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Authors: ReShonda Tate Billingsley

The Devil Is a Lie

BOOK: The Devil Is a Lie
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“FAITH-BASED FICTION DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN BILLINGSLEY’S” raves
Publishers Weekly
…. And in a starred review,
Library Journal
says her storytelling “will appeal to fans of Michele Andrea Bowen’s
Second Sunday
and Pat G’Orge-Walker’s
Sister Betty! God’s Calling You, Again!

Be sure to read these wonderful, soul-satisfying novels
from
ReShonda Tate Billingsley!

CAN I GET A WITNESS?

A
USA Today
2007 Summer Sizzler

“Scores a direct hit on the ever-popular subjects of love, marriage, and divorce. Billingsley makes the spiritual angst hilarious…. Billingsley’s entertaining [novels are] notable for their humor, wonderful characters, and challenging life situations that many readers, Christian or not, can identify with.”


Publishers Weekly

“An emotional ride that rivals the highest roller coaster, and readers will not want to get off.”


Ebony

“The prolific ReShonda Tate Billingsley serves up a humdinger of a plot.”


Essence

THE PASTOR’S WIFE

“ReShonda Tate Billingsley has done it again…. A true page-turner…. If you loved
Let the Church Say Amen
, then you’ll love
The Pastor’s Wife
.”

—Urban-Reviews.com

The heartwarming sequel to her #1
Essence
bestseller
Let the Church Say Amen
EVERYBODY SAY AMEN

A
USA Today
Top Ten Summer Sizzler!

“Packed with colorful characters, drama, and scandal…. A fun, redemptive book.”


Romantic Times

I KNOW I’VE BEEN CHANGED

#1
Dallas Morning News
bestseller

“Grabs you from the first page and never lets go…. Bravo!”

—Victoria Christopher Murray

“An excellent novel with a moral lesson to boot.”

—Zane,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Emotionally charged…will not easily be forgotten.”


Romantic Times
(4½ stars, Gold Medal, Top Pick)

LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN

#1
Essence
magazine bestseller
One of
Library Journal
’s Best Christian Books for 2004

“Creating full-bodied characters and a plot that avoids heavy-handedness, Billingsley infuses her text with just the right dose of humor to balance the novel’s serious events.


Library Journal
(starred review)

“Amen to
Let the Church Say Amen
…. [A] well-written novel.”


Indianapolis Recorder

“Emotionally compelling…. Full of palpable joy, grief, and soulful characters.”


The Jacksonville Free Press
(FL)

“Her community of very human saints will win readers over with their humor and verve.”


Booklist

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
Her award-winning debut novel

“This is a keeper.”


The Daily Oklahoman

“Poignant, captivating, emotional, and intriguing…. A humorous and heart-wrenching look at how deep childhood issues can run.”


The Mississippi Link

Also by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Can I Get a Witness?

The Pastor’s Wife

Everybody Say Amen

I Know I’ve Been Changed

Let the Church Say Amen

My Brother’s Keeper

Have a Little Faith

(with Jacquelin Thomas, J. D. Mason, and Sandra Kitt)

Help! I’ve Turned Into My Mother

And check out ReShonda’s young adult titles

Friends ’Til the End

Fair-Weather Friends

Getting Even

With Friends Like These

Blessings in Disguise

Nothing But Drama

Pocket Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2009 by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1–866-248–3049 or visit our website at
www.simonspeakers.com
.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Billingsley, ReShonda Tate.

     The devil is a lie / by ReShonda Tate Billingsley.—1st Pocket Books trade paperback ed.

     p. cm.

1. African Americans—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3602.I445D48 2009
813’6—dc22

2008054652

ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-7816-1
ISBN-10: 1-4165-7816-1

Visit us on the Web:
http://www.SimonandSchuster.com

A Note from the Author

I
cannot believe I’m doing this again. Not only because I can’t believe I’ve written eighteen books in eight years, but because I swore I was done writing acknowledgments. I’d even gone as far as turning my manuscript in without them, but when the time came to send in my final corrections, I just couldn’t send my book back without acknowledging the people who help me do what I do. But just to be clear, this isn’t an acknowledgment page, so if your name isn’t here, don’t feel slighted. This is just a note from the author, to thank a few people, say a few things, and let you know how eternally grateful I am to be living my dream.

And I
am
living my dream.

