2007 March « Dee Savoy

Archive for March, 2007

Mar

AN INNOCENT MAN indicted–as one of the best books of 2006

By writerds 4 Comments

Categories: fun stuff, my work, publishing, reading and romance

I got this news in an e-mail this morning. My book, An Innocent Man, has been nominated as the best Kimani Press book of 2006. Woo hoo! Here’s one of those cases where being nominated is reward enough. Thanks guys!

I also happened to notice newcomer Ann Christopher got nominated for both New Author and Best Author. What is that girl writing over there? Must check out her work soonest.

Anyhoo, congrats to all who were nominated. I’m not sure how they pick the winners, but best of luck to all!

THE BEST OF 2006

The Romance in Color reviewers are pleased to announce the nominees for its annual Reviewers’ Choice Awards. The winners will be announced on 15th April 2007. At that time the winner of the BOOK OF THE YEAR and BEST COVER ART will be announced.

The staff of RIC congratulate you on your nomination.

KIMANI ROMANCE OF THE YEAR

AN INNOCENT MAN - Deirdre Savoy (Aug)

NIGHT HEAT - Brenda Jackson (Sep)

SHE’S MY BABY - Adrianne Byrd (Sep)

FINALLY, YOU AND ME – Lisa Harrison Jackson (Oct)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

BEST KIMANI ARABESQUE OF THE YEAR

A TIME TO KEEP - Rochelle Alers (June)

LONG DISTANCE LOVER - Donna Hill (June)

ALWAYS A CHANCE – Angela Weaver (Nov)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

DAFINA ROMANCE OF THE YEAR

GOODBYE HEARTACHE - Doris Johnson (Feb)

DEPTHS OF DESIRE - Sophia Shaw (May)

TROUBLE - Ann Christopher (July)

BITTER SWEET – Candice Poarch (July)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

GENESIS PRESS BOOK OF THE YEAR

THROUGH THE FIRE - Seressia Glass (March)

ROCK STAR - Roslyn Holcomb (Sep)

NO ORDINARY LOVE - Angela Weaver (July)

CAUGHT UP - Deatri King-Bey (Feb)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

INSPIRATIONAL FICTION/ROMANCE OF THE YEAR

A SIN AND A SHAME - Victoria Christopher Murray – Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (May)

SHADES OF GRAY - Jacqueline Thomas – Harlequin/Steeple Hill (Jan)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

ANTHOLOGY OF THE YEAR

VEGAS BITES – L.A. Banks, Natalie Dunbar & J.M. Jeffries, & Seressia Glass – Parker Publishing (Nov)

YOU NEVER KNOW – Niobia Bryant, Melanie Shuster & Kimberley White – Harlequin Kimani/Arabesque (Jan)

BACK IN YOUR ARMS - Sandra Kitt, Deirdre Savoy & Celeste O. Norfleet – Harlequin Kimani/Arabesque (Jan)

CHOCOLATE KISSES – Renee Luke, Francis Ray & Marianne Reid (Jan)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

MAINSTREAM FICTION OF THE YEAR

THE DAMNED - L. A. Banks – St. Martin’s Press (Jan)

DIARY OF A MISTRESS – Meisha – Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (Aug)

A DEAD MAN SPEAKS - Lisa Jones Johnson - Genesis/Vibe (July)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

WOMAN’S FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR

BRASS ANKLE BLUES – Rachel Harper – Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (Feb)

BEST-KEPT SECRETS - Rochelle Alers – Harlequin Kimani/Sepia (Jan)

WHEN YOU DANCE WITH THE DEVIL – Gwynne Forster – Kensington Dafina/Fiction (Aug)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

NOVELLA OF THE YEAR

“Heat” in VEGAS BITES – L.A. Banks – Parker Publishing (Nov)

“Double Down” in VEGAS BITES – Seressia Glass – Parker Publishing (Nov)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

NEW AUTHOR OF THE YEAR

Ann Christopher

Roslyn Halcomb

Deatri King-Bey

Gwyneth Bolton

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR

Brenda Jackson

Rochelle Alers

Ann Christopher

Seressia Glass

L.A. Banks

Mar

Life is like a box of six-foot anatomically correct chocolate Jesus statues–Or the body of Christ compels you–to protest

By writerds 1 Comment

Categories: wtf?

