Interview with Soul Man, author of Prison Stories

What's up with Prison Stories?
Prison Stories is a real life look into prison. The beefs, the drama, the violence, the drugs - its all there. My book takes the reader into the netherworld of corruption and violence. It's like OZ in print. It follows in the tradition of Jack Henry Abbot's 'In the Belly of the Beast' and Pete Early's 'Hothouse'. Prison Stories is the seminal prison book for Y2K.

Are the characters and stories based on real people and events in prison?
Yeah, everything is based on reality. Its fiction, but reality fiction. Of course, the names are changed to protect the guilty. But anyone in any prison across the nation has seen heard similar stories. Mine are just all collected in one book. The main story 'Drug Dealer” is semi-autobiographical and all the interludes are just things I've observed or have seen gone down.

How long have you been in prison? When do you get out? What's your charge?
I've been in prison 13 years on a 25 year 4 month sentence for a Continual Criminal Enterprise charge, that's a kingpin charge, for running an LSD conspiracy that sold LSD and marijuana to east coast colleges in the late 80's and early 90's. My case was widely covered in the Washington Times and Post and Rolling Stone covered my story too. I was US Marshall's List Top 15 Most Wanted for 2 years after faking my suicide and living as a fugitive. I was caught in 1993 and my release date is October 2015.

How has your long incarceration affected you?
I came to prison at age 22. I had 25 years. More time then how old I was. I've grown to a man inside these fences. Trapped in a world of violence, degradation and insanity. I've consorted with gang bangers, thugs, made men, bank robbers, foreign nationals, drug smugglers and dealers, killers and big time gangstas. I've dealt with power tripping guards and prison administrators that have dubbed me public enemy #1 just because of my writing activities.  I've grown strong and wise. It's like they say hard men shatter, the strong ones endure.

How do your fellow prisoners respond to your book?
A lot of them approve. Everyone who's read it says that my book keeps it real. Maybe too real. Some dudes say I give up too much. But like they say the game is sold, not told. And I'm trying to sell books. There's some jealousy too, you know the haters But that's life Dudes always joke with me, put that in your book, they'll say. But everyone tells me that I describe life in the Bureau of Prisons right on the money with my stories.

What do you got coming out next?
I'm working on 3 books right now— Prison Ball Ron Jordan and other stories - which is a compilation of all my prison b-ball articles with photos and everything. Murder Capital - a street novel based on a white boy set out of the suburbs who gets involved with some vicious DC crews and Prison Stories II: The Seven Deadly Sins.

What's up with Gorilla Convict Publications?
Gorilla Convict is doing it. They put me on. They' trying to get some more books out by convict authors. They're the publishing house where reality and fiction collide. They're trying to take this book game hostage anid hold it for ransom. Fuck the big houses. Gorilla Convict is doing it independently.

What's up with the Gorilla Convict Blog?
That's the blog I write on the Gorilla Convict site (goriliaconvict.com). I write articles about gangstas, prison gangs, criminal organizations, drug dealers, qangbangers, the mafia, prison authors, prison superstar athletes, and life in the belly of the beast and Gorilla Convict posts them. One or two stories a month. It's the type of news you can't get anywhere else: Straight from the heart of Americas gulags.

Who else do you write for?
I write for hoopshype.com, viceland.com, elementalmag.com, hoopculture.com and prisonerlife.com. I contribute to Don Diva, Slam, King, The Ave and I got a regular column in Vice. I've also written for FHM, and FEDS, plus several prison based magazines/newsletters/papers. I mostly write about prison or crime themes, but I am trying to expand my horizons.

What are your plans until you get out?
I plan to keep writing and to keep getting published. I want to try to put out a book a year and to start writing feature articles for bigger and bigger publications. I want to write the real and give the 411 on the stories that the mainstream news media won't give you. Life in the belly of the beast ain't no joke.

What are your plans when you get out?
Man, when I get out I'm trying to make movies, DVDs, and documentaries. Eventually, I'd like to get into feature films and have my own production company. I'd like to try acting too. And I want to spend time with my beautiful wife who's held me down all these years. But I'll be down a minute so that is still a long ways off. But I'm ready. Believe me, I'm ready.