Audiobooks narrated by Tyla Collier

Confessions of a Video Vixen Anniversary Edition

Part tell-all, part cautionary tale, this emotionally charged memoir from a former video vixen nicknamed 'Superhead' goes beyond the glamour of celebrity to reveal the inner workings of the hip-hop dancer industry—from the physical and emotional abuse that's rampant in the industry, and which marked her own life—to the excessive use of drugs, sex and bling. Once the sought-after video girl, this sexy siren has helped multi-platinum artists, such as Jay-Z, R. Kelly and LL Cool J, sell millions of albums with her sensual dancing. In a word, Karrine was H-O-T. So hot that she made as much as $2500 a day in videos and was selected by well-known film director F. Gary Gray to co-star in his film, A Man Apart, starring Vin Diesel. But the film and music video sets, swanky Hollywood and New York restaurants and trysts with the celebrities featured in the pages of People and In Touch magazines only touches the surface of Karrine Steffans' life. Her journey is filled with physical abuse, rape, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness and single motherhood—all by the age of 26. By sharing her story, Steffans hopes to shed light on an otherwise romanticised industry and help young women avoid the same pitfalls she encountered. If they're already in danger, she hopes to inspire them to find a way to dig themselves out of what she knows first-hand to be a cycle of hopelessness and despair. UPDATE: As the music industry started to have its own reckoning with men who've behaved badly, even criminally, Confessions has been discussed in some quarters as an early warning bell, with Karrine as a feminist icon who shined a light when no one wanted her to and championed sex positivity before it was embraced. Now she talks about what it has been like to watch the tide turn and the lessons still to be learned.

Karrine Steffans (Author), Chanté McCormick, Karrine Steffans, TBD, Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst fear and loss, these New York City teens prevail with love, resilience and hope. From the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky and Vinyl Moon. Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection. In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult circumstances: - Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality. - Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine. - Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents. - Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive. - A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children. From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mahogany L. Browne (Author), Ali Nasser, Amir Royale, Andrea Emmes, Brandon Miles, Chantelle Ramdeen, Elena Rey, Emana Rachelle, Karen Dziekonski, Kiebpoli Calnek, Mahogany L. Browne, Marie-Francoise Theodore, Nile Bullock, Ozzie Jacobs, Ron Butler, TBD, Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Lose a Best Friend

This "important and necessary book for our time" (Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be) confronts the myth of the friendzone as a boy in love with his best friend feels he's owed a chance at romance—and she's the only one in their lives who disagrees. For as long as anyone can remember, Zeke Ladoja and Imogen Parker have been best friends. Their classmates, their parents, and even the school custodian think that they're meant to be together. And that's exactly what Zeke wants: for Gen to be his girlfriend. Now that she's about to be sixteen (and allowed to date), Zeke is finally going to tell her how he feels—in front of everyone at her birthday party. Imogen loves Zeke with all her heart, but only as a friend. The pressure to be with Zeke has sometimes been overwhelming, but up to this point, she's been able to manage it. Then she falls for the new boy, Trevor Cook, and she knows the news will devastate Zeke. The last thing she wants to do is hurt her best friend, but she also resents the fact that no one seems to care about what she wants. The night of Gen's party, everything goes wrong. There's backlash, most of it directed at Gen, and Zeke feels emboldened. He isn't about to give up on his feelings, and he'll do whatever it takes to prove that she made the wrong choice…even if it means destroying their friendship. But Gen isn't about to give up on fighting for herself and the freedom to love the boy she wants, not the boy she's expected to be with.

Jordan K. Casomar (Author), TBD, Tyla Collier, Zeno Robinson (Narrator)