I couldn’t decide on a title for this story, which is just too rife with entendre of all kinds to pass up. It seems artist Cosimo Cavallaro’s plans to exhibit his latest work at the Lab Gallery housed in the Roger Smith Hotel on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan next week have crumbled. Why? Cavallaro, best known for such tasteful culinary artwork as painting a hotel room in melted mozzarella, wanted to display in a window that can be seen from the street, a six-foot tall, nude, anatomically correct, spread-arm statue of Jesus during the holiest week in the Christian calendar–Easter week.

Does it surprise anyone–aside from Cavallaro (supposedly) that Catholics from Cardinal Eagan on down came out of the woodwork to decry if not the statue itself, then the timing of the exhibit?

We all know I am a lapsed Catholic. I have no religious objections to a nude Jesus (though it does set off the EWWWW factor, for sure). I have no objection to artistic nudity unless the work itself is unappealing. I even think it was kind of cool that the artist planned to let patrons have samples from the statue–talk about having a bit of Christ in you. What I do object to is the disingenuous posturing of the artist when asked about the relevance and timing of his work.

Cavallaro, apparently a fellow lapsed Catholic claimed the timing had nothing to do with the theme of his work–that’s just when there was time on the calendar. Yeah, right. And they sell peeps shaped like pumpkins at Halloween accidentally, too. I don’t mind folks wanting to shake stuff up or use the calendar to their advantage, but please, let’s not treat the rest of us like morons.

Cavallaro mockingly promised to say a Hail Mary for every person his statue offended. Apparently Cavallaro will be spared saying a hell of a lot of prayers (though not binging on a hell of a lot of chocolate) since his exhibit got excised (or is it exorcised) from the gallery’s line-up. But it makes me wonder what’s next for the artist? A borscht Budda? A marshmallow Mohammed? If it’s the latter, make sure to keep the month of Ramadaan open for the exhibit. Sheesh!

Mar

BOOKGASM!

By writerds 2 Comments

Categories: fun stuff and reading

I don’t often venture into Manhattan anymore, but I’ve always had a fondness for the city. I don’t even mind riding the subway. But when I found myself needing to take my son downtown (see post below) and having two free hours to wander around, I, of course, headed for the nearest bookstore–the behemoth Barnes and Noble on 66th and Broadway.

Man! What a store! I know some people love rambling, one-floor stores, but I’m a New Yorker. I appreciate height. Here I had three floors of books, books, books; another floor with more books and a special enclosed author signing room with chairs that actually look comfortable to sit on; then another floor of books and a cafe to at the top to toast them.

And they had a couple of my books in stock!!!! Lawdy, I was like to faint dead away.

This is my new Mecca. Another pilgrimage is planned soon.

Mar

A funny thing happened on the way to the Y

By writerds 7 Comments

Categories: non-smoking journal

Two nights ago I had to take my son downtown to the city for an interview for a summer program that might net him a trip abroad for a couple of weeks. For those of you who know Manhattan, there’s an East side a West side and a Central Park in the middle of the two if you happen to be between 59th and 110th Streets. We were off to the 63rd St. Y, which happens to be (just barely) on the West side. The subway near our house travels down the East side.

Needless to say, when we got off the train at East 59th Street we had to traverse the length of the park. Remembered the part was there–forgot how long a walk it was even at that point. Here’s the great thing–I chugged along with my son at a decent clip for the twenty-five minutes it took us to walk across WITHOUT GETTING WINDED!!! I would have had to stop at least twice had I still been smoking. So the benefits are starting to show. WHOOPPEE!!

So somebody please tell me why I had this crazy dream about smoking that night.

Mar

When!

By writerds 4 Comments

Categories: fun stuff

I have officially had enough of American Idol for the year. Okay, so Sanjaya looked cute with his pohawk and his singing was not quite as horrid as other times, but I decided this week that it was either him or me. Since he stayed (how is this humanly possible???) I’m walking. Someone please let me know whether Lakisha or Melinda wins. America has got to kick the boy off before one of these two ladies is booted, surely. Please!!!

Mar

Once more into the breach . . .

By writerds 0 Comments

Categories: blogosphere, mystery, publishing and writing

Just tooling around the blogosphere today. My son is home from school sick today so I’m not having an easy time concentrating. I popped over to Alvin Romer’s Yahoo 360 (don’t know how to make a degree mark) page and found him waxing poetic on his beliefs. I especially like the one about black women being the most precious commodity on the planet and the last one. Hey, a little self-confidence never killed anyone.

