Contemplating Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch may not be a household name, but he has shown up in surprisingly diverse places, from the children’s book Pish, Posh, said Hieronymus Bosch to the CD cover of Dead Can Dance’s Aion. The 15th century painter left behind no clues as to the interpretation of his dense, enigmatic paintings, with the result that Bosch has been seen as everything from a heretic to a medieval moralist, a progenitor of surrealism to a mere scribbler of monsters and grotesques.

With The Unknown Hieronymus Bosch, Kurt Falk presents a new way of looking at the artist’s works: through the spirit. Drawing on his own intuitive understanding of Bosch and a wide-ranging knowledge of esoteric Christianity, anthroposophy, and art history, Falk comments in detail about each of the 29 paintings, skillfully drawing out the worlds within the painted images. Each is treated as both an important part of an oeuvre unified by the theme of spiritual journey and as an exercise in guided contemplation.

Let’s take another look at the cover of Aion. The painting from which it is drawn is one of Bosch’s most famous pieces, “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” which features, among other oddities, giant fruit, improbable animals, and cavorting nudes. Falk comments,

[The] first stream of mankind ends in a peculiar hybrid shape. Its lower part consists of a hard polished fruit or metal pod from which a blossoming branch sprouts. The blossom itself turns into an embryonic sac inhabited by a human couple. This couple in its male-female nature is chastely sufficient unto itself in its enclosed sphere. The strawberry that is also enclosed, the fruit of faith, is their spiritual nourishment.

A human being is caught in the pod, trapped by his earthly thinking and although he observes the world alertly and sharply through a glass tube he manages to see only a section of this world. He loses the overall picture so that the rat creeps into his field of vision…The developed intellect with its materialistic orientation is linked really only by tradition to the handed down substance of belief and original unity has been lost.

You may never see Aion quite the same way again, or for that matter, any of Hieronymus Bosch’s paintings. Filled with glossy, full-color reproductions and perceptive commentary, The Unknown Hieronymus Bosch sheds new light on an enigmatic painter’s work—and on its continuing relevance to us. In the foreword, Robert Sardello writes,

“It is incredible the way that Kurt Falk reads the paintings, helping us develop discernment in the realm of feeling.”

CLICK HERE to learn more about the book.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Hieronymus Bosch.

Conscious Eating Review on All Good Things

Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens just received an outstanding review, entitled “Food for Thought,” by David Weiss on his blog for the LA Daily News, All Good Things.

We are talking 800-plus pages of mind-altering information, raw food recipes, healing properties of foods — and by an author who is not only an actual M.D., but a psychiatrist, family therapist and licensed homeopathic physician to boot…”A nutrient,” the Doc says, “is what we absorb into our overall body-mind-spirit from the different density levels that have precipitated from the cosmic force.” All that high-mindedness and recipes for “live” catsup and mustard, among many other treasures…

CLICK HERE to read the complete review on All Good Things.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Conscious Eating.
CLICK HERE to visit Gabriel Cousens’ web site.

Remarkable New Books Available This September/October

Autumn is the time for students to return to school, leaving the rest of us looking for extracurricular reading to satisfy our curious minds. Once again, our authors and editors have delivered an amazingly diverse set of titles this season. Whether you’d like to learn about psychology, martial arts, science fiction, spirituality, poetry, anatomy, metaphysics, health, religion, cooking, or art history, this fall there’s something for everyone.

To order, please visit www.northatlanticbooks.com.

-SEPTEMBER-

Black Belt Karate
By Chris Thompson

In Black Belt Karate, noted karate instructor and 8th-dan black belt Chris Thompson explains that real yudansha (black belt level) is not just about physical prowess but about self-improvement, and that because of this, further study is vital for all students. Neither a beginner’s guide nor a manual of advanced techniques, Black Belt Karate is both inspirational and informative for students of all levels. The book sheds light on the world of international karate, providing a solid history of the basic schools of karate and their development, and details the WKF (World Karate Federation) rules and traditions that govern the sporting element of the discipline. Thompson describes every aspect of karate training in clear, simple language, including detailed exercises and stretches to warm up and cool down. Beautiful color photographs demonstrate step-by-step sequences of forms.

