Vlog: My Experience with Online Dating—Let’s Dish! #Dating #Romance

I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but recently I dived into the world of online dating. Even though I know it doesn’t hold the stigma of desperation that it used to (hey, I’m an 80’s baby, and we didn’t used to get down like that) I still kind of wanted to keep my experience on the down low.

Then I got over it. So here’s a ten minute long video of me rambling about online dating and sharing some of my personal tips!

As promised in the video, here are the exact pics I used in my online dating profile. I ended up meeting a really nice guy, too! One month in, and we’re still dating so…

I tried to appear fun & flirty on these. Plus, a pic collage lets you post lots of pics without seeming to be on over kill.

The requisite full body pic.

Trying to get my model on @ work. Again, pic collage = lots of pics!

I’ll keep y’all updated and share more about being a single woman ready for love. Maybe in the future, I’ll do a vlog on the major losers I came across…Lawd! I wasn’t ready. Plus, I’ll give you the low down on the first date. Let’s just say it started off iffy, because of me and my weirdness, but ended well! Also, because of me and my weirdness.

XoXo,

Faith

Don’t leave me out here by myself! Tell me about your online/blind dating experiences below. And since I’m a romantic, I’d love to hear how you met the love of your life, be it online or otherwise. 🙂 

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New Release!!!! He Changed My Name

I can’t believe it’s been two years since I first discovered my friend Unoma Nwankwor! Time really does fly. While time has been flying, she’s been busy! The girl can write and she stays publishing new, first-rate books. Unoma proudly proclaims that she fuses faith, romance and African spice. Her latest novella, He Changed My Name, is no exception. Deets below!

Book Title: He Changed My Name

Publisher: KevStel Group February 12, 2016

ASIN: B01B786XFE

Genre: Christian Fiction Romance

Author: Unoma Nwankwor

About the Book: Eager to escape the hypocrisy of the church and build her singing career, pop sensation, Ayanti “Yanni” Effiong enters and wins The Next World Star. Apart from fulfilling her dream, her move to America offers the perfect opportunity to help young female immigrants. A cause she pursues with a passion until fame takes over. Fifteen years later, broke, dumped and fresh out of jail, she begins to regret the lifestyle and name she created for herself.

Mensah Afortey is on the brink of losing the church he put his heart and soul into for the past seven years. This years’ Valentine Day gala is his last attempt to raise money for the church. Everything is set but they need a big name to pull in donations. Just as he is about to give up, in walks “Yanni.” When he agreed for Ayanti to serve community service under his church he didn’t know she was the same person as the embattled star.

While she pays her debt to society, the last thing she wants to do is perform on a day that left a bitter taste in her mouth. But there is no denying the instant attraction between them. Before he wins her heart, Mensah must win her soul. Over time and in fellowship with the church, Ayanti comes to realize that despite what man calls her, God has the ability to change her name.

Excerpt:

The shrill ring of her phone brought her back to the present. She sat up against the headboard. Her heartbeat accelerated as she answered the phone. It was Debby.

“Please give me good news.”

“Hey, chica,” Debby responded. “I hope you’re doing better.”

Earlier, Ayanti had a breakdown. She had screamed and bawled her eyes out, wishing she was back in Calabar, the capital city of her home, Cross Rivers in Nigeria. It seemed like a lifetime ago she won that competition and left the country.

“Yes, I’m fine, but tell me I can be better.”

“Okay, here’s the deal. Charity for Homes had filled up with court ordered volunteers until next month…”

“I can’t wait that long!”

“Lemme finish, girlie. We were able to get you to volunteer with them not as an individual, but under a church group.”

“A church!” Ayanti wiped her hands across her face. She hadn’t been in one of those in years. Did Debby have any idea the kind of judgment that went on in that place? She’d take her chances with the mean police officer until next month.

“Hear me out. The church volunteers with Homes for Charity as a non-sponsor group. You can be part of those volunteers and when they are not volunteering, you can still make up some hours by working in the church. That way, you can get this thing over with faster. Now tell me that doesn’t beat picking up trash in the streets,” Debby finished.

“But those people would have known what I did. Why I’m there…”

“And? Which one of them there hasn’t done anything bad?” Debby asked. “Girl, think about it. Besides, you have nothing else to lose at this point.”

