A SOLDIER'S REDEMPTION
by Lorenzo Louden
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GENRE: Memoir
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BLURB:
A
Soldier's Redemption is a true, candid, no-holds-barred story of infamous
former gangster disciple Lorenzo Louden, a.k.a. "Shorty G." His story
immerses you in the notorious world of gangs, taking you on a bone-chilling
ride through the streets of 1970s Chicago. While serving 17 years behind bars,
his militant rule of the underworld expanded from the streets to the prisons
until a spiritual encounter directed his journey out of the darkness onto a
miraculous path of purpose and possibility.
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Excerpt One:
For a long
time, I figured any book I ever wrote about my life would have to be written
from my cell. In those days, I was known to the State of Illinois by a number,
and to Folks in the Family as Shorty G. Plenty of the Folks are still doing
their time. Plenty of them are still out there in their madness. Some of them
are dead. Thanks to God’s grace and forgiveness, I was given a second chance.
Life sure does
take unexpected turns sometimes, and that’s how I come to be telling you my
story as a free man. And, when I talk about being free, I’m not just talking
about being free from state prison. There are all kinds of ways for a man to be
locked up in chains. But, I don’t want to get ahead of myself here…
I was born in
Little Rock, Arkansas, but my story really starts when I was a four-year-old
kid, living in Chicago with my mother and my baby sister, Grenada Janelle
(Jan). My mother was an elegant, petite lady, who stood about five-foot-two or
three. Her style was real flashy and she liked nice things.
I never knew my
father at all. I was told he was in the military, but older people kept secrets
in those days, so I never knew anything more than that. Mom never married the
man, and had no contact with him. Looking back on my like a kid, it’s easy to
understand how I ended up where I did.
The building
where we lived was real noisy, and there were always people running up and down
the hallways. Day and night, you could hear them fighting, hollering, and
carrying on. I don’t remember other kids being around—just a lot of grownups
and a lot of chaos. There was no way to feel safe.
We had an
itty-bitty efficiency apartment. It was one big room with a kitchenette, a
couch, and a bed that folded into the wall. I slept on the couch, and my sister
slept with Mom in the bed. We lived above a tavern on a busy street, so there
was always traffic. At nighttime, I liked to stand at the window, listening to
the car horns and looking at the lights and the people down below. People would
be having fun—drinking, laughing and telling stories. That looked to me like a
good time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope my readers take from my book a story of a young kid who survived through
all the adversities in his life, growing up without love, wanting respect, and
longing for a family to call my own. I also,
want my readers to understand that this is a true story of a kid, not unlike
the many kids who are still suffering from similar or worst ordeals just trying
to survive. As a youth my life was always
in survival mode. The things that I needed I was unable to receive from the
adults in my life; therefore, I sort it elsewhere. That is how I ended up getting involved with
gangs because I believed that they loved me, protected me, and would always be
there for me. It was the resilience and
strength in me that saved me, and education and maturity changed me. I found that all I ever wanted was always
there for me, but I was always looking in the wrong people and places. If my book can help another kid learn that
without suffering as I did then I have accomplished my goal.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Lorenzo Louden was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but grew up on
the notorious streets of the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, an area known as
K-Town. He was raised in the foster care system until he was 14 years old.
Lorenzo grew up on the streets and endured a lot of hardship as a young
teenager. As an adult, he believed that his past did not have to dictate his
future, so he strived to be the best he could be. During a 17-year stay, from
1977 to 1994, courtesy of the Illinois prison system, he gained 4 degrees,
including a bachelor's degree in business. In 2005 Lorenzo started a non-profit
organization called Tower of Refuge, dedicated to aiding and assisting
returning citizens. For the 10 years following, he and his team worked
diligently to ensure that these individuals had the services and support they
needed to make a smooth transition back to society. The organization had a 96%
success rating over that 10-year period. Lorenzo, a noted motivational speaker,
who has positively influenced the lives of hundreds of detainees, is also the
published author of "A Soldier's Redemption: The Life of Gangster Shorty
G," an autobiographical account of his life as a gangster.
CEO of Black Chamber of Commerce of Illinois in Bloomington, IL;
granted a contractual employee position for the Illinois Department of
Corrections for mentoring and educating individuals incarcerated prior to their
release; current owner of Illini Construction & Waterproofing, LLC; a
father to three wonderful young adults that are contributing hugely to the
societies that they are currently residing; loving brother, uncle, and friend
to all who he has encountered.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lorenzolouden3196
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzolouden/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
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I liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good memoir.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds very interesting.
ReplyDelete