$17.95 / $21.00
Trade Paper
978-1-58394-254-3
160 pages, 8.5 x 11

On Sale September 2, 2008
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Dreams of the Presidents: From George Washington to George W. Bush
By Charles Barasch

Dreams take on a new cultural currency in this collection of dream-poems, one for each American president. Exploring power, as well as its limits and possibilities, linguistics instructor Charles Barasch plays no favorites, making light of the sense of entitlement and self-importance that afflicts too many politicians. Fun to read, humorous, and laced with events of historical interest, each poem gives a dose of insight into the president’s life and his relationships with others, including his family, allies, and rivals. This book offers some much-needed laughs at leaders who take themselves too seriously, and a fun platform from which readers can start to explore the lives of those who, for better or worse, have led America.

$12.95 / $14.95
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-750-2
93 pages, 5 x 8

On Sale September 9, 2008
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The Unknown Hieronymus Bosch
By Kurt Falk

The paintings of Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) have captivated and confounded observers for centuries, leading to wildly varying conclusions on the artist’s spirituality. Kurt Falk presents the first analysis of Bosch’s inner life in light of a hitherto unknown–and now lost–version of one of his seminal works, The Last Judgment, found by the author in Cairo in the mid-1930s. With an introduction by spiritual psychologist Robert Sardello, The Unknown Hieronymus Bosch presents an entirely new way of looking at this art–-through the spirit. Falk’s analysis reveals the ways in which Bosch addresses creation, including the exalted and fallen spiritual worlds so prevalent in his work. The book’s high-quality reproductions, carefully rendered in the paintings’ true colors, offer powerful visual support for the author’s theories.

$29.95 / $34.00
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-759-5
116 pages, 8-3/8 x 10-3/4

On Sale September 16, 2008
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Being and Becoming: Psychodynamics, Buddhism, and the Origins of Selfhood
By Franklyn Sills

Being and Becoming is a wide-ranging analysis of the nature of being and selfhood. The book presents an original, integrated paradigm with the aim of creating a comprehensive overview of the human condition–and finding ways to alleviate suffering. Most of Being and Becoming is about the nature of self and selfhood as a process of “I-am-this,” “my becoming” rather than “my being.” Author Franklyn Sills interweaves concepts from object relations theories, psychodynamics, pre- and perinatal psychology, and Buddhist self-psychology, along with his own rich experience as a Buddhist monk, somatic therapist, and psychotherapist, into his inquiry. The works of Fairbairn and Winnicott are discussed in depth, as are Winnicott and Stern’s insights into the nature of the early holding environment, the infant-mother relational field, and early perceptual dynamics.

$22.95 / $25.95
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-762-5
307 pages, 6 x 9

On Sale September 23, 2008
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The Concise Book of Trigger Points: Revised Edition
By Simeon Niel-Asher

Written in a straightforward style, The Concise Book of Trigger Points functions both as an entry-level textbook and an authoritative reference for even the most experienced therapist. The first four chapters describe the physiology of trigger points and the general methods of treatment. The following six chapters are organized by muscle groups; each two-page spread features detailed color illustrations of each major skeletal muscle, accompanied by an explanation of each muscle’s origin, insertion, action, and function. The physiological implications of the trigger points in each muscle are discussed, along with treatment techniques. This edition contains updated text and a self-help section addressing common pain complaints, including headache, neck pain, lower back pain, and TMJ syndrome.

$29.95 / $34.00
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-745-8
224 pages, 8-1/2 x 11

On Sale September 23, 2008
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The Book from the Sky
By Robert Kelly

The Book from the Sky is Robert Kelly’s remarkable science fiction novel about a literally divided self. Billy, the book’s protagonist, is a boy who is captured by a group of aliens who take him to a cave and meticulously, if seemingly by caprice, remove his “young pure smokeless lungs” and other internal organs to replace them with two gray squirrels, a live hawk, a shoe, and a variety of other bizarre objects. Billy’s body and mind are spun off into a curious twin, one whose adventures Billy is forced by his captors to watch and try to make sense of–not a simple task when he sees his doppelganger stealing everything from him: body, name, family, his beloved Eileen. Complicating matters, and forcing Billy deeper into his ironic journey of self, is a mysterious pamphlet called “The Book from the Sky,” written by what may be yet another variation of Billy himself, Brother William.

$15.95 / $18.95
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-755-7
240 pages, 6 x 9

On Sale September 30, 2008
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-OCTOBER-

The Hierophant of 100th Street
By Cullen Dorn

The Hierophant of 100th Street tells of one boy’s journey to discover ancient, eternal truths and mysteries concealed within the fabric of everyday life. The story follows seventeen-year-old Adam Kadman through his initiation into the rough, tough, and exuberantly low-class life of the streets. At this highly impressionable point in his life, Adam encounters Clifford Bias and Dr. Richard Ireland, real-life mid-century psychics, recognized as key forerunners of today’s New Age movement. Adam begins his spiritual journey upon meeting Bias, at one of his life-altering public psychic readings. Bias reveals Adam’s own psychic abilities and explains to him the significance of his life’s purpose. His calling revealed, Adam becomes Bias’s pupil and begins to learn the secrets of the Ancient Mystical Order of Seekers, a hidden society of magi dedicated to the Higher Self.

$16.95 / $20.00
Trade Paper
978-1-58394-253-6
360 pages, 6 x 9

On Sale October 7, 2008
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The Odyssey
Translated by Charles Stein

Most translations of The Odyssey are in the kind of standard verse form believed typical of high-serious composition in the ancient world. Yet some scholars believe the epic was originally composed in a less formal, phrase-by-phrase prosody. Charles Stein employs the latter approach in this dramatic, and in some ways truer, version. Famous episodes such as the sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and the Cyclops, are rendered with previously unseen energy and empathy. Most versions exclude or minimize the magical aspects of the poem, but Stein gives these elements full play, so that the spirit of a universe predating the classical era shines through. This vibrant version of The Odyssey shows readers not only what the Greeks thought about their gods but the gods themselves.

$22.95 / $25.95
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-728-1
656 pages, 6 x 9

On Sale October 7, 2008
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Blackbird, Farewell
By Robert Greer

Shandell “Blackbird” Bird has everything going for him, or so he thinks. Recently selected number two overall in the NBA draft, the 6′8″, 250-pound superstar has a gleaming new ride and a salary and athletic shoe contract that make him an instant millionaire. What he doesn’t have is the ability to bury secrets from his past. When Shandell is found shot to death at mid-court, his best friend and college teammate Damion Madrid sets out to find the killer. Damion is well meaning but naive; luckily his godfather is gumshoe CJ Floyd. Featuring the vivid characters and streetwise dialogue that have made the CJ Floyd series a critical and commercial success, Blackbird, Farewell is a punch-packing whodunit that exposes the dark side of the pro-athlete good life.

$25.95 / $30.00
Hardcover
978-1-58394-250-5
352 pages, 6 x 9

On Sale October 14, 2008
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Sweet Gratitude: A New World of Raw Desserts
By Matthew Rogers and Tiziana Alipo Tamborra

Sweet Gratitude is a cookbook with a message: raw desserts aren’t only healthier for both people and the planet, they can also be every bit as tasty as their mainstream counterparts. Tiziana Tamborra and Matthew Rogers, both master dessert chefs at the pioneering San Francisco-based Café Gratitude, present a tantalizing table of after-dinner or any-occasion delights. Illustrated with gorgeous color photographs, the recipes range from simple and quick to advanced and detailed, showing how versatile commonly used fruits and nuts are for whipping up innovative and beautiful desserts. This book is ideal for anyone looking for healthier dessert choices as well as a valuable resource for people with special dietary needs including those who cannot consume dairy, gluten, or refined sugar.

$24.95 / $27.95
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-744-1
248 pages, 7 x 9-1/4

On Sale October 14, 2008
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The Great Gate: A Guidebook to the Guru’s Heart Practice, Dispeller of All Obstacles
By Tsikey Rinpoche Chokling, Tulku Rinpoche Urgyen, Chokyi Rinpoche Nyima and Rinpoche Dudjom

Vajrayana Buddhism differs from other branches of Buddhism in providing an accelerated path to enlightenment based on Dzogchen principles. The word dzogchen, translated variously as Great Perfection and Great Completeness, conveys the idea that our nature as intrinsic awareness has many qualities that make it “perfect”: indestructibility, incorruptible purity, non-discriminating openness, flawless clarity, profound simplicity, all-pervading presence, and attitude of equality toward all beings. Drawing on the work of four renowned Tibetan masters, The Great Gate compiles concise instructions on Dzogchen’s foundational practices. This revised edition features a new translation and an extensive commentary by Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche.

