Nia Promotions c/o Nia Chapbook 2231B Center St. STE 144 Deer Park, TX 77536 www.niachapbook.com Excerpt from “Caramel Surprise” © by Ja’Nese Dixon. Printed by permission of the author. Excerpt from “Chameleon” © by JA Adams. Printed by permission of the author. Excerpt from “Olivia” © by Miki Starr. Printed by permission of the author. Excerpt from “Not Until You’re Ready” © Danyelle Scroggins. Printed by permission of the author. All Rights Reserved. Material may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form without prior written permission. Printed in the United States of America. This book is made available for promotional purposes only. This book is not for retail sale. Please visit the author’s website for details about purchasing the featured books. Read Nia Chapbook online at www.niachapbook.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS CARAMEL SURPRISE By Ja’Nese Dixon Page 5
CHAMELEON By JA Adams Page 17
NOT UNTIL YOU’RE READY By Danyelle Scroggins Page 27
OLIVIA By Miki Starr Page 39
“Nia Chapbook is dedicated to those that love the written word. Thank you!� - Dana, Founder of Nia Promotions
TITLE: Caramel Surprise AUTHOR: Ja’Nese Dixon EBOOK: Kindle and Nook PUBLISHER: Purpose Prevails Publishing GENRE: Romantic Suspense WEBSITE: www.janesedixon.com DESCRIPTION: Sandra James, owner of Coffee Confessions, a small Houston coffee shop that serves up coffee, books, music and good ole’ fashion customer service, which keeps her shop full of eclectic patrons at the cost of her personal life. She yearns for a man of her own, but will all hell break loose when a love lost and love anew collide? Caramel Surprise is a short story that originally appeared in “Coffee Confessions”. Sit back, grab a cup of your favorite joe and prepare for an entertaining story filled with suspense and Sandra’s quest to find love.
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EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER TWO
Caramel Surprise Lost in a daydream, Sandra was startled back to reality by the ringing of the shop phone. She required that employees answer the phone within two rings. Ringing phones were annoying and many people used her establishment as a getaway. They read, studied, talked, but very few people chatted on cell phones because it felt unnatural in the surroundings. She did her best to keep that vibe. She stood up to leave the office, but when she realized she would not make it to the front counter in time, she doubled back and snatched the phone off the receiver at the beginning of the third ring. “Coffee Confessions, give in to your guilty pleasure. This is Sandra, how can I be of service?” “Damn, it’s like that?” She paused. The warm baritone voice rivaled a late night disc jockey. She chuckled and shook her head at the thought. Ignoring his statement, she asked again, “Is there something I can help you with?” “I wish,” was all she heard. 7
JA’NESE DIXON “Come again?” He was beginning to annoy her. Barry White’s sexy double needed to get the party moving, she had things to do. She sat on the end of her desk, leaning slightly forward to see if her girls had arrived. “You caught me off guard. I almost forgot why I called. You have a sexy voice.” She prepared to respond in a not-so-friendly fashion until his rambling cut her short. “I’m sorry. I just realized how rude and sexist I may sound.” He laughed. She joined in more out of nervous energy than humor. The sound vibrating through the phone caused her stomach to tighten. She couldn’t help but respond to his electric vibe transmitting through the phone. “Forgiven.” Silence filled the line between them as she patiently waited for him to state the reason for his call. “Is Bruce available?” The moment of silence dissipated into formality. “No, he’s not. I can take a message.” Sandra grabbed a pencil and prepared to take his message since she prohibited sharing employee schedules for privacy and safety reasons. 8
CARAMEL SURPRISE “Yes, please tell him to call Ricardo. He’s expecting me in town tomorrow, but I arrived early. I called his cell phone but I’m assuming he’s still sleep because I haven’t heard from him.” “I’ll pass the message along. Is there anything else I can help you with today?” She passively asked while jotting down the message on a notepad. “No, not unless you want me to embarrass myself further.” She could hear the smile in his voice and giggled at his discomfort. “Please don’t. I’ll give him the message. Thank you for calling Coffee Confessions.” Sandra hung up and wondered whether his face matched his voice as a small shiver pulsed through her. She could still hear the richness of his tone. She needed to find a date because here she was trying to drum up an image of a potential customer. If she wasn’t careful she would become a turn into a desperate old hag. Her expression looked bleak when Valencia walked into her office and announced the arrival of her sisters. Sandra felt her brief melancholy 9
