African American Authors: URBAN FICTION

"Amina "Mimi" Washington was born in poverty and raised on the south side of New Orleans to parents who where not capable of raising a child. From a very young age, she has had to fend for herself. Young Mimi wants more out of life, and she wants a way out of the ghetto. Fate intervenes on her behalf when she meets on of the biggest dope boys in New Orleans. When she falls in love with the mysterious stranger, everything in her life changes for the better and her future seems brighter. She will soon learn, however, that being a hustler's girl comes with serious consequences. Mimi decides to move to Atlanta, where she has it all: a beautiful family, fast cars, the finest clothes, and everything that she's ever dreamed about. How can a woman who has so much going for herself be so unhappy? With a man who's constantly cheating and her past rapidly catching up to her, she must figure out a way to get all those secrets out in the open-- without taking a loss. Take a ride on this roller coaster with Amina Washington and uncover the Secrets of a kept chick."--Page [4] of cover

Torn between steamy, passionate nights between the sheets and the truths she doesn't want to face, Margo Harris unravels mysteries from her past as she forms ties with a dangerous group of people. Determined to rebuild the fragments of her previous life, she clings to the sexy and magnetic Salvatore Mazzillo for comfort he can't truly provide, finding herself deeper and deeper in a world she can't escape. A breathtakingly sensual and suspenseful ride that will have you questioning what real love means and have you wondering if those around you are who they say they are.

The Cartel series is back and more deadly than ever. Las Vegas. A city built on obscene wealth and corrupt deals, cunning entrepreneurs, and the ruthless mob. The Cartel's plan to open a casino will rake in cash, but comes with great sacrifice. The stakes have never been this high, and rules of the game have never been this hard to manipulate. And when one dead girl, one scorned wife, and one hole in the desert launch a chain of catastrophic events, The Cartel is sent on a downward spiral as they battle the Arabian mob and fight traitors within their circle. Will the Cartel prevail or fall victim to the city's black cloud? And if there's one rule in the town of Vegas, it's that when the dust settles, there can only be one winner"-- Provided by publisher

When Carter Diamon, the leader of The Cartel, which controls eighty percent of the cocaine industry, dies, his illegitimate son, Carter Jones, takes his place and starts sleeping with the enemy--Miamor, the leader of The Murder Mamas, who wants to take down The Cartel

Sequel to Luxe.
Addicted to crack cocaine and heading toward self-destruction, Bleu must decide if she will let her best friend save her, or if she will she stick with the kingpin she's fallen in love with.

Two children from Sierra Leone, Liberty and A'shai, are brought together by chance only to be forced apart by fate."--Cover

**ALSO AVAIL AS EBOOK!
By day, the Duncans are an upstanding family who run a thriving car dealership in Queens. By night, they live a dangerous secret life. L.C. Duncan, patriarch of the family, is at the age when he's starting to think about retirement in sunny Florida. But the recession is taking a bite out of the business and, worrying more, he has to decide which of his children should take over. When his workaholic son Orlando gets the nod, Orlando's siblings--including the favorite son Vegas, conniving daughter London, glamorous party girl Paris and flamboyant nightclub owner Rio--are up in arms. But so are the Zunigas, a rival family whose fragile business alliance with the Duncans may explode at any moment. When Vegas suddenly breaks away from the family, London's lawyer husband, Harris, makes a play for the company and all hell breaks loose. Selling cars, it turns out, is only a small part of the Duncans' family business. Each member of the family has a secret expertise to reveal. And now, under siege from the Mafia, Mexican drug cartels and the Zunigas, the Duncans will have to stick together--or die separately

In the final installment of the bitch series, Precious Cummings only has one agenda and that is to destroy her most conniving enemy yet, Maya. There is no doubt in Precious' mind that she can shut it down. The only problem is locating her nemesis, who has disappeared with her husband, Supreme and daughter, Aaliyah. As Precious fights to not only win the battles but the war, she is determined to be the last bitch standing--Page [4] of cover

The shocking nightmare story of a black heroin addict. Trapped in the festering sore of a major American ghetto, a young man and his girlfriend - both handsome, talented, and full of promise - are inexorably pulled into the living death of the hardcore junkie.

