Review
Vern E. Smith author of The Jones Men Thelma Balfour has written a droll, entertaining travel through the astrological universe...on the black hand side.

Jamie Foster Brown publisher of Sister 2 Sister magazine and editor of Betty Shabazz: A Sisterfriends' Tribute in Words and Pictures Easy, enjoyable, informative reading!

Sybil Wilkes co-host of the Tom Joyner Morning Show All signs point to great fun and keen insight, thanks to Thelma and her work in Black Love Signs.

Review
John Beifuss The Commercial Appeal A sexy, slangy, chatty book, written with a twinkle, and a wink.

Review
John Beifuss The Commercial Appeal A sexy, slangy, chatty book, written with a twinkle, and a wink.

Book Description
TURN THE ZODIAC INTO YOUR PERSONAL LOVE POTION! Do you always fall for Mr. Right -- only to discover he's Mr. Dead Wrong? Are you spinning your wheels trying unsuccessfully to woo the object of your desire? Have you been searching high and low for that certain "something" in your love relationships? Look no further -- because the key to finding your perfect soulmate is in the stars! Now, Thelma Balfour, the author who brought you Black Sun Signs, presents a light-hearted and illuminating look at relationship, love, and sex under the stars. Maybe that Leo is too fiery for your oh-so-cool Cancer nature. Or perhaps your Aries personality is too feisty for the grounded Taurus who wants to bring you back down to earth. If you're trying to ignite a love connection -- or keep the fires burning in your current relationship -- you'll want a copy of Black Love Signs on your nightstand. Organized by sign, with special sections for men and for women, this is the essential guide for finding out what turns your mate on -- and off. From tips on how to hook up with potential partners to suggestions for the ideal date, Black Love Signs is a stellar guide to the intricacies -- and intimacies -- of loving relationships.

