Man pens novel from behind bars

It has been little more than 10 years since Jamaica-born Damion 'Mr Midas' Simms was convicted of murder. He is currently serving a life sentence at South Bay Correctional Facility in Florida. However, instead of throwing in the towel, Mr Midas is using the time to focus on his first love - writing.

The inmate, who recently penned a novel called Legacy: The Bloodline of a Legend, is hoping that the book will resonate well with the readers. He said that he hopes to make a difference in someone's life even if it is from behind the bars.

"The book is all fiction and has nothing to do with me or anyone I know. It is based on the lifestyle of the average Jamaican who tends to always leave a legacy for his children to carry on," Mr Midas told THE WEEKEND STAR through a letter.

Legacy, as Mr Midas explains, is about a man called Prince, who learns how to survive in the streets of Jamaica, before relocating to the United States. There, Prince attends classes and has another child, while still indulging in a life of drugs. A few years later, Prince is arrested and sent to prison. In prison, he chooses a different path, hoping that his three sons would not follow in his footsteps.

re-evaluate our lives

"This book will leave the readers in deep thoughts and will let us re-evaluate our lives and choices we made and how those choices can impact our children and so on. It is a two-part novel, and the other will be released soon. I always liked writing, and if I had chosen a different path in life, who knows? I would have probably become an author much earlier. I actually began writing this eight years ago, but I had stopped and written three other books," he said.

Currently, Mr Midas' mom, June Williams, serves as publisher for the novel. He also added that they are giving away 50 eBook copies to interested persons who can send an email to dospublishing@gmail.com.

Mr Midas was born in Spanish Town, St Catherine, but migrated to the United States at eight years old. Even at a young age, he had several run-ins with the law, from theft to selling drugs. And although he is expected to spend all of his natural life behind bars for murder, he said that he will continue to fight for his freedom.

"Truth is, I loved learning and I loved school, but I ended up embracing the street life and learned how to survive without having a nine-to-five. I must admit that I made some really poor decisions in my past. One thing I know is that I serve a very good God, and I will be coming home soon because I am fighting for my freedom," he said.