By Nick Christophers
Raised from the steamy streets of the Lower East side Sonny Girard managed to rise above the heat. He soon moved to Brooklyn with his family for a new begining. He discovered that the "streets" became more of his home. During his youth he came in contact with the so called "men of respect". " I was familiar with the people in my world early on. I was stealing and hanging out with them in bars before I was old enough to drive. It's all I knew," Sonny explains with a sly smirk. Even though he was not Italian he basically evolved into one. " I even married Italian. It's the only culture I know."
Sonny, soon learned that the " life" came with a price. While serving his time he descided to take up writing. At first he was going to use a ghost writer by the name of Morrow. But Morrow explained to Sonny that he can only write his own novel. Hence, after much effort Sonny finally proved to himself he can accomplish the impossible. Sonny went along to publish three novels. One that was just recently released called " Snake Eyes". All three novels take on a simialr mob theme yet are unique in there own way.
In his first novel, " Blood of Our Fathers" the story takes us into the life and times of Michael " Mickey Boy" Messina. After reading the novel it almost seems autobiographical. " Mickey Boy has some of me in it. There are some incidents, things he does, modeled after things I did. A lot of his anger over the loss of honor, he finds when he leaves prison came from my own anger. Some of the moves I saw made me sick. That came out in my writing."
The sucess of his first two novels which are intertwined have elevated Sonny's opportunities. Presently, he came on board of a new kind of publication called Mob Candy. The entertainment magazine which is headed by actor/ editor Frank DiMatteo, centers around mob culture along with music, cars and the arts. Sonny, was enlisted as one their prime writers. His background speaks for itself. The magazine is due for a July 2007 release.
Sonny's knowledge of the " life" has offered him other avenues as well. He was a consultant to the mob-comedy " Mickey Blue Eyes". " The writer was sent to me by the producers because he didn't know too much about Italian culture or the mob. I took him to Joe's Focacceria in Brooklyn. I even brought Liz Hurley to a couple of joints, even a private social club in Little Italy and Rao's restaurant in Harlem."
Sonny is presently looking towards Hollywood on some future projects. " Hollywood is worse than any mob could be. At least in the streets, if you're smart you know exactly what you're dealing with. In Hollywood it's gaseous in more ways than one."
When it came to the " Sopranos" Sonny had a less than pleasurable response. " I loved the first season but I watched it lose steam. The cast was fanatastic but the writing lost its flavor. As far as reality it had it's moments, but it never really portrayed the subtleties of the " life".
Sonny, unlike some of the people he grew up with rose above the steamy streets and made a name for himself. From comlpeting three novels to a movie consluntant there is only more suprises to expect from Sonny Girard.