Passing Love
RELEASES JANUARY 25, 2012
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Nicole-Marie Handy has loved all things French since she was a child. After the death of her best friend, determined to get out of her rut, she goes to Paris, leaving behind a marriage proposal. While there, Nicole chances upon an old photo of her father-lovingly inscribed, in his hand, to a woman Nicole has never heard of. What starts as a vacation quickly becomes an investigation into his relationship to this mystery woman.
Moving back and forth in time between the sparkling Paris of today and the jazz-fueled city filled with expatriates in the 1950s, Passing Love is the story of two women dealing with lost love, secrets, and betrayal...and how the City of Light may hold all of the answers.
"Luckett is a writer to watch and admire." (ZZ Packer, O Magazine, 2007 )
Searching for Tina Turner
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Lena Harrison Spencer is in her mid-fifties, and the time has come for her to face the hard truths of what it means to have it all and still find oneself unfulfilled. When Lena determines that what she needs is the strength to change directions, Tina Turner becomes the icon from whose story she derives strength, even as everyone else tells her she's crazy for giving up her cashmere cocoon.
Here’s what writers are saying...
"What happens when a middle-aged woman decides her cashmere cocoon is no longer enough? Jacqueline Luckett gives us a rare glimpse into the world of African American privilege as we follow Lena Spencer on her voyage of self-discovery, leading her from the hills of Oakland to the excitement of France in her pursuit of Tina Turner, the embodiment of change. In her debut novel, Jacqueline Luckett provides a first class ticket to the good life, revealing the inner strength and struggle that allows a woman to redefine herself."
Lalita Tademy: Cane River, Red River
"Jacqueline Luckett creates a character with whom so many women will be able to identify. Lena has lost herself in a marriage and yet her passion simmers just beneath the surface of her careful life. Halfway through this emotionally gripping novel, the reader will wish she were the best friend who joins Lena in search of Tina Turner! Go, Lena!"
Ellen Sussman: Dirty Words: A Literary Encylopedia Of Sex, BadGirls: 26 Writers Misbehave, On A Night Like This
"Both eloquent and elegant, Jacqueline Luckett's "Searching for Tina Turner" charts the course of a swiftly-changing life with straight- forward honesty and gut wrenching precision. Luckett proves that there is infinite drama in the smallest detail, and boundless compassion for a woman reclaiming her life."
Nichelle D. Tramble: The Dying Ground, The Last King
"Ms. Luckett spins a sparkling tale of a woman's rise from emotional pain and obscurity to independence and power. Tina Turner as a mystery character is pure ecstasy!"
Deborah Santana: Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart
"Jackie Luckett is an incredibly gifted writer. She has a special knack for exposing even the most emotionally charged moment in the quietest of details. Ms. Luckett writes with an intimacy that makes you feel as if you are experiencing every nuanced moment right along with Lena, her novel's heroine. As you feel Lena's every misstep and loss, you ultimately experience her deepening sense of self-worth and self- love. Ms. Luckett's novel is a heartfelt, moving journey that shows just what one woman will do to find inner-joy and happiness. Searching for Tina Turner is the book we've been waiting for--a deeply moving story, that's also a page-turner. Bravo, Ms. Luckett!"
Renee Swindle: Please, Please, Please
"Sometimes finding yourself means searching for someone else... an inspiration to guide you on your path. Of course, not everyone's inspiration is Tina Turner, the patron saint of sexy self-determination. But "SFTT's" heroine Lena is not just anyone. With her tender heart, cultural sophistication, and sardonic sense of humor, Lena takes us through her journey as a grown-assed-woman in emotional trouble... and shows us one of the most creative ways you can make it to the other side."
Farai Chideya: Kiss the Sky
