The Man of My Schemes

It started at work and then spread to her sister-friends at church: wedding bell fever. For thirty-four-year-old Berry Jenkins, the craze has just begun. Tired of the prying and invasive questions about her lack of a love life, Berry decides to convince everyone she has finally landed the man of her dreams. However, there is one slight problem. Her fantasy man is just that - a complete fantasy and a bold-faced lie. Of course, lies can't last forever and Berry's ploy to pretend she's met the perfect beau quickly spirals out of control.

When her carefully woven web of deception begins to unravel, only a miracle will save her from her fairy-tale romance gone nightmare reality. Facing exposure, Berry fears that the trap she's created for herself is too messy, too tangled - and maybe even too dangerous - for her chance at love to survive.

Hold on for a wild and zany ride as Berry's imaginary man takes on a life of his own, for better...and for worse.

Leslie J. Sherrod, MSW, LCSW-C, LICSW, is the author of seven faith-based novels that speak to the hopes and dreams of diverse women. She has a Masters in Social Work which has allowed her to be a therapist and service provider for preschoolers, pregnant women, teens, and seniors, among other clientele. Her work has been featured in Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library Writers LIVE! Series, as well as on local CBS and NBC television affiliates. She has been a guest on both national and regional radio shows and podcasts, including The Mother Love Show (LA Talk Radio) and AOL's Black Voices. Leslie has received a starred review from Booklist and has contributed to several blogs and devotionals. Leslie lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and three children. As both a writer and a social worker, Leslie tackles matters of current social significance, including mental health and wellness, healthy relationships, and spiritual growth - with the unique backdrop of page-turning, satisfying suspense and heartwarming humor. With a talent for drawing on raw emotions and painting vivid and meaningful imagery with her pen, her books have been welcomed at book club meetings, literary events, and church groups around the country.