I’m making up stories for a living. (See, Ma, you always called it
lying and didn’t buy my “active imagination” argument, but it paid off.) And these stories ARE MADE UP. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I don’t care if something in one of my books sounds just like something that so-and-so did. Any resemblances to actual characters or situations are purely coincidental. And if you shared something with me and you now see it in my book, that’s just a coincidence as well. Besides, if you don’t tell anyone it’s you, I won’t, either. But I digress. The great thing about what I do is that my stories, while fictional, mirror the lives of so many people. I can’t tell you the number of people who say they’ve learned to forgive, to love, to heal, to be open and honest, who’ve renewed their relationship with God, who gave their marriage a second chance, etc., etc.—all because they were moved by something in one of my books.

That’s some powerful stuff and it makes everything I do worthwhile.

But I wouldn’t be able to do what I do were it not for some very important people who make my writing career possible. Of course, first and foremost, thank you, God, for blessing me with a talent to write.

Much thanks to the man who has been there from the very beginning, who nurtured and encouraged my dream when it was still a concept, Dr. Miron Billingsley. Thank you to my three lovely children, who bear with me when I’m writing and traveling.

And to my absolutely incredible support system, there are not enough words to show my gratitude for helping my writing career flourish by making my personal life flow as smoothly as possible. My mother, Nancy Blacknell, I am what I am because of you. My sister Tanisha Tate, who does whatever I need, whenever I need it,
without complaint. (Okay, I take that back, you do complain, but you still do it, so thanks!) Fay Square, you have no idea the blessing you have been in my life. I thank God for you!

As always, many, many thanks to my agent, Sara Camilli; my editor, Brigitte Smith; Melissa Gramstad; Louise Burke; the awesome people who design my covers (I’ve never met you but you are the best!); and everyone else at Pocket Books. I’ve been so lucky to have found a publishing home I’ve loved from the beginning. Thanks for all your hard work! To John Paine, thank you for a fabulous job!

Thank you also to my extended support system: LaWonda Young, Jaimi Canady, Raquelle Lewis, Kim Wright, and Clemelia Richardson. You know that core group of people you should always keep in your life, the ones that will be there whether you’re up or down, hot or not? You guys are my core. Thank you for always having my back.

To Pat Tucker Wilson, my sister in spirit, who has been an unbelievable support in my television and literary career: Thank you for always being there. I’ll say it again, keep your head up. Your blessings are coming.

To Carmen Green, thank you. That’s all I can say. A hundred times, thank you.

Lots of love to my literary colleagues who always offer words of advice, encouragement, and just are trying to run this race with me…Nina Foxx, Victoria Christopher Murray, Jihad, Tiffany Warren, Lori Bryant Woolridge, Mikoseneja, Zane, Trisha Thomas, and Dee Stewart. (If anyone needs a good publicist, Dee is off the chain!)

Once again, I have to say thanks to Holly Davis Carter, Jeff Clanagan, Regina King, and Crystal Garrett. Thank you soooooo much for making my movie dreams come true!

I must also show love to Sonny Messiah Jiles, Cale Carter, Candace K, Pam Walker, Marina with the Good Girl Book Club online, Curtis Bunn, Sigrid Williams, and Gwen Richardson at Cush City.

I almost hate to start naming book clubs, but I just cannot end without saying a huge thank-you to all the book clubs that selected my latest book. You guys are the best. This go-round I have to give a special thanks to: Pages Between Sistahs, Go On Girl, Cush City, Black Women Who Read, The Sistah Circle, Circle of Friends, Cover 2 Cover, Nubian Pageturners, Black Pearls, Southern Kreationz, Women of Character, Ladies of Literacy, Sistah Time, and The Mo’nique Book Club.

As always, much love goes to my wonderful, illustrious sorors, especially the Houston Metropolitan Chapters.

And finally, thank you. Yeah, you holding this book. If it weren’t for your support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If you’re a new reader, thanks for checking me out. I hope you’ll get hooked. If you’re a previous reader, thanks for coming back. If you enjoy this story I just ask one more thing…pass the word, not the book!

I know, I said I wasn’t going to get caught up doing acknowledgments again, but when you have such wonderful people in your life that’s a promise that’s just hard to keep.

Until the next book…. Thanks for the love.

ReShonda

BOOK: The Devil Is a Lie
5.34Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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