T.C. Littles – författare

Jakia thinks her young-girl love and innocence can turn set-up thug Spencer “Spade” Johnson into the man of her dreams. But the fairytale she lives in her mind is soon knocked straight once he introduces her to the power of his fist. He abuses her, disrespects her, and manipulates her into believing she''s not worth anything more than the hell he''s created for her within their home.Spade and his comrade-cousin, Rocko, use Jakia in a dangerous mission, and now one man is dead and the Detroit police are searching for clues. How will her love change now that she has a tainted and ice-cold heart? Jakia goes on a rollercoaster ride of emotions in this dramatic tale of undeserved love and loyalty that sends a strong message: no woman should love a man more than she loves herself.

Urban Books'' popular Around the Way Girls series is back, bringing readers more dramatic tales about the lives of some tough, resourceful women who can hold their own when things get rough on the streets.Growing up poor and biracial, Shannon never quite fit in. Not truly accepted by either side of her family, the confused teenager turns to the one thing that loves her back unconditionally—the streets. With a bottle of liquor at her side and a worthless mentality in tow, Shannon allows the local strip club and the pole to become her new family. When one of her best customers turns out to be her long lost brother, all hell breaks loose.For Brionna "Breezy" Lee, life has been hell for as long as she can remember. Being mentally, verbally, sexually, and physically abused at the hands of her mother, it seems as if she will never get a break. The only thing keeping her sane is her best friend King, who''s always been by her side; but even he is starting to become frustrated, as she says she''s fed up with the abuse, but continually makes excuses for why she won''t seek help. Will Breezy''s loyalty to a mother who couldn''t care less about her cause even more tragedy, or will she listen to her friend and get out before it''s too late? Cori and Nique are tired of living bottom barrel in Detroit, with shut-off notices and eviction threats a constant reality. Seeing no other way out, the duo sets a plan into motion, becoming the go-to girls from the hood. From robbing an off-duty cop to running stolen gas cards, smash and grabs, or stealing bundles of expensive weave, they definitely don''t play about their grind. In their world, sometimes being "Down 4 Whatever" is your only option!

Urban Books’ popular Girls From da Hood series is back, bringing readers more dramatic tales about the lives of some tough, resourceful women who can hold their own when things get rough on the streets. This time, family bonds are put to the test.Jakki and School Boy are more than first cousins; they’re best friends and partners in crime with a reputation for getting theirs by any means necessary. The pair are ultimately forced to defend not only their family name but their loyalty to each other. With both wanting to stand at the head of the table, Jakki and School Boy feud, proving that there’s definitely no honor amongst thieves—family or not. Sanaa, a well-known gambling house owner, is at the top of her game, but after she decides to inject phony currency into her business, all hell breaks loose. Guns are drawn and opposing forces take sides. Luckily for Sanaa, her father and her brothers are well versed in the operations of the underworld. With millions of dollars still to be claimed, all the wolves come out, and the hunting season begins. Will the love of that mean green shatter families and friends, or will the players prove that money can''t buy everything? With a gritty and promiscuous reputation, Star is indeed her mother’s child. When she meets Rello, a low-level hustler selling dreams of a better life, Star jumps at the opportunity to lock him down. However, when the connect’s package comes up short, Star’s lies start to unravel, and the true intentions of this wannabe wifey-to-a-kingpin are revealed.  

Being raised in the game by conniving, money-hungry, married-to-the-streets parents, the only thing seventeen-year-old Porsha Jackson was sheltered from was fairytales. Calvin, her father, is one of the most feared and respected drug dealers in the city, and Trinity, her mother, has a reputation for a firm hand and on-point aim. From hustling and grinding to balancing a few hours of school a week to keep social services off the family’s back, Porsha has been groomed from an early age to hold her own and help run the family’s business.  Now that she’s a few months away from turning eighteen, she’s anxious to be grown and have freedom from Cal and Trin’s control. All she wants is to have a lavish apartment and cuddle up with her secret boo, Elvin “Street” Thomas, who also happens to be one of her father’s most trusted street hustlers. By the time shorty finds out she’s too grown and in way over her head, the snake has already slithered his way into her heart, and the Jackson family will be hit with the worst luck ever.

