WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO WRITE YOUR FIRST NOVEL?
I was sitting in jail fighting a case in the year 2001. I was facing 12 years. I promised myself, that if I beat the charges and get out I would explore other opportunities. I always loved writing and that's when I came up with the title Born in the Streets but raised in prison. I didn't start writing it until  2006.

WHO ARE SOME AUTHORS THAT WERE HELPFUL TO YOU IN YOUR PURSUIT TO BECOMING SELF PUBLISHED?
To be honest no one helped me. I reached out to few authors but I never received a response. I didn't meet other authors until after my book was published. I was really pissed off at the fact that no one gave me advice but on the same token I learned a lot and the experience I gained will forever be priceless. ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS? Stay away from print on demand companies. If a publishing company is asking for money to publish your book, walk away as fast as you can. YOU WILL GET JERKED!!!……Take your time and don't rush your project. Get your self a real editor, out side of your circle. Is good to have your friend or co-workers read over your manuscript and help you with grammar or whatever but use a editor, this is the most important process. My book took 6 months to edit. Another important advice, this one will help you save a lot of money. Don't rent a booth at every book festival as a first time author. I know you want to get your name and face out there but you won't make the money you think you would. Trust me, most of these events you could walk around and sell your books with out paying a fee. Anything over $100 for a table is too much. Don't believe the hype and think you are going to sell 100 books just because thousands of people attend the event. If you would like to know anything else just reach out, www. streetscriptures. com

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SELF PUBLISH?
Before I wrote my first book I was doing the music thing heavy. I was independent so it was only right that I came into this game as a self published author. I've always been a hustler so I felt like, "why hustle my ass off for the next man?" I started my own publishing company Street Scriptures Publishing and so far I have moved about 3,500 books without any  distribution. If you want to be a successful self published author, you have to be a hustler and a self-motivator.

HOW DID YOU BRAND NAME YOURSELF?
Well first by writing a good book and having a catching title. My title attracted people's interest (something else to remember when writing a book- the title). I also attended every event and book signing I could. I remember I was in Vegas for the All-star weekend with 20,000 flyers. That was 8 months before my book dropped. Promotion is the key. But most importantly keep a good name for you, that's one thing people who know me could agreed with, Tra is a good dude. MySpace is another tool; use the internet to your advantage.

WHATS NEXT FOR TRA VERDEJO?
I have a 2009 calendar I'm dropping called Sexy Scriptures, this calendar will be unique, because each model will be posing with a book. So I'm basically creating an avenue for both models and Authors to promote their product. We'll start shooting by the end of the month. I'm real exited about this project. My next book will drop by December or January (I can't share the name yet) I also signed two authors already who will drop in 2009 as well (I'm accepting manuscripts holla at me) I'm also working on some other projects, keep checking my website for more updates………

WHAT APPEARANCES DO YOU HAVE SCHEDULED?
Queens book fair 08/30/08
Asante Bookstore signing 09/06/08
Washington DC book fair 09/27/08
Baltimore Book fair 09/28/08
Wagfest in Cincinnati 10/17-10/19 Authors holla at me about Wagfest
Miami book fair November
Wagfest in Seattle March of 2009 Author holla at me about wagfest
Again keep checking my website and MySpace page for updates
www. streetscriptures. com
www. myspace. com/streetscripturescom

**So you see first hand that Tra does not play. I met this man personally and I have seen this man out on his grind. Failure is not an option for this man and with his business mind and creativity he will definitely be around on the literary scene. Tra is doing what needs to be done and is someone you can always go to he is personable as well as knowledgeable. Big Ups to Tra Verdejo for constantly staying on his literary hustle…ALL DAY…EVERY DAY!!!

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In Tra Verdejo's novel, "Born in the Streets but Raised in Prison," he tells the story of Victor "Jefe" Davila, the father and "boss" of the drug and crime family The Young Kingpins–also known as the YK. The story begins in Spanish Harlem where Victor was born to drug addicted parents. He, along with his oldest brother and sisters, stay with their grandmother who struggles to make ends meet.

Victor's oldest brother, Carlos, turns to the street life first, selling drugs to provide for the family. When Carlos is senselessly murdered, Victor is left to pick up the pieces and try to keep his family together. He forms
the YK at age twelve and amasses an empire by the time he is eighteen. As the title states, Victor does eventually end up in prison. In fact, he does a couple of stints in juvenile detention centers in between being shot at and stabbed.

