Writing 'Alphabet City 10'

'Alphabet City 10' was a story of Wayne Williams who is considered “the saint” of Alphabet City. He’s been able to send kids to a boarding school that he has connections with. He’s been able to save kids from the bad parts of life in Alphabet City from violence to death and plenty of other things.

 

Writing this story from a teacher’s perspective was different but surely necessary. I felt that we don’t hear things from a teacher’s perspective on what it’s like to teach in a tough neighborhood. There’s so many stories from certain perspectives but this one was a nice challenge for me.

 

Wayne is someone who is loyal to where he grew up. While he has a checkered past, he was able to reform and become a better man for it. 

 

He has some tough circumstances and situations in his childhood that make him the man he is today. Granted I’ve written stories on gang members and other men in the series, this story was a little different and for good reason. 

 

With the struggles of trying to teach things that will impact kids, losing the school budget, kids not being able to read, he struggles to make the education system as fair as the other kids in suburban and rural neighborhoods in America. There’s a need and fight for reform and as he nears retirement as a teacher, he knows that he’s still not done with trying to improve Alphabet City. 

 

He’s become the male role model that kids look up to and respect. This story was not just another story of the inner city struggle but more of what can we do to make this about lessons, growth, the future and giving kids an outlet to express themselves and feel safe in their own neighborhood. 

 

Hopefully I accomplished that with this book and the journey to making inner cities a better and safer place to live. 'Alphabet City 10' is available on B&N, Apple, Kobo, Scribd and other bookstores. Paperbacks are available on The Bookpatch.

 

That’s my blog for today, thanks as always for reading my insight into this book series, be good everyone and go accomplish your goals!

 

Jamell Crouthers

Aquarianmind