Street Fiction

Do you have a special routine or rituals when you write?

My schedule is hectic because I’m not just an author, I’m a publisher and a journalist as well so I have no set routine. I just make it happen when I need to or whenever time permits. But I do write regularly. One of the things I like to do regularly is drive through different hoods and interact with people. I will never be one of these hollyhood cats. I like my freedom and liberty too much and the opportunity to interact with the people I write about and for to get high on myself.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on my autobiography titled “Survivor” amongst working on some of my authors titles to get their titles release ready. If you have ever read Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown or Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America by Nathan McCall then you will want to read my story when it comes out in 2008.

Who are a few street fiction authors or titles that you have enjoyed reading?

Out the gate I’m going to say Donald Goines. He is the reason why hip-hop and street fiction share such a close relationship. It was from his work and people like The Last Poets that hip-hop was birthed. Donald’s stories were revolutionary in nature. He gave you the all around reality of the world of American blacks. He showed you the no good brothers, dealers, pimps etc. And then he showed you the other side, brothers like Kenyatta. I hear and see a lot of urban and street lit authors mention him when talking about their influences. I find this odd because SOME of their writings are to the total extreme of being revolutionary, or anything which will evoke one to ponder about their conditions and circumstances. To hear some of them speak with such intelligence at expos and book fairs makes it hard to imagine that they would write stories which only glamorize and exploit the negatives in our communities. I have never had the chance to but I have heard some good things about a brother name Jihad who has some titles out under Urban Books. I was doing a signing one day at a store and the clerk told me that I needed to meet him because we have the same ideals as far as writing stories are concerned. There are a lot of brothers and sisters in street and urban lit who I would consider conscious, but unfortunately for the most part they are not the ones signed to the big companies, nor are they the ones who’s names you see ringing bells in the independent market. Another title I enjoyed is The The Most Dangerous Gang in America: The NYPD by Richard Jeanty. The title is nonfiction but I thought I’d mention it because it is the extreme opposite of what the author usually writes. I grew up a 5% Percenter and most of my reading revolved around history, politics and psychology. If a writer writes just to entertain than I’m not reading their work because thats not what interests me. I’m all about growth and development and change.

What are you reading right now?

Actually I’m reading Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff–and it’s all small stuff By Dr. Richard Carlson. Its a book of quotes and thoughts to live by. I read a lot of these types of books because a man is a sum of his thoughts. If you fill your head up with nonsense then you’re going to think nonsense.

Why is street fiction important and why should people read it? Why should librarians purchase street fiction?

Street fiction like true hip-hop is the voice and calling of the people. These stories are a close look at the conditions and circumstances of people within urban and inner city areas. The stories will educate and shed light on issues many are not aware of. It may change the readers life, or help them save and change the life of a loved one. These books are blue prints to survival. Of course the business and politics of the publishing industry have brought about some corruption and its reflected by the types of stories some writers choose to pen. But on a positive note there are a lot of good, progressive stories out there.

Librarians need to purchase urban and street fiction because within these works lie Urban Education and the knowledge one needs to survive within their environment which is a lot different than what goes on in middle class or rich neighborhoods. These works are the tools to enlighten and save the next generation. Yes, there is some crap out there and irresponsible stories. But there are also some very important socially progressive works out there as well. You’re going to find this extreme within every genre.

Therone Shellman is the author of the novels Love Don’t Live Here, No Love Lost and December release Love.com. He is also currently working on his autobiography titled “Survivor” which will be releasing in 2008. Between writing novels and journalism he attends to his duty as President of Third Eye Publishing, Inc a company which he established in 2005. He can be reached at www.myspace.com/theroneshellman