8 Urban Fiction Authors Who Overcame Prison And Forged Lucrative Careers

Shannon Holmes

Bronx, New York native, Shannon Holmes, was armed with nothing more than a GED and a prison record when he decided that writing about his street experiences rather than living them was his life’s mission. While serving five years in prison for various drug convictions, Holmes wrote his first novel and negotiated a deal with Triple Crown Publications. His timely classic, B-More Careful, was the launching pad for his successful career as an author. Going on to sell half-a-million copies, B-More Careful transformed Holmes into a platinum commodity in publishing. After negotiating a two-book, six-figure deal with Simon & Schuster, Holmes continues to be a giant in urban fiction. His sophomore novel, Bad Girlz sold 50,000 copies in the first week alone and he accomplished a feat that no other urban fiction author had been able to do in the past. His critically acclaimed book, Never Go Home Again was the first in the genre to be printed in hardcover. Now crowned as the “King of Hip-Hop Literature,” Holmes has negotiated a larger deal with St. Martin’s Press and released several other popular street novels.