HICKSON

I WILL NEVER FORGET THE TIME WHEN I'D FIRST STARTED TOURING MY POETRY BOOK, GHETTOHEAT® IN SEPTEMBER 2003, AND WOUND UP BUMPING INTO A WELL-KNOWN URBAN AUTHOR ON THE BUS (WHO WAS ALSO TOURING AT THE TIME) WHO WAS DOING VERY WELL IN HIS CAREER, EVEN LANDING A DEAL WITH A MAJOR PUBLISHING HOUSE. I'D ASKED HIM HOW WAS HE DOING IN GENERAL, AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, "THE WHITE MAN IS KEEPING ME HAPPY." I WAS SO UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED BY HIS COMMENT AT THE TIME, ME BEING SO IN LOVE WITH BLACK PEOPLE AND ALWAYS WANTING THE BEST FOR US AS A NATION (I NEVER CO-SIGN ON THE CONCEPT THAT "WHITE IS RIGHT"), THAT I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO CONTINUE MY CONVERSATION WITH HIM FOR THE DURATION OF THE RIDE. YET, IT WOULD BE FIVE MONTHS LATER THAT I'D FULLY UNDERSTOOD HIS COMMENT, AS WELL AS BEFORE I'D BEGUN ADOPTING THE SAME CONCEPT. I'D LANDED A DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH BIBLIO AT THE TIME, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLACING GHETTOHEAT® TITLES IN THE TOP CHAIN STORES, WHO, I HATE TO ADMIT, WELCOMED ME WITH OPEN ARMS, AND TREATED ME BETTER THAN MY OWN.... IT WASN'T THE INDEPENDENT BLACK BOOK STORES THAT WERE FULLY PUSHING MY TITLES, IT WAS THE CHAIN STORES, STORES WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVED IN ME, SO MUCH THAT: THEY (B.DALTON, WALDENBOOKS AND BORDERS) ALLOWED ME TO COME WHENEVER I WANTED TO, AS WELL AS GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHATEVER I NEEDED, TO MAKE SALES AND FURTHER THE GHETTOHEAT® MOVEMENT--WHITE MANAGERS AT THAT. I'D DEVELOPED GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH MANY MANAGERS, THAT I'D SOON BEEN ASKED TO MEET REGIONAL MANAGERS (WHICH ISN'T NORMAL), WHICH MANIFESTED INTO ME HAVING MEETINGS WITH DISTRICT MANAGERS (ABSOLUTELY UNHEARD OF!). THEY UNDERSTOOD ME AS A BUSINESS PERSON, AND I UNDERSTOOD MY GOAL AS CEO OF GHETTOHEAT®: TO WIN! WALDENBOOKS HAD THE LARGEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN SECTION IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA IN MILITARY CIRCLE MALL, HAVING OVER 12 HUGE SHELVES OF URBAN FICTION ALONE, LET ALONE BLACK LITERATURE. BEFORE THE STORE CLOSED, THE SECTION WAS INCREASING--IT WAS MAINTAINED BY A WHITE FEMALE MANAGER, ONE WHO WOULD ORDER 300 BOOKS FOR MY HOLIDAY/SPECIAL EVENT SIGNINGS ALONE, KNOWING THAT AT LEAST 250 WOULD BE CLEARED PERSONALLY BY ME. SHE WOULD EVEN PUT ME UP IN HER HOME AT TIMES, IF I WANTED TO STAY OVER...SHE UNDERSTOOD ME PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. I WOULD AT TIMES HAVE ISSUES WITH BLACK INDEPENDENTS (SOME, NOT ALL) WHERE THEY WOULD BOOK ME FOR SIGNINGS, IN AND OUT OF STATE, AND NOT PROMOTE ME OR THE EVENT: EVEN WHILE I WAS AT THE SIGNING. SOME WOULD ALSO DISRESPECT ME BY PLACING BACKDROPS OF OTHER POPULAR, WELL-KNOWN BLACK AUTHORS BEHIND MY TABLE WHILE I'D SIGNED, INVESTING MORE INTO THESE WRITERS, KNOWING ALSO SAID MENTIONED WOULD NEVER VISIT THE STORE. IN HARLEM ALONE, I'D ASKED A STORE OWNER IN 2003 COULD I SIGN AT THE STORE LOCATION. THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS, "I DON'T CARE FOR YOU STREET WRITERS ONE BIT (ALREADY SUMMING ME UP WITHOUT INVESTIGATING IF I'D DONE MORE THAN ASSUMED), WHEN YOU SIGN 10,000 COPIES OF GHETTOHEAT® LIKE E.LYNN HARRIS DID WITH HIS BOOK, MAYBE I'LL CONSIDER YOU THEN." I REPLIED, "WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, IF I SIGN 10,000 COPIES ON THE STREET, I WON'T NEED TO SIGN IN YOUR STORE. NOW, I'M AVAILABLE ON SO-AND-SO DATE TO SIGN--DOES THIS DATE WORK FOR YOU?" IT WAS THEN WHEN STORE OWNER "UNDERSTOOD" I WASN'T TYPICAL AND BOOKED ME. YET, I WOULD'VE ASSUMED TO BE WELCOMED MORE AS A HARLEMITE--REASON WHY I NEVER ASSUME ANYMORE. I ALSO HAD INCIDENTS (SOME PENDING AND I CAN'T GO INTO FULL DETAIL, DUE TO ME SUING ENTITIES) WHERE I LEFT BOOKS ON CONSIGNMENT WITH INVOICES, AND THE STORES SOLD THEM, YET REFUSED TO SUBMIT PAYMENT, REASON WHY I DON'T DO CONSIGNMENT ANYMORE--NOT EVEN WITH THOSE I'M CLOSE WITH IN THE INDUSTRY. IF BOOKS AREN'T PAID FOR IN ADVANCE (AT WHOLESALE PRICE: 60 PERCENT DISCOUNT GRANTED TO STORES), OR IF I DON'T WALK THEM IN, SELL AT VENUE AND GET PAID AFTER THE EVENT IS OVER (60 PERCENT PROFIT, MY FAVOR), THEN I WON'T SIGN. PERIOD.... I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY MINE, AND DEFINITELY NOT FROM "MY PEOPLE". A SITUATION HAD GOTTEN SO CHAOTIC WITH A STREET VENDOR WHOM I'D GRANTED CREDIT WITH AND HE TRIED TO BEAT ME BY NOT PAYING ME, THAT I ACTUALLY HAD TO TAKE 30 COPIES OF A WELL-KNOWN URBAN PUBLISHER AND AUTHOR'S TITLE OFF HIS TABLE FORCEFULLY, JUST TO RECOUP SALES OF 30 GHETTOHEAT® TITLES, IN WHICH I LATER SOLD AND GOT MY RETURN BACK, BUT LOOK AT HOW I DID.... SO, IT GOES BEYOND WHAT THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY BLACK BOOK STORES ARE CLOSING. SOME STORES AREN'T IN ACCORD WITH WINNING, THE MOTTO IS "TO BEAT OTHERS". ALSO, FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I FIND THAT MANY STORE OWNERS/MANAGERS HAVE BECOME COMPLACENT, NOT PUSHING THE ENVELOPE TO WIN SALES AND A GAIN A HUGE BASE OF CUSTOMERS TO CONSTANTLY SUPPORT THEIR STORE LOCATIONS. THEY DON'T PROMOTE BOOK SIGNINGS, DO BOOK SIGNINGS, MAINTAIN DATABASES TO REACH OUT TO CUSTOMERS, MERCHANDISE BOOKS TO LOOK APPEALING WITHIN STORES, OR PROVIDE FRIENDLY CUSTOMER SERVICE TO OTHERS. THE ENERGY PROJECTED IS WELL UNDERSTOOD, AND POTENTIAL SALES THAT COULD'VE BEEN GRANTED TO STORES WERE GIVEN TO CHAINS OR DISCOUNT OUTLETS LIKE AMAZON.COM. WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO SUPPORT AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT DOESN'T GREET YOU? SOMETHING SO BASIC CAN GO A LONG WAY: "GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME TO 'MY BLACK BOOK STORE', HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY?" SIMPLE. THE EFFORT IS NOT GOING WHERE IT SHOULD AND IT'S KILLING BLACK BOOK STORES. SAD TO SAY THAT "THE WHITE MAN IS KEEPING ME HAPPY" CONCEPT WAS DEFINITELY IN EFFECT: A CHECK IN THE MAIL EVERY 30 DAYS--NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, AND WITHOUT INQUIRING ABOUT IT; PAYMENT IS SYSTEMATIC! YET, I STILL LOVE MY PEOPLE, AND WANT THE BEST FOR US, YET NOTHING WILL IMPROVE UNLESS CHANGE IS MADE. I HAD TO RECENTLY TELL A FAMOUS STORE OWNER WHOSE STORES WENT DEFUNCT DOWN SOUTH TO "LEARN HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY". FORMER OWNER IN RETURN THANKED ME FOR SAYING SO, AND HAS ACTUALLY TAKEN MY ADVICE. ONE THING IS FOR SURE: I'M KNOWN NOT TO "KISS ASS" FOR PRODUCT PLACEMENT, SALES OR EXPOSURE. I SPEAK THE TRUTH, SOMETHING THAT I'M LOVED AND HATED FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY. IT IS WHAT IT IS: THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD! THERE'S MUCH I CAN ADD TO WHAT I'VE ALREADY SAID, BUT I THINK I'VE SAID MORE THAN ENOUGH. BLACK BOOK STORES NEED TO STEP IT UP, OR BE COMPLETELY CLOBBERED BY ONLINE OUTLETS.... PEACE & GHETTOHEAT®!

