Please checkout Jovon Scott’s website at authorjovonscott.com Jovon is a new author with his first book. Welcome Jovon; to the writer’s world of inspiring journeys.
website for a friend/author
A journey of enlightment
I never thought I would write or edit five prison-related books. That was not my intention some 15 years ago while traveling a beaten-down, two-lane highway to the Dwight Correctional Center. I was about to have my first interview with a female inmate, convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. What I thought would be a one-time interview, turned into a two-year journey and my first book — “The Rita Nitz Story: Life Without Parole.”
While working on Rita’s book I met another inmate who was incarcerated for killing her five-year old stepdaughter. The inmate, Becca, suffered from a bipolar disorder and unable to recall the murder. After obtaining copies of her mental health record and confirmation of her mental illness, I began another two-year journey that turned into a second book — “Cherry Blossoms & Barren Plains: A woman’s journey from mental illness to a prison…
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“Blood of my Shadow” is available.
“Blood of my Shadow: The Rise & Fall of the Syndicate” is available on Amazon and other book stores as an ebook and a paperback. Join me on an interesting journey, and for some, an eye opening experience.
It has been my pleasure to work with Jovon Scott, author of “Blood of my Shadow: The Rise & Fall of the Syndicate.” I first met Jovon while researching my previous book, “Supermax Prison: Controlling the most dangerous criminals. As a favor, I agreed to look over Jovon’s writing that fits within the genre of urban fiction. Since my prior work was creative nonfiction, I found urban fiction to be a new, and rewarding experience. (Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t teach old dog new tricks.)
What blew my mind was Jovon’s imagination and how he can spin a story. His writing reminds me of films I’ve watched that deal with urban fiction – fast, page turners, and attention grabbers. I decided to edit the first 50 pages of Jovon’s manuscript, showing him what I believe would improve the flow of his writing while preserving his imagination. Moving forward, Jovon Scott has his first book of a six book series.
“Writing is the avenue that changed my life, and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.” Jovon Scott
Jovon Scott is 30 years of age and began his incarceration in an Illinois prison at age 18. He has a projected parole date of 2033. Jovon was raised on the slum streets of Chicago in an area better known as the Robert Taylor Projects where unemployment reached 95%, an African-American population of 96%, 40% single-parent families, and a public assistant family income of $5,000 per year. It comes as no surprise that Jovon turned to street gangs that offered a means of survival, a family-like environment, money, drugs, sex, and respect.
Jovon gives credit to the gang culture for forcing him to want more out of life, and a willingness to pursue it with gusto. Discipline was front and center in the street gangs of the 1980s and 90s. Being self-educated, Jovon continues to prepare himself for a more favorable future upon his release.
It was in a 6 x 9 foot double-occupancy cell where Jovon discovered how writing frees the soul and opens an imaginary reality, a breeding place for creativity. “Blood of my Shadow: The Rise & Fall of the Syndicate” is a work of urban fiction, focusing on the underbelly of the urban culture. It is here where Jovon combines lessons learned on the streets of Chicago, an unharnessed imagination, and his ability to spin an exciting story.
This is a fictional story about control and power, accompanied by sex and violence, a lustful lifestyle, the willingness to die for your cause, and the hope of a lasting legacy.
If you’re a new reader to urban fiction, I challenge you to give this a try and experience another patch in our quilt called America.
Blood of my Shadow: The Rise & Fall of the Syndicate
“Blood of my Shadow: The Rise & Fall of the Syndicate” will be released as an ebook and paperback in approximately four weeks. As I’ve mentioned before, the author, Jovon Scott, is an inmate who I met while researching my last book, “Supermax Prison: Controlling the most dangerous criminals.” Jovon sent me several pages of his manuscript written in the urban novel/street lit genre. Since I consider myself to be a writer of creative nonfiction, this has been an interesting venture for me.
Jovon’s imagination shines through his writing like a flood light on a dark night. One might say that I was hooked. I edited 50 pages of the manuscript and waited for his response. Jovon was excited about working together — Jovon as the author, and I as the editor. Our efforts gained a contract with “History Publishing Company” out of New York.
I’m including the verbiage from the back of the book. Hope you enjoy. This is book one of a six book series.
The Syndicate lives by a set of rules and principles that not only govern our longevity in the underworld, but shapes who we are as a player in the game of chances. Death is synonymous with the culture we live in; blood is only repaid in blood. We are Penumbras, mere fractions of a shadow. But when united, we become one full and complete shadow, absorbing the magical and spiritual strength emulated by a total eclipse. And when Penumbras die, they become the Blood of my Shadow.
Mona Moore, Sole Proprietor of the Sheridan Syndicate.
***
It was in a 6 x 9 foot cell where the author, Jovon Scott, discovered how writing frees the soul and opens a breeding place for creativity. This is a work of street lit, focusing on the underbelly of urban culture. It is here where the author combines lessons learned on the streets of Chicago, an unharnessed imagination, and an ability to spin an exciting story. Blood of my Shadow is a narrative about control and power, accompanied by sex and violence, a lustful lifestyle, the willingness to die for a cause, and the hope of a lasting legacy.
