Crystal Winslow

Crystal Winslow

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Crystal Winslow

Brooklyn-born author Crystal Winslow began to write creatively at an early age drawing inspiration from her travels and the many colorful people she encountered. The result is a unique and melodramatic storytelling technique evident in both her deeply personal spoken word/poetry book Melodrama, and in her recently released character-driven and remarkably visual novel Life, Love & Loneliness.

Following the novel’s introduction in which Crystal offers her personal take on life, love and loneliness, readers are quickly hooked by the realism of her writing. Her page-turning story of Urban America is peopled with young, sexy, strong-willed characters. Equal parts political intrigue and spicy interracial relations only add to the mix.

Crystal earned her baccalaureate degree in Legal Assistant Studies and currently works for one of the largest law firms in the country. She published Melodrama in 2000, and started her own publishing company, Melodrama Publishing, in 2001. She is intent on publishing the work of other African-American authors as well as her own future work.

Crystal is as ambitious and strong-willed as the characters of whom she so vividly writes, and is determined to carve out a place for herself in the literary world.

Crystal Lacey Winslow - AALBC.com Interview May 2006

Sex, Sin & Brooklyn
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Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Melodrama Publishing (October 31, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0971702160

Sex, Sin & Brooklyn, is a sexy novel about three competitive women who won’t let anything or anyone stand in the way of their happiness. These characters indulge in sex, commit the ultimate sin and then return to the safety of their homes in Brooklyn.

Jinx has lived a sheltered life after the tragic death of her parents. She clings to the nurturing love of her grandmother, Nana, and doesn’t look much further. When a humble, unassuming man comes into her life, she finally begins to live. She’s enamored as they take off into a whirlwind romance and let’s her guard down and in the blink of an eye—he’s gone. Now, using sex as a defense mechanism she vows to never love again. She never counted on her heart not listening….

Kesha is the slick talking, .357 carrying, sexy-detective working the Narcotics Unit of the 88th Precinct. The lure of a Brooklyn thug is Kesha’s weakness. Although she has made a vow to serve and protect—it doesn’t stop her from mingling with the drug-hustlers that she grew up with. Insatiable in the bedroom and unstoppable in the squad room, she’s more than a handful. Will she honor her oath and take it to her grave or will the streets put her there first?

Breezy has lived the ghetto-fabulous life from the perks of being daddy’s little girl. Growing up in a plush, Brooklyn brownstone, driving the latest whips and sporting the top designers the writing is already on the walls: Breezy gets what Breezy wants!

On a random night out with friends, Breezy meets the man of her dreams. Coincidentally, her cousin Nicoli has already found the love of her life. The only problem is he’s the same man…the charismatic and wealthy, Black King. Since all is fair in love and war they both plunge heart first into the game of love, lies and deceit. This is a recipe for drama…May the best bitch win!

Kiss The Year Goodbye
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ISBN: 0743497074
Format: Paperback, 358pp
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group

New Year's Eve is the time to make a naughty resolution, so shed your inhibitions and indulge in this sultry collection of escapades from four of the hottest writers around.

In Brenda L. Thomas's "Every New Year," a shoot-out lands a respected doctor in the hospital with a bad case of amnesia, and in the care of a man too sexy to resist.

In "Whatever It Takes" by Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker, a sassy older woman tries to break off her steamy relationship with her best friend's twenty-three-year-old son, but he shows her he's man enough to fulfill her needs.

Crystal Lacey Winslow proves you can be "Dangerously in Love" when a prim and proper young woman's wild side takes over after the man she's dating slips up with another woman.

In "My Boo" by Daaimah S. Poole, a Philly girl's long-distance boyfriend never has time for her — not even around the holidays. So when her ex-roommate's latest lover comes knocking, she's ready to get the party started.

