TV One Offers Original Holiday Movies ‘Merry Wishmas’ & ‘Coins For Christmas’ Starring David & Tamela Mann, Kim Fields & More…

Hello World,

TV One brings the holiday spirit with premieres of two new original movies MERRY WISHMAS, debuting Sunday, December 2 at 7 p.m. and  COINS FOR CHRISTMAS, premiering  Sunday, December 16  at  7 p.m./6C!

MERRY WISHMAS , starring  Tamela Mann (The Manns), David Mann (The Manns), Kim Fields (Living Single), Towanda Braxton (Braxton Family Values), Chrystale Wilson (The Players Club) and  Elizabeth Omilami (Madea’s Family Reunion), revolves around successful businesswoman Kenni (Tamela Mann) who hasn’t returned home to the quaint town of Columbia, South Carolina in years. She’s hoping for a peaceful visit when she finally returns home, but unresolved family issues threaten to make the Christmas holiday not so bright. She’s reacquainted with Jessie (David Mann), an old high school friend with a fledgling wellness facility – the Beverly Living Center. She’s instantly thrown into the lives of the center’s residents and meets a host of colorful characters. When Jessie is faced with losing the Beverly Living Center, Kenni steps in to try and help save it. Family conflicts and relationship woes, however, threaten Kenni’s efforts. It looks like only a miracle can save the center and mend broken relationships in time for Christmas.

MERRY WISHMAS  is directed by veteran actress Terri J. Vaughn and features a cameo appearance by rap artist  Yung Joc , best known for popular singles “It’s Goin’ Down” and “I Know You See It.”

“Having the opportunity to direct my friends David and Tamala Mann was a huge blessing. The rewarding part was their willingness to challenge themselves to go deeper and I’m excited for viewers to see them in the more dramatic moments,” said Vaughn. “The other blessing on this project was being able to direct my mentor and friend, Kim Fields. It was a very rewarding, full circle moment for us. I can’t wait for the world to see!”

Y’all, I was actually on set for one day of filming MERRY WISHMAS and was able to interview some of the members of the cast and writers behind the movie! See that post here:  David & Tamela Mann, Kim Fields, Towanda Braxton & More Star in TV One’s Christmas movie ‘Merry Wish-mas!’

Below is a trailer for MERRY WISHMAS:

COINS FOR CHRISTMAS  stars  Stephen Bishop  (Being Mary Jane) (Remember he was on one episode of OWN’s Greenleaf this season as well?),  Essence Atkins (Marlon),  TC Carson  (Living Single),  Kelly Price  (Saints and Sinners) and  Karlie Redd (Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta). The film chronicles single mom Madison (Atkins) who’s saved all year to make sure her teenage kids have the best Christmas ever. That is until she gets fired from the bookstore she manages and comes home to find that the IRS has frozen her bank account due to delinquent taxes her ex-husband failed to pay. Desperate to pay bills and buy gifts for her children, Madison jumps into the ever-popular “gig economy.” That’s when she meets and eventually gets hired by arrogant, sidelined former professional football player Alec Darby (Bishop), who is also secretly on the verge of going broke. This odd couple butts heads time and time again but can the Christmas spirit help these two get past their bickering, learn from each and ultimately forge a lasting friendship?

Below is a trailer for COINS FOR CHRISTMAS:

MERRY WISHMAS and COINS FOR CHRISTMAS will be featured programming during TV One’s Holiday Movie Marathon on December 24-25. TV One will also air Christmas movies every Sunday until December 23.

Written by Cas Sigers-Beedles, MERRY WISHMAS is executive produced for TV One by Roger Bobb, Angi Bones (Bobbcat Films), Terri J. Vaughn and Cas Sigers-Beedles (Nina Holiday Entertainment). David and Tamela Mann also serve as Executive Producers. George Pierre serves as Casting Director. For TV One, Tia A. Smith is Executive Producer in Charge of Production, Donyell McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting, and Robyn Greene-Arrington is Head of Original Programming and Production.

COINS FOR CHRISTMAS is written by Rhonda F. Baraka and directed by Jamal Hill, with casting by Leah Daniels-Butler and George Pierre. The film was produced by Swirl Films, with Eric Tomosunas serving as Executive Producer. James Seppelfrick, Ron Robinson, Keith Neal and Darien Baldwin serve as producers. For TV One, Karen Peterkin is the Executive Producer in Charge of Production, Donyell McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting, and Robyn Greene-Arrington is Head of Original Programming and Production.

For more information about TV One’s upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on TwitterInstagram  and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tags #MERRYWISHMAS#COINSFORCHRISTMAS,and #REPRESENT.

Any thoughts?

Kim Fields Releases ‘BLESSED LIFE: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears, and Tales from Harlem to Hollywood’ – NEW BOOK ALERT!!!

