"Round the way: Wendy Williams' book tour

Daytime gossip show host, Wendy Williams, does more than just run her mouth. She writes.

And it turns out that she'll be promoting her books here in South Florida.

SHE MEANS IT
WENDY WILLIAMS
Talk-show host and best-selling author brings her “Say It Like You Mean It Summer Tour” to South Florida, where she’ll meet with fans.
Details: 3 p.m. Thursday at the Pembroke Lakes Mall, Center Court, 11401 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines; http://www.wendyshow.com/; free.

Food for thought

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”

- Confucius

Sound Off: "Magic City"???

I saw Trick Daddy's book on a friend's desk today (shout out to MBC sister, Cheryl!) and thought I'd check out what his piece was all about...I mean, whether his work is worthwhile...I mean...hell, you all know what I mean!

It turns out that Mr. Trick is onto something. The book, by all account, is about how Miami is seen as a glamorous, larger-than-life paradise. Yet, beyond the few miles of the Miami Beach city limits, life is far from  perfect for natives. Trick contends that Miami is hardcore and tough to survive in. "I lived through two major riots and three Category 5 hurricanes," he says and adds that folks glorify Miami "like it's a beautiful place, a beautiful city," he explained. "Miami don't got all the pretty women." He continued, "Crackheads are my best friends..." Read the rest of the MTV article here.


Sounds like Trick Daddy is onto something...Do you agree? Is Miami misrepresented by the media and popculture? 

Lighten Up, Sis!

What's wrong this sign?

Tyra Banks' "Modelland"

Honey, what DOESN'T she do? LOL.

Uber-hustler and mogul-model Tyra Banks can now add "author" to her profile. She recently penned "Modelland," a fantasy book about 4 models trying to make it in a super competitive modelilng school.

Check out this blurb, courtesy of People magazine:

Supermodel. Talk-show host. Executive producer. Reality-TV queen. Now, the versatile Tyra Banks is adding yet another line to her crowded résumé: novelist.

"I said I was going to do it, and here it is!" Banks, 36, writes in a note to fans posted Tuesday on Tyra.com. "It's for all the girls and guys who want a lot more FANTASY in their lives … and some fierceness and magic, romance and mystery, crazy and wild adventures, and yeah, some danger too.

"It's my novel called Modelland (pronounced "Model Land") that takes you to a fantastical place you've never seen, or heard about, or read about before ... Where dreams come true and life can change in the blink of a smoky eye." Click here fore more...

The Alchemist

We're licking our lips after the juicy saga that was "A Piece of Cake" by Cupcake Brown. Now we're getting down with "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coehlo. I've heard TONS about this book and, interestingly enough, back in 2008 I stumbled across a book club that was reading "The Alchemist" before MBC was even a thought...funny how I never became a part of that book club nor even picked up this title. I guess it wasn't meant to be until now. 8~)

So here we are...I'm expecting it to be a little like "The Giver" by Lois Lowry; that is, it appears to be a small book so Coehlo must have measured his words. I bet it has tons of allegories. We'll see, won't we?

I found pretty thorough book reviews on the book's Google Books site. Warning: some of the readers' reviews contain spoilers. Click here to jump there. 

"The Alchemist" Quick Facts:
Paulo Coehlo, the Brazilian author, was a bit of a hippie who meandered across the globe.
He wrote a string of books before striking gold with "The Alchemist" in 1988.
It first became a phenomenon with mass following in Brazil.
Then, like its mastermind, the book zigzagged the world.
"The Alchemist" is the most translated book to date, after the Bible.
It took a while for it to impact the English-speaking world, since it wasn't translated to English until 1993.

It's no wonder Oprah loves "The Alchemist" since it's very transcendentalist or New Age.

Notable Quotes:

• You must love the desert, but never trust it completely. Because the desert tests all men: it challenges every step, and kills those who become distracted.‎
• And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.‎

"A Piece of Cake" Recap

Hi ladies!

Though small in number, we had a good time discussing "A Piece of Cake" by Cupcake Brown. We generally agreed that her rags-to-riches tale is all-at-once inspiring and upsetting. Well, it's inspiring because Cupcake was able to rise above--and, to some extent, use--her street, sex and drug-filled life to become a successful attorney. On the flip side, it was upsetting because she was used over and over and over again. Though I often questioned her memoir's veracity at many points in the book, I along with MBC sisters Cheryl and Kelly took the book for what it was and gleaned a lot from it. Overall, we gave it good ratings.

Interestingly enough, I found Cupcake's story to eerily mirror that of a subject of A&E's Intervention. Her name is Latisha and I was mesmerized by this beautiful woman. Though Cupcake differs in that she never birthed any children, these ladies are kindred spirits. I dare you all to watch Latisha's story and not shed a tear!

...Okay, so I'm mad that they snatched the full episode from the site but watch the preview here. I couldn't help thinking of Latisha as I wrapped up "A Piece of Cake."

Thanks to MBC sister Cheryl for her selection...and for recommending that I get Miami Lakes Ale House's Bistro Salad because it was the business. I've already been back there to cop another one!

Next up, "The Alchemist" is on the table for August. Hit me up if you need a copy or check out your local library. And for those who are joining us bi-monthly, Jay-Z's "Decoded" immediately follows  in September.

MBC Beauty Moment

It's the Scorching Summer Edition!

Weather experts are saying that, nationally, this is the HOTTEST summer ever. And we're not talking about summer movie blockbusters or off-the-wall concert tours. It's miserably hot outside!

I love my MAC makeup and returned to it after a hiatus (so long Black Opal) but, baby, MAC sure does melt like a glacier in Egypt!

I've been entertaining the idea of water proof make-up during the summer...which I suppose equates to March-September in Miami...

Toward that end, Essence.com has a neat little guide to Waterproof Makeup. Enjoy!

Sapphire pens "Precious" sequel

The Internet is all abuzz with news of a new book by Sapphire, the sister behind the now ubiquitious "Push," which was later adapted into the movie, "Precious". This "Push"/"Precious" follow-up by giving readers a glimpse into Abdul's life. You may recall that in the book and movie, Abdul was Precious newborn son.

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Courtesy of msn.com

So many stories about the darkest aspects of the human condition — abuse, incest, orphaned children — are conveyed clinically and dispassionately. They share the facts and the facts are disturbing, but the stories can be easy to forget.

Sapphire doesn’t write like that.

The author of the best-selling 1996 novel “Push” — which was adapted into the Academy Award-winning 2009 film “Precious” — crafts tales in which young people endure unspeakable treatment at the hands of adults who should be caring for them. What her characters withstand is so real and so raw that readers can’t help but sit up and care. Click here for more...

How to clean an e-book screen

Several of you book club sisters come to our shing-digs with your chic little ebook readers in tow. I figured you'd like this piece...you see, many users have complained that they constantly deal with the hastle of ebook screens glaring or, worse, getting smudged, scratched, or greasy. Alas! All hail the NY Times, which published a nice little write-up on how to fix the screen problems.

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J. D. Biersdorfer writes: “Gently wiping the screen with a soft, lint-free microfiber cloth should remove most of the smudges and fingerprints. You can usually find microfiber cleaning cloths at stores that sell electronics, cameras, or other gear sporting an LCD screen. A microfiber cloth can be used with e-book readers that use the black-and-white E Ink display, as well as most tablets with glossy color screens.”...More after the jump.

Lighten Up, Sis!

What's wrong with this picture?

"The Help" Overdose

Well, there seems to already be tons of buzz surrounding "The Help." I've gathered a few juicy tidbits here for my "The Help" loving sisters...

1.) Viola Davis is already receiving Oscar nods for her outstanding performance as the quiet force that is Aibeleen. She's gracing the August cover of Essence magazine and making rounds promoting the film, due out on August 12th. Here's a promo but make sure to take a glance at the print write up!

2.) Elsewhere in the August issue of Essence, readers sound off on whether the book-turned-movie negatively portrays black women. Check that out as well...

3.) Finally, thanks to book club sister Nicki for giving us a head's up about the highly-anticipated "The Help" soundtrack. Mary J. does her thing on the headlining song, "The Living Proof." Be inspired by Mary's interview down below:

Casey Anthony book deal?

Did the jury get it right?

Was there just not enough evidence?

Should there have been lesser charges? Manslaughter, maybe?

Does being a bad mom and wild-child correlate with being a murderer?

Did Casey literally get away with murder?

Everyone's asking questions. Many are outraged. Most--understandably--are filling the gaps with their own predisposed biases.

Casey's next move is the biggest enigma. With accusations of incest and a whirlwind of unwanted, intrusive, circus-like, global media attention, its unlikely that Casey will receive a happy familial homecoming. Casey reality is no college education, no trade skills, few remaining friends and tremendous stigma. There are few places that Casey can turn. She's been in jail for 3 years but, no matter where she applies for a job, they'll KNOW the reason for the lapse in work. And there are other problems, like death threats. Her own lawyer, Baez, even fears for her safety. Speaking of him, how does she plan on EVER paying him?

Pundits predict that Casey will begin to see an influx of book deal offers. Price tags range may from $750,000 and upward. Of course, that doesn't even include royalties; that's just an advance. A memoir would certainly rake in millions for Casey. Perhaps, the same public that is a tarring-and-feathering her will make her one wealthy woman.

So, what do you think? If there were a Casey Anthony memoir or semi-confessional book (think back to O.J.'s shocking, at worst, and disrespectful, at best, piece "If I did it...") would you buy it?

Sweet land of liberty...

Happy 4th of July! Here's a throwback vid of Mama Whitney singing the National Anthem. She absolutely killed it!

Children's book spells trouble

Taken from Blackvoices.com

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The book "Go the Fok to Sleep" by Adam Mansbach has been met with protest from angry parents. The book, many argue, is offensive and ignorant, as one Blackvoices commentor put it. To add to the debacle, actor Samuel L. Jackson is now the voice for the audio book. Jackson says he used that term many times when he was raising his own daughter. Here's the audio.

What do you think? Did Adam and Samuel go too far? Or is this a harmless children's book meant for adults? Is "Go the Fok to Sleep" funny or in poor taste?