Author Reveals Why Bobby Brown Backed Out of Tell-All Book Deal

For the past year, author Derrick Handspike spent countless hours with R&B's original bad boy to pen the book "Bobby Brown: The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But...." However, when controversial comments made by Brown about his ex-wife, Whitney Houston, were leaked, the former New Edition member abruptly backed out of the project. Handspike, the CEO of Down South Entertainment Empire and EntertainmentRWe.com, a networking site for entertainment industry professionals and co-owner of the film and record company Xtra Point, put business over friendship to complete the tell-all without him. Although the two haven't spoken in several months, the Atlanta resident still plans to share a percentage of his profits with the crooner. ESSENCE.com caught up with the Handspike, to discuss Houston's influence over Brown, why he never had more than a handshake agreement with Brown, and whether or not the R&B singer's disappearing act ruined their friendship.

Editor's Note: Calls and e-mails to Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston's representatives were not returned.

ESSSENCE.COM: How long have you and Bobby known each other?DERRICK HANDSPIKE: I've known Bobby since 1990, when he first came to Atlanta. I met him through his sister. We had been friends since he pretty much came to Atlanta.

ESSSENCE.COM: How did the book come about?

HANDSPIKE: I brought the idea to him because I had written the Andre Rison/Left Eye story. ("Power of Love: The Andre Rison Story That Remembers the Late Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes" is due out in spring 2009.) He kind of got wind. I heard he was interested probably in doing the book. I stepped to him and told him what I did with the Andre Rison story. -- CONTINUE