Hello World,

Y’all know I love me some Kim Fields. For the longest time, she was the only little black girl on television in the ’80s! She is #blackgirlmagic before there was a name for all that makes black girls and women special in this world! In fact,  I interviewed Kim Fields previously on After the Altar Call! (Click on the link if you want to check out the interview!) Kim is everywhere again as she recently starred in a “Question of Faith” which was released in September and last Saturday, she starred in “Wrapped Up in Christmas.”

And now Kim Fields has penned a new book “BLESSED LIFE: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears, and Tales from Harlem to Hollywood.” Check out a description of the book below:

From “Facts of Life” to “Living Single” to “Dancing with the Stars” to wife and mom, here’s the BLESSED LIFE of Kim Fields, veteran actress, TV personality, and star.

Kim Fields has lived most of her life with people thinking they know her, which is understandable. From her first job on a Mrs. Butterworth syrup commercial at age 7, she has spent 40 years in the public eye. There were 9 years as Dorothy “Tootie” Ramsey on the classic sitcom The Facts of Life, 5 more in her 20s starring as Regine Hunter on the seminal coming-of-age show Living Single, and most recently appearing as herself on Real Housewives of Atlanta and Dancing with the Stars.

Behind the camera, she has directed episodes of Kenan & KelTyler Perry’s Meet the Browns and House of Payne, and BET’s Let’s Stay Together. Between gigs, the pop culture icon’s life has included theater, spoken word, music, speaking engagements, and simply being present to the point that she cannot go a day without someone stopping her to say, “When I was a kid, I wanted to be Tootie” or “You were my role model.”

Flattered and blessed, after four decades in the business, Kim finally understands the role she has played onscreen and off as a successful, outspoken African-American woman. However, for as much as she’s been in the public eye, people have really never known her the way they think they have, and that’s because she, herself, spent most of her life figuring herself out. Now, at age 48, she is ready to set the record straight. She says, “It’s not that I’ve been misunderstood. It’s that I finally feel like I understand me enough to tell the life story that I’ve been asked to write for years.” It will be a chronicle of living, learning, and keen moments of self-discovery as she’s journeyed through the many facets and chapters of life. Fields found faith at age 14 and has found God to be right there every step of the way since then.

According to Radar Online, Kim writes about starring on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

The actress, 48, confessed that she hated being on the Bravo show in her new memoir, Blessed Life, saying that the entire experience was “bizarre.”…The Facts of Life star admitted that she hated filming, saying: “Briefly looking back on the whole season, here’s some of what I discerned: Being myself, sharing my reality in a quasi-real reality can be a bizarre vibe.” She slammed her costars for not being authentic, and claimed that “for much of the filming [she] felt like [she] was in a chess game, constantly ready for and even trying to anticipate the moves of those in front of and behind the camera, while being strategic with [her] own, while staying a few moves ahead in [her] mind.”

To read an excerpt of this book, click HERE!

Below is a video of Kim talking about her book!

I would definitely like to read and or review this book!

Any thoughts?

 

 

The Top 10 Blog Posts and or Articles for Black Christian Women in September 2017

See 'A Question of Faith' Which is Out NOW!

Hello World,

Just like that my birthday month is over, and I have to wait a whole year to celebrate all month long again but that’s alright. Although my birthday month is over, I have a gift of sorts for you! I’m back with my monthly roundup of blog posts and or articles for black Christian women! So below is my Top 10 monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine/newspaper articles for black Christian women for September ( but you don’t have be a black Christian woman to to check them out 🙂  As usual, let me know if you like my list! Enjoy and share!

1. “Producer Angela White Makes History with A Question of Faith” by Chandra Sparks Splond

Excerpt:  Veteran producer Angela White is about to make history with the release of A Question of Faith. The film, which includes an all-star cast, is White’s first faith-based movie and the first of its kind to have been produced by an African-American woman. I recently spoke with White about A Question of Faith and the importance of pursuing your dreams.  Tell me about A Question of FaithA Question of Faith is a beautiful story that follows three different families, who are struck by tragedy, which forces their destiny on a converging path to discover God’s love, grace, mercy and the power of forgiveness.  In “A Question of Faith,” all three families find themselves at a crossroads, questioning their faith and the higher power that guides their lives, as a result of their tragedies. As each family member deals with their issues, their worlds start to intertwine, which leads to a chain of events, which unknowingly brings the three families closer and closer together.  Further, the film deals with social issues, such as texting and driving, organ donation and the power of racial reconciliation. See more at: chandrasparkssplond.com

2.”The Subtle, Powerful Way Jordin Sparks Joined The NFL Protests” by Carol Kuruvilla

