There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in.
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu |
Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Authors Page
We’ve created this page to showcase literary accomplishments of the incarcerated and formerly Incarcerated authors, and to share opportunities to new and aspiring writers!
New Additions!
Right Skills, Wrong Product: A Hustlas Beginners Guide to Real Estate Investing
This book shows the hustla how to take the unique skills he learned from the criminal lifestyle and transition into becoming a real estate investor. Why die in the streets when you can live off of real estate?
Author Solo Slim has written three books:
“Solo Season” takes you on a journey from the past to the present life and consequences of Solo Slim.
Solo Season 2: In the Storms Grinding
The sequel to Solo Season
The Women We Love: Why They’re So Fascinating
Each woman has their own love language.
Saved by the Blood: DNA testing not withstanding but the blood of Jesus prevailing By Eugene E. Nelson, Jr.
Unapologetically revealing, this non-fiction autobiography will have you captivated with twists and turns, compelling characters, plot changes, and a thirst to see what is coming next.
Circus Day by Theo Malcolm
Circus is in town and Grace decided to take her younger siblings. Everyone was excited, especially Empress. Grace didn’t realize that her sister’s excitement would make them the main act in the circus.
9 Lives: Poetry from Behind Bars by Dawn Prado
I’ve written what I know. I’ve reached to the bottom of my soul and have written about deep fears that we tend to have. One day I will tell my entire story. But now my poems will speak for me, from behind bars.
KNOW THYSELF: O’ YE TEMPLES OF THE UNIVERSE By A.C. Blacksheild
Explore methods to discover your authentic identity, intrinsic value, unique purpose, and self-actualization to walk and live boldly in the fullness of who you truly are.
POOR RICHARD TRILOGY (and stories)
by James Terry II
An anthology of Afrofuturist science fiction trilogy that entails a Black protagonist, InVitro Fertilization, holograms, a Donald J. Trump assassination attempt, transhumanism, a salute to Mothers Day, and Critical Race Theory essays.
Self-Employment
Trucking Guides by David J. Johnson
Get Your CDL: Commercial Drivers License Study Guide
The author shares “information that you need to pass the CDL exam the first time with exceptional results. We teach this method to all our commercial learners permit (CLP) students with great success.”
Start Your Own Trucking Company: A Step-by-Step Guide to Success
The guide contains:
* Legal business ownership
* Insurance: limits and requirements
* Doing business in the brokerage world
* Logo design and regulations
* Selecting and securing equipment
* Ways of getting your trucking company to stand out and much more!
Are Ya’ Truckin’?: Updated 2020
From the highways of the Midwest comes this introduction to what drives America’s commerce – trucking! Whether you’re looking to get into the industry as a driver, owner/operator, or just trying to see what the best option for you would be, it’s here! This book will also describe the things that can derail your career quicker than a wreck in the road. Along the way, you’ll hear tales of this Asphalt Cowboy’s experiences on the road. Saddle up and brave the open road!
SELF-HELP & Social Sciences
The Tree of Life: Sowing Your Seeds of Destiny
by Brian Zater
Using a tree as a metaphor for our thinking, feeling and intention, Zater guides us toward a better understanding of ourselves and our possibilities. In the author’s words: “The Tree of Life empowers us to gain mastery over the creation of our lives from this moment forward!”
Jason Kurtz
New “Secrets” Series!
Learn the secrets and ways of wealth and wisdom masters! Many powerful ideas gleaned into one book.
SELF-HELP-YOUR-SELF
Learn the secrets and ways of many past self-help masters!
Secret Tales of the Supernatural
The author’s true ghost stories. Prepare to be scared!
You can visit the author’s website here: https://selfprosperlife.com/
48 Laws of Hustling: Don’t Be A Statistic
By Ricky St. Julien II
A self help book about many young men who fall victim to the siren song of the streets, often glamorized through music videos and movies. St.Julien also known as the rapper Silk G. pulls back the covers of the game or hustling as it is widely known, in an effort to keep forthcoming generations from becoming a statistic.
A Guide to Relapse Prevention for Prisoners
Charles Howard Hottinger, Jr.
A step by step guide to help you prepare a plan to overcome addiction. Written by a prisoner who has had to fight the battles of addiction.
Bruce Michaels “In Prison” Series
Written by prisoners for prisoners. Provides excellent tips for success in change.
