Showing posts with label U.C. Irvine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.C. Irvine. Show all posts

Friday, August 9, 2013

Movie Trailer for Glenn Langohr's Prison Book, "The Art of War"

FREE Sample, Purchase the Audio Book here~http://amzn.to/1bhqCUh Also available in Print and Kindle. Glenn Langohr spent 10 years in California prisons on drug charges, with 4 years in Solitary. He turned that into writing time. Now he is a best selling author and producer. He wants to show the world that God can turn lives around.



Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Crime Will Go Up Says Prison Author Glenn Langohr




1)    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?
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.


2)    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)?
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.

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


4)    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?
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.

5)    How have you been able to partner your efforts with research and/or faith-based organizations to spread the word on your mission?
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 found here~ http://amzn.to/14ZQwUj 

6)    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?
I wrote my first book, Roll Call, 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…”  http://amzn.to/16oQXu6

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, 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. It is on sale for .99 for Kindle here~ http://amzn.to/18YH60f


7)  What one thing you would like for our readers to know about you?  Your work? 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.

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

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Best Selling Author Glenn Langohr Speaks About Prison Life on PBS Southern California's "The Real Orange"

Glenn Langohr spent 10 years in California's worst prisons on drug charges, with 4 years in Solitary Confinement for riots and investigations, before becoming a best selling author.

He has published 12 prison and drug war books that shine a light on conditions inside of California's overcrowded prisons.

When asked how much of his books are true, Glenn Langohr responded, "I paint with the true colors of life on a fictional landscape to protect the innocent and not so innocent, inmates and prison guards included."

To check out Glenn Langohr's complete list of books in Print, Kindle and Audio book go here~ http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Glenn Langohr's Best Selling Prison Book Got Another Great Review



Underdog by Glenn Langohr is available in Print for 8.99, Kindle for .99 or Audio book for 6.99 Here's another great review for my Prison Book Underdog: Desolation, June 24, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: UNDERDOG, A True Crime Thriller of Prison Life (Prison Killers- Book 4) (Kindle Edition)
I haven't figured it out yet but this short book affected me to my core. Maybe it's the similarities between the dogs and the inmates. Maybe it's because I know in my heart that what was written is true.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Free Books, Money and Gift Cards by True Crime Author Glenn Langohr

Free Books, Money and Gift Cards by True Crime Author Glenn Langohr. Glenn Langohr is giving away an unlimited amount of books, $50 in cash and a $50 gift card. Just purchase any one of his print, kindle or audio books to enter. 

Roll Call, A True Crime Prison Story of Corruption and Redemption has 21 Five star reviews, was related to the drug war movie Traffic by Nielson Media and is available in print for 16.99 and kindle to download to your computer, tablet or phone for 2.99. It is free to download the kindle and easy. 


To purchase any of Glenn Langohr's drug war and prison books in print, kindle or audio book go here- http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A     Here's a video for Roll Call...

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Glenn Langohr is Giving Away His Books, Money and Gift Cards

Glenn Langohr is Giving Away His Books, Money and Gift Cards. To enter to win, order any of his drug war and prison books in any format. Race Riot, a Shocking Inside Look at Prison Life is just .99 cents with kindle. Here's a review- "A raw, breathless descent through the inner circle of the California Penal Hell. Fraught with detail that only someone who's been there could know." Phillip Doran TV Producer

To purchase any of Glenn Langohr's drug war and prison books go here- http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A If you are in the UK go to the sidebar to find the link. All books are available in print now! Half are available in audio book!

Here's a video of Glenn Langohr speaking to Criminal Justice students at U.C. Irvine. He spoke about the California Three Strikes Law, Solitary confinement, prison conditions and his books. The students were required to read his book Underdog, A True Crime Thriller of Prison Life. The students loved it!

Friday, August 31, 2012

My radio interview with Barbara at the University of California Irvine!


Here's my radio interview with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett at the University of California Irvine about my books, life, the drug war, prison life, God and redemption.http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/1140/TheDeMarcoPoloShow-2012-08-27.mp3 

Barbara is an amazing writer herself and a great contact. She's pretty much the queen of Orange County and knows all of the agents in LA! I'm hoping my drug war and prison material gets more publicity and some big shots realize the potential for movies and TV.

Thank God my novella Race Riot is still number 1 in the UK! It's been two straight months.