Socially awkward Charlotte-Louise Andrews, fifteen and naive, is the only child of a single mother who puts booze before her daughter. Desperate for acceptance, Charlotte-Louise latches on to an unruly, street smart teen who guides her through sordid inner city adventures, and later introduces her to Joaquin Lomax. Sharp minded twenty-year-old Joaquin seduces the emotionally scarred Charlotte-Louise with attention, gifts, his good looks and nice guy exterior. Charlotte-Louise is in over her head before she realizes she's hooked up with a brutal, ingenious drug dealer. In this startling three-year account of Charlotte-Louise's life, wrapped in a candid Blatino family saga, she becomes helplessly entangled in Joaquin's fast, illicit world--a world of sex, crime, and deception ... until she turns the tables.

When A Good Will Goes Bad! Betrayal, murder, and deceit surrounds this urban tale of William Ford, a young man living alone, unhappy, and hiding from his past for the last ten years. Then a letter arrives in the mail from his former high school inviting him to his reunion. All of sudden, William's memories of the past that he has conveniently tucked away in the dark corners of his mind, begin to creep back into his current consciousness. He has been keeping a dark secret all that time. He now realizes that he can no longer hide from the past. He decides that he must go to the reunion where he confronts his demons, and comes to grips with who he has become. But what he finds out next will change his life forever. A captivating tale with twist and turns, written with fluid narrative and contemporary urban dialect. When a good Will goes Bad brings to life the inner most thoughts of a young black man dealing with heartbreak, loyalty, and loss on the streets of the Dallas.

When God wants to bless you He will raise a person to be in your life. She or he may only be there for a season. We aren't always aware of the reason, which is why it's sometimes referred to as a blessing in disguise.

Instead of keeping their love in drive, Natalie and Matthew allowed their relationship to fall into neutral and began to coast. You only coast downhill. The couple was living a privileged and prestigious life, and then along came Mina, perceived as the classic ghetto-fabulous chick. First perceptions can be wrong. The sight of sexy Mina shifts Matthew's emotions and hormones into gear. Despite his lust at first sight feelings for Mina, he later sees her for what she truly is. Thus, the fast-paced romantic Ghettoway Weekend journey begins.

The characters in this classist romance find the ride to happiness, joy, and love will come to the well-known fork in the road in this quick Ghettoway Weekend trip by accomplished author Lawrence Christopher. This storyline travels from the beach of Martha's Vineyard to the hood of Decatur, Georgia, and finally to a resort in Orlando, Florida. Come along for a weekend love.

Elissa Gabrielle returns with her best release to date- A tantalizing debut novel filled with Tenderness, Treachery and Temptation. . What lengths will a woman go to for love? What lengths will a woman take to keep love? What secrets will be revealed? What truths will unfold? It's been said those closest to us can do the most damage. In Good to the Last Drop, Elissa Gabrielle has crafted a hilarious, sensual and twisted tale that is based on the lives of newlywed college sweethearts, Amber and Khalil. Lost in a web of deceit, Khalil and Amber struggle to remain faithful.to themselves and each other. With a memorable cast of characters that come to life with every page, the story remains gritty, sensual and all too realistic. What roles will the characters play in this web of deception? Who can they trust? Shawn, the best friend and voice of reason. Aaliyah, the gorgeous, yet seductive fiancé'. Shayla, the ghetto-fabulous bitter ex. Scott, the loyal and flamboyant queen, and Keisha, the loud and boisterous best friend and confidant. Make yourself comfortable and get ready for the ride of your life as chickens come home to roost and the strings are pulled from this fabric of treachery, love and scandal.

This is an exceptional book of poetry, written by exceptional authors, for an exceptional audience. The readers will gain moments of relaxation, and have great times of laughter and repose after a long arduous day. The Spence family believes that poetry is fulfilling to the soul, and that it raises a person’s level of consciousness to a different stage of awareness while stimulating the mind in a positive way. This belief is evident by the poems in this book. Joseph, who is an attorney and a retired military officer, expresses his thoughts in an outstanding manner while appealing to various cultures with his enlightening words. Sheila, who also is an attorney, and a former school teacher, shows her unique style of introspection into the soul with her blend of wisdom, illumination, and understanding. Their youngest son Jonathan, who is a violinist, an actor, and a martial artist, certainly appeals to readers of various ages with his creative style in a unique way, and is an inspiration to many younger adults.

