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"Streets of Honor"
by Stephen A. Welles
Interview by Donna Antonacci (Writer and Poet).
Donna: There are a lot of parallels between your life as a teen in the Bronx and that of your central character, Steve West (a.k.a., Ghost). Would it be accurate to say Streets of Honor is essentially a autobiographical fiction?
Steve: Yes this book was inspired by a true story with its hard times, good times, music & love stories and other great memories from back in the day.
Donna: The setting of Streets of Honor-the Bronx, beginning in 1972-is now somewhat distant. What compelled you to write about those experiences at this point in your life?
Steve: As a single father, I observe what my two teen sons and other teens are growing through, with peer pressure, fashion, music, violence, sex, etc. I felt like I had an important story to tell from back in the day about choices we make in life and how it can affect us life long. I felt this was the time to let the story out and share my street experiences from an old-school perspective. I’m hoping to help others that are struggling. Many of the issues back in the day are still prevalent today…
Donna: When you look back on that time and place-the Bronx in the 1970s-in what important ways do you think the world has changed?
Steve: Thank God, there is more of a “Don’t Do Drugs,” awareness for our younger generation. It will help our youth to grow stronger, smarter, live longer and have healthier lives… Back in the day, in the Bronx when it was burning, doing drugs, drinking, gang fights and racial problems was as common as brushing your teeth. I love kids and for me the “Save Our Children” concept is very important. After all, we are talking about the future of the human race. The second most important thing is technology. What I mean is how it changed the world and the way we live and do things in 2010 as opposed to 1973. Need I say more?
Donna: In your novel, Ghost’s father tries to instill in him the traditional, family values he learned in his native Hungary while he ran around the streets all day and night dodging problems. What do you believe are the most critical of these values, and why?
Steve: Although he’s passed away over thirty years (tear), I can still here “Pops” say two things to this day, “Steven give life your best and it will give you its best." The second thing he said is “Don’t ever give up on your dreams and you will. prevail.” Funny thing about life. It comes full circle. I am now the 53-year-old father teaching his teen sons the same thing I learned. I try to lead by example.
Donna: What has been the reaction, so far, from people who have read Streets of Honor? What do they cite as having been particularly enjoyable or valuable to them about this musical novel as you put it?
Steve: Many people have written emails that they love the music, the dancing scenes, the memories and most of all they appreciated the hard times. Especially the people that survived it. One lady wrote that she felt like she was taking a walk back in time and hanging out with all her friends again to the music and memories. Others said they like the hidden messages throughout the book from this characters’ experiences. You know, I thank God every day that I made the right choices. Here is the opening pages of my book: “In memory of my close homeboys that didn’t make it.…”
Donna: You’re planning-and possibly already writing-a sequel, to be entitled Disco Nights. Generally speaking, where will that novel take the story of Ghost?
Steve: As you know Ghost (basketball nickname) saves himself from the streets of the Bronx. Streets of Honor is not so much how the story ends but the remarkable journey of getting a second chance at life. After Ghost comes back from... three years later, he arrives on the New York scene in the late 1970s when the Disco explosion was at its peak. Ghost moves to Manhattan and becomes a young aspiring businessman and Disco Dancer. He takes you on a journey from the inside of the dance floor looking out by utilizing the music and the memories to tell the story.
Despite what some people think, the disco explosion effected many people in a positive way. If you go to You Tube and look up any disco song you’ll see what I mean… Many of those 1970s songs have millions of views worldwide. Can you believe that in 2010? I can’t begin to tell you how many comments were left about the disco years and people wishing they were back there for one night of dancing… I hope to fill that need by telling this fun, exciting story as we journey together down memory lane. Hold it, let me throw some star-dust on you before we step into the time machine. Are you ready?
_____________________________________________________________________________
ATTENTION JOURNALISTS AND PRODUCERS:
To interview Stephen Welles, receive a review copy,
or inquire about excerpt opportunities, please contact
Streets of Honor publishing at:
E-mail: streetsofhonor@aol.com
_______________________________________________________________
by Stephen A. Welles
Interview by Donna Antonacci (Writer and Poet).
