Ashanti To Turn Author

R+B beauty Ashanti is plotting a new career away from music - as an author.

The sexy singer wants to follow in Madonna's footsteps and transform her story ideas into novels, having already made an impact on the publishing world with her collection of poetry.

She says, "I was thinking, do I want to do something for the children, or do I want to do something like ASHANTI: BEHIND THE SCENES?

"It could be everything from going to the radio station, all the interviews - the hard parts people don't see. My skirt ripping onstage before I have to go out, my shoes coming off, just little things that happen which people don't realise.

"All the hard work, the preparation, the ups and downs behind the scenes."