$13.95 / $15.95
Trade Paper
978-962-7341-04-8
160 Pages, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2

On Sale October 14, 2008
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Natural Treatments for Tics and Tourette’s: A Patient and Family Guide
By Sheila Rogers

This welcome guide explains how to treat tics and Tourette’s syndrome using natural and alternative therapies, from nutritional therapy, behavioral and counseling therapies, EEG biofeedback, and homeopathy to bodywork, energy medicine, and Chinese medicine. Natural Treatments for Tics and Tourette’s takes a closer look at the environmental factors and underlying physical imbalances that trigger these conditions’ symptoms. In this second edition, Rogers offers a detailed natural treatment plan. In eight sections, the book offers advice from medical experts, the latest reports in medical research, a checklist of common tic triggers, inspirational stories from families who have successfully conquered tics and Tourette’s, and practical worksheets for readers to use in their treatment and research.

$19.95 / $22.95
Trade Paper
978-1-55643-747-2
360 pages, 8 x 10

On Sale October 21, 2008
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Capoeira Beyond Brazil
By Aniefre Essien

In Capoeira Beyond Brazil, Aniefre Essien brings an international, political perspective to capoeira, speaking to both the novice and aficionado, as well as to historians, martial artists, social justice organizers, and youth development professionals. Essien shows capoeira in its complete historical context, providing not only technical instruction but also a critical history that highlights the political milestones of the form. Capoeira Beyond Brazil expands the meaning of capoeira with a sociocultural consideration of the effects internalization has had on the form. Showcasing Essien’s own experiences using capoeira training at-risk youth, the book articulates the form’s empowering aspects with strategies for using martial arts to foster individual self-reliance and confidence, as well as a commitment to community development.

$15.95 / $18.95
Trade Paper
978-1-58394-255-0
136 pages, 6 x 9

On Sale October 21, 2008
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Failed God: Fractured Myth in a Fragile World
By John A. Rush Ph.D.

Failed God re-examines the scriptural stories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as told in the Bible and Qur’an and reveals them as “concocted mythical charters stemming from drug-induced romps with the super-natural.” Rush shows how mind-altering substances played an instrumental role in the birth and development of Western religions and explains how they contributed to reports of “prophetic” experiences, including angry and disturbing messages from the divine. Rush fully addresses the effects of mind-altering substances on each tradition, convincingly discrediting the idea that they stem from actual human interaction with the divine. He also shows how an intoxicated and over-zealous Apostle Paul corrupted Jesus’s simple message of human decency, forming an oppressive religious system based on fear.

$28.95 / $33.95
Trade Paper
978-1-58394-274-1
456 Pages, 6 x 9

On Sale October 28, 2008
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The Earthwise Herbal Eases You Through the Winter

“I open all the drawers and cases of my apotheca, and let every one look into them, even to the last little tea-box and the smallest oil bottle.”

- Sebastian Kneipp

Using this quote to introduce his material medica, herbalist and author Matthew Wood is doing just as Kneipp did: displaying his array of herbal knowledge for all to see. In his book, The Earthwise Herbal, Wood draws upon his 25 years of practice, as well as the research of other herbalists and past herbal literature, to create a comprehensive map of old world medicinal plants.

With the holiday season fast approaching, herbal medicine offers up an appealing alternative to treating and preventing the aches and pains that can come with the quickly cooling weather. Whether it’s an herbal tea to soothe the pesky sore throat of a winter cold or a secret ingredient to add to a holiday meal to prevent indigestion, The Earthwise Herbal has a cure for all the ailments of winter. Here are some examples of how to use these herbal remedies to help you through the season.

Garlic: Already widely touted as a health-boosting superfood, Wood describes garlic’s ability to stave off incipient head colds while also easing the pain of an itching or burning throat. As an added bonus during the season of the calorie-splurge, garlic can also be effective in weight loss. Using fresh garlic, with parsley if you’d like to avoid the bad-breath aftereffects, Wood recommends three cloves a day.

Horseradish: For the relief of “indigestion after a fatty meal,” take grated horseradish, or the root preserved in vinegar.

