Chuck Harris

About The Author

Chuck Harris describes the theme of his book as “personal triumph of the mind, body, and spirit as a result of faith in God” and based it on personal experiences he had growing up and throughout his track-n-field career in high school and on the collegiate level. He currently lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, and works in beverage sales.

Chuck Harris has always had a passion for sport as an All-State and All-American in track, however when combined with his newfound passion for writing it compelled him to author 100 meters and also a freelance writer for high school sports for the local newspapers on weekends. His other passions include working out, training athletes, and coaching youth sports.

It also is an extension of his belief that this story is universal in perspective regardless of location, and especially for young minorities in impoverished communities with no knowledge, resources, and motivation to change their situation for the better; that sport is a vehicle to be used as a way out not only in financial terms but also intangibles like character, teamwork, racial tolerance, a chain of command, discipline, and many more tools to input into your toolbox for life.

The writing of 100 meters is an ongoing project of mine that started in 1999 as a short story. Over the years I started to turn it into a full story. I had years of memories and experiences growing up and through it all, I’ve always had a love for track and field. Even before I wrote it as a short story, I never figured I’d write being a rap musician and an athlete prior to. That is until I was convinced by William “Squeaky” Jones with a statement as simple as, “You write all of them songs, so you can write stories.”

I started writing 100 meters and it became a quest for me and felt like I had found my niche. However, there were a lot of trials and tribulations throughout, just getting it wrote to the point of press ready was a task and then coming up with ideas for all the other details be it big or small is a process that has no time limits and could take a few months or a lot of years. And once all of that is done you feel that you’re ready to publish your book to the reading world.

My first go at it was thru a publisher that I had to pay out of pocket expenses for like half of whatever package it was, and the cover art was not what I was hoping it could have been, and whatever awareness was being marketed didn’t really create any traction. So once again I had to step back and start over and come with another plan.

This time I’m self-publishing through Amazon and Kindle with paperbacks, e-books, and a future audio book in the making. I hooked up with Charles Wudtee Photography and had a professional picture taken for my cover. And as fate would have it, 5 years later again for the back cover art, which is another example of the time that has elapsed over the creation of 100 Meters. And now I feel I have a cover that’s not only eye catching but also correlate with the story line of the book.

Shreveport is the star of the book, starting in the Allendale section of the city where I actually lived as a child next to those two stores across the street from one another. I used this area and mingled my memories and creativity to start as the foundation for the book. Fair Park High school is the school that I actually ran high school track for. And although I did go to college on a track-n-field scholarship, I did not attend Grambling State University but felt the story would serve better keeping it in state and also highlight Grambling State.

I’ve also never been a drug dealer but didn’t want to sugarcoat the harsh realities of the inner city’s ugly side, and I’ve been around the activities enough, or as close as I dared to journey, to be able to develop a story accurately of said activities. Slices of life, as I call it intermingled with what happened, what I would have like to happen and then mixed that all into a good read is the recipe I used to pen 100 meters. Hope that you enjoy.

WHAT MADE ME DECIDE TO WRITE THE COMA(S)

It was way back in 1995 when I heard that Compton rapper Eazy-E was laid up in a coma from aids, HIV, pneumonia or something, but what stuck in my mind was that he was in a coma. I wondered what he was thinking or what was going on inside off his mind during this time. The thoughts would not go away and that is what inspired me to write coma.

Coma(s) is a series of short stories of the innermost thoughts and actions of characters involved. There is a series of events that are trademark to Coma(s), as the beginning and the end are the same event. And also, the prelude to the explanation of the entire story; which I didn’t want to get to spiritual or spooky and religious or reckless but felt that I settled on a way that’s possibly imaginable to any sane open-minded reader; boomerangs the beginning back to the beginning which is also the ending.

Also Coma(s) are a darker side of my penmanship (or a brighter light on life behind closed doors), that’s gritty, raw, and cutting. However, still a page turner despite all the misfortunes of the characters and their fatal situations. The outcomes can always be interpreted differently and there’s no fixed answer which is beautiful. I hope you enjoy.

ON ENJOYABLE BADS

What’s crazy about this book is that it was written a long time ago, and I still have the handwritten version of it. I also have the handwritten version of 100 meters. Yes, back in the very start of my writing career I use to hand write my poems, short stories, raps, and novels. Nowadays this type of story done happened and still happening despite all of signs and warnings.

What make Enjoyable Bads different are the way the events of the story go down and the innovativeness of it to still be in the mix. Jail tales, music, drugs, sex, money, and violence are the recipe for excitement of the lifestyle and those that live in it. And also, the consequences and grief that follows as a result.

Sometimes the things that we long for in life and stride mightily to get there are not what we thought that it would be. The reality of it can be forever damaging to a person’s mental state and change them forever. Whether it is good or bad. Hope you enjoy.

ON WRITING TRUCE

This book has been in the making for a long time and now here in 2025 I have finally finished it. Truce is a looking glass into the happenings and the thought process of violent inner-city youths, the good, bad, and ugly, the bloodshed and pain, without personally having to witness the incidents, or feel the weight and the fear of the consequences of otherwise knowing. Ans show how the environment is definitely a factor in shaping one's character, thought process, and beliefs, be it positive or negative.

Violence and profanity are an unfortunate part of life that's in the fabric of our culture and is not to be glorified in any of my writings, however when the goal is to be as authentic as possible to create a genuine picture and experience, then it is what it is.

My line of thinking was could there possibly ever be a time when things get so bad in a city that something had to be done to stop it. And whatever that "is" that's done, actually worked and brought about the desired results. And as always, the number one-star character in my writings thus far has been the city of Shreveport, La., and it's no different in this writing, it's a city that's been taking to the point of enough and the pressure is on to stop it.

I also wanted to show how innocent your boys are grabbed by the throat by the evil hand of neighborhood realities and street codes, and are transformed into men that kill, rob, and lie as if employed to do so. How the loss of a loved one hardens the modest of one's heart to kill in vengeance. And shockingly, the females are just as deadly as their male counterparts with unexpected deadliness.