WEDNESDAY WORDS: Interview with Glenn Langohr

FLURRIES OF WORDS (FLOW) had the opportunity to sit down with former inmate now best-selling prison reform novelist Glenn Langohr  for a one on one chat about his eye-opening novels and efforts at reforming the US prisons system.  Here's what he had to say...

FLOW:  As most of your readers already know, you've spent some time in prison but have now turned your life around.  Can you tell us what happened to land you there and how your change/rehabilitation came about?

LANGOHR:  Two good parents raised me, but they divorced when I was 12 years old. Being a momma’s boy, I was broken hearted when I didn’t go with her. I called my dad out for ruining everything and that didn’t work out well for me. I ran away. I got into selling drugs. The law interrupted me, many times.

I spent 10 years in some of California’s worst prisons with 4 years in solitary confinement for riots and investigations.

The prison system didn’t rehabilitate me, writing did. California has 35 state prisons and they are violent and gang riddled. While “doing time” it is all about surviving. I started waking up at 4 am to write before surviving another possible riot took over my being. Eventually, I built up enough momentum writing books to know in my heart that I had a new life.

FLOW:  You are obviously quite (rightly) dedicated to highlighting the plight of prisoners in the US correctional system (as well as the abuses therein).  Your personal experiences aside, anyone who has had dealings with it can understand why this is such an important cause to you but most people don't have any such experience. How would you respond to critics who would argue that prisoners get what they deserve ("do the crime, do the time" types)?

LANGOHR:  First I would say that some crimes are worse than others. I think we are too easy on Child Molesters and Rapist. But, are we the “Leaders of the Free World”? No, we are the leaders of the incarcerated world. In California alone we have 35 state prisons that are bursting at the seams, with more people behind bars than any other country other than China! Why? Because we are locking humans in prison who are addicted to drugs, or who are below the poverty level, and therefore undesirable. That could be your kid, your mother, and your neighbor.

In prison, that addiction is bred into an affliction much harder to escape, where gangs are the solution, spitting out tattooed down displaced humans without any job placement or anywhere to live.

So really, most of the prisoners are not getting what they deserve, because we look at drug addiction like alcoholism these days, like a disease. They need treatment, not prison. I am working on adapting one of my books, “My Hardest Step” into a TV show about Addiction and Recovery. One of the girls who did a casting call has been to prison. It didn’t help. A drug treatment center did work. She has been sober for over 2 years and has her son back in her life.

FLOW:  What do you see as the way forward in terms of prison reform?  How does this come out in your books?

LANGOHR: Prison reform isn’t going to happen until there isn’t enough tax money to keep the current system going. I’m just being real. The Politicians and Media promote the need for prisons to keep the rest of us safe. To get elected, you have to be “tough on crime”. To stay elected, you have to be “tough on crime”. This starts with the D.A. In one of my “High Profile” drug cases, the head D.A. at the time had aspirations to become the Attorney General for the U.S. and for that to even be a possibility, he couldn’t look weak on crime, so he made sure he had a 99% conviction record. Ten years later, his son is doing time for heroin addiction.

My books take you inside of prison survival between the gangs and politics and what life looks like “Inside”.

If real prison reform were to happen, it would have to be extreme. How about work programs instead of prison? How about prisoners actually learning how to get a job while in prison with computer training, resume training, job placement, housing placement and a real chance upon release?

How about only sending people to prison for violent crimes and giving the rest programs for treatment and self-help?

FLOW:  It is also clear that you are a man of faith.  What role has that faith played in your work?  How does it come out in your characters?  How is it part of your ideas for reforming the prison system?

LANGOHR: Thank you for bringing this up. I read the Bible in prison every day and found hope that God restores the hopeless.

My characters are divided into two groups, those who are trying to find their conscience, and those who aren’t, with a good cop verses bad cop theme as well.

In my books, my main character chases redemption by knowing he has to help other lost souls find hope and a new life away from prison and the drug war, yet just surviving takes almost all of his attention.