Irish moss (chondrus crispus): “Because chondrus absorbs water and swells after consumption, it has a mechanical ability to fill the stomach and reduce appetite,” making it the perfect precursor to the holiday party: fills you up, preventing you from filling out. Irish moss can be taken in powder or capsule forms, decocted into water or milk, or as an infusion.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon has the ability to lower the sugar spike following a meal, which in turn prevents the inevitable sugar crash that might lay you out on Grandma’s couch the rest of the night, making you susceptible to the eyebrow-shaving pranks of any mischievous relatives. Cinnamon can also relieve cold and sinus congestion. Whole quills of cinnamon are recommended over powder, and cinnamon oil can be used, though it is hot and has to be diluted.

Pumpkin: Perhaps the Pilgrims were using herbal wisdom in their plans for the Thanksgiving meal: pumpkin flesh can soothe an upset stomach, making pumpkin pie a remedial dessert to the preceding feast.

Hops: Another happy coincidence, the key ingredient in beer can calm an excessive appetite, while also easing stomach irritation and indigestion. Wood cautions, though, that “prolonged use of hopped beer may have deleterious effects.” About half a beer will increase digestive secretions, while a whole beer decreases them.

St. John’s wort: In a season when the sky is usually cold and gray, St. John’s wort can ease the depression that often comes in wintertime. As an added bonus, it also acts as a stomach normalizer: very helpful if you tend to use comfort food to stave off the winter blues. St. John’s wort is available in capsule form, and Wood notes that the flowers can be used in infusions, tinctures, oils, or salves.

Onion: Whether considering the stock market or the post-holiday shopping credit card bill, onion is known to ease the mental shock from financial setbacks. Just chop up a fresh piece in a glass of water, stir, and drink. This is also useful for upper respiratory problems. Wood also mentions an old tradition of hanging onions around the house to escape epidemics.

Birch: Dry, irritable coughs produced by indoor heating can be cured with a tea of fresh birch leaves.

Cloves: Cloves can be useful for the use in both colds and depression, making them essential during the months when both of these ailments are prevalent. The oil is the most frequently used preparation, one to five drops is the recommended dosage.

Chamomile: Chamomile is another wintertime must. For the holiday traveler, it eases car and motion sickness. It also helps colds, fevers, flus, and coughs. The dried or fresh herb can be used with similar results, so packet of chamomile tea can be just as effective as fresh juice from the herb.

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Earthwise Herbal.

CLICK HERE to visit Matthew Wood’s web site.

Interview with Renay Jackson, Author of Sweetpea’s Secret

After helping his daughter with a writing assignment for school, Renay Jackson found himself rushing home after work to complete his first short story. Now, ten years later, Renay is known as a leader in the genre of urban lit. He is the author of the popular Oaktown Mystery Series and the recipient of the 2002 Chester Himes Black Mystery Writer Award.

In the following interview, Renay discusses his new book, Sweetpea’s Secret, addresses the controversy surrounding urban lit, and talks about keeping it real by representing the poverty, crime, hopelessness, and despair of inner city life.

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The process of writing fiction often varies from writer to writer. What is your process in writing the Oaktown Mystery Series?  Do you outline the stories before writing?  Or do they unfold gradually as you write?

I never outline a story because that does not work for me. My process is to sit down, write, and let the story develop as I go along. Many times I’m not sure what will happen even two chapters down the road because the ideas come as I write. Many of the characters in my books die off but I do bring back the ones who were lucky enough to survive.

Sweetpea’s Secret is the fifth book in the Oaktown Mystery Series. How has Sweetpea’s character evolved from book to book?  How have you evolved as a writer?

Actually, Sweetpea only had cameo appearances in a two of my books (Turf War / Peanut’s Revenge) but they did create a curiosity for readers. Since he led a double life as businessman by day and assassin by night, it was only natural to do a book about him. My evolution as a writer: Most of the street lit authors I read do not really understand how to tell a story. Many think just because you have a whole lot of sex or a killing on the first page, it makes the book good. In all my books the cops play demanding roles and have a huge presence but I don’t see that in other books because they are often relegated to an afterthought with tiny roles. The sex is done in complete taste to the book in order to continue with the flow going on. None of us will come up with a storyline that hasn’t been told before, but what separates the good writers from the average ones is character development. Bringing characters to life is what makes a great read and the reason people often tell me their cousin or uncle said I was writing about them, even though I have never laid eyes on them. There also is not too much, if any at all, religion in these books. In my fifth book (Crack City), along with Sweetpea’s Secret, my characters do attend church. Even though for Sweetpea it’s only because of a funeral but the church setting is ever present.

