It's a Fabulous Friday and I'm honored to feature the award-winning, Angelia Vernon Menchan on today's Fab Friday Feature. She is the queen of writing when it comes to grown folks talk, and her female characters believe in owning their sexuality, knowing who they are, what they want, and letting nothing hinder them from getting it. Today's novel is no exception to the rule. So grab your favorite mug, curl up, and read along... Excerpt...When Crea arrived, James was filling mugs with coffee and had blackberry bread and other pastries on a small glass plate with curls of butter. Crea swallowed down nervousness, sliding onto a padded chair. James sat across from her, those damn eyes staring into her. “Why didn’t you ever write, Crea? I loved you,” He asked and heat flew up her neck. She felt ambushed and wanted to flea but sat still. Inhaling and exhaling allowed her to control the agitation, filtering through her. Picking up a piece of bread, she buttered it, taking a couple of bites before sipping her perfectly brewed coffee. Only then did she engage his searching look. “I couldn’t. I knew you were doing something but I had no idea how deeply you were involved. When I saw you in cuffs, something in me died. By the time you were sentenced, my goal was placing one foot in front of the other. I was a nineteen, about to graduate college, and in love with a man who would be in prison for longer than either of us had been alive.” Her voice shook with emotion. “I couldn’t commit myself to that or you, James. Writing would’ve given you false hope and I couldn’t do that to me or you. I grieved you as if you died, and went on trying to live.” Her honesty and shaking voice touched his heart. He knew she did the right thing but it cut like a hot knife through his heart. “Did your mom advise you?” “She didn’t know. Our relationship remained private. I told her several years after graduating.” Swallowing the sudden lump filling his throat, James accepted that Crea made her own decisions on not visiting or writing. “She didn’t seem surprised but she didn’t say anything. I know the image my mother gives off but she understands love. The thing is, I’ve always been her number one priority. James, all I had after you left was school and work and I made it work.” “I hear you but that shit was like a shiv in my back. I adored you Crea. It was all you. When I was released three years ago with no parole and completely free, I moved to Miami. Then enrolled in school and never planned to return to this place...” “You’ve been out three years...” she whispered, pain pooling in her belly, at the realization he hadn’t sought her out in all that time. Seeing the puzzled look on her face, he reached for her hand. “I have and planned to stay in Miami longer, but Janice reached out and I couldn’t refuse. I avoided you. I was no longer hurt or angry but... seeing you at the rec center raised up my feelings again. I had to know.” He said. “Thanks for being straight with me.” Crea nodded, extracting her hand from his. “Was that your man at Ms. Roberta’s?” “No, he’s one of my teachers,” she replied, realizing he meant Tony. “We both love her.” “He was looking at you like a shark...” James said, causing Crea to look up at him. The way he was staring liquified her insides. “I understand, I want to devour you right now on this damn table.” The room suddenly seemed tilted, Crea stood, gathering her plate. “James, I can’t do this... right now,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion betraying how affected she was. “Right now... right now gives me hope.” James smiled and her heart seemed to still. “Get out of here before I change my mind and turn you into a buffet.” Grabbing her things, Crea raced out to her car. Her entire body aflame. Quickly turning they key, she turned up the air conditioning, sitting until her mind recalibrated and her heart rate returned to normal. Download Now...About Angelia...Angelia Vernon Menchan is wife, mother, nana and mentor. Since January 2006, she has published 34 printed books and an additional 124 ebooks through her small publishing company, MAMM Productions. She is also the Co-founder of Honorable MENCHAN Media, through which she has published books for 15 authors to date.
Her personal motto is, ‘There is abundance through God for all of us; we simply have to be open for our blessings.' In 2017 she decided to add her hallmark phrase “Just LOVE” to coffee mugs and tee-shirts. This phrase has taken on a life of its own! In addition, Angelia is a prolific public speaker and mentor to women of all ages. She resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband and cover designer, Maurice Menchan. CONNECT WITH ANGELIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angeliam Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/AngelMenchan IG: https://www.instagram.com/angeliamenchan7oo/ Thanks for joining us for another Fab Friday! Please be so gracious as to leave a comment below, I'm sure Angelia would love to hear from you! To join this blog simply click "Follow This Blog," "Subscribe," or "Email" links in the upper right corner.
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Inspirational women's fiction author, writing the script to my beautifully inspired life! Be Inspired, Follow Me!Archives
June 2019
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