The Whats Happening Myron Bookclub

Saturday, January 31, 2015

January Book Club Recap: Shelia Whalum

We kicked the year off on a high note as we welcomed Local Featured Author Sheila Whalum to the Book Club. She discussed her second and latest book “Why Love Don’t Last”. Ms. Whalum is an expert of sorts on relationships. She has facilitated seminars and workshops on relationships and have had a regular segment on WHBQ Fox 13 News as well. She was joined by her husband Reverend Kenneth T. Whalum, the pastor of the New Olivet Baptist Church here in Memphis.

Our Featured Selection was “Every Woman Needs a Wife” by Naleighna Kai. Yes, the book lived up to the name. We also got the chance to chat with Ms. Kai via Skype. That was a lot of fun and that discussion was off the chain.

Next month, our Featured Selection will be “Fly on the Wall” by Trista Russell and our Local Featured Author will be Mr. Corey P. Smith, the author of “Conspiracy of Credit”.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Jamie Mayes: Writer, Speaker & Educator

In addition to being a writer and speaker, Author Jamie Mayes is also a high school English teacher in Monroe, Louisiana. In January 2013, she released a gritty, elevated second collection of poetry Pennies in My Pocket. She is also a freelance writer and short story author. Her articles have appeared in the Monroe Free Press, the Louisiana based magazine I Am Creole, and the Christian online magazine A Time as This.

Growing up the in the housing projects of DeRidder, Jamie experienced the aches of living in poverty and a single parent home. Externally a happy child, she internally fought issues of low self-esteem and childhood depression until her mid-teenaged years when she discovered her talent for writing and speaking. She began writing poems and "stashing" them under her bed to help her cope with feelings of insecurity and pressures from school and home. With the encouragement of a school club sponsor, Jamie entered a public speaking contest and found personal joy by verbally releasing messages of positivity and encouragement to her peers. While she continually fought difficult days, the comfort she received through writing and speaking helped her to understand her significance in the world.

Her determination to become successful pushed her to begin working at twelve years old, earning money by cleaning houses, babysitting, and “doing hair” from home. It was with these earnings and financial support from her family and community that she was able to seek opportunities to continue to write, speak, and compete. It was also in high school that Jamie became deeply intrigued with creating works that shed positive light on American culture. She wrote and directed the first black history play in the history of her high school and continued to compete in public speaking events. During her final year of high school, she won first place at a BETA club state convention and went on to earn fourth place at a national convention.

Following high school, she enrolled at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She eagerly anticipated college life with the expectation of much easier days to come. However, the demand of a full time job to make ends meet, broken heart experiences, the death of a close childhood friend, and a journey to find self, gave her a view of reality. Consequently, she found herself once again leaning heavily on her pen for motivation, inspiration, and consolation.

Upon graduation, she completed studies in English with minors in Communication Studies and African American Studies at Louisiana State University. Following college, she worked in sales for a short time, but found that it did not satisfy her desire to be a positive contributor to the future generation of leaders. Eventually, she became a high school English teacher. The desire for something new and a chance to pursue a graduate degree led her to northeast Louisiana. There, she obtained her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Louisiana.

Despite an unstable life, one thing remained stable-writing. She continued to write poetry and essays and began writing short stories. With the encouragement of a friend, she decided it was time to turn pieces of paper into a book. Shortly after finishing graduate school, she began working on the publication of her first book Tear Stained Dresses & Dusty Shoes.

“The once cocooned worm inside of me is now a beautiful butterfly that has been set free.” ~Jamie Mayes

Dr. Mary G. Patton: Author, Speaker, Consultant

Dr. Mary Patton is an Author. Speaker. Consultant. She has written two books, Emotional Trauma in School: Cause, Effect, Cure, and Therapeutic Application of Biblical Principles for Overcoming Emotional Trauma; which is the cure that was referred to in her first book.

Dr. Mary, as she is affectionately called, began her career as an elementary school teacher. Her classroom experience sparked her passionate desire to become a helping professional. She earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and a Ph.D. Degree in Education Counseling, and has 35 years of work experience providing education and support to children, parents, and families.

Dr. Mary’s background includes, in addition to classroom teacher, professional school counselor, Christian psychotherapist, and CEO of her own counseling practice. She is listed in the International Who’s Who of professionals and is the recipient of many recognitions for her outstanding work, including the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Medal for providing outstanding community service by developing and directing the Healing Hearts Ministry, offering hope and healing to rape and incest survivors for over 12 years. She received a United States Air Force Letter of Accommodation for organizing the first formal graduation ceremony for the Community College of the Air Force, at Sembach Air Force Base, Germany.

