NEW READ: Animal III: Revelations by K'wan Foye

Amazon.com #1 “Top Rated Fiction” Bestselling Crime Novelist K’WAN FOYE

Set to release
“ANIMAL III: REVELATIONS”
from CASH MONEY CONTENT/ATRIA BOOKS
On November 4, 2014

October 27, 2014 –    K’wan Foye, one of this generations most talented and gritty crime novelists, is set to release Animal III: Revelations on November 4, from Cash Money Content books, the book publishing arm of the iconic record label Cash Money Records.  Animal III: Revelations is Foye’s most anticipated release to date, and is the follow up to his 2013 bestselling novel “Animal II: The Omen.”

Animal is a bestselling urban crime series with strong sales that have not slowed since first hitting shelves in 2012.  Animal, the first in the series, released in 2012, enjoyed unprecedented success with a #1 debut on Amazon.com’s list of “Top Rated Fiction,” while also receiving recognition from Library Journal where it was named one of the “Top 5 Street Lit Novels of 2012,” as well as a Library Journal starred “Pick of the Month” for October 2012.  Additionally, Animal reached #2 on the “Power List” of bestselling books compiled by Black bookstores. Kwan was also named “2008 Author of the Year” by Black Press Radio.

In Animal III, Kwan’s most revered character, Animal, the infamous fugitive from his well known Hood Rat Series, continues his bloody saga.  In the novel, we find Animal breaking the promise that he made to his wife upon his release from prison and picking up his guns once again.  To keep his daughter and her mother safe, Animal sets out on a mission of murder, but it isn’t just any man his ex-lover, Red Sonja, has sent him after, it's one of the most powerful drug dealers in the country…her father.

K’wan Foye’s previous novels include Welfare Wifeys (an African American Literary Award-winner), Section 8, Gutter, Still Hood, Hood Rat, Eve, Hoodlum and Street Dreams. K’wan has sold a total of 520,000 books.

Catch K’wan at the following book signings in the following cities:

Sat, November 8              Detroit, MI, Hood Books
                                                20900 Dequindre Rd Warren, MI - 48091
                                                2:00pm – 6:00pm

Sat, November 15            Washington D.C. William O. Lockridge/Bellevue Neighborhood Library
                                                115 Atlantic Street, SW, Washington DC 20032
                                                12Noon – 1:30pm

Mon, November 17        Los Angeles CA, LA Public Library – Miriam Matthews Branch
                                                2205 W. Florence Street LA, CA 90043
                                                5:30 – 7:30 PM

Sat, November 22            Miami, FL, Miami Book Festival – Miami Dade College –
                                                Wolfson Campus – Bldg. 8, Room 8303
                                                300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami FL
                                                5:30pm

Praise for K’wan
   “Animal is a masterpiece”
                                         – Ronald “Slim” Williams, Co-CEO Cash Money Records/Cash Money Content
  
 “You don’t get more hood than K’wan”
                                         – Bryan “Birdman” Williams, Co-CEO Cash Money Records/Cash Money Content

  “…the characters become so alive that watching them spin toward their inevitable ends
                  is heartbreaking.”                                                    - Entertainment Weekly on “Street Dreams”

“The big draw here is the electric prose, which is imbued with profane, comic lyricism.”
                                                                                                                         - Publishers Weekly on “Hood Rat”

“K’wan has risen from “just another street lit author” to a writer who produces thrilling plots, and his descriptive prose holds its own against many top-selling authors.”  - Library Journal on “Eviction Notice”

For more info log onto www.kwanfoye.com.  Follow K’wan on twitter @K’Wan141 or @We_R_TeamAnimal and also find him at facebook.com/We Are #TeamAnimal.

For interviews and more information about Animal II or Cash Money Content books, contact:

Donna Torrence
donna@mediasavvyr.com
201.854.7082
About Cash Money Content

Cash Money Content (CMC) is a groundbreaking partnership that pairs the Cash Money Records brand with Atria Books, a division of the publishing powerhouse, Simon & Schuster.  CMC is publishing some of the most original and influential authors of urban fiction, as well as memoirs by some of the most prominent voices of today, and life-changing books on success, motivation, money and health.  Founded by Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams, the brothers who brought you Cash Money Records, home to multi-platinum recording artists like Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Jay Sean, and Bow Wow, comes a whole new concept in book publishing.

For more information on Cash Money Content, log onto www.CashMoneyContent.com, follow on Twitter @CashMoneyBooks and on Facebook @CashMoneyContent.

