African Urban Fiction

Celeste Harper is happily married and living life to its fullest...or that’s what she wants everyone to believe, but her failure to conceive a baby and the critical information she's withholding from her husband may demolish her house of cards. Ginger Brown meets a guy online and invites him to stay in her home. It isn’t long before she finds herself having to ask for permission to go to church. Dirty dishes left in the sink, canned goods not neatly stacked, and missing curfew by just one minute earns Ginger a beat down on a regular basis. How long will the makeup hide the bruises?

In the tradition of cult literary icon Donald Goines, Ice Cream for Freaks is written with a realness that accurately depicts the bleak conditions of the story's urban backdrop. The main character, Nathaniel Wilson, better known in his middle class Queens neighborhood as "Ice", has a reputation of being a brutal and daring stick-up kid. A seemingly well-planned robbery proves deadly to Ice when the victim happens to be "Supreme" - a rising star in a violent New York drug cartel.

Michelle knows being the first lady of Mount Zion Baptist Church is an important and much-coveted position, so she always gives thanks for a dutiful husband and a prosperous life. But she also prays for Darvin to spend more time with her, talking about something other than Mount Zion's affairs. Michelle's faith is further put to the test when the seductive vixen Daphne Carlton arrives on the steps of their church, determined to make Michelle's life a living hell so she can get rid of Michelle and assume her role as the first lady.

It's been a year since the death of Ms. Essie Mae Richardson, the 77-year-old pillar of the Braxton Parks community. Before her untimely demise, Essie's prayers brought redemption to many of her neighborhood's problems, but now the impact of her death and the unfinished business that it left behind is threatening to unravel all that she prayed so hard for God to mend. While Colin Stephens still enjoys a blissful marriage to his wife Angel, unbeknownst to him, she is wrestling with the guilt and regret of never saying goodbye to the woman she loved like a mother.

Sometimes going hard means sacrificing the very thing you love the most in order to be at the top. Gwen knows firsthand about this sacrifice as she struggles to get her son back from a heartless killer bent on revenge. Niya, on the other hand, is sitting at the top of the throne. Still, she will have to determine whether she’s willing to sacrifice her girls’ lives in order to make MHB a dominant force in North Carolina’s drug trade. She’s about to find out that playing with the big boys has its consequences, unless you are really about that life.

Baby Girl McCoy was given her name when her mother couldn’t even be bothered to give her another one in the hospital after she gave birth. Baby Girl was the product of rape, and she spends her life in a quest for a father figure. Never in a million years did she imagine that she’d find it in the man that she does.

How can three women living three totally different lifestyles have so much in common? Alexis is a single mother of two, with an abusive baby daddy her girls keep pressing her to leave. Keaundra is constantly haunted by a troubled past and lives by the motto "trust no man!" India is classy, intelligent, loyal, and used to having her way. Between her rich father and her boyfriend, Martell, she wants for nothing.

To some men, Corrections Officer Sean Daniels would be considered the luckiest guy in the world. He has two gorgeous ladies vying for him. Corrections Officer Yadira Cruz is a feisty, hot tamale with a history of failed relationships. After a bad breakup with her daughter’s father, she sets her sights on Sean. The sex is sizzling, but is he ready to give her the commitment she’s looking for? Brandi Wallace is a single mom whose 19-year-old son, Shamari, is serving time at Rikers Island. On the outside, she's poised, polished, and a knock-out! Inside, she’s hiding a violent past.

Martin Jones' life was marred by violence from when he left the hospital as a newborn. As he grew older, his hatred and mistrust of authority figures only intensified, fueling his rage and inner turmoil. Martin couldn't understand why he harbored so much animosity, but with the help of his wise and nurturing Mama Jones, he was determined to find answers and make a positive impact. But as he navigates through the treacherous and unforgiving world, Martin realizes how brutal and unforgiving it truly is.

Love continues to fail Nia and with the arrival of her daughter she doesn’t have the time or energy to pour into her failing relationship with East. Money is no longer the only thing on her mind; her daughter is. Nia realizes that family is above everything else and so she steps back from the demands of being a boss and running her own company. Torn between pride and his past, East uses the poor excuse of “not being enough” for his beloved Nia as the reason why he’s not around.

