The Things I Could Tell You! (Paperback or Softback)

The Things I Could Tell You! by J. L. Woodson, is the story of Cameron Spears, a Chicago teenager growing up in a house filled with secrets and domestic violence. After changing identities and moving to Memphis, the past comes back to haunt Cameron-forcing him to make a deadly choice that changes his life forever. "This bright young author has written a story that hooks you in the prologue, which cleverly describes the intense ending of the story. The story is a pretty accurate portrayal of the effects abuse can have on a family and the extreme results that can occur. We thoroughly enjoyed this story. A Big 'Write On' to J. L. Woodson!" --Darcina Garrett, The Literary Diversions Book Club "I strongly encourage parents/adults to read this book because it shows what we, as women, tolerate sometimes for too long." --R. Hopes "A definite page turner! J. L. Woodson is absolutely inspiring. Word for word, he compels the reader to sit up and take notice." --Mary B. Morrison, National best selling author of When Somebody Loves You Back

J. L. Woodson is a sixteen-year-old native of Chicago, Illinois is an Olive Harvey Middle College scholar, and a past participant of the University of Chicago's Pilot Enrichment Program. This novelist penned the first chapter of The Things I Could Tell You! for an English assignment. Acquiring Susan Mary Malone as his personal editor, and adding entries from a journal he has kept through the years, helped develop The Things I Could Tell You! into a complete literary work. The story immediately caught the attention of an agent, then a publishing company.

Founder of Brilliant and Motivated Wordsmiths, a support group for teen writers, J. L. Woodson has spoken at several Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Public Libraries on the writing process and about publishing industry. He is also the youngest member of The Pen and The Sword Black Authors Network—a writers' collective whose members include authors such as Naleighna Kai, Trevy A. McDonald, Tony Lindsay, Cheryl Katherine Wash, Bettye Odom, Sesvalah, Earlee Hubbard, Craig McKee , Nancy S. Wheeler, Melody Marion, Keija Shapodee and L. B. Ransom.

Recently selected as editor of the forthcoming Voices of Scholars Anthology Series, J. L. Woodson will direct the production of ten novels in several genres due to be released in Summer 2003. The novels comprise a collection of stories written by fellow classmates of Olive Harvey Middle College.

Winner of the American Karate Association's top competitor award for Sparring and Forms in 1998, J. L. Woodson plays the alto and tenor saxophones, models, and is currently working on his next novels, Secrets of the Streets and Superwoman's Child: Son of a Single Mother.