamed with pride. The sun’s rays couldn’t shine brighter than her smile that day.

After pocketing her keys, she pulled the strap of her purse further up her shoulder with her left hand, while her right hand carefully held on to the hot mug of coffee she was carrying.

Her mind was running with the thoughts of what her day would bring and longing for Raymond’s company. She spotted someone passing by out of the corner of her eye and gave a quick glance and a distracted smile, and bowed her head down again lost in her own thoughts.

“Watch your step, lil’ lady,” came the coarse voice as it passed her.

Walking up the incline of the parking lot, she looked up and said “Huh?” as she simultaneously slipped on a patch of wet leaves she had somehow missed seeing.

“I gotcha.” Hands bundled in dirty brown, tattered fingerless mittens steadied her, preventing her from falling. Somehow the person was able to get her set upright again before she completely fell over, and miraculously she didn’t spill a drop of coffee.

“That was so stupid of me!” she fussed. She shook her head at the ridiculousness of wearing her red 3 ½ inch” stilettos in a construction zone, not to mention after a storm. She simply had not been watching where she was going. Glad for the assistance, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude that someone had prevented her from being hurt. Looking herself up and down, Olivia marveled at the fact that she also had avoided soiling her black skirt suit with coffee.

“Naw…accidents happen. Dem wet leaves be a monster and can be as slippery as ice if you ain’t careful. You jes be careful ya hear?” came the gravelly voice again.

Turning around to take a closer look at her rescuer she could only see a stooped older man in shabby jeans, construction boots and a sweatshirt. He wore a green, dingy skull cap pulled down low over his forehead. Almond shaped light-brown eyes peered out from beneath the skull cap at her assessing and watching her. She couldn’t fathom why he would be dressed like that in temperatures that were well into the mid-eighties already and expected to climb into the high nineties on this mid-summer day.

Olivia reached out her hand to shake his gloved ones. “Thank you, Mr.?”

“Ain’t no reason to thank me, gal. You jes be careful ya hear?”

“I sure will. But I really appreciate it, what’s your name?”

“T’ain’t no reason to ‘preciate me. Jes one of God’s chilren lookin’ out for another of His own. But the name’s Rudy, Miss Olivia.”

He tottered away from her down the parking lot, heading towards the other side of the street behind them.

“Wait! How do you know my name?” she called out. He continued tottering along, his only acknowledgement of her question just a simple wave of his hand over his head in a goodbye gesture, never turning around to see her slack jawed expression.

ONE CLICK YOUR COPY NOW: BEJEWELED: THE FLIGHT OF AN ANGEL

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**WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT**

 THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. READER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED.

Today's #writerwednesday post comes from BeJeweled: What A Tangled Web We Weave. As a women's fiction writer, I tackle controversial subject matters, such as domestic violence. Today's post takes a look at this sensitive topic and gives a glimpse into the character Nikki's home life, as well as the tragedy of domestic violence, both women and men around the world deal with daily.

This excerpt comes from the chapter "Her Heart."

Nikki walked over to Carlos and began rubbing his back to calm him down. She wished she were invisible at that point, because no matter what she did, she knew his ire would turn on her.

“Get offa me!” he shouted, as if reading her mind. He swung his left arm to move her away from him.

“What did I do?” she asked in a hurt tone, walking back towards the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.

“If it wasn’t for you, this wouldna’ happened! You a married woman…whachu look like not coming home at night? I expect you to be here, and that’s what a married woman ‘sposed to do. Now you airing our dirty laundry all in the streets, got niggas judging me and shit!”

“That was between me and you, Carlos. If you hadn’t said nothing, they wouldn’t know about it. Besides the argument didn’t start over that, it started over the game. My being away from home was a side bar issue. You shouldn’t have told them I was gone, and it wouldn’t be out there in the streets.” Nikki didn’t understand why he seemed to think she was at fault.

Carlos looked at her in disbelief. “It wasn’t me who told! Not that I owe anybody a damn explanation. But after some shit like that, you think it wasn’t gon’ get out? Look around, Nikki. Haven’t you noticed? We live in the hood…people will talk. From the moment my boy, Cecil, dropped me off that night and everybody was outside, I knew it was over. Then yo’ ass don’t come home for a while. Hell that made it worse. Where the hell were you during that time, Nikki, huh?”

“I told you, at my mom’s,” Nikki lied. The lie rolled easily off her tongue. She knew he would never call or visit her mom to confirm her story. “What was I supposed to do Carlos, huh? You came up to that reception drunk and embarrassed me—”

“Embarrassed you? I embarrassed you? I’ma show you embarrassment!”

Nikki took off running down the hall the moment she saw Carlos move towards her. She began running towards the bedroom to escape the argument and the fight that was sure to follow. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest cavity, barely drowning out the sounds of his bare feet slapping against the wooden hall floors.

Nikki tried to lock him out the bedroom, but her strength was no match for his rage, as the door shook from his pounding fists. There was a brief moment of silence before he slammed into the door, grabbed her by her hair, and dragged her into the bathroom.

