Atlanta and Portland Set the Scenes for Young Adult Novel
(Atlanta, GA) – Atlanta author Amanishakhete (uh-ma-ni-sha-keet) announces the release of the first installment in the LaTonya Trilogy—LaTonya: Mama’s Daughter. This cutting-edge work begins during the 2012 Obama and Romney presidential campaigns. Both Atlanta, GA, and Portland OR provide backdrops for this dynamic story about 16-year-old LaTonya Loretta Ellis who battles the pressures of drugs, alcohol, and sex, ultimately coming to grips with secrets from her family’s past—the trauma of murder and violence.
LaTonya, nicknamed “Tippy” at age 4 for her ability to sneak up on people without them knowing, is a wealthy adolescent African American girl who is uprooted from her Atlanta home and moved to Portland in the middle of her high school senior year. LaTonya becomes acutely aware there are relatively few faces of color like her own, however, soon discovers northeast Portland once known as Portland’s black community. In the community, there is still a core of African Americans, where LaTonya seeks to find solace amid Portland’s predominately-white environment, and creates new friendships, a new love, and a new life.
Amanishakhete began writing this novel after attending two family reunions (Atlanta, GA and Butler, AL) one summer and has launched a true-to-life storyline that engages multigenerational audiences 16+ says early focus group readers. It presents the black experience beyond street life and poverty.
“I wanted readers to explore a variety of black experiences and intimately connect with LaTonya and the rest of the characters,” says Amanishakhete. “There are real icons and neighborhoods in the story so people get a street view of the Atlanta and Portland communities through the eyes of one of its teenagers. You may even find out some secrets.”
Innately, Amanishakhete may break rules and cross so-called boundaries in writing this young adult series, but as she says “Today’s teens know a lot more than parents think they do, no different from when I was younger,” says Amanishakhete. “The only difference is social media and the internet has taken over their minds, so it’s hard for them to determine the truth. LaTonya, although fiction, is based on their truths from all walks of life,” Amanishakhete added.
LaTonya “Mama’s Daughter” is on sale online and in some local bookstores, in print and eBook. Stay in touch with Amanishakhete through her website www.amanishakhete.com for excerpts from the work, including book signings and book launch schedule. Later this year Amanishakhete will present an inside look at LaTonya 2: Fathers may be set for release this December.
For a media kit, review a copy, arrange interviews, or book signings, contact Sylvia McDaniel at mcdanielsyl@gmail.com or 678-978-4409.
About the author: Amanishakhete “brings a new voice to the experience.” Inspired by her on own life and the many colorful characters she’s met, Amanishakhete has brought to fruition LaTonya, a long-awaited dream. Although a new author, Amanishakhete is no stranger to writing and authorship. She’s written and performed what she’s dubbed as word-soul using the alias Boss Amanishakhete. She underscores her lyrics with original music composed by Portland hip-hop artist and producer Anuff.
