Creative Corner

Posted on April 12, 2019 by jaehendersonauthor

I wrote this about two years ago after my boyfriend made a surprise visit to the coffee shop where I was writing. I guess I was feeling inspired.

He unsuspectingly walked into the coffee shop where she sat intently typing on her laptop and gently caressed her shoulders from behind before sliding his soft hands down her arms and engulfing her in a warm embrace. She didn’t need to turn around to know it was him. She hugged him back. His touch was certainly welcomed as she had been battling her depression all weekend and trying to hide that anything was wrong. She didn’t expect to see him until later when they met for a movie. He bent down and said softly, “Hey. I took a chance that you were here. I wanted to stop by and see you before I ran a few errands and to tell you I love you”. The side of his face was pressed against hers. She turned her head to kiss him on the cheek and then caressed it, “I love you, too,” she whispered.

He looked down at her tenderly. “Are you alright?” he asked with concern in his eyes. She shook her head up and down and said, “Uh huh.” Lies. He smiled and kissed her on the forehead before turning towards the door. “This is mine,” he said referring to her. “I’m going to make it official one day.” She smiled as she watched her boyfriend sexily saunter toward the door. Overcome with emotion her eyes began to well up with tears. When she was depressed she tended to cry easily. It was silly to cry over such a small gesture. I hate depression she thought to herself, but I really needed that. How did he know?

A Pleasant Surprise by Jae Henderson

Happy Release Day!!

Posted on June 28, 2016 by jaehendersonauthor

Today my latest novel Husband Wanted has been released and I am so excited. What would you do if you had to meet a good man, fall in love and get married in 9 months to inherit $15 million? Find out what plan the Purdue Girls came up with to try to make it happen. Purchase your copy of Husband Wanted on Amazon for $3.99. Click this link to go straight to the order form. ow.ly/8R7E301IqVp

Also, PCJ Consulting in hosting an online release party via Facebook at 6 p.m. CST to discuss the book and introduce you to some of the characters. Be sure to join us. https://www.facebook.com/events/1620771658251347/

Feel free to read the first chapter Husband Wanted_Ch1

Thank you for your support!

Husband-Wanted-2

Where Do We Go From Here Is Here!

Posted on December 22, 2015 by jaehendersonauthor

Some of you may know that I have been working on a novella with fellow author Mario D. King. Well, “Where Do We Go From Here” is now available on Amazon.com for only .99.

Last year, a startling statistic was released that 72% of African American babies were born to unwed mothers. Mario and I wondered what would become of those babies? What type of environment were they conceived in and what type of environment would they be raised in? How can we tell their story? What evolved was a lustfully exciting tale that examines what can happen when two people intertwine their lives and their bodies with no intention of creating a future together. This novella is entertaining encouragement to make wise decisions in our relationships/interactions because sometimes our actions have life-altering consequences. I must warn you that this is not one of my usual Christian offerings but it still has an inspirational message we felt must be told. Read more about it here.

Within 24 hours of the book being released, we received out first review from fellow author Derrick L. Randall.

I could not and desired not stop reading until I finished. An absolutely rich and engaging read, Where Do We Go From Here, is dynamically relatable. It is a profound tale of the importance of individual, relationship, and cultural choices. It embodies twists and turns right out of the reader’s personal and unspoken experiences.

As a writer, I am inspired to write. As a reader, I am excitedly awaiting the story to continue. As a self-proclaimed 2k15 “Hippie”, I am sho’nuff groovy now. It was exactly what I needed.

Salute…Jae Henderson and Mario D. King

We’d love for you to read it and tell us what you think. Download the book here. Be sure to like our Facebook page. We are going to do some great giveaways there in the near future.

BONUS: Read the first three chapters!

Where Do We Go From Here-Excerpt

My Book Is Out! Read An Excerpt

Posted on November 6, 2015 by jaehendersonauthor

I am proud to present to you an excerpt from my latest book “Things Every Good Woman Should Know Volume 2: Dear God, Did My Boaz Get Hit by a Bus?”

The story I have chosen to share is What Goes Around Comes Around. Click the title to enjoy!

The book is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com but you can also get an autographed copy from me!

