PHOENIX, ILLINOIS – November 13, 2026 – Author LatonJa Yvette Atkins, also known as LA BOOKS, invites readers into the lively and complicated world of The Cook And The Backyard Buzzards, a raw and thought-provoking urban drama centered around decades of Sunday barbecue gatherings.
Set in the Cook’s backyard over the course of more than thirty years, almost every Sunday, the story brings readers into conversations that touch on women, politics, drugs, relationships, and the challenges facing urban communities. Through humor, tension, and social commentary, Atkins captures the voices of people who have plenty to say about the problems around them, while often struggling to find meaningful solutions.
Told through the perspective of an urban Black bigot, The Cook And The Backyard Buzzards presents an unfiltered look at the attitudes, opinions, and conversations that can develop within a community over time. The backyard becomes more than a place for food and fellowship. It becomes a setting where people debate, criticize, laugh, argue, and reveal the beliefs and experiences that shape their lives.
Atkins uses these conversations to encourage readers to look beyond the talk and consider what real change requires. While the story explores difficult subjects, it also highlights the human emotions behind conflict, including pain, anger, resentment, and the desire for justice.
At the heart of the book is a deeply personal message about letting go of revenge and choosing forgiveness. Atkins reminds readers that no matter what trauma they have experienced, holding onto anger and seeking revenge can become its own form of imprisonment. Instead, she encourages readers to forgive, release what they cannot control, and allow God to fight their battles.
The author describes this emotional imprisonment as being stuck inside a “Jenny’s Bottle,” with no air, illustrating how resentment can leave a person feeling trapped and unable to move forward.
A mother of eight children and grandmother of four, LatonJa Yvette Atkins is an author from Phoenix, Illinois. Her writing is inspired by the people, conversations, and experiences that shape lives within urban communities. Through her storytelling, she brings familiar voices and difficult conversations to the page while encouraging readers to reflect on their own experiences.
The Cook And The Backyard Buzzards offers readers a combination of urban drama, humor, social commentary, and personal reflection. More than a story about backyard conversations, it asks readers to consider what happens when people continue talking about problems without pursuing solutions, and what it takes to break free from the pain of the past.
About the Author
LatonJa Yvette Atkins, also known as LA BOOKS, is an author from Phoenix, Illinois, and a proud mother of eight children and grandmother of four. Her writing draws inspiration from the people, conversations, and experiences that shape lives within urban communities. Through her work, Atkins seeks to bring authentic community voices and meaningful life lessons to readers.
The Cook And The Backyard Buzzards is available for purchase on Amazon.
Global Book Network – LatonJa Yvette Atkins, Author of The Cook And The Backyard Buzzards
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The Cook And The Backyard Buzzards
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