Born and raised in West Africa, Addo's work reflects his and his countrymen's reaction to changes in their home country of Ghana. In his verse he speaks with candor, vision, and wisdom about the pride of Africa and his heartfelt patriotism to the Red, Yellow, and Green. Talking Drums is a masterful collection of poetry which tells the significant stories of the past half-century through lyrical, touching, and powerful verse. It is a collection every reflective person should read.

What does it mean when someone says that they are American? This designation of nationality has meant many things, historically, depending upon the background of who is speaking. For those of us who can trace our backgrounds most directly to the continent of Africa, it has meant something quite different than it has for most others. Diasporadic is a collection of poetic thought processes which highlights this very dynamic—the hyphenated-American. It is a journey into a mind effected by the dual consciousness that has defined the African since being brought to America.

This book is long overdue. It is our belief that this story will allow children of various ages, to become conscious about the language they use and hear, in everyday situations and to become aware of how use of language and terms affects their lives and their communities. This topic, as a children's book, is one that has not been addressed. The hope is this book will be a catalyst for the type of change that aids in the development of a language that alters the behavior of our beloved children and causes a spark of self reflection, in what they consider is the way they view the world and themselves. We realize the word 'nigga' has become a permeating element in African American culture and is used and viewed by some as a "term of endearment." While that may be true, it does not negate the negative impacts that the word still has on a collective group of people. This work tells a story, which depicts a common life situation. Its characters transmit real personalities and in simple language. It is a powerful and crucial message, for old and young audiences.

In the 1950’s newlyweds, Louise and Dennis Clark, a young African American couple chooses to leave their boring farmland home to escape being consumed in a small town life. They travel to Los Angeles where they hope to find prosperity. The couple moves into a coach house in Los Angeles, where they discover a hidden treasure in a long forgotten cellar. Two white conmen arrive on the scene after following a trail of rumors which has led them to this secreted treasure. Louise, the heroine is suspicious of the men and tries to convince her husband that they are up to no good. Dennis refuses to agree with her. Louise snoops around in the men’s apartment and finds out that they are ex-convicts and finds evidence linking them to the hidden treasure. She can’t tell her husband what she discovers because he would be furious with her. In the ex-convicts’ pursuit they try to eliminate anyone who gets in their way placing the lives of the young couple and their landlord in danger.

uto•pia (yu-'tO-pE-a)
An imaginary and indefinitely remote place; a place of ideal perfection

For Mia Evans hip hop music is her salvation. It gives her an outlet to overcome the difficult life she’s been forced to endure. Her lyrics inspire many and she soon skyrockets to superstardom. She has a great career, lots of money, and fans all over the world.

She has all the things she has dreamed of having, but what she wants most she can’t seem to get. Mia puts everything on the line, including her life, to find utopia. But is it worth it to search for something many say doesn’t exist?

Wife. Daughter. Mother. Lover. Sistah. Elissa Gabrielle wears and displays all these hats and then some in her second book of poetry, Peace in the Storm. Alternately taking a reverent tone one moment and a razor-sharp tongue the next, she tells it like it is when it comes to being an African-American woman in the twenty-first century. Peace in the Storm celebrates-and laments-the joys and pains of a Black woman in American society. From the tribute offered in "Dearest Papa," the struggle of many women against drugs in "The Triumph of My Soul" and "Lost on Crack Boulevard," the profoundness of "The Hyphen," the sensuality of "Only in My Empire" and many hilarious one-liners in between, Elissa Gabrielle has woven a glorious tapestry of life, love and loss.

Chance Bates and Patrice Trent met as teens through a botched attempted robbery. From there, their attraction and love bloomed into an URBAN AFFAIR by Tony Lindsay. Chance, a product of a prostitute and pimp, was left in the world to the foster care and group home system because of his mother's mental illness and subsequent criminal behavior. As a result Chance turned to a life of drug dealing and petty crime.

Patrice was raised as a spoiled rich girl who wants what she wants, when she wants it. Through happenstance, her father takes Chance under his wing and grooms him into the businessman that Patrice believes she deserves. When her family discovers Chance's true origin, one of mental illness, her family moves mountains to separate the two. What Chance doesn't know is that Patrice's family wasn't alone in the deception. With Patrice being threatened by an unknown assailant, she once again goes to Chance for help and decides, after a year apart, she wants him back in her life despite what her parents feel.

