Interview Highlight
I'm honored and thrilled to be interviewing Glenn Langohr
author of Roll Call, Upon Release From Prison, Race Riot, Lock Up Diaries,
Gladiator, Underdog, Prison Riot and Pelican Bay Riot, on I Am Darmie Orem and
Authors' Curtilage with Darmie Orem.
Welcome Langohr.
“Thank you, Darmie.”
Langohr, 42, has spent 10 1/2. Years - approximately a quarter of his life - in
prison, the result of drug - related convictions which has evoked his desire to
write and write and write some more about the story of his life after he found
God and a calling as a writer.
The salvation found well-built author ran away at 12. By 15,
he was selling pot supplied to him by Mexican Smuggler. By 18 he was serving
his first hold in jail. When he got out he resumed dealing drugs, this time he
became one of the busiest amphetamine dealers in South Orange County and also
became addict.
Langohr in all has written eight books. He has been invited
to speak before criminal justice classes at colleges.
His most recent book Underdog, a crime thriller true story
opened with: Sergeant Torrez crowding the
convicts’ cell door with a smirk on his face with six IGI Gooners behind him.
Glenn as the character
Bj in the book said, they called the inmate Gang Investigators Gooners because
they wore similar uniforms to the regular prison guards and had additional
black stitching on their shoulders and chest that resembled tattoos to signify
they were in charge of deciphering; who the gangsters were, usually was based
on their tattoos...
Using the experiences of one's life and transforming them
into fiction can be a great challenge. Langohr, how were you able to pull this
off?
“I use the true colors of life and paint on a fictional landscape to
protect the innocent and the not so innocent. “
From the opening of Underdog one could see that the story is
tight and compelling. Did you have some sort of writing courses during your
years behind bars?
“No. That is what we need to do as a society. Help prisoners get
instructional writing guides and more learning power. What I did is pray and
read the Bible every day. I also read everything else I could get my hands on.
God answered my prayers and led me to write. Out of the blue, I got a letter
from a Pastor by the name of David Hocking from the church, Hope For Today.
From that point on I communicated with him and he sent me information on how to
publish books and make movies. That lit a fire of encouragement inside of me
and I kept on writing with new vigor.”
Obviously, you consider your life as some big book and ain't
ashamed to go on talking about it. Why did you use life as novels?
“I wanted to change the destructive path I was on. When I ran away from
a divorced family at the age of 12, I was hurt emotionally and had to find a
way to soothe the pain. The streets and the drug world was an exciting
distraction at first but always ends with prison, insanity or a coffin. I will
use a quote from my novel Roll Call to make the point. "Sow a bad thought
and reap an action. Sow an action and reap a habit. Sow a habit and reap a character.
Sow a character and reap a destiny." I wanted to open up people's eyes
that God can turn any life around, even those that society has cast aside as
the worst of the worst. It all starts with changing your thoughts.”
When did you first get down events in your life on the
paper? Did you start by keeping a journal or simply started writing it as a
book?
“I started writing from a prison cell in solitary confinement with the
hope that I could write a novel about the drug war that would turn into a movie
or TV series. I woke up at 4 AM and wrote sporadically all day and night. ”
How did you act when it occurred to you that you could turn
your life experiences into books? Or was it somebody that opened your eyes that
you could do that?
“After a year of writing I saw the light. I knew the content I was
writing about was destined to be read and understood. I got excited and started
pacing the length of the cell back and forth and it helped me think even
deeper.”
What's the central conflict of the novel Underdog?
“In California and other prisons in the U.S, prison tattoos on inmates
are being used as evidence to classify prisoners to solitary confinement where
they don't get to see the sun ever again. While I was in prison the Criminal
Justice system sent way to many people to prison for drug crimes. That filled
the prisons up to double their capacities. It made prison a more violent place
and a bigger breeding ground for gangs. It was harder and harder to keep the
peace and disputes arose over who could use things like tables, work out bars
and showers. More and more riots happened. I was involved in a few that I did
everything I could to avoid. When I went to the hole, solitary confinement, I
saw first hand how the prison was falsely labeling prisoners as bad influencers
based on their tattoos. I published Underdog one day after a prisoner died in a
hunger strike over the same issues. “
You've been quite creative in transforming your life
experiences into books. Any tips for those willing to also put out their life stories?
“Write every day until you are waking up before everyone else. Write
before you get distracted! Don't worry about it being perfect or you will never
get started. Keep in mind that you have to develop conflict and characters
early. Always remember that any script must have a beginning, middle and end.
So break it into those pieces and it will come together eventually. Know that
you have to rewrite the script many times so the first time don't hold back.
You can cut pieces out later. Just do it.”
Is there any word of advice for strayed children doing
drugs?
“Don't do it! God is so amazing and He made us in His image. Drugs are
poison and pollute the brain and worse, they stain the very soul. You only have
one brain, one soul and one body, treat yourself like a Holy temple for God. If
you are a child who is lost, ask for help! Go to all the churches and boldly
tell them your problems. If nobody is helping you, don't worry. God will! While
you are suffering, look at it as an opportunity to help other people who are suffering
and you won't be suffering as much!”
Now that you are reborn again into a clean path, what sort
of man would you describe yourself?
“I used to have to work out for 4 hours a day to deal with life and
feel good. I found a way better way. If you sing worship songs to the Lord you
feel the same way and get even better looking at the same time! It's true;
singing makes your cheek bones more beautiful. The older and wiser I get, the
more I realize I need God to direct my path.”
Are there any life's failures which could make you go back
to your old ways?
“There is no way! I'm still hyper sensitive and all the same pains and
temptations still exist, but I don't want to lose this connection I have with
God. The Bible has proven itself to be the Holy Word of God by how many
prophecies have been fulfilled. With that said, I believe the end is near and
all this craziness is the last gasp of a fallen world. I want to be about God's
Kingdom, not the devils.”
Please provide links to your Website/blog, your social media
profiles, and links to purchase your book (s).
“Here are links to all my books in the U.S. in print and kindle”
Besides turning your life story into books, do you have
plans of selling them to filmmakers for movie adaptation? I think you should
contact FeatureWorld and see what they have to offer you if you've got
any plans like that. Or you market all your stories at TVFilmRights
TV film rights is the Film, Television, and Publishing
Industry's premiere online source for selling different kinds of scripts. There
are always producers scouting movie ideas and screenplays on the site.
“Thanks for the links to sell the stories to the movies!”
Have you read through Glenn T Langohr interview? What do you
think of him? Don't you think he's a product of grace everyone should reckon
with? Feel free to submit questions for him at his email address and he will
reply them promptly.
Once again Glenn, I'm honored and thrilled to have you stop
by at my blogs.
“The pleasure is all mine. Thank you, Darmie.”
