JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Questions, 5 Minutes With…
L. Miller, author of This Game Has NO Loyalty
(Pilot Publishing Group)
(click on the pictures to see this book on Amazon.com)
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write This Game Has NO Loyalty?
L.J. Miller: The idea to write This Game Has NO Loyalty came to me when my first daughter was born. I was in the game deep before her birth. At the time I was reckless because I was only responsible for one life…my own. While she was in the womb, I had a revelation. I decided I didn’t want my seed to see me as a hustler, visit me in jail, or look at my remains in a casket… I’d seen too many of my comrades go through that.
My inspiration to write This Game Has NO Loyalty came from the brutal murder of one of my closest friends. I was making my exit out of the game and was turning my life around in hopes of becoming successful legally. I planned on bringing my true homeboys into the fold. During this time I received a phone call that he was missing. Once they found his body, I heard so many different stories about how and why he was murdered that I knew I couldn’t trust anyone around me… There was so much disloyalty. I knew throughout my days of hustling that loyalty was hard to come by and usually camouflaged as friendship. I realized it more through the death of my homie.
JP: What sets This Game Has NO Loyalty apart from other urban fiction novels where a drug dealer gets caught up in the game?
LM: I think what initially sets my story apart from the typical ‘drug dealer getting caught up’ story is that my story is real. The characters are not invented they are real people that you identify with if you are from this environment (or know people who are). This story takes you into when the crack epidemic came into full swing. This is when every young black male found out they could make large sums of money if they sold the product. You don’t get the glorification of selling drugs in this book. You actually learn subliminally as you’re being entertained and kept glued to the pages by the continuous action and nonstop drama.
The story even stays consistent with the old school hustle mentality, lingo, gadgets, and apparel. If you are a reader who remembers these times, the story takes you down memory lane. If you are not from this era and don’t remember, it is written so vividly you will be drawn into that era. For instance, in the late 80’s everyone didn’t have cell phones. Beepers were how you were contacted. You had to use a pay phone to return calls.
The fact that the characters are not inflated with delusions of grandeur is another important factor that separates this book from other urban stories. The people in my novel are making money but not Bentley money. They aren’t flying off to exotic islands in their G4 where a passport and ID is required to gain access into the country. Finally, this novel also weaves in characters that are directly related to the main character and show how and why they are relevant and important in the story. It will definitely leave you wanting more.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to This Game Has NO Loyalty getting out to the public?
LM: As an author, my keys to the success of This Game Has NO Loyalty is to get the respect of the streets by making the book available to all street vendors nationwide. This book is written about the streets with unadulterated truth. It’s only fitting that it receives the thumbs up from the fans from the streets.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish This Game Has NO Loyalty?
LM: To be honest, I started this book years ago but never finished it. When I picked it back up it took me about 6 – 8 months to have it publishing ready.
JP: What’s next for L.J. Miller?
LM: I have the sequel to This Game Has NO Loyalty finished. It should be released by the end of the year or beginning of next year. Right behind that, I have another story that should show my maturity as a writer-a novel that is very different but also real in its content. Then the final part of This Game Has NO Loyalty will be dropped the following year. During the release of the sequel and the third novel, I will be promoting literacy by having educational seminars in different cities for the youth. I will offer creative writing classes so the youth can learn to utilize their brain power for something other than reaching the next level on a video game.
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