THANK YOU, WRITERGIRL870. I APPRECIATE YOUR GREAT COMMENT! BUT TROY, I BEG TO DIFFER ABOUT OMAR BEING THE ORIGINAL HOMO-THUG: THAT ALLEGEDLY WAS J. EDGAR HOOVER, IN MY OPINION.

HELLO, CHRYSTALFLANDERS. THANKS FOR COMMENTING. IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT NEW AND SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS, AS WELL AS THOSE PUBLISHED AT INDEPENDENT COMPANIES. THEY'RE CONSIDERED THE UNDERDOGS TO THE WELL-KNOWN WRITERS WHO USUALLY GAIN MORE RECOGNITION THAN SAID MENTIONED. YET, I'M VERY AGGRESSIVE IN MY APPROACH TO ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND PROMOTION, SO I ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO GET NOTICED, TASTEFULLY: HENCE NO PUBLICIST SINCE I STEPPED ON THE SCENE IN 2003. WHEN I'M EDITING (I EDIT ALL TITLES I PUBLISH) OR CREATING URBAN AND/OR STREET-LIT WORKS (THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO), I MAKE SURE TO USE SLANG, AND EBONICS, AS YOU WANT THE CHARACTER'S VOICE AND PERSONA TO BE AUTHENTIC AND TRUE TO NATURE. THE NARRATION WILL BE IN PROPER ENGLISH, BUT IF THE CHARACTER IS HARDCORE, THEN IT SHOULD TRULY REFLECT. EDITING ACTUALLY EXHAUSTS ME, AS I NOT ONLY BECOME EVERY CHARACTER WITHIN THE STORYLINE, I EMERGE SO DEEPLY WITHIN IT THAT I BECOME EVERY ASPECT OF THE TALE, DOWN TO EVERY DETAIL AND DESCRIPTION. IT DRAINS ME, BUT I ALWAYS LOVE THE END RESULT. MOST THINK EDITING IS SOLELY ABOUT CORRECTING THE GRAMMAR, BUT IT'S BEYOND THAT: YOU HAVE TO BUILD THE STORY AND CHARACTERS, WAY BEFORE MAKING GRAMMATICAL CORRECTIONS. THIS IS THE PART I LOVE THE MOST, ENHANCING STORYLINES AND GIVING LIFE TO CHARACTERS, AND MAKING THE VISION OF THE AUTHOR'S WORK, BIGGER AND BETTER. IT'S A GUILTY PLEASURE OF MINE....

