Hey Pete,

I saw your book mentioned on [myspace]. I typed it in in the search engine and since I am Greek, hung out with skin heads who hung out at CBGB's back in the 80's, did drugs, experienced poverty and homelessness, and then managed to pull away from it all, it immediately piqued my interest. I finally got the book today and read it. It was outstanding!!!

I agree with you about the wealthy keeping the poor and middle class down to an extent. I worked as a paralegal for a while and saw first hand the injustices of a corrupt system. Eventually I grew so disgusted with what I saw, I left the field for good. Paralegals are the people who do much of the lawyers dirty work...

The part I disagree with is where you say the lower classes don't choose their predicaments. This is going to sound far off, and maybe you'll wonder if I'm crazy, or just did too many drugs, but I assure you neither are the case, well okay, maybe a little lol ;). The way you studied socio-economics (for lack of a better word), I researched life after death, and the meaning of life, why are we here, etc. After reading thousands of case studies of people who have died and come back, among other writings, what people have all said is that we choose our lives before we get here. We choose the amount of suffering we'd like to endure to learn lessons. These lessons allow us to grow spiritually. The lessons are love, kindness, compassion and humility. I'll leave it at that because as a former atheist myself, I know that if anyone tried to tell me this shit I'd think they were either heavily on drugs or out of their mind. The answers to lifes mysteries are ones each of us have to go looking for, and research ourselves in order to grasp the full meaning, and to believe it.

You have a talent for writing that was yours even before you finished all of your formal schooling. It's a gift, don't waste it. I hope you are going to write more books. There are so many kids that could benefit from your experiences, and your words. With all the lifes experience you've had, you could easily turn your real experiences into works of fiction. Drug fiction is hot now with teenagers since drugs are so rampant. Eventually I'd like to write some books also in an effort to help anyone that I can.

I got a giggle out of seeing Mastic in your book. I live out in Shirley. When we moved here there were crack heads and 'thugs' all over the neighborhood. After they tried to break into our house one night while we were in it, we declared war on them, and just cleaned house on the neighborhood. It's peaceful here now. People aren't as tough out here as some perceive them. The minute you push back harder the little faggots are tucking tail running for cover lol :)

Do you have a myspace? You could really get some more exposure for your book with one. There are so many people on myspace that could relate, and I'm sure love your book. Most authors have myspaces nowadays. If you have one add me to your friends. I have a lot of the kids out here in the Mastic Shirley visiting my page, and I would love for anyone and everyone who's about to jump into the abyss, to read your book and perhaps think twice. I'm going to pass my copy of it off, and have my library order copies of it.

Great job on the book again, and I'm sorry about your brother. I've lost a handful of people to drugs too, all after turning my back on that lifestyle :( You've honored him with an outstanding book, and I'm sure he's smiling down on you from heaven.

Sorry this is so long!!

- XXXXXXX