Also, my first book signing is in Memphis on November 14th. If you are out this way, I’d love to see you!

Order Things Every Good Woman Should Know Volume 2

Posted on October 28, 2015 by jaehendersonauthor

Hello Everyone!

I am proud to announce that my latest book “Things Every Good Woman Should Know Volume 2: Dear God, Did My Boaz Get Hit by a Bus?” is finished and available for you to order directly from me which means your copy will be autographed. The cost is $10.00 plus $3.00 for shipping and handling.

Jae Henderson is back with more inspirational short stories illustrating how life can be flawed but still beautiful. In Things Every Good Woman Should Know Volume 2, she asks the question, “Dear God, Was My Boaz Hit by a Bus?” This introspective look at dating and relationships examines the question many women have asked when trying to rationalize why it’s taking Mr. Righteous so long to make his entrance. The answers are found in 8 entertaining tales designed to nourish the spirit and encourage women to make wise decisions while maintaining their faith. Failed relationships, dishonest men and bad choices can wreak havoc on a woman’s love life, but there is always hope. No woman can predict when her Boaz will arrive, but she can live her best life until the time that he does. Enjoy these stories and then share them with friends:

Does Boaz Still Exist? Heavenly Minded, No Earthly Good

Live A Little Find the Humor In It

The Preacher and the Princess Do the Right Thing

The Ex-Files Just Have Faith

Women of all ages can appreciate these faith-filled examples of love, relationships and the single struggle. Sometimes you want to laugh and sometimes you want to cry, but one thing you won’t want to do is put this book down. Order your copy today!

The Kindle version will be available very soon and you will also be able to order it on Amazon.com.

I’m Returning to My Roots

Posted on January 14, 2015 by jaehendersonauthor

Before I became a book author, I was a radio personality and talk show producer and host. I am proud to announce that I am co-hosting a new blog talk show for those who love the Lord and literature as much as I do. Please tune in as me and my co-host, fellow author Ta’Mara Nicole, discuss our first topic, Spirituality vs. Religion. Is there a difference and if there is, which one most fits you?

Our special guest will be Dr. Eugene Gibson, Jr. He is the Pastor of Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church in Memphis, TN. He is also a professor at Memphis Theological Seminary, and teaches annually at McCormick Theological Seminary and United Theological Seminary. Last but not least, he is the author of Courage Under Fire.

I’m Another Year Older!

Posted on November 24, 2014 by jaehendersonauthor

I’m 38 today and so grateful to be alive. It’s been a challenging year, but I really have nothing to complain about: I feel good, I look good, I’m happy, I’m healthy, I’m financially stable and I have wonderful people who love me in my life! Thank you Jesus! Happy Birthday to me!

I used to do something called “Things I’ve Learned” each year on my birthday. I think today is a good day to revisit that. Although, instead of sharing the number of years in my life (I’ve got way more years now LOL) I’ll just do twelve. Feel free to pass them on.

Be grateful. It is the most powerful and thoughtful means of saying THANK YOU!
Adversity will come and go. It’s your job to make sure you stay put!
The man you want may not always be the man you need but a smart woman makes the man she needs the man she wants.
Do not entertain foolishness because it takes up too much time and energy.
You are entitled to your feelings. Make no apology for how you feel , but don’t expect others to always agree with your feelings because they are entitled to the same.
Your circle of friends will decrease when your love for yourself increases.
When the one person who loves you more than life leaves this earth, cling to the love they left behind in your life. You’ll find it in the care they gave you, the lessons they taught you, and the people they introduced to you. **
Grief is a form of therapy. Allow your tears to heal your soul.
Remembering WHO you are and WHOSE you are will help motivate you to greatness. Daughters and sons of The Most High King have no business at the bottom.
Your gifts are meant to be shared. You do the world a disservice by not doing so. We were created to be a blessing to others.
Laziness is a disease that you must purge from your very being. It serves no positive purpose. It only prohibits you from operating in the greatness God has instilled in each of us.
A shack can seem like a palace when you put it in perspective and employ positive thinking. You could be on the street.
BONUS: Money can’t buy you happiness but poverty can make you miserable. Go get some ends so you can one day buy that palace.

