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Address: House of Corrections: a novel inspired
Award-winning writer Monice Mitchell Simms' engrossing debut novel, " House of Corrections" seamlessly shifts through time and locale to follow the empowering, entertaining journey of Merry, a stubborn 32-year-old ex con and recovering addict, who moves to 1947 Detroit as a spunky twelve-year-old with her estranged mother and comes full circle as Merry fights to stay sane, stay straight and make peace with her children and her torrid past. Gritty, yet hopeful, Mitchell Simms ingeniously births refreshing characters in this, her first book in a trilogy series, and elevates what could have easily become a stereotypical hard luck tale into a literary triumph.
424 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
17 people want to read
About the author
Monice Mitchell Simms
4 books6 followersAmerica's Acclaimed Authorpreneur, Monice writes, because not breathing is not an option."
Before becoming a published author and authorpreneur, Monice toiled as a frustrated screenwriter and an executive Hollywood assistant.
One day, she quit her job and sequestered herself to her studio apartment to pen her acclaimed debut novel, “Address: House of Corrections” – the first in a trilogy inspired by the lives of her grandmother, mother and great-grandmother.
The rest of her “Faith Leaves A Trail” story, Monice happily shares at many of her events. An entertaining and empowering tale of passion, persistence and purpose, her testimony has inspired audiences to follow their dreams – by any means necessary.
Faith Leaves A Trail
After snagging a literary agent off the strength of her novel’s first 100 pages, “Address: House of Corrections” was turned down for two years by several major publishing houses. So, Monice – utilizing her eclectic skills as a poet, journalist and an award-winning filmmaker for Showtime – decided to independently publish and implement an innovative, grass roots, social media and marketing campaign to prove them all wrong.
And it worked!
With her book selling steadily on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on her website, www.monicemitchellsimms.com, Monice then convinced brick and mortar stores to sell “Address: House of Corrections” and produced a book tour on a budget to the cities of Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and New York.
Currently, heading up her online writers community, www.themonicemagazine.com, Monice is busy penning “Faith Leaves A Trail,” her making of journey to successfully self-publish, the second novel of the trilogy, “The Mailman’s Daughter," and recently published her first children's book, "Nana's Fridge."
A filmmaker, speaker and dramatic audio book producer, she also offers one-on-one coaching to authorpreneurs and runs Make Believers Writing Services, a boutique social media and marketing agency.
Monice is happily married and lives in South Pasadena, California.
Before becoming a published author and authorpreneur, Monice toiled as a frustrated screenwriter and an executive Hollywood assistant.
One day, she quit her job and sequestered herself to her studio apartment to pen her acclaimed debut novel, “Address: House of Corrections” – the first in a trilogy inspired by the lives of her grandmother, mother and great-grandmother.
The rest of her “Faith Leaves A Trail” story, Monice happily shares at many of her events. An entertaining and empowering tale of passion, persistence and purpose, her testimony has inspired audiences to follow their dreams – by any means necessary.
Faith Leaves A Trail
After snagging a literary agent off the strength of her novel’s first 100 pages, “Address: House of Corrections” was turned down for two years by several major publishing houses. So, Monice – utilizing her eclectic skills as a poet, journalist and an award-winning filmmaker for Showtime – decided to independently publish and implement an innovative, grass roots, social media and marketing campaign to prove them all wrong.
And it worked!
With her book selling steadily on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on her website, www.monicemitchellsimms.com, Monice then convinced brick and mortar stores to sell “Address: House of Corrections” and produced a book tour on a budget to the cities of Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and New York.
Currently, heading up her online writers community, www.themonicemagazine.com, Monice is busy penning “Faith Leaves A Trail,” her making of journey to successfully self-publish, the second novel of the trilogy, “The Mailman’s Daughter," and recently published her first children's book, "Nana's Fridge."
A filmmaker, speaker and dramatic audio book producer, she also offers one-on-one coaching to authorpreneurs and runs Make Believers Writing Services, a boutique social media and marketing agency.
Monice is happily married and lives in South Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 7, 2011
Ms. Simms is a great storyteller. This book was very well-written. I look forward to the continuation of this story.
July 13, 2010
From Locust Grove, Georgia to Detroit, Michigan, the debut novel from Monice Mitchell Simms is a journey that grabs a hold of you from page one and doesn't let you go until the end. Even then, you'll be begging for more.
Address: House of Corrections opens with the main character's, Merry, release from prison in 1965. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Merry and her brother Johnson have been raised by their grandmother in the south until events force them to relocate to Detroit and the mother that abandoned them shortly after birth. Immediately fascinated with the sporting life her Aunt Teenie lives, Merry falls in with a bad crowd and sets the course for her life.
Having been abandoned by her own mother, one would think that Merry would take steps to insure that the same does not happen with her own kids. But much like her mother, Merry finds herself chasing after some thing and someone, leaving her kids to be raised like her mother in a history repeating cycle.
What did you like about this book?
It was extremely well written. The characters are very believable and you find yourself wanting to know more about them. I was especially fascinated by the mother's relationship with her son versus her daughter. It is said that in the African American community mothers love their sons and raise their daughters. The author completely comprehends that and uses it to her advantage in telling the story.
What didn't you like about this book?
I honestly could not find anything to dislike.
What could the author do to improve this book?
The author provides an excerpt from the follow up book in the back of this book. I'm going to need her to keep writing so that I can read the sequel sooner than later.
Address: House of Corrections opens with the main character's, Merry, release from prison in 1965. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Merry and her brother Johnson have been raised by their grandmother in the south until events force them to relocate to Detroit and the mother that abandoned them shortly after birth. Immediately fascinated with the sporting life her Aunt Teenie lives, Merry falls in with a bad crowd and sets the course for her life.
Having been abandoned by her own mother, one would think that Merry would take steps to insure that the same does not happen with her own kids. But much like her mother, Merry finds herself chasing after some thing and someone, leaving her kids to be raised like her mother in a history repeating cycle.
What did you like about this book?
It was extremely well written. The characters are very believable and you find yourself wanting to know more about them. I was especially fascinated by the mother's relationship with her son versus her daughter. It is said that in the African American community mothers love their sons and raise their daughters. The author completely comprehends that and uses it to her advantage in telling the story.
What didn't you like about this book?
I honestly could not find anything to dislike.
What could the author do to improve this book?
The author provides an excerpt from the follow up book in the back of this book. I'm going to need her to keep writing so that I can read the sequel sooner than later.
Read
May 6, 2014Difficult read , partially because of subject matter. Recommended by friend whose book club was reading it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews