Don Shaze – författare

​Malik "e;Black"e; Savage grew up on the unyielding concrete of 11th Street in North Philadelphia. Raised in extreme poverty, Black spent his early years navigating the ridicule of his peers—wearing hand-me-down clothes, split-soled shoes, and relying on free school lunches—while fiercely protecting his younger siblings, Hezekiah and Neferriti. But hardship turned to absolute catastrophe in high school when a horrific accident took their mother's life and their father was handed a 20-year prison sentence.​At just sixteen, Black becomes the defacto head of the household. Though an aunt moves in to prevent the children from being swallowed by Child Protective Services, a relentless caseworker continuously searches for any excuse to split the family apart. Refusing to become another teenage corner boy, Black juggles odd jobs across the city to keep the lights on and food on the table. But when an eviction notice lands on their door, survival forces his hand. Black makes a fate-altering call to his cousin Boog, an established, high-stakes hustler from Uptown.​By nineteen, Black has grown into an imposing presence: 6'2"e;, 220 pounds, with midnight-black skin, a crisp beard, and piercing, unwavering green eyes. Balancing his criminal ascension with night classes in business and finance at Community College, Black operates like a phantom. He bans all electronics and phones from his illicit affairs, conducting business strictly through word-of-mouth and a tight-knit network of blood relatives. Along the way, he uses his legal acumen and street capital to manage his cousin Dawud "e;Dill Bundles,"e; a talented artist trying to break into the music industry.​When Black meets Amara—a sharp, stunning 5'4"e; medical student at Temple University originally from Atlanta—she sees right through his smooth exterior to the dangerous world he inhabits. She plays hard to get, but Black's quiet persistence eventually wins her over, sparking a deep, powerful bond. Black keeps her completely shielded from the game, even traveling with her to Georgia to meet her family—where his strategic mind immediately spots new territory to expand.​When a test run in Atlanta goes tragically sideways, leaving Boog dead at the hands of a skittish local dealer, Black is thrust into the driver's seat of a sprawling organization burdened with massive debt, entrenched beefs, and corrupt Philly detectives closing in. Forced to reveal the truth to Amara, Black lays out his ultimate philosophy: "e;They don't want people like us in top positions in any industry because they can't control the dynamic or our thinking... the streets are the foundation, the boardroom is the destination."e;​Cruising the city in a midnight-black BMW X5, clad in tailored designer attire, and moving through the shadows as "e;Black Death,"e; the streets wonder what drives a man who seems to have it all. But Black doesn't care for the women chasing his image or the clout of the corner. His true desire is absolute power, generational stability, and unshakeable success—and he will burn down anyone who stands in his way

RASUL is the unforgettable origin story of the man who would one day become the architect behind the Status empire.Growing up on Erie Avenue in North Philadelphia, Rasul learns early that every decision carries consequences. Raised in an environment where respect must be earned and survival is never guaranteed, he develops a sharp mind, an unbreakable work ethic, and an instinct for reading people that sets him apart from everyone around him.Told in Rasul's own voice, this gripping coming-of-age novel follows his journey from a determined teenager trying to find his place in the world to a young man whose choices begin shaping his future. Along the way, he experiences first love, fatherhood, heartbreak, loyalty, and painful lessons that force him to confront the cost of chasing the life he believes he wants.Guided by a father who teaches him to think beyond the moment, Rasul begins studying leadership, business, psychology, and human behavior. While others focus on surviving each day, he quietly starts building a vision for something greater. But before that vision can become reality, he must face life-changing consequences that challenge everything he believes about success, purpose, and legacy.Inside prison, Rasul refuses to let his circumstances define him. Instead, he transforms adversity into opportunity, using his time to sharpen his mind, develop a long-term plan, and lay the foundation for a future built on discipline, strategy, and vision.Raw, emotional, and thought-provoking, RASUL is more than an urban novel—it's a story about growth, resilience, redemption, and the power of reinventing yourself. It is the first chapter in the journey of a man determined to leave behind more than a reputation—he is determined to build a legacy.If you enjoy authentic urban fiction, compelling character development, and stories about overcoming adversity, RASUL is a powerful beginning to the Status Universe.

Deadly Divaz 3: Slugs & KissesBy Don ShazeSix women. One mission. Zero mercy.After blood is spilled and old scores refuse to stay buried, the Deadly Divaz find themselves at the center of an international war where every move could be their last. Bound by loyalty and sharpened by betrayal, they leave behind the lives they once knew to become the most feared female crew to ever step into the underworld.From tear-filled funerals to private jets, luxury estates, and cartel strongholds in Mexico, every city becomes another battlefield. Their beauty opens doors—but their precision leaves bodies behind. As enemies close in from every direction, the Divaz discover that the greatest threat isn't the bullets flying at them... it's the betrayal hiding beside them.Watching from the shadows, a powerful kingpin orchestrates every move, convinced he can predict their next step. What he doesn't realize is these women don't play by anyone's rules.In a world where kisses can be as deadly as slugs, trust is priceless, revenge is inevitable, and survival belongs only to the ruthless.Deadly Divaz 3: Slugs & Kisses is a fast-paced urban crime thriller packed with explosive action, shocking twists, unforgettable characters, and the kind of loyalty that can only be forged through fire.Some women wear heels. These women wear crowns—and leave shell casings behind.

Prince of StatusBook One of the Status: Young Sovereign SagaBy Don Shaze & Kaseem MillerBefore he became the Young Sovereign... he was simply a son watching a king build an empire.Born into the powerful Baker family, Amir Baker has spent his life learning from one of the greatest strategists he has ever known—his father, Rasul Baker. From the streets of North Philadelphia to the boardrooms of Atlanta, Amir quietly studies every lesson, every victory, and every sacrifice that built the Status empire.Gifted with an extraordinary mind for technology, logistics, and security, Amir begins designing innovative software and intelligence systems that strengthen the family's growing business while balancing the everyday life of a teenager who loves technology, video games, soccer, and spending time with his father.As the years pass, Amir witnesses the triumphs, betrayals, and sacrifices that shape the Status Legacy. Guided by Rasul, Nyazia, Rich, Deniro, Zo, Kels, Humble, Coco, and the Deadly Divaz, he learns that true leadership isn't built through fear—it's earned through wisdom, discipline, loyalty, and sacrifice.Everything changes when a ruthless betrayal leaves Rasul Baker fighting for his life in a coma after an ambush in Mexico.With the empire shaken to its foundation, eighteen-year-old Amir is forced to lead while his father lies unconscious. As powerful rivals, corporate dynasties, and criminal organizations begin watching his every move, they discover something even more dangerous than Rasul Baker...His son.Brilliant. Calculating. Evolving at a pace no one expected.As Amir struggles to hold the Status empire together, the burden of leadership begins changing him. While the world sees the rise of a new sovereign, Egypt becomes the one person who reminds him that even the strongest leaders must never lose their humanity.Prince of Status is an unforgettable coming-of-age story about legacy, family, leadership, love, sacrifice, and the weight of carrying a name the world already fears.This is where the legend of Amir Baker begins.Welcome to the Status: Young Sovereign Saga—where one generation built the empire, and the next must fight to protect it.

Luving My OppBy Don ShazeThey were never supposed to fall in love.She was raised to hate everything he represented. He was taught that trusting someone from her side could get him killed. For years, they stood on opposite sides of the line—competition, pride, betrayal, and old grudges keeping them apart.Then one unexpected encounter changes everything.What begins as heated arguments and relentless competition slowly becomes something neither of them can control. Every confrontation carries more tension. Every look lasts a little too long. And every time they swear they are done with each other, they find another reason to come back.But love is dangerous when your heart belongs to your opponent.As secrets surface and old enemies close in, they are forced to decide what matters more: loyalty to the people who raised them or the person who has somehow become impossible to live without.In a world where love can make you vulnerable, falling for your opp might be the most dangerous game of all.Luving My Opp is a steamy, emotional romance filled with rivalry, desire, betrayal, heated chemistry, and two people discovering that sometimes the person you are supposed to hate is the one person who truly understands you.

In a city where loyalty is currency and power is never shared, Twin Luv follows the explosive collision of two identical brothers living two completely different lives—until one woman pulls them into the same dangerous orbit.Kelo Kane is a disciplined, successful music producer who has built his empire on control, precision, and legitimacy. He moves through the industry with quiet authority, avoiding the chaos of the streets that once shaped his bloodline.Keno Kane is his opposite—ruthless, feared, and deeply embedded in the streets where respect is earned through pressure, violence, and reputation. His name carries weight in corners of the city where law and loyalty rarely coexist.Separated by choice but bound by blood, the twins have lived parallel lives without interference—until Tatiana Monroe enters the equation.Ambitious, beautiful, and emotionally complex, Tatiana unknowingly steps into a relationship with Keno that quickly shifts into something far more complicated than love. When a single night of mistaken identity brings her face-to-face with Kelo, the foundation of all three lives fractures. What begins as confusion becomes emotional entanglement, and what begins as attraction evolves into a dangerous triangle neither brother anticipated.As Tatiana becomes emotionally and physically drawn to both men for different reasons, buried secrets surface, including a shared past, manipulation from outside forces, and a calculated setup designed to destabilize the Kane brothers from within.What neither brother realizes at first is that the situation is not random—it is engineered. A man from Tatiana's past resurfaces with revenge in mind, using her as leverage to dismantle Keno's reputation and force the brothers into self-destruction.When violence enters the equation, the Kane brothers are forced to unite—not just as family, but as a single force moving through a city that begins to collapse under their retaliation. But unity comes at a cost, and the deeper they go into protecting what remains of their world, the harder it becomes to distinguish justice from destruction.As enemies fall, alliances shift, and truth surfaces, Tatiana finds herself at the center of a storm she never truly chose—torn between two men who share the same blood but offer two different versions of love, protection, and danger.In the end, Twin Luv is not just a story about a love triangle—it is a story about identity, brotherhood, and what happens when love becomes indistinguishable from war.This is the beginning of the Keno and Kelo "e;Brothers Keeper"e; saga, where loyalty is tested, blood is bound by consequence, and every choice echoes into something far larger than