Juliano Miller’s autobiographical book, The Blacksmith, tells the story of a child growing up to be a man in a world of gangs, drugs, and deprivation. Miller’s unique style and use of vernacular speech puts the reader into the narrative as he navigates “the cutz”—the hidden aspects of society—selling dope, pimping, committing robberies and being incarcerated, all while maintaining close ties with family and friends and pursuing a career as a rap artist. Written while Miller was incarcerated, The Blacksmith is the fourth book in Some People Press’s Same Time series. It features a foreword by French writer Constance Debré who met with and gave feedback to Miller during the editing process of his manuscript. She pulls no punches, indicting us all in the society that often relegates people like Miller to lives of needless suffering. Some People Press publishes autobiographical books by formerly incarcerated writers, as well as books on art and other subjects. Some People Press challenges the idea that only certain people—with the right educations, experiences, and connections—can be published authors. The project does not require that participants have experience writing. Instead, the process we use works with existing skills and knowledge by asking people to “write what you know.” Incarcerated participants develop writing skills at their own pace with the support and feedback of their peers and weekly meetings with project leaders and visitors. Many of the writers whose work are included in the Same Time series have taken part in the autobiographical writing and publishing project at Columbia River Correctional Institution, a minimum-security prison in Northeast Portland, Oregon. During weekly classes they workshopped their writing with fellow participants and various visiting writers, publishers, and artists including Miranda July, Constance Debré, Chris Johanson, Jim Drain, and Laura Moulton.
