THE KING OF EROTICA'S CHAMBERS

Photos by Steve Shires
Author the KING of Erotica:
Goulds, Florida

When I looked in the mirror this morning, what reflected back wasn't Langston Hughes.  When I smiled, what reflected back wasn't Alice Walker.  I looked around, I didn't see the Color Purple. I may not have Oprah Winfrey's money nor have an estate built next door to Bill Gates. I may still catch the Metro Bus and walk around broke. I may still be looking for a job. I may have gone to prison ten years ago. I may have a past. I may not be what Mama preferred. I may not drive a flashy car and on my fingers the brilliance of materialistic jewelry may not gleam. I may be a lot of things in your mind and I may not live up to your expectations. I may have done some things that disappointed you, and half of the people I know say I'm out of control because I'm out of THEIR control.  I may sleep late into the day and bump Janet Jackson from my SONY walk man at night. I may not be perfect. My shit may not stink. But there's one thing no one can take from me. I'm the first one in my generation of people to be published. I'm one of a few to make a national magazine and newspaper. I'm the first to be Poet of the Month. I'm the first and only.

To say I arrived as an author/poet on crystal stairs would be to deny all the hell I endured to make it here. Family stood in my way. Cousins bashed and talked about me so badly I distanced myself and haven't lost any sleep. I never verbally let them know of the things that were whispered about me. Friends turned on me because I don't talk or act the way they want me to. Others cling to me, hoping my books take off. Little do they know I am aware of the sharks in my waters. I didn't let that stop me. Before my books were published the niggahs on the block denounced me. "Boy pick up a basketball or slang some weed. Niggahs in the Hood don't write, we survive." I nearly listenend. I would throw my manuscripts away just to, days later, dig them out. Satan knew what I was to become as an adult, that's why he tried to destroy me as a child. And when he failed, when I survived his full aerial assaults, he wore my family members like dark cloaks and tried to destroy and dismantle me emotionally, spiritually and physically.  I've become a little bitter because of it. Around me are walls made of steel reinforced to trigger the warrior in me whenever battle rams rummage my terrain. I worked really hard, sacrificed a lot. I went though suicide attempts, jail, scandal and scorn to arrive at the point I'm at in my life.  Before all of this I was a nornal negro from Goulds, Florida. No particular direction in my life. Never thought of writing a book but I did write for leisure and to free my mind of the ghetto's slavish chains that kept me shackled.  I been through a lot of abuse as a kid which fuels every character that I ever created.  Father had never been there for me and for years I wrote down the thoughts my anger so masterfully created. I have taken control of my writing and honed my skill. I have been poet of the month on so many online forums I lost cound after twenty. I have written my life and my soul in my Myspace Blogs.  I have emassed a following who come to me because, no matter if it makes me look good or bad, I write from the soul. Because of my sexuality doors were slammed in my face.  I sent letter after query letter to publishing houses, more doors slammed.  So I took charge and did it myself. I told myself what can Larry Wilson do that's different from all the other authors out there?

I created the King of Erotica I: the Throne, which was intended to be a promotional book I was going to give away for free, to show people who I was and what I represented. Half of the book was erotic sexual short stories exploring why people have the type of sex the way they do. And the other half showcased my knack for poetry.

To make a long story short, in four months I sold over 4,500 copies of my first book, was featured in the Express Newspaper with a full page article and was picked by CLIK magazine as one of the Top 20 Most Eligible Bachelors in America, beating out thousands of men.  And now my books are available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. All thanks go to God.