Cedric The Entertainer’s Debut Novel is A Tender Tribute To His Grandfather

In the world of dice games, "flipping boxcars" refers to rolling a pair of sixes (which, if you're playing craps, is an automatic loss). It's also the title of comedian and actor Cedric the Entertainer's latest project, a 1940s crime novel that pays homage to the grandfather he never knew.

"This was a really special journey — to be able to introduce people to this mythical character that I grew up only knowing as family lore," he said in an interview with CBS Morning. "From there, I was inspired to tell this tale of days in his life."

Flipping Boxcars follows Babe, a charismatic gambler who loses his lifesavings and farmland in a dice game. Thankfully, he's got one final chance to earn back his family's legacy. The catch? He's got to team up with a Polish gangster in a scheme involving railroad boxcars. Written in collaboration with Alan Eisenstock, the novel is set to release on September 12 with HarperCollins.

While Cedric insists the events that take place are fictional, the circumstances of Babe are heavily inspired by his late grandfather, Floyd "Babe" Boyce.

Like Babe, Boyce was an expert gambler, World War II veteran, and restauranteur who deeply loved his wife. He would also go on to lose his family's savings after a night of gambling and subsequently his grandmother's land.

Unfortunately, Boyce would not receive the same chance at redemption. The most devastating moment in his decline would be the dissolution of his marriage. He contracted an illness and died within the year.

Through a single military portrait and endless family stories, Cedric came to know Boyce as a handyman, hustler, and hero. He hopes Flipping Boxcars will serve as an alternative ending to his grandfather's life story.

"In most cases, a character who lives life on the edge always loses," he told USA Today. "I can't let that hero die the way he actually died."