Dr. Mary has earned numerous training certifications in areas of education, crisis intervention, stress management, trauma/ grief management, and behavior disorders.

She serves her local church as a volunteer with several ministries. Her current mission is to heal the hurt caused by residuals of emotional trauma using the principles outlined in her workbook. Therapeutic application of Biblical Principles for Overcoming Emotional Trauma is an interactive workbook that will reveal hidden residuals of past trauma experiences which prevent one from enjoying the abundant life that Christ desires for them. The principles contained in the workbook will give those locked-in-potentials a door through which to escape. This book will help those who are trapped emotionally find the freedom to break free and enjoy that abundant life for which they were created to live.

January Local Featured Author: Sheila Whalum: "Why Love Doesn't Last"

Sheila Whalum has been uncovering some of the most asked relationship questions for quite some time. In her 4^th and latest book, “Why Love Doesn’t Last”, she explores just that. “After assessing the situation of many relationships, single and married couples, the picture wasn’t pretty,” she said. “I thought, why is it that so many couples are not in love? They have been together for several years but were no longer in love.” She believes she has the answer to that question.

“Why Love Doesn’t Last” is a self-help book for men and women to RESPECT their relationships on a daily basis, whether they are married or not. The book addresses many distractions that can come in and destroy a relationship. Also it gives 50 tips to keep that relationship strong and going.

She is not only an author, but she is also a wife, mother, grandmother and First Lady. She is the wife of Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr., Pastor of The New Olivet Baptist Church, in Memphis. They have been married for over 32 years. They have 3 sons, saxophonist Kenneth T. Whalum III, singer Kortland Kirk Whalum and trombonist Kameron Timothy Whalum, who all perform professionally. She has an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a B.A. in communications from the University of Memphis. She is a mentor for the U of M Fogelman College of Business and Economics MILE (Memphis Institute of Leadership Education) Program; Co-Founder of BAMM (Bust-A-Move-Monday) for small businesses and deeply involved in her church, The New Olivet Baptist Church.

Ms. Whalum will be our local featured author at the January Book Club Meet Up, so make sure you make plans to attend. The book “Why Love Doesn’t Last”, can be purchased at her website www.SheilaWhalum.com or you can purchase a copy at the Meet-Up.

As usual, we will be at McKinley’s Restaurant, 3279 Kirby Parkway. Our featured selection will be “Every Woman Needs a Wife” by Naleighna Kai. As always, great food, great people and fabulous door prizes. I expect to see you on the 17^th!

January Selection: “Every Woman Needs a Wife” by Naleighna Kai

Bursting with originality and controversy, author Naleighna Kai has created a provocative, and at times heartwarming tale about an age-old problem that will strike a chord with all women.

Every Woman Needs a Wife is the hilarious, but thought-provoking story of a wife who does the "unthinkable." Strolling in on Vernon and his mistress one night, Brandi Spencer insists that the new woman in his life come home and earn her keep the honest way -- on her feet helping the wife clean the house, keep the children and pay the bills, instead of laying on her back servicing the husband.

Tanya Kaufman has had one shock too many -- one minute she's a fiancée, the next she finds out she's been the mistress all along. When Tanya shows up during the surprise anniversary party to take Brandi up on her offer, the women seize the opportunity to teach Vernon that infidelity will no longer come at the expense of the women's time, money, and happiness. Vernon fights back by launching a high-profile court battle that doesn't have a thing to do with splitting the money, keeping the house, or visitation rights.

Had any married couple ever fought for custody of...the mistress?

Off the chain huh? I know right?

“Every Woman Needs a Wife” by Naleighna Kai will be our featured selection for the January Book Club Meet-Up on Saturday January 17th from 4-6. We will be at McKinley’s Restaurant as usual. We will also be speaking to Ms. Kai through Skype as well. This is gonna be fun, so get your questions about the book ready!

Also, our local featured author will be Ms. Shelia Whalum. She will be speaking about her book call, “Why Love Doesn’t Last”. As always, great food, great people and fabulous door prizes. I can’t wait to see you!

Recent Post

January Book Club Recap: Shelia Whalum

Jamie Mayes: Writer, Speaker & Educator

Dr. Mary G. Patton: Author, Speaker, Consultant

January Local Featured Author: Sheila Whalum: "Why Love Doesn't Last"

January Selection: “Every Woman Needs a Wife” by Naleighna Kai

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