JA’NESE DIXON moment lift as she nearly knocked Valencia over and barreled through the shop, closing in on the rowdy bunch that were busy flirting with a group of brothers across the room. They appeared to enjoy the attention because they were all smiles. Sandra placed her hand on her hip and shook her head amusingly at Alicia, Danyelle, and Faith giggling like schoolgirls. As she suspected, Danyelle appeared to be the ringleader of the flirting session. She and Danyelle had been friends longer than she could remember. They’d met while in grade school. Faith joined the duo a few years later, and they officially became a quartet when the three of them became friends with Alicia in college. Sandra usually talked to them individually several times a week. However, they found it harder to stay in touch as their personal obligations grew, so they vowed to meet monthly for a sisters’ circle. They laughed, talked, cried, and usually relieved the weight of their problems, drawing strength from each other. They kept it real and knew no limits to protecting each other whether the source was a friend or foe. As a result, each woman usually left the shop with a new pep in her step, ready to take on the world once again. 10
CARAMEL SURPRISE “Don’t shake your head at me.” Danyelle said, standing to hug Sandra. “Someone should tame this crazy woman,” she said laughing and holding her friend tight. “Besides, you already have a man.” “Whatever! I’m like Beyoncé, if he want it, he betta put a ring on it. Until then, I’m free agent.” Danyelle said, taking her seat. The women erupted into a chorus of laughter, exchanging welcoming hugs and clearing the table for their lunch. As if on cue, Valencia approached the table with their sandwiches, fruit, and sweet tea. Sandra did not require her to act as a server, but she usually jumped at the chance since the ladies tipped her generously. She could easily make one hundred dollars in tips from the bunch. “Oh no, what has Steve done now?” Alicia turned her worried expression towards Danyelle. Alicia lived a fairytale life. She and her husband lived in River Oaks and had a son. She was the mother hen of the crew and she wore her badge well. “What hasn’t he done?” Danyelle took a bite of her turkey and Swiss on wheat bread. They waited, 11
JA’NESE DIXON knowing Danyelle might be the mouthpiece of the group, but she was tightlipped when it came to her personal affairs. She crossed her arms on the edge of the table. “Honestly, I’m tired of waiting on Steve to propose. We’ve been together for seven years. I’m no different than the next woman. I want to have the house, kids, and the dog.” They nodded in unison, remaining quiet. She continued, “I don’t know…I have my own house, my business is thriving, I have a man that I love, what is he waiting on? Jesus.” A forced smile failed to disguise the hurt in her tear-filled eyes. She searched their faces as if they held the answers to the issues plaguing her heart. Sandra grabbed Danyelle’s hand and squeezed it, knowing exactly how she felt. Faith watched as Sandra and Alicia comforted Danyelle. She rarely showed her emotions, but she took personal offense to anyone causing harm to her sisters. “Why do you have to wait on him, Danyelle? He’s not the only eligible person walking around Houston.” Sandra and Alicia exchanged a look. They noticed Faith’s use of “person” instead of “man”. Alicia impassively shrugged her shoulder. 12
CARAMEL SURPRISE Danyelle patted her eyes with the tissue, careful not to smudge her eyeliner. “Why? Because I be damned if I wasted seven years of my life? Besides, I love him. We live together. And why should I not want him to man up and ask me to marry him?” With every word, the tears were forming in her eyes, threatening to spill over again. Sandra knew this was serious. She could not remember the last time she saw Danyelle cry. Faith looked like she could strangle Steve with her bare hands and Alicia was Alicia, trying to soothe everyone. “Well,” Sandra said, trying to lighten the mood, “guess who’s going on a blind date next week?” She swore she could hear a pin drop. “Oh, Lord, Sandra, when are you going to start serving liquor?” Faith asked sending them all into a fit of laughter. They laughed until tears streamed down their perfectly made up faces. Alicia doubled over holding her stomach and Sandra would have been offended if their reaction to her going on a blind date wasn’t hysterical. They took a moment to get their emotions under control. “Okay, start at the beginning,” Alicia coaxed. She sat back in her seat, letting 13
