Interview with The Talented Author and Journalist Seth Ferranti..........

 Author Seth Ferranti Bio: Seth Ferranti, federal prison register 18205-083, is the Gorilla Convict Writer. In 1993, after spending two years as a top-15 fugitive on the US Marshal's most wanted list, he was captured and sentenced to 304 months under the federal sentencing guidelines for an LSD Kingpin conviction and committed to the custody of the Attorney General. A first-time, non-violent offender, Ferranti has served 21 years of his 25-year mandatory minimum sentence. His case was widely covered by The Washington Post and Washington Times, and his story was profiled in the pages of Rolling Stone and Don Diva magazine. His current release date is January, 2015. During his incarceration Ferranti has worked to better himself by making preparations for his eventual release back into society. Ferranti earned an AA degree from Penn State, his BA degree from the University of Iowa through correspondence courses, and Masters from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Along with his studies, Ferranti writes about the prison experience.

Writing Royalty: Thank you for agreeing to do this interview for our Blog, I really appreciate it Seth…First I want to say congratulations on your success as an author and journalist.

Author:  Thank you, I appreciate the chance to be featured on Writing Royalty Promotions and your blog. Thanks for taking an interest in my work.

Writing Royalty: How many books and articles have you written so far?

Author/Guest:  I have seven books published to date with three more almost ready to be published and more in the works. I have probably gotten over 500 articles published in magazines and on the Internet so far with a lot of stuff in the works also. I try to stay busy and getting published has been one of my main goals. I write from the cell block and aim to bring readers into my world.

Writing Royalty: Tell us the titles of your books and a little bit about them?

Author/Guest:  My first book was Prison Stories, it’s a collection of short stories on life in prison, all true. Then I wrote Street Legends Vol. 1 and 2, which covered a lot of the street stars that the rappers namedropped in verse like Wayne Perry, The Boobie Boys, Boy George, Pistol Pete and others, six legends in each volume. My Supreme Team book was next that covered the story of Supreme and Prince and their rise to infamy in Queens, New York. Rayful Edmond: Washington DC’s Most Notorious Drug Lord was next and my latest, The Dope Game Misadventures of Fat Cat and Pappy Mason, which chronicles two infamous street legends out hip-hop’s lyrical lore. These are all out on Gorilla Convict Publications. Up next on Gorilla Convict is The Cocaine Dreams of Alpo and Rich Porter. And on Strategic Media Books I have Gorilla Convict: The Prison Writings of Seth Ferranti and two gangland mystery books on Freeway Ricky Ross and White Boy Rick coming soon. All my books are true crime and I get the truth right from the people who they are about.

Writing Royalty: Tell us about your literary journey? What inspired you to become not only an author but a journalist as well?

Author/Guest: I started writing to reach out from prison. I had a lot of time and I wanted my voice to be heard. I wanted to become somebody and be recognized for my talents from here. So I started doing articles and had some success and it just snowballed from there and turned into books and more so I rolled with it. It has given me a lot of satisfaction to get my work published from here and to have been able to build a career from here.

Writing Royalty: How did you come to start writing for Gorilla Convict?

Author/Guest:  I started Gorilla Convict from prison in 2005 through my wife. We put out my first book Prison Stories and went on from there. I started doing a blog and posting content on the website and it just grew and now we are where we are at with me very close to coming home and getting ready to do it big. I have done all this with handcuffs on so imagine when I am free.

Writing Royalty: What is the difference between being and author and a journalist?

Author/Guest:  I think both are being are being a writer so it’s one in the same, an author writes books and a journalist writes articles. So obviously books are bigger projects and take longer. Articles are something you work on for a much shorter period of time. But both are a form of writing, it is just the length of time and effort you put into them that differentiates being a writer or journalist. But a lot of journalists end up writing books.

Writing Royalty: What type of obstacles did you encounter in your journey to success?

Author/Guest:  I have overcome all types of obstacles. First off being in prison and being a writer can cause you all types of problems. I have been thrown in the hole, transferred, had privileges like commissary, phone or email taken away, been harassed routinely, written fictitious incident reports, you name it. The prison officials are bullies and will do everything in their power to convince you not to write without telling you that you cannot write. Plus I have missed a lot of opportunities to advance my career because the feds won’t allow film crews into their prisons. I have had a lot of people and programs interested in interviewing me on film and the feds won’t let them in. So this had denied me an opportunity for exposure.

Writing Royalty: Do you have any aspirations of becoming a publisher in the future?

Author/Guest:  I am a publisher now of my own books and I might publish others. But I see myself going more into film and visual ventures when I am released.

Writing Royalty: What advice would you give someone that wants to become a journalist or an author that may or may not be incarcerated?

Author/Guest:  Don’t give up or gin in. Find your niche, find your market and go for it. Be relentless, be determined and keep pressing. No one is going to discover you if you don’t jump out there. Promote, promote, promote. That is the key and write. Content is king. Find your markets and submit. Submit so much they run your stuff just to be done with you and then cultivate the relationship.

Writing Royalty: What inspired you to go back to school and not only get your Associates but your Bachelors and Masters as well?

Author/Guest:  I wanted to get my education. I was in prison and I wanted to do something productive. I found some programs where I could earn a degree through correspondence courses and I decided to do it. It was a positive move and I had the time and ability to do it so I did. Education and writing became my goals. It was how I spent my time.

Writing Royalty: What lessons did you learn along the way while being an author and journalist while incarcerated?

Author/Guest: I learned to never give up and to hone my craft and to write, write and write some more. I learned to jump out there and promote my work. I learned to edit and market and publish and when I failed I tried again and again until I succeeded.

Writing Royalty: What are your future plans for your life and career now that you are close to being released?

Author/Guest:  I want to make films. I want to promote Gorilla Convict. Do appearances and interviews, all the things I haven’t had the chance to do from here. I am ready and willing to work hard. I have goals and I aim to accomplish them. I am driven and will work overtime until I attain my goals.

Writing Royalty:  If people wanted to get in contact with you, how would they do so? How can they find your books or articles?

Author/Guest:  I can be contacted through gorillaconvict.com or on Facebook. My books are available on Amazon and on Gorilla Convict and my articles are all over the Internet, Google my name and check them out.

Writing Royalty:  Thank you Seth Ferranti for taking time to do this interview, we wish you nothing but continued success.

Author/Guest:  I appreciate it and good looking out.