A Soldier's Redemption

 

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

 

 

Mom was always on the go—and too busy to do much loving on us. I had no sense of her having an actual job. I didn’t know how we were surviving without a dad. Whenever Mom would leave, she’d say, “Now, don’t open the door for anyone! I’ll be back in a couple of hours. I fixed some bottles for your sister, Ardie. You make sure she eats. And there’s food in the fridge if you get hungry.” (My name is Lorenzo, but people called me Ardie.) 

 

She had already shown me how to put the bottle in Jan’s mouth, and how to change her cloth diapers carefully so I wouldn’t stick her with the safety pins. 

 

One day, my Uncle Bubba, who was twenty-six, and my Uncle Leodis, who was twenty-four, were beating on the door, hollering for me to open it. (Mom was their baby sister, born in 1939.) There was no one home but me and Jan. I knew it was my uncles at the door, not strangers, so I would have opened the door. But the door had a double-sided lock that required a key. 

 

I kept hollering through the door, “I can’t open it! I can’t open it! I don’t have the key!” My uncles went looking for the maintenance guy. Next thing I heard was the sound of keys jangling. Then the door opened and my uncles came inside. They had this look of shock on their faces when they realized there was no one home but me and my sister. There was usually some lady or another that showed up to sit with us when my mom took off. That one time when my uncles came by, we were there by ourselves. 

 

Uncle Bubba and Uncle Leodis had their hands up over their noses and mouths. I’d been changing diapers and it was stinky in there. My uncles glanced at the roaches running around. There were always mice and roaches.  

A Word With the Author

Did you always want to be an Author?

 

No, not at all. I was teaching in a prison in Illinois and a few students on a side bar suggested that I sincerely think about writing a book about my life. I prayed about it and talked it over with my family and they supported the idea.

 

Tell us about the publication of your first book?

 

It was a very smooth and exciting journey. My Ghost writer connected me with a publishing company (print on demand) and they helped me all the way.

 

 

Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?

 

Sheila Johnson: Walk Through Fire.

 

What’s the best part of being an author? The worst?

 

The best part about being an author is seeing my work in writing is the best feeling ever because I know that my life would always be here that speaks to legacy.

I don’t think there’s a worst part for me at all.

 

What are you working on now?

 

I currently have a finished screenplay that’s done from the book itself. My hopes are to market it well enough to possibly become a movie production.

 

 

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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/

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.

 

 

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