These divas represent the voices of past and future generations, such as Tyra Banks, Terry McMillan, Harriette Cole, Maya Angelou, Iyanla Vanzant, Nikki Giovanni, Dawn Davis, Adrienne Ingrum, Carol Mackey, Oprah Winfrey, Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisholm, Coretta Scott King, Zora Neal Hurston, and Octavia Butler.

From the bestselling author of The Personal Librarian​ comes the first in the The Diva series, following the stories of four fifteen-year-old girls who form their own singing group. Diamond Winters is the one who formed the Divas singing group. With her wealthy, loving parents and an endless supply of charm, she's always been able to sweet-talk her way into anything. But this time, has Diamond talked her way right into trouble? Diamond has support for her group from her family and church, but she has a lot going on. She's made it onto the school's varsity cheerleading squad, and she's caught the eye of the totally cool senior Jason Xavier. Jax is sweeping her off her feet, but Diamond is starting to feel as if she's in over her head. Diamond has always been so sure she's in control. Will she have the courage to ask for help and guidance when she needs it? And will the Divas even manage to stay together long enough for the first round of the talent competition?

Winner of the 2007 Otto Kinkeldey Award from the American Musicological Society and the 2007 Deems Taylor Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Divas and Scholars is a dazzling and beguiling account of how opera comes to the stage, filled with Philip Gossett’s personal experiences of triumphant—and even failed—performances and suffused with his towering and tonic passion for music. Writing as a fan, a musician, and a scholar, Gossett, the world's leading authority on the performance of Italian opera, brings colorfully to life the problems, and occasionally the scandals, that attend the production of some of our most favorite operas. Gossett begins by tracing the social history of nineteenth-century Italian theaters in order to explain the nature of the musical scores from which performers have long worked. He then illuminates the often hidden but crucial negotiations opera scholars and opera conductors and performers: What does it mean to talk about performing from a critical edition? How does one determine what music to perform when multiple versions of an opera exist? What are the implications of omitting passages from an opera in a performance? In addition to vexing questions such as these, Gossett also tackles issues of ornamentation and transposition in vocal style, the matters of translation and adaptation, and even aspects of stage direction and set design. Throughout this extensive and passionate work, Gossett enlivens his history with reports from his own experiences with major opera companies at venues ranging from the Metropolitan and Santa Fe operas to the Rossini Opera Festival at Pesaro. The result is a book that will enthrall both aficionados of Italian opera and newcomers seeking a reliable introduction to it—in all its incomparable grandeur and timeless allure.

The "good" girl Cassidy has let her parents, her strong-willed cousin and best friend, Rikki, and cruel classmates push her around long enough. Before school starts, she WILL become independent. The "bad" girl Rikki also wants independence, mostly from her preacher father and perfect older sister. But secretly she doesn't mind having her goody-goody cousin around to keep her in line. Without Cassidy, it would be easy to go too far. The "new" girl Golden is new to town, and she's got all the freedom she wants. What she needs is a parent to actually listen to her. But at least she has some new friends to help her deal. For all three girls, life is changing fast. If they're going to make it to seventh grade, they'd better summon their inner divas -- because sometimes having a little attitude and a little respect for yourself is the only way to get what you want. In Little Divas, Philana Marie Boles delivers a sassy, spirited tale of loyalty, family, and friendship.

THEY CAN TALK THE TALK, BUT CAN THEY WALK THE WALK? Sierra, Raine, and Liza are Destiny’s Divas, a fresh, new gospel group whose unique blend of singing and testifying has gained them fans across the country. They tell the world about how good God has been to them, but off-stage, each is living a life totally opposite to what she preaches—and each is harboring a secret that could ruin them all. Twenty-something Sierra Dixon speaks about the joy of being single and celibate, though she is anything but, drifting from one relationship to another. Although she stresses the importance of unconditional love within the family, Raine Omari has hit her breaking point with her mother-in-law and is ready to take drastic steps. And when Liza Washington discovers that her pastor-husband is in the middle of a scandal that could bring down more than just their ministry, she knows she must do something to stop him. One fateful evening their secrets are exposed, and one diva commits an act that could land her in prison for the rest of her life. Each has motive—who will crack?

Michelle Visage is not your average diva. Powerful, positive, and polished, this diva's not only glamorous, she's a savvy businesswoman with serious credentials who works her tail off. From her days vogueing in the downtown Manhattan clubs in the '90s to her successful career in radio and her ultimate cult status as a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race, Michelle has achieved her dreams and then some! In The Diva Rules, Visage shares her rules and advice for living life to the fullest and finding success no matter the hand you're dealt. With her no-nonsense style and super sassy voice, Michelle tells readers to Keep Your Shit Together

Best friends and gospel singers Diamond, India, Veronique, and Aaliyah compete in a nation-wide talent search in the hopes of landing a music contract; an effort that is complicated by India's hidden struggles with an eating disorder. Original.