Donna: There are a lot of parallels between your life as a teen in the Bronx and that of your central character, Steve West (a.k.a., Ghost). Would it be accurate to say Streets of Honor is essentially a autobiographical fiction?
Steve: Yes this book was inspired by a true story with its hard times, good times, music & love stories and other great memories from back in the day.
Donna: The setting of Streets of Honor-the Bronx, beginning in 1972-is now somewhat distant. What compelled you to write about those experiences at this point in your life?
Steve: As a single father, I observe what my two teen sons and other teens are growing through, with peer pressure, fashion, music, violence, sex, etc. I felt like I had an important story to tell from back in the day about choices we make in life and how it can affect us life long. I felt this was the time to let the story out and share my street experiences from an old-school perspective. I’m hoping to help others that are struggling. Many of the issues back in the day are still prevalent today…
Donna: When you look back on that time and place-the Bronx in the 1970s-in what important ways do you think the world has changed?
Steve: Thank God, there is more of a “Don’t Do Drugs,” awareness for our younger generation. It will help our youth to grow stronger, smarter, live longer and have healthier lives… Back in the day, in the Bronx when it was burning, doing drugs, drinking, gang fights and racial problems was as common as brushing your teeth. I love kids and for me the “Save Our Children” concept is very important. After all, we are talking about the future of the human race. The second most important thing is technology. What I mean is how it changed the world and the way we live and do things in 2010 as opposed to 1973. Need I say more?
Donna: In your novel, Ghost’s father tries to instill in him the traditional, family values he learned in his native Hungary while he ran around the streets all day and night dodging problems. What do you believe are the most critical of these values, and why?
Steve: Although he’s passed away over thirty years (tear), I can still here “Pops” say two things to this day, “Steven give life your best and it will give you its best." The second thing he said is “Don’t ever give up on your dreams and you will. prevail.” Funny thing about life. It comes full circle. I am now the 53-year-old father teaching his teen sons the same thing I learned. I try to lead by example.
Donna: What has been the reaction, so far, from people who have read Streets of Honor? What do they cite as having been particularly enjoyable or valuable to them about this musical novel as you put it?
Steve: Many people have written emails that they love the music, the dancing scenes, the memories and most of all they appreciated the hard times. Especially the people that survived it. One lady wrote that she felt like she was taking a walk back in time and hanging out with all her friends again to the music and memories. Others said they like the hidden messages throughout the book from this characters’ experiences. You know, I thank God every day that I made the right choices. Here is the opening pages of my book: “In memory of my close homeboys that didn’t make it.…”
Donna: You’re planning-and possibly already writing-a sequel, to be entitled Disco Nights. Generally speaking, where will that novel take the story of Ghost?
Steve: As you know Ghost (basketball nickname) saves himself from the streets of the Bronx. Streets of Honor is not so much how the story ends but the remarkable journey of getting a second chance at life. After Ghost comes back from... three years later, he arrives on the New York scene in the late 1970s when the Disco explosion was at its peak. Ghost moves to Manhattan and becomes a young aspiring businessman and Disco Dancer. He takes you on a journey from the inside of the dance floor looking out by utilizing the music and the memories to tell the story.
Despite what some people think, the disco explosion effected many people in a positive way. If you go to You Tube and look up any disco song you’ll see what I mean… Many of those 1970s songs have millions of views worldwide. Can you believe that in 2010? I can’t begin to tell you how many comments were left about the disco years and people wishing they were back there for one night of dancing… I hope to fill that need by telling this fun, exciting story as we journey together down memory lane. Hold it, let me throw some star-dust on you before we step into the time machine. Are you ready?
_____________________________________________________________________________
ATTENTION JOURNALISTS AND PRODUCERS:
To interview Stephen Welles, receive a review copy,
or inquire about excerpt opportunities, please contact
Streets of Honor publishing at:
E-mail: streetsofhonor@aol.com
_______________________________________________________________
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