I have a huge fault as an author; I suck at self-promotion. So much so that even though my book was published last August, I still get asked when I'm going to publish a book! Well, this post should clear that up. My book, Lovers Anonymous, is available for sale at just about all online book sellers. If you prefer, just go to your favorite book store. If they don't have it on the shelf, they will be happy to order it for you. Next month I'll be doing a discussion and signing of my book in South Florida and I'd love to see you there. Here's what you need to know:
Location:
African American Research Library and Cultural Center
2650 Sistrunk Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 US
Location:
African American Research Library and Cultural Center
2650 Sistrunk Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 US
When:
Saturday, June 7, 12:00PM
Phone:
866-230-5692
Email:
xavierpjr@gmail.com
I’m so convinced that you will want to buy Lovers Anonymous that I’m giving away the first 2 chapters for free. Just click here. I also encourage you to read a review of my book by Ingrid Moore. The review is followed by an interview. You can check it out by clicking here. And since I got such positive feedback from my last excerpt, here’s another preview from my next book, Twelve Steps:
"One Last Time"
A few hours into the work day, Nadine, the receptionist, called me. “Xavier, I have Alice on the line. I told her I wasn't sure if you were in the office. She says if you take the call she promises not to upset you.”
I sighed, “OK, I'll take it.”
The next voice was Alice's. “Good morning Xavier. How are you?”
“I'm OK,” I said suspiciously. “What do you want?”
I could sense her gathering her thoughts and her courage. “I know you're at work so I won't keep you. But I really need to talk to you privately. Can we meet tonight?”
Against my better judgment I agreed to meet her, but I insisted on meeting her the following night. I wanted to be prepared. She was staying at the Olympia Guest House, a discreet place that catered mostly to business travelers. It was clean and had good long-term rates. Our appointment was for 8:00 so the following day I stayed in the office until 7:30 but I got very little done. I kept having conversations in my mind with Alice.
When I got to the hotel, Alice was waiting for me in the restaurant. As I approached her table she stood up and took a step towards me. It was obviously calculated to give me a full view of her body and put me in the awkward position of having to hug her. I looked at her. She wore a short skirt and a jacket. She looked like a very sexy version of a paralegal. Her makeup was tastefully applied so as to highlight the elfish features of her face and her hair was tied up. My ex-wife was absolutely beautiful and desirable.
“Divorce favors you. I really hate to say this, but you look great.” We sat down.
“Well,” she started, “don't let it fool you. I'm not doing all that good, but I wanted to look good for you. I wanted to impress you.”
I didn't want to sound nasty, but I had to make myself clear. “Look, if you called me here to beg for another chance, you're not just wasting your time, you're also wasting mine. The answer is no. It was no yesterday, and it’ll be no tomorrow.” I stood up.
Alice put a hand on my arm. “Wait. I didn't ask you here for that.”
“What then?” I asked.
“Please,” she started nervously, “please sit down. I want to show you something, and I have a favor to ask you.”
Slowly I sat back down. “OK, what is it.”
Alice picked up her oversized handbag and put it in her lap. “Before I show you this, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. Whether we together or not, I'll always love you.” She stared at me earnestly, “and I'll always watch over you Xavier.”
Inside I was feeling a bit uneasy but I hid my anxiety and stared back at her. “Stop with the creepy nonsense and show me what you got.”
Alice smiled and took a small plastic bag from her handbag and handed it to me. I took it carefully from her and peeked inside. It just looked like a white cotton rag. I looked at her and she was still smiling softly. “Go ahead, take it out.”
I inhaled deeply, discreetly, trying to look calm, but I could feel small beads of sweat forming on my nose. I looked around. There were a score of people in the restaurant, but we were sitting in a private out-of-the-way corner. I gathered my courage and reached into the bag and pulled out the rag. I assumed that something was wrapped inside, but when I opened it, I realized that the white cotton rag was really an unwashed, pair of men's briefs. I looked at Alice. “Where did you get this?”