College in Prison: Information and Resources for Incarcerated Students
Success In Prison, 2nd edition
Rehabilitation in Prison Volume I: A Secular Approach
The Hole In Prison: Are You Falling In or Climbing Out?
Memoirs of Four Convicted Murderers
PEER: Prison Experiment for Education and Rehabilitation
The Philospher’s Stone
Raymond K Hedgespeth
Allow this book to guide you to the STONE that you are looking for. The author is a student of religion, philosophy, and history. To borrow from Wilde: “The word is a living breathing entity; its meaning will change from time-to-time, person-to-person as we grow and gain more understanding of life and its meaning.” If you will open yourself to this book, it can and will change your life.
Memoirs
Beyond The Bars
by Joseph R. Mays
“Beyond the Bars” is a motivational and inspirational collection of poetry written by a prisoner for all prisoners. This collection covers the gamut of different situations faced by prisoners every day. The book’s message is simple: Whether you have life or get out tomorrow, there is always hope and something better “Beyond the Bars”.
The Ill Effects of Prison
by Abdul Dula-Dym Fowler
The Ill Effects of Prison will open your eyes as to what’s really at stake when people go to prison, how it effects the people who go to prison, their families, their communities, as well as society.
From Pen To Paper: A Lifetime Of Sentences Waiting To Be Heard
by Marvin Louis Beauchamp
Inside are the raw expressed emotions from the psyche of a man searching for himself. These writings are being shared with the hope of helping you, the reader, clarify some of your past, present and future feelings.
Also by Marvin Beauchamp: From Pen To Paper: My Second Collection Of Tangible Thoughts Concrete Feelings
A Soul Call From Prison: How Yoga and Taoism Cured my Crises with Cocaine and Christianity
By Clifton Scott Brooks Jr.
What does it take to survive 322 months in federal prison? I had to bend over, grab my ankles, close my eyes, and breathe through the pain. That right! I practiced yoga. Soul Call is the story of how Brooks used Hatha Yoga and Taoist meditation to overcome addiction, resolve his issues with Christianity, and cope with life behind razor wire.
From Mental Distortion To Mental Restoration: A Journey of Trauma-Related Mental Disorder
by Mr Willie Mitchell
The author takes readers on a journey to learn how childhood experiences shape the mental make-up of a person as they mature, and how instinctual behaviors are rooted in the “nurture” and not the “nature” of a person.
Trapped N Da Trap
by Eric Chavis
What would you do if you were trapped? This is real life! No sugar coatin’. Explicit reality. Incarcerated with no microphone to channel his creativity, Chavis has found storytelling in literature as a way to express himself lyrically.
James T. Webb Guide to President Trump
By James T. Webb
Webb offers President Trump his 27 years of insight on how to REBUILD America’s low income African American and other poor communities. Webb makes his methods in The WAHM (Webb Affordable Housing Model) available to the Trump administration to help finally bring the CHANGE that America’s poor communities have been waiting on for the past 100 years.
Ink from the Heart
by Matthew Sean Blanchard
Matthew Blanchard’s Ink from the Heart is a poet’s collection of 35 poems detailing his life’s experiences and search for true love.
Beyond the Bottom Lines: A Collection of Poems Celebrating Life’s Absurdities
by S. A. Nesbitt 
Nesbitt was inspired to put his collection of poetry together as a means for looking at some of life’s absurdities and the odd things that we take for granted on a daily basis. The title is a play on words, and he wants the reader to look “beyond” the obvious, to know that there is always more to consider than meets the eye.
Arizona Dream: A true story of a real-life “Ocean’s Eleven”
by Adnan Alisic 
Haunted by the demons from his past, Adnan Alisic escapes Bosnia and comes to Phoenix, Arizona, where he starts a new life. Fueled by ambition he starts a successful car dealership, settles down, and lives the American Dream. Tortured by his past, he seeks relief in gambling and loses everything. Forced by the gambling debt and driven by the revenge against the casino, he plans an elaborate casino heist. From ethnic cleansing and mass killings in Bosnia, to gambling and underground tunnels in Arizona, you will read Arizona Dream until the last page where you’ll find the reason behind the heist.
Also by Alisic: UNFORGIVING
Articles and Websites!
