ReShonda Tate Billingsley – författare

In a captivating novel that is both humorous and heart wrenching, ReShonda Tate Billingsley spins a touching story that follows a young woman trying to navigate love after tragedy strikes her family, and what it means for her to move on.Aja James hasn't had it easy. After the loss of their mother at their father’s hand, Aja has kept a close watch over her siblings. The three siblings much find a way to recover from their family’s history, but it’s not clear how. Tired of carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, Aja is finally ready for a change that she hopes could lead her down the path of recovery: find someone to love. Her best friend, Roxie, knows just what to do—she sets Aja up on a date with one of the most sought-after bachelors in town, handsome sportscaster Charles Clayton. Charles is everything Aja has ever dreamed of—sensitive, sexy, and charming. But "happily ever after" isn't that simple. While Aja has begun to heal from the loss of her parents, her sister and brother have not. Jada is lost in a world of silence with no way for Aja to reach her, and Eric's uncontrollable rage is wreaking havoc on his life. As Aja sees her brother heading down the same violent path that destroyed their family, she makes it her business to stop the cycle—even if it means putting her own life, and her own chance at love, on hold. My Brother's Keeper is a poignant novel about a resilient family learning that sometimes you have to forgive in order to find the strength to move on.

Award-winning author ReShonda Tate Billingsley delivers a bold and heartwarming story of family and faith about a man who has succeeded as a reverend and failed as a father.Reverend Simon Jackson has always felt destined to lead and he’s done a good job of it, transforming his small Houston church into one of the most respected and renowned in the region. But while the good Reverend’s been busy tending his flock, his family’s gone astray. His nineteen-year-old daughter, Rachel, gives new meaning to “baby mama drama.” Crazy in love with her son’s father, she's wreaking havoc on the man’s life, even though he's about to marry another woman. David, Simon's oldest at twenty-seven, has been spiraling downward ever since a knee injury ended a promising football career. These days he’s seeking solace in drugs—even feeding his habit by stealing church offerings. Blessedly, twenty-three-year-old Jonathan, a college graduate and the apple of Simon’s eye, is poised to take his father’s side as associate pastor—or so everyone thinks. Loretta has been a devoted wife to Simon, but she’s beginning to realize that enabling him to give more to the church than to his children was her biggest mistake. As things begin to fall apart and secrets are revealed, will Loretta be able to help her husband reunite their tattered family before it’s too late? Let the Church Say Amen is a powerful journey through one family’s trials—and a remarkable story of reconciliation and love. When things are down to the wire will Reverend Simon Jackson choose to fight for his family or the congregation?

The mercury is soaring, and it's the perfect time to dive into a pool of uninhibited sensuality—take a break from the heat with this collection of steamy summertime encounters featuring four of the most popular African American women writers.Going south for her summer break, a high school math teacher puts her assets to work as an exotic dancer in Maxed Out by Brenda L. Thomas. But when her secret double life follows her home to Philadelphia, things swing wildly out of control as she tries to walk the line between sexy woman and sex object. Worlds collide when a street-smart beauty scores with a multimillionaire during a summer that climaxes with the New York City blackout. Crystal Lacey Winslow captures the edgy thrills—and the dark side—of carnal pleasures in Sex, Sin & Brooklyn. In Rochelle Alers' Summer Madness, a sexy brother with a mysterious past turns a pretty librarian's play-it-safe Hamptons vacation into a torrent of sensual delights. But can she trust him without knowing his whole story? A jilted bride is on the Rebound in ReShonda Tate Billingsley's tale of passion in unexpected places. A Houston attorney goes solo on the Belize honeymoon she was supposed to share with her husband—and makes a sizzling connection with a handsome stranger in paradise.

