Danielle Allen

Catching last minute flights is a part of the job when you’re hired to photograph events all over the country. Usually everything goes according to plan. But when I was hired to document the Juneteenth celebration in Galveston, Texas, I had no idea my plans were going to be derailed. The woman who scuffed my sneakers and didn’t apologize ended up having the seat next to me. Yeah, she was beautiful, but I was not feeling her at all. And then our flight was delayed.

Missed opportunities. Chance encounters. Instant connections. Everything happens for a reason. Life is made of little interconnected moments. Any one decision can completely change the trajectory of your life. Yet somehow, you’ll still end up exactly where you’re supposed to be. Or at least, that’s how it happened for Aisha Young. Continuum: A Second-Chance Erotic Romance

Slow News Day A Groundhog Day Hot Holiday Hookup I dreamt of being a news anchor my whole life. When I was offered the opportunity to sit behind the desk, I was ecstatic. Hours later, instead of reporting real news from a real desk, I was going on assignment to document Groundhog Day. That’s not even a real holiday! But when asked about my hottest holiday hookup, my mind flashed to the second day of February. Everything that happened that day was completely unexpected. It might’ve been a slow news day, but I came fast.

We wanted to make it a memorable New Year’s Eve. Needless to say, we ended the year with a bang.

He has a big…smile. It was the first thing I noticed that day until he stood. His grey sweatpants hung off his hips and I didn’t want to look. I really didn’t. I’m a feminist. I don’t believe in objectifying men. I don’t catcall men. I don’t ogle the bodies of men. I don’t view men as objects of my affection rather than complex people with feelings, wants, and needs of their own. I don’t treat men the way society often treats women. I treat men the way I want to be treated as a woman—with respect! So, when Carlos ran into me while I was reviewing my interview questions in the park, it surprised me to see my photography classmate out of context. I was also surprised to see as much of him as I did. It wasn’t just that it caught my eye. It was the fact that it held my attention. It wasn’t just that it was large. It was the fact that it was visibly large. It wasn’t just that it was Carlos Richmond. It was the fact that I am Akila Bishara. And I am not seduced by anything other than intelligent conversation, witty rapport, and meaningful actions. I am not seduced by a dick print. I am not. Seriously, I’m not.

When society tries to put you in a box, knock the walls down. –Tati Green “You have a pretty face” is such a back-handed compliment. It’s like telling me that my face is beautiful, but the rest of me is not. Despite what society says, my curves are hot. My love life, on the other hand, is not. My mom says I’ll never find love because of my weight. My sister says I’ll never find love because of my personality. My almost-fiancé says I’ll never find love because I’m incapable of loving anyone. My mom and sister are full of it, but my ex kind of has a point. At twenty-seven years old, I’ve never been in love. I date a lot, yet sparks never fly. But when I experienced the heart-pounding, skin tingling feeling for the first time, I didn’t think it would be caused by a guy I’ve never met. And I damn sure didn't think he would end up holding my future in his hands in more ways than one.

With all nine of my best friends reunited for a destination wedding, I was not surprised someone suggested we play Truth or Dare. The secret exposing truths and the harmlessly fun dares bonded our close-knit friend group in college and kept us close throughout the years. So, when Kingston Wright was dared to kiss me, I didn’t think anything of it. Harmless kisses were always a part of Truth or Dare. But there was nothing harmless about that kiss. I felt something between us that I shouldn’t have. Truth or Dare can be risky when you’re twenty. But when you’re thirty, it can be reckless.

The cattiness. The fights. The shaming. I don't generally watch reality television, but I definitely don't watch reality dating shows. Besides the fact that it's completely staged, it's a horrible depiction of people -- women especially. Women are pitted against each other to compete for the affection of a man they "fall in love" with after a week or two. I call B.S. It is complete crap. So when my best friend, Koko, was hired as a makeup artist o the set of the most popular reality dating show, The One, I teased her mercilessly. She told me that if I didn't stop teasing her, she would get me back. And she did... Which is how I ended up as a contestant on The One.

Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Survival of the Thickest in Danielle Allen’s CURVY GIRL SUMMER, a smoking-hot, hilarious novel about the perils of online dating. Aaliyah is determined to celebrate her thirtieth birthday with a boyfriend. And after a failed blind date, the local bartender, Ahmad, suggests she joins a dating app. Filled with lies, catfish, and fetishizing, the wild world of online dating makes Aaliyah think she’s in over her head. And she is. But with her two best friends and a protective bartender by her side, what could go wrong? Everything. Everything could go wrong. And that’s the problem. Because as Aaliyah is set on finding exactly what she’s looking for, she ends up finding something she never expects.

Business Casual It was supposed to be one night only. It ended up being the best night of my life. And everything that happened after that was against company policy.

From the producers of The One, InstaLove is taking reality TV dating shows to the next level. Make sure you don’t miss this sizzling new series! It’s been three years since being betrayed by my best friend and my boyfriend. And while I was over them, I was still triggered by the pain they’d caused. I was leery of people. I found it hard to trust and open up. Meaningless flings filled the void and quelled any loneliness. But what I truly wanted was love. Wine drunk and fresh off the heels of a bad first date, I applied to be a part of the relationship social experiment and hit TV show InstaLove. It wasn’t until I was accepted to be part of the show that it hit me: I’m engaged to a man I’ve never met.

Signing up to volunteer on Christmas Eve felt like the best thing to do to get in the holiday spirit. Turns out, there are multiple ways to get in the holiday spirit.