JA’NESE DIXON Valencia refill their glasses of tea and placed a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the table. They huddled closer, each grabbing a cookie. Sandra nodded, breaking a piece of the soft cookie and popping it into her mouth. “Last night Bruce asked if he could set me up with one of his friends.” “Bruce?” They asked in unison. “Shoot, I would love to do something to his fine ass,” Danyelle mumbled. Alicia’s saucer sized eyes caused the women to fill the shop with their laughter. The more perturbed the other guests appeared, the more they laughed. Danyelle looked at everyone, daring them to say something. After the laughter subsided, Sandra continued. “Stop,” she pleaded, “I’m really going to give this a chance. I warned him. I don’t want some young, thug-wanna-be guy. He said he knows, and I trust him.” “Mmmmhm.” Faith said, sarcastically. Sandra ignored her. After listening to today’s conversation, she planned to take it with a grain of salt. She had to try. 14
CARAMEL SURPRISE “I think you should.” Alicia’s expression twisted in thought. “When was the last time you went on a date…before Noah quit his job to build the ark?” They all but rolled on the floor at Alicia’s wisecrack. “Girl, you know it’s been so long that her coochie is probably full of dust.” Uncontrollable laughter filled the shop once more. Sandra tried to stop, but she knew Danyelle was right. She saw Valencia looking on at the rambunctious bunch disrupting the calm of the shop and she saw a flash of something in her eyes. Was it envy? Before she could name it, it disappeared. Sandra threw a napkin at Danyelle, who ducked, bumping into Faith. “No really, all jokes aside, I think you should. Actually…I have an idea.” They all sobered and gathered closer as if Alicia had a naughty secret. “Oh, hell. Why do I feel like I’m being set up?” Sandra watched her friend’s eyes dance like a mischievous child. “Because you are.” Alicia’s rubbed her hands together like Brain preparing to take over the world. “At our next sister’s circle I’m bringing a 15
JA’NESE DIXON plan for us. I think we should get our men and woman,” she said in Faith’s direction, “in check.” “Please, just say I don’t have to rub noses with your husband’s bougie friends.” Faith moaned. “No, it’s nothing like that.” Alicia laughed. They had weathered many formal affairs to support Alicia and they all knew they would do just about anything she asked. “And can we please move the meeting to a place that serves something harder than sweet tea? No offense, Sandi.” Danyelle asked. “Okay, okay. Let’s meet at Grooves or something like that.” Alicia decided. “Wait, the next sister’s circle? You guys are coming tomorrow right?” Sandra asked. “Hell yeah! I wouldn’t miss Marques’ fine ass for nothing in the world. Do you think he’ll take off his shirt? In his latest video, he had me wishing I was that video girl.” Danyelle could go from hot to cold in an instant. She sat in her chair rolling her body like a true video vixen. A party wasn’t a party without her.
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CARAMEL SURPRISE “I wish you would stop. And don’t embarrass me.” Sandra said before whispering behind her hand, “I hope so too.” After chatting for another half hour, the ladies stood and prepared to leave. Sandra eyed the cash left on the table and sure enough, Valencia would be happy. They all wished her well and agreed that she should go on the blind date. Sandra stood on the sidewalk outside Coffee Confessions and watched her friends walk away. She knew they would have a great time at the show tomorrow. She could not help but wonder what Alicia had up her sleeve and what was going on in Danyelle’s life? Time would tell, she reasoned. Sandra turned to walk into the shop and heard, “Hey good lookin’, can I get those digits?”
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About Ja’Nese Dixon Ja’Nese Dixon is an Oklahoma native living in Houston, Texas. As a child, she spent most of her days reading anything she could grab. Her love for writing gave birth to a large collection of poetry and short stories. She continued to nurture her love of reading and writing until entering graduate school. As a wife and mother of two small children, she found little time to write but her reading continued. In late 2004, she decided to quietly pursue her writing career by entering contests and ghost writing articles. After ranking in several contests, she began writing her first novel, Black Diamond, released in June 2010. Ja’Nese Dixon is still an avid reader, she loves to write, run, cook, crochet, watch romantic comedy movies, attend live concerts, volunteer in several ministries in her church, and most importantly spend time with her family. Ja’Nese Dixon spends her days marketing small businesses and her nights writing. To learn more visit www.janesedixon.com.
