Glenn Langohr Gangland Prison Documentary Lockdown

Best Selling Author and Producer Glenn Langohr Spent 10 Years in Prison on Drug Charges and 4 Years in Solitary Confinement. He explains about Solitary Confinement.
http://amzn.to/1dsPK7t Prison Riot in Print, Kindle and Audio Book
http://amzn.to/13GmjAb Underdog in Print, Kindle and Audio book
He points out why the California prisoners are refusing food in a hunger strike. His book Underdog and his book Prison Riot shine a light on the issues.

An Interview With Author Seth Ferranti About Gorilla Convict

It is my pleasure to introduce Seth Ferranti. His story is one of resilience and the power of the human spirit. Like me, the drug war interrupted him with a prison sentence. Like me, he became a well known writer and started his own publishing company. Here's some of his story and how to get his books.

What was your life like before being penned an LSD kingpin by the government?

I sold drugs, I partied, I went to different colleges to check out the scenes and followed the Grateful Dead a little bit. I was just a regular suburban youth who got caught up in the drug scene. I never carried a gun and I wasn't prone to violence. I didn't even consider myself a criminal really. I wasn't out to hurt anyone or take anything from anybody or rough anybody off or anything like that. I came from a good home with good parents who installed good morals and ideals in me I just got caught up in the drug scene and fancied myself a sort of stoner outlaw. But I didn't have any kind of Scarface mentality. I was just supplying LSD and marijuana to my friends from high school who went off to a bunch of colleges on the East Coast. I was originally from California and grew up a military brat and when my dad retired we settled in Northern Virginia where he got a job with a defense contractor. It was a real lily white and affluent area and I was the new guy and I found that when I proved I could get a hold of drugs I became real popular real quick. So that is how it went. I started selling drugs at a young age and it just progressed and by the age of 19 I was supplying about 15 colleges in 5 states with marijuana and LSD. But still in the big scheme of things I was a small time drug dealer maybe making $20 grand or so a month.

2. Were you overcharged?

I would say so. I was a first-time, non-violent offender and I got slammed with 304 months or a 25 year sentence with no possibility of parole. It was right when the feds had just started their War on Drugs in the early 90s and plus being right outside of DC they made it like my case was this big thing, it was like a witch-hunt really. But in all actuality it was just some kids partying and doing drugs at colleges just like they are still doing today. It was no organization, really it was unorganized and chaotic. I was just the dude with the best contacts and when I refused to snitch they threw the book at me but I realize now I made matters worse by taking off and becoming a fugitive for 2 years. But I was barely 20 years old and I had some money and I wasn't trying to snitch anyone out or go to prison so at that time it seemed taking off was my only choice. But now I have been in prison 19 years for crimes largely committed while I was a teenager that didn't involve any type of violence.

3. I found a great review of one of your books from a well known magazine that said you glamorized the gangster lifestyle to show the reader's why the drug problems are so alluring to the youth, but that in the end that life is a one way ticket to hell. How do you balance it out?

I do glorify and romanticize the stuff I write about. It is kind of glamorous in a way and people are interested in it. So I perpetuate the myths and legends but I do it in a way that it all comes from my perspective and it comes through my eyes and experiences. I am not doing anything new. They have been glamorizing this type of stuff since Billy the Kid and the Wild, Wild West. I am just doing it in my style and putting a more modern flavor to it. How outlaws and gangsters live and the things they do are amazing and people are very interested in reading about it all and watching the Hollywood version of the stories in movies and stuff like that. So I go with it. I am not fighting what is already there. People have been enamored with outlaw heroes since Robin Hood. I am myself. This is my passion. This is why I write about this stuff and bring these stories to life. When I first came to prison I read every prison and gangster book I could and then when I exhausted what I wanted to read I started writing my own stories from my own experiences and from the people I met and was doing time with. Everything I have done, book wise has been done before, I am just putting my twist on it. Reality is reality and I lay it all out but I still glorify it because even though I am older and in hindsight I know it is the wrong road it is still romantic in its own way, that is why gangster and prison stuff is such a big sell in popular culture.