 FLOW: How have you been able to partner your efforts with research and/or faith-based organizations to spread the word on your mission?

LANGOHR:  Not that well. The church I attend is amazing because of a few things. The worship band it out of this world. Our teaching Pastor is amazing also. He loves my books. But they and most churches don’t want to face their own issues, drug addiction in their family and their community.

My writing has progressed from 10-Drug War and Prison books that are in Print, Kindle and Audio Book, to 4 Prayer Books, to my most recent self help books. “My Hardest Step” is based on the Twelve Step Programs.

My best selling Prison Book is UNDERDOG, A True Crime Thriller of Prison Life (Prison Killers- Book 4) . Here’s a 2 minute Youtube video of me speaking about it~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZub99ArBlA

FLOW:  Most, if not all, of your books are based on real-life events.  How much did you write while you were still in prison?  How do you deal with the possibility of getting sued by people who may recognize themselves, particularly the more well-known you and your work become?

LANGOHR: I wrote my first book, Roll Call, A True Crime Prison Story of Corruption and Redemption ( Roll Call Volume 1 )  , in prison for 7 years on the back of my trial transcript paperwork. Once out of prison I turned down a couple of big publishers to self publish. I got a review from Kirkus Discoveries Nielson Media out of New York that blew my mind, “A harrowing, down-and-dirty depiction--sometimes reminiscent of Steven Soderbergh's Traffic--of America's war on drugs, by former dealer and California artist Langohr. Locked up for a decade on drugs charges and immersed in both philosophical tomes and modern pulp thrillers…”  

As for being sued for writing such raw and penetrating content, I use this quote in TV interviews: “I paint with the true colors of life on a fictional landscape to protect the innocent and the not so innocent.”

My newest Prison book, The Art of War: A Memoir of Life in Prison with Mafia, Serial Killers and Sex Offenders Who Get Stabbed (Life in Lockdown)  , is the most controversial yet. While I was finishing up my sentence at a hard-core prison on the California border of Mexico, there was so much violence, you just wouldn’t believe half of it. Being a White inmate where over 80% of the population is Mexican or Black, it wasn’t easy. We had a prison guard who gave us information about other inmates, one of which was a notorious “Child Molester”. You’ll have to read the book to see what happened. 

 FLOW:  Many say that much of the gang violence in prisons is tied to race because the gangs are formed on racial and ethnic lines.  Did you find that to be the case? How would you address that problem in the short and long term, particularly given that segregation by race and ethnicity is unconstitutional?

I can only speak for the California Prison System to describe how races are segregated. When an inmate gets to the Orange County Jail to face charges it becomes segregated by race. At the lower level security it is in dorms where everyone sleeps together and there isn't any privacy. Even on the lower level security such as this, Mexican and White inmates are "bunked" up together whereas Black and Asian inmates are "bunked" together. Most of these lower level security inmates are drug offenders, homeless types and "first timers" for a host of crimes such as drunk driving and domestic violence. In these low level security housing situations, it is sometimes even more violent. It is because everyone is housed together to overflowing and the lack of jail/prison experience is at times, way to much pressure and rash decisions are made.

One example is a friend of mine who was a very low level homeless drug addict. Don't think wino type of homeless, think a young and cute guy who stopped living at home and used drugs for his social structure. Anyway, he went to prison and became slightly more hardened. His second time in the county jail, he was still housed in the lower level dorm setting. One of the Jail Deputies alerted some of the inmates that they had a notorious "Child Molester" living with them. Panicked, overwhelmed, three Mexican inmates and three White inmates got together and beat and kicked the alleged Child Molester to death. All the ugly information came out in trial, along with the allegations not being "Child Molestation" but instead, "Possession of Underage Child Pornography". In The Art of War", I was in a prison on the California border of Mexico when that case was happening and read about it in the paper while we had a similar issue facing us. A prison guard wanted us to handle "Taxing" ( Physical Violence ), a notorious "Child Molester" with 44 counts of ANNLY/MOLEST.