Kindrah has secretly been in love with her best friend, Amari, for a long time, even though both of them are involved with other people. Until now, she has kept her feelings a secret, but when she finds out that Amari is going to be a father with a person she has never liked, Kindrah is no longer willing to love him from the sidelines. She wants him, and she is willing to do whatever to have him. All hell breaks loose when Amari's girlfriend, Tanisha, finds out that her suspicions about Kindrah are correct. New York is known as the Big Apple, but is it big enough for both Kindrah and Tanisha once war is declared? Will Amari decide to be with either, or will a new woman in his life steal his attention? Get ready for a tale of lies, deceit, and murder that takes place among the women who have some kind of sick infatuation with Amari. It turns into a deadly game of fatal attraction mixed with obsessive behavior at its best. Sit back and enjoy this ride, and find out who will be the last woman standing as they fight to become the only one in Amari's life. Dorothy Brown-Newton entertains readers with twists and turns that you will never see coming!"--

Dante Blackwell must transition from a legitimate businessman back to the street hood he used to be when he finds out about an attempted hit on family member Natalie's father

A group of friends deal with drama, the aftermath of a murder, and their own dark secrets

"Identity thief Lauren Kelly thought she was safe. The millions she stole from her double-crossing accomplice and ex-lover Matt Connors bought a quiet upscale life for her, her unsuspecting new husband Drake, and their precious baby. But betrayal was just the beginning. When both Drake and the baby go missing, it's courtesy of a vengeful Matt. Lauren has less than twenty-four hours to give him back the money. She's prepared for any payback--but nothing can keep this exchange from going all-the-way wrong"--Amazon.com.

Kira's quiet life in the islands is interrupted when she's called back to Virginia to attend her cousin Nikki's funeral. Reluctantly, she plans a short, incognito trip to do just that but her plans are derailed when news of her arrival spreads. Now there's a bounty on her head, and several snakes are ready to cash in. Behind enemy lines in her own hometown, Kira is faced with yet another battle to stay alive as she finds out once again that she's living on borrowed time

Coming from a well-to-do family, Yarni knows life with her new love--Richmond, Virginia's notorious drug kingpin Des--will be quite a change, but the innocent girl can't imagine what is in store for her when Des is sentenced to life in prison

When Tressa finally has enough of Lucky, her wealthy, possessive, and deranged baby daddy, she finds herself relying on her street smarts to cope with her new life as a poor single mother.

Growing up in the free-wheeling 1980s, Tracy Ellison is a smart, sassy, and sexy teenager who uses her good looks to get any boy she wants. Loving and leaving one man after another, Tracy recklessly satisfies her sexual appetites for several years. But as she approaches womanhood, she learns tough lessons that force her to take a closer look at her carefree lifestyle

Introduction: "Street lit[erature] in America past and present" / Keenan Norris -- Street literature in America past and present. "What is African-American literature?"/ Gerald Early -- Gang wars: the academy vs. the streets / Kemeshia Randle -- Early street lit: 1950s-1970s. Whose mean streets?: Donald Goines, Iceberg Slim, and the black noir aesthetic / Bonnie Rhee Andreyeyev -- (Re)writing the "bad nigger" hero in Robert Beck's Pimp / Dennis L. Winston -- Philadelphia negroes, pseudo-sociology, South Street and the life narrative of Malcolm X / interview with David Bradley -- Contemporary street lit: 1990s and 2000s. Saratoga Avenue / Arisa White -- History, power and graffiti art of Brazilian hip-hop / Jaqueline Lima Santos and Ana Lúcia Silva Souza -- Ggun(n) / Arisa White -- Comparing the available female roles and the social contexts of Sula and The coldest winter ever / Keenan Norris -- In their own words: street lit, code-meshing, and linguistic diversity / Nikia Chaney -- Crucial churches / Tristan Acker -- Art of storytellin : hip hop music and its cousin, street lit / Khalid White -- Street literature: a contextualization, historiography and personal narrative / Gerald Early -- Enigmas / Sterling Warner -- Colson Whitehead's Zone one: post-apocalyptic zombies take over Manhattan in the age of nostalgia, despair, and consumption / Kimberly Fain -- Method, madness and marketing of street lit / Latoya Peterson -- Point west of Mount San Bernardino / Juan Delgado -- Stories we might as well tell / interview with Lynel Gardner