4. can you give me a timeline on how your prison stretch started, to when you started writings and publishing to how   it grew to when you finally get out of prison?

I got caught in 1993 and have remained incarcerated since then. So I have 19 years in now. I had always wrote songs and poems and stuff and dabbled in creating little stories and fantasy worlds (check out felons rage on myspace it has some of my songs I recorded in prison), but when I came to prison I got a job in the recreation department and I started helping to run the intramural sports leagues and that included writing a little sports newsletter on what was going on with the leagues and the standings and statistics and stuff like that and I started writing commentary  and dudes in here really liked it and I made my name writing about prison basketball games for Slam, Don Diva and other magazines and websites like hoopshype.come and that led to writing about prison issues for magazines like Vice and then to writing my first novel Prison Stories and then doing the gangster interviews for Don Diva and F.E.D.S. and the Street Legends book series and now I am writing about the Drug War and drug addiction and recovery for thefix.com and continuing to do pieces for my blog/column on gorillaconvict.com. This all happened gradually throughout the 90s and into the early 2000s and then I got more serious about my writing in 2005 and got the website built and started the publishing house also to put out my own books. So we have been online and selling  books since 2005 and we have developed our name and reputation and web presence. I couldn't have done it without the assistance of my beautiful and talented wife Diane who has enabled me to do all of this from her. Without her I wouldn't have accomplished any of what I have, so really it is all down to her. When I come home I want to continue doing what I am doing but I want to get into the visual aspect of it and start doing documentaries and films also. Plus more merchandise like we have on the gorillaconvict.com website now with the t-shirts, stickers and posters. But I have a lot of plans and ideas to implement and get going once I get home.

5. I see that you have some powerful reviews from a bunch of magazines and well known sources. How have you managed to make those connections while locked in prison?

I am relentless I just write and write and write and I send out a tremendous amount of mail. I mail out 100 of letters at  a time sometimes every week and in it I am constantly promoting and showing what I am doing that is new. I send the stuff out to magazine editors and websites and anyone who I think might be interested in my stuff and now since we have email I contact and email as many people as I can to market and promote my stuff. So I have done it basically through email and the mail and being relentless and never giving up. I have created and built something from nothing and now I have an audience and people who like my work and who buy my books and check out my website. But also another main reason is content. I keep creating new content. I write, write and write some more. I promote, promote and promote some more and I make connections and I cultivate them and I find out how I can help them and how they can help me and I make it work and I keep my word and do what I say I am going to do.

6. What is your vision for the next five years?

I get out in 21 months and then I have to go through the halfway house probation routine so I have to be on point for that and not violate because I am not trying to come back to prison but when I can move and work for my own company gorillaconvict.com I will work and network and do the same thing I have been doing from in here but I will have much more access and I will be able to do all types of radio interviews and pod casts and make little commercials and youtube promos. I am really looking forward to it. I have a tremendous drive and ambition and I am relentless in pursuit of my goals and most importantly I am not afraid to put in the hard work that is necessary for success. So in five years I plan to be making movies and have my own production company.

7. Do you believe prisoners can be redeemed?

Yes, I do but they have to want it because if they want to stay in the same criminal lifestyle they will only be going back to prison. In our country right now there is no emphasis on rehabilitation and a lot of men are going home ill prepared and with no tools to deal with society plus when you just throw them back into the same environments they came out of with no tools what do you expect? Why do you think recidivism is so high? But I have taken the time and effort to do what I need to do to prepare for my future and eventual release back into society and I am ready for the challenge and I am confident that I can redeem myself and be successful and become a productive member of society and bring my unique vision to the world.

8. How would you change the system to make redemption more common?

Education is mandatory. Prisoners need to learn and open and expand their minds. Those capable should be allowed to enroll and take college courses and function in an environment which cultivates that. Others should be allowed to learn and practice a trade so that they have skills when they come home so that don't have to revert to the only thing that they knew prior to coming to prison- crime. But basically we have to give prisoners some hope and show them that yes you can turn your life around and change. I did and I am the better man for it.

