How can I write about a Black woman in the hood? I grew up there. I was born to a single mother on welfare in the county hospital. From my early childhood on throughout my teen years we bounced around a lot; always in the hood and often in the government housing projects. Also, my wife of 30+ years, who helps with these books, was a pregnant teen right in the middle of Compton (L.A. Calif).

The language in the hood changes almost daily, but the people . . . they remain exactly the same.

As the only boy in the family I was surrounded by women. My mother's house was where the neighborhood women gathered to talk. If you have ever been around that type of situation, you know how little boys become invisible and the women talk about anything and everything. If women talk about it, I've heard it.

My world oscillated between inside and outside. The guys outside, the women inside. The guys started stupid and tough on the playground and eventually on the streets and in jail. The women wasted a lot of time talking about the idiot moves us guys did. My "safe place" was books.

Hard to believe, but way back when I was a kid, TVs were expensive. We didn't have one, so I grew up reading. From early on I could get lost in, The Little Train That Could, or later in books like, Lobo in the Wild. Reading was a joy, but because we moved so often, school was arduous. After attending eighteen schools, I dropped out of high school during my senior year and joined the army. Later, with my military duty finished I returned to night school where my love of words payed off. Eventually I became the first in my family to graduate from university.

As adults, many of my childhood friends went to jail. I stayed out, wore a badge and gun, and occasionally ran into old acquaintances in the system.

In more recent years I worked overseas. For almost eleven years we lived in Vietnam and Thailand where I worked with the rich and influential then spent vacations in shacks with dirt floors and caught frogs in rice paddies for dinner. It's also where Michelle Angelique went through her training. The things Michelle talks about are based on my real experiences and people I met. Of course, I never did any of the ninja stuff.

Would you like to receive advanced review copies (ARC) of all my books for free and write reviews? It's a standard practice in the publishing world. Contact me at: jasonstanleyauthor.com.

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Hard Revenge: Action Adventure Pulp Thriller Book #1 (Michelle Angelique) $0.99 Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon IN   Sick at heart. . . Mad to the bone. . .Witness to her brother's murder, Michelle is dead set on revenge. But how? Neither a gangster or a cop, she's just a regular person, an "everywoman." Now, she's also hunted and homeless. Her life in shambles Michelle discovers the hero living in the heart of each of us. She uncovers the strength we know we'd have if faced with the same life destroying disasters. Full of determination but lacking skills, street savvy, and information she sets out to exact the revenge the killers so richly deserve. Powerful women all, Michelle and her two lifelong friends buck the odds of street crime, life in the hood, dirty cops, and crappy boyfriends. The system is stacked against them. Steeped in messages of distrust, failure, and being lesser, can these friends succeed where generations of others have fallen prey to the easier way out? Rated R for language (she's from the hood and has a potty mouth). Previously released as Sister's Revenge by Lori Jean Grace Praise for Michelle:  "I love Michelle, she is ruthless, and yet loyal to family and friends. …give(s) you the feeling you are part of the story."  "Charlie's Angels meets the hood – three friends struggle building a better world." "…complex character development that has you rooting for Michelle, an urban anti-hero/Robin Hood/assassin and her merry band of sister's."  In his debut novel, Hard Revenge, Jason Stanley sets the stage for the ongoing Michelle Angelique action adventure pulp thriller series. Michelle is unique among all the kick ass female heros in books today. Rather than a disgruntled, betrayed, or rouge, military or secret government agent, she is the hero in all of us. She faces the horrible decisions, that "but for the grace of God, go I" each of us could face. It's the hero within that she brings to all of the books in the series. She is also the friend you'd count on, and would help if she called. You know, "that one" the one friend who you'd drive across state lines to help bury the body.

Hard Betrayal: Action Adventure Pulp Thriller Book #2 (Michelle Angelique Avenging Angel Series)   $2.99 to buy Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon IN   Revenge is like a peeling an onion. Each layer insists on courage and ends in tears. Michelle worked hard, trained hard, and acted decisively. She thought the hard part of revenge was over, only to discover it was just the beginning. A set up from the beginning . . . In the midst of trust and support, the sisterhood is betrayed by one of their own. The heartache and problems are as far-reaching as they are tragic. Sadly, sometimes the good do die young. In the hood, it happens far too often. It's time to balance the scale. Is that possible? No matter what the intention, can friendship survive the denial of freedom of choice? Michelle faces the double edge sword of an impossible decision. Is there a right choice? Damned if she does, and damned if she doesn't . . . Will she ever be forgiven? Rated R for language (They're from the hood . . . Guaranteed potty mouth). Previously released as Get Even by Lori Jean Grace In his debut novel, Hard Revenge, Jason Stanley set the stage for the ongoing Michelle Angelique action adventure pulp thriller series. Michelle is unique among all the kick ass female heros in books today. Rather than a disgruntled, betrayed, or rouge, military or secret government agent, she is the hero in all of us. She faces the horrible decisions, that "but for the grace of God, go I" each of us could face. It's the hero within that she brings to all of the books in the series. She is also the friend you'd count on, and would help if she called. You know, "that one" the one friend who you'd drive across state lines to help bury the body. In Hard Betrayal, we see that Michelle and her friends Deja and Nikky really do have what it takes to make the hard decisions while individually being the women they want to be and together the friends they need to have.

Hard Win: Action Adventure Pulp Thriller Book #3 (Michelle Angelique Avenging Angel Series)   $2.99 to buy Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon IN You know how it is, one thing leads to the next. Michelle needed revenge. She never dreamed killing her brother's murderer would lead to saving prostitution slaves . . . but it did. (Strong Language – Reader discretion advised.)  "Right or wrong; she rights wrongs." In her last book Michelle ran with the big dogs. In this thriller, she's leading the pack. Michelle, Nikky, and Deja prove they are three women who should never be messed with. Hard Win is jam packed with the fierce loyalty, no b.s., tell-it-like-it-is action we have come to expect from Jason Stanley.

Hard Run: Action Adventure Pulp Thriller Book #4 (Michelle Angelique Avenging Angel Series)  $2.99 to buy Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon IN   Greed to rebuild, vengeance to get even, a retired mob boss wants Michelle dead. She doesn't agree.  In a bazaar twist of fates, Michelle comes against her personal code and the reality of facing the rich, powerful, and heartless. She was lucky once when surprise and foolish impulse were on her side. Now she's forced to face her own determination as it wars with her fears in the clear light of planned decisions.  With the lives of so many women at stake, it's a lot more than just her integrity in danger of being crushed. Can she be loyal to all those she has sworn to protect and still be loyal to her deepest beliefs?  Don't miss Hit Hard, the fourth book in the Michelle Angelique series by Jason Stanley. If you've enjoyed J.A. Jance, C.J Lyons, and James Patterson, then this character driven Action Adventure Pulp Thriller will have you turning pages and staying up late.