“I guess you’re right.” Ayanti contemplated the whole arrangement.

“Of course I am.” A beat of silence passed between them. “Now get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow. Think about it and let me know what you want to do. You have until the end of the week.”

“What’s the name of the church?”

“Ummm…hold on.”  The shuffling noise of paper could be heard in the background. “It’s called Calvary Is the Way. It’s on Auburn.”

Ayanti remained silent for a few minutes. After a while they disconnected. Ayanti switched off the television and turned to her side. Calvary Is the Way? She rolled her eyes. These new age churches and their names. What ever happened to churches with sensible names? Like Mount something…

© 2016 Unoma Nwankwor

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/23xHqjD

 About the Author: Born in Akron, Ohio to Nigerian parents, Unoma Nwankwor spent her childhood and early adulthood years in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. She possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s degree in Global Management. Her publishing credits include An Unexpected Blessing (2013), The Christmas Ultimatum (2013), When You Let Go (May, 2014), A Scoop of Love (Jan, 2015) and Anchored By Love (Dec 2015). Her work has appeared in Africa Book Club, USA Today HEA blog and The Kenyan E-zine; Wamathai.  Her stories are described as a fusion of faith, romance and African spice. Unoma is also the co-owner of KevStel Group LLC and resides in Atlanta Georgia with her husband and two children.

Social Links

Website: http://www.unwankwor.com

Blog: http://www.unomanwankwor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/unwankworauthor

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/unwankwor

Mmmhhh, romance, criminal activity and Jesus? Sounds like my kind of story! What do you think?

Twitter Book Chat Round-Up with B. Swangin Webster

Hi Ya’ll! You know I’ve been a bit under the weather for the last few weeks and have not been here as much. However, I wanted to take part in B. Swangin Webster’s blog tour. Her book sounded like something I needed to read. As you can imagine, I haven’t quite finished the book but the tour is almost done…today’s the last day!

Therefore, I decided I would take part by sharing with you the Twitter Chat B. Swangin Webster (@BSwanginWeber) and @NoteBkBlogairy hosted this past SuperBowl weekend. (Yeah, I know — ambitious [read: cray-cray] ladies!)

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom of this page.

Before we get started, here’s a brief synopsis of B. Swangin Webster’s book, Let Me Just Say This:

Cheryl Goldman is a stay-at-home mother of two: a boy, and a girl. Her husband, Kevin, is a successful businessman who owns his own marketing firm. From the outside, all looks perfect. Too perfect, perhaps. When we scratch the surface, we find Cheryl wearing too much makeup on some days and rather overlarge shades that make her look every bit the fierce diva. Yet, she’s not.

Cheryl allows the unthinkable to happen more and more in her life. Her children watch her. Her BFF watches her. Her parents watch her. Yet, no one steps in…not even Cheryl speaks up for herself. Her daughter is disgusted. Her son is angry at both of his parents. Her father knows Cheryl’s not trying to make any waves. Cheryl’s mother? Thinks the world rises and sets on Kevin.

Will Cheryl wake up and realize she shouldn’t be the object of abuse because someone else is having a rough go of it? Will her children forgive her? Or, simply walk away from it all?

Go behind the scenes of this upper middle-class African-American successful family and see how the foundation of things was set and how it all slowly unraveled.

* * *

Twitter Chat Round-Up from Saturday, February 6, 2016

NoteBook Blogairy (NB) Question: Cheryl’s sister was none too gentle. Why is that?

B. Swangin Webster (BSW) Answer: Cheryl’s sister was jealous of Cheryl because she felt they loved Cheryl more.

Kenya (KY) Answer: I didn’t catch that either. Those family relationships were nuts, in general.

NB response to KY: I KNOW! The relationship with the son was so intense. I almost felt as if blows were going to come from him next.

KY response to NB: Cheryl was really trying to keep the kids’ feelings about everything in check. They probably didn’t know how to feel!

NB response to KY: Yes, she wanted them to be good Christians and overlook what was happening in their own home. So sad for them!

NB Statement to BSW: Loved the way you show the tension in Cheryl’s relationship with her children.

BSW response to NB: The son knew all along and until the time comes and the son has a ‘treat’ in store for his dear old dad.

