Gotta Keep on Tryin': A Novel [Hardcover]

Virginia DeBerry (Author), Donna Grant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2008

Gayle Saunders and Patricia Reid have been lifelong friends, as close as sisters. When they were teens their dreams led them down separate paths and away from each other. But they reunited as adults, drawn back together by a bond of friendship that stood the test of time.

Now Pat and Gayle co-own the Ell & Me Company, a business they founded based on a character Gayle created years ago for her daughter. Things are going well, but real-life dramas ensue as each must face issues from the past in order to protect the future.

Pat and Marcus look like the perfect twenty-first-century couple - smart, talented, each at the helm of a high-profile enterprise and at the top of their game. But behind closed doors their marriage is challenged by the stresses of a two-entrepreneur household. Will their professional pursuits leave them time for each other and a family, or carry them into the arms of others? Will a paternity claim prove to be too much of an obstacle to overcome?

Gayle faces her own family drama and struggles to maintain control of her life. Despite dating other men, has she ever really gotten over her ex-husband, Ramsey, the gambler who left her and their daughter, Vanessa, in financial ruin? Gayle bends over backward to provide a stable, comfortable home for Vanessa, and support her dream of becoming a dancer. And Vanessa, a rebellious and hurtful teen, seems just as devoted to making Gayle pay for every mistake she has ever made. And what ever happened to Ramsey?

In Gotta Keep on Tryin’, Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant bring us heroines who remind you, for better and worse, of women everywhere - women who know that true friendship keeps us grounded. And when things get rough the bond between women can be stronger than any trials we face.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Patricia Reid and Gayle Saunders, the two African-American women who overcame personal and profession obstacles through hard work and enduring friendship in Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made (1997), return for a sequel guaranteed to tug at readers' heartstrings. Once homeless and now raising her daughter, Vanessa, alone, Gayle is the creative force behind the Ell Crawford phenomenon that began with children's books and is about to launch into toy merchandising. Gayle's best friend and business partner, Pat, brings savvy to their business, being the practical one since kindergarten, where they met. While Gayle deals with a rebellious teenager, self-doubt and bulimia, Pat turns to a sympathetic colleague for affection as husband Marcus is distracted by a manipulative 16-year-old named Tiffani Alexander, who claims to be the progeny of a long-ago fling. Meanwhile, Vanessa moves in with her troublesome boyfriend. Success and problems the friends (temporarily) can't bring themselves to talk about threaten to pull Gayle and Pat apart. The authors, themselves longtime friends, take on with gusto the pitfalls of modern life, friendships and entrepreneurship. Women especially will enjoy spending time with Pat and Gayle. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"An absolute treat." -- New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; 1 edition (January 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141653167X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416531678
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,097,988 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

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hope Those Sheets Fit..., January 7, 2008

By 

OOSA Online Book Club "O.O.S.A. Gets It Read!" (World Wide Web, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gotta Keep on Tryin': A Novel (Hardcover)

Although it's been a really long time since I put `Tryin' To Sleep In The Bed You Made,' down, even then I knew, like Michael Jordan to basketball and Jay Z with rap, we hadn't heard the last from Patricia Reid and Gayle Saunders, whose friendship solidifies what it truly means to have a friend.

With Pat's watchful eye and Gayle's creativity, the Ell & Me company has blossomed. More than an idea, a book, or a thought, it's now hitting the shelves in the toy department. While Pat knows that they have a goldmine, Gayle is continually in need of consulting for every new step.

Pat and Marcus are comfortably married. Both are busy, traveling and working to make it big in the business world. Marcus has his own sports agency. While Pat is far from motherly, Marcus is awaiting the pitter patter of little feet. Will a teen, paternity test and memories from the past, cause a rift in their future?

Gayle is still blaming herself for all of the things that went wrong sometime ago. Vanessa is no longer a little girl, but Gayle refuses to let go. Rebellious and determined to be free, Vanessa does all that she can to alienate her mother. Although Gayle knows she has to let go, she fears the unknown. With so much head bumping and secrets, Gayle is already too full to digest anything more. Can a mother and daughter reunite or will it be too late?

