Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, is tormented by the thought that maybe his aunt is lying to him about how his mother died. To find the truth he has to overcome his fears: the local bully, the large dark shapes that he imagines in the middle of the dock at night, and the thought that maybe his brother is right, he's just a warped kid who thinks too much. Will he find the courage to stand and fight? Q&A with Lawton Paul Q: What sparked this novel? A: Two things. One: I wanted my kids to know where I came from. The very southern setting—North Florida on the St. Johns river, is where I grew up. And I wanted to give them a feel for that time and place. Watching the sunrise on a stinky crab boat in the St. Johns—what could be better? And the second thing: When I'm not writing, I'm teaching kids. I see a lot of young people who have such promise but for some reason or another, give up right before they're about to make headway. I see my own kids struggling at certain points in their lives. And one thought keeps coming back: don't give up. So I wanted Jesse (main character in Seagull) to really have some heavy issues to navigate through: the death of his mother, Johnny the bully, and of course, the girl, Hailey. You'll have to read the book (savvy marketing ploy alert!) to find out how it all turned out for Jesse. Q: Why should readers give this novel a try? A: If I've done my job well, you'll enjoy the ride and maybe even get that little happy-glow feeling at the end like you just watched Rocky again, or someone said your hair looks nice, or you got an “A” on a pre-calc test. (Another genius bit of marketing there.) Q: What kind of book is Seagull? A: It's a coming of age southern novel with a young main character that should appeal to fiction readers of all ages. Younger readers will sympathize with our teen heroes Jesse and Matty and adult readers will be taken back to earlier days. My style has a literary feel, but the story is plot-driven and suspenseful, especially at the end. And even has a hint of romance. Thanks for giving Seagull a try. Please let me know what you thought of it. —Lawton Paul

    Jade and Shy's boyfriends, Roscoe and James, are partners in a lucrative drug business, but one night they get caught up in a shoot-out that goes horribly wrong. Shy's man, Roscoe, ends up in prison while James walks away clean, and things begin to fall apart between the girls. Jealousy, greed, revenge, and betrayal test the true bonds of friendship. Get ready, because these girls are about to take "nasty" to a whole new level.

    The Patsy. The Heist Vegas never saw coming.... At only twenty-five, Honey has a long list of exes in her life; an ex-con father, an ex-husband, and an ex-career as an ATF agent. Playing the cards life has dealt her, she's now working as a blackjack dealer in one of the most profitable casinos in alluring Las Vegas. Soon, her life's training is put to good use as Honey develops a master plan to get that dirty money!The city is taken by surprise when an armored truck is high-jacked in broad daylight on a sweltering hot Wednesday. Normally prepared for anything and everything, the Las Vegas police are baffled by this blatant crime, and pressure from the public and casino owners drive them to desperation.Honey and her crew of loyal followers pull off one of the most rewarding and masterful heists in Las Vegas history, but not everyone will get to enjoy the loot. Someone has to take the fall.

    She is out living the life she always dreamed with her childhood boyfriend, Woo. Woo is a hustler on the come up who wants the hood rich life. Fancy cars, shopping sprees, and multiple women; Woo wants it all. Asayi has a small circle of friends, friends whom been down since the sandbox but one of them is harboring a secret. A secret that will break the circle of friends and put stress on the relationship between Woo and Asayi. Trayon Prince, is back in Maryland to claim his spot on the streets. The spot that was destined for him to have. Trayon the son of a notorious kingpin and the prince of the biggest drug organization in the U.S. Trayon has an agenda of his own and that is flooding his new product on the streets of, Maryland. When Trayon meets Asayi, they immediately bump heads but with Woo out of the picture, can the two of them build something together or will their hate for one another grow? Trayon’s father made an agreement with another crime family. The agreement is that Trayon will marry the daughter of the other crime family so that she can become a legal immigrant in order to move their product into the U.S. The only problem is, Trayon has fell in love with someone else. This is action-packed, novel of young adult love that turns into something so dangerous that it will cause a war between two crime families. Love is being tested, friendships are falling apart and secrets are revealed. Will Asayi and Trayon have their happily ever after, after all, the damages is done? Or we will they fall apart and become enemies? Get ready to find out in this gritty, street tale of raw urban life.