IRONSMITH, I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU ABREAST OF THE RELEASE DATE TO THE SEQUEL OF AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU E-MAIL ME AT HICKSON@GHETTOHEAT.COM, WHERE I'LL ADD YOU TO THE LIST TO GET ALL PROMOTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS--EVEN THE ORIGINAL ONES FROM DAY ONE. I'M ON GODSPEED RIGHT NOW, AND WHEN GOD PROMPTS ME WITH THE SIGNAL TO GO FORWARD, I DEFINITELY WILL. TIMING IS EVERYTHING. YET, READ THE OTHER TITLES, YOU WILL ENJOY THEM, ALSO. IRONSMITH, WITH ALL THATS GOING ON IN THE INDUSTRY (RESEARCH THE DRAMA), I'M JUST HAPPY TO STILL BE HERE, EIGHT YEARS STRONG! GOD'S BLESSINGS...AND I'M THANKFUL. TAKE CARE.

THE FOLLOW-UP TO AND GOD CREATED WOMAN BY MIKA MILLER WILL BE EXPLOSIVE: GHETTOHEAT® HOTNESS! STAY TUNED....

#GHETTOHEAT FOLLOW ANPU, AUTHOR OF THICKNESS ON TWITTER: @ANPUDISIAC THICKNESS A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION IN PAPERBACK & EBOOK FORMATS SOON... HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE!

#GHETTOHEAT ANPU: WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN Delicate, yet resilient, the complexities of a woman’s mind and body has conformed mankind since the origin of our very existence. Maybe that’s because, much like any other miraculous form of creation, the acquisition of a woman’s immeasurable mental and anatomical treasures, are granted only to those who are more in accord with the rhythm of their natural vibrations. Often times, seeking to suppress or dominate her vibration causes separation. The union between compatible individuals, in many instances, is as close in proximity as a mortal couple can come to transcending the limitations of their own bodies. The first to nurture us was a woman…. Passed along into the arms of other nurturing women, we learned of life, self and that which is greater than us all. With voices naturally melodic in inflection, we learned the instruction that if expressly followed, would reap most of us success and long life. After mortal combat with the principalities of this world, and with our unfulfilled expectations confirmed, upon whose bosom do I rest my weary head? Whose heart do I trust my deepest secrets? At the fragrantly tempting juncture of her loins alone can satisfy both my insatiable thirst and hunger. No earthly desires do I covet more than a woman’s soft, loving caress. From my reflection in her bright, shining eyes, my chest swells great pride. Through a woman’s silent instruction, I discover the true path to manhood and maturity. Her contour and curvature mirrors the wonders of the fertile and life-sustaining Earth. A woman’s body is a perpetual spring—a nourishing fountain. Like sweet nectar from a ripened fruit, milk and honey flow abundantly from her blossom, in full bloom. If only men would remove the larceny from their hearts: maybe it would be possible to convince her to remove a few protective thorns…. ANPU is author of the upcoming urban romance novel, THICKNESS To contact ANPU, email him: ANPU@GHETTOHEAT.COM Follow ANPU on Twitter: @ANPUDISIAC HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE!

THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS REGARDING MY BOOK, GHETTOHEAT®! I STILL GET GOOSE BUMPS WHENEVER I SEE THIS CLIP WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER, OMAR, THE INFAMOUS HOMO-THUG, READING IT. IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE ASKED BY THE DIRECTOR IF THEY COULD INCORPORATE MY BOOK IN THE SCENE. THE HEAD DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BOTH READ IT: IT'S STILL ALL SURREAL TO ME....

YES, IRONSMITH, I LOVE HOW ALL FOUR WOMEN IN AND GOD CREATED WOMAN ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER, YET CONNECTED. YOU HAVE THE SUCCESSFUL, HIGH-POWER EXECUTIVE WHO'S A MAN EATER, THE SEXY EXOTIC DANCER WHO'S A SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO, THE COOL AROUND-THE-WAY GIRL WHO'S QUESTIONING HER SEXUALITY, AND THE NEUROTIC SCHOOL TEACHER WHO'S LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES. IT'S A GREAT STORY! THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW-UP TO IT PUBLISHED IN DUE TIME. UNTIL THEN, EXPLORE THE OTHER GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS--THERE'S SEVEN TITLES TO DATE. THANKS, AND GOD BLESS....

SAD2SAY, YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE BOOKS FROM GHETTOHEAT®! THERE'S ALWAYS A SOCIAL MESSAGE FOR THE MASSES IN EACH TITLE, SO YOU'RE NOT ONLY ENTERTAINED, YOU'RE EDUCATED ON CERTAIN ISSUES AS WELL. COME ABOARD THE GHETTOHEAT® MOVEMENT, ALSO! TAKE CARE, GOD BLESS.... HTTP://GHETTOHEAT.COM

http://www.amazon.com/Ghettoheat-Hickson/dp/0974298271/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327531548&sr=1-1 http://www.ghettoheat.com/shop.html HTTP://YOUTUBE.COM/GHETTOHEATCOM AN EXCERPT FROM GHETTOHEAT®. GHETTOHEAT®: AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK & EBOOK FORMATS IN 2012, BILINGUAL (ENGLISH/SPANISH). I’MA HOMO, SON by HICKSON Yeah, playa, no doubt: I’m that official nigga wit’ mad clout! Naw, I don’t switch or twitch, kid No pop, dip and spin - mad rugged Play basketball - blast my hip-hop Talk shit wit’ my niggas at the barbershop But make no mistake: I’ma homo, son Not some soft, queen-ass fag Far from a sissy, a punk or some bitch-nigga in drag I’m hardcore—grimy: reppin’! It’s all-good! Show me love, son Give a nigga daps when I’m chillin’ in ya ghettohood Yo, I “catch it” as well as I “throw it” And if I didn’t tell you, kid, you’d never know it Rough: my steez is tight! Big appetite for the fellas though RESPECT MY GANGSTA, AIIIGHT? Just cause I like niggas doesn’t mean I’m tryin’ to get wit’ you, Jigga! I’m that cool-ass brotha—no need to fear Or act nervous and different whenever I’m near “Oh, now you wanna act shady wit’ me? Stop that shit, bee…we’ve been friends since age three!” Sistas, I love y’all, too—don’t hate! NOT MY FUCKIN’ FAULT YA MAN ASKED ME FOR A DATE! It’s mad cats that’s on the low Many dudes are bisexual - just thought you should know… I’m just tryin’ to get through the day - findin’ my way Homo-Thug wit’ a lot to say today Yeah, Ma-Ma, I’m gay! None ya business who I lay I ain’t know that nigga I fucked was ya man, if I may Yo! Don’t play! At times, niggas stray away USE THEM CONDOMS! Or that price you’ll pay one day…okay? “Whah? Nigga, whachu tryin’ to say?” [Cue Homo-Thug - talks extremely fast - loud] “I’M-JUST-TRYIN’-TO-GET-THROUGH-THE-DAY-FINDIN’-MY-WAY- HOMO-THUG-WIT’-A-LOT-TO-SAY-TODAY-YEAH,-MA-MA-I’M-GAY- NONE-YA-BUSINESS-WHO-I-LAY-I-AIN’T-KNOW-THAT-NIGGA-I-FUCKED- WAS-YA-MAN,-IF-I-MAY-YO,-DON’T-PLAY-AT-TIMES,-NIGGAS-STRAY- AWAY-USE-THEM-CONDOMS-OR-THAT-PRICE-YOU’LL-PAY-ONE-DAY [Cue exhale] “…OKAY?” “Uh, uh, oh…okay!” “YEAH, AIIIGHT, MA-MA, HAVE A NICE DAY!” Yo, my man—I know you don’t understand How a nigga like me can get wit’ a dude… But I know what I like Get use to it! I ain’t tryin’ to be rude Shit is real Yo, this is the deal: I’ma homo, son It’s nuthin’ you can do Chill…I’m just doin’ me Livin’ my life openly and free So what’s wit’ all the fuckin’ anger? …Oh…I get it…I see… You’re mad and shooked, too! ‘Cause a nigga like me looks just like… YOU! HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® Publisher of GHETTOHEAT®, CONVICT’S CANDY, HARDER, AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, LONDON REIGN, SONZ OF DARKNESS, TANTRUM, GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS, LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY, DIRRRTY, TATTOOED TEARS, UGLY/BEAUTIFUL: ME, CLUB AVENUE, SKATE ON!, THICKNESS, SOME SEXY, & TOUGH. GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 | GHETTOHEAT.COM GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™

