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LaTonya: Mama’s Daughter
| For Immediate Release Atlanta to Portland (and back again) Set the Scenes for Young Adult Novel (Atlanta, GA) – Atlanta author Amanishakhete (uh-ma-ni-sha-keet) announces the re-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 campaign. 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 has launched a true-to-life storyline that engages multi-generational audiences 16+ says early focus group readers. It presents the black experience beyond street life and poverty. “I want 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. “Only difference is social media and internet has taken over their minds, so it’s hard for them to determine truth. LaTonya, although fiction, is based on their truths from all walks of life,” Amanishakhete added. LaTonya “Mama’s daughter” is on sale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online bookstores and 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 Maybe now on sale. For a media kit, review a copy, arrange interviews or book signings, contact Sylvia at mcdanielsyl@gmail.com. About the author: Amanishakhete “brings a new voice to the experience.” Inspired by her own 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 as a word-soul using the alias Boss Amanishakhete. She underscores her lyrics with original music composed by Portland hip-hop artist and producer Anuff. # # # |
LaTonya 2: Fathers Maybe
Now on sale, LaTonya 2 is loaded with more surprises leading LaTonya into dangerous territory filled with deception, hate and violence. She even experiences her first sexual encounter, as a resident of Portland, Oregon attending Abe Lincoln High School where she gets arrested for defending herself against a troublemaker. A lot goes down in this small city and she owes it all to her controlling father who has his own reasons for holding her close. LaTonya discovers a whole new world unlike her own, but friendly thanks to new friendships.
Like Darius who wants her badly knowing he has to cool his jets until he finds a way to gently capture her attention. After all, this young lady has class and money, money, money and Darius finds out just how much. Then there’s Shonny, a known Lesbian who is engaged to a Latina, white boy DeMenace, a Portland hip hop artist who LaTonya has a brief encounter and, of course, TiAnna her friend from Atlanta who makes her way to Portland under awkward circumstance and after escaping her kidnappers.
Despite the love hate relationship with her father and wanting to murder his wifey Luanne, LaTonya has these friends–old and new—from all walks of life who remain by her side through the toughest parts of the hell she’s reliving from the day her mama left.
LaTonya finds out that things are not always as they seem, or are they? Like the true identity of the killer. Is it Luanne? Robert Ellis? Or some other SOB? Find out in LaTonya 2.
Boss Amanishakhete 