Website loaded with thoughtful writings by Ernesto Cole, who says “look at this material as a companion for the continual process for change and growth” He also asks that you consider shifting your role from “learner to that of teacher” by sharing, and discussing, what you discover.
ARTICLES & POETRY By Aaron Kinzer
A Complex Industry
Found in the Minutes Before Six 2.13.23 online
Guiding Light
Found in the Justice Arts Coalition 12.27.22 online
Surviving Prison is 90% Mental. That’s Why I Teach Workouts That Strengthen the Mind
Found in The Marshall Project 4.22 online
For Incarcerated Fathers, Parenting From a Distance Makes a Tough Job Tougher
Found in Parents magazine 3.22 online
Tour Guide
Found in Columbia Journal 5.21 online
In Prison, a Phone Was My Lifeline. Until I Got Caught With It.
Found in The Philadelphia Inquirer 4.17.22 online
Children’s Books
Imani and The Magic Pot: Our Black is Beautiful Series
by S.Sharp
A little girl facing hunger and thirst learns that through faith and kindness anyone can make a different. She also learns that in helping other people solve the problem that they face, she is also blessed by solving her own.
The Last Hunt:Our Black is Beautiful Series
by S.Sharp
The Last Hunt is an African Fairy Tale that we hope will be first of many books in a series called, “Our Black Is Beautiful.” It is a tale of growth, new traditions and deals with the spiritual journey of a Masai Princess as she finds herself coming of age.
The Best-Ever Adventure
by Eric Artisan
This beautifully illustrated children’s book is a wonderful way to explore the meaning of life and is destined to become a classic. For ages 5 & up.
Reentry & Reference
Life With A Record: Reenter Society, Finish Supervision and Live Successfully
Anthony Tinsman
Things don’t magically change after you get kicked out of prison. Life starts all over again but there’s a catch, having a record impacts almost every part of your life. Filled with insights, advice, contacts, and exercises, the information in this book strikes legal, personal and professional levels. A real world guide for minimizing disruptions and maximizing success.
Pardons and Commutations of Sentences: The Complete Guidebook to Applying for Clemency
David L. Mathis And Brandon Sample
This easy to read guidebook is designed to assist individuals who want to apply for a pardon or commutation of sentence. The guidebook gives practical information about the process for applying for clemency, and is a “must have” for any individual who wants to navigate the complex process of applying for a pardon or commutation of sentence.
POETRY
360 Degree Solid The Alpha-Bit
by Taurus Turnquest
Poems and profound messages that resonate with today’s struggles.
also by Taurus Turnquest
Passion of Poems; When a Lion Roars
Caged Bird Series
Andre Willis
Andre’ Willis has written a multitude of poems while being incarcerated. His Caged Bird series spans several years and a variety of situations and emotions, reminding us of the humanness that persists in an inhuman environment. His reflections give us a window into the mind of a person with limited physical freedom but a free spirit.
A Collection Of Emotions (The Caged Bird Series) (Volume 2)
Don’t Let Nut’In Get You Down (Caged Bird) (Volume 3)
The Inmate Step By Step Guide: How To Build Your
Personal Credit While Incarcerated
By Amin Ali Shabazz
This is a Step by Step book that guides a credit novice through the process of checking their existing credit score, rehabilitating credit, building their current credit score and all information included can be completed while behind the wall. The book explains why it’s mandatory to have “good credit” after being released from a facility in regards to better housing, reliable transportation and a successful job. My teaching while behind the walls included the basics of credit and the importance of maintaining great credit for your day to day life experiences upon release.
The Script
by Kendrick Watkins
Not afraid to change E into an I, the untold story of a writer at the peak of his thoughts and understanding. Every poem, every letter and every thought stands out. This book comes in the purest form dealing with love, hurt, pain and loss; taking into account, that you must let it all out at all costs…
Other books by Kendrick Watkins:
All of this author’s books are published by his own publishing business!
