*Fans of Christian Keyes are accustomed to seeing him in print ads, stage plays, films, and on television shows and commercials. Additionally, they have heard his voice as one of music’s rising R&B singers and recording artists. Now, fans of Keyes can read his literary work as he recently penned his first novel, “Ladies Night.”
The fictional novel, presented by legendary urban writer Carl Weber and published by Weber’s publishing company Urban Books, LLC, is about Amp Anthony, a felon just released from prison to a half-way house. Unable to find traditional work because of his stint in prison, Amp, determined not to go back, becomes an exotic male dancer.
While ladies pack the club to see Amp dance, more specifically to see and touch his chiseled body, the club’s pretty female DJ becomes physically attracted to the new dancer. How will Amp handle his star treatment by so many hot women, including the DJ? Can he handle mixing business with pleasure? Will he be able to hold everything together when the past transgressions that put him in prison resurface? According to Keyes, the riveting answers are embedded in the 229-page book that he said is a “must read.”
Keyes said he was inspired to write the intense and thrilling novel after seeing the film Magic Mike, a comedy-drama about a young man entering the world of male exotic dancing.
“There was a lot of reaction by women after they saw ‘Magic Mike,’” Keyes said. “A lot of women felt that the film wasn’t diverse enough, so a lightbulb went off in my head that I could write a story (script) with diverse labels and layers, and have a great message to it.”
So according to Keyes, what started out as a script was transformed into his first book. Keyes is appreciative of Weber, the prolific 14-time New York Best Selling author and president of Urban Books, the world’s largest Black-owned publishing house, for giving him a literary platform from which to launch Ladies Night. While Ladies Night is Keyes’ first published novel, he is far from a writing neophyte.
“I’ve actually been writing since I was 12 years old,” said Keyes, who was born in Detroit, Mich. and grew up in nearby Flint, Mich. “I bounced around in foster care and group homes from the age of four to eighteen. I expressed my experiences by writing stories, songs, and poems.”
Keyes also credits a tough college critical writing instructor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich. for helping him to develop his foundational writing skills. Interesting, Keyes majored in social work at Ferris State because he felt that he could better help people, many of whom had similar backgrounds as his. Thus, writing eventually would take a backseat…for the moment.
Following college, Keyes didn’t get the opportunity to use his social work education professionally. In the late 1990s, he began modeling. He soon auditioned for the national touring stage play, “Lord, All Men Can’t Be Dogs,” which has featured such entertainers as Vivica A. Fox, Carl Payne, and more. Despite not having acting training or experience, Keyes was picked for a prominent role in the stage production and would soon take off with the national touring hit play.
“It scared me when I first got the part,” recalled Keyes. “I immediately went out to get books on acting and began taking acting classes until the play went on the road. I really wanted to work on my acting techniques, because I didn’t want to be out there without a good acting foundation. I took learning more about acting very seriously because I wanted to become a very good actor.”
After multiple tours with “Lord, All Men Can’t Be Dogs,” followed by the stage play “Not a Day Goes By,” Keyes met Tyler Perry, who is arguably the most successful writer and producer of national touring urban-inspirational stage plays. After seeing Keyes’ riveting performance, Perry was so impressed that he asked the actor to star in “Madea Goes to Jail.” Keyes quickly accepted and subsequently landed a lead role in another Perry hit stage production, “What’s Done in the Dark.”
In keeping with Perry’s stage production requirements that lead actors and actresses, for the most part, should be outstanding singers, Keyes filled the requirement perfectly. To date, he has appeared in more than 40 national stage plays for several production companies, most of which also showcased his voice. Keyes has released three CDs. His most recent single is called “Insomnia” that he describes as “Maxwell-ish” and “Miguel-ish.”
Keyes has appeared in more than 15 movies, many in leading roles. He currently stars in the romantic-comedy, “The Man in 3B,” a film based on Carl Weber’s best-selling novel by the same name. Released by Tri Destined Studios, the film, which also stars Lamman Rucker, Billy Dee Williams, Jackee Harry, premiered at the recent Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. Other silver screen projects for Keyes have included “Perfect Combination,” “Dysfunctional Friends,” “We Are Family,” and “Note to Self,” which he also wrote.
Keyes’ television credits include BET’s “Let’s Stay Together” and at least 10 other televised projects, inclusive of Zane’s Sex Chronicles and “Bold and The Beautiful.” While he has his plate full and it’s running over with television and film projects, Keyes is extremely excited and committed to building on his novel writing prowess.
“I’m finding out that this writing is a true blessing, and I’m loving it,” Keyes said, whose “Ladies Night” could become a film or television series. “I’m just scratching the surface. I’m looking forward to writing many more books.”
For MORE on Christian Keys, visit his website: www.ChristianKeys.com.
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