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TITLE: Chameleon AUTHOR: JA Adams ISBN: 978-0-9762005-2-9 PUBLISHER: Shaw Harris and Associates GENRE: Psychological Suspense WEBSITE: www.jaadamsauthor.com DESCRIPTION: When dreams turn into nightmares, spur of the moment decisions test the silent codes of family honor. Infatuation Masters as Love Diane Darhling, beautiful, scholarly, and heir to a multi-million dollar fortune, finds herself caught in a triangular web of love gone seriously wrong. Two men, Jimmy and Jerrell, whose polarized unrelenting desire to have her is felt to the depths of the soul. One loves unconditionally. The other, a suave psychopath. Will Diane’s naivety jeopardize her storybook life? Reading like a backdrop story from headline news, a twisted plan, forged in pathological and psychotic manipulation, is plotted by the Chameleon.
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CHAMELEON “Operation Diane” is underway and the bonds of family are tested, changing everyone’s life forever.
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EXCERPT FROM
Chameleon For almost two years now, he had watched her, followed her, studied her closer than his own major, computer science. He found out who her friends were, that she liked to take early morning classes, and her favorite color was cobalt blue but, she would never be caught dead wearing it. Sometimes, by chance, he ran into her on campus; asking her how she was doing. Small talk, that's all it was to Diane. But, for Jimmy, it was a walk into heaven. Of course, there were times when he wanted her to see him. Every encounter carefully planned and calculated making their meeting appear incidental. That was when he wanted to see her smile. Her sensual smile caused a man to need a cold shower. Lighting his morning joint, the thought of her smile caused a rise in his nature. Campus security was nowhere around, so he could risk the smoke. Two quick hits, in addition to seeing Diane, was all he needed to get the day started off right. It was not until last spring semester, he realized just how wealthy she possibly was. She 22
CHAMELEON came back after Christmas break with a brand new two-seater Jaguar convertible, a Christmas present from her parents. Only rich people paid that kind of car note for their children. He thought of his own hand-me-down car, a 1968 Impala SS. His oldest brother, Jarvis who went by the street name Jaz, sold marijuana while in high school to get the cash for the car. When Jimmy graduated from high school, his brother moved up in the drug business and got a better ride, so the car passed to him. Extinguishing his blunt, he stuffed it into his blue jeans pocket hurrying to the campus dining hall for breakfast. Eating quickly, he finished, returning to his dorm. His first class was not until ten o'clock, another two hours away. Stretching out on his bed, putting his hands behind his head, he declared out loud, "Yes, before the year ends she'll be mine!" Aware of the gossip her long-term relationship was on the rocks, he planned to be there to pick up the pieces when things started falling apart. Today was September twelfth, and no time to waste. May graduation for him was coming fast and he intended for Diane to be fully his by that time. An angry smirk crossed his face as he thought about Diane with her boyfriend, whom he loathed with deep seated jealousy. 23
JA ADAMS As the fall semester moved along, careful as always to make things appear unplanned, Jimmy started making himself more and more visible to Diane holding longer conversations. Realistically knowing the likelihood was slim, he longed to be with her at the Homecoming concert the fourth weekend in October, just a week away. Then the Friday of the concert, by a sure twist of fate, there she was having trouble getting into her mailbox at the campus post office. Offering to assist, he began talking about the upcoming festivities. "So, I guess you and Jerrell have big plans for this weekend?" "No," she replied with expression, "he has to work."
