Category: gang violence

The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson a YA Novel
by Teen Author: Randall Barnes

Book Tour Radio, gang violence, teen author, Young Adult

Randall Barnes - The diary of Aaliyah

The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson
a YA Novel

by Teen Author:
Randall Barnes

 

Get Your Copy

 

Meet Aaliyah Anderson, a beautiful, intelligent, ambitious thirteen-year-old young woman ready to take over the world. With her mom being a superstar broadcast journalist and her older brother Damon being an acclaimed writer and star sports player. Aaliyah lives a fantastic life. Aaliyah quickly learns that her good life, doesn’t separate her from life’s problems. She has to deal with tons of hardships and avoid many obstacles along her path to achieving her short term goal of finally making it to high school and what she feels will bring her closer to her dreams of being a CEO of a company.

Aaliyah has to deal with overwhelming family issues such as the divorce of her parents and the result of her “father’s” unfaithfulness, infidelity, and a family secret that turns her world upside down. As if her family wasn’t messed up enough, her eleven-year old brother turns to the streets and joins the Eastside Rydahz, one of the most notorious gangs in the city. Her eldest brother Jeffery, or high-ranked Rydah 808, hates everything about Aaliyah and she doesn’t understand it. All Aaliyah wants is to have the ideal loving, united family and it hurts her that their situation is seemingly fractured beyond repair.

To make things even more pressing, she lives in the ruthless city of Willowsfield, statistically the #1 most dangerous city in America, where senseless community violence is the norm and life expectancy is low. With the pressure to succeed and make it out of the ditch that Aaliyah calls her hometown, she still has to deal with more problems that test her patience.

With its realistic characters, life-like setting and dynamic message, The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson is entertaining and a sure fire conversation starter on what we need to do as a generation.

 

 

Meet The Author: Randall Barnes

Randall BarnesRandall Barnes is an eighteen year old author, internet radio personality, public speaker and mentor who currently resides in Macon, GA. Randall is already renowned for his positive, realistic, moral driven writings. His first novel The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson has garnered over 46,000 reads on Wattpad.com and universal acclaim. He writes for the popular news website Urban Intellectuals, the relationship blog Courting Her and literary blog Straight, No Chaser. Randall is also the author of the eShort Riverview High: Circumstances, which hit number #2 on the Amazon charts in the week of its debut.

Randall is currently a senior at William S. Hutchings College & Career Academy. Along with being a talented writer, Randall also has the gift of public speaking. He won first place in the FBLA Region 5 Public Speaking Competition in January of 2013. Randall also was also the first student in history to represent Hutchings in the Rotary Club Speech Contest. The best has yet to come for this young man. Look out!

Connect with Randall:

Twitter

“The Diary Of Aaliyah Anderson” Book Links:

– Amazon –Barnes & Noble –DC Bookdiva Publications –

 

 

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Transforming Misery to Motivation –
A Compelling Message by Riccardo Harris

Book Tour Radio, gang violence, good vs. evil, healing, inner peace, Inspirational book, loss of a loved one

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Transforming Misery to Motivation

A Compelling Call to Action
by Pastor Riccardo Harris

A call-to-action has been placed upon educator, author and Pastor Riccardo Harris’ life following the 2008 murder of his 19-year-old son. The motivation for the murder: a gang member didn’t like the way Harris’ son glanced at him while their vehicles were stopped at a traffic light. Harris’ son was not a gang member.

The killing ignited the activist in Harris to turn his misery to a motivational message in hopes to save other young people from experiencing or perpetuating the senseless violence that claimed his son’s life. Harris, a Wichita, Kansas native, is issuing a character challenge to audiences of all ages.

The challenge is masterfully woven within a soul-stirring message of loss, grief, forgiveness and prevailing justice. It’s a message anchored in a vow Harris made to keep the memory of his son – and the lessons from his death – alive.

Harris’ professional journey reflects his commitment to young people and society’s most vulnerable. He holds a degree in Organizational Management and Leadership, and has spent 20 years teaching, counseling and managing various social service programs. Harris currently serves as the Regional Coordinator for Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP, a college preparedness program for children in foster care and those whose families are considered to be low-income. He is also a board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of South-Central Kansas.

 

Beyond professional credentials, Harris’ true ability to carry this message comes from burying his son. Through masterful storytelling and a powerful delivery, Harris’ message ultimately aims to help heal young people; to fill the voids within those who are hurting; to prevent inexplicable violence by promoting his character challenge; and to offer a word of caution about the far-reaching implications of gang violence- even upon those who have no gang ties. And while Harris knows there may be some young people who may continue upon a possibly perilous journey, his message candidly reveals the power of choosing another path.

Click HERE to Access the Book on Amazon

Click HERE to Connect with Pastor Harris

 

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