** Thank you to everyone who said a prayer and supported me through what has been the fight of my life and my most devastating loss. I love you and miss you mommy!! Rest in peace. There’s no suffering on the other side.

In honor of my birthday, all of my ebooks are on sale for $.99 to $2.99. For a limited time only, I assure you. (-: Shop for the reader in your life now. Happy Thanksgiving!

Buy it today!

Amazon.com

Barnesandnoble.com

What Is Inspirational Romance?

Posted on August 29, 2014 by jaehendersonauthor

When I first started writing a man asked me what genre were my novels and when I replied inspirational romance he replied, “Isn’t that an oxymoron?” This was the first of many such encounters where I found myself explaining what exactly inspirational romance is. The simplest definition I can give is that inspirational romance is the edgier side of Christian romance. I often push the envelope of Christian fiction and romance with the actions of my characters. However, it never ceases to amaze me that most people assume that romance ALWAYS includes sex and if I’m writing about romance/sex it must be immoral. It is times such as these that I take the opportunity to enlighten others.

1.God created sex. Sex itself is neither dirty nor immoral. It is a beautiful physical expression of love and/or desire two people have for one another and a necessary process for procreation that was intended between a man and his wife. It is the context in which people choose to have sex which leads to immorality and chaos. All we have to do is look at all the calamity that has come into play from sex being used outside of God’s will to know this is true. There is tons of data about the astronomical number of children being born out of wedlock and the also astronomical number of STDs being passed around the globe. We can even go deeper and cite sources about the emotional and developmental challenges that children who do not have both parents in the home often face. This is not to say that we would not have illegitimate children being born or STDs if everyone having sex were married. People have been having sex outside of their marriages for eons but I’m willing to gamble that the numbers would be far less than they are now.

2. Romance is not synonymous with sex. Although I recognize that within the literary industry when you say romance novel it is a given that it will contain sex and probably lots of it. However, when you add the word Christian or inspirational it becomes more about faith and less about sex. This is actually getting back to the truer sense of the word romance. Just as you can have sex without romance you can have romance without sex. When I looked up the definition of romance this is what I found:

ro·mance—(rōˈmans,ˈrōˌmans/) noun— a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.

By definition romance has to do with love not sex and God in His purest form is LOVE. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that I am able to write an inspirational or edgy Christian romance novel and explore all the facets of love and the emotions associated with it.

In each of my novels I display the love that God has for us and because of His infinite wisdom we are able to give this love to others in many ways–from acts of kindness to intimacy. I hope you’ll read my novels and allow me to spread a little love and God in your lives.

You Are Beautiful

Posted on May 16, 2014 by jaehendersonauthor

How many of us truly believe that we are beautiful? You are Beautiful is the first story in my book of inspirational short stories, and I wrote it because I truly want women to know that. There are identifiable benefits to knowing that you are gorgeous inside and out. One is that a positive self-image fosters a rise in self-esteem and confidence. High self-esteem will create that “can do, I deserve the best, and I’m going to go get it” attitude that motivates people to strive for and achieve success. In a recent newsletter I received from The New Memphis Institute, an organization dedicated to nurturing the city’s up and coming leaders, they shared that it has been scientifically proven in studies that people reporting higher levels of self-confidence tend to be healthier and treat themselves better than people without it. Also with the rise of bullying among our youth, high self-esteem is greatly needed. It allows us to ignore those who choose to try to shroud us with statements about ourselves that we know aren’t true and the courage to put them in their place when needed.

In my 20’s I didn’t think I was pretty enough, my body was curvaceous enough, or that I was deserving of great things. I wanted everyone to like me and hadn’t yet realized that is impossible. There is always someone who will have a problem with you and often it will be people who don’t even know you. Needless to say, the value I placed on myself was wrapped up in my value to others. I was one sad soul. In time I learned to love myself, flaws and all. I’ll never be perfect but when I look in the mirror, I see a beautiful confident woman who believes that “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” I may not always apply myself as well as I should but at least I know that the potential is inside of me. I just need to tap into. Now, what led to this attitude? I’m not ashamed to say that it was a man. My boyfriend in college recognized that my self-esteem was dragging on the floor like toilet paper stuck to the bottom of my shoe and took it upon himself to change that. He told me regularly that I was beautiful and that he loved me and that I was worthy of his love. Actually he didn’t just tell me, he showed me. He allowed the love God has for us to manifest itself in him in order to transfer it to me. In time, his positive affirmations invaded my psyche and I began to act like all the positive attributes I knew I possessed. For that, I will forever be grateful to him.

