Vladimir Ross

I have mastery of all types of weapons. I have special training in the ranks of the Marine Corps sabotage unit of combat swimmers. But in prison, nobody will let you borrow a grenade or an AK-47. There, they fight with iron bars, knives, and shanks. Brawls occur daily. Sleeping with one eye open with a shank under a pillow is standard procedure. As it turns out, standing up for yourself and your life is just as simple as writing about it.When you have no access to metal, razors are smuggled about in cigarette filters. Yellow stubs are melted and squeezed by a sole of your boot. It’s enough to cut veins. Bulletproof vests are made from thick books hidden in your clothing. Once, a large volume of Irwin Shaw’s Rich Man, Poor Man rescued my creative self. My love for American literature was caused in part by this circumstance.