Victor is constantly looking for brothers and father figures to make up for the real family he wishes he could have had which Verdejo shows us in Victor's relationship with his friends CPR and Cabeza. He is constantly looking out for his actual family, as well, and with both his drug family and real family, betrayal is the greatest sin. He buys a house for his grandmother and sisters, pays for his sisters' ducation, and takes care of his girlfriend as well. Verdejo makes sure to show us that Victor is not just some power-crazed drug lord, but a child who feels immense pain at the loss of his oldest brother, a young teen who falls in love for the first time, and a troubled young adult who must constantly look over his shoulder to stay alive.

Verdejo does a good job of not only making you sympathize with Victor's plight but also by infusing humor throughout this story of such a serious subject matter. Such is the case when Victor and Cabeza–the comic relief throughout the story–plot to avenge CPR's shooter:

"His name is Big Jay. At least we have his address. Ask your cousin if he knows Jay, but don't give him any details. Wait for his reaction when you mention Big Jay. If he doesn't like Jay, then ask him if he can help take him out." "I'm going to my crib first. I need to take a shit, and after that I'll call him. I'll be back." "You're a nasty, Dominican bastard. Hurry up. I need to know if your cousin is down. I need to come up with an ill plan for this one." "You acting like you don't shit," a laughing Cabeza said. "Hurry up. We got business to handle after you handle your dirty business."


Victor is not impervious to being grossed out by his friend's crass and tactless comments even though he is planning to kill a man old enough to be his father execution style. It is easier to relate to the protagonist when we see he is not desensitized from matters of the heart or matters of "taking a shit." Verdejo is very descriptive and specific about street names, locations, and even the inside of "the hole" in prison. This is not some tough guy story about the glory days of selling crack and cocaine and "fucking" as many "bitches" and " 'ho's" as possible. Men and women both will be able to relate.

For every scene about the hustle there is one showing Victor's more sensitive side, such as when he holds
his son for the first time and also when he sees him years later. This is not just a story about a youth forced into a life of crime and violence. Verdejo succeeds with this
cautionary tale to the youth coming up today who see music videos and rappers and aspire to what they think is thug life. Verdejo tells us how the story ends in the title
alone, but in this case, it's about the journey–a journey that you will definitely want to go on.

Born in the Streets, Raisded in Prison

By: Tra Verdejo


At the age of 12 Victor is drawn into the life of the streets after the death of his Brother Carlos. At a young age, most young boys would be playing video games, however, Victor was establishing himself as one of the most powerful leaders of a gang known as the Young Kingpins. Having lost both his father and mother to the drug world, Victor and his siblings soon move in with their abuella (grandmother). Unbeknownst to her, the children are abused and molested by a churchmate she employs to look after them while she's away at work. As if that things couldn't get any worster for them, Carlos was killed in a random act of senseless violence, then department of children services soon invades their household without just cause, separating Victor from his sisters by shipping them off to different foster care facility, after telling them that they would not be separated. Determined to protect the family he almost lost, Victor (Jefe) prizes loyalty above all else in all his dealings. As a result, he begins serving repeated bids in prison, where he gradually comes to a higher awareness of the true consequences of his activities, ultimately committing himself to changing the game and making things better.



Born in the Streets, Raised in Prison, is not your typical street literature, its tales of extreme violence, and drugs, unfortunately in the society that we're living in today, this is going on all over from the upper middle class to the lower class neighborhood as some people would classified as "The Hood". Reading this novel, was extremely hard for me, the reason for this, is because this is what I see on a daily basis, but it is not being publizied in the news. Young kids have to learn how to survive in these neighborhoods, where the parents are trying their best to keep their family together without the city getting involved. Tra Verdejo, is extremely talented & phenonmenal writer, he expresses himself thru this book very passionately. Tra takes thru this book, in such a way that it makes your skin tingles. I know that sounds a little off, but this is the world we're living in, young men and young ladies trying to survive and making their way thru a society that constantly tries to keep you down.


