Exposures [Paperback]

Virginia DeBerry (Author), Donna Grant (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 2005

As a glamorous, successful fashion photographer, adored by New York and Paris trend makers, Brett Larsen has dedicated her life to capturing beauty. Yet the corruption and betrayals that lie just beneath the glittering surface of that world prevent her from recognizing her own beauty and its glorious possibilities.

The first collaboration by Virginia DeBerry & Donna Grant, award winning, bestselling authors of Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made, among other works, shows the depth of character and plot twists that would become their trademark.

"It was an experiment to see if we could write together," says Donna.

"It worked," adds Virginia.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, best friends for twenty plus years, have co-authored three best selling novels—Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made (Merit Award/Fiction, Black Caucus of the American Library Association), Far From the Tree (New York Times Bestseller) and Better Than I Know Myself (Open Book Award, Essence Bestseller, Best African American Fiction 2004 Borders and Waldenbooks).

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Backinprint.com (June 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595357180
• ISBN-13: 978-0595357185
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,072,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With seven novels to their credit, Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, best friends for more than 25 years, have turned a friendship into one of the most successful and enduring writing collaborations in women's fiction.

Before becoming novelists, Donna was dared by co-workers at the New York Daily News to attend a model agency open call, which led to more than a decade as a plus size model, represented by the 12+ division of Ford Models. During that career, Donna was featured in catalogs and national ads, on the pages of such magazines as Essence, McCalls, Family Circle and Woman's Day, and made appearances on "Today," "Good Morning America," and "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee."

Virginia, a former high school English teacher from Buffalo, NY moved to New York City, after almost 10 years in the classroom, at the urging of a friend in the fashion business and started a successful career as a plus size model. She was frequently featured in catalogs, advertising, magazines and appeared on several television programs including "The Today Show." She retired from modeling after two years and became Vice President of BB/LW, an agency for plus size and petite models, as well as a spokeswoman for Hanes hosiery.

The duo's modeling careers led to the opportunity to launch Maxima, a fashion and lifestyle magazine for plus size women, where Virginia was editor-in-chief and Donna the managing editor. When publication of Maxima ceased, Virginia and Donna decided to try writing a book together. Their efforts eventually led to Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made (1997), which was a critical success, an Essence magazine bestseller, and won the Merit Award for Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, as well as the 1998 Book of the Year Award from the Blackboard Bestseller List/African American Booksellers Conference-Book Expo America. More than that, Tryin' hit an emotional nerve with readers from all over the world who continue to write to Donna and Virginia more than a decade later. Far From the Tree (2000) became a New York Times bestseller, and Better Than I Know Myself (2004) received two Open Book Awards, and was included on the Best African American Fiction of 2004 lists of both Borders and WaldenBooks.

Donna attended Barnard College and is a graduate of New York University. A Brooklyn native, she currently lives in the borough with her husband.

Virginia attended Fisk University and is a graduate of SUNY at Buffalo. Virginia now lives in New Jersey.

In March 2010, Touchstone Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, will publish DeBerry and Grant's new novel UPTOWN.

Please visit Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant at http://www.deberryandgrant.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lessons Learned, February 13, 2006

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exposures (Paperback)

Within the trendy and affluent sections of Manhattan to Long Island to Paris to Monte Carlo to Santa Verde and other locales in between, EXPOSURES is the story of Brett Larsen, an heiress by birth and fashion photographer by trade.

EXPOSURES is the first novel penned by the infamous writing team of Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, writing as Marie Joyce. Set in the mid-1980's, it tells the story of Brett from age ten through twenty-five. The granddaughter of Swedish immigrant and transportation magnet, Sven Larsen and daughter of the troubled Barbara Larson North, Brett sets out in the world to forge her own path without the use of her birthright. An excellent photographer, Brett takes the plunge after high school by foregoing college and traveling to Paris to live and begin a career as a photographer in the cutthroat industry of fashion. Along the way she learns some hard lessons about life and love that can be directly attributed to her upbringing. There are many secrets within the Larsen family, such as Barbara hating her father and Brett having no idea why. Barbara however, has no problem accepting his living allowance while she drinks and drugs herself into oblivion. Brett is raised by her great-aunt, her mother never fights for custody and Brett has no idea who her father is. As she navigates her way through the world, relying on her only passion, she makes a name for herself while subconsciously looking for love. When a tragedy brings her back to New York, pieces of her life's puzzle begin to fall into place, but not without incident. Someone is out to destroy her grandfather and through default, Brett is in the way.

DeBerry and Grant have written an intriguing novel, which intricately details people, places and things. From the skyscrapers of New York to the ornate architectural structures of Paris, to the lush greens of Santa Verde and through the quiet countryside of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the visual imagery is abundant. For some, this presents an excellent style of writing by creating a vivid mental picture and while I can agree with the assessment, at times I found it excessive and distracting. The detailed account of the fashion industry was educational and it was amazing to learn about an industry you constantly see in and around you but have no working knowledge of its components. The authors' characterizations of the Larsen family and the people in and around their lives were portrayed in an realistic and caring manner which made for an interesting story of wealth, greed, revenge, familial love and the lack thereof. The story begs the question, is money truly the root of all evil?

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo!!!!!, July 7, 2005

By 

Debra L. Crawford "Deblocke" (Freehold, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exposures (Paperback)

Being no different than anyone else, whenever I read a book and really enjoy it, I usually want to see what else the author has to offer. I've read Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made, Far From the Tree and Better Than I Know Myself and they were all excellent reads. Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant are the best writers I've had the pleasure of reading. This book "Exposures" can definitely join the ranks of the greats like Sidney Sheldon! Truly a page turner with romance, suspense, plots, subplots and adventure! From beginning to end this book was totally awesome!

4.0 out of 5 stars Creeper too, August 9, 2008

By 

Sammi Spade "Black Mystery/Suspense Book Lover" (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exposures (Paperback)

Great final plot. Great read. However, too much in-depth detail about the fashion industry, which is interesting but too detailed. It takes awhile to really pick up, but stick with it---exciting story climax.