Excerpt:  Singer Jordin Sparks may not have taken the knee during Monday night’s NFL game in Arizona, but she managed to make a powerful statement nonetheless.  The “American Idol” winner was scheduled to sing the National Anthem during a game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals. The Dallas team knelt down before the anthem and stood while Sparks sang, and the Arizona players stood and linked arms.  Sparks, on the other hand, stood tall throughout her performance. But there was one small detail that could shed a light on what the 28-year-old singer was thinking. Scribbled in black on her hand were the words Prov. 31:8-9. It’s a reference from the book of Proverbs, in the Bible. See more at: huffingtonpost.com

3.”NASA Honors ‘Hidden Figures’ Heroine Katherine Johnson With a Research Building Named After Her” by Ashley Edwards Walker

Excerpt: It has been a big year for Katherine Johnson, the “human computer” who served as the brains behind NASA’s launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Hidden Figures, the movie based on her inspiring—though, until recently, largely unknown—career premiered in January 2017 (it sprang from the book by Margot Lee Shetterly). Taraji P. Henson portrayed Johnson onscreen, and the film won for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Even more important, the film and its portrayal of Johnson is being credited with galvanizing more young women to consider careers in science and technology. Now, in a very much overdue honor for the trailblazer, NASA has just dedicated a new facility to honor the mathematician: the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility. See more at: glamour.com

4.”Ayesha Curry is CoverGirl’s Newest Brand Ambassador”

Excerpt: The cosmetics brand made the announcement on Instagram on Wednesday writing, “Told you we had something cookin’ COVERGIRLS… So happy we don’t have to keep our lids on it anymore! See more at: blavity.com

5.”Are Smart, Educated Women Still Called to the Church Nursery?” by Nana Dolce

Excerpt: Case in point: During a recent #ThingsOnlyChristianWomenHear Twitter conversation, many stressed their concerns over the treatment of women in Christian circles. Among the tweets were stories of restrictive gender roles—women confined to traditionally nurturing positions regardless of their gifts and abilities. “You speak five languages and have a doctoral degree? Children’s ministry is your calling!” wrote one woman in sarcasm. See more at: christianitytoday.com

6.”When The Parents Are White, The Child Is Black, And The Churches Are Segregated” by Leah Donnella

Excerpt: My husband and I are white and we have one biological child (a baby) who shares many of our physical features. We also have a 4-year-old daughter, whom we adopted, who is black. I am trying to surround our daughter with a multiracial community so she is less this one black person in a sea of white. That is a struggle in a city that is still pretty segregated, but my particular question is this: Where should we go to church? See more at: npr.org

7.”50-Year-Old Virgin Called ‘Crazy’ For Saving Sex for Marriage” by Asia Henderson

Excerpt: It’s not every day that you hear about a 50-year-old virgin, but one such woman self-identified as exactly that during a recent airing of The Wendy Williams Show. “I am a 50-year-old virgin and I’m proud of it,” said Evette, shocking the host and her entire studio audience. See more at: buzz.eewmagazine.com

Excerpt:  While visiting her brother in the hospital, soul singer Fantasia Barrino blessed another family with her incredible vocals. According to a fan page dedicated to Barrino, a woman approached the artist and asked if she would sing a song to her husband to soothe his spirits. The man was hospitalized for paralysis after suffering injuries from an undisclosed accident. See more at: elev8.hellobeautiful.com

9.”An Austin Congregation Struggles to Put a Confederate Icon in the Past” by Joy Diaz

Excerpt: At the time, the congregation was all white. Today it’s still mostly white, but it’s surrounded by a very diverse community. The church sits in the middle of the University of Texas campus. And yet, Denise Davis was one of only three black people at All Saints. But she was not the only one offended by the window. Father Adams has learned it is offensive to others too. See more at: texasstandard.org

10.”When the Gospel Isn’t Very Good News” by Tess Holgate

Except: “But still there was that part of me that thought, in order for me to belong, I had to erase the part of me that was black, the part of me that grew up Democrat, the part of me that thought Jimmy Carter was the good guy.” Harper says this is how it was to grow up an evangelical Christian in the 1980s, a time she describes as the “rise of the religious Right.” She says the subtext of the movement said that if you’re not Republican, you’re not Christian, and that to be Christian you have to be Republican. See more at: www.eternitynews.com.au

Check out the trailer for “A Question of Faith,” the first faith-based movie produced by an African-American woman, Angela White…My cousin and I saw this movie at the Atlanta premiere last Monday, and we both enjoyed it. I loved seeing some stars that I remember from when I was growing up like Kim Fields from “The Facts of Life” and “Living Single” and C. Thomas Howell from “The Outsiders!”Also, it was nice to see “Uncle Mac,” who was recently killed on “Greenleaf,” in the land of the living LOL. I interviewed GregAlan Williams, who stars in this movie as a pastor and was at the premiere, back in August!

If you know of any black Christian women bloggers and or writers, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com as I’m always interested in expanding my community of black Christian women blogs and websites. As I noted before, while this is a roundup of interesting blog posts and or magazine and newspaper articles for black Christian women, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these pieces  🙂

Any thoughts?