“Today I Am A Man” is a fictional work based on fact about a 12
year old boy whose family moves from the bleak and wintery climes of Canada to
the sizzling hot culture of the fabled paradise of Los Angeles, California, in the early
60’s. The music of The Beach Boys and The Ventures were siren songs beckoning hopefuls with promises of eternal sunshine, surf, and golden
futures.
But like the mythical sirens who tricked weary seafarers to their
deaths, disaster often awaited unsuspecting immigrants. It was Steven Goldman’s
father’s dream to make a new life for his family in the San Fernando Valley and
young Steven embraced it along with the rest of the family until he discovered
that he would have to fight his way in if he wanted to stay. School may have
been a place of learning but knowing who to befriend and who to avoid was a more important life skill. Gangs of youths ruled and friends could change into
enemies as easily as the sun made its way from east to west each day. Survival
is key in such a climate, but as the protagonist readies himself for adulthood, he finds that the
decisions he makes now will define the kind of man he hopes to become.
"Today I Am A Man" is a dramatic, coming-of-age mystery replete with flashbacks, twists and turns to keep even the most discriminating reader wanting more and on schedule for a December 2009 release!
Larry Rodness - Author