Street Lit as eBooks

Image source: augustuspublishing.com

In case you are unaware, street lit authors are very busy these days, promoting their novels in ebook format; and readers are responding with thick enthusiasm via their Kindles, Nooks and other devices. I am a member of a few Facebook groups that discuss street lit and other urban fiction genres, such as urban erotica, mysteries and thrillers. In these groups, readers are passionately responding to authors' promotions of older and newly released titles in ebook format. 

In the August 2011 Word on the Street Lit column via Library Journal (LJ), eBooks for street lit are discussed. LJ recommends Overdrive.com as an important vendor for librarians procuring street lit in ebook format. (November 14, 2011: Overdrive published a blog article highlighting urban fiction ebooks at: http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2011/11/10/every-day-im-hustlin-urban-fiction-ebooks-audiobooks/)

I am noticing that eBooks are a new way in which lesser known authors are getting their names heard in the book game. Many titles from new and established authors are now available on Amazon.com in Kindle format, and via Barnes and Noble's Nook.

The advantage of street lit in ebook format is that readers can purchase titles at a lower price than in paperback or hardcover format. For libraries, titles can be loaned and returned without need for maintenance of tattered covers and pages or replacing perpetually lost paperbacks.

Major street lit authors promoting ebooks include:
Ashley & JaQuavis
Treasure Blue
Deja King
Dutch
Keisha Ervin
K'wan
N'Tyse
Kiki Swinson
Anthony Whyte
Tu'Shonda Whitaker
Silk White
Teri Woods

All you have to do is search their name on the major book retailer sites, and you will see the ebook version of many of their titles.

Here are some street lit ebooks that I have come across written by independently publishing authors:

By Sean A. Wright: A Gangster's Melody 

By George Hudson: Gangsta Girl

By Marlene: Making It On My Own

By Tremayne Johnson: King and A Drug Dealer's Dream

By Michael McGrew: Taking Losses

By Tajana Sutton (Deja Series): Deja; Deja 2: Unfinished Business; Deja 3  

By David Weaver: Bankroll Squad; Bankroll Squad: Kyla's Revenge

By Latif Mercado: Freestyle for Life

By Hudson, Denton and Taylor: Hood Luv

By Raheem Hoyte: Cost of Loyalty

By Julia Press Simmons (Strawberry Mansion Series): 

Strawberry Mansion - A Philadelphia Story;

Begonia Brown - A Philadelphia Story; 

Violet - Strawberry Mansion 3

**For more street lit ebook titles, do a search for "street lit" on Amazon.com.

I realize that there is a mild debate going on about ebooks in schools and borrowing them from the public library. But like everything, I believe there is room enough for everyone and everything. Also, as educators and information professionals, I believe we must respect not only what the reader reads, but also where they read (online and print), and how they read (paperbacks and/or eReaders). It is our job to consider it all... and yes, even while juggling a tight budget.

Note: A special thank you to Anthony Whyte for granting permission for use of his image as the logo for this post.