Shorty grew up in a family of dealers and now that she thinks she’s grown she wants in on the game…but at what cost? Being raised in the game by conniving, money-hungry, married-to-the-streets parents, the only thing seventeen-year-old Porsha Jackson was sheltered from was fairy tales. Calvin, her father, is one of the most feared and respected drug dealers in the city, and Trinity, her mother, has a reputation for a firm hand and on-point aim. From hustling and grinding to balancing a few hours of school a week to keep social services off the family’s back, Porsha has been groomed from an early age to hold her own and help run the family’s business.   Now that she’s a few months away from turning eighteen, she’s anxious to be grown and have freedom from Cal and Trin’s control. All she wants is to have a lavish apartment and cuddle up with her secret boo, Elvin “Street” Thomas, who also happens to be one of her father’s most trusted street hustlers. By the time she finds out she’s too grown and in way over her head, the snake has already slithered his way into her heart, and the Jackson family will be hit with the worst luck ever.

Best friends since the sandbox, Yoshi, Bird, and Shayla are all fighting demons from their childhood while navigating young adulthood.     Abandoned by her mother as a child, Shayla grew up with a hole in her heart that was full of doubt, depression, and pain. With a drug-addicted father and a brother who can only hustle backward, she specializes in living rough and settling for struggle. All she has are her best friends, Bird and Yoshi, to link with, but they are both caught up in generational curses. Bird's dark past makes her careless, reckless, and ruthless, but also bitter and lost. She’s looking for love in all the wrong places. Yoshi, loyal to everyone but herself, is busy chasing a fantasy while being cheated out of her dreams.     The clique stays close until the summer before graduation, when a mysterious man with ill motives moves into the neighborhood. Bonds are broken, all bets are off, secrets will shatter their worlds as these ladies realize the love they've been searching for is the same love that's going to wreak havoc on their young hearts.

Intrigued by danger, attracted to the thrill, and feenin’ for life in the fast lane, Morgan gives up everything she’s ever known to go on the ride of her life with Javon. Drugs, love, heartbreak, and scandal—will they break the good girl turned bad? Or will Morgan and Javon stand the test of time? Raised in one of the few well-to-do areas left in metro Detroit, Morgan is a spoiled daughter with the most lavish life her parents can afford. They place her on a pedestal. Dreaming that their daughter will become a top-tier businesswoman working in the newly revised Downtown Detroit district, they are shocked when she runs off with Javon “Always Making Paper” Bates, one of the most dangerous thugs in the city.

Join Essence®-bestselling authors Ms. Michel Moore and T.C. Littles, along with Novelist Blacc Topp, as they each give you heart-racing, gritty tales of what being On a Mission on the block ultimately means. WHEN STAYING ON TOP IS THE ONLY OPTION! Life ain’t never been fair in the treacherous street game. When you play it, you can’t forget there never was and never will be any true honor amongst thieves. It’s do or die. To make major moves and hustle out in the streets, you have zero choices if you want to win. The blueprint is simple: RISE, GRIND, SHINE, and, of course, stay the hell out the way! Between the struggle of avoiding the opposition, law enforcement, and sometimes your own people turning on you, life gets real, and the consequences are even realer.

Every relationship has its ups and downs. Zaria Taylor weathers the storms, accepting the bad times as temporary whenever Renard cheats. Deep down inside, Zaria prays the years invested into their relationship will be enough to keep their foundation sturdy. “Do or die” and “Till death do us part” are her mottos, though her wedding ring finger is still bare. She makes the mistake of believing him every time he says he will do better, he is sorry, and his heart only belongs to her.  When his lies are exposed and it is revealed that Renard has been dragging Zaria’s name through the mud while taking caring of another woman’s child on the side, all bets are off and payback is on. Angry and bitter, Zaria makes it her mission to show her two-timing baby daddy exactly how it feels to get played. Between sleeping with his best friend, stirring up drama with his line-up of women, and trying to ruin his street business, Zaria is fueled by a shattered heart, and she won''t stop until revenge is hers.