Please check out my books which are available in print or ebook formats at gorillaconvict.comand amazon.com and read my blog at gorillaconvict.com which posts a new story every week and gives the 411 on street legends, prison gangs, hip-hop and hustling, the mafia and life in the belly of the beast. Also check out my weekly news blogs and columns at thefix.com

Glenn Langohr's Video About His Prison Books

Glenn Langohr's Video About His Prison Books. He met a Christian named Steve at the library and they immediately started shooting videos. Here's one. 

California Prison Watch: Five Demands of Pelican Bay State Prison SHU Priso...

California Prison Watch: Five Demands of Pelican Bay State Prison SHU Priso...: Prisoners in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison (California) are going on an indefinite hunger strike as of July 1... Great website!

Glenn Langohr Spoke to 97 Criminal Justice Students at UC Irvine about His Books, Prison Time and Solitary Confinement

Glenn Langohr Spoke to 97 Criminal Justice Students at UC Irvine about His Books, Prison Time and Solitary Confinement

The students in Professor Keramet's class were required to read an excerpt from Glenn's book Underdog. In Underdog, Glenn compares dogs in a cage with humans in the same cages and points out that our nation has more compassion for the dogs. Glenn also shows how the process to get in to solitary and out of solitary is in the hands of prison officials in California, not courts.

"I got to speak to 97 Criminal Justice college kids at UC Irvine this afternoon. It was so awesome! They read an excerpt from my book Underdog and loved it. My friend captured it all on video for the Orange County Register! At the end I hand

ed out 13 books to students and joked that maybe the Professor would give them extra credit for leaving me a review on Amazon. I think I'm a natural speaker. I hope I don't become a politician! Somebody kill me if that starts to happen. On another note my new audio book I narrated is going off! Here it is to buy"-http://www.amazon.com/Lock-Up-Diaries-Inside-Killers/dp/B009UX5NYG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1351653853&sr=8-3&keywords=glenn+langohr+audio+books

Glenn Langohr’s New Book, Prison Riot: A True Story of Surviving a Gang War in Prison is Live on Amazon

Glenn Langohr’s New Book, Prison Riot: A True Story of Surviving a Gang War in Prison is Live on Amazon in print for 7.99, in kindle for 2.99 and in audio book for 6.99 here- http://www.amazon.com/Prison-Riot-Crime-Story-Surviving/dp/1480193933/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351481968&sr=1-7&keywords=glenn+langohr

"My newest prison thriller is available in print! When the producer of Lock Up Abroad interviewed me, she asked, '“How much of your stories are real?”' I told her the truth, that I paint with the true colors of life on a fictional landscape."

 That just isn’t health for all of the involved parties. In my newest prison thriller, since it happened in the 1990′s, none of the places and names have been changed. Send it to someone in prison, or if you want to know what it is like for yourself, read and review it. Thanks! The picture included in this post is me helping my nephew fly!

All other drug war and prison books by Glenn Langohr can be found here- http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A

Glenn Langohr: In Prison on Drug Charges for 10 Years, Now Author Of 8 Books: Roll Call, Upon Release and the Prison Killer Series. http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A In his drug war novel Roll Call, Glenn Langohr illustrates how the U.S. has made drugs more desirable by making them taboo, which has increased the demand for them, throwing gasoline on Mexican cartel wars, along with breeding gangs in California's prisons. “For the last 6 years of my incarceration I woke up at 4 AM every morning to write, before the on-rush of prison life took over, to finish my drug war novel Roll Call.” States Langohr, “I felt compelled to write, to open the eyes of the community, that the drug war is a spiritual war.” Roll Call, available in print and e-book retailers, follows Glenn Langohr’s path portrayed as B.J.; from being raised by the Angelic mother he is torn from, to becoming a drug dealer, always trying to find a way out of the dark life of an addict. In another thread the path of three large Mexican cartel members have a hungry quest to obtain U.S. money and delves into how the Sinaloa and Michoacán cartels commit thousands of murders and deceptions for control of the drug trade. The cartel paths inevitably meet B.J. in Orange County, California leading to a roller coaster ride of excitement through drug smuggling cartels, to street gangs, to outlaw bikers, all trying to get their piece of the action. Add a good detective squeezed out of the loop by an overzealous narcotic detective; a robust prison union trying to call the shots; and a handful of other drug criminals trying to hold on to their conscience; and, you have the perfect recipe for a revolutionary uprising, bound by blood; all leaving the reader wondering, who are the real criminals? Kirkus Discoveries Nielson Media Review “A Harrowing down-and-dirty depiction of the U.S. War on Drugs, sometimes reminiscent of Soderbergh’s Traffic, by former dealer, California artist Langohr.” Upon Release from prison, Glenn Langohr finished the sequel to Roll Call, Upon Release, along with A California Pelican Bay Prison Story, Lock Up Diaries and Gladiator. He started Lockdownpublishing.com  to help other prisoners turn their lives around through writing and art. See his u-tube video. Or for his print books go here http://www.amazon.com/UNDERDOG-True-Crime-Thriller-Prison/dp/148013466X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351268918&sr=1-4&keywords=glenn+langohr

