Darrin Lowery's Blog
November 17, 2014
Faith Lost by Darrin Lowery
Faith Marie Evans is from a rural town in Kentucky. She has dreams of leaving the small town that she grew up in to be the first educated woman in her family.
Faith wants to live better than her mother Coretta, and applies herself in school so she can leave as soon as she turns eighteen. However when tragedy strikes the family, Faith is forced out into the world on her own. She finds out quickly that the world she dreamed about is much bigger than she imagined.
Armed with only an eleventh grade education, Faith must rely on her looks, book smarts and eventually street smarts to survive.
Her journey begins with her first trip outside of Kentucky. She ends up on the streets of Chicago looking for work and a way to close the door on her past.
While on her journey, Faith talks to God, who her mother Coretta said will always be with her. Faith however soon comes to believe that God doesn’t know she exists.
Faith wants to live better than her mother Coretta, and applies herself in school so she can leave as soon as she turns eighteen. However when tragedy strikes the family, Faith is forced out into the world on her own. She finds out quickly that the world she dreamed about is much bigger than she imagined.
Armed with only an eleventh grade education, Faith must rely on her looks, book smarts and eventually street smarts to survive.
Her journey begins with her first trip outside of Kentucky. She ends up on the streets of Chicago looking for work and a way to close the door on her past.
While on her journey, Faith talks to God, who her mother Coretta said will always be with her. Faith however soon comes to believe that God doesn’t know she exists.
Love & Sex
Michael Lowery is a successful businessman. He works for an advertising agency in downtown Chicago. He has a MBA from NLU. Being in the business, he is knowledgeable of all the latest fashions and his dream is to become one of the top advertisers in the city. Mike knows the meaning of struggle and has a work ethic that is unmatched. Because his schedule is so hectic he has little time for relationships.
Elena Roman Bodé is Creole. She grew up poor in Louisiana and came to Chicago looking for a better life. She lived with her aunt, Jeanette, who moved to Chicago years earlier in search of the same thing. Jeanette cleaned houses and started her own maid service which helped to put Elena through private school, and college at U of C, where she got her BA and MBA in business. As a public relations rep for one of Chicago’s largest PR firms, Elena has little time for relationships because it seems like all her free time day and night is used fixing the problems of her clients.
When these two powerhouses and adversaries meet, there is no doubt about the physical chemistry and competitive nature between them.
The question is do they just want love or sex?
Elena Roman Bodé is Creole. She grew up poor in Louisiana and came to Chicago looking for a better life. She lived with her aunt, Jeanette, who moved to Chicago years earlier in search of the same thing. Jeanette cleaned houses and started her own maid service which helped to put Elena through private school, and college at U of C, where she got her BA and MBA in business. As a public relations rep for one of Chicago’s largest PR firms, Elena has little time for relationships because it seems like all her free time day and night is used fixing the problems of her clients.
When these two powerhouses and adversaries meet, there is no doubt about the physical chemistry and competitive nature between them.
The question is do they just want love or sex?
The Mistress Rules, My new book
Ava Marie Grant is a hard working woman stuck in a $37,000 a year job. Tired of dating Mr. Wrong, Ava decides that she needs to change her social circles and go somewhere off limits to the average man.
Ava risks her rent, and everything she has on a charity event and an expensive dress in hopes of mingling with Chicago’s wealthy. Ava wants her own happily ever after, even if that means taking someone else’s.
Ava meets Mark Pleasant, a tall, dark, and handsome and a man of means. Intimidated by his status, she thinks he is out of her league. That is, until she meets Jeanette Bode, the Windy City Madam. Jeanette offers to teach Ava about seduction, and how to be a good mistress, rather than a wife.
Jeanette explains that there are rules to the game of dating wealthy men.
These are the mistress rules.
Ava risks her rent, and everything she has on a charity event and an expensive dress in hopes of mingling with Chicago’s wealthy. Ava wants her own happily ever after, even if that means taking someone else’s.