Animal III: Revelations
by K'wan
Cash Money Content/Original
Pub Date: November 4, 2014
ISBN:  978 1 936399 932
eBook: 978-1-936399-949
Trim Size: 5 5/16 x 8 1/4
Price US: $14.99, Price CDN: $16.99
Format: Paperback
240 Pages
# # #

donna torrence
mediasavvy pr, inc.
e: donna@mediasavvypr.com
o:  201.854.7082
c:  201.417.8596
t:  @donnatorrence
www.mediasavvypr.com

Trailer for Zetta Elliott's New Release: The Deep (2013)

NEW READ! Animal II: The Omen, by K'wan Foye

For interviews and more information on K'wan Foye

please contact:

Donna Torrence

donna@mediasavvypr.com

201.854.7082

Amazon.com #1 “Top Rated Fiction” Bestselling Author

K’WAN FOYE

Set to release

“ANIMAL II: THE OMEN”

from CASH MONEY CONTENT/ATRIA BOOKS

On November 19, 2013

K'wan to Kick off Book Tour

November 8, 2013 –    K’wan Foye, one of this generations most talented and gritty writers, is set to release Animal II: The Omen on November 19, from Cash Money Content books, the book publishing arm of the iconic record label Cash Money Records.  Animal II: The Omen, Foye’s most anticipated release yet, is the follow up to last year’s #1 bestselling urban crime thriller, Animal.

Animal is Urban Lit’s newest hit series, with strong sales that have not slowed since its 2012 release.  The novel enjoyed unprecedented success with a #1 debut on Amazon.com’s list of “Top Rated Fiction,” and recognition by Library Journal as one of the “Top 5 Street Lit Novels of 2012,” along with a Library Journal starred “Pick of the Month” for October 2012.  Additionally, Animal is currently #2 on the Power List Best-Selling Books List compiled by Black bookstores.

With Animal II, Black Press Radio’s 2008 “Author of the Year,” K’wan Foye, continues the bloody saga of Animal, the infamous fugitive from K’wan’s well‑known Hood Rat Series, as he sets out on a complex and tragic quest in search of the truth. 

K’wan Foye’s previous novels include the bestsellers Welfare Wifeys (an African American Literary Award-winner), Section 8, Gutter, Still Hood, Hood Rat,Eve, Hoodlum and Street Dreams, all released by St. Martin’s Press.  K’wan has sold a cumulative total of 500,000 books.

Praise for K’wan

   “Animal is a masterpiece” – Ronald “Slim” Williams, Co-CEO Cash Money Records/

                    Cash Money Content

  

 “You don’t get more hood than K’wan” – Bryan “Birdman” Williams, Co-CEO Cash Money

                   Records/Cash Money Content

  “…the characters become so alive that watching them spin toward their inevitable ends

                  is heartbreaking.”  - Entertainment Weekly on “Street Dreams”

“The big draw here is the electric prose, which is imbued with profane, comic lyricism.”

                         - Publishers Weekly on “Hood Rat”

“K’wan ... produces thrilling plots, and his descriptive prose holds its own against many top-selling authors.”

                         - Library Journal on “Eviction Notice”

Catch K’wan at the following book signings in the following cities:

11/20                     Source of Knowledge bookstore, 867 Broad Street, Newark NJ, 5pm – 7pm

11/21                     TLJ Bookstore, New Location 4921 Suitland Rd, Suitland MD, 20747, 5:30 pm – 7:30pm

11/22                     Books A Million, 144 S. Clark St (Galleria Mall), Chicago, IL, 12Noon

                                Da Book Joint, 2311 East 71st St, Chicago, IL, 7:00pm – 9:00pm

11/23                     Dock Shop event, Location TBA, Dallas, TX, 3:00pm

                                The Dock Book Shop, Book Club hosted event, 6637 Meadowbrook Dr, Dallas TX, 7:00pm

11/29                     Books A Million, 901 East Market St, Suite 1285, Philadelphia, PA, 12Noon – 2:00pm

                                Black and Nobel, 1409 W. Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 5:00pm – 7:00pm

11/30                     Medu Bookstore, Greenbriar Mall Atlanta, GA, 2:00-4:00pm

For more info log onto www.kwanfoye.com.  Follow K’wan on twitter @K’Wan141 or @We_R_TeamAnimal and also find him at facebook.com/We Are #TeamAnimal.

For interviews and more information about Animal II or Cash Money Content books, contact:

Donna Torrence, mediasavvypr.com

email: donna@mediasavvyr.com, phone: 201.854.7082

About Cash Money Content

Cash Money Content (CMC) is a groundbreaking partnership that pairs the Cash Money Records brand with Atria Books, a division of the publishing powerhouse, Simon & Schuster.  CMC is publishing some of the most original and influential authors of urban fiction as well as life-changing books on success, motivation, money, health, and memoirs by some of the most prominent voices alive today.  Founded  by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams, from the label that is home to multi-platinum recording artists like Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Jay Sean, and Bow Wow, comes a whole new concept in book publishing.

For more information on Cash Money Content, log onto www.CashMoneyContent.com, follow on Twitter @CashMoneyBooks and on Facebook @CashMoneyContent.

About Cash Money Records

Cash Money Records is a legendary record company founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams.  The record label has grown from the housing projects of New Orleans into a multi-million dollar urban empire and is considered the most successful independent record label in America as well as an enduring global street brand. Cash Money is home to chart-topping, multi-platinum recording artists like Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Jay Sean, and Bow Wow.  Today, Cash Money operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company.