Menace II Society (anthology)
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Al Saadiq Banks, Mark Anthony, Crystal Lacey Winslow, and Isadore Johnson (foreword by Shannon Holmes)

ISBN: 0971702179
Format: Paperback, 288pp
Publisher: Melodrama Publishing

Cagney & Lacey, Crystal Lacey Winslow
When two felons growing up on opposite coasts meet—the attraction is magnetic. When Lacey’s past comes back to haunt her—Cagney’s love is put to the test. Will Cagney ride or die for his lady? Just like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde, these two embark on a killing spree in their quest to leave the past behind. Lace is also the Essence bestselling author of Life, Love & Loneliness and The Criss Cross. She also collaborated on an Essence and Blackboard bestselling novel, Four Degrees of Heat and a contributor in the novel, Kiss the Year Goodbye. She’s just completed her third novel, Sex, Sin & Brooklyn II. Lace is the founder of Melodrama Books & Things and Melodrama Publishing which published the #1 Essence bestselling novel, Wifey.

Walk with Me, Al-Saadiq Banks
Newark, New Jersey is eager to get rid of the infamous, Miracle. A predicate with a long list of felonious crimes. When he’s arrested for the brutal murders of his two co-defendants, he realized that his life is over. Walk with Me by Al-Saadiq Banks walks you through the seemingly dark life of Miracle, capturing the ironic circumstance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Al-Saadiq Banks is a resident of Newark, New Jersey and the author of bestselling novels No Exit, Block Party, Sincerely Yours and Caught ’em Slippin’. The founder of True 2 Life Productions, he is currently working on his fifth novel, Block Party 2.

Snake Eyes, Mark Anthony
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That’s the old adage in the ’hood. But what happens when your friend is your enemy? All hell breaks loose in Snake Eyes. Mark Anthony weaves a dramatic street tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat!
Mark Anthony is the Essence bestselling author of Paper Chasers, Dogism and his newly released page-turner, Lady’s Night. He is a resident of Queens, New York and the founder of Q-Boro Books.

The Deceitful; Hunted, Isadore Johnson
Quawi Ubati’s desperation to hold on to his billion dollar cocaine empire built by blood and fear has led him to hunt down two men responsible for the ultimate betrayal. This notorious Nigerian drug lord unleashes havoc that not even the powerful F.B.I. could withstand in order to find and kill these individuals who he once trusted before planning the ultimate escape. Isadore Johnson is the author of the rapid selling double street novels, Drug Dealer Part 1 & 2. He is currently working on his third novel, Snitch.

Keepin’ it Gangsta, J.M. Benjamin
Keepin’ it Gangsta is the only way the notorious “Dicer” knows how to live. Feared by many because of his murderous and infamous reputation, he still finds a soft spot in his black heart to hold down the only woman that ever truly loved him. But in true “Dicer” fashion he can only keep it gangsta! JM Benjamin is the author of Down in the Dirty.

The Criss Cross
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ISBN: 0971702128
Format: Paperback, 360pp
Pub. Date: August 2004
Publisher: Melodrama Publishing

Nikki Ling is half black and Japanese. She is independent, street-smart and the daughter of a prostitute. Living in the mean streets of East New York and Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn shes forced to make a living the only what she knows how. When a wealthy, South African diplomat asks for her hand in marriage things seem to get brighter. Until she realizes that the soft-spoken, reserved, gentleman is pathological, kinky, and sadistic. One day she meets a mysterious stranger who approaches her with the Criss Cross. Is the Criss Cross her ticket to a better life? Or will the Criss Cross ultimately become the double cross? Wait! The Criss Cross isnt done yet! The old gang from Life, Love Loneliness have some unfinished business to resolve. In this page-turning novel see how the drama unfolds for Lyric, Lacey, Madison, Joshua, and Estelle.

Four Degrees of Heat
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ISBN: 0743491459
Format: Paperback, 328pp
Pub. Date: July 2004
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group

by Rochelle Alers, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Brenda L. Thomas, Crystal Lacey Winslow

The mercury is soaring, and it's the perfect time to dive into a pool of uninhibited sensuality. Take a break from the heat with this collection of steamy summertime encounters featuring four of today's most popular African-American women writers.

Going south for her summer break, a high school math teacher puts her assets to work as an exotic dancer in Maxed Out by Brenda L. Thomas. But when her secret double life follows her home to Philadelphia, things swing wildly out of control as she tries to walk the line between sexy woman and sex object.

