There’s a saying that if you come from my part of town, you’re from around the way. Around the Way Girls 11 is a fast-paced look at the lives of some street-smart women who think they know it all, but are about to get the lessons of their lives.
“Meal Ticket” by Treasure Hernandez: From the outside looking in, Yanna Banks lives what most would consider a perfect life; however, after the tragic death of her husband at the home of his longtime mistress, Yanna’s teenage son is forced to step up and fill his father’s shoes. Doing everything he can to help his mother make ends meet, the straight-laced student soon links up with an unlikely partner in crime. The two of them, both under the heavy-handed guidance of their mothers, become their households’ sole meal tickets. They have no problem dealing with anyone that gets in the way, including one another.
“Party Girls” by Clifford “Spud” Johnson: Tammy and Debbie grew up in the projects on Oklahoma’s wicked northeast side. Feeling hopeless, they chose to use their bodies to get what they wanted—until a frightening encounter inspires them to focus on schooling instead of the streets. Now Tammy is the youngest federal judge in the state of Oklahoma, while Debbie is a well-respected accountant. Deep down, though, they are still the same around the way girls from back in the day, and they sometimes still feel the urge to “get freaky with it.” Of course, what’s done in the dark—or in their case, under the sheets—will always come to light, causing complete and utter chaos.
“Do or Die” by India Johnson-Williams: After a big indictment comes down on some of Detroit’s major drug players, their women are left behind to keep the hustle afloat. Overnight their lives change for the worse. In Detroit, it’s sink or swim, and eat or you starve; in the dope game, it’s kill or be killed. The streets don’t care who you are or where you come from. Will Kali, Hope, and Jamaica beat the odds with their quick wit and hustle-hard mentality, or will the game catch them slippin’?
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“Everybody knows these chicks. They’re straight up from around your way.”
— Shannon Holmes, author of B-More Careful, praise for the series
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Treasure Hernandez is the author of over ten series of books about African American experiences in urban settings.
Clifford “Spud” Johnson was raised in Inglewood, California, and had numerous encounters there with drugs, mayhem, and, ultimately, the California Youth Authority. These experiences gave Johnson a template for street life. The hustle of welfare-dependent families sculpted by the day-to-day hood life that he experienced provides the imagery he displays in his work.
India Johnson-Williams was born and raised on the cutthroat streets of Detroit. She attended Wayne State University, pursuing a degree in business management. She’s married and is the proud mother of one. She loves to write urban fiction because it’s as close to real as you will ever get.
L. Steven Taylor is a New York actor who has played on Broadway as both Mufasa and Scar in Disney’s The Lion King. In addition to being very active in the commercial and voice-over world, working for such names as McDonalds, Bounty, Burger King, and Nickelodeon, he is also an avid spoken-word artist—penning his own spoken-word series: Perspective. He can also be seen on television in Madam Secretary, Elementary, Person of Interest, and The Electric Company.