I guarntee this book will not disappoint you, would I recommend this book now... Yes, I would recommend this book to all readers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters even young adults. You will experience the tradegy, the hardship that young Victor went thru. This novel is indeed a WAKE UP call on many who truly believe that our children are our future! Tra Verdejo, has started his own publishing company called Street Scripture, he wants to provide a new outlook for authors to showcase their talent. I highly commend Tra Verdejo, to write such an amazing story, and be able to show the world that he is an amazing writer. I can't wait to read his next novel, when will that be, I'm not sure, hopefully soon..



Congrats on such a wonderful job with this book...



Ms. D


It will be posted up on both of my sites:

http://urbanhottnessbooks. net (new site)

and

http://urbanfirebooks. com

Title: Born in the Streets but Raised in Prison
Author: Tra Verdejo
Genre: Urban Fiction
 
Flava Rating: 10 Snaps
 
Title: The Streets Can Make You or Brake You
 
Born in the Streets but Raised in Prison is a hard core story of the life of a young man, Victor Davila.  At the age of 12 Victor is drawn into the life of the streets after the death of this Brother Carlos. While youngsters Victor's age were in school and playing video games, Victor was establishing himself as one of the most powerful leaders of a gang known as the Young Kingpins.
 
Can you embrace the Victor's character?  Of course you can.  He is so well developed that you forget his age and in the story you will find that it is so well written, that the supporting characters even forget how old Victor actually is.  How does a young man, an adolescent have the knowledge on how to calculate the streets, the people of the streets, drug use and sales, guns, money and power.  He was so very sharp.  If given a different life, Victor would have been at the top of his class, with different opportunities available to him. Or would they really have been available to a young man from Spanish Harlem?  Though, I have never in my life witness this type of life or individuals, I walked away questioning if this could be a factual story, could this be real?  Strong points were brought out for me by the Author Tra Verdejo.  It was very clear, to never second guess someone by their appearance and age.  Loyalty and trust are strong factors in surviving the streets, but life in general.  Then ending with such a sense of loss for Victor, his family, his YK family and realizing all the sacrifices made from everyone involved.  Leaving you with the question, was it all worth it?  The streets can make you or brake you.
 
I could go into all the supporting characters of this book, their relationship to Victor and his rise in power over the streets.  In this review I decided not too, I really highly recommend to those that have never read an Urban Fiction…this book would be a great starting point.  The author does not glamorize the life of on the streets of Spanish Harlem…but just tells a story of what it can look like and the circumstances that lead his main character to enter into a life of street crime, power and control from even behind bars.
 
I have meet Tra Verdejo the Author of this book in person.  I sell this book in my coffee house and have had the opportunity to sit down with customers that I sold this book to.  Hearing the views of a Caucasian Nurse and an African American Professional, both never having had read an Urban Fiction…was a welcome experience for me.  Both loved the writing style, the strength and development of the main character and supporting characters and finished out the book with a sense that they were glad that they purchased the book, for they may not have ever had the desire to read an urban fiction until now.
 
Tra, it has been said of many…but you are truly a force to be reckoned with in your ability to write a book so clear and strong from start to finish.  You will go far my friend and I am looking forward to watching you from the sidelines as you continue on your journey as a writer, mentor, spokesperson and literary hustler.
 
 
S.E. Koshi aka Lady Flava
Flava Coffee House
Flava Book Reviews

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Born In The Street But Raised In Prison- The Review

 

In the debut novel Born In The Street But Raised In Prison, by literary newcomer Tra Verdejo. Readers will be introduced to main character Victor Davila just your average kid until drug addiction takes the life of both of his parents and he is now homeless at the tender age of 11 and left to truly fend for himself and his sisters.

 

Seeing the system fail him on several attempts young Victor decides to take matters into his own hands and within a short period of time turns into one of the youngest drug kingpins Spanish Harlem has ever seen.

 

For such a young guy Victor is focused and all about his money and that bottom line whereas some would see the fast cars and fast money and truly loose sight of the bigger picture, that definitely was not the case for Victor.

 

In Born In The Street But Raised In Prison. You will see a carefully woven remarkable story of friendship, trust, love, betrayal, sex, drugs and money and at the end of the day only a few will be left standing.

 

That alone is the exact recipe for a phenomenal read and Tra Verdejo does not and I repeat does not disappoint. The book is sure to be a classic as well as book clubs favorite.

 

This novel will keep you glued to each page not wanting to put the book down because the author does a fabulous job of making you the reader feel as though you are right there watching each event take place.