These Miami divas are filled with sass, scandal and mouth dropping entertainment! --Ni-Ni SimoneSpilling juicy secrets on-air is creating more drama than Maya Morgan ever imagined. . .The teen reality show "Miami Divas" made media sensations out of Miami''s richest in-crowd--and Maya Morgan is one of them. Now Maya''s been offered her very own show, and she''ll do whatever it takes to step up the fame she''s worked so hard for--and that includes spilling some secrets her friends wish were left buried. But as Maya gives up the goods for the sake of ratings, someone will do anything to shut her up. Between back-stabbing lies and hard truths, this gossip girl has only one chance to make things right. . .before it''s too late. "Sit up and pay attention--Maya Morgan will knock your socks off." --Earl Sewell, author of The Keysha Diaries

She dishes celebrity dirt no one else dares. But now, Maya Morgan is about to get a taste of her own medicine. . .Gossip show "Rumor Central" has gone beyond Miami to national syndication. So now''s the time for Maya Morgan to really make her brand blow up. But her brand starts to blow up in her face when a super-fan takes over her online life, trashing her reputation, and putting her gossip future at risk. Now Maya will need every down-and-dirty move--and a little help from her frenemies--to manage this disaster and save everything she''s dished so hard to get. . . "Scandal and mouth dropping entertainment!" --Ni-Ni Simone"Sit up and pay attention--Maya Morgan will knock your socks off." --Earl Sewell, author of The Keysha Diaries

She can uncover the biggest celebrity secrets. But now Maya Morgan''s hottest story ever is way too up-close-and-personal . . .For once, everything in Maya''s life is falling perfectly into place. She''s getting serious media cred uncovering the source of a new designer drug doing major glitterati damage. And the new man in her life is giving Maya all the cool bling and attention she craves off-camera. But the truth behind her scoop is about to cut too close to home--and put Maya and her family in the crosshairs. Soon, she''ll have to decide just how far she can afford to go to save her family, her career. . .and herself. "Sit up and pay attention--Maya Morgan will knock your socks off." --Earl Sewell, author of The Keysha Diaries"Scandal and mouth dropping entertainment!" --Ni-Ni Simone

No celebrity secret is safe from Maya Morgan. But a ratings-making road trip is putting her future on the firing line . . .Maya has no problem turning up the heat when she takes her show on the road for Spring Break in Cancun. On and off camera, the drama with her crew is chart-topping scandalous. And when a reckless bet Maya makes with Evian turns into a full-blown kidnapping crisis, Maya turns disaster into a major ratings win. But she''d better watch her back, because Evian is taking advantage of her moment in the spotlight and she just may push Maya out of the way for good. Maya will have to work all her skills and face some hard truths to save her credibility--and make sure the best gossip diva wins . . . "Sit up and pay attention--Maya Morgan will knock your socks off." --Earl Sewell, author of The Keysha Diaries"Scandal and mouth-dropping entertainment!" --Ni-Ni Simone

"Danger, drama and romance . . . an exciting read." --RT Book Reviews on Real As It GetsNo secret is too juicy for Maya Morgan to expose. But her most important scoop yet means going behind her friends'' closed doors. . .When it comes to the glitterati, nothing shocks Maya Morgan--until she sees former starlet Paula Olympia getting hit by her A-list actor boyfriend. So she''s making it her mission to out celebrities in abusive relationships. But the bigger her story gets, the more signs she''s seeing that her BFFs, Sheridan and Kennedi, are in big-time relationship trouble. And when they won''t listen to her 411, Maya makes them her next big story. But putting her friends on blast uncovers a shocking secret. With friendships at the breaking point and her credibility again in doubt, Maya will have to dig deeper to find the whole truth--and save something way more valuable than her gossip diva throne. . ."Billingsley''s dialogue is on point. . .this guilty pleasure is wish fulfillment, sensationalistic scandal, and snappy one-liners." --Publishers Weekly on Rumor Central

Dishing on celebrity love games made Maya Morgan a media queen. But choosing her prince means working her wildest, most personal scoop yet…She’s gone from gossip reporter to half of the entertainment industry’s newest power couple. And hot singer J. Love’s mad string of hits definitely makes him a good look for Maya—and her career. But she’s feeling something more for laid-back, mellow "civilian" Alvin. A lot more. Now J. Love is using every dirty-spin trick in the glitterati book to humiliate Alvin—and sink Maya’s brand if he can’t hold onto her—and their celebrity-couple perks. With her empire on the line and her rep at stake, Maya will draw on every reliable source and every crazy scheme she’s ever played to save what she’s earned—and prove she can have love and fame.