Sharp pains shot throughout her body as he pummeled her with his fists. Nikki recoiled from his anger in a fetal position near the toilet. Her hands and arms were used as shields to cover her head and ward off his blows. Retreating in her own mind, she lost herself in past memories of her childhood. She had learned this diversionary technique early on. In the midst of her memories, she vaguely heard a buzzing sound somewhere in the distance. When he finally finished, he grabbed her by the hair again and forced her head into the toilet. She braced her hands on the side to prevent her face from going in, but she crumpled when he punched her in the side of the neck.

Her saving grace was smoke filling the apartment. As he jumped off her and ran to the kitchen, she realized the sound she had been hearing wasn’t the ringing in her ears, but the sound of the smoke alarm. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks, to a God she was trying to believe in, that her spaghetti casserole had burned in the oven. She had received, at least for now, a temporary reprieve.

Domestic Violence is a serious epidemic in the world today, and especially here in America. It isn’t something to be taken lightly or for granted. It happens to both men and women alike, no gender or race, or economic background is exempt from its brutal grasp. More than 10 million men and women in the United States are physically abused each year by an intimate partner. And those staggering figures are just the ones that are reported.

If you or someone you know are the victim of domestic violence, please dial 9-1-1 for assistance, or The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1.800.799.SAFE (7233).


ONE CLICK YOUR COPY NOW: BEJEWELED: WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE

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Hey girlfriends! It's a terrific Tuesday, and you know what that means. Yes, honey, it's time for your weekly Tête-à-Tête with Tyrone. And I'm here and I've got something to say. I don't care if you like it or not, cause you know I'm speaking my mind, regardless. Go tell, Chelle if you want. I'm still gonna have my say-so!

So, today I'm giving a shout out to my natural sistahs! Women with hair of all shapes, sizes, textures, lengths, and colors come and sit in my chair. Braided down, weaved out, chemical compressed, color dazzled, shaved off, black power-fisted afros and all, come visit me. And when my hands run through that hair, there's nothing like the feel of that kinky, twisted, coily, silky texture on my fingers. I don't care if her natural is curly or wavy, or nappy and kinky, I love natural hair.

Yesterday, I had a new client in her early forties visit me. She's whining about her edges falling out and showing me all these pictures of how healthy and thick her hair used to be. Then she starts blaming her last stylist for her edges falling out. And honey, anybody knows me knows you don't do that. Uh-uh, sista! I almost smacked that heffa up out my chair.

We in this game together and I give all stylists the benefit of the doubt unless they prove otherwise. And if I join her in the blame game, the next thing I know she'll be blaming me. And you don't want none of Ty, boo.

Anyway, I gave Little Miss Blaming Betty a quick education in hair. There are so many reasons why edges thin. And if you having that problem, maybe you need to read on, too. Don't take offense at what I'm saying. Honey, put your feelings on a shelf and learn a little something. It might save you a lot of heartbreak in the end.

Reasons Why Edges Thin:

1.) Lack of moisture - if your hair is dry and you're not applying a moisturizer to your edges that could be a problem. When conducting your regular moisturizing routine, make sure you apply moisture to those edges, too, girlfriend.
2.) Hairstyles - This is a critical problem. Them too tight ponytails ya'll pull your hair up into ain't no good for your edges, and neither is them cornrows, baby. Another problem is headbands and bonnets, which will rub 'em out. Try using headbands at least as possible, and if the bonnet causes problems, pull it down your head further.
3.) Hair gel and hairbrushes- Baby this is a lethal combination. Too many times women use that brush to slick down their hair after slicking it with gel. Uh-uh, boo. That's a no-no. Use a little water and then some other product to lay your edges down. If you're natural, use a hair butter, an alcohol-free gel, or hair milk. I'm not saying don't use gel, but there are healthier alternatives, because gel dries your hair. And if you must use it, then use Eco-Styler. Afterwards, use a satin or silk scarf to tie them edges until it dries. It shouldn't take no more than 15 to 20 minutes for it to dry, and you have a healthier way of managing them.
4.) Fine hair - if your hair is fine your maintenance routine needs to be a gentle one and your edges shouldn't be manipulated or handled as much.
5.) Genetics - Honey, look at the women in your family and see what the hair trends are. If the women on your mother's side or father's side have issues with their edges, this could be where your problem is coming from.
6.) Chemicals- too many chemicals in your hair, perms, color, and the like can damage your edges after a while. You may need to take a break from applying chemicals to your hair.

Girlfriend's problem was genetics and chemicals. After further discussion honey, I found out that her mother, grandmother, aunts and sisters all had a problem with thinning edges. Not to mention she applied a relaxer to her hair every four weeks. As soon as she thought her hair was getting nappy, she slapped a relaxer in her hair. And then she had added color and her hair was already unhealthy.

I convinced her to go natural after much crying and clowning. I showed her pictures of a few of my natural clients and she gave in. We did the big chop and that heffa was looking good when she walked out the salon!

If it's time for a change don't be ashamed. Embrace your natural God-given beauty girl!

And if you're looking to get your 'do did, you know who to contact.

TaTa for Now!
Tyrone