“The real question is when,” Alice said. “You do recognize those don't you?”
Most of my underwear was colored, but I did own a few pairs of white briefs, and I had worn a pair during the week. “OK, what's your point?”
Alice's smile had become a sad and sincere expression. “The point is Xavier, that you can't trust anyone. You wore those the day before yesterday. You took them off and threw them in the hamper like you do every night. The hamper is in your room by the door. You lock your room when you leave for work. You lock the house and it stays locked until either you or Pop come home. But the very next day I had your dirty underwear. You know what I could have done with them if I had wanted to, but I love you Xavier. I just want you to realize that I'm the only person in the world that you can trust.”
I examined the briefs carefully. There was absolutely no doubt. They were mine, the very ones I had worn two days earlier. My mind started to fill with all the obvious questions that she expected me to ask, but I knew her M.O. all too well. Each question would be answered with a carefully crafted lie neatly wrapped around an item of truth. All of it engineered to sow distrust and animosity inside my house. I refused to take the bait, and I was determined to break every last bond we had, once and for all. “Well, this is interesting. Very interesting.” I stuffed the briefs back into the bag and turned around to look for a waiter.
Somewhat surprised, Alice asked, “Don't you wanna know how I got it?”
“Not necessary,” I replied calmly. “Besides, it's pretty obvious,” I lied. “But I do want to thank you. So, what's the favor you wanted to ask?”
I could tell by the hesitation that Alice's confidence was shaken. She looked at me with eyes that betrayed her doubts. “Xavier, I want you to spend the night with me.”
I was pretty sure she would want sex so I had decided in advance that I would give it to her. It would be my parting gift to the woman who had been the love of my life and my wife. “Man, when you ask for a favor you go for broke don't you? Why don't we just spend a couple hours together and see how it goes?”
Tears stood perched on Alice's lower eyelids. “Honey, I know it's over between us, and I know it's my fault, but please do this for me. It's the last thing you will ever do for me. You can take whatever precautions you want, but please spend the entire night with me.”
I considered the request. I had already decided that I would sleep with her, but I really didn't trust her enough to spend the night. I thought about it as she sat there waiting for me to make up my mind. Finally I said, “Let's just have a drink and see how it goes.”
.../...The next voice was Alice's. “Good morning Xavier. How are you?”
“I'm OK,” I said suspiciously. “What do you want?”
I could sense her gathering her thoughts and her courage. “I know you're at work so I won't keep you. But I really need to talk to you privately. Can we meet tonight?”
Against my better judgment I agreed to meet her, but I insisted on meeting her the following night. I wanted to be prepared. She was staying at the Olympia Guest House, a discreet place that catered mostly to business travelers. It was clean and had good long-term rates. Our appointment was for 8:00 so the following day I stayed in the office until 7:30 but I got very little done. I kept having conversations in my mind with Alice.
When I got to the hotel, Alice was waiting for me in the restaurant. As I approached her table she stood up and took a step towards me. It was obviously calculated to give me a full view of her body and put me in the awkward position of having to hug her. I looked at her. She wore a short skirt and a jacket. She looked like a very sexy version of a paralegal. Her makeup was tastefully applied so as to highlight the elfish features of her face and her hair was tied up. My ex-wife was absolutely beautiful and desirable.
“Divorce favors you. I really hate to say this, but you look great.” We sat down.
“Well,” she started, “don't let it fool you. I'm not doing all that good, but I wanted to look good for you. I wanted to impress you.”
I didn't want to sound nasty, but I had to make myself clear. “Look, if you called me here to beg for another chance, you're not just wasting your time, you're also wasting mine. The answer is no. It was no yesterday, and it’ll be no tomorrow.” I stood up.
Alice put a hand on my arm. “Wait. I didn't ask you here for that.”
“What then?” I asked.
“Please,” she started nervously, “please sit down. I want to show you something, and I have a favor to ask you.”
Slowly I sat back down. “OK, what is it.”
