Sweets and Other Stories
Encyclopedia
Sweets and Other Stories is the 2009
debut novel
by soul singer Andre Williams
. It features an introduction by author Nick Tosches
and an editor's note by Miriam Linna
of Kicks Books.
writing career in November 2009 with the publication of Sweets and Other Stories – a collection of stories. Since the 1950s Williams has distinguished himself as a singer, songwriter and producer. He recorded for Fortune Records
and did work with Motown Records
. He is best known for his sleazy R&B singles - "Jail Bait" and "Bacon Fat." He also co-wrote The Five Du-Tones
' 1963 hit "Shake a Tail Feather
".
Prior to starting this novel, and during a bout of depression, Williams entered a 42-day program at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center
to try to put himself back together. When he got there he called upon longtime friend Miriam Linna
. She suggested that he try his hand at fiction writing if only to while away the long days ahead at the center. In the book's preface, Williams describes how once in rehab he felt his mind begin to heal and felt a burst of creativity. He began writing everything down, and with Linna's editorial help, he was able to transform his rehabilitation process into the novelette
, short story and song-poems comprising Sweets.
Tosches wrote in his introduction to Sweets: "Andre Williams has proven himself to be a survivor. The stories he has here written deserve to survive as well. They most certainly deserve to be read, as the rewards they offer are many and fine. Heed what I say. Otherwise you got nobody but your own self to blame."
The book is a paperback originals release by the Kicks Books imprint which hatched from Norton Records
and Kicks Magazine, now celebrating its 30th anniversary. The book design is a homage to vintage PBO paperback originals. Its "tall" 7-inch format, fitting easily in a coat pocket.
Kicks Books celebrated the release of Sweets on November 14, 2009 at a book reading and signing at Phyllis' Musical Inn. There was also a Q&A session with Williams and a DJ party featuring Andre Williams' music selected and spun by DJ John Phillips.
novelette which takes readers for a wild ride from Chicago to Houston, New Orleans, and New York City, as a teenage girl finds herself in a family way, without a family. Forced to fend for herself, she is taken under the wing of a local pimp
who entices her into prostitution
. The adventures that follow are a free-for-all foray through the fantastic world of pimps and their women, funeral directors, gangs and drug running, with sidebar anecdotes that are guaranteed to appall, alarm and astonish. Extreme entries remained unedited, and none of William's raw
drawl storytelling style has been tampered in this standout fiction debut.
2009 in literature
The year 2009 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*8 October - Romanian-born German novelist Herta Müller wins the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature....
debut novel
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
by soul singer Andre Williams
Andre Williams
Andre Williams is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.-Biography:...
. It features an introduction by author Nick Tosches
Nick Tosches
Nick Tosches is an American journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet of Albanian and Italian descent.- Life :After different odd-jobs, Tosches started writing with poetry and rock-'n'-roll magazines, including Creem, Fusion, and Rolling Stone.Tosches' second book, a biography of Jerry Lee Lewis...
and an editor's note by Miriam Linna
Miriam Linna
Miriam Linna has run the Brooklyn-based independent record label Norton Records since 1986 with her husband—the producer and singer-songwriter Billy Miller...
of Kicks Books.
About Sweets
At age 73, Williams launched his fictionFiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
writing career in November 2009 with the publication of Sweets and Other Stories – a collection of stories. Since the 1950s Williams has distinguished himself as a singer, songwriter and producer. He recorded for Fortune Records
Fortune Records
Fortune Records was a family operated, independent record label located in Detroit, Michigan from 1946 to 1995. The label owners were Jack and Devora Brown, their son Sheldon Brown recorded for the label...
and did work with Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. He is best known for his sleazy R&B singles - "Jail Bait" and "Bacon Fat." He also co-wrote The Five Du-Tones
The Five Du-Tones
The Five Du-Tones Were Robert Hopkins , Willie Guest, Frank McCurrey, LeRoy Joyce, James West, and Andrew Butler. They formed at Patrick Henry High School in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1957....
' 1963 hit "Shake a Tail Feather
Shake a Tail Feather
"Shake a Tail Feather" is a song originally recorded in 1963 by the Chicago-based group The Five Du-Tones...
".
Prior to starting this novel, and during a bout of depression, Williams entered a 42-day program at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
to try to put himself back together. When he got there he called upon longtime friend Miriam Linna
Miriam Linna
Miriam Linna has run the Brooklyn-based independent record label Norton Records since 1986 with her husband—the producer and singer-songwriter Billy Miller...
. She suggested that he try his hand at fiction writing if only to while away the long days ahead at the center. In the book's preface, Williams describes how once in rehab he felt his mind begin to heal and felt a burst of creativity. He began writing everything down, and with Linna's editorial help, he was able to transform his rehabilitation process into the novelette
Novelette
A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
, short story and song-poems comprising Sweets.
Tosches wrote in his introduction to Sweets: "Andre Williams has proven himself to be a survivor. The stories he has here written deserve to survive as well. They most certainly deserve to be read, as the rewards they offer are many and fine. Heed what I say. Otherwise you got nobody but your own self to blame."
The book is a paperback originals release by the Kicks Books imprint which hatched from Norton Records
Norton Records
For the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
and Kicks Magazine, now celebrating its 30th anniversary. The book design is a homage to vintage PBO paperback originals. Its "tall" 7-inch format, fitting easily in a coat pocket.
Kicks Books celebrated the release of Sweets on November 14, 2009 at a book reading and signing at Phyllis' Musical Inn. There was also a Q&A session with Williams and a DJ party featuring Andre Williams' music selected and spun by DJ John Phillips.
Characters and story
Sweets is a narrativeNarrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
novelette which takes readers for a wild ride from Chicago to Houston, New Orleans, and New York City, as a teenage girl finds herself in a family way, without a family. Forced to fend for herself, she is taken under the wing of a local pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
who entices her into prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. The adventures that follow are a free-for-all foray through the fantastic world of pimps and their women, funeral directors, gangs and drug running, with sidebar anecdotes that are guaranteed to appall, alarm and astonish. Extreme entries remained unedited, and none of William's raw
Raw
Raw is a term referring to food that has not been cooked.RAW or raw may refer to:-Technology:* Raw audio format, a file type used to represent sound as pulse-code modulation data...
drawl storytelling style has been tampered in this standout fiction debut.