Ava meets Mark Pleasant, a tall, dark, and handsome and a man of means. Intimidated by his status, she thinks he is out of her league. That is, until she meets Jeanette Bode, the Windy City Madam. Jeanette offers to teach Ava about seduction, and how to be a good mistress, rather than a wife.
Jeanette explains that there are rules to the game of dating wealthy men.
These are the mistress rules.
September 3, 2014
Synopsis of the Congratulations Series
Congratulations I
Congratulations is the story of Tiffany Garner and Thomas Anthony Young. After eight months of dating, Tiffany thinks that any day now, Thomas will propose to her. That is until they get into a senseless argument before Thomas leaves on a business trip. Tiffany is hurt by the words that are exchanged. To get her mind off her troubles, she decides to go a wedding with her best friend, Alicia. While there, Tiffany's world is turned upside down when she sees Thomas not out of town, but at the wedding.
Congratulations II
Regina Holiday is looking for love. She thought the logical place to look was within her church with heartthrob, Derrick Brooks. That is until he announces his own nuptials at their church hours after they were last intimate. To make matters worse her unemployment has run out and she has yet to find a new job after a year of searching. Reggie Howard returns to his hometown of Chicago from Hawaii to help the Chicago office stay afloat in a failing economy. Although he has no time for love, he falls head over heels with a certain Chicago Police officer who has a smile that makes a man warm all over. Officer Alicia Goorskey meets Reggie at a neo-soul club and for the first time, she's met a man with all the qualities she's looking for in a man. Reggie it seems has more redeeming qualities than Officer Goorskeys husband who's white. Thomas Anthony Young can't seem to shake thoughts of his ex, Tiffany out of his head. Although she's married, he wants her back at all costs. In order to get back on his feet, his frat brother Reggie offers him a job as his replacement in the Chicago office. In a twist of fate, Regina, Thomas, Reggie and Alicia's lives intertwine. Both women want the same man. Both men want someone else's wife. In the end someone will be offered condolences while the other will be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations III
Rene Alexander is guilty. She's guilty of love, guilty of being faithful, and guilty of being a dutiful wife. She helped make her husband, William Alexander the man that he is today. She held him down when he went back to school, she took care of him when he was sick, and when the world told him he was nobody, she told him he was somebody. Rene always had William's back. One day she catches him in the throes of passion with another woman in their home. Rene takes matters into her own hands costing her five years of her life in prison. Now Rene is three weeks from being released on parole only to find out that her husband has since married again. Rene wants the life that William promised her. Only now there is another woman in the way, Tiffany Alexander. Her ex, Thomas Anthony Young will stop at nothing to get her back. Thomas recently discovered a way back into Tiffany's life where she can't say no. Two women want the same man and two men want the same woman. The question is who will walk away and who will be offered Congratulations?
Congratulations IV
Solanna Richards fell in love with Donovan Price who wanted marriage, children and happliy ever after. Solanna wanted those things too; however she wanted to wait until she was where she wanted to be career wise. Tired of waiting, Donovan left their relationship in L.A. and returns home to Chicago where years later he finds love again. No one is prepared for the drama and heartache when Solanna gets word that her best friend in Chicago is getting married. Solanna returns home to the Windy City where she finds out her best friend is marrying her ex. One woman will be heartbroken and the other offered Congratulations
Congratulations V
Carmen Reynolds is patiently waiting on her big break. More than that, she's been waiting more than three years for her shot at happily ever after. Every day she wonders if her boyfriend will soon propose marriage. As a temporary worker in one of Chicago's largest public relations firms, she sees people living the life she's always dreamed of. Carmen wants that life and has been working on her credit, her savings and her work ethic to be noticed in an office where she is practically invisible. Her boyfriend, Terrance talks a good game, but he's a sanitation worker that spends his money on knockoffs and hookups from friends. Chelsea Salvador is a beautiful woman that has to fight twice as hard in Corporate America to be taken seriously because of her good looks. As a formal model, the bi-racial beauty strives hard to get men to notice her for her mind and her skill set rather than her long legs and designer outfits. Carmen's break comes when she is assigned to work for Chelsea. However Chelsea meets Carmen and is not impressed with her at first. Although one grew up in the inner city and the other has an Ivy League Education, both women discover that together they are a dynamic duo in the workplace. Their chief disagreement occurs however when Chelsea takes a liking to one of the bad boys in the office, a litigator and playboy named Don Grayson. Chelsea doesn't believe in dating at the workplace, but she has never before encountered a man like Don.