Back to the Orange County Jail. The next level of security goes up a notch and inmates are put in cells that are racially segregated. In both levels, the fear and threat of a race riot is always looming and often happen. This type of survival goes with the inmates as they get convicted, mostly of drug crimes, to State Prison in one of many "Receiving" prisons. It is the same mentality there with race riots being the biggest fear.

This racial segregation has indeed played a factor in the culture of prisoners in California. I have heard that things are different in other states where inmates are not segregated in the same fashion. I have heard that whoever has the biggest percentage rules the roost for the most part. So prisons in the south that are comprised of mostly Black inmates would have the most influence over the other races. Because of the racial segregation in California, it isn't like that. Whose system is better, I can't say. What I can say is that when I finished up my time on drug charges on that high level prison I referred to, the Prison Administrators were trying to force different inmate races to share cells based on a Supreme Court ruling. It would have caused way more violence had it have actually happened. Every inch of space outside of the cell, the day rooms inside the buildings, the tables, the showers, the yard space, the work out bars and basket ball court, is all regulated by race. Changing the dynamic all at once would be like telling the Palestinians and the Jews to hold hands and sing Cum bi ya my Lord. 

 FLOW:  What one thing you would like for our readers to know about you?  Your work?

LANGOHR:  Jesus is my landlord. I got that quote from a homeless woman who told it to the police who were harassing her for living in her car. They stopped dead in their tracks and let her go. I used that quote in one of my books. God bless you.

I gift out Kindle copies of my books for review/interview and respond to emails rollcallthebook@gmail.com and Facebook here~ https://www.facebook.com/glennlangohrcalifornia 

Here’s a six-minute TV Interview I did about my books and prison life. http://video.pbssocal.org/video/2365052683

Here’s the youtube version that might be easier! http://www.youtube.com/watch?

 FLOW:  Thank you so much for talking to us.  It was a real pleasure! :-)

WEDNESDAY WORDS: Interview with fantasy author Mitchell Hogan

Flurries of Words (FLOW) recently had the chance to sit down with new fantasy author Mitchell Hogan for a chat about himself and his new novel  A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence)  (Click here for UK purchase).  Here's what he had to say:

FLOW : Tell us a little about yourself and what set you on the path of writing?

HOGAN :  Hi! Ever since my mother bought me the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series when I was eleven I’ve been an avid fantasy reader, as well as science fiction. I have bookcases stuffed with far too many novels which I read multiple times. I’ve always wanted to write a novel but my life always seemed too busy with work to write consistently. I started A Crucible of Souls a looong time ago, but it’s only been in the last two years that I decided it was now or never, I’d better finish it or I would regret not doing so.

FLOW:  That was a big risk to take , particularly in today's financial climate.  How were you able to manage it?

HOGAN :  It was a big decision and one I wrestled with for a few months before deciding to take a chance. My wife’s support has been phenomenal and it’s only because of her I was able to focus on writing full time and finish my first novel. We’ve had to give up a few luxuries but we’re managing.

FLOW : Is there anyone who particularly inspired you to write, or kept you on the path of writing?

HOGAN :  Yes, definitely. I was lucky enough to send a small sample of my work to an editor at HarperVoyager years ago and her positive feedback kept my dream alive. A few other people who read some of my writing also had encouraging words, and though it wasn’t a big deal to them it made a big impression on me and was enough to keep me moving forward when I doubted myself.

FLOW :  And how did your family keep you going?

HOGAN :  My wife has been fantastic. Without her unfailing support this book wouldn’t have been possible. My mother and sisters have been very supportive as well. We’re all quite different with varied careers and interests, so my decision to write didn’t raise any eyebrows, especially as they all know how much I read…

FLOW : What were the types of books that helped get you hooked on to reading?

HOGAN :  In the early days it was Tolkien, Raymond E Feist and David Eddings. Honestly I would also read anything in fantasy I could get my hands on! Then fantasy split from the Lord of the Rings traditional tropes and evolved many different sub-genres and I explored a lot of them. One of the things which kept me going was reading a book and thinking I had better characters or magic system, and if they could get published so could I.