 

This debut novel from Tra Verdejo is indeed a wake up call on many who truly believe the children are our future and if the sentiment is true then we all truly need to WAKE UP!

 

Kudos to Tra Verdejo on a literary job well done!

 

Review by:

Kisha Green

www.TheWriteVibe.com

 

"In jail, you picked up every trick in the book. It was like a university for criminals. I heard everyone’s story, and I learned what not to do."

Victor Davila learns the ins and outs of street living at an age when most boys think only of dirty magazines and video games. Having lost both his father and mother to the drug world, he, his brother, Carlos, and their sisters soon move in with their grandmother. Unbeknownst to her, the children are abused and molested by a churchmate she employs to look after them while she’s away at work. As if that isn’t bad enough, Carlos is soon killed in a random act of senseless violence, and the state soon invades the household, separating the remaining siblings by shipping them off to different foster care homes.

Fed up with the control that everyone else has over his life, Victor soon ditches his group home, returning to his grandmother’s house and beginning his initiation to street life. Joined by a select cadre of trusted companions, he launches the Young Kingpins, a murderous gang hell-bent ..ling the New York dope game. It is then that Victor becomes "Jefe," the fearless leader of the crew - at the ripe, tender age of thirteen.

Determined to protect the family he almost lost, Jefe prizes loyalty above all else in all his dealings, meting out swift, deadly punishment to anyone that dares cross him or his crew. As a result, he begins serving repeated bids in prison, where he gradually comes to a higher awareness of the true consequences of his activities, ultimately committing himself to changing the game and making things better.

Unfortunately, the real lessons he needs to learn come too late.

Born In The Streets But Raised In Prison is not the typical urban fiction tale of violence, violence, and more violence. While it has its fair share of graphic, disturbing depictions, the real focus of the narrative is the aftereffects of such violence, distinguishing it from other, more shallow offerings. The title alone highlights Verdejo’s efforts to shift the usual mien of sensational storytelling to a more insightful look into the underlying problems of urban decay. Also, given the disturbing revelation that confronts Jefe at the end, it’s nearly impossible to miss the irony surrounding his attempts to break a generational curse while at the same time serving as its chief vehicle.

Verdejo has crafted an engaging tale perfectly suited for workshops, lectures, and good old-fashioned father-son talks. His well-rounded characters and compelling plotlines make Born In The Streets a rewarding read and leaves one wanting more from this exciting new voice in urban fiction.









Official Apex Reviews Interview: Tra Verdejo (Born In The Streets But Raised In Prison)

AR: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Tra. We’re looking very much forward to learning more about your book.

What inspired the title for the book?

TV: My community inspired the title of "Born in the Streets but Raised in Prison." Criminals in my neighborhood are considered role models. They don’t look up to Michael Jordan anymore because the chances of becoming another MJ are slim. These kids today are out of control, and we need to be more proactive in our intervention. If our young generation feels as if there is no hope or they feel trapped in their environment, then it is less likely they will change on their own. "Born in the Street but Raised in Prison" is a state of mind our kids are living and dying by. I thought the title was perfect for my message. I call it the circle of destruction. It’s all one big cycle that only seems to be getting worse.

AR: At the height of their success, the Young Kingpins were bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. Is the drug game really that profitable?

TV: You wouldn’t believe it, but it can be, especially when crack hit the scene. Why do you think so many become drug dealers and are attracted to the game? It’s the fast money. If you could buy the finest things and drive the newest car, hit the club, spend a few thousands, wake up the next day laugh about it, hit the block and double your losses. C’mon, who wouldn’t want that life? Profitable, YES but is it worth it, HELL NO.

AR: In light of that fact, how can we ever truly dissuade youngsters from aspiring to be drug dealers?

TV: By teaching them the truth and giving them a strong dose of reality. We need a greater threat then jail. Kids are not scared of going to prison. They actually can’t wait for that moment. We need to restore order back in our homes. Parents need to be held accountable for their kids’ actions as well. We need to be more involved in our communities and provide more options. We need more people to step up and be leaders. We need leaders who have been through hell and survived. Those are the individuals who will help our kids. Real people with real stories.

AR: How does Jefe manage to keep it together amidst all the chaos that ensues when things fall apart?