About the Author
Thelma Balfour, author of Black Sun Signs, writes the astrology column for Heart & Soul, a national health and fitness magazine for African Americans, and is a stringer for USA Today. Thelma has studied and practiced astrology for more that twenty years. She lives in Memphis, Tennessee.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction: ASTROLOGY CAN ENHANCE YOUR ROMANTIC AND SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS Astrology can help you find that all-important person, that soul mate, the love of your life. I know some will say, "I don't care what the sign is -- there are jerks in all twelve signs." So true. But before you write off this whole concept, read further. I too was the skeptic. However, once I started to pay attention to the various signs, talk to people directly, and discover personality traits all on my own, I began to think, hey, there may be something to this. And there was -- for me, anyway. The point of this section is to let you, the reader, know what's up with Black Love Signs: how you can use this book as a reference, an owner's manual, or simply for information about twelve signs of the zodiac in general and the gory details of sex, love, and romance. Writing this book was interesting to say the least. The response was overwhelming from both the men and women. But what was most interesting to me was the differences in perception between men and women about what makes for good romance, sex, and love. Take one couple that I interviewed, first separately and then together. Initially, the man told me he liked to make love for at least two hours. I mentioned his comments casually to his companion, not for verification, but in conjunction with another question. The female promptly corrected me by saying that the two hours included dinner, listening to music, and bathing. Thank you very much! Some of the interviews were, of course, over the top, but I believe that many of the responses were strictly for shock value. Of course, my goal was to keep my poker face on because, after all, I thought I should be in control of the situation. But many times I wasn't at all, so I would simply leave the room for a minute, holler out aloud, compose myself, re-enter the room, and resume the interview. For the purposes of this book, the Sun sign aspect of astrology, the most noted and popular portion of the zodiac, will be examined. The sun is the central most important celestial body; therefore, your Sun sign is the most important aspect of your birth chart. (Your birth chart is determined by the position of all the planets at the time of your birth.) The sun moves around the earth each year and travels through all twelve signs of the zodiac. The Sun sign is the astrological sign that the sun is moving through at the time of your birth. For instance, the sun will move into the sign of Aquarius on January 20 and exit on February 18, so anyone born between January 23 and February 18 is known as an Aquarian, the sign of the water bearer. From an astrological standpoint, the Sun sign controls your personality, style, general demeanor, and outward appearance. For example, if you're a Sagittarian, you are usually prone to casual dress and an over-the-top sense of humor. Therefore, you may be attracted to members of the opposite sex, or in the case of gays or lesbians, who have a great sense of humor, for instance, Cancers -- and they to you. But generally, Sagittarians and Cancers are not compatible. The initial appreciation making everyone laugh may be what draws these two together, but little else will hold their attention. Cancer is a water sign and Sag is a fire sign. And the water sign will be quick to put out the flame of the fire sign. In other words, water and fire don't mix. Here's how the mix works. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, and those signs are divided into the four elements of the universe: earth, water, fire, and air. The earth signs are Capricorn, Virgo, and Taurus. The water signs are Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio. The fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. And the air signs are Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra. Each element -- earth, fire, water, and air -- also reveals tidbits about the twelve Sun signs. Now consider these elements for a moment. We don't need a Ph.D. from the School of Astrology before we can pick up juicy and illuminating clues about a person's behavior. Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. You're down to earth, practical, and cautious. Basically, you're always the same -- predictable, reliable, grounded, (Ground-ed, ground, earth -- get it?) Fire signs: Leo, Sagittarius, Aries. Like the element of fire, you're unpredictable, feisty, aggressive, impulsive, and hard to control. (To put it more bluntly, it's going to be your way or no way at all!) Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces. In reality, people generally love to be close to lakes, river, oceans, and ponds. If you're a water sign, people love to be close to you because you're reassuring, emotional, intuitive, soothing, and nonthreatening. Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. If you're an air sign, you're independent, aloof, analytical, intriguing and very hard to keep up with. You must have freedom. Like air itself, you cannot be contained, harnessed, or backed into a corner. If this happens, you'll simply disappear. From a practical standpoint, earth and water signs make beautiful mud together. And fire and air make a bonfire that's hard to put out. Here's the breakdown of the Sun Signs: Aries (March 21-April 19) Taurus (April 20-May 20) Gemini (May 21-June 20) Cancer (June 21-July 22) Leo (July 23-August 22) Virgo (August 23-September 22) Libra (September 23-October 22) Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Aquarius (January 20-February 18) Pisces (February 19-March 20) Compatible mates: Aries works best with Sagittarius, Leo, Gemini, and Aquarius. Taurus is compatible with Virgo, Capricorn, Cancer, and Pisces. Gemini is more suited to Leo, Aries, Aquarius, and Libra. Cancer is better with Pisces, Scorpio, Virgo, and Taurus. The four signs listed within each group are also compatible and interchangeable. In addition to Cancer, for example, Scorpios are compatible with Virgo, Taurus, and Pisces. And please, please, please don't send those cards and letters declaring that you and your husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner of twenty years are not listed here as being compatible. I didn't say all of this astrology business is foolproof. I'm simply saying that this method will enable you to leap over some of the many frogs before you meet the prince or princess of your dreams. Your opposite sign is generally about six months from your birth date, or directly across from your sign on the circular horoscope. The following signs are opposites: Aries-Libra Taurus-Scorpio Gemini-Sagittarius Cancer-Capricorn Leo-Aquarius Virgo-Pisces If you pay attention to astrology or know the birth date of your companion, you will probably realize that you're constantly meeting your opposite and the encounters are usually quite interesting. The conversations are stimulating; there's definitely chemistry. As you're trying to emphatically leave this courtship, exchange, date, or whatever, you'll constantly get this "Wait a minute, baby" plea. The magnetic attraction is so deep that to accept that the relationship ain't working! And you'll spend most of your time making up. But on the real tip, you know that after the morning after, reality sets in. You need to give it up and you know it!!! Understanding astrology may clarify a few issues and help you bring closure to a relationship or make it blossom. But if homeboy or homegirl is certifiable, then astrology or numerology or the psychic hotline won't help. Use common sense, and get the hell out of Dodge City while there's still time! Here's how to use Black Love Signs. At the beginning of each chapter the positive and negative love traits for that sign are listed. But bear in mind that when I list "kinky" or "S & M" as a negative trait, this is open to interpretation. By and large the concept of what is negative or positive is all relative. It's really up to the reader to decide what's negative or positive. Each chapter includes an overview of the sign and then some general information about both the man and woman and how to attract these creatures that we assume you can't live without! Next is the Guide to a Love Connection, which includes a breakdown of the sign with the eleven other signs. This section cuts to the chase: Before you even start reading all that "stuff" on the man or woman you're planning a life with, it tells you whether you should even bother reading further. The Romance section for each sign is next. This section is a quick study in how to be romantic. You may already be romantic, but just in case you need some help, and need it quick, fast, and in a hurry, you can turn to this section. Then comes the Sex section -- presumably the most popular section. Here's where to find out what your companion will and will not do. After you've recovered from your long, sweaty hours in the sack, you can check out Money Matters, Pampering Tips, and Gift Ideas for your companion. You've definitely got to keep the groove going, so pay attention to these sections! Once you've determined what all of the commotion is about with your companion, then you'll see tangible results. And I do mean tangible: She or he won't want to leave your side. Black Love Signs will also save you and your partner some embarrassing moments. For example, if you like swinging from the chandelier and she doesn't, some foreknowledge about her sexual leanings may help you keep the egg off your face. So chill out, and enjoy the book for what it is -- an exercise in fun! P.S. One area I overlooked was that fine Lord-have-mercy-motor-scooter mate, where there is no rhyme or reason why you are in the relationship. Don't ask me for an explanation -- that's a whole other talk show! We talked so much about sex, romance, and love that I forgot to mention one other important issue -- safe sex. Hopefully, being adults, we all know what safe sex is all about. It's called using a condom (the male or female variety). No matter what the astrological sign is, sexually transmitted diseases are an ever-present danger. So listen up! Protect yourself. I wanted to include a condom in every book to bring home my point. However, I didn't want the context of the book to be overshadowed by the content. So in two words -- Be safe! Copyright © 1999 by Thelma Balfour

FROM THE PUBLISHER