A successful television reporter discovers that family is more important than fame and fortune in this hilarious and heartwarming family drama from bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley.Raedella Rollins left the dusty town of Sweet Poke, Arkansas, on a Texas-bound bus with four mismatched suitcases, a newsroom job offer, and a promise to herself: never look back. Now, less than a decade later, she’s a top-rated talk show host, a celebrity news anchor, and fiancée to Houston’s star councilman. The future looks bright for Rae, and Sweet Poke is nothing more than a distant memory. But now that she’s reached the top, her ragtag family comes knocking. Mama Tee, the grandmother who raised her, calls with unwelcome family updates; and Shondella, her jealous older sister, guilts her into sending money. To Rae, nothing could be worse than an unexpected reunion with her over-the-top relatives. But when her picture-perfect life turns out to be an illusion, Rae''s family calls her back to Sweet Poke and to the life she left behind. Can Rae let go of the pain of her childhood and open her heart to the healing that only faith and family can provide?

Faith, family, and forgiveness are at the heart of this powerful story collection from four bestselling African-American authors. Meet a group of unforgettable women in these tales of hope and inspiration and discover how doors can open if you just have a little faith...JACQUELIN THOMAS Signs of Light Businesswoman Lorna Hamilton has always looked down on unemployed single mothers, but she learns a valuable lesson when she befriends devout single mom Brittany Spencer and finds the family she’s been praying for. RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY Faith Will Overcome Determined to leave her small town and broken family behind, Faith Logan believes finding a man is the solution to all her problems. But a chance meeting with Darius Williams helps her realize that all she needs is faith to find true happiness. J. D. MASON Maybelline Olivia Phillips’s world is falling apart, and the last thing she needs is her elderly neighbor knocking on her door. But kindly Maybelline won’t take no for an answer, and an uplifting friendship takes hold thanks to a little persistence and some homemade pie. SANDRA KITT Survival Instincts Even after an attempted mugging, librarian Lynn Hayes is devoted to her work in the bad part of town. Her rescuer, reporter Davis Manning, isn’t so forgiving, and it’s up to Lynn to show him that it is possible to save a community, one person at a time.

The third book in an exciting and inspiring new series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley Only one girl will be chosen.... In the year since Camille, Alexis, Jasmine, and Angel joined Rachel Jackson's church youth group, the four best friends have bonded over boys, pitched in on community projects, and shared their deepest secrets. There's nothing they don't know about each other -- or is there? When a special guest arrives at Rachel's group and announces auditions for a television talk show, the girls will come to know a side of each other they never knew existed. And they may not like what they see. Will the four friends become enemies? The race to find the perfect host for KRCP's Teen Talks is heating up -- the competition is fierce, and so are the lies the girlfriends tell about each other in order to win the coveted spot. But more painful than any lies they can concoct is the cold, hard truth: none of them will reach their ultimate dreams if cutting each other down is how they choose to get ahead. Is winning a place in the spotlight worth losing their friendship? Includes a reader's group guide! Be sure to read the previous novels in ReShonda Tate Billingsley's fresh and fun series that looks at the Ten Commandments in a whole new light: Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise -- now available! ReShonda Tate Billingsley is a general assignment reporter for KRIV-TV, the Fox affiliate in Houston, Texas. She is the author of the nonfiction book Help! I've Turned Into My Mother! and three previous adult novels: My Brother's Keeper, for which she received the prestigious Gold Pen Award for Best New Author from the Black Writer's Alliance and the Nova Lee Nation Award from the Greater Dallas Writing Association; the national bestseller Let the Church Say Amen, chosen for Library Journal's Best of 2004 list for Christian fiction; and I Know I've Been Changed, a Main Selection of the Black Expressions Book Club. Her previous Christian teen novels are Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise, both available from Pocket Books. She is also a contributor to the story anthology Have a Little Faith. Visit her website at www.reshondatatebillingsley.com.

