2.7 million people tuned in Sunday night making Sins of the Mother the 2nd highest rated movie EVER on LMN. The only movie that did better was the docudrama based on Natalee Holloway's murder. Lots of questions are running through my mind right now: What does this mean for women's fiction? What does this mean for midlist novelists? What does this mean for stories with black characters? We don't know the answers yet, but it is my fervent hope that this demonstrates there is an audience for good quality stories about characters who happen to be black. It is my fervent hope that Lifetime, other networks and studios really get behind other black authors and screenwriters! The movie's success also says a lot about the power of social networking. Sites like SheWrites, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, and tons of blogs really got the word of mouth going. I hope many more good books continue to benefit from online networking. My thanks to the SheWrites community! LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK’S Sins of the Mother becomes second highest rated AND SECOND MOST WATCHED original movie in network history Film Based on Carleen Brice’s Novel Orange Mint and Honey Generates 1.0 Among Women 18-34, 1.7 in Women 18-49 and 2.0 in Women 25-54, with 2.7 Total Viewers LOS ANGELES, CA (February 22, 2010) – Building on its record-breaking year in 2009, Lifetime Movie Network continued to generate strong ratings with the premiere of its original movie Sins of the Mother last night. The film, starring famed R&B singer and actress Jill Scott, delivered a 1.0 among Women 18-34, 1.7 rating in Women 18-49, 2.0 in Women 25-54 and 2.3 in Women 18+, making it the second highest rated original movie in the key women demos in the network’s 12 year history (behind the April 19, 2009, debut of Natalee Holloway). Sins of the Mother, which secured a 2.5 Household rating, also became Lifetime Movie Network’s second most watched original movie ever in Women 18-34 (225,216), Women 18-49 (737,017), Women 25-54 (867,973), Women 18+ (1,813,163), Adults 18-34 (280,050), Adults 18-49 (944,461), Adults 25-54 (1,119,517), Households (1,902,170) and Total Viewers (2,647,388). 2009 was the most watched year in Lifetime Movie Network’s history in both Total Day and Primetime across Households, Total Viewers, Women 18-49, Women 25-54, Women 18+, Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18+. Additionally, it was the network’s highest rated year ever in Primetime among Households, Total Viewers and Adults 18+. Lifetime Movie Network began 2010 with the most watched week ever in its history, averaging the most Total Day viewers ever in the key demographics. ABOUT SINS OF THE MOTHER Based on author Carleen Brice’s moving novel, Orange Mint and Honey, Sins of the Mother features Jill Scott (The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) as reformed alcoholic Nona, Nicole Beharie (American Violet) as her daughter Shay and Mimi Rogers (The Door in the Floor) as Nona’s sponsor Lois. Graduate student Shay Dixon (Beharie) reaches a crossroad in her life when she finds herself broke, burned out and unable to cope with the stress of school. With nowhere else to go, she embarks on a journey home to Tacoma, Washington, to face her abusive, alcoholic, estranged mother, Nona (Scott). When she returns home, Shay finds Nona living life as a recovered alcoholic, with a new daughter and completely transformed. Thrown by her mother’s new path, Shay must now accept Nona’s changes and influences, including her sponsor Lois (Rogers) — all forcing Shay to move past her pent-up anger and awaken her own relationships. ABOUT THE PRODUCTION Sins of the Mother is a Lifetime Pictures Presentation for Lifetime Movie Network. Damon Lee (Obsessed, Undercover Brother) executive produces. Paul A. Kaufman (Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story) directs the film and also serves as executive producer. The teleplay from Elizabeth Hunter (Beauty Shop, The Fighting Temptations) is based on the novel Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice (Children of the Waters). ABOUT LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK Lifetime Movie Network is the #2 women’s channel, behind only its sister network Lifetime Television. 2009 was the most watched year in the network’s 11 year history in both Total Day and Primetime across Households, Women 18-49, Women 25-54, Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54, Total Viewers, Women 18+ and Adults 18+, while last year also was the network’s most watched year ever in Primetime among Women 18-34. In addition, 2009 was Lifetime Movie Network’s highest rated year ever in Primetime among Households, Total Viewers and Adults 18+. Original Movies on Lifetime Movie Network this year include Double Wedding, with Tia and Tamera Mowry; Secrets in the Walls, featuring Jeri Ryan; Seven Deadly Sins; and Deadly Honeymoon. The Wronged Man, starring Julia Ormond and from executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, debuted on January 17. Recently, Lifetime Movie Network reached more than 75 million U.S. subscribers, making it the industry’s fastest growing channel.* Lifetime Television®, Lifetime Movie Network®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime Digital™ (which includes myLifetime.com, LMN.tv, Lifetime Games, Roiworld.com, DressUpChallenge.com, MothersClick.com and LifetimeMoms.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A&E Television Networks, LLC. A&E Television Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal. *Among channels with at least 66 million households.