Job Wright has had plenty of setbacks in his life, but nothing compared to the event that led up to him having to move his family to Phoenix, Arizona, to 2333 Rong Street. If only he had the power to delete portions of his life. Job battles himself, his wife, and his imprisoned former business partner to find the true meaning of God, believing that new surroundings will make the difference. But will everything Job is running from catch up with him?

Markita “Kita” Jones is a young woman with the world at her fingertips. A high school student with beauty and brains to match, she’s well on her way to Howard University. However, on her 18th birthday, she watches her dreams die during a drive-by shooting that claims the life of her brother. Overnight, Kita transforms from a naïve schoolgirl into a savvy street hustler on a mission to find her brother’s killer. With the help of her best friends, Kenya and Alexis, Kita quickly begins making more money and more enemies than she ever could’ve imagined.

In the final installment, the brothers must deal with issues that have plagued their life and personal relationships for a while now. Their biggest issue though is dealing with their ruthless, irrational, and overbearing father Stony. Will the Quinton crime family fall to pieces, ripping apart the boys' personal relationships as well? Will their father get his way, using forceful physical harm? Or will the Quinton brothers be able to come out on top without their father no longer being with them but against them?

In the final installment, Belly and Blaise return, but with a plate even fuller than before. Belly has found himself incarcerated over the rape of the former champion's wife, and it couldn't be at a worse time. Having to be away from his newborn child leaves Belly seething on the inside of his jail cell, praying for the opportunity to get his hands on whomever is responsible. Not to mention, the handsome boxer still finds himself in trouble with the ladies, even while locked up.

Upon finding out Belly has been unfaithful, Blaise realizes that bringing yet another child into the world with a womanizing manipulator isn't ideal, so she must act accordingly. In the second installment, Belly learns that Blaise is a far cry from the sit-by-the-phone women he's used to. His suave demeanor, charming ways, and calculated words fall on blind eyes and deaf ears when it comes to the heartbroken and now callous Blaise. However the ever so determined Belly is always up for a challenge.

A go-getter by nature, Amoni Cash always makes sure to obtain whatever his heart desires. That includes the women he sets his sights on. One has him by the history they share, and the other has his heart in a chokehold. Not sure which way he should go, Amoni figures he can have it his way and entertain them both. The plot thickens when a team player grows tired of not being the star player. In the blink of an eye, Amoni's ideal life is transformed into ruins when he finds himself losing control.

As usual, death will always bring family back together. And with death, there are almost always secrets. Anika and Ebony find themselves on a journey that takes them from mourning to discovering that it’s “their time” with an ensemble of family and friends: a loving, sweet Geechee grandma, frenemies, and a not-so-endearing family. From Ravenwood’s own King of Rap and his wifey the Mouth of the South to a love that will never die, Bloodstone’s Jinx will have you questioning your own existence.

Set at an HBCU firmly nestled into the culture of New York City, RE-SET delivers many layers of cross-cultural intrigue and a healthy dose of New Orleans’ street vernacular that brings each line to life. This soft-core Urban Lit ‘who done it’ takes the reader on a wild ride that is anything but predictable. The plot is fueled by an ego-drenched rivalry between record label mogul, Mr. Bizness and pithy NOPDs’ Detective Green. Kidnappings, fraud, betrayal, interracial romance, snakes and murder…

Silk Bovan is head over heels for the infamous Kane Styles. In her eyes, they’re soulmates destined to be together forever. That’s until Kane suddenly dishes out a bone that Silk can’t chew. Ramifications which leave Silk in a world of smoke and mirrors. Will her and Kane’s undying love stand the test of time? Or will Kane prove to be the biggest dog of them all?

Cornelius Washington is brimming with ambition and talent before his life is torn apart by a crack addiction. Taking the form of a diary and written in an arresting stream-of-consciousness style, Iced ponders the gritty realities of Cornelius's present and past upheavals that have led him here.