I traveled over to Lee Goldberg’s site for a little conference humor. The truth is, all of us writers get asked crazy questions by those not in the know.

Pittershawn blogs about the connection between reading and spirituality.

Over at Blogging in Black, Maurice Broaddus blogs about attending conferences.

And Warner Books gets renamed Grand Central Publishing. I hope they didn’t rename it for Grand Central Station here in New York. The best you can say about that place is, yeah they fixed it up nice but I wouldn’t want to be there during rush hour.

That’s all for now. Enjoy!

Mar

May the Goddess Be With You

By writerds 1 Comment

Categories: sounding off

Here’s an idea I’ve been meaning to post on for some time but couldn’t get my thoughts organized just so around it. The other day someone posted on one of the lists to which I belong a query about Wicca and other Goddess-worshiping religions. The poster was interested in finding any black participants since Goddess worship, as she understood it, was a European thing.

NOT, NOT, NOT!!! Goddess worship is the oldest form of piety on the planet. Earliest cave drawings depict female forms heavy with pregnancy (the Mother aspect of the Goddess) or with exaggerated breasts and genetalia (which some folks speculate may be the first erotica). However she was depicted, the Goddess was THE creative force in the universe. The Goddess was also depicted in such symbols as the sun, the moon, the serpent, the circle and other guises. Only later did men seem to get into the God business and eventually erase almost any reference to the female role in creation.

If Judaism was the death knell for Goddess worship, then Christianity was not only the nails in the coffin but the gallows by which it was hung, particularly during the Burning Times throughout Europe.

Makes me wonder how scared primitive (and not so primitive) man must have been of the opposite sex to warrant obliterating the female image from any sort of power position that they didn’t actually control (as in you are childbearers, so we must protect you and conversely you are our whores so we must protect ourselves from you.)

The truth is that the worst discrimination in the world is not black against white or any color against another, but the subjugation man has perpetrated and continues to perpetrate against women around the world.

End of sermon for today. Check back later for more cheerful commentary.

Mar

What’s In a Name?

By writerds 0 Comments

Categories: my work, mystery, publishing, romance, romantic suspense and writing

Couple days ago on M.J. Rose’s blog guest Barry Eisler waxed wise about book titles.

Titles have been a bane for me from the beginning. My first four titles changed from:

Bewitched to Spellbound — Not too bad
Once and Always to Always — Liveable
Unforgettable to Once and Again — huh?
Ihavenoclue to Midnight Magic
— big mistake since Gwynne Forster already had a title out by this name. I believe her sales cannibalized mine.

Of course, I didn’t consider these or any of my other titles in regards to Mr. Eisler’s concept of resonance. Now I’ve got to go back and find the first part of what he wrote–and maybe reexamine the title on that proposal I’m working on. Oy!

Mar

Sister Author Angela Winters makes my hometown paper

By writerds 0 Comments

Categories: Uncategorized

Angela Winters, author of numerous romance and mainstream titles as well as the Politopics blog made the blogosphere section of the New York Daily News with this entry on African and Caribbean immigrant success.

Way to go, Angela, and here’s to romance writers speaking out in whatever and whichever venues they prefer. Let’s get it on, girls (and guys)!

Mar

Just another lethargic thursday

By writerds 6 Comments

Categories: blog stuff and non-smoking journal

I don’t know what it is about airline travel that seems to knock the stuffings out of me–not so much when I get to my destination, but when I get back? I’ve spent the last couple days battling a cold or something like it. Or maybe my system has rid itself of enough nicotine to start flushing out other toxins as well. Who knows? But if you’ve been wondering why I’ve posted so little since coming back from Slam Jam, that is why.

Thanks to all of you who have offered me encouragement in my bid to stop smoking, both here and elsewhere. It has been both harder and easier than I anticipated. Thanks to you and my family I am still going strong.

Now I better get some work done today. I’m way behind where I want to be on some things. See you folks tomorrow!


Get into your most comfortable reading chair,
take off your shoes,
turn off the phone
and let Ms. Savoy's incredible talent take you away.


  --Debra Ross,
     Romance in Color

A skewed sense of humor has kept me sane through 10+ years of teaching and almost as many writing. I invite you to come in and look around. Leave a comment if you like. My goal is to leave you with a smile on your face and a few new thoughts to mull over. If you like the blog, please tell your friends. If not, tell your enemies.