a
monotonous
"A man making big bucks like that ought to be able to call some shots. He should plan better and not leave a lady hanging." "Well,� she explained defending her comment, “he's trying to get a promotion. He's been there a year now." The mailbox popped open. "Hey!" Diane exclaimed, "You got my box open! Thanks Jimmy! I owe you one." 24
CHAMELEON "Hey, no sweat," said Jimmy handing Diane back her key. "Well, see ya." And just like that, she was gone, leaving Jimmy standing with a silly grin on his face, but a grin of accomplishment. A concert on campus and a Diane with no Jerrell. How lucky could he get? "Stop standing there you fool!" he scolded, "You've got a lot of planning to do." Back in the dorm room, Jimmy made final plans for the night as well as the rest of the weekend, if things went smoothly. Breaking up with Jalene three weeks ago had been perfectly timed. Jalene, however, was only a substitute for Diane. The two women looked a lot alike. People often asked if they were related. Sometimes he fantasized that she was Diane. Once during sex, he made a mistake and called her Diane. Jalene, with her naive self, thought he was saying, dying. "Stupid bitch," he laughed shaking his head. "Ain't nothing she got could ever make me think I was dying." But, after tonight, he would no longer need a substitute since he would soon have the real thing. 25
JA ADAMS Not worried about rejection, there was no doubt in his mind Diane would fall for him once he made that first move. He was tall, good-looking, high-yellow, had nice hair, and just like his brothers, God’s gift to women. Once he laid his charm on a woman, she was good as hooked. Women went crazy over his hairy chest so he always wore his shirts unbuttoned just enough so women could see the hair. Taking one last look at himself in the mirror, he darted out the door.
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About JA Adams JA Adams, author of three psychological suspense novels, uses personal and professional experiences to bring awareness to psychological issues that affect our relationships. For 30 years, Adams has worked with traumatized victims of violence and crime. Adams’ experience, paired with her writings, allude to healing the spirit and soul of victims. In 1993, Adams decided to marry her cause with her passion for writing, beginning with contributions to the teacher modular curriculum, Responding to Violence in the Lives of Young Children, at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), Educare Training Institute. Adams currently resides outside of Austin, Texas. She continues to write and volunteers with numerous organization bringing awareness to teen dating violence and women issues, as well as, advocating against intimate partner and family violence. Such organizations include the Ortralla Foundation and Recovery Ministry at Gateway Church. Moreover, she regularly speaks and mentors women using her life as proof that one
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JA ADAMS can love again after trauma. For more visit www.jaadamsauthor.com.
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TITLE: Not Until You’re Ready AUTHOR: Danyelle Scroggins ISBN: 978-0974076232 PUBLISHER: Purpose Prevails Publishing GENRE: Christian Nonfiction WEBSITE: www.danyellescroggins.com DESCRIPTION: Women all over the world are longing for that perfect mate. So much so that they are bent, on finding him only to realize, sometimes too late, that he has already found them. Not Until You’re Ready urges women to consider God’s plan for their lives and it encourages women to get busy doing His work because there are so many things God has in store for them. But only when they are ready. So if you have been praying for God to send you someone special, this book will cause you to channel your mind, and your actions that will cause you to be prepared. There is no good thing that God will withhold from them that love Him, but Not Until You’re Ready. 30
CHAPTER FIVE
What You Don’t Know About Sex During this year of purification, God began to share with me what really happens during sex. You know when God himself gives you a revelation it will almost blow you away because of its profoundness. He knew that the simplest way of me understanding and retaining what He had to tell me, was to show me. First, He took me back into my own life concerning that guy that I was in love with since age five. During my teenage years he became the first guy that I had ever had sex with. Although he was supposed to be my boyfriend he had other girlfriends. I would catch him in stores with other women and he would lie himself out of it. It never really dune on me how attached I was to this guy until I got married and moved away. Coming home was good because I missed my family but it was bad because I missed him. I was a married woman with a child who I just knew was his so that did not make things any better. This made coming home a bad nightmare. My husband hated him. Because of my husband’s insecurity of me and this guy’s sexual relationship with one another, he had sex outside of the marriage. That of 31