Animal II: The Omen

Ani                            by K'wan

Cash Money Content/Original

Pub Date: November 19, 2013

ISBN:  978‑1‑936399‑29‑1

eBook: 978-1-936399-30-7

Trim Size: 5 5/16 x 8 1/4

Price US: $14.99, Price CDN: $16.99

Format: Paperback

336 Pages

NEW READ | Buck: A Memoir by MK Asante (2013)

Asante, M.K. (2013). Buck: A memoir. NY: Spiegel & Grau.
ISBN-13: 978-0812993417 | Hardcover | $25.00 USD

This memoir promises to be one of the most revered life stories depicting a contemporary young male coming-of-age in urban America, since Claude Brown's Manchild of the Promised Land and Piri Thomas' Down These Mean Streets. Author MK Asante is son of the founder of Afrocentricity, the legendary Black Studies scholar, Molefi Keti Asante. 

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in North Philadelphia, MK Asante paints a gripping portrait of what it means to be an American Black man coming of age in the streets of hip hop era Philadelphia. Asante is honest in his revelations of how family issues are often the "whys" for teens finding solace and identity in the streets. For those of us who follow the genre of Urban Literature, Asante's story is a welcome addition to the canon. Shucks, given its early stellar reception, this book may shove comparisons aside, to stand valiantly, on its own.

I particularly like the early review of Pierce Freelon (via Amazon.com) where he says: "MK has a fascinating story. His father is a famous scholar - the founder of Afrocentricity. His mother is drowning in prescription drugs and a broken household. His sister lives with dementia - literally in another universe. His role model is his older brother Uzi - constantly on the run from the law. And then you have Philly - the City of Brotherly Love - full of dime jawns, blunt smoke, hip hop, broken schools and young bucks. It takes [a] village to raise a child - and MK was BUCK wild!"

Book Description:

A rebellious boy’s journey through the wilds of urban America and the shrapnel of a self-destructing family—this is the riveting story of a generation told through one dazzlingly poetic new voice.

MK Asante was born in Zimbabwe to American parents: a mother who led the new nation’s dance company and a father who would soon become a revered pioneer in black studies. But things fell apart, and a decade later MK was in America, a teenager lost in a fog of drugs, sex, and violence on the streets of North Philadelphia. Now he was alone—his mother in a mental hospital, his father gone, his older brother locked up in a prison on the other side of the country—and forced to find his own way to survive physically, mentally, and spiritually, by any means necessary.

Buck is a powerful memoir of how a precocious kid educated himself through the most unconventional teachers—outlaws and eccentrics, rappers and mystic strangers, ghetto philosophers and strippers, and, eventually, an alternative school that transformed his life with a single blank sheet of paper. It’s a one-of-a-kind story about finding your purpose in life, and an inspiring tribute to the power of education, art, and love to heal and redeem us.

***************
Additionally, MK Asante is a poet, with two poetry books to his credit: Beautiful. And Ugly Too (2005) and Like Water Running Off My Back (2002). He's also previously published a treatise on Hip Hop entitled, It's Bigger Than Hip Hop: The Rise of the Post-Hip Hop Generation (2009). For more information on his publications, visit his website at: http://mkasante.com/books/buck/.  Asante is an Associate Professor at Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD.

Spring 2013 Reads: StreetLiterature.com's Recommendations

Hi there; Happy Spring! Listed below are my top Street Lit recommendations for this season. If you are a librarian, feel confident to purchase these titles for your patrons. If you are a teacher, you may see your students walking around with these titles in their backpacks or bumping into walls while walking and reading these fantastic stories. I hope you will read them too!

Souljah, Sister. 2013. A Deeper Love Inside: The Porsche Santiaga Story. NY: Atria. 

Hardback | ISBN-13: 978-1439165317 | $26.99 USD | 432 pages

Finally, after a decade or more of a wait, we get the answers to all the questions that The Coldest Winter Ever left us with. What happened to Winter? What happened to the fallout of the Santiaga family? How did Midnight wind up with the twins? How did life turn out for everyone?

Through the eyes and experiences of the middle child, Porsche, we learn the devastating effects of the disintegration of a drug lord's family. A must read. A must have for all public library collections.

I was interviewed by Drexel University about my reading response to A Deeper Love Inside. Feel free to read my review.

Blue, Treasure E. 2013. Fly Betty: A Harlem Girl Lost Novel. NY: Cash Money Content.

Paperback | ISBN-13: 978-1936399314 | $14.95 USD | 416 pages

Author Treasure Blue is a rare writer who can really tell a women's story. In this installment of his Harlem Girl Lost series. Fly Betty is a mother-daughter story, illustrating how the sins of the parent are often paid with the life experiences of the child.  

All the elements of Street Lit ring strong in this story: girl from the hood who tries to move up and out of poverty by any means necessary, overcoming the street violence of prostitution, and surviving drug addiction. 