    She don’t care how she get that paper as long as she eats well and rides plush. She is a heavy hitter that don’t take no shit. She been sitting doing a five year bid now that she’s out Bonnie is ready to take the hood over once again. Clyde is fine a laid back hustler that owns most of the hood. Its only one person stand in the way of him being the king of it all. A nigga name Lynch. Clyde is determined to have it all because whatever he wants he gets. Nothing will stand in his way or so he thinks. When Bonnie & Clyde bum heads will it be love at first sight or battle of the King & Queen it only one way you will find out….is by reading the book.

    At the tender age of eight, her mother sold her to men in order to supply her drug habit. After her mother overdosed, Brandy was sent to live with the father she never knew, who promised to give her the world, only to rape her and put her out on the track.While working one night, she meets a gentleman who changes her life and makes her believe that someone finally has her best interest at heart. Soon after falling in love with her savior, she finds out that he’s not the man she thought he was. Fed up with being lied to and used, Brandy vows to never again let another person get close enough to hurt her. Revenge leading to a stacked bank account isn’t enough—she wants more.Coming up with scheme after scheme, Brandy steps on quite a few toes. While doing that, she begins to make enemies along the way; some chalking up their losses, while others want payback in blood. Take this journey filled with drama, sex and lies with Brandy, and see if being Heartless brings her a life of wealth or death.

    When Wise is locked up and sentenced to fifteen years, he tells Emery to go on with her life if it’s meant to be they would get back together. Now years later Emery is happy with a career and family of her own, when Wise is released earlier than expected he sets off to do what he said he was going to do, find Emery. Emery’s heart belongs to Wise but it also belongs to her husband. Now she is forced with the hard decision to choose between the man who was there with her from the start through everything and the man who picked her up when she didn’t have anything or anybody. Who will Emery choose? Filled with sex, betrayal and drama

    She was the leader of the Syndicate, a criminal enterprise that had a stronghold on the underworld. Much to her children's chagrin, it was up to one of them to step up and take the lead. Javon, her oldest and most trusted son, took on that mantle. It was a role he had never wanted, but with threats to his family coming from every direction, he had no choice.One year later, Javon has taken the Syndicate to the next level. Javon seems untouchable, and the Syndicate can't be stopped, but as it grows, it draws attention. This time, it's from the Commission, the ruling body of the world's most dangerous mafias."You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" comes into play as the Old Italian needs Javon's help. The Commission has been threatened, and they call on the Syndicate for reinforcements. The Syndicate aims to help its allies, but the past comes knocking at the McPhearsons' door. With everything coming full circle, Javon will find that not everyone can be trusted, and ghosts from the past always have a way of coming back to haunt you.

    Except now he cannot escape the war that follows every step of the way as he and Henry—his comrade in arms—seek rest and recuperation in the mountains.Instead of wine and women, they find Germans and a secret plot to destroy France’s hub of munitions production. Cut off and outnumbered, they recruit a motley army comprising a women’s auxiliary and an old farmer with a big rifle and bad attitude.There’ll be no rest for these soldiers, not until Michel and Henry go to war.

    But her memory is ten months behind, and her life went from fabulous to scandalous in the time she forgot. She has no clue that "high class" prostitution was her way of making ends meet. Meanwhile, Sarai's new but forgotten love, Tremel "Mel" Colton, vows to stay by her side. Though she can't remember him, he patiently waits to remind her of the long, steamy nights she spent in his arms. He romances her all over again, but just as lust and love start to blossom, shocking secrets from Sarai's past are revealed and suddenly Mel is unsure of their future together. Also, because she doesn't remember them, some of Sarai's enemies mask themselves as her friends, and Sarai has no idea how much trouble she has gotten herself into. But one thing is certain -- she will never forget her enemies again. In this seductive sequel to her sizzling debut novel, Going Broke, Trista Russell turns down the sheets and turns up the heat in a story about one woman learning that money comes and goes, but good friends, love, and sex are hard to forget.

