Sat. October 11, 2:00 pm
Author Reading & Book Signing
with Jean Love Cush
Endangered: A NovelAn innocent black teenager is accused of murder in this provocative and compassionate thriller that skillfully probes issues of race, class, crime, and injustice and offers a searing portrait of modern America.
From the time her son, Malik, could walk, Janae taught him that the best way to stay alive and out of trouble with the law was to cooperate. Terrified for his safety, she warned him, "raise your hands high, keep your mouth shut, and do whatever they say," if the police ever stopped him. But when a wave of murders hits Philadelphia and fifteen-year-old Malik is arrested, Janae's terror is compounded by guilt and doubt: Would Malik have escaped jail if he'd run?
Unable to see her son or pay for his defense, Janae, a cafeteria worker, reluctantly allows Roger Whitford, a white human rights attorney, to represent Malik. With the help of an ambitious private attorney named Calvin Moore, Roger is determined to challenge the entire criminal justice system and expose its inherent racism-racism that threatens the very existence of America's young black men.
Offering a startling and unprecedented defense, the lawyers spark a national firestorm of debate over race, prison, and politics that burns to the very core of Janae herself. As she battles to save her son, she begins to discover that she is also fighting for her own survival and that of her community.
Praise for
Endangered
Cush makes a passionate argument for the defense of young men whose only crimes were being born black in America. . . . A frightening and realistic story about the realities of racism, poverty and injustice.
-Kirkus Reviews
Endangered is a gripping tale that captivates from the first page to the very last. This phenomenal debut pulls at your heartstrings and exposes an unfair justice system while simultaneously engrossing you with skillful storytelling. It was amazing.
-Ashley & Jaquavis, New York Times bestselling authors of
The Cartel
A quick, engaging story. . . A stark reminder of the human inside the skin, regardless of color, Endangered has the potential to open up discussions that are long overdue.
-Shelf Awareness
About the Author
A native of Philadelphia, Jean Love Cush graduated magna cum laude from Temple University School of Communication. She later earned a law degree, and worked as a prosecutor for the Philadelphia district attorney's office. Under a Department of Justice grant, Jean served as a family law attorney helping low-income women escape domestic-abuse situations through community outreach, advocacy, and legal representation.
Her experience as an attorney strengthened her desire to bring awareness to social and cultural issues. Inspired from her work as a family law attorney, Jean wrote and self-published her first novel Tattered Bonds, which tells the story of a thirty-something year old woman whose seemingly perfect life falls apart as she finally confronts a beloved family friend who molested her as a child.
As the host of her own weekly radio show, Jean continued to bring attention to issues that matter to her. As the on air personality of A View From the Summit, she tackled such issues as public safety, education, inner city violence and the plight of black youth. It was while at the radio station that the idea and research for her latest novel Endangered came about. Endangered tells the story of single black mother whose 15-year-old son is accused of a murder, their fight to prove his innocence while exposing the inherent bias in the criminal justice system against all black boys.
Endangered, which was released July 1, 2014, has received rave reviews. The Kirkus Reviews said "...frightening and realistic...Cush makes a passionate argument for the defense of young men whose only crimes were being born black in America," while Publishers Weekly said, "Engaging...intriguing...Cush crafted a compassionate story that commands the reader's attention."
Jean is currently working on her next novel, The Missing, which is scheduled for release sometime in 2016.
While writing books has been a dream of Jean's since childhood, her greatest loves are God, her two beautiful daughters Sydney and Haley and her husband Charles Cush.
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