Blood of my Shadow
I’ve been missing for a couple of months; editing a first for me, an Urban Novel. Jovon Scott, an inmate in an Illinois prison, asked me if I would edit his work. While I’ve always written nonfiction books, I was intrigued by Jovon’s imagination. It is quiet remarkable. A few months have passed and the manuscript is near completion, and we have a verbal commitment from a publisher. I’m including a few pages which you might find interesting.
Blood of my Shadow
by Jovon Scott
edited by Larry L. Franklin
About the Author
“Writing is the avenue that changed my life, and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.” Jovon Scott
***
Jovon Scott is 30 years of age and began his incarceration in an Illinois prison at age 19. He has a projected parole date of 2033. Jovon was raised on the slum streets of Chicago in an area better known as the Robert Taylor Projects where unemployment reached 95%, an African-American population of 96%, 40% single-parent families, and a public assistant family income of $5,000 per year. It comes as no surprise that Jovon turned to street gangs that offered a means of survival, a family-like environment, money, drugs, sex, and respect.
Jovon gives credit to the gang culture for forcing him to want more out of life, and a willingness to pursue it with gusto. Discipline was front and center in the street gangs of the 1980s and 90s. Being self-educated, Jovon continues to prepare himself for a more favorable future upon his release.
It was in a 6 x 9 foot double-occupancy cell where Jovon discovered how writing frees the soul and opens an imaginary reality, a breeding place for creativity. “Blood of my Shadow” fits into the genre of urban fiction, focusing on the underbelly of the urban culture. It is here where Jovon combines lessons learned on the streets of Chicago, an unharnessed imagination, and his ability to spin an exciting story.
Prologue
War is a cause and blood is the ink used to write the markings on the wall. Blood spills on both sides – those who are innocent and our enemies as well. There will be casualties determined by providence, leaving us unable to choose who stays and who goes. We live by a set of rules and principles that not only govern our longevity in the underworld, but shapes who we are as a player in the game of chances. Everyone sitting at the table is family, willing to die for one another. Death is synonymous with the culture we live in. Blood is only repaid in blood.
We are Penumbras, mere fractions of a shadow. But when united, we become one full and complete shadow, absorbing the magical and spiritual strength emulated by a total eclipse. And when Penumbras die, they become the Blood of my Shadow.
Mona Moore, Sole Proprietor of The Sheridan Syndicate
***
The Sheridan Syndicate engaged in illegal activities for profit. While sometimes referred to as the mafia, mob, gang, or the underworld, The Syndicate had no equal. Under Mona Moore’s leadership, the organization had accumulated some $100 billion in capital; provided the umbrella under which criminal activities operate; and all for the sole purpose of granting the means to an end – control and power. The Meddstone Drilling Company and the Royal Diamond Casino & Resort were legitimate business organizations that provided cash flow and an avenue for money laundering. They too fell within the scope of the Syndicate.
The extravagant lifestyle and accumulation of wealth were mere byproducts. Underground drug traffic, money laundering, robbery, murder, blackmail, political misdeeds, investments, and inflows from outside investors led to the ultimate goal – control and power, an addiction that Mona Moore wholeheartedly admits.
While Mona maintained tight control of the Syndicate’s operations, her twin sons, Ty and Sky, assisted her. The enforcers, Kema and Anisa, protected the family and added to the core of professionals who ran the organization. Business associates, criminals, soldiers, policeman, politicians, investors, and other centers of influence made the system work.
In addition to the federal government, the Caudras and Mendoza Cartels were the Syndicate’s largest competitors. It was their job to destroy, lock up, or kill members of The Sheridan Syndicate. The Cartels were controlled by the Carlos Caudras family, the Mendoza brothers, and a large supporting cast. Drug traffic had broadened domestic terrorist activities, reaching into the international communities. Blood spilled could fill a river running from the east to the west coast, spilling over into the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.
This is a fictional story about control and power, accompanied by sex and violence, a lustful lifestyle, the willingness to die for your cause, and the hope of a lasting legacy.
Evolution of my *&*&# Potato Chips
My wife and I modernized our shopping strategy. We purchased an Alexis unit that sits in our kitchen waiting for our daily directions, “Hey Alexis, add peanut butter to the shopping list.” Alexis answers with a pleasant, “I’ve added peanut butter to your shopping list.” We installed the app on our iphones which allows each of us to access the grocery list. I go to the south end of the store while my wife heads north. Place an item in your grocery cart, delete it from your app. That’s the plan.
I’m in the south end of the store moving down the potato chip aisle looking for my favorite, “Cape Cod Whole Earth Collection 40% Reduced Fat Potato Chip.” And then it strikes me, “Where in the hell are my potato chips?” Standing in front of me is an entire aisle of different varieties of potato chips performing the “wave”…
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Psychiatrist on the Colorado theater shooting case of James Holmes
Jeffrey L. Metzner served as psychiatrist on the Colorado theater shooting case of James Holmes, ruling him sane and fit to stand trial. Holmes was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the death of 12 and the wounding of 70 individual.