FLOW :--I see you are from Australia.  How does that distinct culture come into play in your novels?  How did you  keep your writing accessible to North American and other English speaking audiences?: 

HOGAN :  Honestly, I don’t think Australian influences play a big part. I mean, I read the same fantasy books that everyone else does, and my influences come from them. I wanted to write a book I’d want to read and that’s what I’ve done, and if an Australian influence comes through it’s not by design. The only conscious decision I made at Derek’s (my editors) suggestion was to use US spelling and language as most sales would be in the US. For example I couldn’t use ‘pot plant’ as it has an entirely different meaning in the US!

FLOW :  LOL! So has your skill at home brewing found its way into your work? How about pharmaceuticals?  Is your love of sci-fi and fantasy what originally attracted you to chemical engineering(after all, those are the modern day wizards and alchemists)?

HOGAN :  It’s funny, I don’t drink much and just love experimenting so I have to give away most of my brewing and have BBQ’s so friends and family drink it. I have one character in A Crucible of Souls that dabbles in alchemy but I want to write a stand-alone novel with more of a focus on it. Whether that’ll make a good story is another matter… As for chemical engineering, I sort of fell into it as I was good at chemistry at school, though if there were alchemists in this day and age I think I’d be one! But no drinking gold or mercury for me…

FLOW : Lucky for your readers! ;-)  So for someone who hasn't read any of your novels, how would you describe the type of stories that you write, what would be your pitch for the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence?

HOGAN :  I want to write novels with characters that aren’t black and white, and who face choices that are also not black and white. I want to engage the reader and get them thinking what they would do, and to be able to understand the characters reasoning from behind their eyes.

As for a pitch… traditional fantasy hero finds the world he is caught up in has disturbing depths… and the good guys don’t always win.

FLOW : Your first reader review on Amazon described A Crucible of Souls as ‘Entertainingly ambiguous.’ Was this what you were aiming for?

HOGAN :  Getting my first reader review was a bit of a shock, though it shouldn’t have been. It’s a strange feeling putting yourself out there and having someone you don’t know critique your work. The exploration of good and evil, and the blurring of boundaries and appearances is what I was aiming for. And in trying to keep as many options open as possible for the rest of the series book one came out a little more ambiguous than I thought, but I think that’s a good thing.

FLOW :What are your plans for the series ahead? How many books more to go? Can you give us a rough idea of what’s to come?

HOGAN :  There should be two more books in the series, but if I keep having more ideas like I have been while writing it might extend to three more, but I think I’d rather save some ideas for a few stand alone novels. As for what’s to come, characters and plot threads will become less ambiguous…!

FLOW : Always keep the audience guessing, eh?  What other lessons have you learned by self publishing? Why did you choose this path over the traditional route?

HOGAN :  I had an agent interested but with the state of publishing as it is at the moment I really wanted to keep control over my book and my writing. The thought of being able to do virtually everything a traditional publisher does for authors i.e. cover, editing, publishing, without signing over the lions portion of earnings was empowering. The most valuable lesson I learned was to be professional, and make your book indistinguishable from traditionally published novels. That means a great cover, great blurb, and great editing. Skimping or rushing means shooting yourself in the foot as you won’t stand out.

FLOW : You mentioned great editing, what was your process and who did yours?

HOGAN :  Firstly I had two friends read and critique my draft manuscript, which picked up a whole lot of things I missed because I was so close to it. With a long word count epic fantasy it can be hard to keep track of everything. After numerous drafts I engaged John Jarrold for a structural edit, then Derek Prior for a copy edit and proofread. Both were great but I really lucked out finding Derek, he’s been a godsend.

FLOW :  As you said, a great cover is very important.  Your cover art is particularly striking.  Did you work with an artist?  Graphic designer?  How did you find him/her?  

HOGAN :  I wanted to work with an illustrator for my book cover but at this stage of my career the cost was prohibitive. I ended up going with Damon at Damonza.com and he’s been great. I’ve received a lot of compliments on the cover through forums and even a tweet. I found him through a post he made on the KBoards forums which made a lot of sense to me. 

