Once upon a Time in Harlem

by Moses Miller

Once upon a time in Harlem there was a man named, John Williams that single-handedly conspired and plotted to eliminate all of his competition on the uptown streets. Through the use of brute force and calculated moves, he was able to control all illegal activity from numbers to the drug trade. John was an intelligent thinker, manipulative and cunning. And as those that crossed him would find out, he was a cold-blooded killer as well. But, John wasn t always that man. When he moved from South Carolina with his younger brother Sam, he had dreams of escaping the racism that was a prevalent in the south, in order to provide a better life for his family. But, what he quickly found out was that racism still existed in the north, and the opportunity well had also dried up. With his back against the wall and no money in his pockets, John concocted a scheme to rob a local hustler that went horribly wrong. Blood was now on his hands...and a price was on his head. The events that transpire from that moment on will have John and Sam pitted against some of Harlem s most notorious gangsters. With their lives on the line, sacrifices will have to be made. John has dreams of providing a better life for his family, but at what cost? Will he and Sam be lured in by the sex, drugs, money and other dangers of the uptown streets? Only time will tell. Once upon a time in Harlem

236 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2007

About the author

I'm a father a husband and an African American male who also happens to be a teacher, journalist, a motivational speaker and an award winning author for Mind Candy, LLC, which is a company focused on book publishing, the development of screenplays and educational programming for our youth. Some say I have the ability to capture the pulse of the streets with intelligent and well thought out story lines. However, I believe that I just write compelling books that transcend genres and labels, ultimately providing my readers with memorable experiences. I love to read, and I hate wasting my time on a bad book. So, it's that much more important to me to give my readers their money's worth (and more) when they purchase one of my books. In the past, I have contributed articles and written for various websites and publications including The Voice, Newsday and 88HIPHOP.COM I was the Editor in Chief of content. I hold a Bachelors degree in Business Management and a Masters of Science degree in Technology Management obtained from Polytechnic University. My first novel, Nan: The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones has received various awards and critical acclaim from readers and book clubs around the world. After the successful release of my first novel, I cemented a deal with F.E.D.S. magazine resulting in a joint venture to publish my second release, Once Upon A Time in Harlem in September of 2007. The highly anticipated second installment in the Nan series, The Game of Trife, was released through Mind Candy, LLC in August of 2008, and the finale in the series, Nan: The Trifecta was released two years later. I consider myself a socially conscious individual who strives to play a key role in helping to improve the literacy rates among African American and Hispanic youth. Through my American Me “Voices of Our Youth” program, I have worked with several other organizations in an effort to decrease the high school dropout rates plaguing lower income communities. Besides my fictional work, I have written inspirational books such as The Barack in Me and Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Young Like You. Both books were written specifically for young people, with themes that cross the boundaries of gender and race. I currently teach 6th graders in a high risk area, doing all that I can on a daily basis to inspire our youth to become the leaders of the future. I believe in taking the time needed each day to make a difference!

Reviews

[Nardsbaby Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Business, Nothing Personal

"Once Upon A Time in Harlem," Moses Miller's sophomore release, tells the story of brothers, John and Sam Williams. Broke, starving and on their absolute last leg, John, the older of the brothers, comes up with a plan in order to get some money flowing in their pockets. While John may be the thinker, Sam is definitely the menacing muscle. With the Williams' brothers making noise, they decide it's time to establish a team of their own with other country boys from South Carolina looking to make some money too. It's not long before their presence is felt as they've inflicted havoc in the streets. With some well known and trusted hustlers in NYC reigning hell, the two brothers are forced to battle. All in the name of having a better life, how much are the two brothers willing to stake?

Moses Miller is alright with me! I thoroughly enjoyed my walk back in time and as with NAN: THE TRIFLING TIMES OF NATHAN JONES. Miller definitely has a knack for story telling. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author and soon.

[OOSA · Rating 4 out of 5]

WhatamIawoodorwhat?

In 2006's "NAN: The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones," author Moses Miller placed the action within the streets of Brooklyn. Similarly, he steps back in time in New York; his destination...the streets of Harlem. Brothers John and Sam Williams left the South with dreams of a better life up top. Instead, they traded the racist streets of South Carolina for the ruthless streets of New York. Needing to get in where they fit in, the Williams brothers make some major, albeit dangerous, moves to secure their future. Their ambition doesn't go unnoticed by the locals. Will the already established hustlers take kindly to their intrusion once upon a time in Harlem?

Miller has done it again delivering a well-crafted novel. He still has the recipe for a character-driven, page-turning story. Looking forward to what he has in store for us next.

Reviewed by: Toni

[Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good, old, original story. It’s the type of story you don’t get to read too often. Moses Miller is one hell of a writer. If you haven’t read any of his books you need to get one. I promise you will not be disappointed.