Historias de Innercity

The Thuggish Ruggish Bone- book four of Shut Up & Listen Series: Lonnie, the eldest of his siblings, seems lost to everyone around him. But he's never been more sure of himself and what he needs. On the other hand there's Dame- he seems the most put together but his world on the inside is full of turmoil. While so completely opposite they seem, these brothers, Dame and Lonnie, will soon find that at the core, down at the bone, they couldn't be more similar. no.1 in #innercity no.2 in #innerchild no.2 in #bougie

In the heart of New Orleans, inside a smoke-filled bar where regrets linger longer than the liquor, Tavon sits with nothing but memories and a past that refuses to let him go. Once a king of the streets, now just a ghost of everything he lost, he recognizes something dangerous in two young men chasing the same throne he once held. Chi and Halo think they're different. They think they're ready. Tavon knows better. Because the game doesn't change. It just waits. "Used To Be" is a raw look at cycles, consequences, and the brutal truth about a life that only ends one way.

Kendra Smithens spent her entire life believing that the technologically advanced city, New York, was the only way of living. And that the only way to make it better is to be upgraded from the rusty Outer City to the exclusive Inner City. But is it? Can she escape the heavily guarded New York using the help of a strange boy? Will she trust him enough to use his help? And will she finally find a place where she won't have to listen to the cogs?

Rachel has worked in inner city crime for as long as she could remember. Whether she was a part of it or stopping it, it didn't matter to her. She always had control. Rachel finds herself suddenly diving headfirst into something she can't control and before she knows it, she discovers that everything runs deeper than she thought. As Rachel fights this monster, she finds truth within herself and a strength she didn't know she had. But she's not entirely certain she'll make it out of this fight alive.

A collection of excerpts, poems, proverbs, quotations that I have read and had become a part of my inner city. Credits to the rightful owners.

A surprise excursion finds a high school athlete in a festive gay bar.

Poetry for the Homeless No judgement, just how it looked from one person's perspective.

On My Block: Monse and Cesar Cesar was born and raised into the Santos nothing was gonna change that. He was prepared for it his whole life and honestly kind of excited when it was his time to join. Monse lived in Inglewood her whole life but her dad said he "needed a change of scenery", they moved to Freeridge right across the street from what could only be described as the worst house in the neighborhood. She sees a boy about her age lives there but she can tell he isn't a good guy. Something about Monse calls his attention and he wants to find out what it is.

It's a different world when you get off of the freeway and onto the surface streets. Take a trip into the teeth of the city.

Mechanic is a coming-of-age novel set in early 2000s Oakland, following sixteen-year-old JayJohnson as he returns home from juvenile detention and tries to rebuild his life under the reluctant mentorship of Reggie, his late father's old friend and the owner of a neighborhood auto shop. With one foot still tangled in the streets-friends chasing fast money and reputations-and the other stepping toward GED classes, honest work, and an emerging connection with Maya, an aspiring artist, Jay finds himself at a crossroads. As his world tests whether he can change, Mechanic explores the quiet resilience it takes to break cycles, build trust, and become the kind of man you weren't supposed to be.

Taylor is just a regular girl trying to survive the harsh environment of inner city New York. With no money, no job, and no family, she resorts to the only thing she seems to be good at: stealing. Things look pretty grim, until one day, Taylor steals from someone much more important that she intended to, and her life gets turned around forever.

Kevin Griffin is a lonely errand boy working for a powerful drug lord in a lethal underworld. He suffers severely from depression and anger as a biracial teenager with an incarcerated black father and an alcoholic white mother. With a cold-blooded mind, Kevin carries a switchblade knife as he collects debts from gamblers and drug buyers all over Massachusetts by boarding the Commuter Rail to complete his assignments.

In Stonebrook, survival is the only rule. Fifteen-year-old Ezra Thomas knows how to stay invisible-at home, at school, in the streets. But when a classmate is violently attacked and Ezra sees something no one else does-a shadow curling from the bully's mouth, whispering lies that feel alive-he's forced to face a truth he's not ready for: The war isn't just in the streets. It's in the spirit. Drawn into a hidden battle between darkness and light, Ezra begins to uncover secrets buried in scripture, echoes of ancient truths, and a calling that could break him-or save everyone he loves. With a frayed Bible verse in his pocket and fear gripping his chest, Ezra must decide: will he keep running from what he sees... or will he stand and fight? Even if the first battle is in his own soul.

