JoelHamiltonMCK writer

Africa's Ashiest Warrior by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

Ashy is a term used to describe dry skin and is commonly used within the Black community. Our skin turns a harsh grayish-white, becomes rough, cracks, and invites criticism. Ashy is grotesque, not beautiful. Ashy is ghetto, not professional. Ashy is undesirable, not valued. That is what many people think. This book takes back the negative association with being ashy and turns it into a right, a privilege, a power… a superpower. Ashburn is born in a haunted region of Africa known for its enthusiastically ashy citizens. Their skin allows them to create the friction needed to birth weak flames. They were the first to discover, create, and harness fire. Their powers are used for general house duties and occupations. Although their powers are useful, they are not strong enough to defeat the spirits and deities that lurk in the night. Due to the arid climate, young children are lathered in oil and grease to prevent them from prematurely igniting their powers. Oh, how they yearn to be free of the crude moisturizer and become ashy like the adults. Upon completing kindergarten, they are allowed to be ashy and use their powers. Ashburn discovers that his ash powers are much more powerful and destructive than everyone else's. Is he one of the legendary burning warriors, the Mpiganaji wa Kuchoma, the ones strong enough to defeat the monsters of the night? All will be revealed in this story of adventure, African folklore and mythology, as we reclaim the word ashy.

Black Brilliance by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

The unheard ancient Egyptian tale of Aqil, the great musician and scientist. It was luck, or rather, fate that he stumbled upon a cursed microscope; stolen from the god Thoth himself. It gave him the power to see something no man had seen before: DNA. Aqil had the unusual gift of seeing DNA as music, could apply his knowledge of science, and performed miracles by playing his Egyptian ney; miracles that could replicate or even mutate DNA. Whispers spread that he could heal the injured, cause life-threatening afflictions, and cure the sick. Rumors also spread that he could change a frog into a fish and a mouse into a snake. Others say he could turn a human into a demon, or even a god. The truth to the rumors was unknown. However, one thing was certain. Any person who peered into the microscope was placed under a heavy curse. Aqil was often given difficult tasks, having to rely on his mind to keep himself, and others alive. When asked to do the impossible, he had to utilize his brilliance to combine his musical abilities, his knack for science, and the cursed microscope to perform miracles. His story will be heard across the world. However, pray you never hear the distinct melody of his prized instrument, his Egyptian ney, for that would mean one of two things. You could be in earshot of him performing a miracle, or you could be the target. Some have very different perceptions of what a miracle is.

Mud Crab Kingdom: My People or My Peace? by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

Following the Indie Ink nominated book, the Soft-Shelled Prince, this slow-burn sequel shows Marcious Leojè's life after creating his Mud Crab Kingdom. Like that of his childhood, the walls of his kingdom keep discrimination and persecution at bay. However, they also keep the true Marcious locked inside. Marcious must constantly choose between what's best for his kingdom and himself; the advancement of mud-skins and the pursuit of love; his people or his peace. The demands of his citizens, opinions of outsiders, and thoughts in his head create an inescapable constant roar. Even so, he must make choices that leave some, or someone disgruntled, disowned, or dead.

Mud Crab Kingdom: The Soft-Shelled Prince by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

In a time ruled by fair-skinned kings and racial divides, the son of a fair-skinned king and mud-skinned peasant, Marcious Leojé, spends his days far beyond his father's kingdom in the muddy mangroves with his best friend, Etel Duetman. Here, they form an unusual kinship with the native crabs and build a mud kingdom. These two mud-skinned teenagers feel invincible within this playground-sized fortress. The discrimination within the kingdom cannot reach them and the mud walls provide a sense of security. However, they soon learn that their kingdom is nothing more than a mud wall, as it is unable to protect those they love. Cast into despair and the unknown world, they must learn to build a kingdom capable of protecting those they love. Along their journey they encounter people who show them the products of love, war, and despair. However, Marcious cannot envision his product, his own kingdom. Everywhere, being mud-skinned is worse than murder, and being "different" is worse than being mud-skinned. Will his vow to create a kingdom withstand the rising tides or will it wash away like that of his childhood?