Fly Betty is a redemptive story of a young woman seeking to break the cycle of her mother's past and pain. Highly recommended for all public libraries.

Clark, Wahida. 2013. Honor Thy Thug. NY: Cash Money Content.
Hardcover | ISBN-13: 978-1936399390 | $22.99 USD | 320 pages
Ebook | ISBN-13: 978-1-936399-40-6 | $9.99 USD |  

Released just 2 weeks ago, Clark's latest Thug Love novel is already boasting a 5-star rating on Amazon.com (with 217 customer reviews). Clark hit the New York Times Bestsellers list during the first week of the novel's release, making it her fourth appearance on the stellar publication roll call. Needless to say, Honor Thy Thug is a must-have title for your library or personal collection.

Book Description: "Urban lit’s favorite ride or die couple, Trae and Tasha, are back as they fight to hold onto their volatile relationship which gets closer to exploding with each passing day. Their friends, Angel and Kaylin, are caught up in their own drama which pits brother against brother in a final showdown. Faheem and his wife Jaz, face their worst nightmare which almost takes them totally out of the game. Meanwhile, Kyron, who brought Trae to the brink of murder and Tasha to the edge of insanity, is back and hell bent on revenge.

When Trae makes the deadly decision to work for the most violent Chinese crime organization in the city and renew a business relationship with Charli Li, the one woman who can never be trusted, his rocky marriage and life are threatened. Tasha is forced to step in, and things get really crazy. Can Trae escape the grips of the mob with his life and hold on to his wife? Honor Thy Thug will leave you gasping for more." - Amazon.com.

Other titles to consider:

T. Styles. 2013. RedBone 2: Takeover at Platinum Lofts.
NY: Urban Books. 

Pprbck | ISBN-13:  978-1601625403 | $14.95 USD | 343 pp.

What readers are saying:
Action packed. "Thrilling." "3 thumbs up." "T.Styles is one of the best in the game."

Santiago, Nisa. 2013. Face Off: Part 4. The Baddest Chick Series.
NJ: Melodrama Publishing. 

Paperback | ISBN-13: 978-1934157664 | $14.99 USD | 272 pages

What readers are saying: 

"Great Read!" "I read this book in one day." "I love all of Nisa Santiago's work."

Mill, Meek. 2013. Tony Story. G Street Chronicles Presents. 

Jonesboro, GA: G Street Chronicles.

Paperback | ISBN-13: 978-1938442704 | $14.99 USD | 256 pages

Set in the streets of Philadelphia, from which hip hop star Meek Mill hails, this story is sure to please.

Must-Have NEW READS: Souljah, Antoinette, Blue

      

Sister Souljah's long-awaited sequel to the classic Coldest Winter Ever is now on sale and has just hit the NYT Bestsellers List. So you are going to want to stock this title for your patrons and students.

Ashley Antoinette's 3rd installment in her new Prada Plan series has also just hit the markets and has also, just hit the NYT Bestsellers List. Urban/Street Lit readers are going to be requesting this title, also, so be sure to stock up!

Treasure Blue is an intensely popular author with a solid fan base. Fly Betty is enjoying a 5-star rating on Amazon.com and is climbing the book sales charts rapidly. Be prepared to have extra copies on hand of this title because you will definitely be getting requests.

StreetLiterature.com will be posting reviews of these titles in the near future!

Sequel to Coldest Winter Ever Release Date: January 29, 2013

K'wan's Masterpiece: Animal (2012)

K'wan. 2012. Animal. NY: Cash Money Content / Simon and Schuster. ISBN-13: 978-1936399253. $14.99 US. Paperback.

K'wan is the author of over a dozen books, and upon reading his latest release, Animal, you start to realize that all the stories K'wan's told up to this point, was to prepare you for the story of Animal.

Animal is a redemption song. Animal is a love story: love rediscovered between lovers ... friends ... and family ... in the hood.

We first meet Animal in K'wan's Hood Rat series as a ruthless killer who extinguishes people with no remorse. Animal is a vigilante of sorts who metes out justice in ways that garner him as a force not just to be reckoned with; but to be deathly feared. The equalizing factor to his dark existence is his love for his woman, Gucci. Gucci loves Animal just as he is. In a series of stories they go through many ups and downs. In this story, Animal's story, they may have finally come to peace with one another, if Gucci can survive the war on the streets. In Animal's own story, here in this novel, we learn more about why Animal is the lonely soul that no one seems to be able to fully understand, but everyone fully fears. His redemption comes as a surprise to even Animal himself, but the redemption is a prodigal journey that has the potential to soothe the infamous assassin, once and for all.

A must-read for all street lit fans. This is street lit at its best. Add Animal to the pantheon of class street lit titles like The Coldest Winter Ever, True to the Game, Flyy Girl, A Street Girl Named Desire, and now ... Animal. Do not let the 400 pages deter you. Street Lit / Urban Fiction readers will read this novel as it is fast-paced action that doesn't stop. Buy multiple copies for your library as some of those copies will not be coming back. School library media specialists: this novel is appropriate for high schoolers.