DANYELLE SCROGGINS course became the key at me being able to be with this guy and feel no remorse. See, one bad situation leads to another bad situation. My husband probably never would have looked at another woman if he were secure. The lack of security in a relationship will cause people to do things that they would not ordinarily do. He asked me to leave my husband and we start a life together and even though this is what I wanted, I just couldn’t bring myself to doing this. I remembered all the times it was suppose to be just him and me and another woman would always pop up. I also remembered how my husband had taken me away from him because he was part of the reason why I married in the first place. I often asked God why it was so hard to stop loving him and why I just couldn’t forget and it was not until after I was divorced and now, that He decided to give me the answer. Our bodies were created only be shared with our husband and him alone. Because we are made of body, spirit, and soul they each play a part in the sexual process. Once we share our bodies through sexual intercourse with a man or vice versa, our soul, which houses our affections and our emotions, embraces this person to be our spouses and there becomes the beginning of what is called 32
NOT UNTIL YOU’RE READY soul ties. Our spirit then interprets this to be a spiritual union before God and you began to share things that are of the spirit with this person. Remember that marriage is a spiritual connection. That is exactly why it is so hard to get rid of a person whom you have shared sexual intercourse with. You know you see women as well as men being physically and emotionally abused by a mate but still they hold on to a relationship that you feel like they should have gotten rid of. This is why. They are emotionally tied to this person and it is not as easy as you think it is to be rid of them. And in the process their spirit man becomes filled and intertwined with this person as if it where a marriage and if any one of you have ever been married and divorce, you know that a marriage is easier to get in than it is to get out. Sometimes a person goes through pure hell before they get out of a relationship and some of them never make it because they are murdered. Soul ties are real and all of the time a person never loses the ties until they pray in deep sincerity for God to remove that person from their hearts. Once God revealed this to me, I was able to get cleanse from all of the spirits within. It does not matter how many persons you have had sex with, each time you pick up something. Whether it is 33
DANYELLE SCROGGINS something good or bad, you become the carrier of the trait. Those evil spirits can be so life altering, until when you finally take a good look at yourself, you really don’t have a clue of whom you are. Demonic spirits can cause you to do and say some things that you were not accustomed to and when you are in sin there is no such way of protecting yourself from being accessible to their reign. The sharing of your body goes deeper than your mind can even contain. When you find a married couple, you find one person. The bible says “…and the two shall become one.” It takes one body, one soul, and one spirit to make one person so then, how does two people become one? God takes two bodies in marriage and conjoins a spiritual link between two souls to form “one.” In the course of writing this book, a friend of mine, who’s an older lady, (I will go as far to call her a spiritual guidance for me) shared something with me. She and her husband had been married for years and had six children together but he died. She said after his death she was lost. It was as if she had to get to know herself all over again. She said some days she couldn’t think, or remember and because of the concern that she was losing her mind, she sought the wisdom of a friend who was older than she. This friend explained to her that 34
NOT UNTIL YOU’RE READY with her husband she was a whole and now that she was so use to functioning as a whole, she would now have to wait on God to make the half, a complete, with oneness with Him. Is not that the best thing you have ever heard? That is why a husband can finish the sentences of his wife and how wives know their husbands thoughts before they even think them. That is also why some people after they have lost their spouses die just weeks or months later. They are so use to being a whole until they can’t even phantom the thought of being by themselves and their grief becomes so overwhelming until it kills them. So, it is very important that you realize that there is a reason for the warnings against fornication. When your body is free from the sin of fornication and all of the demonic spirits that comes along with this sin, God can truly use you. Sexual sins take so much out of you. They cause you to believe that what you are doing is natural. Our bodies are made to desire sex because of reproduction. God wouldn’t have gave us these desires unless they were apart of His plan to replenish the Earth. Sex is for two married adults in order that they may reproduce and raise Godly offspring. Remember the story of Noah, God gave Noah precise instructions to take two animals male 35
DANYELLE SCROGGINS and female as the same with his sons that took their wives. Look how important sex was in the rebuilding of a nation after the flood. We must not take sex as a casual got to get it event. Abstain! I rebuke every lustful spirit that has caused you to use your body as someone else’s pleasure piece. I come against every sexual connotation that has you bound. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Scriptures on Fornication “…Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.” 1 Corinthians 6:13 “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornications sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 “I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if 36
NOT UNTIL YOU’RE READY they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.” 1 Corinthians 7:89 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” 2 Peter 2:9 “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:18 God desires to have your body as a house to hold His Spirit.