Check Out My Audio Book I Narrated- Lock Up Diaries by Glenn Langohr

Check Out My Audio Book I Narrated- Lock Up Diaries by Glenn Langohr. You get a free 5 minutes to listen to. Let me know how it is. I'm narrating my newest prison thriller and could use any feedback. Of course if the free 5 minutes makes you buy it, please leave a review! Here's the link- http://www.amazon.com/Lock-Up-Diaries-Inside-Killers/dp/B009UX5NYG/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1350947457&sr=1-10&keywords=glenn+langohr  

On another note, I found out on goodreads that I have over 15 reviews for my drug war novel Roll Call that took me 7 years of prison time to write. I always check my Amazon reviews and had assumed any on goodreads would of course be on Amazon as well. Another lesson in assuming anything. That lesson feels similar to the one about expectations...

Here's one of the new reviews for Roll Call- Roll Call (Glenn Langohr) Glen Langohr gives you a true analysis of what it's like to get caught up on the wrong side of the law. An extremely fascinating book filled with honesty about the world of drugs and prison. The suspense Glen Langohr creates is suspenseful, exciting and real. I recommend this book to young readers in hopes some will find it helpful within their own lives.

To check out all of my ( Glenn Langohr ) drug war and prison books in print, audio or kindle go here- http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A

Sage's Review of My Novel Roll Call

				Roll Call, A True Prison Story of Corruption and Redemption ( Roll Call Volume 1 ) Price: $2.99
Roll Call is the real deal, October 22, 2012 This review is from: Roll Call, A True Prison Story of Corruption and Redemption ( Roll Call Volume 1 ) (Kindle Edition) Benny Johnson who is known as B.J. has a complicated childhood; a controlling father, a mother trying to keep her family together, and a fierce drive to support himself and his brother. His downward spiral begins when he decides to go to Mexico and set himself up to deal drugs. The trip leads to meeting and scheming with various people from ex-cons, neighborhood dealers, to the deceitful upper class. B.J. considers himself a Christian who acknowledges he is a sinner. His entire life is spent trying to make decisions with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. The author, Glenn Langohr, spent a decade in the California Prison system for drug charges. He is no stranger to how life works behind bars. Between Langohr's gifted writing and criminal experience, readers of Roll Call receive the raw truth behind drug addiction, prison life, and fighting to walk the line. While, B.J. is a fictional character, much of his story, and other incidents in Roll Call are based on actual events. There are many different characters in Roll Call, and it is interesting to see how they all interact and affect each other. It's a roller coaster ride following B.J. on his ups and downs. It felt like when he was trying hard to stay straight, there was either temptation dangling in his face or someone trying to keep him down, specifically a detective that received gratification when B.J. was in pain.

my name is Sage: Book Review: Roll Call by Glenn Langohr

my name is Sage: Book Review: Roll Call by Glenn Langohr: Roll Call: A True Prison Story of Corruption and Redemption by Glenn Langohr Paperback:  734 pages Publisher:  BookSurge Publishing (...

Check out Sage's awesome sites. She gave my novel Roll Call a great review! Please share it if you like it.

