Best Selling Books by Denene Millner

A People Magazine Pick. “In delicious, decadent prose, Denene Millner does what few authors can–compose a sprawling multigenerational tale that is necessary American reading. One Blood sings the song of the South in a voice that is heartbreaking, hopeful, and resilient. A masterpiece.” –Tara M. Stringfellow, National Bestselling author of Memphis Join New York Times bestselling author Denene Millner as she explores the lives of three generations of women tied together by love, hope, dreams, ambition...and family secrets in this epic novel. Meet Grace: raised by her beloved grandmother in tension-filled, post-segregation Virginia, Grace is barely a teenager when she loses her grandmother. Shellshocked, she is shipped up North to live with her formidably ambitious Aunt Hattie―a woman who firmly left behind her Southern roots in pursuit of upward mobility. Feeling like a fish out of water in the high society world filled with fancy teas and coveted debutante balls, Grace’s only place of comfort is with the smart, handsome son of one of the society’s grand dames. Meet Delores: beautiful, intelligent and fierce, Delores a.k.a. Lolo has never had it easy. Once she makes it north, she puts aside her dream of being a model to do what she has to do to survive as a woman with little money and no mooring: get married and have a family of her own. When secrets start to spill out and she and her family slowly begin to unravel, Lolo is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her dream intact and those she loves together. Meet Rae: when Lolo’s headstrong daughter, Rae discovers that she is adopted, it’s just one secret among others that her family is keeping. When Rae finds out that she’s about to become a mother herself, she knows that there is an important reckoning that must be faced about herself and her two mothers. Potent, poetic, powerful, told with deep love, and spanning from the Great Migration to the civil unrest of the 1960s to the quest for women’s equality in early 2000s, Denene Millner’s beautifully wrought novel explores three women’s intimate, and often complicated, struggle with what it truly means to be family. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Based on The Fresh Prince created by Will Smith, Destiny is the Fresh Princess. Meet Destiny—a cool, energetic, and strong-willed young girl who approaches every day with her own signature style! That is, until she moves to a brand-new neighborhood, where nothing looks quite the same as it did at her old house. Even with new challenges and new friends to make, Destiny always has a plan. With a few reminders from her loving family and after remembering what being the Fresh Princess is all about, she may just take the leap and jump right in! Written by celebrated author, blogger, and editor Denene Millner and illustrated by Gladys Jose, Fresh Princess is the perfect book to encourage kids to proudly stand out and be themselves!

Sparkle is an epic tale linspired by the story of The Supremes. It''s 1968 Detroit and a time when the entertainment world is thoroughly mesmerized by the Motown sound. In the midst of that musical and entrepreneurial phenomenon three beautiful sisters -- the daughters of a former R&B singer-turned-Bible thumper -- leave the bosom of the church and, against the strenuous objection of their mother, dive headfirst into the tough, unforgiving world of R&B. As Sister, Dolores and Sparkle submit to the Svengali-like styling of their manager and fight against the ruthless ambitions of a cast of characters bent on taking advantage of their fortune and fame, the close-knit family is torn apart by greed, ambition, broken loyalties, and the merciless glare of the spotlight. But one sister, Sparkle, may yet have what it takes to emerge as the brightest star of them all.

First, In What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know, the bold and beautiful Denene Milner and Nick Chiles gave the real deal of love and relationships. It was hailed as the African American Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. Then, in What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know About Sex, the savvy supercouple told African American daters and maters how to get it on and heat it up in the bedroom -- or wherever else couple may find themselves. Now Nick and Denene have set their sites on three of the hottest topics facing couples today. Money. Can he deal when she makes more? Power. He''s at the office 24/7. Where does she get her face-time? Respect. How much of their dirty laundry should both he and she air to their friends? In their inimitable he-said/she-said format and hip approach, Denene and Nick reveal the real deal on what black men and women think about financial issues, power struggles, and the importance of respect. They delve into everything , from whose career is more important to who should punish the kids to who should pay for dinner. Enlivened by their trademark humor and sassy and bold approach, the message in Money, Power, Respect is crystal clear: While money issues may lead to power struggles, this doesn''t have to lead to lack of Respect. In this perspective and insightful guide, Nick and Denene show couples how engaging in fierce, sincere communication will have both partners wearing the pants in the family.

In this heartwarming story of love and family, a community comes together to help a young girl find the courage to lift her mighty voice. Sundays are June’s favorite days because she gets to spend it with Mommy, Daddy, and her brother, Troy. Next Sunday is more special than most, because she will be leading the youth choir in front of her entire church. June loves to sing. She sings loud, silly songs with Daddy, she sings to herself in front of the bedroom mirror, but performing in front of the entire congregation is another thing altogether. As her special moment approaches, June leans on the support of her whole community to conquer her fear of singing in front of the congregation.

From the author of The Sistahs'' Rules and her husband comes a Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus for African Americans.Denene Millner''s sassy, shrewd reaction to The Rules became a bestseller. The Sistahs'' Rules spent six months on the BlackBoard list. Then, proving the value of her own advice about dating and mating, Denene married Brother Mr. Right, Nick Chiles. Once she''d laid claim to his heart, she took a really long look at his head to find out what his words and actions really meant. Together they decided to go boldly where few couples dare: inside the minds of a sistah and a brotha to reveal the real deal on what Black men think of commitment, monogamy, and other mysteries--and what sistahs know about staying true to themselves. What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know is the first book for African Americans that decodes the inscrutable ways of the opposite sex. In this funny, honest, provocative book, Millner and Chiles step across the great divide to create--once and for all--real understanding between sistahs and brothers. They give the real deal on: * The perfect date * Why brothers think all sistahs are angry * Why so many men could run down Michael Johnson in an effort to escape commitment * Whether it''s fair for sistahs to scream when brothers chase white girls * Why good sex matters What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know covers everything from first dates to lasting commitments, from myths and misunderstandings between brothas and sistahs to the kind of communication that fosters love and respect. It reveals, for the very first time, the motivations and fears coursing through that warm-blooded animal on the other side of the bed.

“The best site for thoughtful, fierce advice about parenting from a Black perspective” —Ebony For almost a decade, national parenting expert and bestselling author Denene Millner has published thought-provoking, insightful, sometimes wickedly funny commentary about motherhood on her critically acclaimed website MyBrownBaby.com. The site, hailed as a “must-read” by the New York Times, speaks to the experiences, joys, fears, sorrows, and triumphs of African American motherhood, from pregnancy and child-rearing to relationships and the politics of parenting black children. After publishing almost 2,000 posts aimed at lifting the voices of moms and dads of color, Millner has now curated My Brown Baby, a collection of the website’s most important and insightful essays. This one-of-a-kind parenting book offers perspectives on the issues moms of color and mothers of children of color face as they raise their kids—from birthing while black to negotiating discipline to preparing children for racism. Through her website, Millner has created a space for African American moms and parents of black children, many of whom long to lend their critical but all-too-often ignored voices to the national parenting discussion. Full of essays that readers of all backgrounds will find provocative, My Brown Baby acknowledges that there absolutely are issues that African American parents must deal with that white parents never have to confront if they’re not raising brown children. This book chronicles these differences with open arms, a lot of love, and the deep belief that though we may come from separate places and have different backgrounds, all parents want the same things for our families, and especially for our children.

Three African-American soul singers find success in the world of 1960s pop music, in a novelization of the Broadway musical-turned-movie set against the backdrop of the Motown era.

The star of the hit show "Empire" recalls her beloved screen characters while tracing the story of her life and career, discussing her father''s Vietnam service, her rise from the violence of the streets of Washington D.C., and her experiences as a singlemother.

When three best friends come together for their sorority sister''s tony wedding on New Year''s Eve, they make a vow at the stroke of midnight to get married within one year. As the three women embark on their search to find their soul mates, they navigate the full-contact sport known as being a SSBFDLA (successful, single, black, female dating in L.A.) and negotiate the shark-infested waters of making a name for themselves in Hollywood. Can Trista, the hyper-driven celebrity agent, find the time to schedule a meaningful romance? Will Amaya, the sexy starlet, convince the married hip hop–label exec she has been seeing to leave his wife and slip a ring on her finger or will the NBA star steal her heart in the final seconds? After undergoing a complete makeover, will Vivian, the jaded gossip columnist, win back the father of her child? Set against the seductive backdrop of money, power, and sex, The Vow follows these women as they discover that their desire to find a husband isn''t as important as finding themselves.

