The Eleventh Commandment

Also by Lutishia Lovely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.

Kensington Publishing Corp.
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

Table of Contents

It's the wee hours of the morning and I can't believe it, y'all. I have just completed my . . . drum roll . . . twentieth novel!!! No research assistants. No ghostwriters. Just me, myself, and Zuri Day—in a little over six years—churning out page after page. I sit here amazed, humbled (and after pulling a fifteen-plus-hour day, a little delirious!), but filled with gratitude. I'm so blessed to get to do what I do, to have a career that I love, and a team of wonderfully gifted and talented people who support me.

When I sat down to type the first words to my first book in 2001, I had no idea where that act of obedience to Spirit's gentle prodding would lead me. In 2004, when I felt I'd properly researched the industry and pulled my pennies together to publish
Sex in the Sanctuary
independently, and then channeled E. Lynn by pushing it in barbershops, beauty shops, gas stations, grocery store parking lots, and wherever else from the trunk of my car, I wasn't sure how this whole literary career thing would turn out. I simply did what I could, when I could. And kept believing.

When after a year of ghostwriting and pushing my own product I determined I needed a book deal, and when I took three of my remaining inventory to something I'd heard of called Book Expo and told myself with absolute assurance that I would get a deal there, I had no idea how it would happen. That first entrance into New York City's Jacob Javits Center, where more than ten thousand people were waiting for the doors to open, had a sistah intimidated. But I put faith over fear and began introducing myself to any and everybody as “the best-selling author who'd just sold out my first print run.” When I stepped into the Kensington booth, I had no idea that the woman I was talking to, the one who was showing more interest than the other publishers in other aisles, was an acquisitions editor. And when I finally followed up with her two months later, I had no idea that this AE angel, Hillary Sares, had been trying to reach me all that time!

It takes a village to raise an author, and I owe so much gratitude to so many that it's hard to thank them all in one setting. But given the specialness of this occasion, I'd like to thank some now, even if I may have thanked them before. Hillary, thank you. Karen Thomas, who green-lit that first novel, much obliged. To Kensington, the literary family I've grown up in, the Team Lutishia who care so much and do so much and support me all the way: Steven Zacharias, Laurie Parkin, and all the executive staff, Doug Mendini and the sales team, Lesleigh Irish-Underwood, Alex and Alex, and everyone in marketing, Kristine Mills-Noble and the art team for my fabulous covers, Karen Auerbach, Adeola Saul, and the PR staff, Selena and the production team, especially Robin Cook. It would be easier to just reprint the company directory because I'm sure I've left someone out. But thank you, Kensington. Big hug!

To my agent, Natasha Kern, and my promotions guru, Ella Curry. To Debra Owsley, who hooks me up with great giveaway items, and to Jessica Wright Tillis for the wonderful excerpt pamphlets. Appreciate you, ladies! To those authors who are also my friends, who encourage me when I need it and give me a “get 'er done” to cheer me on! You know who you are and I appreciate you, thank you, and love you. See you at the next conference (or on the next cruise, Mrs. Brenda Jackson!). A special shout out to Football Widows author Pat Tucker for the Los Angeles Sea Lions who appear in this book.

I thank my family, who has encouraged me along every step of every journey I've ever taken. And then there is you, each of the readers/fans/supporters who are why I'm able to do what I do. Yes, you, the one who takes a novel that spent about nine months in production (not including the time it took me to write it
) and then reads it in one day. Yes, you, who writes me e-mails mad about what some character did and suggests what should happen in the next installment. And you, who tells me that you've seen yourself, or someone you know, in my characters and that what I've written has touched your heart. Or made you laugh. Or cry. Or curse. Or all of the above!

Though there are literally thousands of names that belong here, these are but a few I've gathered while working on this novel: Shannon Barnett, Doneisha Bridgeforth, Sonja Vann, Nora Hayes-Clark (your long wait is over sistah!—wink—), Kim Knight, and all of the service men and women who read my work while serving our country. Ryan Ivory, Denise Springs, GAYLE Jackson Sloan (yes, I'm shouting!—smile—), Sharon Blount, Denise Williamson-Garrett and her aspiring writer daughter, Sparkle, Norfolk, England's Linda Berry (and all of my international fans!), Shana Smith, Monique Menefee, Angelia Vernon Menchan, Synita Gardner, Allyson Deese, Lacha Michelle, Daphne Foreman, Sandy Barrett Sims, Andrea Corbin Huff, Denise Keese, Marsha Cecil, Eriq Cunningham, Zaundra Lewis-Cooper, Rose Jackson-Beavers, Audra Golson, Carmen Blalock, Angelique Pickett-Henderson, Antoinette Hunter, Denisha Miller, Janette Malcolm, LaKeesha “Missy” Jackson, Aquita Lane, Lynee Jordan, Nia Stanley, Angela Varnado, Nikisha Wallace-Smith, Valerie Butler, Tennille Madden, India Watson, Sharmon Lynette, Dionne Payton, Kandi Graham, Charliene Crowder, Christy Pantel, Valerie Martin, Charles Henry Hall, Monique Matthews Waddell, and Kenneth and Nicole Royal. To Yolanda Gore and Orsayor Simmons, who without my asking have gone above and beyond in promoting my work.

Book clubs! I can't forget you: Readers of Paradise (Chi-town, yeah, baby!), Claritta Stinson and Sistahs of Color Book Club, Nikisha Wallace Smith & In the Company of my Sisters, Readers by Choice, Chi-Town Reading Circle, Readers in Motion, Deirdre Newsome and Beyond the Reading, Tanesha Mapson and AOOA, Bonita Thornton and Sistahs Thoughts from Coast to Coast, Black Faithful Sisters and Brothers Book Club, Lashaunda McKinley and Ebony Pages, OOSA, Sharon Blount and Building Relationships Around Books, Turning Pages Book Club, Yasmin Coleman, Priscilla Johnson, and all the reviewers and members of APOOO, Ebony Pages Book Club, Sisters United and Lisa Renee Johnson and Sistahs on the Reading Edge. A thousand thanks to all of you and a thousand more to those book clubs who've read me and I don't know about and/or didn't mention. Let me know so that I can give you a shout out! To Lissa Woodson and the Cavalcade of Authors. Chicago was a blast!

Spirit, the All That Is, You are indeed everything to me. Thank You. To my angels . . . I soar to success on your wings!

Whew, all that and I'm sure I still forgot somebody. I told y'all it takes a village. But don't trip. If you're not in here it just means I've got to write another book. So let me get to it! Book number twenty-one, here I come!!!