tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207555562008-09-11T11:46:17.519-04:00Commentary and musings from the author of the intoxicating novels - THE GREAT PRETENDER & THE GREAT BETRAYAL - sizzling stories of families in turmoil. Welcome to Millenia Black's corner of the blogosphere!Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use.tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-23138198185811003992008-09-11T11:45:00.000-04:002008-09-11T11:46:17.579-04:002008-09-11T11:46:17.579-04:00

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-2401384536680598522008-05-14T22:49:00.002-04:002008-05-14T22:55:33.932-04:002008-05-14T22:55:33.932-04:00

Zoe Kravitz, et al. - "We Are the Ones" I love this.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-14588780388333299542008-05-13T10:48:00.004-04:002008-05-13T21:59:11.863-04:002008-05-13T21:59:11.863-04:00

So I always dreamed of being like Jackie Collins or Danielle Steel. Of having a career that had nothing to do with my color, everything to do with my stories. I dreamed of reaching an audience so large that I, too, would one day sell over 400-500 million novels. Or over 300 million, like Sidney Sheldon. Or over 200 million, like Nora Roberts. Or (even) over 70 million, like Sandra Brown. My

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-27138033000543894932007-08-22T08:31:00.002-04:002008-04-24T10:19:02.480-04:002008-04-24T10:19:02.480-04:00

As most of you can imagine, I've been experiencing some very trying times, and just haven't had the energy to blog in the last few months. But I had to make a special effort to share the cover of the Turkish edition of THE GREAT PRETENDER (ROLKESEN) with my readers; as I've previously shared the Polish cover (WIELKI KLAMCA). And it's worthwhile to note (though I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-17057003147312615632007-04-07T17:58:00.001-04:002007-04-07T17:58:19.994-04:002007-04-07T17:58:19.994-04:00

Of course, the deadline has passed. Thanks to all the participants, you were great sports!! I received over 40 entries, but only 4 had the correct answer. Here are the winners: Gladys Howard, WA Shelia Goss, LA Faith Covington, UK Christy Hawkes, UT Congratulations! Hope you enjoy THE GREAT BETRAYAL - all copies have been mailed! Now, what was the narrator's secret? The narrator is an unsolved

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-28664119468896883292007-02-24T13:56:00.000-05:002007-02-24T14:09:04.599-05:002007-02-24T14:09:04.599-05:00

Deadline to enter is now Sunday March 25th! Click here for the original post. Good luck!

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-67738039805811590762007-02-19T11:43:00.000-05:002007-02-19T11:49:04.507-05:002007-02-19T11:49:04.507-05:00

Blogger Karen Scott's conducting a survey. Check out what she has to say about it, and participate if you're eligible.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-80206536122166170272007-02-17T16:51:00.000-05:002007-02-24T14:11:09.837-05:002007-02-24T14:11:09.837-05:00

But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl." I have to highlight this performance! It left me speechless. I had to join the audience with a standing ovation in my living room the night of the Grammy Awards! JB would be proud. I have a new respect for Christina's talent. Dynamite! Enjoy! And this trio simply stole the show! Beautiful.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-68660633976163053622007-01-25T19:05:00.000-05:002007-09-09T03:55:41.551-04:002007-09-09T03:55:41.551-04:00

Who's Paying Attention? Want an autographed copy of THE GREAT BETRAYAL? Here's an exclusive chance for 5 blog visitors to win a free copy! Click the link below to e-mail your take on the following poem. What's the narrator's secret? 5 winners will be drawn from all correct replies received on or before Sunday, March 25, 2007, 12:00 a.m Eastern Time. (International participants are also welcome.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1165414535259774742006-12-06T09:29:00.001-05:002008-05-13T11:50:06.602-04:002008-05-13T11:50:06.602-04:00

There's a very interesting article by Jeff Trachtenberg in today's WSJ entitled, "Why Book Industry Sees the World Split Still by Race." Definitely worth reading.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1163904041977442202006-11-18T23:48:00.000-05:002007-03-26T10:18:50.370-04:002007-03-26T10:18:50.370-04:00

Ed Wyatt at the Times reports. Why is O.J. Simpson doing this? Why is there a publisher out there willing to lift so much as an ink cartridge to put something like this in circulation? Moral propriety anyone? Even if the book doesn't contain the implied content, the insinuation of such content is condemnable. They (O.J. & publisher) knew the ubiquitous uproar this would incite - they must've

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1163348359595867262006-11-12T14:27:00.000-05:002007-03-26T09:50:45.163-04:002007-03-26T09:50:45.163-04:00

Oh, joy! Have you heard? Finally! I was so excited to see that Lalita Tademy's next novel is upon us, I had to share! I just loved her first novel CANE RIVER, so I'm one of the first in line to scoop up RED RIVER in January - I've pre-ordered! If you haven't read CR, I highly, highly recommend it. It's out in mass market paperback now. It's a fabulously fictionalized story of Tademy's ancestry

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1156346382170231212006-08-23T12:37:00.000-04:002007-03-26T09:53:04.289-04:002007-03-26T09:53:04.289-04:00

I just received copies of TGP from my publisher in Poland. They contacted me after seeing my self-published 2002 edition. I think WIELKI KLAMCA looks great, never mind that the only words I can actually read in it are the characters' names. :) It was released there this past June and I think it's great! Oh yeah....and check out their neat cover. Quite different from that of the 2005 U.S.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1150116870169303362006-06-12T12:36:00.000-04:002007-03-26T09:54:21.626-04:002007-03-26T09:54:21.626-04:00