Review provided by Dawn R. Reeves of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

It remains a dismal commentary for those who struggled, and lost their very lives to create racial harmony within the social, political and economic system of American aristocracy; that years after countless civil rights marches, civil rights movements, protest and legislation - the monstrous and insidious head of racism is still very much a daily part of American life, and is deeply woven into the fabric of the United States of America. The utterly deplorable fact remains; that the best solution that America has come up with for the ills of racism thus far; are integrated schools, restaurants and bathrooms; while leaving the poisonous philosophy of racism completely intact within American society. This equates to no solution at all.

In this deeply personal, yet profoundly universal collection, poet John D. Evans captures the life story of a young adult in urban America who was born in obscurity, overcame insecurity, and has lessons and stories to share. With titles like “I Remember When,” “The Murder of Madam Roach,” and “Reality Check,” these thoughtful poems illuminate the “P’s” and “D’s” of life—Portraits, Power, Party, Dreams, Decisions, and Drama. Brave and unashamed, this ponder-worthy poetic journey will enlighten readers of all ages.

Cunning Proposals is a romance/detective story involving a plan initiated by the Governor encouraging community leaders to submit proposals in the hopes of utilizing appropriated funds earmarked for Chicago. As the story unfolds, certain community leaders and individuals develop creative ways to misuse these funds. One of the main characters is a real estate tycoon who has ties to the Mafia. He opens an illegal casino and convinces his innocent employee to manage it, and she becomes caught up in this underground world. The casino operates for over a year and a half before the authorities discover unusual occurrences in its vicinity. The female attorney from the State Attorney's Office is a career-oriented woman and tries hard not to fall in love with the special investigator also assigned to the case. The characters' lives intertwine, resulting in an entertaining story that involves crime, love, drama, and murder.

Valencia Hill, is a wedding planner who has never been married. When one of her clients invites her to a party, she is introduced to handsome, professional baseball player Michael Gomez. Valencia can't deny her attraction to Michael, but emotional scars from a previous relationship and mistrust of dating a professional athlete leads Valencia to believe that she will never get her chance to walk down the aisle to happiness.

In this collection of poetry by architectural designer Antwian Crawford, he uses poetry as his medium because it has no boundaries around his creativity. He has been writing for over 18 years and has been writing poetry for the last 11 years. He likes to think of his work as a mixture of rhyming techniques and philosophical thoughts. Mr. Crawford is the webmaster and editor of his own award-winning poetry website, The Underground Poets Society (The Un.P.S.).

After a nasty breakup, from successful businessman Derrick Rawlings; Dr. Shari Thomas has moved on with her life. She now has a thriving medical practice, a renowned Cardiologist love interest Kevin Mason, and a son that means the world to her. A chance meeting at a fund-raising event years later brings these two ex-lovers together again, and secrets that have been buried begin to unveil. In The Name of Love, is where love, passion, and finally understanding merge to become the novel to read this year.

Soulgasm, the book of poetry, is a journal. Moreover, it is an adventure that crosses the emotional pathways of its readers. Embark upon the odyssey of the human heart.

Journey from the dark shores of "Eclipse Of The Soul," through ports of call known as "Soul Sojourn," and "Soulmate Chronicles" unto a place called "Soulgasm." Ready for an adventure? See for yourself if Soulgasm will not leave an indelible mark upon your imagination and mind as you travel through life.

An uplifting book of poetry that examines the highest peak of spiritual fulfillment and the depth of the human mind

Queenisha Renae Sutton is always ready, willing and able to walk away from any man who either can't or won't appreciate her, because after all, she is all woman. Then she meets tall and handsome Zeke Washington at a charity fundraiser, and buys him lock, stock and barrel. For one night. Determined to get her money's worth, she approaches their first date with one goal: to make Zeke her man, no matter what the cost. With the help of her best friend, Poetta, who puts a "voodoo hex" on Zeke to help lure him in, Queenisha gets more than she bargained for. Before long she finds herself changing to please a man. And if love wasn't complicated enough, she discovers an even sweeter love where she least expects it.

Middle Mania and Muse is autobiographical as Ms. Pike Bailey takes us along on her life’s journey. From early childhood to the present day, she expounds on subjects that has touched, enlightened, inspired and irked her. Family secrets are revealed through thought provoking prose, while restoration and healing sing out acappella lyrics. The book provides a fresh perspective of feelings, fun and formulations. This is the written word at its best, a virtual potpourri of learning and loving that you will never forget.