I was featured on Color Online this week.

100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I write stories with a twist. I like to write about every day issues many people face. Although my stories are entertaining and dramatic, they are also inspirational.

To read the entire interview, go to: http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2010/02/women-writers-of-color-sheila-m-goss.html

The Lip Gloss Chronicles is a series seems like it’s chock full of drama and there’s never a dull moment, can you read the books individually or do you have to read them in succession?

Britney, Jasmine and Sierra are drama magnets so there’s never a dull moment in The Lip Gloss Chronicles.

Click on the link to read the entire interview: http://www.princessdominique.com/fashionblog/2010/02/the-lip-gloss-chronicles-paper-thin-interviewgiveaway/

I came across this article online about internet security. Here’s an excerpt:

It’s up to you to spend time with them on these issues and there are a number of excellent websites that you can use with your children to help them become better digital citizens.

• The FTC’s You Are Here Web site is interactive and designed for children to learn about advertising techniques, privacy on and off line, and rip-offs. Visit the Security Plaza and try the interactive tools yourself to familiarize yourself with what is available. Then spend time with your kids helping the to learn about privacy issues. You also may want to try out the other interactive sections of the website to help your children learn how to become better consumers and protect their pocketbooks. You can find more suggestions about how to make use of this Web site at the parents and teachers section.
• LMK: Life Online was created by the Girl Scouts and Windows to help teens to safely navigate online. Articles are written by teens with the intent of helping both teens and their parents understand the online world. Some key topics you’ll want to check out discuss privacy issues, online sexual predators and social netowrking.
• Tips for Protecting Personal Privacy Online is a Web site developed by Common Sense Media to help parents explain key issues, such as the fact that nothing is really private and privacy settings are not infallible. You’ll find tips for keeping personal information private, tips for setting up privacy settings on social network pages, tips for setting up rules about posting on the internet and tips about how to help your child understand the dangers of rumors. You also need to remind your kids that everything they post leaves a digital footprint and could come back to haunt them one day.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

I need your help. Today is the official release day for Paper Thin, the third book, in the Lip Gloss Chronicles series. Please get a copy for a teen in your life.

Many on the threads complain about teens reading adult books, well there are options and The Lip Gloss Chronicles has enough drama to capture teens attention, yet they are clean reads with lessons in between the pages.

Teens Read Too has highlighted me on their book club website to help celebrate Paper Thin’s release day. Check out the interview when you get a chance at: http://trtbookclub.blogspot.com/2010/01/visit-with-shelia-m-goss.html

Review of Paper Thin:

Ms. Goss does a wonderful job with this book of showing young women as they really are. She allows them to be selfish and loving, impatient and supportive and mostly, realistic. The reader is allowed to see how young people act when their lives change and how they deal with the economic struggles that hit their families. One of the more poignant messages deals with weight and self-esteem issues. We also get to see the young ladies deal with the timely and disturbing problem of violence among girlfriends and boyfriends. Paper Thin is an entertaining and enlightening book geared towards young people, but I recommend it to all readers. It made this reader, who has lived a long time, think, feel and relate. ~Angelia Vernon Menchan, APOOO BookClub  To read the entire review go to: http://www.apooobooks.com/paper-thin-shelia-goss/

I know like me, you’ve probably seen the commercials asking for your donations for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. My heart would tug every time I saw the commercial. I didn’t have any idea that in December 2009 and January 2010 that someone close to me would have to utilize their services.

Because of the many prayers and St Jude in Memphis, TN, my 11 yr old cousin has a chance to live a long and ful-filling life. When you can put a real face to a situation–it brings it home. Now I see why they have the commercials. The above picture was taken last summer of my little cousin (she’s on the left) or as we call each other–my little BFF-best friend forever. She will be in treatment there until February (God willing) and hopefully will be able to come back home.

Please give to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, even if it’s only a few dollars. I know for a fact that the money used is going for a good cause. To donate, go directly to their site by clicking here.

The Lip Gloss Chronicles made one of the top 25 YA Power Reads of the Decade.

Thank you EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine.

25 Young Reader Power Reads of the Decade: 2000-2009

Ella Curry and EDC Creations is proud to announce the Children and Young Reader Best Books of the Decade 2000-2009.  Each book created an impact for readers and the Sankofa Literary Society network. Our literary hallmarks indicate excellence in writing. These are the books we want to showcase to the world.

01. Love, Ocean by Celia Anderson

02. A Song for Harlem by Patricia C. McKissack

03. Divine Confidential by Jacquelin Thomas

04. The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

05. Aaliyah by Victoria Christopher Murray

06. The Secret to Teen Power by Paul Harrington

07. Catwalk by Deborah Gregory

08. Cheetah Girls by Deborah Gregory

09. The Lip Gloss Chronicles by Shelia Goss

10. Believing in Hope by Stephanie Perry Moore

Rating: 7.7 out of 10

Here are highlights from the review:

Highlight #1:

How refreshing. Paper Thin was a refreshing contemparary read that I think every girl in middle school through high school should read.
Paper Thin discusses the important issue of weight in young girls that has since been an ependemic. With the increasing about of girls in the United States with eating disorders, I felt the topic of this book was well fitting.

Highlight #2:

The main thing I like about this book was the realists of this book.  Partucularly in the characters. The friendship beteween Sierra, Jasmine, and Britney is very real. Of course there is that bonded friendship that will last forever, but then again in reality there is always that underlying feeling of jealousy and an urge to outshine one another that is present in every friendship, and I love how that is not sugar coated in this book.
The plot is as drama filled as a drama book can get, from the friendship problems, to the family, relationship, and severe teenage problems on top of the main issue of Sierra’s weight, there are always many conflicts and problems going on all over the book.

Highlight #3:

In the end, this book was a way more interesting way to here educate young ladies on how over obsessing with your weight can take over your life in a very negitive way. I reccomend this book to all teenage girls.

Thank you all for being supportive of the Lip Gloss Chronicles series this past year. It was a fun series to write. Because of your support, there’s a third book in the series. Britney, Jasmine & Sierra will be back in Paper Thin at the end of January 2010.

This will be my last post until 2010 so Merry Christmas All and Happy New Year!

5 Questions with YA Author Shelia M Goss

Shelia Goss gained success writing women’s fiction but decided to take a plunge into the young adult market earlier this year with the popular Urban series - The Lip Gloss Chronicles.

To read the interview, go to http://www.chicklitteens.com/2009/11/guest-post-shelia-m-goss.html

6 Tips for Parents:Encouraging Your Teen to Read

As parents or guardians, finding ways to encourage your teenager to read may be difficult but it’s not an impossible task. To read the tips, go to: http://www.rawsistaz.com/articles-workshops/6-tips-for-parentsencouraging-your-teen-to-read-by-shelia-m-goss/