After a black drug dealer goes to jail in Brooklyn, his ruthless 17-year-old daughter takes over his empire. A look at the mores and manners of the black underclass, this one with money. First novel by a hip-hop artist, author of No Disrespect.

Zoe Reynard's perfect life--marriage to her childhood sweetheart, a thriving business, and three wonderful children--begins to unravel as she begins to lose control, fails to get her husband to open up to her sexually, and embarks on three extramarital affairs

Mama Black Widow tells the story of Otis Tilson, a comely and tragic homosexual queen adrift with his brothers and sisters in the dark, labyrinthine world of pimping, tricking, violence, and petty crime. Written in the jagged, vivid, and always authentic language of the homosexual underworld and the black ghetto, Mama Black Widow is a tour of a predatory urban hell. This is Iceberg Slim's profound and disturbing masterpiece, a howl of despair from the tortured margins of urban America.

Niya is just coming to terms with being a lesbian when she falls for her straight neighbor Jamilla, but when Jamilla starts to succumb to the sexual tension between them, the two embark on the road to self-discovery together.

Rejected by a bitter father with high political ambitions and manipulated by a hungry wolf in sheep's clothing, Butterfly's greatest desire is to fly away. Her spineless mother adds to the anguish when she leaves Butterfly to fend for herself on the cold, unforgiving streets. Like any desperate hustler, Butterfly gets on her grind and masters a few quick money-making schemes. For a brief period she enjoys the glitter and romance until her biggest lie creates a hostile frenemy who shows no mercy. Soon, Butterfly's troubled life tumbles violently out of control. By chance she runs into Atwater, the perfect man with the perfect plan to stabilize her otherwise twisted world. With the lure of power and wealth beyond her imagination, Atwater entices Butterfly to undertake a part in his shiesty scams. Her acceptance will usher in what's sure to be a tumultuous storm that neither of them can escape. Will Butterfly consent to temptation or fly away to free herself from Atwater's devilish arms?--Publisher

"Bestselling author Samona de la Cruz has found herself on the wrong side of love. Even though she knows that loving Elliot Louis-Jacques is wrong, she has no desire to be right. There's just one problem: Elliot is in a long-term relationship with Demitri Alexander. As an openly bisexual man, Elliot has no problem with having his cake and eating it too. When he tells Mona and Demitri that he wants both of them at the same time, all hell breaks loose. And then, just when you think you have it all figured out, Elliot's ex steps in the picture and throws a monkey wrench that Mona never saw coming."

Rejected by a bitter, homophobic father with high political ambitions, and a spineless unsupportive mother, Butterfly's greatest desire is to fly away. Born a male turned transgender, Butterfly is left to fend for herself on the cold, unforgiving streets. Using a few get-rich-quick money schemes, Butterfly finally begins to enjoy the glitter and romance of life. That is, until her biggest lie creates a hostile frenemy who shows no mercy on getting revenge.

Soon, Butterfly's troubled life tumbles violently out of control. By chance she runs into Atwater, the perfect man with the perfect plan to stabilize her otherwise twisted world. And with the lure of power and wealth beyond her imagination, Atwater entices Butterfly to undertake a role in his sheisty scams. Her acceptance will usher in what's sure to be a tumultuous storm that neither of them can escape. Will Butterfly consent to temptation or fly away to free herself from Atwater's devilish arms?