Congratulations VI
Alicia Tuskey is a police woman with a secret. It's a secret that has been eating away at her for more than a year. It was alleged that she abducted her husband's mistress and left her for dead. The only thing is her husband's mistress survived. Solanna Richards is an IAD officer who has been assigned to investigate officer Tuskey although she'd been cleared of all charges. Solanna's job is to prove Alicia's guilt, but after working with her, the only thing Alicia seems guilty of is being a strong black woman. Jolene Tuskey is the once mistress and now wife of Matthew Tuskey. Rather than move on with her life Jolene wants revenge against Alicia. This is a story of love honor and betrayal as someone has to lose in this scenario and someone must be offered CONGRATULATIONS.
Congratulations VII
Gerald Akins is a financial consultant as well as a successful clinician. All of his life he's known nothing but loss. Because he seems to lose everyone close to him, he throws himself in his work. He's great at investing, great at public speaking and he is very skilled at helping other people with their problems, although he has yet to find a way to get over past hurt. Gerald was raised by his two aunts and they did the best they could to teach him family values, but it wasn't easy for two elderly women to raise a boy to be a man. Adrienne Foxx, is a young woman also with a history of hurt. She's a former ward of state with a past of atrocities and abuse. She's been hurt and let down by so many people that life and time have hardened her heart. When she was emancipated from the system she was taken in by two elderly women that were strangers to her. They were two women who were religious and whom God put in their hearts to take her in. Adrienne has no formal education, no job and she earns her keep, by cleaning and doing chores for the elderly women in exchange for room and board. When tragedy strikes the household, Gerald must come home to the aid of his aunts that he hasn't seen in years. He comes home to the house where he grew up in to find out that his aunts have taken in a woman that is too young for him, but a woman that he is intrigued by. Both Gerald and Adrienne are polar opposites with regard to lifestyle, but they have more than enough in common considering that life dealt them both a bad hand. They both know loss, they both have tough exteriors and they both are in need of love. The question is, how do you seek happily ever after when all you've known is a lifetime of pain? This is a story of faith, life, love and family. In the end, if they hold on to their renewed faith, both just might be offered condolences as well as Congratulations.
Congratulations VIII
Wendy Devereaux and Damien Martin are friends. They’ve known each other almost six years, and neither is happy in their marriage. Their spouses, Katrina Martin and Phillip Devereaux work too hard. They are too busy laying a financial foundation for the future; so much so, that they are neglecting their spouses at home. Because they are friends, Wendy suggests that she and Damien lean on one another for support. The question is can men and women that are friends spend time with one another and nothing develops between them?
Phil is engrossed in his work and no woman has ever understood him. That is, until a mysterious and attractive temp named Yolanda enters his life. Not only does Yolanda understand his work ethic, she also has a few ideas on how to offer Phil stress relief.
Katrina also feels misunderstood by her husband. Men at her firm hit on her all the time. There is one man in particular named Kevin that has been flirting since day one. Although she likes the attention, Katrina makes it clear that she is married. Everyone has issues in their marriage at one time or another, but it’s when secrets are kept that marriages fall apart. Someone will be left heartbroken while the other will be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations IX
Terrence Carter is a pro football player that was destined to marry his college sweetheart, Kelli. The fast pace of the pro football lifestyle, tore them apart. The more successful he becomes, the more removed he is from the things that keep him grounded.