    Their love life is everything she ever wanted it to be. The Buchanans were sure they had seen the last of Rey Lucas. But everything isn't always what it seems. When Rey steps back onto the scene, he's determined to make sure that Asaya and James' marital bliss doesn't last long. If Part One of Retribution left you shocked, you will be stunned at the ups and downs that Asaya, James and Rey encounter all in the name of love.

    Unfortunately, The Holy Spirit isn't the only spirit alive in between the walls. The Blanks are the first family of First Assembly. Pastor Edwin Blanks II (Junior) is the head pastor. Along with his brothers, sisters and Mama Eloise, First Assembly is run like a well-oiled machine. That is until a new family enters the picture. The Harlot family. Three identical triplets; Jezebel, Delilah, Tamar and the matriarch Lilith make themselves at home at First Assembly. Temptation seems to be lurking around every corner, and the members of the congregation seem to forget that what's done in the dark will soon come to the light. Be prepared to be shocked. Church Whore...

    What’s the man to do? Leave the bathroom and say nothing on the matter? Or, take matters into his own hands?THE MEANTIME STORIES is a funny short read series that draws inspiration from Terry Pratchett, Monty Python, and Douglas Adams, all combined with a twist of Nordic Noir (human folly, abrupt and plentiful deaths, snappy dialogue, quirky deep thoughts, and absurd outcomes). It’s glittering darkness, and clouded light.Each story is a stand-alone, ready to be enjoyed when you yearn for 30 minutes of wacky, brainy, and laugh-out-loud entertainment. Longing for surprises, unexpected twists, and silliness with an edge? Look no further, because in the Meantime, anything can happen!

    After serving a 3 year bid, Marquez swore to himself that he would never step foot in another prison. Determined to turn his life around, Marquez occupies his days working at a local car shop. Despite the low pay and endless hours, Marquez does not let that deter him. His world is then shaken up the moment he meets Breanna, a cute, around the way girl, whose main focus in life is attaining her degree and escaping the gritty projects of Brownsville, Brooklyn, for good. Both from troubled pasts, they find themselves drawn to each other in ways they would’ve never fathomed. Breanna becomes the light to Marquez’s life as she opens his heart to something foreign to him. Love. Marquez then begins to realize the possibilities of obtaining a better life outside of the hood. It is until he is faced with an unexpected tragedy that shatters his world for the worst. His dark past now becomes a reality as the grim streets claw at every ounce of his sanity. Now, Marquez must decide whether to continue on the right path he vowed to take or succumb to the dangerous lifestyle he has always known. The streets.

    Just to give her cheating husband a dose of how it feels. She sought a one night stand; but instead, stumbled upon a serendipitous situation. Nothing should have come from it, but it changed the dynamics of her marriage. A bed unmade… Niecey had always piqued his senses; just as much then as she does now. Although she is considered off limits, it doesn’t stop Asad from seizing the opportunity once it presents itself. He could care less about boundaries. But as bad as he wants her, he knows he could never have her. Two things prevent him from wanting more of her: One, he is about to go away to prison for a few years; and two, he knows she doesn’t want anything more. He understands that he was only something she needed for that night. Those few years have passed; and through familiar circumstances, they have to face one another again. Asad is a young arrogant tatted up diabolical thug known for his churlish disposition. His mouth is reckless, his attitude sucks, and empathetic he is not. Niecey is an entrepreneur, beautiful, and well-off. She’s flawed, but has learned to love herself anyway. They’re not a likely pair, but those factors don’t matter much when they touch. The connection and unquestionable sexual chemistry between them turns their reunion into an ongoing carnal affair. However, things take a turn in a direction Niecey wasn’t intending. The bed has been made… Neither can contend the interdependence that exists between them. Succumbing to its power, they can no longer deny love’s right to live. But how deep will Niecey let their situation get before she can no longer keep the truth away, and from hurting everyone she cherishes, including Asad? Now they must lie in the bed they’ve made…