Best Selling Crime Author Glenn Langohr to Speak at UC Irvine About Solitary Confinement in Prison

Glenn Langohr spent over 10 years in prison on drug charges, with 4 of those years in solitary confinement. While locked down and writing novels, David Hocking, a Pastor from Hope For Today started writing him. David Hocking helped Glenn with instructional publishing guides that helped him further his writing career from behind bars. When released in 2008, Glenn Langohr published his first novel Roll Call. "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, Langohr penned Roll Call, a light fictionalization of his troubled life. "I went from obsessively pacing my cell and wondering and worrying about how I was actually going to get my attorney to defend me, and how many years this sentence would bring," writes Langohr in an afterword, "to realizing that if I find a way to write what's in my head, I can find a way out of this hole I had put myself in!" A vivid, clamorous account of the war on drugs. --Kirkus Discoveries, Nielsen Business Media, 770 Broadway, N.Y Yk

Glenn Langohr has published 7 more books and has been interviewed on the radio 4 times. On Oct. 30 at 3 pm he is speaking to 100 students in Professor Keramet's Criminal Justice class about solitary confinement and how it intersects with the 8th Amendment as it related to cruel and unusual punishment.

Glenn Langohr: From 10 Years in Prison to Speaking at UC Irvine About Solitary Confinement

While serving 10 years in prison on drug charges, Glenn Langohr spent his time writing drug war and prison books. Now as a best selling author on Amazon, Glenn Langohr is helping college students gain a deeper understanding of solitary confinement. To check out his list on Amazon go here- 

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A

While incarcerated, Glenn Langohr served time at Chino State Prison, Soledad State Prison, Solano State Prison and Centinella State Prison. Some of his books relate to “life on the inside” and the interaction between inmate races and the prison staff. Glenn Langohr takes this level of scope all the way to solitary confinement.
Glenn Langohr served time in Administrative Segregation for a multitude of violations relating to riots. 
While in the hole ( Ad-Seg Solitary Confinement ) Langohr takes an even deeper look at prison life into his books. Interaction between the Inmate Gang Investigators, Warden and other prison administrators are on display.
Glenn Langohr plans on talking about how and where solitary confinement relates to the 8th Amendment as it intersects with cruel and unusual punishment on Oct 30 2012 at UC Irvine.

Glenn Langohr's audio book, Underdog, Shines a Light on the Corrupt Prison Union

Glenn Langohr's audio book, Underdog, Shines a Light on the Corrupt Prison Union. Underdog in audio book

Here's a great review from American Media- It's B.J. fighting for his life again in the wretched California prison system.
In his latest novel, "Underdog," Glenn Langohr takes B.J. back into the dreaded Supermax at Pelican Bay, California's toughest prison. At first he's just fighting to survive, hopelessly outnumbered by Mexican and black gang members, but then he goes back to try and help his friend, still inside, ferociously battling to change the penal system.
And ex-con Langohr can describe the hell of life inside better than any other writer. His vivid passages on just surviving in prison describe a nightmare we'd rather not know about.
He compares the plight of abandoned dogs, locked and horribly mistreated in rows of cages in animal shelters, to California prison inmates, locked and abused in the same cages.
Not a book for the faint of heart. We who sleep peacefully in our beds at night, unaware of the savagery going on behind prison walls, can only thankfully say: "There, but for the grace of God, go I." John South, American Media

More then the review, Underdog is about shining a light on a California Prison Union that is out of control and at times corrupt. Check it out, share it, review it and lets fight for the Underdog. 

To read all of Glenn Langohr's drug war and prison thrillers check out the links or go to Amazon. 

I got another great review for Race Riot!