Pleased to receive a review from Jeffrey L. Metzner, M.D.
This book provides the reader with a history of the burgeoning growth of supermax prisons within the United States and an insider’s knowledge regarding many of the problematic inmates housed in such prisons. The complex dynamics leading to the often bizarre self-injurious behaviors demonstrated by a small but significant number of supermax inmates is explored in this well-written book. The authors’ conclusion that the mental health treatment offered to inmates with a serious mental illness at Tamms was often better than the treatment available at other Illinois prisons, related to class action litigation, is ironic and concerning.
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The day my father loved me.
It was an earlier time, many decades ago, when the love between my father and I first appeared. My parents had ended their dysfunctional marriage, leaving my older brother, Keith, to live with our father while I was sent away with my mother and a dog named Nippy. Keith was 13 and I was 7. I was later told that Keith and I had to be separated; he did bad things to me.
Two months later, after the spring plow and the crops had been planted, I returned to the two-story farmhouse for a one-week visit with Keith and my father. On this summer day, my grandfather and mother were in the front seat of his 1951 Chevy while I peered over the back seat looking for the house where I had spent my earlier years. No sooner had we turned off highway 16 and headed north on the DeLand…
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Title to be determined
First attempt at writing an Urban Novel.
Prologue
Miami, Florida
June 1, 2012
9:15 pm
Red and blue lights flashed repeatedly, interrupting the darkness of a summer night. Anisa pulled over as the Police Cruiser followed closely behind. The back roads were isolated and secluded from the busy streets of Miami; mostly open to the Everglades and small planes that landed on private airstrips.
The officer slowly emerged from his cruiser and approached the vehicle. Anisa and Kema were both under the provision of the Russian counsel, making them diplomatic citizens. The vehicle was registered to the Embassy and considered diplomatic property, causing Anisa to question the stop.
“Is there a problem officer?” Anisa asked as she lowered the window.
“No, not at all young lady,” the officer answered. “Just don’t get much company back here. This is just a concerned safety stop.” Anisa smiled. Kema remained composed, yet vigilant.
“We’re alright officer, just taking this road to the air strip ahead,” Anisa explained.
“Well, I see you women are alright, so I’ll let you get on your way.” Without hesitation, the officer stepped back, unholstered his service weapon and fired into the vehicle. The first trajectory grazed Anisa’s cheek as she managed to duck the second one. Kema jumped from the car and returned fire. Anisa followed in unison. A series of shots sent the officer running for cover. Kema closed in, firing at the fleeing officer as he managed to fire back. While he made his way to the driver side of the car, he saw Anisa. But it was too late. She fired a shot that ripped through the officer’s clavicle.
“Ah Shit,” he yelled in excruciating pain. Anisa walked up close as Kema made her way around the car.
“Who do you think he works for?” Kema asked.
“The Cuadras Cartel, definitely,” Anisa said, firing a bullet into his skull.
“Are you alright?” Kema asked.
“Yeah, it’s just a graze wound,” Anisa answered. “Let’s get out of here. I’m sure someone heard the shots.
A journey of enlightment
I never thought I would write or edit five prison-related books. That was not my intention some 15 years ago while traveling a beaten-down, two-lane highway to the Dwight Correctional Center. I was about to have my first interview with a female inmate, convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. What I thought would be a one-time interview, turned into a two-year journey and my first book — “The Rita Nitz Story: Life Without Parole.”
While working on Rita’s book I met another inmate who was incarcerated for killing her five-year old stepdaughter. The inmate, Becca, suffered from a bipolar disorder and unable to recall the murder. After obtaining copies of her mental health record and confirmation of her mental illness, I began another two-year journey that turned into a second book — “Cherry Blossoms & Barren Plains: A woman’s journey from mental illness to a prison cell.”
A memoir based on my experiences as a victim of childhood sexual abuse — “Mnemosyne: A love affair with memory,” provided a distraction from my prison-related books. “Supermax Prison: Controlling the most dangerous criminals,” and “Dark Days in Chicago: The Rehabilitation of an Urban Street Terrorist,” brought my total to five books. My role in “Dark Days” was that of an editor, writing coach, and supporter.
Now I’ve stepped into the world of Urban Fiction; a genre quite foreign to me, but popular among readers interested in raw, violent stories associated with urban culture, crime syndicates, etc… The stories are page-turners, emulating the darker side of humanity.
This is where I met Jovon Scott, author of recently published “Blood of my Shadow: The Rise & Fall of the Syndicate.” Together, Jovon and I explored the underbelly of urban culture. For those unfamiliar with this genre, I suggest that you acquaint yourself with another patch in the quilt we call America.
This is my journey of enlightment where I jumped into the unknown, allowing myself to experience each spiritual adventure.