KY response to BSW: I felt that was so true to life. My brothers would have gone in with a bat! But, we didn’t grow up with it (domestic violence).

BSW response to KY: Yes, it’s funny that I wanted to beat him with a bat as well but you feel the emotion.

NB response to BSW & KY: Readers feel the full range of emotions.

KY response to BSW: Well I think the emotion is an important part of the book. Which made the love scenes with Kevin hard.

BSW response to KY: She [Cheryl] knew that her marriage was not based on love. #infatuation

NB response to BSW: Hmm…I didn’t see that. It read to me like she knew he was trouble but she stayed hoping it would get better. Then, stayed for the kids.

KY response to NB: Me, too. She had clues early on but was being defiant and got stuck.

BSW response to KY: And for Kevin…he gets what’s coming to him…by someone HE loves.

KY response to BSW: Awww…that’s going to be sad, too. But, I felt sorry for Mister at the end of The Color Purple…

Dianne (Dii) statement to BSW: (Pops in; new to chat.) I was proud to be a part of your tour!

BSW to Dii: Make sure to see just how the secretary pays him back #Book2

Dii to BSW: LOVE paybacks!

BSW to group: Yep! If Cheryl could have had that…we would be cheering her.

NB to group: Backbone? Yep. Cheryl needs to buy one. Put it on layaway…

KY to group [spoiler alert!]: I guess she can use Matthew’s instead.

BSW to group: Thanks @NoteBkBlogairy for hosting this #NBbookchat today.

NB to BSW: You are quite welcome! I’ve learned so much more. THANK YOU!

* * *

Special thanks goes to Dianne (@diibylo), Kenya (@BookedUpBoss) and to Intrigue Publishing (@IntriguePub) — the publishers of Let Me Just Say This.

Author Bio

B. Swangin Webster is the mother of five grown children and the “Nina” of nine grandchildren. She continues to write because if she didn’t, she believes she would stop breathing. Live Life with passion is hermotto. This is something she does every day.

She has recently embarked on an additional career as a radio talk show host on WLVS Radio: Radio You Can Watch. She has become one of their leading hostesses.

When B. Swangin Webster isn’t writing, you can find her reading one of her 300+ novels. Or, taking cooking classes. When she isn’t doing either of the above, you will find her at grandchildren’s football games, or watching her favorite football team: The Dallas Cowboys.

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Win a copy of Just Let Me Say This, or a $20 Amazon Gift Card by entering the raffle below!

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Why I’m Writing Fearlessly in 2016

Hey y’all, it’s been two weeks since I last checked in. I had my gallbladder removed and the recovery was bruTAL. Had me looking for a Dr. Kevorkian copycat up in here. But, thankfully, I’m well on the road to recovery now.

Anyway, lately I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about what writing fearlessly means. When I wrote my first novel, I wrote fearlessly but published terrified. When the Real Thing Comes Along was never meant to see the light of day. I wrote it for me, without any intent for anyone to read it other than my sister and a few close friends.

When I decided to publish I was anxious, to say the least. I figured that everyone would think WTRTCA was about me. So I painstakingly edited it, hoping that I could avoid the inevitable. When it dropped, of course everyone who knows me saw characteristics of me in Jacelynn, the main character, no matter how much I tried to disguise or deny it. That experience taught me some things.

First of all, writing from a place of fear stifles creativity. Anticipating that others will think that everything you write is about you, and allowing that to hinder you, is no way to live. I’ve finally accepted that everything I write is about me, to a certain extent.

When I pour myself into my writing, it touches others. Readers are discerning, and authenticity has a farther reach than any marketing plan. As I continue to write and build my brand, I want to be known for emotional, heart tugging literature. I can’t do that if I’m writing from a place of fear.

My next novel tackles some hard-hitting issues. One of those issues is emotional eating. Do I necessarily want people to know that when I’m stressed out, anything chocolate makes my world okay? Um, no. But I do want anyone who’s struggling with some sort of eating disorder to know that they are not alone; and that there is hope for them.

Standing in the light of my truth is the only way I can have a hope of guiding someone else into their’s. For me, that’s what it’s all about. My mantra for the last few years has been “Feel the fear, and do it anyway.” That’s what I strive to do every time I sit down to write.

How do you find the courage to write fearlessly?