She has since published many more books in multiple genres and for readers of all ages, but poetry remains at the heart of her work. Many-Storied House is her fifth collection. While teaching aspiring writers, Lyon asked her students to write a poem based on memories rooted in a house where they had lived. Working on the assignment herself, Lyon began a personal

    Major Jackson, through both formal and free verse poems, renders visible the spirit of resilience, courage, and creativity he witnessed among his family, neighbors, and friends while growing up in Philadelphia. His poems hauntingly reflect urban decay and violence, yet at the same time they rejoice in the sustaining power of music and the potency of community. Jackson also honors artists who have served as models of resistance and maintained their own faith in the belief of the imagination to alter lives. The title poem, a dramatic monologue in the voice of the American jazz composer and bandleader Sun Ra, details such a humane program and serves as an admirable tribute to the tradition of African American art. Throughout, Jackson unflinchingly portrays our most devastated landscapes, yet with a vividness and compassion that expose the depth of his imaginative powers.

    Now, in a back-to-back publishing event, Parks returns with her next novel of love and friendship and the betrayals of both-some forgiven, some never forgotten. It's been five years since they trusted one another-and betrayed one another - only as friends and lovers could. Beautiful Mia, getting a second chance at love. Christian, who gave up his player card for the one woman he's not sure he can trust. And Brice, as irresistibly bad as ever. One woman can tame him - if he'd give her the chance: Kree, innocent but underestimated, and looking for the kind of passion that can change a life. When she finds it, it's going to come with a price. Sometimes, it doesn't take a lot to tear apart friends like these. All it takes is love.

    It's all the things we all hold onto, all the things we let anchor onto us, and all the things that leave us vacant.

    Deliberate. Menace. Executioner. Those were just a few words to describe the DeLano Trevino. For the majority of his life, he had been deemed the quiet one. Light on his toes, but swift with his trigger finger; no target was ever left untouched. No enemy ever left breathing. That was until he made the mistake of letting his best friend’s killer roam freely. Six years have gone by since he left the grimy streets of California. After the brutal killing of his best friend, Lano uprooted to the Midwest. Over the years, his rank in the streets solidified him as one of the most ruthless men to grace Kansas City. To most, especially the women, his entire persona yelled dangerous, but not to all. Attracted to what she knew wasn’t good for her, Anika was smitten with Lano from day one. His hood charm turned her own in ways no other man had ever done. Their friendship blossomed into a full-blown relationship with ease and was rocky at first, but there was no turning back now. She was invested, respected as his woman, and held as much weight in the streets as he did. That was until Samia, Lano’s ex and his best friend’s sister, pops back into their life. When a trip to his hometown ends with bullets flying leaving Lano shot, all bets are off. The notion of making peace with his past was terminated immediately. With a thirst so strong for revenge, treachery overshadowed any rational thoughts Lano has when it comes to protecting the ones he loves. If it was a war his enemies were seeking, they had better come prepared with guns blazing. DeLano wasn’t laying down for a soul. He was snatching the lives of whoever during his deadly ambush and sending them straight to their maker.

    Unsure of where to go or what to do, she decided to stay and figure it out with her love. Wren is the one for her and the only person who makes it all so confusing but make perfect sense at the same time. For Brasi and Lu to have been in love for years, it feels as if they’re struggling to stay there. With both of them thinking it would be easier to maintain a relationship, not only their love is put to the test, but so is their sanity. How much fight can one person have in them? Both of them have fought through one thing after the other, and are in desperate need of some relief. Anger, lies, love, jealousy, and a host of other emotions are now tossed into the mix. Will what they share remain strong enough to pull them through, or will they throw in the towel and move on to something easier and a lot less aching to their heart?

     Hennessey and Keice are facing a very tough time in their relationship due to all the drama his ex-girlfriend, Camille has caused. With Camille getting killed in the middle of revealing a disturbing secret, will Keice be able to deal with Hennessey again? Or, will she just let it go and move on? With Jessica going through a tough phase in her life, will she try her best to get the kids and show everyone that she can be a wonderful guardian? Or, will she focus more on getting her life back on the right track instead? Desmond is simply trying to let go of the street life and focus on him, his son and his relationship with Jessica. However, temptation may just lead him back to his old ways. Will these couples stand the test of time? Or, will they find it easier to go their separate ways and leave the drama of their past behind them? Find out in A Hood Nigga Fetish 2. A Must Read!

    With her best friend, Hiro, and her boyfriend, Yohan, both along for the ride, will she be able to keep her focus, or will blurred relationships cause her to be in over her head? Hiro Smith’s main focus has always been basketball and his best friend. However, when the dynamics with him and Akela begin to change, he’s left questioning their friendship. When he crosses paths with the alluring Zuri, he’s forced to figure out feelings he had no idea existed. Hades, fresh out of prison, and Loyalty are adjusting as new parents. The two think they have it all figured out until his street life, her career goals, and parenthood become hard to balance. Will they be able to keep their heads above water, or will the stress of it all cause them to make illogical decisions? Every relationship isn’t meant to last, and sometimes friendships are just that; a bond that shouldn’t be taken further. Find out in this standalone if love can be misguiding or if it leads them exactly where they need to be.

