April 20, 2012

Larry talks about ... the man behind the book

Get to know the author behind the book. Okay, that’s me and I am my least favorite topic. I find it easier to discuss “The Priest and The Peaches” itself or the characters in the book or maybe the writing process. But, here goes.

First of all, I have always wanted to be a writer but my journey followed a winding sometimes circular road in getting to my destination. I spent 15 years working in the building trades in NYC with the Metal Lathers/Reinforcing Iron Workers until I was forced to leave that business when an insidious little demon known as MS (a handy little acronym for Multiple Sclerosis) attacked my central nervous system causing me to begin stumbling around like a drunk and then leaving me almost unable to walk at all. That was 30 years ago and today, after a lot of prayers, hard work and therapy, I use no walking aids of any kind and get around like most everyone else. My wife, Loretta, my three kids and I moved to Florida (doctor’s advice) when this was all going down and I have been here ever since.

Loretta died nine years ago from cancer (melanoma) and I married a widow, Marty, about five years ago. Marty spent almost all of 2011 undergoing chemo treatments for cancer (Lymphoma) and, thank God, she is now in remission. I myself had prostate cancer and, in May, I will be five years out. It seems that cancer is like Al-Queda—always sneaking around and attacking people trying to kill them. Fortunately, due to incredible advances, cancers are not nearly as successful as they used to be but there is still a long way to go before, like Al-Queda, they are eradicated.

I began to write seriously about four or five years ago and my first book “Slippery Willie’s Stupid Ugly Shoes” (children’s) was released in January of 2011. My first novel is “The Priest and The Peaches” and was officially launched January 1 of this year. So, I am a husband, father, grandfather and officially a “senior citizen”. Experiencing the life of a writer is my “permanent senior moment.” It’s ALL GOOD and I am not turning back.

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