A Hustlers Wife, Project Chick, The Glamorous Life, Riding Dirty on I-95, Death Before Dishonor, Forever a Hustlers Wife- these are the titles of Nikki Turner's books but could easily be superlatives to describe the Queen of hip-hip fiction and her life. The Richmond, VA author is on top of the game now but it wasn't always like that. Still a come up is a come up and in the parlance of the streets Nikki is what they call a big baller. But every big baller started somewhere and most came from humble beginnings.
"I started writing in 7th grade when my English teacher gave me a journal because I passed notes in her class," Nikki says. "From that point I knew I could write. I've always been a very outspoken person but if I put my thoughts on paper or in a letter than I would truly get my point across. That’s with anything, if I went to a restaurant or to a store and was mistreated, if I complained it was ok but if I wrote a letter I always got a surprising response. So it goes back to there." And from there it went to her first novel, A Hustler; Wife, which was a look into the world Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim left behind, but from a female’s perspective.
"When I first penned A Hustlers Wife there were not many street books on the market so I thought, 'hmmm, I think I'll write a book.' And I did. Once I had it in my mind that I was going to do it, thirty-seven days later I had the rough draft of A Hustlers Wife." A now that rough draft, which found its way to Triple Crown founders Shannon Holmes and Vickie Stringer and sold in the six figures within the first year of publication is being made into a movie.
"It’s in production now and scheduled to hit the big screen," Nikki says. But the Essence and Don Diva Magazine best selling author hasn't rested on her laurels. Besides Project Chicks, The Glamorous Life, Riding Dirty of I-95 and Forever A Hustlers Wife which came out on Random House/Ballentine Nikki put out the first two books in her Street Chronicle series. "Street Chronicles is my baby." She says. "Initially, I created it as a vehicle for new and upcoming authors to be put on. In the process I somehow ended up getting some already published and established authors under the Nikki Turner book line through Random House." She also co-wrote Girls in the Hood with Cruchi for Urban Books, which part 2 is ready to come out also and Nikki launched gangsta rapper 50 cent's imprint G-Unit books too with Death Before Dishonor. So Nikki stays grinding and getting that dollar but she has other responsibilities also.
"Some days I'm a soccer mom," she says. "I have two children, although, I have a live in nanny. I am still a very instrumental part of my children’s lives. Even successful as I am I still go through the struggles and prejudices of being a single mother." Still writing is her focus.
"Other days I am consumed with my writing." She says. "Those days I am strictly hugging the block, only the block becomes my computer and my project. I go hard. After I get three chapters into it, I completely submit to it. I don't answer the phone, cook and most of the time I don't leave the house. Outside of those doors are too many perils and traps to get me side tracked and snatch away my focus. During my writing time I don't do anything but sit at the computer with my cute pj 's or some sweats and a wife beater and write." Nikki draws a lot of material directly from her life.
"Most of my days are merely drama filled and can fit in between the chapters of any Nikki Turner original book," she says. "Funny incidents, arguments, things that could only happen to me. Never a dull experience. You have no idea... you think my books are intriguing? Try a day in my actual life." And since signing a reported six-figure deal with Random House Nikki Turner is definitely that big baller
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