poetry, the power of poetry as a means of self-expression, as a strategy for shaping community, and as a tool for teaching us that we are all alike beneath the skin. We all bleed when cut, and when everything else is stripped away, the greatest common denominator is the human heart. That’s what Bronx Masquerade is all about.

Bronx is not meant to be an easy book to categorize. When I wrote it, my intent was to create something new, something different. I like coloring outside the lines. I always have! Combining prose and poetry to create a novel was one way to do that.

I’ve been asked about the difficulty of writing in multiple voices. It is something I’ve done a great deal, and plan to do in the future. I love the challenge of it, although it is not as difficult to differentiate the voices as one might imagine. Think of the people in your family. Now think of five or ten people you know outside of the home. When one of those people calls your name, or rings you up on the telephone, can you recognize his or her voice? Can you identify the person after hearing a word or two? Generally, the answer is yes. Your subconscious has committed that voice to memory. Granted, you may occasionally get two voices mixed up and you may have to let the person talk for a minute or two before you can positively identify the speaker, but in the end, you’re able to distinguish one person from another by the color, pitch, and rhythm of the voice.