Race Riot is the first in the prison thriller series. I have taken experiences from over 10 years in prison on drug charges, with 4 of those years in solitary, and turned it into books. I'm hoping, ( my definition of hoping is expectantly waiting ) these books get turned into movies and hit TV shows. Here's another review for Race Riot. Out of 33 reviews it has a 4.2 rating, not bad. Here's a link to all of my thrillers on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00571NY5A

Very important book on the California Prison Sys! This is The real deal. If you want to know what prison is like, go no further., October 8, 2012

This review is from: Race Riot, A SHOCKING, 
Inside Look at Prison Life (Prison Killers- Book 1) 
(Kindle Edition)

This is a very important piece of literature. This is also an important historical document on the prison system. This current look into the prison system is written by Glenn, who actually lived this! You will never read another prison book like this as it is told from the man who actually went through these experiences. This is a story of survival in a society so strange, so alien, and so mad that you can't believe this stuff actually goes down like it does.... Yet, it is real!
Breathtaking, gut wrenching, nail biting, and downright awesome. Buy this book now if you want to know what prison is like or send it to a loved one who may be going to prison to help understand what it is like.

An Excerpt from My First Prison Thriller, Race Riot

Race Riot

The Mexican from Tijuana acted normal in his greeting as he led the way and gave the Mexican

from LA a shadow to hide in. The Mexican from Tijuana clapped hands in a handshake with Danger,

who had his arm sticking out the steel bars enclosing the showers.

His black arm got slammed at an angle against the steel bar at his elbow and the Mexican kept

pushing it that way. I heard the bone fracture and Danger screaming in pain. He tried to resist by arm

wrestling his arm back into the safety of the shower but it was useless. His fractured arm wouldn’t

respond it was uselessly folded at the elbow.

The other Mexican came out from behind and thrust a thin steel ice pick at an angle through the

shower bars into Danger’s face as he leaned away to use the steel bars for protection, while at the same

time still trying to get his fractured arm back through the bars. After getting hit in the cheek just below

his eye he backed hard enough to free himself.

The other Black Crip, T-Rock fired punches at the second Mexican attacker. The steel bars

enclosing the shower were blocking any further action and the outraged T-Rock yanked the door open,

yelled, and slipped in shower shoes. The second Mexican took advantage of his slip and used his left

arm to hold the shower door open and with his right hand jabbed the steel into T-Rocks shoulder. TRock

gathered himself with even more rage. The warrior took the ice pick poking as if it were only bee

stings and fired so many punches that the Mexican backed out of the shower, but closed the door on the

forward charging T-Rock. He made it through the narrow closing door but took the impact on his

shoulder and head and was made even more furious. His anger alone separated him from the two

attacking Mexicans. Incited by his partners rage, Danger came running out of the shower with his

fractured arm hanging at an unnatural angle.

The sound of the block gun was next, “Boom!”

I slid down Popeye’s cell with my back against it to sit on my haunches and realized inmates in

cells were yelling and kicking their cell doors. I looked at the tower and saw the smoke from the tip of

the rifle and at the same time heard the alarm send a siren of decibels in screeches that rose and fell.

Another tower guard at the control booth yelled into the microphone, “Get down! Get down!”, then

ran to the opening in the tower window with another rifle.

The two Black Crips were engaging the Mexicans with punches, kicks and grapple throws with

arms going everywhere. All four inmates were bouncing off cell doors with the fight going further

away from the tower, down the tier. Prison guards poured through the vestibule and got as close as they

could and fired block guns, then pointed canisters of pepper spray at them from four feet away, a

stream of painted orange followed the combatants still fighting and bouncing off cell doors.

The gun tower yelled into the microphone, “Get the fuck down! Live rounds coming!” I saw the

four inmates fighting hesitate for a millisecond, like they knew what they’d heard from the tower

changed this melee into deadly consequences or life sentences but they kept fighting for honor waiting

for the other side to back down first.

“Boom!” The block gun spoke, then “Ping”, a live round ricocheted, and it was enough. All four

inmates sprawled out on the floor just as another army of prison deputies with gas masks came pouring

through the vestibule with plastic shields thrust in front of them.

Popeye said, “That was weak.”

Twenty minutes later the four inmates were led out of the building in handcuffs. The building’s

occupants inside cells emanated energy that blew rage, frustration and confusion through the air like

wind. I walked up the stairs wondering if any Mexicans or Blacks heard Popeye say in disgust, “That

was weak.” I agreed with him, it was weak.