In this video, K'wan explains his characterization of Animal:

K'wan is on social media at:
Twitter: #TEAMANIMAL

Facebook: #TEAMANIMAL

Facebook Group: K'wan's Readers 

New Reads: For Your Fall Collection

This article focuses on women authors telling women's stories in the hood. These titles will make nice additions to your fall collection for urban literature / street lit.


Miller, Karen Quinones. An Angry-Ass Black Woman. Gallery Books/Karen Hunter Publishing. NY, NY, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-451607826 | 288 pages | Paperback | $15.00 USD

Annotation (from back cover): This sassy, shocking autobiographical novel captures the racial tensions, the hardships, and the bonds that formed between families and neighbors growing up poor in Harlem.

Review: Karen Quinones Miller gives us an inside view of what it was like to grow up poor in Harlem, NY, during the 1960s and 1970s and emerge into womanhood with a rare courageousness for overcoming some dark adversities. Miller's story chronicles the hardships she experienced to pull herself up and out of poverty to become a renowned author.  The protagonist tells her story in a series of flashbacks captured as memories of a comatose Karen lying in a hospital bed. Immobilized, Karen's memory soars as she vividly recounts days growing up poor, and how that poverty affected herself and her siblings. From drug addiction and drug dealing to incest, rape, mental illness, and domestic violence, the protagonist Karen has seen it all, and thus has every reason to be an angry-assed black woman. Reminiscent of the classic Manchild in the Promised Land, Miller's story will appeal to young adult and adult readers who can relate to the harsh experiences that Karen was able to overcome. Highly recommended for all public library collections.

McGill, C. HBIC: Head Bitch in Charge - A Series. Synergy Publications. Brooklyn, NY, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-975298091 | 256 pages | Paperback | $14.95 USD

Annotation (from back cover): Take a walk in the shoes of Elle Mitchell. She came up in the church but quickly became fascinated with the underworld. The youngest sister of three, Elle has something to prove. Street smart and book smart, she will stop at nothing to get rich quick. Determined, Elle sets out to be the Head Bitch In Charge. 

Review: Caroline McGill is author of the popular tale, A Dollar Outta Fifteen Cent" (2004). In this first volume of her new series, HBIC, Elle is an ambitious young woman who grew up in the church, but forms a drug crew of herself, her sister Twyla, and their cousin, Needra, to make it big in the world. The three girls made a fearsome trio of drug dealers better known as HBIC. The group is determined to rule the streets and own their profit. However, they run into some ruthless competition, from the demonic Chelsea who enjoys torturing women, to their own cousin, Olan, who they eventually must leave behind. Laced with some violence and graphic sex scenes, HBIC, is a well-written and crafted novel that will gain the attention of adult readers of the genre. Recommended for adult collections in public libraries.

Todd, Cori. THE RED IN HER EYES. XLibris Corporation. 2011. ISBN: 978-1-465357175 | 210 pages | Paperback | $17.99 USD

Annotation (from back cover): All it took was one pleasure-filled dream to get Trystan's fantasies twisted around the man who once stood as the center of her life and the man of her dreams, Trey Armstrong. Now that he has resurfaced, she can't seem to shake the feeling that something just isn't right ... a feeling that only Trey can explain.

Review: This is a love story about college sweethearts, Trystan and Trey, who try to reunite years later when they have grown to become different people in a different place and time. The author,  Cori Todd, frames this novel around R&B love songs. Each chapter is themed with a different song that helps to shape the context of the story as it unfolds. For example, chapter 32 is entitled "How Do I Breathe?" a song by the R&B singer, Mario. Todd's use of familiar music titles is an effective device that entices the reader to create background music in their mind as they read each chapter of the book. This technique makes reading the story more engaging and helps to keep the reader aware that they are in another world, a dream world, a fictional world of story. Older teens and adults will enjoy the passionate love story that is full of ups, downs, and turn-arounds. Recommended for older teens and adults in the urban literature collection; could also fit for the romance genre.

New Reads: Independent Authors For Your Collection

Greetings! No doubt your urban fiction / street lit collection has dwindled from the summer reading season. Now that we are in the back-to-school mode this is a good time to replenish your collection with newer authors. I'm listing YA titles in this post.

YA FICTION

Harper, A.J. SMOKE & DEMONS: A TALE OF URBAN HORROR. UrbanHorror.com. 2011. ISBN: 978-1-461184454 | 360 pages | Paperback | $15.99 USD

Annotation: This is a story set in Oakland, California, that puts a horror twist on urban fiction. Labeled as young adult fiction, this novel is about Omari, a teen boy living in Oakland who is plagued by nightmares of demons trying to kill him. Soon after, his sister and best friend start having the dreams too! Are the dreams real? Drug dealers, vampires, werewolves, telepaths, and demons reveal themselves in Omari's worlds, making it clear that yes, dreams can be very, very real. 