The mercury is soaring, and it''s the perfect time to dive into a pool of uninhibited sensuality—take a break from the heat with this collection of steamy summertime encounters featuring four of the most popular African American women writers.Going south for her summer break, a high school math teacher puts her assets to work as an exotic dancer in Maxed Out by Brenda L. Thomas. But when her secret double life follows her home to Philadelphia, things swing wildly out of control as she tries to walk the line between sexy woman and sex object. Worlds collide when a street-smart beauty scores with a multimillionaire during a summer that climaxes with the New York City blackout. Crystal Lacey Winslow captures the edgy thrills—and the dark side—of carnal pleasures in Sex, Sin & Brooklyn. In Rochelle Alers'' Summer Madness, a sexy brother with a mysterious past turns a pretty librarian''s play-it-safe Hamptons vacation into a torrent of sensual delights. But can she trust him without knowing his whole story? A jilted bride is on the Rebound in ReShonda Tate Billingsley''s tale of passion in unexpected places. A Houston attorney goes solo on the Belize honeymoon she was supposed to share with her husband—and makes a sizzling connection with a handsome stranger in paradise.

Gold Pen Award–winning author ReShonda Tate Billingsley returns to the Houston congregation of her #1 Essence magazine bestseller, Let the Church Say Amen, in this warm and powerful sequel.When her husband hears God’s call to become a preacher, Rachel Jackson Adams is distressed—she grew up a preacher''s daughter and knows how difficult life under the microscope can be for a reverend’s family. But hot-headed Rachel has toned down her wild ways, and for the sake of her marriage and her two children, she is now the reluctant first lady of Zion Hill, unafraid to rock the boat with her unconventional ideas for revitalizing the church. When her son, Jordan, begins fighting at school, Rachel turns to the boy’s father, Bobby—Rachel’s first love from years ago. Married now himself, there should be nothing between them except their concern for Jordan—so why does seeing Bobby again feel so distractingly tempting? With her brothers facing dramas of their own, and her father, Reverend Simon Jackson, recovering from illness, Rachel must listen carefully to discover what God truly wants for her—and to decide if Bobby is the lover of her dreams or the devil in disguise.

The third book in an exciting and inspiring new series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley Only one girl will be chosen.... In the year since Camille, Alexis, Jasmine, and Angel joined Rachel Jackson''s church youth group, the four best friends have bonded over boys, pitched in on community projects, and shared their deepest secrets. There''s nothing they don''t know about each other -- or is there? When a special guest arrives at Rachel''s group and announces auditions for a television talk show, the girls will come to know a side of each other they never knew existed. And they may not like what they see. Will the four friends become enemies? The race to find the perfect host for KRCP''s Teen Talks is heating up -- the competition is fierce, and so are the lies the girlfriends tell about each other in order to win the coveted spot. But more painful than any lies they can concoct is the cold, hard truth: none of them will reach their ultimate dreams if cutting each other down is how they choose to get ahead. Is winning a place in the spotlight worth losing their friendship? Includes a reader''s group guide! Be sure to read the previous novels in ReShonda Tate Billingsley''s fresh and fun series that looks at the Ten Commandments in a whole new light: Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise -- now available! ReShonda Tate Billingsley is a general assignment reporter for KRIV-TV, the Fox affiliate in Houston, Texas. She is the author of the nonfiction book Help! I''ve Turned Into My Mother! and three previous adult novels: My Brother''s Keeper, for which she received the prestigious Gold Pen Award for Best New Author from the Black Writer''s Alliance and the Nova Lee Nation Award from the Greater Dallas Writing Association; the national bestseller Let the Church Say Amen, chosen for Library Journal''s Best of 2004 list for Christian fiction; and I Know I''ve Been Changed, a Main Selection of the Black Expressions Book Club. Her previous Christian teen novels are Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise, both available from Pocket Books. She is also a contributor to the story anthology Have a Little Faith. Visit her website at www.reshondatatebillingsley.com.