Author's Note: This story is a blend of fiction and non-fiction. Some chapters are inspired by real letters written to me by my nephew in September and August of 2009, while others come from my own experiences and imagination. Together, these true and imagined moments create a portrait of survival, family, and street life. UnSaid Story Of Chico is an authentic urban drama based on the real life of my nephew, Robert V. Carstarphen aka Chico, a street fashion icon from Camden, NJ. Tall, handsome, and magnetic, blessed with perfect looks, and always impeccably dressed in the freshest streetwear. His style and confidence made him stand out wherever he went. The ladies are crazy over him. He made each one feel special. Chico's friends often tried to be him, imitating his unique swag and style. They admired his confidence and the way he carried himself, but no one could truly match the original Downtown's Finest. Their attempts to copy him only fueled their jealousy even more. Their envy grew quietly, turning admiration into resentment this is more than just a story. It's a tribute to Chico's resilience, charisma, and the harsh realities of the streets that shaped and, in the end, took him.

In this one shot, Cara, the brilliant university undergraduate, battles poverty, discrimination and the inner city demons of violence and senseless killing while guarding her dream of a better life for herself and her family.

In the summer of 1999, six 14-year-old boys from different neighborhoods across Providence, Rhode Island, forge a bond that will define their youth-and test their souls. United by friendship and football, they dream of one thing: winning a high school championship together. Five of the boys-Daniel "Damit," Larry, Lunky, Poles, and Benny-attend Hope High School on the East Side, just blocks from the Ivy-covered walls of Brown University. The sixth, Jermaine, goes to Central High on the South Side but remains deeply tied to the group through shared summers, streetball battles, and weekend scrimmages. What begins as an innocent dream quickly becomes a brotherhood. Their high school years rush by in a blur of football games, late-night parties, hallway laughs, and first loves. By the summer before senior year, the six are inseparable-more family than friends. They've survived the chaos of adolescence, and the championship still feels within reach. But on the night of July 4th, 2002, their world collapses. Gathered in the Washington Park neighborhood to celebrate the holiday, they joke, reminisce, and dream like boys do. That night, Benjamin-"Benny," the heart of the group-is shot five times. Once in the face. Four times in the torso. He dies instantly. The city mourns another young life lost to senseless violence. But for his five brothers, mourning isn't enough. Their childhood is over. Their innocence buried with Benny. As grief tightens its grip, an unbearable truth surfaces: Benny's killer is the older brother of Marcus, a mutual friend from high school. Marcus had grown up alongside Larry and Jermaine. His brother, however, is a feared kingpin in Washington Park-a man of stature in the streets, with blood on his hands and protection on every corner. The bond that once revolved around football is now anchored in loss. Rage simmers. Forgiveness seems impossible.

Writing is the only weapon Copper is willing to use. She prays she is never antagonized into anything more. Although her Dad inherited the barely affordable distressed property, she will always think of it as her grandfather's house. It is in this house, this inner-city community where she proudly, despite the distractions, write her first three books. Inspired by actual events, this is a revamped Behind the Scenes Nine-Year Journey of a published author! Episode One. Now A Limited Series. (WIP)

> He was all smoke and danger - the boy they called Fire. She was quiet storms and locked journals - the girl they barely noticed, until she didn't blink. Nobody saw it coming. Not the notes taped to her door. Not the way their names started to rhyme. Not the love story that felt too risky to speak out loud. In a city that doesn't care who gets burned, Rain touched Fire - and everything changed. A story about scars, survival, and a love so unexpected... it might just save them both.

In one fateful night two men's paths will collide. Christopher Davis is a hardworking man who works twelve hour shifts at a produce shipping company, he also is a young man with a beautiful fiancé and even more beautiful 4 month old daughter. Kamar Drew is a notorious criminal who's arrest record started when he was at the tender age of 14. He's recently released after serving a five year sentence for drug possession, after receiving his second strike Kamar has vowed to never return to prison no matter what he has to do. These two men will have to rely on each other to survive or at least see their families one more time

She would do anything for him. He would do anything to keep her. Now, they realise just how different those feelings are, and who they benefit.