Review: This is a creatively conceived story. I worry that it might be a bit too long for urban YA readers. I also worry that there might be too many characters and themes throughout the book to keep track of the main story. Alas, because this book is independently published, sans the luxury of a professional editor, there are many typographical errors throughout. However, if you can forgive these flaws in order to introduce your readers to something different and new, this title may be worth the pick. Recommended for A/YA, ages 16 and up, in public libraries everywhere.

Author Website: http://urbanhorror.com/index.html


Spenzer, S. Newman. BABY DADDY. CreatSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Lexington, KY, 2012. ISBN: 978-1475027716 | 145 pages | Paperback | $9.99 USD

Author's synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Deshawn has been named in a paternity suit after a thoughtless sexual encounter at a party. He is desperate to conceal his plight from his mother, a single parent with a meager income. Determined to protect his mother from this nightmare, Deshawn is torn between fleeing or facing the legal process alone. He tries to navigate his way through a hostile system, and quickly finds himself labeled a "deadbeat dead". The legal system proves itself to be hostile and alienating to the young and bewildered Deshawn. All the harassment from insufferable lawyers and caseworkers finally gets Deshawn to his breaking point and a physical altercation leads him to an unexpected discovery that permanently alters his life.

My review: Deshawn's story was very well crafted. Teens everywhere would learn a lot from reading this novel. Spenzer's emotive writing gives the story a very realistic tone that makes for a fast read. Deshawn's losses are steep, and his wins are hard fought, but very worth it. This story is reminiscent of Angela Johnson's The First Part Last (2005), but with hardships and realities that are more gritty and raw for this character, who exists in an inner city environment. Highly recommended for teen readers everywhere. [This book is available on Amazon.com.]

NEW READ! Murderville: The Epidemic by Ashley & JaQuavis (2012)

New York Times Bestselling Urban Literary Duo

Ashley & JaQuavis

Are Set to Release New Thriller

On July 24, 2012

 

from Cash Money Records’ publishing division

Cash Money Content

 

New York, NY – July 17, 2012 – Cash Money Content/Atria books will release the thriller, Murderville: The Epidemic, on July 24, 2012, from New York Times bestselling literary duo, Ashley & JaQuavis.  At age 26, Ashley & JaQuavis, aka Mr. and Mrs. JaQuavis Coleman, are the hottest young voices in African American literature today and are the youngest African American co-authors to make two appearances on the New York Times bestseller list.  The couple has co-authored more than 17 bestselling novels, and ghost-written 15 for other well known authors.

 

Murderville: The Epidemic is the second release from Ashley & JaQuavis’ Murderville trilogy, and is also the second release from their deal with Cash Money Content, the book publishing arm of iconic record label Cash Money Records, home to multi-platinum artists Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne and Drake. 

Catch Ashley & JaQuavis on the Cash Money Young Author's Tour:

July 21 - NYC  -Harlem Book Fair

July 24 - Baltimore - TLJ Bookstore -  7pm - 9PM

Aug 4-    Atlanta - Medu Books Greenbriar Mall - 3pm - 5pm

Aug 5 -   St. Louis - Missouri Black Expo 1:30 pm

Aug 11 - Maryland - Cartel Bookstore - Booksigning 3pm - 6pm

Aug 25 – Dallas – Tulisoma Black Book Fair – 1pm -3pm 

Aug 25 - Fort Worth -  Dockshop Book signing – Forth Worth 5pm -7pm

 

Ashley & JaQuavis' New York Times bestselling series, The Cartel, was the first trilogy from the talented team.  The Cartel 2 debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list at #29 (November 2009).  The Cartel 3 made its debut at #27 in August 2010.  The well-written and fast moving series, filled with surprising plot twists and turns, gained in popularity and anticipation with each new release selling nearly 100,000 copies. Cash Money has optioned the film rights to The Cartel trilogy and has already set into motion their plans for bringing the series to life on the screen.  Stay posted for more news on The Cartel film series.

 

Murderville: The Epidemic, hits stores on July 24^th, and is the follow up to last year’s hit, Murderville: The First of a Trilogy.  Proving to be the couple’s best work yet, The Epidemic follows street savvy, Liberty , as she survives one unspeakable tragedy after another.  Her journey takes the reader from the streets of  Los Angeles  to war-torn  Sierra Leone as she finds love and pursues the American dream. With the help of her partner Po , the two build an unmatched drug empire. But when an unlikely enemy enters the game, will the dreams they've built together come crashing down?

 

Growing up in Flint , Michigan Ashley & JaQuavis began writing together at age 15 while in high school.  While putting themselves through college, their first novel Dirty Money, caught the attention of New York Times and Essence bestselling author and publisher Carl Weber.  Ashley & JaQuavis were both signed to national publishing deals.