“READ MY LIPS” PROJECT”, by Cyrus A. Webb, 5.10.07 MIKA MILLER: MOVING CONFIDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF HER DREAMS Bestselling author, MIKA MILLER has been a creative individual all of her life. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she has always enjoyed writing poetry, short stories and plays, so it seemed like a natural revolution that she would write a book. In talking with her in our exclusive interview, MIKA MILLER told Conversations that she “never had any doubt” when it came to the success that is now hers. “Even when things do go the way you expect, you can’t dwell on the trouble.” She was working a corporate job that wasn’t fulfilling to her, and found the courage to step out on faith and pursue her passion as a writer. “I wondered what type of legacy I was going to leave for my son,” she said. This gave her the courage to do everything she could to make her career as an author work. “African-American women need to seek the beauty of being a woman,” MIKA MILLER said when discussing her book, AND GOD CREATED WOMAN. “The characters naturally evolved. I didn’t really know their (the characters’) stories. At the end of the day, I wanted to show the different facets of a woman. That was the message I wanted to convey. If life’s circumstances bring you trials, work to overcome them. Don’t give up.” MIKA MILLER went on to tell us that the manuscript for what was AND GOD CREATED WOMAN was already complete when she met HICKSON, the man behind the publishing company, GHETTOHEAT®. She was drawn to his vibe, and felt what he was talking about when it came to promoting literacy. The rest of their relationship is literary history. As someone who is always curious about the give and take of the publishing industry, I asked her about the development of her book, beginning with the cover. “The vision (for the cover) was a 50/50 one. We talked about how the cover would be. Since there are so many books out there, I didn’t want it to be lost on the shelf. It had to stand out, but I wanted all women to feel comfortable about carrying the book. HICKSON is a mastermind at whatever he does.” I asked her what it was like to see and hear the feedback of her debut novel. “When someone praises your work it feels like you are being accepted. This is your life’s work and you want people to like what you write. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.” MIKA MILLER also told Conversations that the lesbian community has been very supportive of her, embracing the story because it shows same-gender-loving women in a more positive light. How did she feel when she first saw her book in a store? “It was very surreal,” she confessed. I guess it’s like an artist hearing their song on the radio for the first time. It was a lifelong dream come true.” She then adds: “I didn’t write this book for the money. I wanted to reach people.” At the end of the day MIKA MILLER hopes that she can encourage others to follow their dreams. “I want them to know that if I can do it, so can they.” And what helped her from the very beginning? “You just can’t give up. Dream big and then move confidently in the direction of your dreams.” AND GOD CREATED WOMAN WRITTEN BY MIKA MILLER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN EDITED BY HICKSON AND GOD CREATED WOMAN A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION EBOOK & PAPERBACK: SOLD & DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVELY AT GHETTOHEAT®! HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE! GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™ #GHETTOHEAT #THEHOTNESSINTHESTREETS #HICKSON #CEOOFGHETTOHEAT #TEAMGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONHOTNESS #PEACEANDGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONBELIKE #GHETTOHEATBOOKS #GHETTOHEATMAGAZINE #GHETTOHEATTV #GHETTOHEATMOVEMENT #INSTAHICKSON #MAMAGHETTOHEAT #HOUSEOFGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATSALUTE #PAZYGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATHOTNESS #IAMGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATPRODUCTION #MOVIMIENTODEGHETTOHEAT #BABYGHETTOHEAT #INSTAGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATWORLDWIDE #SALUDODEGHETTOHEAT #MRGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATGLOBALGROUPHUG #LACASADEGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATEATS #GHETTOHEATCOM

HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® Publisher of GHETTOHEAT®, CONVICT’S CANDY, HARDER, AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, LONDON REIGN, SONZ OF DARKNESS, TANTRUM, GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS, LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY, THICKNESS, DIRRRTY, TATTOOED TEARS, UGLY/BEAUTIFUL: ME, CLUB AVENUE, SKATE ON!, SOME SEXY, & TOUGH. GHETTOHEAT® P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 | GHETTOHEAT.COM GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™

REAL RECOGNIZES REAL! "GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™"

THANKS, TROY: YOU'RE THE BEST! GHETTOHEAT® LOVE TO YOU ALWAYS! GOD BLESS YOU....