SO YOU CAN WRITE PUBLICATIONS https://sycwp.com/
[email protected] 920-821-3006
From the website “So You Can Write Publications is a publishing company designed to assist writers with their writing works. We are here to help present your story in the same light as the light bulb that created your thoughts and ideas. We are not just a publishing company, but a home for writers!” (SYCWP is a Formerly-Incarcerated-Owned business)
FICTION
After The Change
Michael J. Moore
Diego Conner is at school when his world changes. As soon as his classmates start killing each other, he runs. Then, when he gets home, his parents try to eat him. They aren’t zombies though. They are alive and can be killed. He simply calls them “The Changed”. The only people he knows who haven’t changed are his friends, Sheena and Wes. With their families gone, the fifteen year old’s are forced to look out for each other. Can they face a new journey together – one filled with brainless, flesh eating monsters? This book isn’t really about the zombies. It is about how the characters relate to each other in a world which has turned cold and cruel. It is about a love brought on by the loss of everything that ever mattered to them.
Escaping The Wheel: A Novel
Eric Artisan
Rostam, an escaped convict obsessed with reincarnation and karma, seeks more than revenge. He wishes to end his time on the Wheel of Life. But first he must right the wrongs of countless past lives and obtain forgiveness from those who would continue to pull him back to Earth.
Also by Artisan
Vengeant
Clay wakes . . . Every day a different life — a different reality — based on a choice he made, many years ago, resulting in infinite possibilities . . . and in the death of the one he loved. So now he seeks revenge, over and over and over again, but with no memory of what really happened, or who the real killer may be. Only the choices he makes now will determine his fate . . . and reveal the truth.
Making a Gangsta
Larry W Johnson
A boy is marked by death at a young age when his step father is murdered in front of him, and must try to out distance this tragedy, haunted by it every step of the way.
Two Novels by Wesley Hunter:
True Blue
The story of a young boy’s journey to manhood in the inner city of Los Angeles. From straight A’s to prison, from hope to hopelessness… An emotional look inside of a young boy as he searches his world to discover what it truly means to be a man.
LOVE is a Bitch
A complex tale of a girl, and how her life progresses within a complex story and many difficult decisions.
MEMOIRS
3 Decades:In The Texas Badlands
Artemio Garcia Jr.
3 Decades: In The Texas Badlands brings to you a first-hand account of a man who turned to to a lifestyle that lead him to commit crimes and develop ties with the Mexican Cartel. Artemio Garcia’s testimony in 3 Decades reveals his past as a street gang member, immersed in the underground life. Artemio Garcia has turned his life around and wants to make a positive impact. 3 Decades is a model for change that is desperately needed in today’s society.
I‘m Not Bitter
Jermaine J. Sims
In life we all go thru things and we can either use those obstacles as stepping stones to get to destiny or we can allow it make us bitter. This book will inspire and encourage you to reach higher heights no matter the obstacle.
Fixed: Dope sacks, dye packs, and the
long welcome back
By Doug Piotter
“Fixed” is a darkly comedic memoir that spans my unsupervised youth, drug and alcohol addiction, bank robbery, life in prison and ultimately my release and re-entry into my life’s new and sober orbit. Upon release, I learned that the universe is a kind and forgiving place, often strange and funny with plenty for everyone as long as I don’t forget where I came from
Destiny: My Choice to Choose
By Randy Forsterling
This book uncovers the root cause of the author’s criminality, as he accepts responsibility for his plight. Click on the title or the image of the book to order the hard copy. Click here to order the Kindle version.
Kelly Patrick Riggs
Kelly Patrick Riggs Amazon page
SELF HELP
FREE version for incarcerated readers and writers
Download, read in the software, or print and mail to incarcerated people.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel: Overcoming the Inevitable
Post-Conviction Relief: Secrets Exposed
Post-Conviction Relief: The Appeal
Post-Conviction Relief: Advancing Your Claim
Post-Conviction Relief: Winning Claims
Post-Conviction Relief: C.O.A. in the Supreme Court
Memoir The Mourning After: In loving memory of my mother
Biography Grasshopper
Novel Under Seal
Mr. Riggs has also very generously donated writing tips for aspiring writers like me! You’ll find them on our Writing and Publishing page!
ATTENTION POETRY WRITERS!
BreakingFreePoets is a poetry group at Petersburg Federal Correctional institute. We are looking for incarcerated (or formerly incarcerated) poets who would like to post their work on our website breakingfreepoets.com. If you would like to create a profile and share your work on our site, send your poem(s), a short bio, and a picture (optional) to [email protected] or via mail to:
BreakingFreePoets
11 Oakwood st.
Asheville, NC 28806
You will be notified if your work is selected. Authors retain all rights to their material.