 

Ashley & JaQuavis made names for themselves with successful underground bestsellers like, Dirty Money (2005), The Trophy Wife (2008), Supreme Clientele (2009) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2009), and Murder Mamas (2011), to name a few.  However, it was the release of The Cartel trilogy that caused young readers and the publishing industry to take notice.  The Cartel trilogy is the story of the fight to take down a ruthless Miami drug Cartel.  The books are standouts with well-developed characters and stories fueled by treachery, murder, deception and seduction.

“Ashley & JaQuavis’ books connect with the hip-hop generation and speak to the streets in the same way that hip hop music does,” said Ronald ‘Slim’ Williams co-founder of Cash Money Records and Cash Money Content. "With two New York Times bestselling books under their belt, we saw this signing as an opportunity to take urban fiction to the next level in the same way we took hip hop music to the next level.  The Epidemic is Ashley & JaQuavis’ second book with Cash Money Content and we’re looking forward to a future of nothing but hits.”

For more information on Ashley & JaQuavis log onto www. AshleyJaquavis.com. Follow JaQuavis on twitter @realjaquavis and follow Ashley @novelista.  Check them out on facebook at facebook.com/The Writers Block- Ashley & JaQuavis books.

 

About Cash Money Content

Cash Money Content is a groundbreaking partnership that pairs the Cash Money Records brand with Atria Books, a division of the publishing powerhouse, Simon & Schuster.  Other releases from Cash Money Content include Raw Law: An Urban Guide to Criminal Justice by Attorney Muhammad Ibn Bashir, The New York Times bestseller Justify My Thug by Wahida Clark, Murderville: First of a

Trilogy by New York Times bestselling co-authors Ashley & JaQuavis, Pimp: The Story of My Life, Trick Baby and Long White Con, by legendary author Iceberg Slim, all out now.  Cash Money Content will release the entire Iceberg Slim backlist of seven novels over the next few years. 

 

This year’s releases from CMC include An XL Life: Staying Big at Half the Size, by national radio host Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander, and Get It Girls: A Harlem Girl Lost Novel, by Treasure Blue and The Wives Association: Inner Circle from VH1 “Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada.  Fall releases include Little Bad Girl, a Treasure Blue Short Story for ebook only, due in September 2012 and Animal: A Hood Rat Novel by K’wan, due out in October 2, 2012.

 

For more information on Cash Money Content books, log onto www.CashMoneyContent.com and follow on Twitter @CashMoneyBooks and on Facebook.com/Cash Money Content. 

 

About Cash Money Records

Cash Money Records is a legendary record company founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams.  The record label has grown from the housing projects of New Orleans into a multi-million dollar urban empire and is considered the most successful independent record label in America as well as an enduring global street brand. Cash Money is home to chart-topping, multi-platinum recording artists like Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Jay Sean, and Bow Wow.  Today, Cash Money operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company.

donna torrence
mediasavvy pr, inc
201.854.7082 office

201.417.8596 cell

donna@mediasavvypr.com
www.mediasavvypr.com

follow me on twitter @donnatorrence

Summer Reads 2012: The Streets Are Sizzling, Hot!

On this occasion of the Summer Solstice, 2012, I thought it would be a good idea to offer up my top Street Lit picks for summer reading. I've decided to feature mostly independent authors to pay homage to the foundation from which 21st century Street Literature emerges ... from the self-publishing hustles of authors writing, publishing, and promoting their own works. These works are also very different, offering unique approaches to the genre with "a tale of urban terror," and stories that show how whole communities are devastated when even just one child is devastated. Enjoy these reads. I've provided information for how you can best order these books for your collections.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tecori Sheldon. 2012. When Truth Is Gangsta.
NY: Strebor on the Streetz.
978-1-59309-397-6 | $13.00 US | Paperback, 348 pages

***STARRED PICK*** Tecori Sheldon (aka Thomas Slater) has crafted a story that is not only well-written, but is action-packed and keeps you on the edge of your seat, as if you are literally, watching a movie in your head. He sets up the action scenes so convincingly that for me, a very sensitive reader, I could viscerally feel the suspense and terror of the shoot-outs and grisly gangster activities. The plot and characters are well-developed: protagonist Ruffneck is indeed psychopathic, but you truly understand how and why he became the monster he became, sometimes out of circumstance, and other times out of the need to survive. 

Synopsis: Ruffneck's name is Walter Story, Jr. He is the namesake of a father who was a major drug kingpin with a team of other powerful men. Walter, Sr. and his wife were both brutally murdered in front of 8-year-old Junior. In a moment's instant, the young boy witnessed the murders of his parents and committed murder,  himself, as well. These deeply traumatic events created a darkness in Ruffneck that was pretty much suppressed until he experienced some time in prison. Coming out of prison, Ruffneck had a need to avenge his parents' deaths, as there were many questions unanswered, as well as many truths he needed to know and understand about who his father was, and how such a powerful man came to die such an ambushed, violent death. However, in his quest to learn these things, Ruffneck became more like his father than he perhaps intended. However, the chain of events were set in motion, and it was too late to turn back the hands of time. Ruffneck had started a vicious street war with the ruthless men responsible for his parents', as well as his grandmother's and cousin's deaths. Ruffneck does have a soft side to him, and when his enemies seek to harm more members of his family, Ruffneck's rage rains savagely, with everyone getting drenched. Justice is served, street-style.

