The Boy Becomes a Man — David Lyons

After visiting my hometown of Thomaston, Georgia, in summer of 1991, I took a train back to New York and met two guys whom I started conversing with about our various lives. One guy was into artwork, and all I remember is that his name was Maurice. The other guy, our token white guys, was an author named Philip Lee Williams (Perfect Timing, All the Western Stars, The Song of Daniel). As we spoke, I told Philip about my desire to write a bio, and he offered me advice about the publishing business, as well as jokingly telling me that I was pretty young for a bio. The most important thing he said was to “never give up.” I kept that thought in mind, and so here we are. I also kept the letters that he wrote me, and I've read them often through the years.

Thanks, Philip Lee Williams. I'm not so young anymore, and I didn't give up.

I hope you, the reader, can take something from my experience and my book. It's a true reflection of my experience and my life.