Kelli believes that she and Terrence are soul mates, but how can a soul mate break your heart? Years pass and she still thinks of him. She wonders if she will ever truly be over him. Her mind tells her to move on, so she begins dating Thomas, a successful surgeon. Her heart however refuses to let go of the past.
Howard and Camille are high school sweethearts. They’ve been together twenty years. The only sore point in their relationship was Camille’s rival in high school, Kim. Howard is a retiring pro football player and Camille manages his finances. They were living the American dream until one day Howard finds out that he and Kim have a son, a son that is about to go pro. Howard knows he needs to tell his wife the truth, but how do you tell your wife that you once had an affair with the one woman she can’t stand?
In the end of each love triangle only one woman can be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations X:
Do women really know what they want?
This is the question that Daniel Langston asks himself as he dates Monica Harris, a young beautiful Christian woman with baggage from her past. Daniel and Monica dated eight months. Just when he’s ready to tell her how he feels, she breaks things off stating that she needs time to get herself together.
Hurt and confused, Daniel seeks advice from an old friend, Candace. Candace is someone that he’s often wondered about over the years. The thing is Candace is much taller than Daniel. Rather than look like an oddity when they’re out, they’ve always opted to simply remain friends.
When Daniel turns to his old friend for advice, they find that they have great physical chemistry. But they’re afraid dating could damage their friendship, so for the time being they decide to simply “lean on one another” to meet their physical needs.
That is until Monica realizes the mistake she made and decides she wants Daniel Back.
Whether they remain friends, lovers or soul mates, in the end only one woman in the end will be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations is the story of Tiffany Garner and Thomas Anthony Young. After eight months of dating, Tiffany thinks that any day now, Thomas will propose to her. That is until they get into a senseless argument before Thomas leaves on a business trip. Tiffany is hurt by the words that are exchanged. To get her mind off her troubles, she decides to go a wedding with her best friend, Alicia. While there, Tiffany's world is turned upside down when she sees Thomas not out of town, but at the wedding.
Congratulations II
Regina Holiday is looking for love. She thought the logical place to look was within her church with heartthrob, Derrick Brooks. That is until he announces his own nuptials at their church hours after they were last intimate. To make matters worse her unemployment has run out and she has yet to find a new job after a year of searching. Reggie Howard returns to his hometown of Chicago from Hawaii to help the Chicago office stay afloat in a failing economy. Although he has no time for love, he falls head over heels with a certain Chicago Police officer who has a smile that makes a man warm all over. Officer Alicia Goorskey meets Reggie at a neo-soul club and for the first time, she's met a man with all the qualities she's looking for in a man. Reggie it seems has more redeeming qualities than Officer Goorskeys husband who's white. Thomas Anthony Young can't seem to shake thoughts of his ex, Tiffany out of his head. Although she's married, he wants her back at all costs. In order to get back on his feet, his frat brother Reggie offers him a job as his replacement in the Chicago office. In a twist of fate, Regina, Thomas, Reggie and Alicia's lives intertwine. Both women want the same man. Both men want someone else's wife. In the end someone will be offered condolences while the other will be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations III
Rene Alexander is guilty. She's guilty of love, guilty of being faithful, and guilty of being a dutiful wife. She helped make her husband, William Alexander the man that he is today. She held him down when he went back to school, she took care of him when he was sick, and when the world told him he was nobody, she told him he was somebody. Rene always had William's back. One day she catches him in the throes of passion with another woman in their home. Rene takes matters into her own hands costing her five years of her life in prison. Now Rene is three weeks from being released on parole only to find out that her husband has since married again. Rene wants the life that William promised her. Only now there is another woman in the way, Tiffany Alexander. Her ex, Thomas Anthony Young will stop at nothing to get her back. Thomas recently discovered a way back into Tiffany's life where she can't say no. Two women want the same man and two men want the same woman. The question is who will walk away and who will be offered Congratulations?
