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"Miss Yasmin,
You visited my school last month in Southeast, DC. I was the girl sitting way in the back with long braids. You probably don’t remember me. I didn’t say one word during your whole speech. But since you gave us your MySpace address, I checked you out and decided to connect. All that stuff you were saying about choosing the life you want and being positive, it sounds good, but it doesn’t work around here. In my ‘hood we have people fighting that live two blocks from each other. I live in the Deuce Trés (23rd Street) and we’re at war with Deuce Five (25th Street.) If somebody from Deuce Five sees someone from Deuce Trés, a fight can jump off right on the spot. Hearing guns pop off is an every day, every hour situation. . I used to have friends in like 3rd grade that lived in the Deuce Five area, but now if I see one of them, they act like they don’t know me, and I gotta act all rumble tumble or they’ll try to punk me..."
Click for more excerpt.
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ABOUT RETALIATION:
A Novel by Yasmin Shiraz |
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Everyday, violence and danger run rampant on the streets of Southeast,  DC, and on one seemingly quiet day, the Odom family finds its world destroyed when the baby girl of the family, seventeen-year-old Tashera is brutally attacked by a group of high school girls.
The attack—borne from jealousy—triggers hate, revenge, and the need for justice in the hearts of everyone in the community.
Tashera, a girl with sparkling qualities – she’s laid back, she keeps to herself, she’s intelligent and beautiful, she’s the hair stylist of the high school clique, and most importantly, she stays out of people’s business – finds herself trying to rein in her growing anger at being an innocent bystander as she worries about how this event will affect her family.
Sheila Odom, Tashera’s mother, has to deal with her secretive past, her one mistake that threatens to come back to life and destroy any and everyone involved on the attack of her daughter.
Khalil, Tashera’s brother—a wheelchair bound, former gang member—is willing to become active again in the Deuce Trés crew in order to send a message.
Ahmed, Tashera’s boyfriend—the star basketball player at the high school—must face the realization that his involvement with Tashera might have been the reason behind her attack.
The public school system in the neighborhood must decide how and when does it step in to avoid such violence, and the criminal justice system has to sort out the issues of who’s right, who’s wrong and if revenge is ever justifiable.
In her novel Retaliation, Yasmin Shiraz exposes the corrupting existence of violence in our communities and the retaliatory measures – whether right or wrong – that families go through in order to protect themselves and their children.
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“If we are truly interested in conflict resolution, the issue of retaliation is as important, if not more important, as the issue that created the conflict”.
Neal Hickson
Prevention Specialist
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
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“It’s important for the youth to read Retaliation so they can see what could happen if they make the wrong decisions. And, it’s important for police officers to read it so they can see the things that kids go through at home. It’s a good book. I couldn’t put it down.”
Officer Tinsley
19 Year Veteran
Metropolitan Police Dept.
Washington, DC
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"Finally! A novel that is a great read and one a parent can safely pass to a teenager. An excellent plot written where the author explores all aspects of the characters involved in this situation. Kudos to author Yasmin Shiraz! She has taken her first love; helping our youths, and incorporated that true passion into this well written novel, giving us a real situation with the added bonus of great story telling."
Locksie
ARC Book Club Inc.
Star Rating 5.0*****
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