From nervous breakdowns to drug addiction, Love Is Never Painless explores the deeper side of love; the side rarely explored in romance novels. Zane, Johnson, and Rivers have penned a powerful collection of novellas that will not only have readers talking but also examining their own relationships with a new perspective.

�Excerpted from the Introduction

The high priestess of the hood, Nikki Turner, is back with the novel fans have been feenin� for: the sequel to her #1 best-selling novel, A Hustler's Wife.

Des, Virginia's slickest gangsta, is about to become a dad when he is charged with the murder of his own attorney. But with Yarni, his gorgeous wife (and a brilliant lawyer), now calling the shots, Des isn�t going back to the slammer without a fierce fight. Even with the heat on, Des manages to take his game to the next level and finds a new hustle, one that will allow him to possess the three things all major players desire: money, power, and respect. He becomes a preacher. Reluctantly, Yarni stands by her man as he trades in his triple beam scale for a Bible and a Bentley and makes his Church of the Good Life Ministry a welcoming place for all sinners to step up to the altar.

But when Des's nephew is killed in the high-stakes heroin trade and Des learns that someone close to him okayed the hit, the dyed-in-the-wool gangsta sets aside the Bible for the gospel of the streets�even if it means risking the one person who's always had his back.

The Vixen Diaries
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Karrine Steffans

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Grand Central
Pub. Date:  (Sept. 25, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0446582263

Watch a video of Karrine Steffans and AALBC.com founder.  Also read an AALBC.com Interview by Kam Williams

This titillating expos� chronicles the personal and professional adventures of this tabloid-laden socialite, dispelling some rumors, while confirming others. Diaries unveils the heavily shrouded Hollywood backrooms and its coveted secrets. Offering her ardent fans answers to burning questions and presenting lessons learned, this book will surely not disappoint.

Karrine Steffans continues to dish out juicy gossip and the much sought after details of her star studded lifestyle and the celebrity men that helped her get where she needed to be.

Karrine draws you in to get an up-close and personal look at the Hollywood life of fast money and sex; all the things that make for a great movie. She discusses her interactions with people after the release of Confessions of a Video Vixen and how she copes with it all.

The erotica collection is divided into three sections: Wild, Wilder and Off Da Damn Hook. Her characters run the gamut from the sensual housewife that wants her husband to experiment more to the secret underground sorority of women that let it all hang out literally.

The Prisoner in the Third Cell (Inspirational)
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Gene Edwards

Paperback: 94 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (May 7, 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0842350233

Imprisoned by Herod, John the Baptist struggles to understand a Lord who did not meet his expectations--a dramatic account offering insight into the ways of God.

Zane is back with Gettin' Buck Wild: Sex Chronicles II, more stories for the legion of readers that made The Sex Chronicles a bestseller.

Zane's erotic short stories have captivated the minds of both sexes and all races. The Sex Chronicles: Shattering the Myth did exactly what its title implies -- exploded the myth that men are more sexual in nature than women, and that African-American women in particular are inhibited compared to their female counterparts of other cultures.

Her audience is growing by leaps and bounds, nurtured by her Internet site and her previous best-selling titles, including The Heat Seekers, her debut in hardcover. Zane knows exactly what her readers want, and in Gettin' Buck Wild she gives them some of her most provocative prose to date. Her characters and settings run the gamut from committed, monogamous couples looking to experiment, to the wild single sisters who belong to a very unconventional sorority. Zane tells the story of a high-paid multi-tasking career woman who gets her groove back in "When Opposites Attract," a couple who try something new in "The Subway -- A Quickie," and a new way of celebrating Christmas in "The Santa Claus." She spices up real-life scenarios with over-the-top sexual fantasy and ultimately gives her readers the best time they've ever had between the pages of a book.

Preface: "We now are nearing the final decade of the 20th century. Recently, there has been an unraveling and an analysis of the core issue of the first global power sysem of mass oppression-- the power system of racism (white supremacy). One the collective victim (non-white population) understands this fundamental issue, the ultimate organizing of all of the appropriate behaviors necessary to neutralize the great injustice of the white supremacy power system will only be a matter of time. The length of time required to neutralize global white supremacy will be inversely proportional to 1) the level of understanding of the phenomenon; plus 2) the evolution of self- and group-respect, the will, determination and discipline to practice the appropriate counter-racist behaviors--on the part of the non-white victims of white supremacy."

This is the sequel to Teri's amazing first novel True to the Game. Fans have been awaiting this story for over five years. TRUE TO THE GAME II will pick up where True to the Game left off-- with one difference, Gena is now seeing a new guy named Jay. Little does Gena know that the man she has fallen in love with, so soon after Quadir's death, is his archrival, Jerrell Jackson. Unfortunately, Jerrell is determined to get his revenge against Quadir's crew and he'll start with Gena.

In her own uniquely can-did and humorous way, Zane answers all your questions -- even questions you never thought to ask -- about making whoopee.

Nikki's debut novel is a smorgasbord of manipulation, street-life, greed, betrayal, envy, money, power and revenge.

Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage
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William Loren Katz

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse (January 1, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689809018
Ages: 12,  Grades: 7

Winner: CBC/NCSS Notable Children's Book in Social Studies

Grade 6  - Up Most Americans remain totally unaware of the biological and cultural bonds which were established by African slaves and American Indians. Using a variety of tertiary sources, Katz has attempted to reconstruct a legacy among two peoples who, for a while, provided mutual support and refuge from the unrelenting atrocities inflicted upon them by greedy whites.

Although aspects of the separate histories are provided, a stronger emphasis is on black Indians whose swarthy complexion or curly hair was apparentan [sic] obvious limitation of definition. Black Indians who are more or less familiar (Crispus Attucks and Paul Cuffee) are identified, as are the unfamiliar Zeferina, a woman commander of a black Indian settlement, and O. S. Fox, editor of the Cherokee Afro-American Advocate . Katz makes it clear that much of this history is extremely well hidden or entirely lost, and numerous references are made to nameless black Indians. Because of the lack of information, too many statements are less than definitive. Another disturbing feature is Katz' practice of quoting without documenting his sources. Although incomplete, this highly readable and sad chronology of a hidden heritage is needed and welcomed.
Helen E. Williams, University of Maryland, College Park Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc

Irresistible You  (The Graysons, Book 4)
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Francis Ray

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (March 6, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312939744

Pierce Grayson is a marked man: if his mother, Ruth, has her way, his carefree single days will soon be over. But Pierce isn�t going down without a fight. He's ready to take action against his mama's matchmaking�but what he's completely unprepared for is the feeling that hits him when he meets Broadway actress Sabra Raineau. She's in Santa Fe helping Ruth with a production at the University. With her luscious lips and long legs, Sabra is temptation personified�and Pierce isn�t in the habit of resisting temptation.

With Hollywood calling and another play in the works, Sabra has no time for romance. And, after one heartbreak too many, she's happy to stay unattached. But Pierce has other ideas�the kind that can curl a girl's toes. Sabra's not above a little extracurricular activity, but she can�t afford to risk her heart on anything serious. Still, the closer she gets to Pierce, the harder it is to deny him�and to keep a secret that could tear them apart....

Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now
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Maya Angelou

Hardcover
Publisher: Random House (1993)
ISBN-10: 0394223632

Maya Angelou, one of the best-loved authors of our time, shares the wisdom of a remarkable life in this best-selling spiritual classic. This is Maya Angelou talking from the heart, down to earth and real, but also inspiring. This is a book to treasured, a book about being in all ways a woman, about living well, about the power of the word, and about the power do spirituality to move and shape your life. Passionate, lively, and lyrical, Maya Angelou's latest unforgettable work offers a gem of truth on every page.

Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves.

Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood. Together, Angelou's words and Basquiat's paintings create a place where every child, indeed every person, may experience his or her own fearlessness.

In this brilliant introduction to poetry and contemporary art, brief biographies of Angelou and Basquiat accompany the text and artwork, focusing on the strengths they took from their lives and brought to their work. A selected bibliography of Angelou's books and a selected museum listing of Basquiat's works open the door to further inspiration through the fine arts.

From a clandestine relationship with Nas's biggest rival, Jay-Z, that stirred up the biggest feud in hip-hop history, to seeing her reputation in tatters and a once loving relationship with Nas fall apart, Carmen depicts her trying journey to become the strong woman and mother she is today. After years of turmoil that included drugs, sex, greed, and violence -- and abandoning what she had always prized above all, her freedom -- Carmen took a stand, focusing on herself. After years of pursuit by the media, Carmen sets the record straight in It's No Secret -- and has no regrets.

Malcolm Tremell lives the life that most men can only fantasize about: exotic cars, designer clothes, and a steady stream of sexually available women. For the past twelve years, for a very generous fee, Malcolm has willingly played the role of temporary companion and lover. But the endless nights of meaningless sex and secret rendezvous with married women have begun to weigh on his conscience. Malcolm is suffering from job burnout. He soon discovers, however, that a life-style change won't come so easily, not with the allure of so many beautiful women and thousands of tax-free dollars.

This critical analysis looks at the disproportionate number of African American males in special education. Arguing that the problem is race and gender driven, questions covered include Why does Europe send more females to special education? Why does America lead the world in giving children Ritalin? Is there a relationship between sugar, Ritalin, and cocaine? and Is there a relationship between special education and prison? More than 100 strategies to help teachers and parents keep black boys in the regular classroom, such as revising teacher expectations, increasing parental involvement, changing teaching styles from a left-brain abstract approach to a right brain hands-on approach, redoing the curriculum, understanding the impact of mass media, and fostering healthy eating habits.

Certain to resonate with readers of all marital persuasions, The Other Woman sparkles with humor, honesty, and compassion as a couple faces the challenges that test their trust, their faith, and their staying power.

Each chapter outlines one key issue and provides a list of resources, suggestions for action, and a checklist for what concerned citizens can do to keep their communities progressing socially, politically, and economically. Though the African American community faces devastating social disparities�in which more than 8 million people live in poverty�this celebration of possibility, hope, and strength will help leaders and citizens keep Black America moving forward.