Congratulations IV
Solanna Richards fell in love with Donovan Price who wanted marriage, children and happliy ever after. Solanna wanted those things too; however she wanted to wait until she was where she wanted to be career wise. Tired of waiting, Donovan left their relationship in L.A. and returns home to Chicago where years later he finds love again. No one is prepared for the drama and heartache when Solanna gets word that her best friend in Chicago is getting married. Solanna returns home to the Windy City where she finds out her best friend is marrying her ex. One woman will be heartbroken and the other offered Congratulations
Congratulations V
Carmen Reynolds is patiently waiting on her big break. More than that, she's been waiting more than three years for her shot at happily ever after. Every day she wonders if her boyfriend will soon propose marriage. As a temporary worker in one of Chicago's largest public relations firms, she sees people living the life she's always dreamed of. Carmen wants that life and has been working on her credit, her savings and her work ethic to be noticed in an office where she is practically invisible. Her boyfriend, Terrance talks a good game, but he's a sanitation worker that spends his money on knockoffs and hookups from friends. Chelsea Salvador is a beautiful woman that has to fight twice as hard in Corporate America to be taken seriously because of her good looks. As a formal model, the bi-racial beauty strives hard to get men to notice her for her mind and her skill set rather than her long legs and designer outfits. Carmen's break comes when she is assigned to work for Chelsea. However Chelsea meets Carmen and is not impressed with her at first. Although one grew up in the inner city and the other has an Ivy League Education, both women discover that together they are a dynamic duo in the workplace. Their chief disagreement occurs however when Chelsea takes a liking to one of the bad boys in the office, a litigator and playboy named Don Grayson. Chelsea doesn't believe in dating at the workplace, but she has never before encountered a man like Don.
Congratulations VI
Alicia Tuskey is a police woman with a secret. It's a secret that has been eating away at her for more than a year. It was alleged that she abducted her husband's mistress and left her for dead. The only thing is her husband's mistress survived. Solanna Richards is an IAD officer who has been assigned to investigate officer Tuskey although she'd been cleared of all charges. Solanna's job is to prove Alicia's guilt, but after working with her, the only thing Alicia seems guilty of is being a strong black woman. Jolene Tuskey is the once mistress and now wife of Matthew Tuskey. Rather than move on with her life Jolene wants revenge against Alicia. This is a story of love honor and betrayal as someone has to lose in this scenario and someone must be offered CONGRATULATIONS.
Congratulations VII
Gerald Akins is a financial consultant as well as a successful clinician. All of his life he's known nothing but loss. Because he seems to lose everyone close to him, he throws himself in his work. He's great at investing, great at public speaking and he is very skilled at helping other people with their problems, although he has yet to find a way to get over past hurt. Gerald was raised by his two aunts and they did the best they could to teach him family values, but it wasn't easy for two elderly women to raise a boy to be a man. Adrienne Foxx, is a young woman also with a history of hurt. She's a former ward of state with a past of atrocities and abuse. She's been hurt and let down by so many people that life and time have hardened her heart. When she was emancipated from the system she was taken in by two elderly women that were strangers to her. They were two women who were religious and whom God put in their hearts to take her in. Adrienne has no formal education, no job and she earns her keep, by cleaning and doing chores for the elderly women in exchange for room and board. When tragedy strikes the household, Gerald must come home to the aid of his aunts that he hasn't seen in years. He comes home to the house where he grew up in to find out that his aunts have taken in a woman that is too young for him, but a woman that he is intrigued by. Both Gerald and Adrienne are polar opposites with regard to lifestyle, but they have more than enough in common considering that life dealt them both a bad hand. They both know loss, they both have tough exteriors and they both are in need of love. The question is, how do you seek happily ever after when all you've known is a lifetime of pain? This is a story of faith, life, love and family. In the end, if they hold on to their renewed faith, both just might be offered condolences as well as Congratulations.