The first book in an exciting and inspiring new series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley Their lives are nothing but drama. . . . Camille can''t believe her bad luck when she''s ordered to join a church youth group after hiding her boyfriend from the police. She''ll bide her time if that''s what it takes to get everyone off her back, but it''s the last place she ever expected to make a new friend. Angel has a secret that''s got her running scared, so when she sees a flyer for the group, she heads to the church, hoping to find an answer to her problem. Now Rachel, their group leader, has a task for them that may just end their daily dramas and give them a whole new beginning. They just have to take a leap of faith. . . . Along the way, they meet tough-as-nails Jasmine and society-darling Alexis, forging friendships built on strength, loyalty, and faith. As the girls take up Rachel''s challenge to honor their parents, they find that walking a new path isn''t always the easiest way to go. But together, Camille, Angel, Jasmine, and Alexis will embark on adventures that only the best of friends can share.

The second book in an exciting and inspiring new series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley They share a precious gift. . . . Joining Rachel Jackson''s church youth group has been a lifesaver for Camille, Alexis, Jasmine, and Angel. The fabulous four share everything from juicy gossip to mentoring school kids. But their loyalty is put to the test when two of the girls get caught up in problems of their own -- and may drag their girlfriends down with them. Will they forget who their friends are? Wealthy Alexis seems to have the perfect life -- but no one can see her fear as her parents head for divorce. Meanwhile, Jasmine is tired of being the glue that holds her mother and siblings together, and she escapes by moving in with her father. Both girls are tempted to do something drastic to get the attention they crave, and both need to hear Rachel''s hard-won advice on why stealing will only get them more trouble. But when it comes to winning back Camille and Angel''s trust, Alexis and Jasmine will have to find the answers in their own hearts.

Bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley evokes laughter, tears, and stunningly dramatic revelations in this uplifting novel about the power of love and forgiveness.The rising pastor of Houston’s Lily Grove church, Terrance Ellis needs to find a wife. And not just any wife, but the right young woman to stand beside him as First Lady of Lily Grove at the fast-approaching one-hundredth-year Christmas service. That is according to Eva, Dorothy Mae, and Mamie, Terrance''s three endlessly argumentative aunts, the strong, outspoken ladies who lovingly raised him and got the once-troubled boy on the right path after his grandmother Essie died in a tragic accident. They know the perfect mate is out there for their humble and handsome nephew. So why, of all women, is outrageous, flirtatious Savannah McKinney drawing him in? Seeing Terrance falling under her seductive spell has got his aunts frantically matchmaking since time is running out and gossip is flying. Who will be the pastor’s wife? Only heaven knows for sure. . . .

The fourth book in The Good Girlz series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley One guy is leading them on.... Best friends forever, Camille, Alexis, Jasmine, and Angel always stand up for each other. So when Camille runs into boy problems, Jasmine is ready to settle the score -- even ready to fight! Camille convinces her it's not worth it, even though she was attacked by some girls who are jealous of the attention she's getting from Vic, a cute guy Camille met at a football game. But Camille's boy troubles are just starting.... Should they forgive -- or make him pay? Alexis is dating a guy named Anthony, and it doesn't take long for Jasmine to discover that he's Anthony Vickers -- the very same Vic that Camille has fallen for! When the truth comes out, the girls cook up a scheme for payback, something that will teach a two-timing guy the error of his ways. But their dramatic plan may be backfiring, tearing at the bonds of their own friendship, and showing them that the price for revenge is high -- for everyone.