Book Spotlight -- Thirsty by Mike Sanders
Thirsty takes place on the mean streets of Charlotte, N.C. where you either hustle hard or stay home. Meet Justice, a half-black, half-Filipino goddess whose appetite for a quick dollar is insatiable. Having moved from Chi-town to Charlotte, North Carolina, at an early age, Justice and her younger brother, Monk, decides to take the streets of the Queen City by storm. Justice and Monk, the two main characters are a team of sheisty individuals definitely hustle hard.
Justice uses her exotic looks to get next to dope boys, then sets them up for Monk and his crew to rob. All is well and their hustle is fruitful until Justice ex-boyfriend Carlos (a vicious drug dealer) is robbed and all fingers are pointed towards Justice and Monk. Subsequently, a war ensues between Monk and Carlos clique of dealers and killers. No one is exempt from the bloodbath!
Justice life begins to spiral out of control. She has sworn off hustlers and is determined to find a guy with a legitimate job to settle down with. She meets J.T., a handsome business man who becomes her every fantasy in human form. J.T. rescues Justice from a deadly and cruel world. Justice thinks she has moved into a safe haven, only to find out that she has actually landed in a snake pit! She decides that her only escape is to leave Charlotte behind altogether. However, this may leave Monk with no one to watch his back.
Justice refuses to leave without punishing all those that caused her harm, but her past soon catches up with her. She is confronted with a bare truth that explodes her world into a million tiny pieces. As her thirst for money grows, so does her appetite for revenge. However, she soon realizes that some thirsts can NEVER be quenched!
Ella: Mike, tell us a little about yourself. How did you start writing?(A) I am the author of "Hustlin' Backwards," "Snitch," "Thirsty" and the soon-to-be released "Thirsty 2." I was born and raised on the grimy streets of Charlotte , N.C. which inspired my writing. My writing journey began in 2001 when I penned my first novel and subsequently published it in 2004. I am now with Wahida Clark Presents and I'm currently in the process of penning my fourth novel.
Ella: What was the most powerful chapter or scene in the book for you?(A) To me, the most powerful chapter in the book was the last chapter. In this chapter, Justice found out that not only had her brother Monk been murdered but also the guy she had been sleeping with and ultimately murdered was also her brother! That chapter shows how lost alot of us are as far as "family" is concerned. In too many African-American household, the father is not present. Therefore, there is always the possibility of siblings outside of the original household.
In a lot of cases like that, siblings don't even know one another. I've got a sister 18 months younger than me who I met for the first time in 1995! We'd been living in the same city all of our lives and never knew the other existed. The situation with my sister was one of the reasons I wrote the storyline of this book the way I did. I sat back and thought about how screwed up it would've been if we had met under different circumstances. It happens!
Ella: Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp and share?(A) The message I want readers to grasp is the fact that there are ALWAYS consequences for the actions we choose to take. And without a doubt, KARMA is a bitch! What goes around definitely comes back to stare you in the face. Most times, it's when you least expect it and it's way more severe than what you dished out!
Ella: What does your family think of your writing career? (A) My family is very supportive of my writing. They are beyond proud of the fact that I am finally doing something legitimate with my life now instead of taking penitentiary and graveyard chances. My daughters love the attention they get from teachers and classmates when they find out their father is a published author. My mother who recently passed away was by far my biggest fan...When I write now, I can still see her smiling face all over again just like when she found out my first novel had gotten published. She is my continued motivation.
Ella: What is the best piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?(A) Actually I have two key pieces of advice to offer aspiring authors. First and foremost, be mindful of who you are trusting with your material. Do your background check on your publisher and check their track record. Don't just sign a contract because you want to see your book on shelves. I guess I'm saying MAKE SURE YOUR BUSINESS IS 100!
Secondly, I advise anyone who is thinking about jumping into this game to come with something NEW. There are so many of the same books out there right now just with different titles. Bring something refreshing to the game. The game needs it!!
Ella: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.(A) THIRSTY was nominated for a literary award at the African-American Literary Award show last September. It was #2 on Don Diva magazine best-sellers list in the July '09 issue. I am currently working on the sequel to Thirsty which will be out soon.
I can be reached online for interviews and to buy books at: http://www.wclarkpublishing.com/ , http://www.amazon.com/ , www.myspace.com/queencitysbest , Facebook (Mike Sanders), and I can be emailed at: queencitysbest@yahoo.com
Thirsty by Mike Sanders
Purchase the book from Wahida Clark Publishinghttp://www.wclarkpublishing.com/wcp-books-thirsty.htm
Book Reviews for Thirsty by Mike Sanders
This is a story of several people whose lives collide. Choices are made, some of which are terrible. Choices that will forever alter their lives.
Mike Sanders has brought freshness to an all too familiar premise. He has introduced a multi-faceted plot with many characters, and the story is told from four points of view - Justice, Monk, Sapphire and Carlos - in alternating chapters. Each chapter blends into the following effortlessly.
I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. His descriptions are vivid and convincing.
In the end, "Thirsty" is a book that's hard to put away completely. Even long after it's finished, you may find its characters sneaking back into your head. Mike Sanders has spun a wicked tale that MUST be read by everyone. This is my first read by this author and it won't be my last.
--- Reviewed by Jermaine, OOSA Online Book Club
From the excitement of the first page, THIRSTY moves like a no brakes runaway car that involves stickup boys, drug dealers, hit men, and shady ladies like Justice, who is introduced with a gun in hand in this unpredictable edge-of-the-seat thriller. There's mystery, suspense, gunplay, and a touch of erotica in this street novel that transcends the narrow confines of this genre and becomes a serious minded and entertaining story of sociopaths and the women who loves them. THIRSTY is a not to be missed novel with gritty realism and biting irony, and a must read page turner.
--- Reviewed by Terry B. author of Dancer's Paradise: An Erotic Journey, At Midnight: Choice Fowler's Story and The E Collection: A New Definition of Erotica
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