STREET LIT GOES LEGIT By Mark Allwood Columbia News Service, 3/17/06 In the world of rap music, street credibility is everything. The same is true in the growing genre of writing known as street fiction. With titles like “Gangsta Lean,” “No More Baby’s Mama Drama” and “Blood Money,” street lit is often written by authors who come from hardscrabble backgrounds, some having served time in jail. And mainstream publishers have started to take notice of what street vendors and readers across the country have known for several years. K’wan Foye published his first novel, “Gangsta,” with Triple Crown Publications, which was founded by Vickie Stringer, who penned her first book, “Let That Be the Reason,” while serving a 7-year sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering. Foye’s last two releases, “Hoodlum” and “Street Dreams,” were published by St. Martin’s Griffin Press. Other street lit publishers include Q Boro Books, GHETTOHEAT® and Urban Books. A sure sign that street lit is going mainstream is that rapper 50 Cent just inked a deal with Pocket/MTV Books to distribute his G-Unit Books, which will specialize in urban fiction. Some authors and readers, though, feel the explosion of street lit has been detrimental to traditional black literature. Violence, sex and drugs are usually at the core of street lit. In “Gangsta,” for instance, two members of the Crips gang move from Los Angeles to New York, one to start his life over as a writer, the other to become a criminal kingpin. “I was sitting in my house one day and my baby’s mother was yelling at me about something totally irrelevant, so I started to spin this female character in my head,” said Harlem native Foye. “She needed a cast of characters, so I ripped off a piece of a paper bag and I started writing ‘Gangsta.’” In downtown Brooklyn’s bustling outdoor Fulton Mall, a street vendor who gives his name only as Ray, sells street books for $5 a piece. He says he usually sells 200 or more books a day and current popular titles include “Dogism,” “Money, Power and Respect” and “Going Broke.” Street vendors selling urban fiction are also abundant on 125th Street in Harlem. “They have a lot to do with people’s lives and what’s going on now in the projects,” said Ray, who added that most of his customers are young black women. Brooklyn resident Shawn Carter bought “CONVICT’S CANDY” for his wife, but he said he does not read street lit. “The story lines are good to her,” Carter said. “She likes most of the ones with drugs, prostitution and gangsters.” Street vendor Luis Laboy, standing a block from the famous Junior’s restaurant in downtown Brooklyn, said his top sellers were “Grimey,” “Blinded” and “Dutch.” “Mostly street books are what they’re into,” he said of his customers. About 50 other readers gathered at the Society Coffee Bar in Harlem on a frigid night in early March. These literary fans sat down to hot bowls of chicken tortilla soup, steaming cups of cappuccino and tall flutes of red wine for a reading by author Kenji Jasper, 30. He read from his first work of nonfiction, a memoir about his grandfather titled “The House on Childress Street.” Jasper’s first three novels, “Dark,” “Dakota Grand” and “Seeking Salamanca Mitchell” deal with the same gritty urban environment that street fiction often portrays, but he is not lumped into the same category. “On his fiction side, his milieu is very dark, very street,” literary agent Mannie Barron said of Jasper. “He reminds me of a modern day Raymond Chandler in his depiction of the streets and the underbellies, but like Raymond Chandler, he presents it in a very literary way.” Signed to Harlem Moon/Random House, Jasper has seen firsthand the effect that street fiction has had on traditional black literature. “It’s eclipsed it almost completely,” he said. “Mainstream authors and traditional publishing are taking a beating right now in the black community. I know authors who had great success three or four years ago but are now struggling or writing under pen names. They’re having trouble penetrating a marketplace that’s overrun. At least ten new [street] books come out a month, maybe more, and they’re being purchased by an audience that doesn’t necessarily read about books in magazines.” Millory Polyne, who attended Jasper’s reading, said he was dismayed that young blacks were reading street literature. Although he stopped short of criticizing urban fiction because he does not read it, Polyne said that readers of the genre need to understand the foundations of black literature and what came before. “They should understand how to hustle and how to get your stuff out there by all means necessary, but there’s a long legacy of writers who have worked really hard and their stuff is phenomenal,” he said. “People need to realize that they’ve paved the way and opened the doors for a lot of people to write their own literature.” Barron, an agent with the Menza Barron Agency, believes that there is room for all forms of fiction and that street lit has actually helped add to the diversity of black literature. He doesn’t buy into the argument that urban fiction is degrading to the black experience. “Equality gives us a right to mediocrity, so therefore not everything has to uplift the race,” he said. “This is our pulp fiction, and people forget you need to have this full spectrum. Just like in the broad society with a James Patterson or a Danielle Steele, nobody thinks that they are going to be the cause of the decline of the white race. There’s a time and a place for it. There are times when you just want junk food.” CONVICT'S CANDY WRITTEN BY DAMON "AMIN" MEADOWS & JASON POOLE CONVICT'S CANDY EDITED BY HICKSON CONVICT'S CANDY A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION EBOOK & PAPERBACK: SOLD & DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVELY AT GHETTOHEAT®! HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE! GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™ #GHETTOHEAT #THEHOTNESSINTHESTREETS #HICKSON #CEOOFGHETTOHEAT #TEAMGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONHOTNESS #PEACEANDGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONBELIKE #GHETTOHEATBOOKS #GHETTOHEATMAGAZINE #GHETTOHEATTV #GHETTOHEATMOVEMENT #INSTAHICKSON #MAMAGHETTOHEAT #HOUSEOFGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATSALUTE #PAZYGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATHOTNESS #IAMGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATPRODUCTION #MOVIMIENTODEGHETTOHEAT #BABYGHETTOHEAT #INSTAGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATWORLDWIDE #SALUDODEGHETTOHEAT #MRGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATGLOBALGROUPHUG #LACASADEGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATEATS #GHETTOHEATCOM