Available on Amazon when you search for When Truth Is Gangsta.

Mr. Slater is on social media via Facebook.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joy Deja King. 2012. Boss Bitch. Bitch Series.

Collierville, TN: A King Production. 

978-0984332540 | $15.00 US | Paperback, 224 pages

AN ESTABLISHED BRAND, this a MUST-HAVE. I would be remiss if I did not pay proper respect to the wonderful veteran author, Joy Deja King, and her immensely popular Bitch series. Deja King is a major author in the street lit genre, having penned several works (including not 1, but 3 series) that has garnered her an intensely loyal readership. I was recently speaking at an event talking about Street Lit with librarians. One librarian shared that in her library, it is elderly, Anglo American women who come in asking in low, husky whispers, "You got that Bitch series? The next one come out yet?" :-) The female protagonists in King's series are strong, resilient characters who stick to your imagination, as you find yourself seeking out the next installment time and again!

Synopsis: From the book cover: "Precious Cummings and her daughter Aaliyah Mills Carter must protect the family empire as an unknown enemy tries to step in and take the throne. Can mother and daughter get past their differences and unite as one or will they stay at odds and risk having their loved ones torn apart? The saga continues to unfold in Boss Bitch." 

Boss Bitch, available on Amazon, is a definite beach-read.

Ms. King is active on social media via the following outlets:

Facebook: JDKfangpage
Twitter: @joydejaking
YouTube: joydejaking

Website: www.joydejaking.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darrell King. 2012. Deadly Phine: A Tale of Urban Terror. 

Washington, DC: Darrell King Productions. 

978-1466062726 | $14.95 US | Paperback, 226 pages

A MUST READ. This novel is a straight no-chaser look at how behaviors really are a matter of life and death, especially when drugs and sex are a means for survival and to escape poverty. This novel is a crime fiction / sci fi / horror blend with non-fiction facts about the real-life atrocities concerning HIV/AIDS in inner city American communities. Ignore the cheesy book cover, this story is a good one; informative and entertaining at the same time.

Synopsis: Valentino is a handsome, rich, Puerto Rican drug dealer who is a carrier of an extra potent form of HIV, called HIV5X. A veteran of the U.S. military, Valentino is a willing participant in a government-run experiment to test the effects of this mutated strain of the HIV virus on unsuspecting low-income city dwellers.  In exchange for cash and a cure for himself, ladies' man Valentino hits the bricks hard, transmitting the disease to as many women in the hood as possible, unleashing a reign of terror to reduce the population of inner cities throughout the US. The evil shadow of Valentino's bio-terrorism is a U.S. military agency, seeking to conduct a 21st century biological experiment on lower class citizens who are deemed expendable. This novel is interwoven with important scientific facts about the devastating effects HIV/AIDS in Latino and African American communities. This story makes you question what is really free will when you are impoverished? 

Deadly Phine is available on Amazon.

Darrell King is active on the following social media platforms:

Facebook: Darrell.King946

Twitter: @Fuskieboy

Website: www.darrellkingproductions.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanna B. Fancy: Handbags, Heels & Hard Times. 

Philadelphia, PA: Hope Street Publishing.

978-0985351502 | $15.00 US | Paperback, 190 pages

GOOD A/YA READ. This novel was a pleasant surprise. It is nicely written, and is suitable for mature YAs as the protagonist is a high school Latina living in inner city Philadelphia, searching for her authentic identity. There will be many teen readers who will relate to protagonist, Maribel "Fancy" Alvarez. 

Synopsis: Maribel is a quiet, mousy public high school student who is lonely and would like to be one of the popular girls. She meets a friend named Shawn (a girl) who helps Maribel come out of her shell as the new and improved, Fancy. Fancy graduates high school and lives her roaring 20s as a fake socialite. On the outside she wears the finest clothes and makeup and goes to all the VIP parties. But in reality, she lives in the hood and can barely make ends meet. When she meets up with a handsome, wealthy man named Aaron, she realizes she wants true love and a real life. However, everything and everyone are not what they appear either, so Fancy experiences a series of dramas that inspires great change for her life.

Here is a book trailer for Fancy:

Fancy is available on Amazon.

Vanna B. is present on the following networks:

Facebook: vannabonline

Twitter: @msvannab

Website: www.vannabonline.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And those are my Street Lit picks for Summer 2012!

PRE-PUBS:
Additionally, there are a couple of titles that are not published yet that you should look forward to:

Author T. Styles of Cartel Publications will be releasing part 3 of her Raunchy series.

Raunchy 3: Jayden's Passion (August 2012)

The long-anticipated second installment to Ashley & Jaquavis' Murderville Trilogy is scheduled for release.

Murderville 2: The Epidemic (August 2012)