Denise, the sexy star basketball player, has recovered from the injuries she suffered during the incident with crazy stalker girl Rhonda. She is off to New York to follow her basketball dreams, with her true love Lena not far behind, only to hit a bump in the road. Lena is off to New York to get hers. Life with a female basketball star can bring its own set of complications, especially if you haven't been able to make up your mind. Cooley is finally far away from Memphis and all its heartache. There is nothing to remind her of her past, except for the huge scar across her face.

Dakota Morgan is successful and drop-dead gorgeous. Her man, Brandon, is the kind to marry, but he doesn't know about her alter-ego and the other man in her life.

Bestselling author Samona de la Cruz has found herself on the wrong side of love. Even though she knows that loving Elliot Louis-Jacques is wrong, she has no desire to be right. There's just one problem: Elliot is in a long-term relationship with Demitri Alexander. As an openly bisexual man, Elliot has no problem with having his cake and eating it too. When he tells Mona and Demitri that he wants both of them at the same time, all hell breaks loose. And then, just when you think you have it all figured out, Elliot's ex steps in the picture and throws a monkey wrench that Mona never saw comin

Empire meets Scandal meets Romeo and Juliet with an edgy twist in Boss, a new standalone novel from bestselling author Tracy Brown. Crystal Scott has the world at her fingertips. At the height of her career at a wildly popular magazine and on the rise in an enviable social circle, she's beginning to think that maybe she can have it all. But her entire life, body, and soul is threatened when Troy Mitchell, the man who stole her heart and shattered her world a decade ago, returns. Crystal has never felt the insatiable passion she felt for Troy since ... and she's never forgotten the harsh sting at betrayal when he left her and her family devastated in his wake. Troy has never gotten over his love for Crystal, and he will stop at nothing for a second chance to possess her heart. Crystal can't help but fall for the handsome, powerful, enigmatic man she used to love all over again. But the families of both lovers will not stand for their love, and a raging inferno of bitterness and revenge threatens to consume them both as tensions ignite. With deadly twists and turns, Crystal and Troy must choose each other and give in to love, or they will not escape the ties that bind them"-- Provided by publisher.

Drugs turn out to be a way of life for Rich, a powerful, sexy Drug Lord hailing from Washington, D.C. His desire for fast money and the extravagant things that it brings puts his family in harms way. Soon, his ego forces him to leave his castle and empire to expand business on the West Coast. His decision to leave his love ones behind at the mercy of his enemies turns out to be catastrophic. One by one, each of Rich's children spiral out of control. Pregnancy, rape, and abduction all hit the family structure one day after another. With Rich putting his focus on money, sex, and insignificant things in life his wife Lisa, throws some new drama into the relationship as well; a side-piece and divorce papers. This creates an even bigger wedge between Rich and Lisa. The hate that Rich and Lisa develop for each other causes the divorce to get down- right dirty. Can their love out way their hate to save their family or is it too late?

Meet Tyquasia "Ty" Roberts born and raised in Miami, Florida. She lived in the Pork N Beans projects, one of the roughest neighborhoods in Miami. Contrary to what you may believe, Ty wasn't your typical around the way girl. She was a good girl turned mistress when she finds out a sickening secret about her boyfriend of 3 years, Benzino, after he gets locked up. Benz is one of the top bosses in the drug game down south. The secret that comes to light that he's hid for so many years, could ruin his team's respect for him. The revelations lead Ty to move and begin a new life in Atlanta, Georgia. There she meets the hottest party promoter/host known in the South, Nasir Cruz.

The owner of a multimillion-dollar multimedia firm, Madison Tyler enjoys her no-strings attached relationship with Granville Washington, but when she tries to break things off, he refuses to let her go and will do whatever it takes to make her see that he is the perfect man for her.

Newly released from prison and having a hard time finding a job, Amp Anthony, with the help of club owner Madam Foxx, becomes one of the hottest male exotic dancers at Club Eden where he has a hard time keeping things strictly business when he meets the club's sexy female DJ.