Questions to really think about…. Will you present your body as a living sacrifice? Will you give God your all? Will you remember to be spiritually led instead of emotionally led? 37
DANYELLE SCROGGINS Sex is meant not for pleasure but to produce unity and generations. Teach your sons that he has generations in him and every women that he meets is not worthy of carrying his generations. Also, tell your daughters that there is not a price tag big enough in this world, that can pay for what God gave to His girls. If we make our children understand the vital importance of abstaining from sex, our children won’t have so many issues and they will have blessed marriages. This is a lesson that starts now and never grows old. You are what you do the most and I pray that you do not become a sex-head and live a life governed by your flesh. People who are guided by sex do not care who or what they have sex with. It has a way of making you cross lines that you would not have ordinarily crossed. Be prayerful and present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God. And you cannot do this having sexual relations if you are not married.
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About Danyelle Scroggins Danyelle Scroggins is the founder of Danyelle Scroggins Ministries and co-founder of New Vessels Ministries founded by herself and spouse Pastor Reynard Carter Scroggins in Shreveport, Louisiana. She is a pastor, teacher, motivational speaker, author, mother, daughter, and lover of God’s people. She is the spiritual daughter of the one and only, Pastor Tommy Nard, Sr. who is the esteemed pastor of the Word of Deliverance Family Life Church. Danyelle Scroggins is the author of Not Until You’re Ready and The Power of Pain. Her newest release His Mistress or God’s Daughter?, will not only shake the atmosphere, but cause God’s daughters to become fully aware of who they are. She is preparing for the release of her first Christian fiction novel, Destiny’s Decision. She attended the Louisiana Baptist Theology University and is presently attending the University of Phoenix where she is pursuing a degree in Counseling. Danyelle resides in Shreveport, LA with her husband and five children—two daughters and one son by birth, and two sons by marriage. Connect with Danyelle online at www.danyellescroggins.com. 39
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TITLE: Olivia: Rebirth of the Anointed AUTHOR: Miki Starr ISBN: 978-0972124669 PUBLISHER: ReignStorm Publishing GENRE: Science Fiction/Fantasy WEBSITE: www.mikistarr.com DESCRIPTION: OLIVIA: REBIRTH OF THE ANOINTED For decades, the children of the planet Marieux were told tales of the birth of a savior that would free their world from the clutches of the heartless organization that controlled it for years. Military rule, unjust laws, and recruitment of women for the purpose of serving the needs of their oppressor, exemplified the society into which they were born. But with each passing year, as civilization was further plunged into the depths of despair, it became even less conceivable that the prophecy of the Anointed Daughter of the Marinites was true. Seventeen-year-old Olivia Kalaath, has heard this story since childhood and rejected it for just as long, despite at times being accused of being this prophecy come reality. After all, she has the golden 42
NOT UNTIL YOU’RE READY skin tone and the extraordinary instincts synonymous with the mythical figure. Either way, being different has its price. In order to keep herself and her mother below the Shadow Realm Allegiance’s radar, she practices the age-old art of concealing, a survival technique she learned as a child. But when her best friend goes missing, Olivia must decide what she believes in once and for all.
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EXCERPT FROM
Olivia I steadied my breathing, felt the shards of glass carefully until my phalanges grazed one that felt sufficient. I lifted slowly, carefully. I had made up my mind. I would not allow him to follow through. I would kill him first. My arm rose easily with control as he smelled me, fondling my breasts and mumbling words of pleasure against my flesh. Diana gasped my name directing my attention to her. I had not realized that I had moved the glass to only inches from the back of his neck. She shook her head vehemently, begging and pleading non-verbally. “Yes, I am going to enjoy you,” Dupec said, straightening his back as I lowered my arm. The feel of my blood trailed my hand before dripping into the sink. My eyes met with Dupec’s. He again licked his lips slowly as his phalanges grazed between the top of my undergarment and flesh. “I am sure you will.” He paused and chuckled. “Oh yes, I do like you. Feistiness runs in your bloodline, does it not, Diana?” 44
OLIVIA His hand moved from my waistline to his own. He moved a few steps back to get a better view of me in the dimness, his phalanges slowly unbuttoning his pants. I thoughtlessly squeezed the glass tighter, its sharp edge digging deeper into my flesh. I would slice. If he revealed himself to me he would quickly regret it. He edged nearer to me, tugging at his zipper, the sound filling up the small, stuffy place. I eased my arm forward bracing myself for what was to come. “Legatus Dupec. Come in, Lega. Dupec.” The scratchy voice came through loudly from the *Com Device on his waist. Dupec groaned and took a step back. He snatched the device from his uniform pants and pressed the button on the side. “What?” he growled. “Orders have come down from headquarters. Your immediate presence is required.” Dupec scratched the side of his neck. Even in the dark I could see the anguish on his face. “I am busy right now.” “My apologies but Commander Dupec has specifically requested your immediate presence.”
