Author: Michelle's Site

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If You’re Looking For Me

CAVALCADE OF AUTHORS at the BLACK WOMEN’S EXPO CHICAGO April 3-5, 2020

Meet and greet the following authors in the LITERARY CAFE, and Booths 120, 124, 126, 128

Naleighna Kai, J. L. Woodson, Brian W. Smith,
J. L. Campbell, Karen D. Bradley, Janice M. Allen, Lisa Watson, Sierra Kay, Terri Ann Johnson, Michelle D. Rayford, MarZe Scott, London St. Charles, Betty Clawson, Ehryck F. Gilmore, Ann Clay, Janine Ingram, Sesvalah, S. F. Hardy, Michele Sims, Dr. Tanesha House, and others.

Special cafe pricing on Autographed books!!! Some will be 2 for $20.
Genres: Contemporary fiction, romance, Christian Fiction, suspense, mystery, erotica, thrillers, self-help, memoirs, and Children’s books

Free book with purchase. Stop by and say hi and pick up the free downloads from Tribe, LaVerne Thompson, and Naleighna Kai.

Special Performance by SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE (as seen at Chicago’s Second City), sponsored by Sierra Kay.

Three authors will read from their books at the top of every hour.

Giveaways and raffles every hour, sponsored by the authors, Dudley Beauty College, Book Lover’s Con, Genesis Print and Copy Services

WE ARE HOSTING A READER APPRECIATION EVENT on Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 8:00 pm at the Hilton McCormick – 123 E. Cermak in the Auburn & Cord Ballrooms. Sponsored by Dudley Beauty College and Plano Eye Center (free eye screenings on site)

Cafe Members, Ambassadors, and fans are able to attend as our honored guests. Please email an RSVP with the name and email of your guests (4 max per person) to Naleighnakai@gmail.com.

FREE writing and publishing workshop at the Black Women’s Expo on Saturday, April 4 from 11:00 to 12:30 pm and marketing and promotion workshop on Sunday, April 5, from 12 to 1:30 pm

cavalcadeofauthors #shematters #naleighnakai #NKTribecalledsuccess #COA2020 #getcaughtreading #blackwomensexpo #literarycafe

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And The Winner Is…

Thank you to everyone who entered my $25 Amazon gift card giveaway. There were over 1,400 entries. The winning number was chosen using Random Number generator.

And the winner is Courtney Kinder (cb***@yahoo.com).

Please email me at mdrayford@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Congratulations, Courtney!

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Free Cookbook



JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

This FREE cookbook, created by USA Today and National Bestselling Authors, is inspired by the Kings of the Castle Series. It contains an interesting mix of cuisines from India, Italy, Southern USA, Africa, and many other places. Several authors from the series and their friends, have shared everything from childhood favorites to main meals that are sure to please the most discriminating tastebuds.

Enjoy! http://bit.ly/FitforaKingCookbook

kingsofthecastleseries #cookbook #getcaughtreading

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One Lakers Fan Heartbreak – A Tribute to Kobe Bryant

Print created by Matt Sanoian.
Print created by Matt Sanoian.

I was upstairs writing when the call came. My daughter’s Face timed me with the news. Kobe Bryant was dead. I told them to stop playing.

I’ve been a Lakers fan since Dad sat me down beside him on the couch to watch the Showtime Lakers. Magic, Kareem, James Worthy, AC Green, Bryon Scott. I fell in love with their style. I’ve always loved basketball (my jumper was nice) and the LA Lakers became MY team.

Even through the down years, I rooted for them. Then we traded for Shaq. And drafted a young kid named Kobe Bean Bryant. The Lakers were back, baby.

And I got to watch a young boy grow into a man. His work ethic was nuts. You had to admire the tenacity. The arrogance to believe he would emerge as THE best basketball player. And he did it. He won at the highest level. It was inspiring. It made you want to work hard on your own chosen craft. Kobe made it possible to believe that a strong will and consistency would reap rewards. I didn’t want to be like Mike. I wanted to be like Kobe. #MambaMentality

He wasn’t perfect. There are some that may condemn him forever but I saw the growth, the maturity. And I’m no one’s judge and jury. I didn’t know him personally, of course, but from what I could see he was a wonderful father. He seemed to be happily married. He loved to teach the next generation of ballplayers. Especially girls. #GirlDad

I was looking forward to his new path. A more creative path. He wrote a series of children’s books. He won an Oscar for Best Animated Short for his poem, Dear Basketball. In winning that award, he showed he was more than an athlete. It’s depressing to think of all the work he was still planning to do and know it’s not going to happen. Kobe was only 41 years old. The world was robbed of his gifts.

So, to Kobe, his daughter Gianna, Sarah & Payton Chester, Alyssa, Keri & John Altobelli, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan, rest in peace.  You will be missed but remembered forever!

This print was created by Matt Sanoian of Sanoian Designs. If you would like to purchase it, please go to www.sanoiandesigns.com/buy

All proceeds will be donated to the MambaOnThree.org

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday – 2020

The theme for 2020 is “Stay afraid, but do it anyway”. Whatever you are called to do, you shouldn’t let anything stop you. Especially your own insecurities.

I’m sure MLK had doubts about some of the things he was called to do. But he did them anyway. And he left a legacy that people are still trying to live up too.

What legacy will you leave?