     But hold everything! The Mothers’ Board has been quiet for too long, and they refuse to lay down after seeing their beloved pastor vanish. What follows is a rollicking adventure with the mothers sticking their noses in plenty of people’s business and causing a fuss wherever they go—whether it’s breaking and entering a house to search for clues … or investigating the seemingly psycho church secretary. Along the way, the mothers show a heap of God’s love to some hurting folks—and put the smack-down on the devil every chance they get. It’s their church, after all, and mothers know best!

    These books, among them Notes of a Native Son, The Fire Next Time, Giovanni’s Room, and Go Tell It on the Mountain, brought him well-deserved acclaim as a public intellectual and admiration as a writer. However, Baldwin’s earliest writing was in poetic form, and Baldwin considered himself a poet throughout his lifetime. Nonetheless, his single book of poetry, Jimmy’s Blues, never achieved the popularity of his novels and nonfiction, and is the one and only book to fall out of print. This new collection presents James Baldwin the poet, including all nineteen poems from Jimmy’s Blues, as well as all the poems from a limited-edition volume called Gypsy, of which only 325 copies were ever printed and which was in production at the time of his death. Known for his relentless honesty and startlingly prophetic insights on issues of race, gender, class, and poverty, Baldwin is just as enlightening and bold in his poetry as in his famous novels and essays. The poems range from the extended dramatic narratives of “Staggerlee wonders” and “Gypsy” to the lyrical beauty of “Some days,” which has been set to music and interpreted by such acclaimed artists as Audra McDonald. Nikky Finney’s introductory essay reveals the importance, relevance, and rich rewards of these little-known works. Baldwin’s many devotees will find much to celebrate in these pages.

    Because let’s face it! We hoomans are obviously stupid and trust me unicorns are never wrong. Did you know? The horn of the unicorn symbolizes ultimate truth and it has the power to pierce the chest of anyone who tries to lie. Damn!‘Uuuuuuuunicornnnnnnnnnnnnn,’ I yawned, waking up, after being thrown back to our crap-shit called Earth.‘So fellow hoomans, let’s begin.’About the book:This book is a sarcastic and humorous take on various themes like love, life, humanity, healing, and heartbreak - expressed through 51 beautiful chapters of relatable quotes, musings and poems. It basically deals with what we humans go through on a day-to-day basis. Moreover, every chapter is accompanied by a unique and perfectly orchestrated author's rant or opinion focused on one single person; You.

    Think about the reaction you would get. That’s how it all started for Diva Woods, but instead of candy it was drugs, guns, and men. She didn’t live the average life of a 16 year old. She had things that ordinary people didn’t have. She experienced things that ordinary people didn’t experience. She owes that to her father Jamel ‘Capo’ Woods, he is the King of Harlem which makes her the Princess. Diva took her title very seriously along with all the fame, fortune, trials, and tribulations. It was all a part of her rise to the top. But like that old saying goes, what goes up must come down. Take a ride through Harlem with Diva and experience the lies, infidelity, and deceit she occur in The Rise of Harlem’s Princess.

    . ." I know y'all, know the tune. Sometimes love doesn't quite work like that. What happens when the attraction is so real, love hasn't occurred but you know what you want? Free and Kadeem are the perfect examples of this. It was the typical boy meets girl. Girl plays it tough but boy is attracted to it. Now they're in love after some month's, claiming nothing can come between them. When their pasts come back, will they still be claiming this or will this puppy love die just as fast as it began?"He who finds a wife, finds a good thing." Cliche, cliche, cliche...In a world full of bad things, King has found that "good thing" in Reign. She's beautiful and possesses both book and street sense, being the daughter of a deceased King pin, there's not much she's afraid of. That all changed the day she met King. He wants a relationship with her but she can't get past the drama that he brings along. That's not stopping King from pursuing her. Will she eventually cave in and let him love her, drama and all? Or will she miss out on her shot of love?Follow these four in this "Crazy Hood Love Story" oh and it does get CRAZY!

    Lock and Trip are fed up and ready to put an end to it all. At this point, the two have decided that it’s all or nothing, and in order to have their happily ever after, everyone will be dealt with. Key and Breden have no choice but to trust that the men who stole their hearts will do whatever necessary to survive. The Streets are deadly, but when it’s a choice between having it all or bowing down, Lock and Trip refuse to fail.

    Teresa is out for blood and won’t stop until she has Jazz's head on a platter, but Jazz has other plans… Jazz catches Teresa when it's least expected and some shocking secrets are revealed. Will the past destroy Baby and Treasure’s fairytale marriage or will the couple be able to stand the test of time? Find out in the last chapter of Wife of A Legend