Tales from a Jail Cell By: Darvanni Autonomy

Tales from a Jail Cell

By: Darvanni Autonomy

If you know me, you already know I love to read. Next, you know I believe in supporting writers. And last but not least, I am a proud Criminal Justice Student (currently, as I type this.) in my Bachelor year of Schooling. Therefore, this title alone grabbed me for all three reasons. And let me just start by saying this: once I started, I couldn’t put it down, because it is a book of separate stories, which makes it even more enticing!

When you open the book, you are literally in a cell with an inmate feeling his remorse for being within the walls. The main character is a Devon Anderson, who wants to share his experience with the outside word, to help them see that prison is not just three hots and cot, like some try to make you think. 

Visitors come through to tour the prison, and Devon decides to embark on them, and see if they are willing to listen. Yes, at first, they back away. But honestly, several of them were curious. And Devon decided to open up and share his insight with them about the system, the life, and just how depressing it can be.

While listening to Devon, one caught view of a lot of papers on the floor of his closet sized cell. They decided to inquire, and this is where Devon divulges that they are stories he has been writing about Prison. He asks them if they want to hear, and surprisingly, they do.

This is where the stories than come into play, one by one. And I must admit, I found each one to meet my needs.

Allow me to share with you a little insight:

One story, a couple are there for visitation. He is the prisoner; the woman is the guest. She brings him a few snacks, two of which she heats up for him, and one if a bag of chips, which he is munching on while she prepares his other snacks in the microwave for him to enjoy during their visitation. 

The bag of chips, much like cracker jacks, had a prize in it. However, this one did not come supplied by the manufacturer. Within the bag is a small baggie of weed for the prisoner to swallow, without anyone noticing.

When the girl friend returns, the prisoner is tearing up, because low and behold the baggies is bigger than his esophagus. He doesn’t want to bring attention to himself, or even to his woman, because if he does, she will get locked up, and he will be punished even further as well, and lose all visitation visits period. 

As I am reading this, I swear my throat was swelling shut. I felt the lodge within my throat as I was reading it, and I too was suffering, it was point on. Not kidding, I had to get a drink before I could read any further.

The girl friend noticed that he was suffering, and didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want him to die, but she didn’t want to end up incarcerated either. 

Finally, the guy gets a drink of his chocolate milk, and it only back flushes because it can’t go down, and he begins to cough. The guards not his problem, and ask if he’s alright, and he motions that he is. But he isn’t.

Eventually, the lump of weed does go down, but within minutes the guy starts to get chills and feel sick. Unknown to him, it is lodged elsewhere, and his body is fighting it.

He cuts the visit short with his woman, and goes to his cell, and lays down and falls asleep. He feels lousy, freezing cold and sweating.

Much later he wakes in a cold and freezing sweat because his body is still fighting off the foreign object, and he puts his finger down his throat, and gags the weed up. Instantly, he starts feeling rejuvenated.

This is only one of the stories, but I think my favorite was the ‘Microwave’ one. But I don’t know, because I also liked ‘Smokin on Katy’. There are just so many great stories, and eye-opening truths about this book, that it will give you a real outlook, as well as an enjoyable read. The one that upset me a little, was ‘the Letter.’ It makes you see the reality of just how lonely prison can be, when there’s no one on the outside to be your support system. 

All in all, I give this book five beautiful stars, because I feel that it deserves them, and honestly a few more. I like that this book kept me guessing, and wanting to read. When a book shows you the other side of the world, and allows you to educate others about it, then it has done something. This book has done just that. 

Here are my questions for Darvanni:

1.What made you decide to write this book and how long did it take you?
A friend encouraged me to write about prison while inside there. It took me about three months.

2. Are any of these stories true?
Yes.

3. Have you put any of your personal self into any of these characters?
Yes, that's the character who smacks the punk.

4. Do you have any photos or specific descriptions of certain characters that you might like to share with us?
No.

5. Have you ever toured or visited a prison or known someone who has?
Yes. I lived in some. Woke up caged and went to sleep caged in.

6. What are you working on now?
Tales From A Jail Cell 2 and She Was Skilled.

7. Where is your favorite place to write?
Alone, anywhere.

8. What is your favorite book of all time?
The Client by John Grisham. It was the first book i actually read and was so into the characters. Now as i write, I look back at that.

9. Who designed the cover of your book?
Dzigner Saravanan

10. What are your hobbies?
Boxing, traveling, making people laugh, and writing.

11. Any suggestion to people who may want to correspond with inmates?
Go right ahead. The people who are incarcerated is no different than anyone in this world. It really brings happiness in each other lives to receive mail.

Deneale’s Input: I personally used to pen-pal back in the 80’s. And yes, I have written to many prisoners. I honestly suggest if you want to pen-pal period, getting some kind of P.O. Box.

12. Please share with us your social media and book links so that we may follow you:
www.AutonomyBooks.com & DarvanniAutonomy on FB, TW, and Instagram.


13. Anything extra that you'd like to add:

Don't forget to checkout Heat and Chemistry. My first baby I created. I will be bringing new reading material for you to enjoy, so follow me. 

This review can also be found on Amazon and Goodreads under the Authors name and book.