TV: The streets prepared him. The streets showed him at an early age that there was no love in the game. Jefe knew his destiny before it began, he just didn’t care. He was willing to take chances and risk it all.

AR: You describe the book as "the autobiography of our young generation." Please explain that concept in more detail for our readers.

TV: I called it "the autobiography of our young generation" because many of us could relate with Jefe’s life story. "Born in the streets but raised in prison" is a book that will make you feel like you are apart of the story. We all know friends or even family members that are on that same path of destruction. I covered many issues on this book like drug-addicted parents, child abuse, ignorance, police brutality, government negligence and the list goes on and on. Hopefully this book will help wake up the system or at least bring more attention to the increased levels of violence in our communities. Our young generation is in need of help and our whole future depends on it.

AR: What’s your take on the current state of urban fiction?

TV: I think we are showing the Book World we mean business. I’m starting to see better books on the market. There was a time when everything seemed the same and there was not enough variety in the topics. I will like to see more unity among Black and Hispanic authors. I think we have a powerful voice; hopefully we could transcend that into moreteaching and less propaganda.

AR: What are your goals for Street Scriptures Publishing?

TV: I want to build my company into a powerhouse in this game. I’m always looking for talent and developing great ideas. Street Scriptures will provide opportunities for those who are serious about their talent. S.S.P. will be releasing poetry, plays, movies and even books gear towards teenagers. I’m in it for the long run, that’s for sure.

AR: What’s next for you?

TV: I want to push this book to the next level. I’m working on my next one, which will be called F.A.T.H.E.R.S. This will spark a lot of conversation. I’m basically tired of these fathers not handling their responsibility. This book should be out hopefully by the summer. I’m also working with a poetry artist and two other authors. SSP will also release a short story book about AIDS. For those that are interested in working on this project can get more information by visiting my website www.streetscriptures.com. I got my hands full but I love every minute of it.

AR: Any final thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?

TV: Don’t let fear stand in the way of your dreams. That door labeled "Opportunity" didn’t come with just one key, in other words if you don’t step up someone else will. Don’t make excuses, make it happen.

AR: Thanks again, Rob, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!

Tra Verdejo..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Traquan Verdejo was born in ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Puerto Rico on January 24^th, 1976. He was ten years old when his parents divorced and had moved to New York with his mother and three sisters. They all lived in a cramped studio apartment located in Spanish Harlem. With no father figure at the time and his mother working long hours, he turned to the streets for guidance. His early exposures to the street life believe it or not gave birth to his gift of being a visionary. Tra grew a passion for writing and expressing himself through story telling.  "There was one time, my 7^th grade teacher asked us to write about our summer. I wrote about how my cousin and I had robbed a cab driver at gun point and took his car for a joy ride. It wasn't true, but because the details were so vivid, I was sent to the principle's office the very next day. The faculty was all worked up and ready to get the police involved." That's when Tra realized the power of writing and the effects it could have on people. His rigid childhood had matured him faster then most.  As a teenager Tra was forced into manhood when his mother died. His life's journey has suffered many hardships and has been dealt many obstacles.  Through it all he has survived and is on a mission to share his experiences with the world.

Tra Verdejo started out by writing poetry and got the attention of many with his topics and bold writing style. "I remember in high school I wrote a poem called, "The Snuffed Out Killa". The poem was about the disease that killed my mother. It was a powerful piece and gave everyone who read it chills.  When I performed it at a school event, I felt the energy from the audience and could tell by seeing the tears on faces that it hit home for a lot of people. The poem was later published in our school's year book". Tra always had a love for music and it would only seem natural that those two talents would come together.  He started his own independent record label and was hoping to make a career out of rapping but the politics of the game ruined his drive. Tra then refocused his attention to his passion of writing and penned his first book, "Born in the Streets but Raised Prison (The Autobiography of our Young Generation)". This is the first of many books to come and with his realistic approach to story telling he hopes to bring forth awareness to the issues that are destroying our communities.   

         

Tra Verdejo has started a new publishing company called Street Scriptures. He has big plans for this company and turning it into a household name. Tra wants to provide a new avenue for authors to showcase their talents. S.S.P. will turn dreams into reality by releasing realistic fictions, and non-fiction novels. Street Scriptures publishing also offer numerous opportunities for sponsors and investors. Please visit their website for more information www.streetscriptures.com.