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CONS, EX-CONS FIND MONEY AND A VOICE By Dwayne Campbell Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer, 4/2/06 After averting a life sentence for drug trafficking, Leondrei Prince settled down to serve eight years in a Delaware state prison. With time to kill, he read voraciously – Webster’s Dictionary, chick lit by Terry McMillan, old urban fiction by Donald Goines, and new-school street lit by Teri Woods. Then Prince wrote, just as voraciously. A few pages turned into Bloody Money, followed by Bloody Money 2, Me ‘n My Girls, and nine other manuscripts, written in the strong, often profane language of the inner-city streets where he grew up. “I knew that when I got out, I couldn’t go back to selling drugs, and I wouldn’t be able to get a job,” said Prince, 33, who has had three books published since his release in 2003, “so I started looking at writing as a job. But this has exceeded all my expectations.” Books by inmates, both current and former, are an increasingly lucrative segment of the fast-growing genre known as “street lit,” “ghetto lit,” “urban” or “hip-hop” fiction. In many prisons, men and women on lockdown are spending their hours of solitude in a most un-Oz-like fashion, putting pens to yellow pads and finding words to describe the lives of poverty and excess that put them on a path to the slammer. “Right now it’s the biggest fad in prison,” said street lit agent Joseph Jones, who signed Prince while they were both serving time for drug charges in Delaware. “The biggest drug dealer, the smallest crook, they’re writing books.” The results are titles such as Dangerously Insured, by Shafeeq (Reginald Johnson), a state inmate from North Philadelphia; Thugs and the Women Who Love Them, by Wahida Clark, a Trenton woman who is locked up at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia; The Family II: Life After Death, the second book by Philadelphian Antonne M. Jones, who spent two years in a Delaware prison; and Memoir: Delaware County Prison, by ex-inmate Reginald L. Hall from West Philadelphia. The books, often published under pseudonyms modeled after rappers, are hits, especially among young people in urban areas. “They write about stuff I can relate to,” said Lynndrena Evans, a 19-year-old Community College of Philadelphia student who has read Prince’s books and other street lit. “It’s stuff we consider everyday life.” Freebbie Rivera, a language arts instructor at Horizon Academy, a school at New York’s Rikers Island jail, said more inmates are writing books because “they see the success of other incarcerated authors, and they get motivated.” Vickie Stringer, for example, left prison and a cocaine-trafficking past to become a best-selling author (Let That Be the Reason; Imagine This); start her own publishing company, Triple Crown; and cut a six-figure deal with Simon & Schuster. “Now they’re writing manuscripts and asking for help with editing,” said Rivera. Commonly, the writers self-publish after they get out of prison. But some start-up publishers and authors find each other and sign book contracts while they are both stuck in D-block. Prince’s Bloody Money, which chronicles the drug trade and lives of four friends in Wilmington, was first a hit in Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington. When inmates were clamoring for Prince’s manuscript, Joseph Jones became his agent and started charging prisoners - cigarettes or a can of soup - to read the work. Now, in book format, Bloody Money is available to anyone for $15, and selling briskly. According to Jones, the book has sold more than 50,000 copies since it was released, and the sequel, Bloody Money 2, is nearing the 25,000 mark. “Selling 20,000 in paperback for an unknown author is very respectable,” said Charlotte Abbott, a senior editor at the trade bible Publishers Weekly. “Fifty thousand in three years is nothing to scoff at.” Although many street lit titles are now in chain stores such as Borders and Barnes & Noble, experts say actual sales numbers are difficult to determine because sales out of car trunks, mall kiosks, and street-corner stands are not tracked. Overall, the urban-fiction genre grosses about $50 million annually, said Earl Cox, the New Jersey agent and book consultant who published Hall’s gay-themed memoir and brokered Clark’s books to Kensington Publishing Corp. after Thugs landed on Essence magazine’s best-seller list. Clark wrote Thugs and the sequel, Every Thug Needs a Lady, while serving her 101/2-year sentence for conspiracy, money laundering, and mail and wire fraud. Since going to Alderson, she has completed Payback Is a Mutha (in stores this month) and is currently working on a fourth book. Kevin Cunningham, 35, imprisoned at Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, N.Y., on drug charges, hopes the three books he wrote behind bars on legal pads help him avoid a fourth prison term. “When I get home in July, I don’t have to focus on the streets,” said Cunningham, whose first manuscript, Sin City, is being edited by his cousin, Philadelphia-based author and literary agent Karen E. Quinones Miller. “I have found something I love.” Jailhouse writers are prolific, said Mustafaa As-Salafi, 35, owner of Level V Publishing, because the only time that many people in the fast lane get to think about their lives is while they are in a cell. “When you are in jail, there aren’t too many outlets,” As-Salafi said. “And if your family cuts you off, you don’t have a whole lot of contact with the streets. All you can do is read, watch TV and write.” With assistance from family members on the outside, As-Salafi started Level V Publishing while serving 51/2 years at State Correctional Institution at Smithfield for a shooting. He left there three months ago and last month released Shafeeq’s Dangerously Insured, a novel about two girls who insure drug pushers and violent criminals they believe are sure to die. Shafeeq is still in the Huntingdon County prison, along with other budding authors, who include Monk (George Smith) who is in for life, and Cutty (William Alston), who will be released soon. Level V plans to publish their books this year. The flood of prison writing, As-Salafi believes, is a result of the alarming numbers of incarcerated African Americans, many of them casualties of the war on drugs and three-strikes laws that ushered in long sentences for violent crimes and crack cocaine dealing. According to the federal Bureau of Prisons at the Department of Justice, in 2003 (the latest year for which data are available), there were 586,000 adult African American males in state and federal prisons (there were 35,000 black women). “We’re the result of that,” said As-Salafi. “We are the ones now explaining what happened during that time, why we robbed, why we sold drugs.” Not all jailhouse writers wait for a publisher to walk into their cell. Jones and other street lit publishers say they receive dozens of letters and unsolicited manuscripts from prisons. “There’s a lot of raw talent in these facilities,” said HICKSON, 36, the head of Harlem-based GHETTOHEAT® who goes only by his last name. GHETTOHEAT® published CONVICT’S CANDY, co-written by Philadelphian DAMON “AMIN” MEADOWS, now in federal prison for dealing drugs. “Every week, I get about 20 letters and manuscripts and 15 of them are from jail.” As these books make it to stores, some people express concern about the in-your-face literature that’s peppered with inner-city clichés (the young girl falls for the drug lord) and amusing stretches of the imagination (prostitutes in Prada). “You don’t see literary leaps being taken,” said Patrik Henry Bass, books editor of Essence. “But the authors shouldn’t be broadly discounted,” said H. Bruce Franklin, the John Cotton Dana Professor of English and American studies at the Newark campus of Rutgers University. Like street fiction fathers Iceberg Slim and Goines, who both served time, the new writers are capturing the life they know. “When they are able to look at their own experience and turn that into some kind of art, it can be valuable for them and for everyone else,” said Franklin, author of Prison Literature in America: The Victim as Criminal and Artist. It’s unlikely that Payback Is a Mutha will displace Beloved as a favorite among the literati, but those behind street lit say that was never their intention. “A lot of people want to read about what they know,” Jones said. “The books are selling because people relate to them.” CONVICT'S CANDY WRITTEN BY DAMON "AMIN" MEADOWS & JASON POOLE CONVICT'S CANDY EDITED BY HICKSON CONVICT'S CANDY A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION EBOOK & PAPERBACK: SOLD & DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVELY AT GHETTOHEAT®! HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE! GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™ #GHETTOHEAT #THEHOTNESSINTHESTREETS #HICKSON #CEOOFGHETTOHEAT #TEAMGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONHOTNESS #PEACEANDGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONBELIKE #GHETTOHEATBOOKS #GHETTOHEATMAGAZINE #GHETTOHEATTV #GHETTOHEATMOVEMENT #INSTAHICKSON #MAMAGHETTOHEAT #HOUSEOFGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATSALUTE #PAZYGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATHOTNESS #IAMGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATPRODUCTION #MOVIMIENTODEGHETTOHEAT #BABYGHETTOHEAT #INSTAGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATWORLDWIDE #SALUDODEGHETTOHEAT #MRGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATGLOBALGROUPHUG #LACASADEGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATEATS #GHETTOHEATCOM