From American Grit co-star, former Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tee Marie Hanible comes the story of how she became a warrior...and how you can do it, too. In The Warrior Code, entrepreneur, philanthropist, reality star, and retired Gunnery Sergeant Tee Marie Hanible serves up eleven principles to awaken your inner badass and thrive in the face of adversity. After surviving the death of her father, enduring foster care, and being expelled from school, Tee joined military reform school, where she began uncovering her inner warrior. As part of one of the first female classes of recruits to complete the Marine Corps Crucible and the Marine Combat Training, and as the only woman to deploy with her unit to Iraq in 2003, Tee tested her mettle and learned the key to becoming an unbreakable woman. With insightful honesty and wisdom, and set against the backdrop of Tee''s life, The Warrior Code will help you understand that things can beat us back from realizing our true potential...but the key is finding the way to realize one''s own innate strength.

This picture book will delight every Spider-Man fan with its vibrant illustrations and heartfelt story about self-discovery. New York Times bestselling author Denene Millner’s picture book follows Miles Morales as he explores what it means to be an artist, to be Spider-Man, and to be himself. Miles Morales is captivated by the murals in his neighborhood, bursting with color and life. Each one tells a story about the artist who created it, and as an aspiring artist himself, Miles dreams of making his own one day. But Miles isn’t just an artist—he’s Spider-Man! When he makes friends with fellow artist Mr. Arty, Miles learns even more about his passions, his Puerto Rican heritage, and the importance of his neighborhood.

This book is part of our first sweet and sassy Candy Apple summer vacation trilogy! Each book focuses on one girl from a trio, and follows her summer adventure away from her friends.Three girls, three trips, one amazing summer!Willhelmina "Mina" Chestnut loves spending time with her BFFs, Samantha and Liza, in their New Jersey suburb. But this summer, the girls are splitting up, and Mina is attending an art camp in New York City!Mina is dazzled by all the Big Apple has to offer, and enjoys seeing the sights and meeting new people. But a snooty girl at the camp makes Mina miss the comfort of home. How can she survive the big city for a summer without her friends? Maybe by finding them the perfect souvenirs...

Four starred reviews! From James Beard Award–winning chef Alexander Smalls, New York Times bestselling author Denene Millner, and award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison comes a “vibrant visual narrative” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) of family, traditions, and the little moments shared at the dinner table that make all the difference. There is nothing young Alexander looks forward to more than Sunday Dinner, the special time after church when the whole family gathers dressed in their Sunday best and ready to share in the best meal of the week. For the first time, it’s up to Alexander to contribute a dish for the table, something warm and satisfying, with just the right amount of sweetness—something that the whole family will love and, most of all, will make his dad proud. It’s time for Alexander to spread that Sunday joy!

The Rules? Puhleeze! Any real black woman can tell you that when it comes to African-American men, The Rules is about as good as Monopoly money in Macy''s. Waiting three days to return a brother''s phone call will get a black woman nothing more than a warm spot on the couch by herself with an empty bag of corn chips and the remote.A sister needs her own special set of rules for finding a brother even when it seems that there just aren''t that many good ones to go around. Millner says they are out there but sistahs need to drop their materialistic, brother-in-the white-Benz fantasies and pick up the right vibes for finding a genuine brother who''s worth keeping around. The Sistahs'' Rules gives black women commonsense guidelines for landing in a healthy relationship with a makes-your-toes-curl brother, including: Get to know his mama, get to know him Use what you got to get what you want Girlfriends are everything, but they don''t know it all With warm stories and practical advice from black mamas and papas who''ve been there and done that, and sistahs and brothers in the mix, The Sistahs'' Rules is a sassy, hip, step-by-step guide to finding Brother Mr. Rightand having fun in the process.

Designer clothes. Gorgeous boys. Family secrets. Major drama. Welcome to Atlanta and the lives of the Duke twins, Sydney and Lauren. They don''t call it Hotlanta for nothing!The Duke twins, Sydney and Lauren, live the life: They attend the fanciest school in Atlanta, they live in Buckhead, the most exclusive neighborhood, and they only date the hottest guys. And their secrets? Are the darkest of all. When their estranged father is released from prison and a murder is committed, their lives are plunged into a whirlwind of tabloid scrutiny, vicious gossip, and shocking revelation. Lauren, always such a party girl, and Sydney, bent on perfection by way of the Ivy League, can''t trust anyone. Not their mother, not their rich stepfather. Maybe not even each other.