Imagine my euphoria after opening my inbox and seeing this 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite this week. And the fact this is my first editorial critique makes it all the more special. As a debut author trying to navigate the publishing world amid a wee bit of imposter syndrome, this review by Carol Thompson validated everything I set out to do with CHAINED BIRDS: A True Crime Memoir.
Chained Birds by Carla Conti is a haunting and compelling true crime memoir that delves deep into the dark, often unseen corners of the American criminal justice system. Conti, a former journalist, takes readers on an intense, decade-long journey that begins innocuously enough with a favor for a high school friend but quickly spirals into a harrowing fight for justice and survival. The memoir is structured around Conti’s involvement in the defense of Kevin Sanders, a federal inmate entangled in a brutal prison stabbing case. What begins as a simple request from her lawyer friend, Scott Powell, rapidly draws Conti into the terrifying world of federal prison gangs, corruption, and systemic abuse.
Carla Conti’s writing is evocative, painting vivid pictures of the people and places she encounters. She captures the fear and tension permeating every aspect of her life once she becomes involved in Sanders’ case. The narrative is gripping, often reading like a thriller, but the fact that it’s rooted in real events makes it all the more chilling. It’s an edge-of-the-seat nailbiter that’s so well-written that readers will cheer and jeer with every page turn. Chained Birds is also an honest critique of the failings of the U.S. criminal justice system, and Conti doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of prison. A glossary of prison terms and slang is included at the back of the book. Conti has penned a powerful reminder of the often invisible victims of penal abuse and the need for reform. This is an essential read for anyone interested in true crime, social justice, or the complexities of the criminal justice system. I highly recommend Chained Birds.
I’m the cat’s ass
When I read the review over the phone to my mother, Marilyn, a retired English teacher who was my most excellent beta reader and proofreader, she was overcome with emotion.
“Oh my God, Carla! I’m crying … I’m sorry, I’m crying …”
“Are you? Ahhh!”
“Oh my God, Carla, it’s so well written!”
“I know!”
“All that hard work and this is what someone sees in everything you did. All of the things you wanted it to be, it is! It’s fabulous! How can you stand it?”
“I know! I’m pinching myself … and I kind of feel like the cat’s ass, Mom, to tell you the truth.”
“Well, I guess that makes me the mother cat’s ass,” she concluded, and we dissolved into hysterics.
Marilyn makes several appearances in CHAINED BIRDS, and she is solely responsible for the book’s title. Inquiring minds will have to read or listen to the book to find out why.
This wonderful review will appear on Readers’ Favorite with my final cover art as we get closer to the book’s launch. But I couldn’t wait until then to share it …
And it should go without saying that bonus points go to the reviewer for making my mother cry!
CHAINED BIRDS: A True Crime Memoir will be published by WildBlue Press on November 12, 2024.
Carla Conti is a true crime journalist, storyteller, and prison reform advocate. Her debut book, Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir, will be published by WildBlue Press on November 12, 2024.
