BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Thursday, October 6, 2016

Yasmin Shiraz on the World She Built For LOYAL--Book Blast & Giveaway


Title: Loyal
Author Name: Yasmin Shiraz
Publication Date: Aug 28, 2016
Genre: Young Adult

Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare.
Red roses, a reminder of her parents’ killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life.
Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again?

 GOODREADS

Purchase Links:

Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Yasmin Shiraz is the author of The Blueprint for My Girls as well as The Blueprint for My Girls in Love. She is an empowerment speaker and program developer who has delivered programs and keynotes based on her books. 
She is the author of the ALA's Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers selection, Retaliation. She has spoken at over 100 colleges nationwide on topics such as empowerment, black history and hip hop culture. 
She is an award winning film director as her film, "Can She Be Saved?" won 4 film awards including 
Best New film.
When not writing books, she produces documentaries for her company, Still Eye Rise Films.


Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads  | Google +



 Yasmin Shiraz  on the world she built for her series. 

The Retaliation series which now includes Loyal, Retaliation and Accused consists of a world where young people often feel they are at a disadvantage and have to fight the system. The system includes school principals, police officers, the court system, criminal enterprises and even higher education in modern day America.  

The main characters in Loyal, Tashera and Khalil, live in a low-income area in Washington, DC. True to life, I created this world where these characters would have to deal with the challenges of gang initiations, violence, and poverty. As a motivational speaker and workshop facilitator in the inner cities of America, I saw so many young people who continued to be hopeful despite their circumstances and quite frankly, despite the odds. The world of the Retaliation series is about heart and fighting and doing what's right despite not having ample economic resources. This series thrusts the characters into making adult decisions without always having guidance or support. 

The first two books in the series, Loyal and Retaliation, take place in an urban setting focusing on the neighborhood and public high school, but the third book, Accused, has two of the main characters going off to a Division I University. Even though the physical setting changed in Accused, the characters still go up against the system and have to fight for themselves in the series. We often hear about the sad statistics of people who reside in low income areas, but what about the people who reside there but decide to be different? What about the people who decide they are not going to be a statistic? They are not going to become teen parents. They are not going to die at the hands of gun violence. They are not going to become drug users or drug dealers. 


The world of Retaliation is a place where young people who want to be different rally against those who have accepted the status quo.  Non-violent people have to find their way against those prone to violence.  Those opposed to gangs have to fight against those who are actively recruiting. This series is home to young people who believe that their current circumstance doesn't prevent their future trajectory.

My website is www.yasminshiraz.net
I love to hear from readers and aspiring authors. 
I can be reached at yshiraz@yasminshiraz.net.


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