Audiobook

On the Art of the Craft: A Guidebook to Collaborative Storytelling

A writing companion, inspirational guide to the craft, and anthology featuring outstanding essays from the acclaimed nonprofit mentoring organization on its twenty-fifth anniversary helping underserved youth find their voice. We all have stories to tell, but not everyone gets the training or encouragement necessary to be great storytellers. Founded a quarter century ago, the Girls Write Now mentoring program has helped young women and gender expansive youth unleash their creative talent to gain confidence and skills that last a lifetime. When these underserved communities get to tell their stories in their most powerful voices, we all benefit from their insight, empathy, ideas, ingenuity, and ultimately hope. In celebration of the organization’s more than two decades working with youth, this hands-on guide gives aspiring young writers the tools they need to develop their own skills—including tips, insights on the writing and publishing process, critical thinking about the future of storytelling, and advice on how to become a writer—drawn from their creative workshops and one-on-one mentoring. With this handbook, readers everywhere can develop their own talents, thoughts, and ideas to become the writers—and leaders—they are capable of becoming, no matter their pathway in life. On the Art of the Craft is structured around three main themes: Creation, Combination, and Transformation. From the organization’s remarkable archive, current mentees have selected topical and resonant pieces and addressed them, crafting their own essay in conversation with the past. At the end of each piece, readers will find prompts they can use to craft their own responses. Both uplifting and practical, this book, written by young people, is meant to help the upcoming generations empower each other. Showcasing rising talents, offering fresh and welcome new perspectives, and providing hands-on tools, community, and encouragement, On the Art of the Craft will inspire change for all.

Girls Write Now (Author), Alice Wen, Dana Wing Lau, Elena Rey, Grace Capeless, Karen Chilton, Nicky Endres, Nikki Massoud, Rachel Perry, Reader Tbd 1, Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Homecoming War

When plunging enrollment forces two rival high schools to merge, two class presidents must work together to make the schools unite. But when a mutual crush emerges, they'll both have to figure out what they want and where their loyalties lie before they become the most hated people at school. Meg Williams is on the way to making her dreams come true. As the incoming Junior class president for Hirono High School, all she needs are a few more As and an excellent college recommendation letter, then she can leave Huntersville, California, and her ghosts behind. Or, at least she was on track until the school district decided to combine Hirono with their rival, Davies High School. Now, Meg is wandering the pristine hallways of Davies High, her life plan threatened by Hirono's queen mean girl, Freya Allenson, and the maddeningly perfect Chris Chaves, Davies High School's class president. When it turns out Huntersville's Golden Boy won't just step down, Meg begrudgingly accepts that they'll have to work together for the year. Worse still, escalating pranks between the rival classmates and a developing crush threaten to throw Meg even further off course. As homecoming draws near, both Meg and Chris will have to decide where their loyalties lie.

Addie Woolridge (Author), Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

Forgive Me Not

In this searing indictment of the juvenile justice system, one teen in detention weighs what she is willing to endure for forgiveness. All it took was one night and one bad decision for fifteen-year-old Violetta Chen-Samuels' life to go off the rails. After driving drunk and causing the accident that kills her little sister, Violetta is incarcerated. Under the juvenile justice system, her fate lies in the hands of those she's wronged-her family. With their forgiveness, she could go home. But without it? Well . . . Denied their forgiveness, Violetta is now left with two options, neither good-remain in juvenile detention for an uncertain sentence or participate in the Trials. The Trials are no easy feat, but if she succeeds, she could regain both her freedom and what she wants most of all: her family's love. In her quest to prove her remorse, Violetta is forced to confront not only her family's grief, but her own-and the question of whether their forgiveness is more important than forgiving herself.

Jennifer Baker (Author), Ryan Alexander Holmes, Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

What They Found: Love on 145th Street

By the groundbreaking author of the award-winning Monster-a visionary who influenced and inspired a generation-this story take us back to the world of 145th Street: Short Stories to show how love can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places. Curtis finds love in Iraq as he struggles to stay alive in a war he doesn't want to fight, and Letha discovers her own beauty in the love of her child. There is the 'good daughter' who realizes that there's only one way to help her brother and her family. Other stories center on the daily drama of the Curl-E-Que beauty shop, or capture the slapstick side of passion. AWARDS FOR WALTER DEAN MYERS: New York Times Bestselling Author 3-Time National Book Award Finalist Michael L. Printz Award 5 Coretta Scott King Awards 2 Newbery Honors National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (2012-2013) Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement Children's Literature Legacy Award

Walter Dean Myers (Author), Amanda Alcántara, Brandon Gill, Emana Rachelle, Heather Alicia Simms, JaQwan J. Kelly, James Fouhey, Jaqwan J. Kelly, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Kamali Minter, Karen Murray, Khaya Fraites, Shayna Small, Tyla Collier, William DeMeritt, William Demeritt (Narrator)