Congratulations VIII
Wendy Devereaux and Damien Martin are friends. They’ve known each other almost six years, and neither is happy in their marriage. Their spouses, Katrina Martin and Phillip Devereaux work too hard. They are too busy laying a financial foundation for the future; so much so, that they are neglecting their spouses at home. Because they are friends, Wendy suggests that she and Damien lean on one another for support. The question is can men and women that are friends spend time with one another and nothing develops between them?
Phil is engrossed in his work and no woman has ever understood him. That is, until a mysterious and attractive temp named Yolanda enters his life. Not only does Yolanda understand his work ethic, she also has a few ideas on how to offer Phil stress relief.
Katrina also feels misunderstood by her husband. Men at her firm hit on her all the time. There is one man in particular named Kevin that has been flirting since day one. Although she likes the attention, Katrina makes it clear that she is married. Everyone has issues in their marriage at one time or another, but it’s when secrets are kept that marriages fall apart. Someone will be left heartbroken while the other will be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations IX
Terrence Carter is a pro football player that was destined to marry his college sweetheart, Kelli. The fast pace of the pro football lifestyle, tore them apart. The more successful he becomes, the more removed he is from the things that keep him grounded.
Kelli believes that she and Terrence are soul mates, but how can a soul mate break your heart? Years pass and she still thinks of him. She wonders if she will ever truly be over him. Her mind tells her to move on, so she begins dating Thomas, a successful surgeon. Her heart however refuses to let go of the past.
Howard and Camille are high school sweethearts. They’ve been together twenty years. The only sore point in their relationship was Camille’s rival in high school, Kim. Howard is a retiring pro football player and Camille manages his finances. They were living the American dream until one day Howard finds out that he and Kim have a son, a son that is about to go pro. Howard knows he needs to tell his wife the truth, but how do you tell your wife that you once had an affair with the one woman she can’t stand?
In the end of each love triangle only one woman can be offered Congratulations.
Congratulations X:
Do women really know what they want?
This is the question that Daniel Langston asks himself as he dates Monica Harris, a young beautiful Christian woman with baggage from her past. Daniel and Monica dated eight months. Just when he’s ready to tell her how he feels, she breaks things off stating that she needs time to get herself together.
Hurt and confused, Daniel seeks advice from an old friend, Candace. Candace is someone that he’s often wondered about over the years. The thing is Candace is much taller than Daniel. Rather than look like an oddity when they’re out, they’ve always opted to simply remain friends.
When Daniel turns to his old friend for advice, they find that they have great physical chemistry. But they’re afraid dating could damage their friendship, so for the time being they decide to simply “lean on one another” to meet their physical needs.
That is until Monica realizes the mistake she made and decides she wants Daniel Back.
Whether they remain friends, lovers or soul mates, in the end only one woman in the end will be offered Congratulations.
Back on Goodreads...
I've been gone some time. I think the last time I was on this site was 2008. I've been busy though, I've written 20 books since then. My new website is darrinlowery.com and for a while, I gave up writing. I'm now engaged and the fiancée wanted more time so for a while I put the laptop away. Now my goal is time management because since I stopped writing, I've been going crazy. So many book ideas come and rather than write I try to give my fiancée the time she wants. I find myself sneaking to write at times. Sometimes I just make outlines in the event that I do start writing again. Other things going on include low sales with my book Faith Lost. Sisters have refused to read it because there is a white woman on the cover and SOME white women were offended that I wrote the book because I'm male and African American. However people that have given it a chance have liked it. I had to hurry up and put out an AA book which is why I released Love & Sex. Which is doing very well. Anyway I'm back and I wanted to thank everyone that supported me. I'm quietly working on a new book but we'll make that out little secret!
