A Crumbling Talent, (Paperback)

A Crumbling Talent is about Qualude Jones and Denise Mavey. Qualude is pushed through school because of his talent. He realizes that his talent isn't going to be enough to get him through life. Especially when he finds out that Denise might have a mental problem.

Denise is Qualude's girlfriend and the love of his life. She has a dream of leaving the housing projects she grows up in, but is stopped short when Qualude goes to prison for a drug charge. Her love for him doesn't stop because of his incarceration. She becomes insane for his affection after he gets out of prison, and they have another kid. Her grandmother admits her to a mental health hospital in order to try to keep their family curse going. In the end, Denise and Qualude realize that mental health is just as important as having talent.