Rock Band Roadie follows a sixteen-year-old girl growing up in the projects who dreams of becoming a singer in a band, only to have her dream become a nightmare. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I played the keyboard in the gospel rock band called Cross Road Band. The first couple of chapters were taken from real-life events, which set up the story.

​Some events in the book were chillingly similar to real-life events. Did you take any inspiration from real life when developing this book?

Yes, the prison riot was a true event. I was one of the keyboardists who hid behind the curtain until it was over (but no one was kidnapped or escaped in the real event). The events in Patterson were also true. The projects and the park where we played as well as the occurrences written about it were true. We often had other teenagers come along (‘roadies’ if you will) to help pass out literature or help set up. The band traveled to maximum security prisons and juvenile detention centers to sing and play and then stayed in communication with a number of the inmates.

What was one of the hardest parts of Rock Band Roadie for you to write?

Probably the hardest part was staging the prison escape and making it believable. I consulted with a policeman and a military judge for details and accuracy. This started out as a short story and evolved into a book through the advice of these men. And the title is always one of the hardest tasks for me.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

There are a couple I’m mulling around in my head at this point. One will be a coming-of-age story about a pre-teen boy who migrates to the USA in search of his father.

The other will be about a child who yearns for a magic dress that will keep her from disappearing like her friend did. A story of terrible secrets of child trafficking.

When will they be available? Hopefully by fall of 2024

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