6 Books Published by Duho Books on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

In 1964, the stunningly beautiful Petra arrives in the tiny settlement of West End, Grand Bahama. Almost immediately, she embarks on a fevered romance with Julius Johnson, unwittingly setting into motion a series of events that will come to touch every member of their family. On the day of her grand high society wedding, Petra discovers that Julius is involved with Annie, the daughter of the local woman known for her devastatingly effective spells and incantations. By marrying Julius, Petra triggers a malignant hatred in the depths of Annie’s malevolent soul. Over the years, Annie uses all the powers of obeah—the dark arts—to avenge perceived slights supposedly inflicted on her by Petra and her daughters. Petra and her girls—Monica, Diane, Sheryl, Debbie and Barbara—are doomed to experience misfortune after misfortune as Annie exacts her revenge. Candice and Tiffany, Annie’s daughters with Julius, suffer, too, from the stigma of their parentage. Throughout their childhoods and well into their adult lives, all of the Johnson daughters are tormented by Annie, whom everyone calls the Witch…until the inevitable denouement, which irreparably shatters all of their lives forever.

In the wake of Karma’s discovery of her gifts and the traumatic events that led to the loss of and reconnection with family members, Karma goes on a journey to discover the truth behind her mysterious powers and, more importantly, behind the man who sought to destroy her and everything she loves. This voyage pulls her further from her life of normalcy and portends intense joys and sorrows, leading her, once again, to question whether she will use her gifts for the good of all…or for a more sinister purpose…

A failed engagement and a partnership in a new e-learning firm have led thirty-six-year-old Chaney Braxton from New York to Washington, D.C. Orphaned as a child, and now betrayed by her fiancé, Chaney’s through dealing with things that die, leave—or wilt. In fact, she’s got a new mantra: No plants, no pets, no penises. When Chaney meets half black, half Korean veterinarian Devin Rhym, she can’t help being impressed with his knowledge and his soothing demeanor—not to mention his exotic good looks. At the same time, Chaney doesn’t see herself taking on a twenty-eight-year-old “tadpole.” She reminds herself that there are other, more age-appropriate fish in the sea. Or so she thinks… As Chaney and Devin embark on a relationship, other areas of their lives start to unravel. From family drama, career trouble, and some heart wrenching losses—to an unplanned surprise neither had bargained for—the unlikely lovers are forced to find solutions while finding each other. In the process, they may just find themselves.

1989. Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. An Italian mob murders a black teenager named Yusuf Hawkins. That same night, across the Hudson River in New Jersey, Lisa and Marc meet at a party. Lisa’s black. Marc’s Italian. They eventually hook up. But interpersonal conflict, racist family and friends, and previous relationships loom. Their lives also play out in the charged political context of New York City’s mayoral race, which pits David Dinkins, African-American Democrat, against Rudolph Giuliani, law-and-order Republican. Back to Life is a heady mix of taboo relationships, racial politics, and social commentary that begs the question: Can love really conquer all?

The terrifying aftermath of an encounter with a school yard bully shocks young Karma into awareness. She’s not like other girls. Realizing that she is the amalgamation of her family’s supernatural gifts, Karma must now do battle with forces seen and unseen. She must struggle with the strength of her abilities, the emotions that frequently drive them out of control, and the dilemma of using her powers for good or for her own selfish purposes. A thrilling voyage of self-discovery takes Karma across the years, from the rural forests of New Orleans to an outside world that is actively hostile to her and her kind as she seeks to solve the mysteries of the lives, loves, and circumstances that merged to result in her very existence…

Outrunning the demons that dog her in Miami, Troy escapes south to the Bahamas, the land of her birth. In paradise, she finds work as a Spanish tutor to Evie, a rebellious teenager whose life uncannily parallels her own. However, it is Simon, Evie’s uncle, who makes his mark on Troy. For seven years, Simon has kept his promise to Deanna, his dead twin sister, protecting her daughter Evie, despite her painful and vicious rejection of him. Desperate, he hires Troy, expecting that she would be just another tutor that Evie runs off with undue speed. Until fate intervenes… Troy and Simon have a lot in common—painful loss, a cautious nature, and a shared heritage that has inextricably linked the Bahamas and communist Cuba across the decades. Eventually proximity, circumstance, and love for Evie soften Troy’s jagged edges and melt the permafrost around Simon’s heart. Simon offers Troy a ready-made family and shelter from the storms of life. But demons don’t give up so easily. When Troy’s past comes back to haunt her in the present, she must decide whether to take the path of least resistance that leads in the opposite direction… or whether to head toward the lights of home.