Pretty Ugly; a Harlem Situation

by Brad "BLUE" Bathgate

New York City has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, which means there is also a large market for illicit trafficking. When Chuck Love, a native New Yorker attending college in the Bluegrass State, learns how easy it is to transport guns illegally up the highway, he immediately sees a way to earn some cash. Then all of a sudden, there is Apple - an all-around city girl with the sun in her smile, Harlem in her hips and a mean streak lurking under all that allure. Chuck and Apple were high school sweethearts who lost contact over the years, and then one summer day, Chuck gets the surprise of his life. From afar, he spots Apple walking by - and just as he rushes to rekindle old memories with her, he runs into Zachary, the underworld figure who is willing to fund his dreams of starting his own business. All is going according to their plan. but when the two new partners start tripling their profits, watch greed set in. See how one man allows quick money to go to his head, forgetting that the people you meet going up are the same people you meet coming down. See how life in the streets can sometimes get pretty ugly...

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2004

About the author

Blue was born in Harlem, but raised as a military brat between New York, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Germany. Upon returning to the states from Germany as a teenager, he experienced culture shock and quickly developed a discerning eye, which lends to his writing today.

Blue is the author of “Corner Stores in the Middle of the Block,” a collection of original poetry and short stories. In the winter of 2006, he was published in “Essence Magazine.” He has performed at the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe, the Bowery Poetry Club, The Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church in association with Cave Canem Poets.

Reviews

[anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just bought this book from the author's hands on the subway. Support local talent, they said.

[RK Byers · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting, gritty tale.