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.

Read an excerpt from The Blacksmith on the the Some People Press Substack.