Growing up in the heart of the Atlanta ghetto, siblings DeMarco and Jasmine Winslow have developed a talent for survival. But if given the chance, they would do anything for a fresh start... By the time DeMarco was fifteen, being locked up was better than being at home. So whenever he got hungry or cold or just plain tired of living in the ghetto, he'd steal something and make sure he got caught, 'cause going to juvie was like going to video games, basketball courts, a big screen television, and three hot meals a day. And now that he's back in the hood, things seem worse than before. Jasmine, DeMarco's twin sister, hasn't had the luxury of vacationing in juvie. She's had to balance being an honor roll student with fighting off advances from her mother's boyfriend. After her mom sides with her boyfriend, Jasmine's out on the streets and running with the DIVAs, a rough group of girls whose number one goal is to get paid. But when Jasmine finally gets her chance to break free, she learns the hard way that no one leaves the hood unscathed... Also Available TWO THE HARD WAY AT THE CROSSROADS [show covers]
Author
Travis Hunter is an author, songwriter and father. The Hearts of Men was self-published in 2000 by Hunter's own company, Jimrose Publishing House. During the 2000 Book Expo America in Chicago, Hunter handed out copies of his self-published novel, The Hearts of Men and one week later received and offer from Random House's imprint, Strivers Row/ Villard for the re-release of The Hearts of Men. Five more novels followed; Married but Still Looking,Trouble Man, A One Woman Man, Something to Die for and the current release, A Family Sin. Hunter is a native of Florence, S.C. He was also reared in Philadelphia, Pa. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he attended Clark Atlanta University and subsequently enrolled in Georgia State University where he majored in Psychology. During his tour of duty in the military, he discovered his interest in music, ultimately writing his first song for a Sony recording artist. Always an avid reader, Hunter parlayed his interest in music into a passion for story-telling that led to his critically acclaimed debut novel. Hunter lives in a suburb outside of Atlanta with his son Rashaad. He is the founder of the "Hearts of Men Foundation," through which he mentors underprivileged children. If you'd like to meet Travis Hunter or hear him read from his latest novel, check his schedule to see if he's going to be in a city near you. "I can only write about what I know," explains Travis Hunter about writing The Hearts of Men. "I've always been interested in what makes some relationships work and others fail, so I observed various relationships. I listened to people's gripes about their spouses and what they were expecting out of their relationships but never took the time out to communicate to their spouse. People love drama, and the things I've encountered in my unofficial research is enough to fill ten novels. My goal is to help others understand men better—why we do what we do. That goes for males, too. Just because you are over eighteen, doesn't make you a man."