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MIKI STARR He stepped close to me and grazed the tips of his phalanges across my cheek as he licked his lips. “Ready the transport. Over.” I remained poised, ready to attack...ready to defend my honor no matter the consequence. Dupec stepped back to adjust his uniform but halted. He stepped forward, firmly grasping my neck, lifting me slightly and forcing me to look into his face. I fidgeted with the glass, my mind reeling, trying hard to make the right choice while my toes strained to touch ground and I struggled to hold onto what remained of my oxygen supply. “Do not worry. I will back for you, beautiful.” His lips pressed to mine and my arm swung forward, the sharp glass aimed directly at his most vital internal organs. I tried hard to make contact but could not. I had not noticed her move but she had. Diana had stepped forward right on time, catching my arm and holding me back with all that was in her. Dupec lowered me. He moved away looking suspiciously from me to Diana. My arm relaxed and her hand discreetly moved to mine, taking the shard away and placing it into the sink. Dupec smirked. He charged by her and into the hallway, his hurried steps fading in the distance. 46
OLIVIA “I am sorry,” she managed to utter once we were certain he was gone. I angrily pushed away from the sink and walked to my clothes. I stepped into my pants as she begged for my forgiveness. “Don’t,” I said. “Olivia, please. You have to understand-” “Don’t,” I cried out. She opened her mouth to speak but paused as the sound of doors opening reached us. We listened to the stampeding sound of soldiers from various floors, exiting rooms at once throughout the building. We were quiet, watching as two rushed past. My curiosity piqued. When it seemed as though our floor was clear, I gathered what remained of my belongings and charged past Diana. “Olivia, listen to me,” she pleaded, tears thick in her throat. “I could not stop him. Even if I said no, you think it would have stopped him?” I turned to face her. “I can deal with him coming for me if that was his will but you gave me to him, Diana. You delivered me into his arms.” I continued forward into the flat with Diana close on my trail. “You were already recruited; you just did not know it.” 47
MIKI STARR “What is your point?” “I was doing you a favor.” “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare!” I walked to the window, looking down into the lanes as I wrapped my bodyrag tightly around my sliced open hand. I carefully pulled my shirt over my head. I wondered what was happening. Soldiers were loading into transport cars and departing their posts. “Olivia, listen. He was going to take you away. It was either SOTA compound or stay here with me...take my place.” I turned. “This was not done for me. Maybe I could forgive you if it were. You did not want to lose the money. You did it so that you would not lose money. No dashii’s, no obi red, no blackberries!” She opened her mouth to speak but no words formed. I dressed quickly. I gathered my meager belongings, what I could fit into my bag. I tossed it on my shoulder and rushed across the room. I knelt forward, prying the floorboard free with my good hand and removed the dashii’s hidden beneath. “Olivia, *lil'eail.” Her voice was soft, innocent but I was beyond making amends. 48
OLIVIA I counted out two months of my portion of the tax fee and extended it to her. She shook her head no. “Take it.” “I cannot. I do not want it.” “You do, that is the problem.” I passed her and tossed it onto her bed. “I will suggest you find someplace safe to hide before Dupec returns.” I pulled my hat down firm on my head and adjusted the bag on my shoulder as I headed to the door. The sound of Diana’s sorrow filled the room. I paused, my hand on the knob. I swallowed my emotions and moved ahead, exiting the door and leaving her selfish despair behind.
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About Miki Starr “What would happen if…” That is the essential question that Miki Starr Martin lives and writes by. The granddaughter of poet Mai Taj Penovich, Miki first showed an appreciation for the written word at the age of 5 when she wrote a poem [later published by her grandmother] titled Black & White. Since, she has taken every opportunity to explore the written word and creative process in new and unique ways. To date, Starr has completed 6 novels, coauthored 1 book of poetry, and compiled 1 book of short stories. She is a married mother of one and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota where she does freelance web and graphic design. For more information visit www.mikistarr.com.
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