I'M GLAD YOU'VE ENJOYED READING AND GOD CREATED WOMAN. TRY THE OTHER GHETTOHEAT® TITLES. SEVEN PUBLISHED TO DATE: MORE COMING SOON. GOD BLESS YOU....

http://www.mediafire...bfbdfvn8wd7pik5 http://www.amazon.co...20768107&sr=1-9 http://www.ghettoheat.com/shop.html GOD CREATED MAN...AND GOD CREATED WOMAN! AND GOD CREATED WOMAN ESSENCE BESTSELLER, APRIL 2008 AND GOD CREATED WOMAN WRITTEN BY MIKA MILLER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN EDITED BY HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® AND GOD CREATED WOMAN IN STORES WORLDWIDE! AND GOD CREATED WOMAN A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® Publisher of GHETTOHEAT®, CONVICT’S CANDY, HARDER, AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, LONDON REIGN, SONZ OF DARKNESS, TANTRUM, LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY, GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS, DIRRRTY, TATTOOED TEARS, UGLY/BEAUTIFUL: ME, CLUB AVENUE, SKATE ON!, THICKNESS, SOME SEXY, & TOUGH. GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 | GHETTOHEAT.COM GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™

FOLLOW @GHETTOHEAT ON TWITTER FOR ALL NEWS AND UPDATES REGARDING GHETTOHEAT®! http://xa.yimg.com/k...TTOHEATBLEU.pdf HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® Publisher of GHETTOHEAT®, CONVICT’S CANDY, HARDER, AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, LONDON REIGN, SONZ OF DARKNESS, TANTRUM, GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS, LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY, DIRRRTY, TATTOOED TEARS, UGLY/BEAUTIFUL: ME, CLUB AVENUE, SKATE ON!, THICKNESS, SOME SEXY, & TOUGH. GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 | GHETTOHEAT.COM GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™

http://www.ghettoheat.com/shop.html http://www.amazon.co...20512750&sr=1-1 HICKSON HUSTLES HARDER! HARDER WRITTEN BY SHA HARDER EDITED BY HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® HARDER IN STORES WORLDWIDE! HARDER A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® Publisher of GHETTOHEAT®, CONVICT’S CANDY, HARDER, AND GOD CREATED WOMAN, LONDON REIGN, SONZ OF DARKNESS, TANTRUM, GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS, LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY, DIRRRTY, TATTOOED TEARS, UGLY/BEAUTIFUL: ME, CLUB AVENUE, SKATE ON!, THICKNESS, SOME SEXY, & TOUGH. GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 | GHETTOHEAT.COM GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™

#GHETTOHEAT FOLLOW STUBBS, AUTHOR OF LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY ON TWITTER: @PAYSTUBBS LOVE DON'T LOVE NOBODY: A GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTION! IN PAPERBACK & EBOOK FORMATS SOON... HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE!

OHIO PLAYER Coming Of Age… When I was nine-years-old, I’d known early on in my heart that I was my own man. While most of my friends in Cleveland were running to the store for older guys in the projects, or holding their drugs and guns, I was out stealing and hustling to make ends meet. On several occasions, grown dudes had approached me in my hood with propositions or intimidation tactics, but every time I’d declined, assuring them that I WAS MY OWN MAN! It cost me a few war wounds, but I’d also earned my respect! At age twelve, I’d made a name for myself and influenced my peers to stand on their own. They’d stopped making the constant store runs and carrying contraband for older dudes: we were all equal then, a team. Rise And Fall… At sixteen, I’d become the “poster boy” for Longwood Projects. Things were going exceptionally well for me financially, but you know what they say, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems”. Not only had I’d begun facing trouble with the Law, I was having problems with girls, and everybody around me habitually looked for handouts. It’s like the more I’d extended myself to people, the more they’d expected me to. Most of my so-called friends became foes, and the real friends I’d had in my corner were in and out of prison. Haters were mad because my hustle was stronger than theirs, women had become upset that I wouldn’t commit to them (many of them), and the police were irate: what I made in a day on the streets was their monthly earnings. It wasn’t long before my world had turned upside down: I was arrested on drug conspiracy charges and sent to federal prison. The Reality Check… Not knowing what to expect, I’d begun serving my twelve-year prison bid, being surrounded by many men of different races, backgrounds and beliefs. I was always ahead of my time, so I chose to mix with the elder crowd, opting not to hang around guys my age with limited conversations of going back to the streets, and doing the same things that landed them in prison. The older men would teach me lots about life. They’d always painted pictures that made much sense, schooling me on the importance of being in my childrens’ lives—instilling how vital valuing freedom is: freedom at every level. That’s when I’d started revamping myself. I’d realized that I could change my life from whatever state it was to the life I’d desired it to be: by transforming my mindset and reference of myself. Where imagination leads you, reality will follow. Soon after, I’d begun reading great books, learning more about my history and putting my best foot forward towards change—taking necessary steps to continue my legacy here on Earth, positively. The results of my choice to stay focused in prison, panned out well. I did my time peacefully, and was able to obtain my GED and college credits. I’d then begun my journey into the literary world as a writer. With application, I’d written manuscripts, and eventually was noticed by one of the greatest publishers of all-time, HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT®. He signed me, giving me an opportunity to be more than just a street hustler—one known for doing wrong in the past. Your attitude towards failure, determines your aptitude for success…never stop growing. Life is a constant orchestration of growth: through adversity and challenge. Peace & GHETTOHEAT®! STUBBS is author of the upcoming memoir, BROTHERS BEHIND BARS, & hardcore street thriller, LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY! Follow him on all major social media networks: @PAYSTUBBS STUBBS@GHETTOHEAT.COM HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE! GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 | GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™ #GHETTOHEAT #THEHOTNESSINTHESTREETS #HICKSON #CEOOFGHETTOHEAT #TEAMGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONHOTNESS #PEACEANDGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONBELIKE #GHETTOHEATBOOKS #GHETTOHEATMAGAZINE #GHETTOHEATTV #GHETTOHEATMOVEMENT #INSTAHICKSON #MAMAGHETTOHEAT #HOUSEOFGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATSALUTE #PAZYGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATHOTNESS #IAMGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATPRODUCTION #MOVIMIENTODEGHETTOHEAT #BABYGHETTOHEAT #INSTAGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATWORLDWIDE #SALUDODEGHETTOHEAT #MRGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATGLOBALGROUPHUG #LACASADEGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATEATS #GHETTOHEATCOM