However, you don’t have to have a man to accomplish this. You can do the same thing for yourself. I want you to look in the mirror and identify at least five things about yourself that you think are beautiful. They can be something on the outside as well as the inside. I bet you have nice eyebrows, a winning smile, a kind heart, or a great sense of humor. Revel in your own beauty. Unleash the power of positive thinking and know that you are one of God’s greatest creations. You do yourself a disservice by not acknowledging the awesomeness of His handiwork. The God I serve doesn’t make mistakes only masterpieces. You are beautiful my sisters! Internalize that knowledge and love yourselves like only you can. You’ll be happier. I promise.

Please share with me the answer to this one question, “Who first told you that you were beautiful?”

By the way, the winner of the second book in the Things Every Good Woman Should Know Friends Giveaway is Ava Flatt. I am proud to present to you with “The Naked Pen” a compilation of anonymous short stories by Oosa Book Club. Congrats and enjoy!

Click here to learn how you can win a free book. “Things Every Good Woman Should Know Volume 1” is on sale for only .99 cents for a limited time on Amazon.com.

Eat, Pray, Write

Posted on April 21, 2014 by jaehendersonauthor

“So, you’re on an Eat, Pray, Love tour,” said my good friend Randy after I shared with him that I am taking a hiatus from traditional employment to take a much needed extended vacation.

“You’re right,” I replied.

Until he said that, I never thought about it like that. I justified my actions by merely stating that I wanted a break from life as I know it. I think each of us should step out of our comfort zone and do something others would consider odd at some point in our lives. And when I tell people that I voluntarily returned to the world of freelance writing, an often stressful if you don’t hustle you don’t eat way of life, the look people give me tells me that this is my odd thing. Heck, sometimes I wonder if I made this decision in an irrational fit of emotion while I was overwhelmed with the impending death of my mother. Especially when I look at my bank account and remind myself that money will not magically appear on the first of May and I better drum up some clients….FAST. Yet, whatever the case, what’s done is done. My job is no longer my job. They hired someone new last week. So there is no looking back, only forward.

Unlike the blockbuster movie “Eat, Pray, Love” starring Julia Roberts, I am not a successful New York Times Bestselling author and I will not be traveling to some unknown land to feast on unhealthy, fattening food, find spiritual enlightenment, or meet my soulmate…I will be traveling domestically. Actually, my journeys have already begun. A week ago I went to New Orleans and while there I took a food tour where I was introduced to the Muffalata, the beignet, the Po Boy, and the praline. Mmm mmm good! As I embark on this journey of rest and self-enlightenment I have three main goals.

1. Spend More Time With God
I’ve slacked off in this department and I know it. I used to spend every morning reading my Bible and pray every night. It’s time that I get back to it. Being disconnected from God is never a good thing.

2. Write one or more books
Not having enough time will no longer be an excuse for being unable to write. I will also spend time focusing on how to better market the books I do have as well as myself. Anybody need a guest speaker? I’m available.

3. Travel
Yep, I’m going to put those flight points I racked up to good use. I want to go to some places I’ve never been, see some things I’ve never seen, meet some people I’ve never met, and eat some food I’ve never eaten. Before the summer ends I plan to travel to Las Vegas, Tampa, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and probably Dallas. At least I hope to go all of those places…I’ll see what my wallet dictates and where the universe leads me.

What I hope to gain most during this time is a newfound sense of purpose which will only come by strengthening my relationship with God. I hope to gain a better idea of what I want this next chapter of my life to look like because after living in Memphis FOREVER I am open to moving. I also hope to get some great tales to share with my readers. As I do, you better believe I’m going to eat some good food. I’m not opposed to love but I’m not looking for it. It or more correctly, HE, will have to find me. Wish me luck!

If you could take a hiatus from your job what would you do?

Jae Henderson

Inspirational Romance & Contemporary Fiction Author

Tag Archives: Love