After the success of Waiting to Exhale, studios didn’t hesitate to throw money at anything with Terry McMillan’s name attached to it. For that reason, How Stella Got Her Groove Back was released into theaters in 1998, just two years after the book was written. And the same women who flocked to Waiting went to see Stella. The movie grossed $11 million dollars in three days and went on to earn $37 million at the box office. This story, and the story behind the story, was all over the news but we bet you don’t know these behind the scene secrets of this film.

Source: muhsadam.wordpress.com

When Terry McMillan’s novel Waiting to Exhale sat on the New York Times’ bestseller list for 38 straight weeks in 1992, it was only natural that the studios would want to capitalize on some of those potential earnings. So, just three years later, in 1995, Fox Studios brought us Waiting to Exhale a star-studded, female-led film. As expected, the film was a huge box office success, eventually raking in $67.5 million. Though some critics claimed these women’s problems weren’t that drastic, it was an instant hit and an eventual classic among the black community.

Source: Vibe.com

Since Whitney Houston’s death, we’ve heard from Fox’s president about plans to continue with the sequel to “Waiting to Exhale,” and even Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine have spoken out about the project, but the one person we haven’t heard from is the author of the original book, and sequel, “Getting to Happy,” on how she thinks things should proceed.

The Huffington Post recently spoke to Terry McMillan about her forthcoming projects and when they asked her about a “Waiting to Exhale” sequel without Whitney Houston or her character Savannah, she said she’s not sure what’s best:

“Myself and [screenwriter] Lori Lakin Hutcherson wrote drafts for the film and then Whitney passed away and so now the studio is trying to take a moment to think about how best to proceed. They’ve made it crystal clear that they want to proceed, but it’s just a matter of how. I have mixed feelings about which way might be best to tell the story. I have critics who feel like they are casting directors, and they know more about what should happen. You have no idea. People have said that we should just kill off the Savannah character, or have her go get a job somewhere and move out of the state. I mean, all kinds of things. And then I have people who think they have in mind who should play Savannah. And right now I’m not in a position to be an advocate one way or the other, with the exception of the fact that it’s hard to imagine the story without the Savannah character in it.

“Even though I know how other people may feel the opposite. I feel terrible about Whitney, just like everybody else, but there’s a part of me that also feels that she would want the film to go on. That’s just my gut feeling. And it has nothing to do with me not having an allegiance to her or respect for her. I just have a feeling that Whitney would love from heaven, to sit up there and watch who else can do the character.”

Oprah’s name is one that has been thrown into the mix as a possible replacement for Savannah, and Terry said she’s not for or against that possibility—although she did mention another possible option.

“Someone told me this and I said, ‘Oh, really?’ I mean, I don’t have any thoughts one way or the other. I love Oprah. I know that I heard that she would like to be able to act again. When she would possibly have the time, who knows? But I haven’t thought that far, because again, I am not a casting director. That is not my area. I mean, I also love Viola Davis, but we’re not there yet. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that Whitney is no longer here with us.”

Terry definitely threw another interesting possibility into the mix. Could you see Viola Davis as Savannah?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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For years I’ve been warning my male friends that women are going to win the gender wars that no official will admit exists (it’s a secret).

Slowly but surely, the Faction of She has been plotting to turn the odds back in her favor, rekindling an era when a Queens cunning, grace and power, trumped any Kings bravado, strength and intimidation.

Less than 50 years ago, employers could legally pay a woman less money for the exact same job. For decades after the Equal Pay Act, many employers found legal ways to do the same thing.

Though in 2010, TIME highlighted  a story based on a study about women under 30 who are making more money than their male counterparts. It’s been a long time coming…

Eventually, the more macho among us will rally and fight against the rising Faction of She, but by then it will be too late. Their cries for outrage will be outnumbered by women and her stay at home husbands, boy toys and sperm donors, men too evolved to fuss over who’s on top.

With this next group of ladies, there’s no questioning who’s on top, when it comes to stacks, and stacks, and stacks, of dough. This list of celebrities are quite used to making more money than their men:

It’s pretty clear that hate is one of planet Earth’s most abundant resources. Everyone seems to have it, yet no one really wants it. If only we could bottle and export it on the intergalactic market. But since that ain’t going to happen anytime soon, we mind as well enjoy the haterade pouring from our favorite scapegoats: celebrities.

No one is immune to hate, but with their every move quickly becoming a trending topic on twitter and getting more media hype than a black president, celebrities, for all their status, wealth and success, end up looking pettier than your average person.

And my, do they take themselves seriously. I suppose we’re all partly to blame for projecting our preconceived notions of grandeur onto someone just because they can act, dance or sing, but c’mon–celebrities can’t get high off their own supply either.

Let’s face it, most of these people are good at one or two things, like everyone else. So expecting them to also speak eloquently, have great insight or be the bigger person is asking a lot. As this next list of favorite celebrity haters show, it’s a lot more fun when they’re not.

Lil’ Kim

No one blames Lil Kim for hating on Nicki Minaj for replacing her as the hip hop game’s go to female act. Especially not after the Young Money upstart scoffed at Kim’s notion that Minaj should pay homage and give thanks to the Queen B for paving the way for her raunchy antics. If I was Kim, I would’ve hated on Nicki Minaj too!

Dancing With the Stars has stepped their game up. The hit show has announced that they’re soliciting bigger names this season and apparently we’ll see Snooki and Queen Latifah waltzing across that dance floor. So much for the has-beens. In the spirit of suspicion, entertainment and hope, here are some celebs we’d like to catch on the show. Considering that Dancing with the Stars has some very random contestants on the show, expect this list to be all over the place.

A young Maya Angelou

It’s not often that celebrities let us inside their world, sure the paparazzi show them in some ordinary (or compromising) positions and they may occasionally share a personal detail or two in an interview; but rarely do celebrities bring the realness. Sharing their pain, their joy showing the world their authentic selves…as far as we can tell. While we understand and respect the need for celebrities to have privacy we appreciate the ones who aren’t scared to let people see them. Check it out.

You finally pinched all your pennies together and you’re headed to your summer getaway. Whether it’s an island, one of the coasts or an international journey you just might find some gorgeous, sun-kissed man to make you forget about all your real world problems. Now, we’re not suggesting that you go down there, up there or over there looking to get booed up, but if it does happen make sure you’re smart in your decision making. Don’t do anything reckless. Need a bit of extra guidance? Check out these tips…

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Terry McMillan announced today that the screenplay to the “Waiting to Exhale” sequel, “Getting To Happy”, is almost finished and the movie should be coming to theaters sometime next year. It would be great if all the original cast members signed on for the project because the cast helped make this film the classic that it is to black women today. So while we ponder what new changes will be in store for the sequel, let’s reflect back on some great moments from the original.

Terry McMillan is a best-selling author of several novels, some of which have been made into blockbuster movies.  The woman knows a thing or two about writing books and she’s offering up her words of wisdom to aspiring writers.

Here’s one gem:

Don’t believe your family, friends or lovers when they tell you: “It’s great!” What else are they going to say?

Head over to AOL Black Voices to read the full list. Priceless advice there!

For those of you who are writers, who do you look to for writerly advice?