Not the battle, the reason for it and the position it would put every single one of the inmates in,

along with the deputies, along with the families of both, along with the communities outside the prison

walls.

My cell door popped open and I took a last look with my shirt over my mouth. The tear gas fog

floated slowly in a cloud and I could see the canisters it came out of under the tower still whispering

gas. Almost every inmate and guard coughed and felt the sting burning their eyes.

Down the tier from the canisters, the floor was painted orange in a path the pepper spray

extinguishers’ sent, followed by a line that went up and on a few of the cell doors the combatants had

bounced off. Blood stains soaked some of the floor and stained a few of the cells. Almost every cell

still had a bald head with a pair of eyes at their cell doors, studying the building the way I was, with

shirts bunched up covering their mouths.

My Newest Prison Thriller, Prison Riot, is on Sale on Amazon Kindle

Prison Riot, A True Story of Surviving a Gang War in Prison is available on Amazon Kindle. Here's an excerpt...
Yard business
For yard we were only allowed to wear our boxer shorts, a white shirt and flip flops. We went through the strip search and backed up to get handcuffed. We walked to a door that opened to a narrow concrete path that went for 30 feet to the yards. The sunlight blinded me after not being out of our cell for a month and I had to walk slower to let my eyes adjust.
We walked the path that led to two mini yards. Each yard was about the size of a half court for basketball. There was a 10 foot high fence around it and razor wire in swirls at the top. In place of a tower, above the yard, was a steel catwalk with two prison guards holding guns. The escort guards led us into our yard. It started with a separate boxed in fenced area about the size of a bathroom. We got our handcuffs released through the tray slot and one of the guards asked, “Do you want to use some clippers to cut your hair or trim your beard?”
We needed some man grooming in a desperate way and used the clippers to make us as close to bald headed as possible. My facial hair had turned into an out of control goatee and I removed as much as I could. While we played barber on each other the southern Mexican inmates started to arrive.
Pericho and Sureno walked with their backs straight and their chests sticking out as far as possible. I almost laughed out loud but instead thought about how sad it was. They were a couple of 18 year olds who desperately didn't want to look weak. The guards unlocked the first cage in the mini yard next to ours and they walked in. Pericho was the crazier one with wild eyes and a bald head with scars in multiple places. As soon as he got his handcuffs off he took his shirt off.
After we finished grooming ourselves we entered our mini yard. There was a basketball hoop on one end that faced the other mini yard 6 feet away. On the other end of the yard there was a shower head and a toilet. I noticed a basketball in the corner and got it. Giant and I took turns shooting free throws and watched all the southern Mexicans walk in handcuffs to the yard cages.
One by one they got their handcuffs off and entered the yard. The inmates from the bottom floor were put in our yard and the inmates from the top floor went into the other one. The younger inmates all took their shirts off as soon as the handcuffs were removed and I realized it was in defiance. They weren't going to let anyone tell them they had to wear a shirt to cover neighborhood tattoos. I saw Johny get his handcuffs removed and he walked toward us with his shirt on. He looked different, like his outlook on life wasn't as positive. Maybe it was that all hope of ever getting a chance to parole on a life sentence was gone.
He stopped in front of us and forced a smile. Giant was so happy to see him he gave him an immediate hug. I followed up with one next and asked, “Are you alright?”
The love from both Giant and I brought back a little spark to Johny's smile and he nodded his head. He said, “Thank you for helping us out.”
It hit me that maybe he was also depressed that he'd killed another person. Even though it was self defense, it probably had him thinking about how he'd committed himself to being in that position his whole life. I encouraged him, “Johny you protected your people and couldn't avoid it.”
I looked him right in the eyes and his were brown pools of sorrow. He broke the eye lock and looked at the ground and nodded his head. Our attention was broken by a distraction on the other mini yard.
“Hey Johny!”
There were over 20 inmates on each of the mini yards and almost everyone stopped what they were doing to watch. The man who called Johny was Topo. He was staring at us from the other mini yard with his hands holding the fence. He looked like a Mexican Joe Pesci. He took off his white shirt and from his waist to his neck there was a collection of tattoo art. His usually bald head had a little hair on it and it made his widow's peak more prominent. We watched Johny walk to the fence. He grabbed it with his hands like Topo was doing and stood almost a foot taller looking down.
I looked at Giant. He noticed the difference in Johny also. He said, “He's changed. Even his voice is deeper.”
I nodded my head and noticed all the southern Mexicans on both of the mini yards beginning to establish positions. They were all somewhat watching Johny and Topo like they were waiting for orders. They constantly looked over at the two elders and then went back to whatever they were doing.
Johny nodded his head to Topo and turned and walked to us. His expression was even harder and I realized what it was. While I knew him on the mainline prison yard before the riot, he was himself due to the lack of heavy politics. Now in Administrative Segregation heavy politics were being forced on him.
The pep in his step was gone. He looked up at us while deep in thought and forced a smile and asked, “You guys want to work out with us?”
I felt my expression harden on my face over the stress of our situation. I nodded my head and said, “Sure… We need to see if you can help us figure something out after...”
Johny nodded his head and it was obvious he already knew it was over us being labeled and housed as southern Mexicans. I realized in that instant that every southern Mexican on both yards was aware. None of them had even greeted us. There were a handful of southerners that had looked up to us and loved talking to us on the mainline. Now they were avoiding us.
I heard Topo get everyone's attention in Spanish slang and understood him. He yelled out, “Excuse me! Attention brothers! It's time for our workout. Everyone line up!”
Johny nodded his head to us and said, “We'll help you figure it out after we exercise.”
He quickly got into his role as leader on our mini yard and shuffled all of the southern Mexicans into a line. Giant and I maintained our positions and backed up to melt into the line forming around us. Our backs were to the fence and we were facing the gun tower catwalk above us. I looked up for the first time on the yard and noticed that both guards were studying the dynamics of how all the inmates were congregating. It was easy to see and understand that Topo was running one yard and Johny was running the other one. Both Topo and Johny had their backs to the tower guards while we were all facing them. It had to look like we were a part of the southern Mexican army.
Topo called out the cadence in Spanish and I understood it
“One hundred jumping jacks…Ready Begin!”
We did the jumping jacks.
Topo yelled, “Fifty squats…Ready Begin!”
We did the squats.
Topo yelled, “Fifty pushups…Ready begin!”
We did the pushups.
Topo yelled, “Southern Mexicans!! How do you feel?”
Everyone, including Giant and I, yelled, “One hundred percent!”
Our exercises continued for 45 more minutes. When we finished Topo came back to the fence and called Johny to talk to him. Giant and I watched the two communicate and waited for them to call us over. We both looked at the two tower guards.
Giant said, “This doesn’t look good.”
I looked my friend right in the eyes. His were confused pools of blue ocean water. I joked, “Where’s your Mexican pride?”