Addicted to crack cocaine and heading toward self-destruction, Bleu must decide if she will let her best friend save her, or if she will she stick with the kingpin she's fallen in love with.

In My Married Boyfriend, gorgeous Nicole is about to get everything she's hustled for. She's having her rich, married lover Rashad's baby. And a lucky break has made her a media heroine - and the perfect new wife material. With one more deception here, a couple more little seductions there, she'll finally push Rashad's wife, Kiara, completely out of his life. With her formidable competition gone, Nicole will lock down Rashad's ever-wandering interest, and be the next Mrs. Eason for sure. But there are some temptations even this sexy schemer finds tough to pass up.

In a society obsessed with fame and image, celebrity chef Cori Brown and her former NFL star husband Maverick are another power couple. When the media darling, Cori, finds herself embroiled in a sex scandal, she fears her loyal fans and tabloids will viciously turn on her. Even her pro football player husband isn't safe, and Maverick may be dragged through the mud along with her.

Written by women from all over the world, here is a new level of lesbian erotica, compiled by Zane, that promises the most exciting and steamy reading experience possible. These stories move beyond race, age, and all walks of life, including long-hidden passions, secret rendezvous with strangers, and May-December romances.

With Zane's ever-growing popularity, and the need for increasingly quality erotica, Purple Panties will satisfy a long-standing demand for African-American lesbian literature.

"Some men can't take no for an answer"--cover.

Victoria, a biracial girl, is sent to live in one of Detroit's toughest neighborhoods with her black grandmother after the death of her wealthy white father, where she catches the eye of a gang leader and goes on to rule the streets with him.

Angel has started her own law practice and a new life with Kaylin, a drug dealer who's stepped out of the game to run a recycling business and hot new record label. When an unwanted guest crashes their wedding, all the rage and bloodlust from the hood comes bustin' out-- and Angel's gonna need every prayer in heaven to make it to the altar alive.

Four vampires explore their inhibitions as Rain tries to thwart a plan to overthrow him, Azura pairs up with Claude, Legend travels to the Caribbean to meet a vampire that haunts his dreams, and Ulysses is blinded by ambition.

"Mega bestselling author Zane returns to the world of her hugely popular novels Addicted and Nervous in this dark and exhilarating follow-up featuring a beautiful but emotionally damaged pop star desperate and determined to enact revenge on those who have caused her to hide behind her fame. After fleeing from Atlanta years ago following a traumatic event, Caprice Tatum decides it's time to return to her roots--only this time, she's coming back as Wicket, the international pop sensation who's the very definition of fame and fortune. And while she may be the perfect diva onstage, offstage she's desperate to finally lay her past to rest. Her plan? Revenge. The deeper she worms her way into Atlanta's most elite circles, the more Caprice unravels, putting herself and the few people she trusts at risk, including Jonovan, her childhood crush whose compassion and allure is almost too hot to handle. When her father suggests she see a therapist, Dr. Marcella Spencer, Caprice finally begins to pick up her pieces and find an inner-strength. But can Caprice truly overcome her past? Or will it drag her even further into darkness?"

Follows the relationship drama between JaNair Livingston, her current boyfriend, Jerome, and her sexy neighbor Semaj, as the three deal with cheating, backstabbing, and lies.

Full-figured diva Desa Rae Jenkins and her lover boy, Roc Dawson, have finally agreed to make their way down the aisle for better or worse, richer or poorer, and no mess whatsoever shall keep them apart. Several weeks before the long-awaited wedding, however, Desa Rae is confronted by a woman from the past who makes her aware of Roc's naughty nights in a place known as Hell House.

Burned by love in the past, Jemistry Daniels has decided to have strictly physical relationships, until Dr. Tevin Harris, who has his own relationship scars, asks her out after a poetry slam.

Three Urban Books authors join forces to entertain readers with erotic tales of forbidden lesbian love.