Your books are front-runners in the relatively new genre of urban literature. How is this genre important?

I wouldn’t say urban lit is important but it does give voice to an entire population that’s never been heard and gives readers from the inner cities something they can relate to. The genre is not new, just muzzled. By that I mean we have the legends like Donald Goines & Iceberg Slim who were writing hood novels in the 70’s but it seems only people from the inner cities know about those dudes even today, which is amazing. What was happening until recently was that urban lit began getting recognition and mainstream exposure. However, with limited avenues available to get the product to the masses, we are slowly fading.

Certain people argue that urban lit reinforces negative stereotypes associated with urban culture (drug dealing, violence, sex). Others highlight that the genre is inspiring people to read and helping independent bookstores to stay afloat. What is your stance on this issue?

We’re not reinforcing negative stereotypes because drug dealing, sex, and violence are for real in the inner city. Those “certain people” you speak of will find something wrong one way or another anyway. Now, I receive letters all the time from those incarcerated letting me know my book was the first novel they ever read. My story is the same as theirs since the first book I ever read was El Dorado Red by Donald Goines, I was sixteen at the time which is rather late to be starting to read but I could relate with that book. The haters think everyone needs to read about Heather running through the meadow into Adam’s arms with them living happily ever after, but in the cold world I come from, that just doesn’t happen.

Now when you talk about independent bookstores staying afloat, they’re not. Bookstores get 40% of the price of a book, distributors 15/20%, and the remaining 40/45% to the publisher or author. Since most of the online sellers sell you the book 40% off anyway, that puts the small bookstores out of business because of course I’ll buy a book $20 book for $12 online instead of paying full price at the neighborhood bookstore. The major chains also offer 20, 30, even 40% discounts in their stores knowing full well the independent stores can’t possibly compete with that. Not only that, since the big chains control the stores plus internet sales, they have their own distribution setup and are breaking (change that: have broken) independent distributors. It’s almost impossible to get distribution and when you do, it’s limited. Being an author is not as glamorous as most people think and if you expect to make money, you’d better get a movie made from your novel or write mainstream.

You are a life-long resident of Oakland, the city that serves as a setting for your books. How much of your material is based on your own life and experiences?

As with all writers, we write from experience but I could just as easily be talking about Detroit, Baltimore, Compton, or any other inner city filled with poverty, crime, hopelessness, and despair. That what I mean about keeping it real, having readers identify with what you’re writing because they know it’s real. Some aspects cannot be faked so when someone reads about a dope fiend smoking crack in a transient hotel, and I describe the sights, sounds, and atmosphere in my setting, they know I’ve been there.

Before becoming an author you were a rapper. Do you see hip hop and writing as independent pursuits? Or do they influence each other?

First and foremost, I was a rapper before it was called hip hop and raps actually made sense and said something. See, you can’t get it twisted because hip hop is a way of life for the youngsters from the culture it has developed including the saggy pants, trying to imitate the lifestyle they hear in their music even though the people rapping it don’t live that way. In some ways they may influence each other but that would be minimal at best because you can’t even think of a rap artist that has written a novel. It’s the media trying to clump them both into the same bed by saying they influence each.

What can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects?

I don’t tell about what’s next because the day after someone reads my latest work they already start asking about next. Sort of like “what have you done for me lately”. I am near completion of a novel about a hard working family man who’s betrayed by a scheming, conniving wife. It’s a different take from what I’ve always written but another story that I do have to tell. The one I’m currently working on is about a female who uses men then tosses them to the side like a rag when she’s abused and taken them through the wringer. I love telling stories about women who do their men wrong because it presents the other side since most of what’s out there is about dirty dog men taking a woman through the wringer.

Renay Jackson is a former rapper and a leading author in the genre of urban lit. Sweetpea’s Secret is his sixth novel, following on the heels of the popular Oaktown Mystery Series, which included Oaktown Devil, Shakey’s Loose, Turf War, and Peanut’s Revenge, all published by Frog, Ltd. Jackson received the Chester Himes Black Mystery Writer Award in 2002. When he’s not writing or giving workshops, he spends his time tinkering with the bass guitar, solving cryptograms, and kicking it with his grandchildren. He resides in Oakland.

Thanks goes out to Anna Leifeste, our marketing intern, for her help with this interview.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Sweetpea’s Secret
CLICK HERE to check out Renay Jackson’s website