California prisoners make historic call for peace between racial groups in California prisons and jails

California prisoners make historic call for peace between racial groups in California prisons and jails

It is awesome to see the prisoners respond this way. Not all prisoners are murderers. 70% of California's prison inmates are there for drug crimes and poverty crimes. They are rehabilitating themselves by forming together and fighting for a common cause.

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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. 

K is for Kechell: Roll Call by Glenn Langohr

K is for Kechell: Roll Call by Glenn Langohr: Book Blurb: "Whacks you aside the head with the force of a baseball bat. Langohr's incredible description of his fight for survival in pr...

Another cool blog has one of my novels on it. Roll Call is now number 1 in the U.S. kindle store in Crime/Thriller. Get it while it's only .99 cents or 16.99 in print. 

Flurries of Words: BARGAIN BOOK: ROLL CALL ~ A Prison List by Glenn L...

Flurries of Words: BARGAIN BOOK: ROLL CALL ~ A Prison List by Glenn L...: We are happy to announce as a BARGAIN BOOK:   ROLL CALL ~ A Prison List (True Prison Story)     by Glenn Langohr  (Click here for UK purcha...

My drug war novel Roll Call is being featured today on Flurres of Words! Pick it up on Amazon in print for 16.99 and immediately with a free downloaded kindle.