Publishing is already a tough business, but it's made even tougher when you're burdened by the pressure to conform. To fall in line with the status quo of racist traditions and expectations. Suffice it to say, I am definitely so burdened - and I get it from both sides of the fence. When I was born, my palette of choices and interests were pre-determined, and God forbid I stray from that palette

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1145121845959303972006-04-15T13:33:00.001-04:002008-05-13T13:34:42.000-04:002008-05-13T13:34:42.000-04:00

I'm still marveling over how creative some folks can be. I had to share this - it's pretty close to ingenious! Absolutely awesome. They nailed it big time. 'Nuff said. You'll die. Click the arrow, check it out:

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1144686361880031332006-04-10T12:47:00.000-04:002007-03-26T10:19:39.876-04:002007-03-26T10:19:39.876-04:00

So everyone knows how I feel about Elvis. I'm planning a trip to Graceland for later this year, and I was so proud to hear the buzz surrounding the recent National Landmark news! MEMPHIS, TN, USA -- Elvis Presley's home in Memphis is the most visited private residence in the world. And on Monday it became a National Historic Landmark. "American culture and music changed irreversibly because of

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1144083885463664152006-04-03T13:33:00.000-04:002007-03-26T09:50:45.166-04:002007-03-26T09:50:45.166-04:00

Have you heard about author Margaret Atwood's new invention? It's an electronic pen! Perhaps I'm one of the last to hear about it, but I just got wind of it over the weekend. Authors can actually sign books "live" for fans anywhere in the world---without having to leave their living room! Apparently, the grind of lengthy touring was wearing Ms. Atwood pretty thin, so she invented "The Long

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1143566856739024382006-03-28T13:45:00.000-05:002007-03-26T09:50:45.166-04:002007-03-26T09:50:45.166-04:00

Poor Danielle Steel. I felt really bad for her as I read a recent interview she granted. She's lonely at the top. On her website, you can see one of her homes - from the outside it looks more like a hotel, she's sold more than 550 million books (leaves even Nora Roberts in the dust), but she admits she's become a lonely recluse and laments it in a rare, personal interview with journalist Karen

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1143057907883656042006-03-23T00:12:00.000-05:002007-03-26T10:22:57.792-04:002007-03-26T10:22:57.792-04:00

Writing about the title tug-a-war the other day got me thinking about the character name game. In chatting with book clubs I've found that most readers think authors just bestow names arbitrarily - pulling from hats or from baby books.....or just out of thick air. In actuality, the name game varies from author to author. For me, the names of the main characters are absolutely crucial. I have to

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1142567654017003952006-03-16T23:30:00.000-05:002007-04-07T18:04:40.014-04:002007-04-07T18:04:40.014-04:00

Will it be as sweet? Fortunately, I chose the name of my first book, THE GREAT PRETENDER. It's the title I originally self-published with. When Penguin bought the book they liked and kept that title....thank God. Alas, this was not to be the case with book #2. I got to thinking about the title tug-a-war after reading Tess Gerritsen's entertaining yarn about how her most recent work got its

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1142276012666628752006-03-13T13:42:00.000-05:002007-03-26T09:56:35.212-04:002007-03-26T09:56:35.212-04:00

I shit you not... The following is an e-mail I received last week - although the store contacted me over a month ago requesting and scheduling the appearance. I've omitted the identifiers. Referral: From a Friend Subject: Your Race Message: Greetings, my name is [--] and I'm the director of [--], you are slated to do a book signing with us on the 18th of March. I want to know if you are a

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1142015243323432182006-03-10T13:21:00.000-05:002007-03-26T09:50:45.167-04:002007-03-26T09:50:45.167-04:00

I just got back from the post office - sent a few signed copies of TGP to help the rebuilding and replenishing initiatives. I encourage my fellow authors to do the same, whatever you can spare.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1141833256048029472006-03-08T10:31:00.000-05:002007-03-26T10:20:51.784-04:002007-03-26T10:20:51.784-04:00

Huh? I have to throw my hat into the ring of disappointment about this one. I thought it was a mockery. I'm a movie buff, so I watch the Oscars every year (hey, Hollywood isn't what it used to be - no more Cary Grants - but it's all we seem to have left) and I enjoyed Sunday's show....except for the part when the award went to the pimp song over a beautiful song like "In the Deep" from CRASH.

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1141763172734187292006-03-07T15:21:00.000-05:002007-03-26T09:57:55.938-04:002007-03-26T09:57:55.938-04:00

When are you going to die? According to The Death Clock I have only 2, 181, 199, 290 seconds to live. Just lost a few typing this line. And this one. And this one, too. ;-) I'm scheduled to die on Sunday, April 21, 2075. Gee. Is that necessarily a good thing? They predict I'm stuck here until I'm 98 years old. Yikes. I suppose this is morbid and scary to folks that are afraid to die. Thank God

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20755556.post-1141600216233812702006-03-05T18:08:00.000-05:002007-03-26T09:57:55.939-04:002007-03-26T09:57:55.939-04:00

Listen, don't be a hypocrite. What author hasn't felt like sending a letter like this to their editor at one point or another? Gotta love it!

Millenia Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946305818793386484noreply@blogger.com