Alice picked up her oversized handbag and put it in her lap. “Before I show you this, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. Whether we together or not, I'll always love you.” She stared at me earnestly, “and I'll always watch over you Xavier.”
Inside I was feeling a bit uneasy but I hid my anxiety and stared back at her. “Stop with the creepy nonsense and show me what you got.”
Alice smiled and took a small plastic bag from her handbag and handed it to me. I took it carefully from her and peeked inside. It just looked like a white cotton rag. I looked at her and she was still smiling softly. “Go ahead, take it out.”
I inhaled deeply, discreetly, trying to look calm, but I could feel small beads of sweat forming on my nose. I looked around. There were a score of people in the restaurant, but we were sitting in a private out-of-the-way corner. I gathered my courage and reached into the bag and pulled out the rag. I assumed that something was wrapped inside, but when I opened it, I realized that the white cotton rag was really an unwashed, pair of men's briefs. I looked at Alice. “Where did you get this?”
“The real question is when,” Alice said. “You do recognize those don't you?”
Most of my underwear was colored, but I did own a few pairs of white briefs, and I had worn a pair during the week. “OK, what's your point?”
Alice's smile had become a sad and sincere expression. “The point is Xavier, that you can't trust anyone. You wore those the day before yesterday. You took them off and threw them in the hamper like you do every night. The hamper is in your room by the door. You lock your room when you leave for work. You lock the house and it stays locked until either you or Pop come home. But the very next day I had your dirty underwear. You know what I could have done with them if I had wanted to, but I love you Xavier. I just want you to realize that I'm the only person in the world that you can trust.”
I examined the briefs carefully. There was absolutely no doubt. They were mine, the very ones I had worn two days earlier. My mind started to fill with all the obvious questions that she expected me to ask, but I knew her M.O. all too well. Each question would be answered with a carefully crafted lie neatly wrapped around an item of truth. All of it engineered to sow distrust and animosity inside my house. I refused to take the bait, and I was determined to break every last bond we had, once and for all. “Well, this is interesting. Very interesting.” I stuffed the briefs back into the bag and turned around to look for a waiter.
Somewhat surprised, Alice asked, “Don't you wanna know how I got it?”
“Not necessary,” I replied calmly. “Besides, it's pretty obvious,” I lied. “But I do want to thank you. So, what's the favor you wanted to ask?”
I could tell by the hesitation that Alice's confidence was shaken. She looked at me with eyes that betrayed her doubts. “Xavier, I want you to spend the night with me.”
I was pretty sure she would want sex so I had decided in advance that I would give it to her. It would be my parting gift to the woman who had been the love of my life and my wife. “Man, when you ask for a favor you go for broke don't you? Why don't we just spend a couple hours together and see how it goes?”
Tears stood perched on Alice's lower eyelids. “Honey, I know it's over between us, and I know it's my fault, but please do this for me. It's the last thing you will ever do for me. You can take whatever precautions you want, but please spend the entire night with me.”
I considered the request. I had already decided that I would sleep with her, but I really didn't trust her enough to spend the night. I thought about it as she sat there waiting for me to make up my mind. Finally I said, “Let's just have a drink and see how it goes.”
Peace and Love,
Alizé (LoversA.blogspot.com)
Copyright © 2007-2008 Xavier Pierre Jr. All rights reserved.
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5 comments:
shame wont be able make it...send me a ticket thu :D
on diffrnt note, u got tagged, go to my blog for the rules :D
xx
@Tears: Oh well, maybe next time. Tagged? Me? Lemme check this out... :-)
Peace and Love,
Alizé (LoversA.blogspot.com)
Wishing U the best, Dear Zay! AND wishing U could be in the ATL on that same evening;-)
That awesome! How can you join to be a team member/author for blogger' Delight? I have a friend who is working on her second novel. I would love for her to be a part of your group. Check her out at tamaragrant@blogspot.com. I passed the June 7 event on to her and others!! Thanks!!
Best of luck at your signing Xavier!!! I hope it's a fun day for you, enjoy my friend!!!
Smiles!
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