Worlds collide when a street-smart beauty scores with a multimillionaire during a summer that climaxes with the New York City blackout. Crystal Lacey Winslow captures the edgy thrills -- and the dark side -- of carnal pleasures in Sex, Sin & Brooklyn.

In Rochelle Alers' Summer Madness, a sexy brother with a mysterious past turns a pretty librarian's play-it-safe Hamptons vacation into a torrent of sensual delights. But can she trust him without knowing his whole story?

A jilted bride is on the Rebound in ReShonda Tate Billingsley's tale of passion in unexpected places. A Houston attorney goes solo on the Belize honeymoon she was supposed to share with her husband -- and makes a sizzling connection with a handsome stranger in paradise.

Life, Love & Loneliness
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Melodrama Publishing (June 2002)
Paperback, 416 pages
0971702101

Read Chapter 3

BOOK DESCRIPTION
Life, Love & Loneliness, the debut novel from Crystal Lacey Winslow, takes its reader on a tumultuous journey through the life of its main character, Lyric Devaney. Lyric is an aspiring actress who knows exactly what she wants out of life, and who possesses the uncanny ability to manipulate others in order to achieve her goals. She has no qualms about stepping on the toes of those friends, lovers, family and acquaintances who stand between her and her desires. Her latest scheming lands her a six-figure movie deal and the film’s starring role -- which she manages to steal from a friend! Lyric has nearly fulfilled her dreams. But she’s missing one thing -- the Mayor of New York! Their long-time affair has reached a turning point. And Lyric, infatuated with his political status, ambition, and of course, wealth, makes a life-altering decision at the pinnacle of her career. Then, tragedy strikes …

Life, Love & Loneliness is told through the words of Lyric Devaney and several of her best friends, each of whom face their own life challenges. By writing in the first-person, Ms. Winslow allows the reader to experience each situation first hand. In addition, the novel’s cinematically-written style allows each chapter to be easily envisioned. This fast-paced drama quickly evolves into a mystery with an ending so shocking that it leaves the reader begging for a sequel.

INTRODUCTION
Life has no guarantees. So a wise person has to try to be as cautious as possible when making decisions. Every yesterday, we loose a tomorrow of our lives, so to chase pain would be fruitless. Nevertheless, we can all admit we’ve chased pain. Ran after it until it eventually conquered us. Some of us let pain beat us down until we were so obsessed we started to believe it was a necessity. A normal part of life. And when the pain leaves us, if only for a moment, we tend to want it back. That is when love comes in.

We need to learn to love ourselves first. Now, everyone needs love. And I will let you in on a secret: real love is not so common. In fact, it is as rare as a four-leaf clover. Some people may only experience true love once in a lifetime. Oh, you may have numerous relationships-- I will call them “decoys”-- that come in skillful disguises, and they will make small victories against your resistance to nonsense. However, these decoys are not as strong as they appear to be. You see, it is you who gives them their strength. They eat off your weakness. Any weakness. This is where loneliness plays the biggest part in our lives. Loneliness speaks several different languages and is the principal connection between self-worth and self-hate. Being alone and lonely are two different conditions. When we are alone, that just means there is nobody around at that particular moment to keep us company. When we are feeling lonely, there is something important missing from our lives. When loneliness hits, if we are not careful, it could lead to unproductive things occurring.

I want you to realize from this book that everyday people make mistakes everyday. Whether these mistakes are made because of life, love or loneliness is not what matters. What matters is how we handle the situation. Whether we bow down and take defeat gracefully, or stick out our chest and fight for our integrity. This will define who we really are. Always remember: you deserve better! A very wise person taught me that I have to do what is best for me. That is a difficult lesson to learn without coming off as self-centered. Nevertheless, until you master this, life will always throw you a curve ball when all you ever want is for people to be straight with you. Read Chapter 3

Up Close & Personal
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Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Melodrama Publishing (June, 2003)
ISBN: 097170211X

Poetry drama revolving around specific situations in the authors life.

MELODRAMA PUBLISHING
P.O. BOX 522
BELLPORT, NY 11713

melodramapub@aol.com

www.melodramapublishing.com