Afro-Bougie Blues - My Book is Out!

[qwlauren35]

Last edited Tue Jun 7, 2022, 08:47 PM - Edit history (2)

It's here! Afro-Bougie Blues is available on Amazon in eBook, Paperback and Hardback.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2TZD9H7

Please help me get the word out. Just copy/paste.

Afro-Bougie Blues is a collection of twelve original, engaging, and occasionally edgy short stories that dig into the souls of ordinary black women and men meeting life’s challenges with courage and care. A newlywed considers her past abortion after having a miscarriage. An Army veteran subdues his war memories with alcohol. A woman who loses weight watches her marriage crumble around her. A single father reflects on his pre-teen daughter’s complicated questions about love. A married woman falls in love with a jazz singer. Watch as the protagonists find their way, find love, or find themselves amid the chaos. Explore the world of Afro-Bougie Blues. An extraordinary assortment of stories awaits you.



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My first review:

Well, what a pleasure it has been to read this author. I knew I was going to be entertained from the first few sentences of the book. What a talent! The writing is both humorous and tragic. Some stories are lighthearted and then are surprisingly deep at the end. Each short story reminded me of a different reason to overly indulge in the joy of reading. I was sorry when I completed the last story. They are varied stories with very little in common with each other, each one having its own unique sucker punch. I highly recommend this book and, I look forward to discussing it with my group read buddies. This will be a book that will lead to some very stimulating group discussions. I was honored to have been given the opportunity to read an ARC of these extraordinary stories.

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Second Review:

I devoured this book as soon as I got my hands on it. Due to being so immersed, I was able to finish it in one day. Lauren Wilson isn't just an author; she's also a magician, as she must have used some sort of magic to make her poems so enjoyable to read. "Her Question," a poem from the book that stuck with me, follows the dynamic of a father and daughter relationship and the awkwardness of navigating such without a motherly figure. It reminded me of the Kevin Hart film Fatherhood, which had a similar premise. A small book was able to cover a wide range of topics, including miscarriage, abortion, friendships, weight loss, family dynamics, and many others. It is a must-read for anyone and opens up many topics for discussion, making it a great selection for any book club!

[yellerpup]

1. Congratulations and good luck!

Hope you sell a million!

[catrose]

2. Congratulations!

[spicysista]

3. Congrats to you!!!!

[quaint]

4. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

Enjoyable, interesting, no-rose-colored-glasses stories.

[qwlauren35]

5. Oh wow, you read it?

Thanks for the positive feedback.

[quaint]

6. I purchased it, read it, and shared.

I felt the emotion and was surprised that this old woman could identify.

[qwlauren35]

7. I'm so glad.

It's funny.

Putting this out has cost SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much money.

But I plan to write it all off next year.

The real thing for me, is that each time someone says that they read it and liked it, I sing inside. It really was all about sharing the stories.

[quaint]

8. Plus, your Kindle cover is way cool.

[qwlauren35]

9. My cover...

I picked that cover from an array of art images that I sifted through in 2011 when I first considered publishing the book. It just fit. The dancing black couple, the music theme for the blues. It really spoke to me.

And I didn't really think anything of it until I started looking at other covers. In most covers, it is the title, not the art, that stands out. It's as if I did it all wrong. And yet, if people are scrolling through books on a website or in an e-mail, mine will be noticeable because it is so different. So, maybe I didn't do it wrong after all!

When I bought the rights to the art 11 years ago, I did not keep a record of the sale. So I could not prove my rights. And I was afraid to use the cover. So I paid my publisher an ungodly sum to design a cover for me. And it was SO awful (two white people embracing), that I doubled down trying to find my original cover. I lucked out, and a WONDERFUL customer service guy from Shuttercock found it for me, on another website. I immediately bought the rights, and let my publisher add the title. The font on my name is so small that you can't make it out if all you have is a snapshot of the cover. But that's okay. My name is secondary.

[quaint]

10. Thank you, even cooler.