Let That Be the Reason: A Novel

Written in prison and based on real-life experiences, the novel that launched the writing and publishing career of the bestselling author of Still Dirty, Dirty Red, and Imagine This…“the reigning queen of urban fiction” (Publishers Weekly).

Let That Be the Reason is the novel Vickie M. Stringer wrote when she was still serving her seven-year sentence for drug trafficking. When she couldn’t find a publisher, she printed the novel herself and sold it out of the trunk of her car. “I’ve exposed myself with the prayer that my life can be used as an example to warn other of the awful dangers of the drug Game,” she wrote in its Afterword. Let That Be the Reason begins when a drug dealer abandons his girlfriend Pamela Xavier, leaving her with nothing but a stack of bills, an empty refrigerator, and an impending eviction notice. Backed in a corner and with no prospects in sight, Pamela decides to get her hustle on. Transforming herself into Carmen, she learns to deal with the streets, the playas, the drug lords, and of course the law—by any means necessary. In no time, she is running a call-girl service, a fencing operation, and a drug cartel—all while still being a mom. Carmen wants money, but she also wants happiness. The problem is, she doesn’t quite understand what real happiness is and what real love means—or what it all costs.

Vickie M. Stringer is the author of Essence bestsellers, including Imagine This, Let that Be the Reason, Dirty Red, Still Dirty, and Dirtier Than Ever. She is the publisher of Triple Crown publications, one of the most successful African American book publishers in the U.S. and abroad. She has been featured in such prominent news media as The New York Times, Newsweek, MTV News, Publishers Weekly, Vibe, Millionaire Blueprints, Writer's Newsweek, Black Expressions, and many more. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her two children.