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several venues across the country and co-author of How to Win the Publishing Game, he has hosted writing seminars and workshops at Borders Books & Café, colleges, high schools and elementary schools. He is the winner of the State Farm, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s Youth Leadership Award; top winner of the Chicago Urban League’s Business Plan Competition and Stock Market Competition. J.L. currently resides on campus in Nashville, Tennessee where he is completing his next novel, Superwoman’s Child: Son of a Single Mother, a tribute to the “superhuman” efforts of women from all walks of life.

T HE B REAK OF DAWN
    C OLLEN D IXON
    Standing at the kitchen counter, Dawn heard the sound of water splashing in the bathroom. A warm smile crossed her full, honeybrown face. Her daughter, Asia, was in the claw-footed tub, and the thought of her playing with the soapy bubbles warmed Dawn’s soul. “Asia. Stop playing in there,” she said, barely able to keep the amusement from her voice. “I’ll be in there in a second to get you. And I hope you haven’t splashed bubbles all over the place.” It was always such a struggle for Dawn to balance her motherly control with the delight she always received from Asia’s antics.
    With loving care, Dawn stirred the confectioner’s sugar and white powder into the chocolate sauce in a bowl. Fresh from the microwave, she tested it with her pinky, to make sure it wasn’t too hot. She added a dash more confectioner’s sugar and stirred until the fine white lumps disappeared into the gooey chocolate. She poured the topping over two healthy dips of frozen vanilla yogurt, and topped it off with a handful of colorful sprinkles. Grabbing the bowl, she called out over her shoulder. “Asia? Are you ready? Mommy’s coming.”
    “Hush, little baby, don’t say a word. Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird,” Dawn hummed on her way to the bathroom.
    After she dried the talkative little Asia, Dawn lovingly rubbed her daughter’s soft body with sweet-smelling lotion and sprinkled her bottom with baby powder. Dawn exhaled quietly as she prepared herself for the remainder of her evening ritual, amidst a flurry of questions from Asia’s probing little mind, like “Can I have a pony?” or “Where do flowers come from?” Dawn sat down with Asia in her lap, in a creaky old rocking chair that was beside Asia’s bed.
    The room was neat and orderly, with a pretty, white princess canopy bed that had a matching nightstand and dresser. Dawn recalled the joy she had picking out the bedroom set at Huffman Koos, one of the best furniture retailers in New Jersey. She had outfitted the room with Little Mermaid accessories, down to the Ariel-shaped lamps. A fragrant mist sprayed from Asia’s humidifier, and Dawn dimmed the lights on the colorful Disney lamp.
    Dawn Boyer softly hummed the age-old lullaby as she held her healthy four-year-old daughter Asia, and spoon-fed her frozen yogurt with colorful sprinkles on top. Dawn finished the chorus, and winced as she rubbed her baby’s nose with the index finger on her right hand. Dawn’s arm was in a sling, from a dislocated shoulder, and even a slight movement such as wiggling her fingers was painful. She fought through it, and bent over and kissed Asia’s soft face.
    “You know, little girl, I’ve been doing this to you ever since you were just a dot in Mommy’s stomach.” Dawn took a long finger and carefully outlined Asia’s face. When Dawn discovered she was pregnant, she began forming the bond between her and her developing fetus by stroking her abdomen and reading aloud daily to it while she treated herself to a healthy portion of some fruit-enriched yogurt. This lasted for eight months, until Asia came prematurely screaming into the world. Every evening, Dawn would visit the pre-natal I.C.U., where she’d talk to her little one, until she was able to bring her home. Dawn performed this ritual as Asia breastfed, when she took her first bottle,