FLOW :  Does it depict a scene from your book? How did you decide what the composition would be?

HOGAN :  The cover is a scene from the book though a brief but significant one. I wasn’t worried about having a scene from my book, I just wanted a professional cover that screamed epic fantasy and was reminiscent of other currently popular authors. I left the rest up to Damon, as the professional cover designer, and he came back with three drafts which we tinkered with until I settled on one. The great thing is I’ll probably use one of the other drafts for book 2!

FLOW :  I really like how you formatted the photo for your Amazon author page.  What was the inspiration?

HOGAN :  Thank you! It was luck. I wanted a better avatar and found a site you could insert your photo into various images, and this one stood out for me. I like it so much I decided not to get a headshot done prior to launching my book.

FLOW : In closing, do you have any parting thoughts or comments you’d like to share?

HOGAN :  Just to thank you for this opportunity, and to also thank everyone who’s read my book and been gracious enough to give their time and provide me with feedback. And remember, it’s all about the readers. A lot of publishers forget that and over the decades many good books never found their way into readers hands and that’s a great shame.

FLOW :  We're certainly looking forward to seeing more from you in the near future.  

WEDNESDAY WORDS: Interview with Spy Thriller Author, Ethan Jones

FLURRIES OF WORDS (FLOW) sat down with Spy Thriller novelist Ethan Jones for a one on one chat about his fabulous new novels, his surprising day job and what coming up next for his hero, Justin Hall.  Here's what he had to say...

FLOW:  I see you've been able to put out a great deal of work in a very short time frame (4 months).  What is your secret?

JONES: I wrote Arctic Wargame in 2008-2009, then revised it last year and sent it through the editing process. Then, I focused on Tripoli’s Target, which was initially written in 2009-2010. I had to make a few changes to my storyline as a result of the Arab Spring and the recent developments in Libya.

It takes me about nine months to write the first draft, then another three to revise it, since I have a full-time job. Three beta readers and good friends, all published authors, help me afterwards to discover plot holes and to polish the story and the writing. This takes two-three months. Then my editors and proofreaders work on my manuscript and they take another month.

I try to find and make time to write whenever I can. And if I can’t write, then I’ll think about the storyline and the characters development.

FLOW:  I imagine it's difficult to carve out writing time when you're working full time in such a thought intensive area.  What do you do to ensure that you are able to devote time to writing your fiction?

I love writing fiction, so I try to be as organized as I can in my work and my other responsibilities in life. And I try to write a little bit every day and more over the weekend. Living in a country with six months of snow (Canada) also helps, since the cold weather outside somewhat limits what one can do :-)

FLOW:  Practicing law and writing spy thrillers doesn't intuitively go hand in hand.  What made the connection for you?  How does being a lawyer influence your writing? Do your colleagues know about your fiction sideline?  If so, what do they think?

JONES:  I have always liked to read and I tried my hand at writing when I was 13-14. I would read a story or watch a movie and then go to write how I wanted the story or the movie to continue. Then life happened. After finishing law school, I also continued my graduate studies and got a Master of Laws degree. As a part of my degree, I had to write a 150-page thesis. The process of research, writing, rewriting and editing inspired me to return to my childhood passion. I was blessed with time and I learned things as I wrote.

There is a lot of writing and reading involved in the work of a lawyer. Memos, briefing notes, witnesses' reports, opening and closing statements.  A lot of research goes into preparing for a case, whether it ends up in court or not. The legal research sharpens one’s mind, as everything needs to be persuasive and concise. These skills are extremely helpful when writing a fictional novel.

My colleagues like and support my writings. They think it’s an interesting passion.

FLOW:  Have you ever been tempted to fictionalize one of your cases in a book?  How has your experiences in and out of the courtroom shaped your storylines, plots and characters?  What other influences do you have?

