One Love
ISBN: 0-9722990-4-1
July 2007 # 4 ESSENCE Best Selling Novel!
Winner of the 2007 Alternative Soul Award for Best Novel!
Praise for One Love
"Holmes pens a hip contemporary tale brimming with passion and sass. One Love is definitely one you won't want to miss!" - Tracy Price-Thompson, bestselling author of Knockin' Boots
"Bill Holmes writes with savvy, creating characters we all love to read about." - Jessica Tilles, bestselling author of Sweet Revenge
"Can the past really hinder our success in the future? Bill Holmes does an excellent job of exploring that question and more in One Love." - John Wooden, author of A Moment of Justice, A Lifetime of Vengenance
"Holmes' writing is well-developed, with a very fulfilling ending." - Gary Johnson, Black Men In America.com
"One Love was a great
read! I thought Regina and Chris were strong and dimensional characters that
could possibly flow into a sequel." - Shawan Lewis, author of Help Wanted
"One Love, the new novel by Bill Holmes, is a hip, breezy look at the inner workings of the spoken word scene, complete with on and off stage drama! Bill's insight into the feminine mind and issues of "real" life behind the scenes draws us into trials of love, loss and adversity. Bill does this with sensitivity as we root for the characters to realize the desires of their hearts. After you read One Love, check out an open mic and put this read to work! One Love captures the spirit of the spoken word scene because Bill is true poetry."
- Tantra, Performance Poet, Author of alifepoeminprogress
"In One Love, Bill Holmes' fictional debut, Chris Harrington is a victim of Corporate America by day and a talented poet by night. Anxious about a possible merger between his employer and another company, Chris already has his hands full without the added drama coming from Ronnie, his girlfriend of three months. Dealing with her outbursts and jealousy of his co-workers and even of his poetry, he decides enough is enough and they need some time apart. Chance encounters with Regina, the sharp-dressed accountant who catches his eye every morning on the train, helps him make a clean break.
Regina Simmons, the beautiful and sassy professional, is a talented singer and poet in her own right. Regina has dealings with an ex that have not only pulled her away from the poetry scene, but also make it difficult for her to give her all to a new relationship. Can Chris and Regina find their way through their own emotional roller coasters and learn to ride this wave of words and love together?
One Love is a refreshing read. Bill Holmes has created characters that are easy to love and cheer for. Secondary characters are just as great. You are sure to laugh-out-loud at some points and even shed a tear in others. One Love is a well-written novel and the poetry included in the story is the icing on the cake. Love, family, friends and beautiful word play make this story a hit. This is surely a recommended read, especially for anyone who loves poetry and the poetry scene."
Reviewed by Donielle Ruff
APOOO BookClub
Synopsis
What happens when a poet struggling to find inspiration and a single woman frustrated with the dating scene cross paths? Bill Holmes answers this question and more in One Love, the hot ESSENCE Best Selling novel that's masterful, intense and has people talking!
Excerpt from Chapter One:
She always looked sharp
going to work, and today was no exception. The one thing about her, which
always turned me on, wasthe confidence in her stride. There was something
so commanding about the way she walked, like Maxine Shaw from Living Single.
I wasn't sure if she was an attorney, but she had that elegant, classy beauty
like Vanessa L Williams. The linen khaki business suit she was sportin' on
this humid June morning worked well against her cinnamon
complexion. Her auburn shoulder length hair she usually wore down was pinned
up.
Uh oh, she must have realized I'd been checking her out because she made eye contact with me. The quizzical look on her face told me she thought she might know me, too. But she wasn't certain either. She sat down in the empty seat across the aisle from me, next to the balding white guy sleeping against the window.
"Hi," I said.
"Good morning," she replied.
She pulled out her BlackBerry and I went back to writing in my journal.
Read my interview in Conversations Magazine by clicking on this link below:
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