Audiobook

For Lamb

Lamb's family strives to better their lives in Jackson, Mississippi, in the late 1930s. Lamb’s mother is a hard-working, creative seamstress who cannot reveal she's a lesbian. Lamb’s brother has a brilliant mind and has even earned a college scholarship for a black college up north—if only he could curb his impulsiveness and rebellious nature. Lamb herself is a quiet and studious girl. She is also naïve. As she tentatively accepts the friendly overtures of a white girl who loans her a book she loves, she sets a off a calamitous series of events that pulls in her mother, charming hustler uncle, estranged father, and brother—and ends in a lynching. Told with nuance and subtlety, avoiding sensationalism and unnecessary brutality, this young-adult novel from celebrated author Lesa Cline-Ransome pays homage to the female victims of white supremacy.

Lesa Cline-Ransome (Author), Angel Pean, Dion Graham, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Kevin R. Free, Rebecca Lee, Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Best American Essays 2022

A collection of the year’s best essays, selected by award-winning writer Alexander Chee. Alexander Chee, an essayist of “virtuosity and power” (Washington Post), selects twenty essays out of thousands that represent the best examples of the form published the previous year. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Alexander Chee, Robert Atwan (Author), Eunice Wong, Ewan Chung, Micky Shiloah, Rainy Fields, Tyla Collier, William Demeritt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Honest June: The Show Must Go On

June can't tell a lie - and that made for a lot of drama even before she joined her school musical! Tween readers won't want to miss this relatable and magical new series. Honestly. June has a hard time telling the truth when it isn't what people want to hear. But she's trying to be honest with herself, and auditioning for the school musical is a step in the right direction! It's what she wants -- even if her parents have other ideas. But the drama is brewing offstage, too, and on the night of the play, June's secret blog is released to the whole school. ALL of the inner secrets that she's been desperate to keep to herself are unleashed! Will her friends and family forgive her for the lies? Or is her carefully-constructed life going to come crashing down?

Tina Wells (Author), Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

Love Times Infinity

The swoon of Nicola Yoon meets the emotional punch of Elizabeth Acevedo in this breakout debut novel that answers big questions about identity, family, and love. High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie's been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky. Enter new kid and basketball superstar Derek de la Rosa. He is very cute, very talented, and very much has his eye on Michie, no matter how invisible she believes herself to be. When Michie's mother unexpectedly reaches out to make amends, and with her scholarship deadlines looming, Michie must choose whether to reopen old wounds or close the door on her past. And as she spends more time with Derek, she'll have to decide how much of her heart she is willing to share. Because while Michie may not know who she is, she's starting to realize who she wants to become, if only she can take a chance on Derek, on herself, and on her future.

Lane Clarke (Author), Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pest

Between her dad's pest-control company, her mom's pond-cleaning service, and her side gig at Caddysnack (Santa Barbara's premier small plates and minigolf destination), Hallie Mayhew puts the "work" in working class. But Hal has qualms about gassing gophers, she's tired of ditching friends to skim dead fish from fountains, and she's freaking weary of divorced-parent politics. So she has a plan: win the prestigious Verhaag Scholarship, go to an east-coast school, never come back. But the Verhaag Scholarship has a proud history of nepotism and a last-minute contender just crawled out of the woodwork. Hal's parking-lot nemesis usurps Yearbook Committee, depriving Hal of her only extracurricular credit, her Montecito clients are in a defensive frenzy over a rash of estate burglaries, and, if her jobs keep making her tardy, she may not even graduate. To salvage her scholarship, she needs the help of Spencer Salazar, the dim, infuriating, and (kinda hot) rich kid next door. To save her college prospects, she must restore the natural order of the Yearbook Committee. To preserve her graduation eligibility, she needs a happy first-period history teacher. And, ideally, she'll avoid death by doberman. Now, in her nonexistent spare time, Hal is adding private eye, matchmaker, and rat commando to her list of side gigs and wondering?maybe too late?if she misjudged the boy next door.

Elizabeth Foscue (Author), Tyla Collier (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Tyla Collier