It’s not advisable to fictionalize one’s actual cases while you are still employed, since this may open the door to potential suits. I have learned that all characters have something good in them or had it at some point in their lives. Also, everyone has the potential to do good or evil, depending on their choice. Other influences have been great writers of legal and spy thrillers.

FLOW:  I see from your blog that you are also quite prolific in conducting author interviews.   How did that come about?   Do you plan on continuing?

JONES:  I started my blog - http://ethanjonesbooks.wordpress.com/ - in January. I wanted a place for authors to reach their audience through interviews and book reviews and for readers to learn about their favorite authors and their next works. It also became a place for me to connect with my fans. I plan to continue, mainly with author interviews and book reviews.

FLOW:  Wow, that's a lot on your plate!  How do you find time for it all?  How do you make the connections with the authors you interview?

It will sound like a cliché, but prioritizing and multitasking have helped a lot. I keep a notebook handy and make lists of things to do and deadlines to get them done.

FLOW:  How did you come up with the Justin Hall character?  What were your main influences?

JONES: I wanted a character that was brave and resourceful, yet caring and kind. Someone who had a human dimension, who had internal struggles and personal problems. As a Canadian, Justin is all into cooperation and teamwork.

FLOW :  Often authors put a lot of themselves into their main characters.  How much of you is in Justin Hall?  What are the similarities and differences?

I’m not Justin; my aim is not that good :-) Joking and modesty aside, I try to be as kind and as diligent as Justin is, one of the similarities. My parents are still alive and I have a good relationship with my dad, one of the differences.

FLOW:  How are you finding indie publishing?  Do you prefer it to the law?

JONES: Independent publishing is a marathon, not a spring. There is a lot of work, because of the vast competition. I like the flexibility and the freedom of indie publishing. The law is my first love, writing is my second.

FLOW:  Tell us about how you first got into indie publishing.  Who do you use for your cover art?  Do you have an editor?

JONES: I shopped Arctic Wargame around in 2009 and 2010 and did the same thing with Tripoli's Target in 2010. Those were not good times for the publishing industry. I got great feedback. A few agents asked for partial manuscripts and two or three for full manuscripts. Upon the suggestion of a good friend, I dusted off my works, revised them and now everyone can enjoy my novels.

My covers are created by Kim Killion, who creates covers for best-selling authors like Allison Brennan and Larry Bond, among others. My editors and proofreaders come from Last Draft Editing.

FLOW:  What lessons have you learned from the Indie Publishing game?  Is there anything you would do differently now if you had it to do all over again? 

Put your best foot forward, one of the best lessons. Spend as much money as you can afford on a great cover and an excellent editor/proofreader. Take your time and don’t rush any of the steps. Promoting and marketing never ends. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. I could have improved on all these areas when Arctic Wargame, the first book in the Justin Hall series, came out.

FLOW:  What is the one thing you'd really like your readers to know about you that they don't already know?

JONES: I’m planning to continue the Justin Hall series with more installments. In Fog of War, Justin infiltrates Iran to help extract a defector, a nuclear scientist who can provide information on Iran’s uranium enrichment program and its plans to build a nuclear bomb. Then, Justin and Carrie will have to continue their investigation in some of the most dangerous regions of the planet, including Somalia and Yemen, the hotbeds of terrorism in the making. The release of Fog of War is tentatively planned for early summer 2013.

The fourth Justin Hall novel already has a title and a rough outline. It's called Soldier of Misfortune and should be available in winter 2013 or in early 2014.

FLOW:  Are there any spoilers you can share with our readers?

JONES: One of the spoilers I can share is that Justin realizes someone has put a price on his head and his operations are being compromised. Justin and Carrie will have to find out the answers to both these questions and the answer may be just one person or two different persons without any connection to one another.

FLOW:   Is there anything else you'd like to add? 

JONES: Thank you for this opportunity. I appreciate it.

FLOW:  It's our pleasure. Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. :-)

Ethan Jones's books are available everywhere.  Here's a few links to get you started...

Arctic Wargame (Justin Hall # 1)  

Carved in Memory: A Justin Hall Story  

The Last Confession