KINGS AND QUEEN OF URBAN LIT By Reeshemah Brightley Harlem World Magazine, June 2006 Three writers, three conversations, one mission—just how tough is it to get your literary treasure from your head to the page to a publisher to the street to an audience. It might have been a crazy day when I talked to Queen Pen, author of “Blossom” over the phone, but the chaotic day didn’t cool her passion. She wasn’t the only one in passionate mode, author K’wan, whose latest book is called “Eve”, had much to contribute as did HICKSON whose company GHETTOHEAT® is fast making its own mark. All three capture the newest literary genre to grace our streets and one that causes fierce debate. Even its name is cause for controversy. Urban literature, street lit, ghetto fiction, K’wan, Queen Pen and HICKSON all have strong opinions about it. I sat, broke bread and listened attentively. Queen Pen had strong words of advice for those seeking to follow in her footsteps, and become literary leaders in a genre. “Self-Publish. When we write the story we put our blood & sweat into it. We put our heart and soul into developing the book. After doing all of that, why would you want to put your destiny in the hands of someone else? When you self-publish, it’s difficult. It’s important to stick with it, the key is YOU CONTROL it. You also get to know the publishing business. When it’s time to go to a major publishing house, no one can pull wool over your eyes. You will know what needs to get done. For me, the situations I came across before signing a 2-book deal with Simon & Schuster, enabled me to learn the publishing business.” At the same time she was able to build relationships will all the black-owned and independent booksellers across the state when she wrote “Situations.” For her, the focus is recycling the dollar within our community, not breaking into what major publishing companies call mainstream community. In order to keep the black-owned and independent, street vendors on 125th Street and in Brooklyn, we MUST support them. K’wan adds his thoughts, he feels you have to know where your strength lies and have a strong self-belief. “Some people are good writers, some are good storytellers, some are both. If you have a story to tell and you feel in your heart of hearts it is a story that needs to be told then go ahead and pursue it.” He also muses about the advice he wished he had been given. “I wish I was given the advice to pursue my dreams and be the best at what you do. To be perfectly honest negativity was my motivation.” HICKSON maintains keeping it real, remaining humble and learning as much as you can about the business of publishing is part of the key to success. His company GHETTOHEAT® came to life after a false arrest, life in the fashion industry and the legacy of 911 prompted his entrepreneurial streak to emerge. He says, “Authors come in blinded by not knowing the industry, not knowing their worth, not knowing the business, not knowing how much their product is worth. They think that all they have to do is get with a big company and the machine is going to work for them. But you still have to work. The company will set them up with a certain budget. Once the budget is over, you’re own your own.” The other major sticking point for all three is the fierce debate that surrounds the literary genre they feature in. K’wan is especially passionate about not classing what he writes as “ghetto literature”. “When they call me an urban writer, I’m not an urban writer, I’m a WRITER! I can write urban, fantasy and contemporary fiction. I feel like I have a passion for writing. You can’t put a classification on me.” Word from these three for all those whose passion is to put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard and produce a literary treasure then is, master your craft, pursue your dreams, learn the industry and defy categorization. It’s also important to circulate the dollars within our community. That sounds like pretty sound advice. HICKSON: CEO of GHETTOHEAT® & GHETTOHEAT® TV! GHETTOHEAT® PRODUCTIONS: GHETTOHEAT® CONVICT’S CANDY HARDER AND GOD CREATED WOMAN LONDON REIGN SONZ OF DARKNESS TANTRUM HICKSONBELIKE... LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY THICKNESS GHOST TOWN HUSTLERS BANJEE CUNT ULTRAFABNABULOUS BROTHERS BEHIND BARS SO SEXY TOUGH MR. GHETTOHEAT® SKATE ON! GHETTOHEAT® EATS TURF GHETTOHEAT® MAGAZINE! GHETTOHEAT® | P.O. BOX 2746 | NEW YORK, NY 10027 GHETTOHEAT®: THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™ #GHETTOHEAT #THEHOTNESSINTHESTREETS #HICKSON #CEOOFGHETTOHEAT #TEAMGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONHOTNESS #PEACEANDGHETTOHEAT #HICKSONBELIKE #GHETTOHEATBOOKS #GHETTOHEATMAGAZINE #GHETTOHEATTV #GHETTOHEATMOVEMENT #INSTAHICKSON #MAMAGHETTOHEAT #HOUSEOFGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATSALUTE #PAZYGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATHOTNESS #IAMGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATPRODUCTION #MOVIMIENTODEGHETTOHEAT #BABYGHETTOHEAT #INSTAGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATWORLDWIDE #SALUDODEGHETTOHEAT #MRGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATGLOBALGROUPHUG #LACASADEGHETTOHEAT #GHETTOHEATEATS #GHETTOHEATCOM