Sneak Peek: Crime Novel Monologue

Please note that this excerpt is my creative property. 

Writing and publishing a book is probably my number 1 goal. I’ve had so many different story ideas over the years, and they’ve all basically fizzled out. Recently, I went through my Google Drive and found some random fiction writings and was surprisingly delighted at what I had written. They may be dead in the water, but I enjoyed reading actual examples of my creativity, especially right now when I’ve really been struggling with my writing.

Sometimes, I’ll write random bits that have no home and may never find a home. For whatever reason, I enjoy writing monologues, so maybe I have a future as a speechwriter? That would be a cool gig. But I keep them close in case I find a place for them someday. 

Now, even with my recent creative struggles, I have been working on a novel, and I feel like this is my best attempt so far.  I’m excited about it. I’m still in the very early stages, so I wouldn’t expect to see it any time soon. But it is a murder mystery and follows a detective as he catches the case. (Also, if I know anyone who knows any City of Pittsburgh cops or detectives or even any decent-sized city detectives, I’d love to talk to them. I really want realism.) 

A couple years ago, I randomly wrote a monologue of a career criminal/mobster speaking to a police officer. I thought it had a home in other stories, but I think now I found a fit. 

I don’t really share my fiction writing because I’ve never felt anything was “ready” for public consumption, but, after sharing and discussing this piece with an author I met with through the Penn State Alum Association (Hi, Jaz!) (We Are!), I decided that I am going to share this excerpt.

So, without further ado…enjoy! As always, I’d love feedback.

You think you’re so different from me? Because you have a badge and gun, and I just have the gun? You shoot me right now, no one here, ain’t no one gonna question you ‘cause you’re the cop. Doesn’t matter if it was a good shot or not. It’s a cop. You’ll get your cop buddies to come on down here and stage the scene so it looks like I attacked you. They’ll keep their mouths shut and ain’t no one gonna say a thing. One less criminal, right?

You shoot at me, I shoot back, you die - it don’t matter what I say or what the evidence proves.

I’m the bad guy. Instead, they’ll say I staged the scene to make it look like you shot first. It’s the needle for me.

Who made these laws you so saintly uphold? I ain’t seen Jesus on any jury anywhere. Man made those laws. It sure as hell wasn’t you or me!. They were men who didn’t think we were fit to shine their shoes. Ireland, Italy, fuck, Africa - don’t matter. They don’t think we know shit. Not good enough to have a say in the law, even when we’d be fightin’ in the most, on either side. They thought once they had the Mick Catholic in the top job, then a couple old guys, a couple flat-out fucking morons, we got one half black fella, and then, shit, we got a broad a heartbeat from the being the top dog. They thought we were fools - seeing it there, maybe a queer here and there, there’s our representation. That’ll be enough for those fucking knuckleheads, they’ll think they have a voice. That change is real. Keep them quiet.

We ain’t that fucking dumb. I know I ain’t that fucking dumb. I don’t know about you. But if you ain’t that fucking dumb, you know it’s all a bunch of shit. We got nothin’. That’s why you see these mobs and gangs comin’ together, still thriving - we know we got each other’s backs. We know our families will be taken care of. You know if I shoot you right now, your pretty little wife and precious little kids will be taken care of by your place of business for life. Just because you a cop don’t mean it ain’t a business.

You ain’t that different from me. Just someone along the line decided your side was right, and my side was wrong.