My new book, Earning Freedom, will not be coming to market until after my release, and when it does, it will not be with St. Martin’s Press. Carole and I intend to build my career around this new book, a story that describes my long journey and maturity through prison, but St. Martin’s Press has [...]
Today’s mail brought me a complete copy of the latest version of Earning Freedom, my new manuscript. Carole has made all of edits for this round and she sent me the newest version which is the same version that my agent read and accepted. The manuscript is now in New York where it’s under review [...]
I’m calm as I move into this final week of October. Jim Schiavone, the literary agent who represented my previous book, Inside, is now reviewing Earning Freedom. He will determine whether the manuscript is ready for submission to publishers, and I know a decisions awaits that may influence my life. I’m hopeful, but I’m calm. [...]
This morning I began my day at 1:42. I was eager to work through edits on chapter 12 of Earning Freedom, the final chapter of the manuscript. I finished the edit in time to send the chapter out in this morning’s mail. Carole ought to receive the chapter on Tuesday and I’m hoping that she [...]
This morning, at 1:42, I sat down to begin outlining chapter twelve of my new manuscript, Earning Freedom. This chapter will bring readers along on my journey from Lompoc Camp, to Taft Camp, and all the experiences I’ve had up to the present day, whenever I finish the chapter. I’m eager to conclude it because [...]
I just heard the strangest news from another prisoner at Taft Camp. He told me that he received an incident report because officials suspected that he had mailed a letter to his wife with instructions that his wife should forward the letter to someone else. I understand that policies prohibit inmates from corresponding with other [...]
I’m pleased to have finished Chapter 9 today, or at least a first draft of the chapter. I began writing at 1:51 this morning and by the time I finished for the day, I advanced the manuscript to page 420. I’d like to begin outlining and writing chapter 10 in the morning. I can’t. This morning I [...]
This morning, I began writing at 1:47 am. I’m writing about the days leading up to my marriage with Carole. My mother and my younger sister, Christina, flew to New Jersey to participate in our wedding inside the Fort Dix visiting room. That wedding was one of the best days of my imprisonment. Many people [...]
My visit yesterday with my sister, her children, and Carole, exhausted me, I guess. I slept until the unpardonable hour of 2:30 this morning. I could have slept longer, but I was too eager to hop down from my rack and resume writing chapter nine of Earning Freedom. I had a productive writing session, advancing [...]
I’m sitting in my cubicle, with my feet posted on the steel post that holds up my rack. It’s 4:04 on Thursday afternoon, and after a long day of writing, I’m waiting for the guards to walk by for the daily census count. Once they pass, and I finish writing this entry, I’ll lie down [...]
