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He could have written a career advice book or maybe even relationship book but “E!” anchor/actor Terrence J. decided to honor the person he considers most responsible for his success – his mother, Lisa. His new book “The Wealth of My Mother’s Wisdom: The Lessons That Made My Life Rich” is about he and his mother’s journey to success.

The North Carolina native’s mother was 17 when he was born and Terrence, born Terrence Jenkins was raised without his biological father. Now of course, he’s a TV talk show host and an actor who’s appeared in both “Think Like A Man” movies and in the new movie “Baggage Claim,” with Paula Patton and Jill Scott out Friday.

“She’s an amazing woman,” Terrence, 31, told the Tom Joyner Morning Show. “When I look back at the decisions that she made – I never met my biological father, my mom just kind of raised me and kept me off the street and kept me away from drugs and now that I’m an adult I really respect her and appreciate her path.”

The book tells not just Terrence’s story but the story of other famous men positively influenced by their mothers including actor Laz Alonso, singer Trey Songz, and rappers Ludacris and T.I. A 2004 graduate of North Carolina A & T, Terrence was inspired to persevere in his entertainment career by the example his mother set.

She left New York for North Carolina to provide her son a more stable life, went back to school, built a business and remarried. When Terrence first auditioned for “106 and Park” in one city, he was rejected, so he drove overnight to another, where he was chosen to co-host the show.

“My mom is a great woman,” Terrence says. “I share a lot of stories from all my celebrity friends who talk about their mothers in the book. It’s just about men honoring their moms It’s not about being a mama’s boy, it’s about taking the time to see the journey of how we got here. There’s a book I love called ‘The Alchemist’ and I like to call this the 2013 version. It’s about a journey.”