"Gotta Keep On Tryin'" revisits a valuable friendship. While in route, we journey through yesteryear, forgiveness, faithfulness, scuffles and familiarity. Fresh new characters add a cool new mix as readers embrace the past, the future, and what I personally hope is a trilogy in the making. DeBerry and Grant have been able to capture a flawed friendship that warms the heart, spirit and wrangles all of the craziness one thought they were unable to tackle. Like "Tryin' To Sleep In The Bed You Made," it's ancestor, "Gotta Keep On Tryin'" speaks volumes to women, friends, and love everywhere!

Definitely recommended reading!!!
Reviewed by: Crystal
Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made (Trying to Sleep in the Bed You Made)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes Life Just Is Not Fair, January 5, 2008

By 

Yasmin Coleman (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gotta Keep on Tryin': A Novel (Hardcover)

Sometimes life is not perfect and things do not go the way we want or expected. Sometimes there are forks in the road...twisted curves and turns, blind spots that we do not see. Sometimes life gives us lemons and it is up to us to figure out how to make lemonade. In their latest novel, Gotta Keep On Tryin', Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant show us that sometimes we Gotta Keep on Tryin' no matter what is thrown in our direction. Gotta Keep on Tryin' is the sequel to their 1996 novel, Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made. DeBerry and Grant bring back familiar faces and introduce a few new ones along the way. As Gayle Saunders and Patricia Reid wade through business plans and prototypes, they must also deal with life outside of work. Sometimes they are thrown for a loop by difficult teens, spouses seeking more attention, surprise relatives, elderly parents and strangers from the past. It is easy to scream enough already, but that is not their nature. They are fighters...not cowards and moving forward is not an option, it is a requirement. But, at what cost?

DeBerry and Grant have done it again as they give us an entertaining, empowering and enlightening read with mature adults and realistic situations. They give us characters and situations that we can relate to and identify with. Memorable characters that we will not soon forget. Gotta Keep on Tryin' is recommended to readers of well-written storylines and fans of DeBerry and Grant who have anxiously awaited this sequel. Pick up a copy today...I do not believe you will be disappointed.

Reviewed by Yasmin
APOOO BookClub
Promoting Our Voices, Sharing Our Stories

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating: 3.5) - You've got a friend, March 15, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: Gotta Keep on Tryin': A Novel (Hardcover)

Pat Reid and Gayle Saunders are back, and the passing of time has been good to them. They own a successful enterprise based on the Ell and Me stories Gayle use to make up for her daughter, Vanessa. It has become a profitable venture, which features children's books and is now introducing a doll based on Ell's character. Marcus Carter, Pat's husband has started a sports agency to recruit promising talents for baseball. All is well in their world - or so it seems.

Gayle's reservations concerning the growth and direction of their company and Vanessa's behavior is adding undue stress on her, which manifest itself in the worst way. Vanessa is acting out and making decisions Gayle is not pleased with, but she feels helpless trying to resolve them. A blast from Marcus' past comes back to haunt him and his reaction puts a strain on his marriage. It also forces Pat to rethink her stance on what she really wants in her marriage. Gayle and Pat's friendship even takes a hit as they are each harboring secrets from each other that can destroy them both. They have to get back to the foundation of their friendship before it's too late.

GOTTA KEEP ON TRYIN' the much-awaited follow-up to Tryin' To Sleep In The Bed You Made falls short of its predecessor. It is good to reconnect with Pat and Gayle to see their successes and how they learn to eventually appreciate each other. While the novel is very well written, I felt the characters were a bit disconnected and the story was rushed. Also, there were sub-plots that added very little value to the story. I also did not get the closure I anticipated which leads me to believe there may be sequel. Hopefully, if there is one in the works, the wait will not be as long.

Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers