Richie Drenz releases 'The Heart of Revenge'

Curtis Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Fashion designer turned author Richie Drenz is reporting success from his debut novel, The Heart Of Revenge. The book is referred to by some as the 'Jamaican 50 Shades of Grey' and sees Richie Drenz delving into themes like lust, addiction, and family life, among others.

Drenz is known for his controversial online blog entries which normally tackle hard-core topics based on the human anatomy, paying attention to the most sensitive areas of the female body. The book is a chip which has not fallen far from the block.

"It's an erotic book, but it's not the main element. It's about a lady who has a son who is dying from heart disease and needs an expensive operation to be carried out to save his life. As a result, the mother is forced to sell her daughter to save someone she loves," Drenz continued.

"Lessons about abortion and different views on it can be drawn from the book and it shows the culture clash between uptown and downtown. It also covers alcohol addiction and how people deal with their addiction to alcohol, as well as themes of family, love and anger management," he said.

First of three

The author disclosed that the book will be the first of a trilogy and is expected to keep readers guessing as they trail the engaging storyline.

"I didn't want to do a big book for the Jamaican market and the story has a lot of twists and turns, so all of that can't be compressed in one book. Initially, there was a plan to do one book, but the story has led me to a different path. The whole thing started in my mind, then I met somebody who went through a similar situation to that which I was writing. I was able to get information from that person, so the story is both fiction and non-fiction," Drenz said.

The book was named the best-selling Jamaican Novel for October and November and can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. A Kindle version is also available for purchase.

Stores that have stacked supplies of The Heart Of Revenge include Genus Pharmacy in Portmore and Henderson Books in Montego Bay. The books may also be found at the Norman Manley and Sangster International airports.

The book has also been sold in countries like Canada, Ireland, Japan, Trinidad, England and the United States.

Drenz believes the power of Brand Jamaica has made marketing easier.

"I think people are drawn to the book because of the comparison to 50 Shades and the sexual content, as well as it is a Jamaican product. It has this authentic Jamaican realness to it, not like a fairy tale," he said.

Fans want more

Prior to the release of The Heart Of Revenge, Drenz was getting regular hits on the Internet for his blog series called Climaxes My True Story.

Drenz is also looking to release the book version of the blog, saying fans have been requesting it.

"I now understand the marketing procedure of books, and people are asking for the Climax so it's definitely going to be the next book. If yu know weh yu a duh you can make money writing books, that is why I decided to publish it by myself. You have to know the business part first, and once you get the hang of it you will make a profit. It's not something that I would say leave your nine-to-five job and do, unless yu reach the level of the writers of Twilight," he laughed.

Richie Drenz has also reinvented his clothes brand 'Drenz' after taking a break to concentrate on the publication of his book. The brand is back and will be expanded to include pants, caps and other merchandise.

"I will do more mature designs now, less graffiti. Contact me at richiedrenzwriter@yahoo.com or facebook.com/richiedrenz," he said.