Writers Tricks of the Trade January-February 2015 | Page 30

PRESS “CONTROL” THEN CLICK BUY TO PURCHASE THE BOOK

Life Stories
EXCERPT FROM

THE BOSS ALWAYS
SITS IN THE BACK
BY JON D’AMORE

Huh?
JON D’AMORE

BUY
JON D’AMORE TAKES US
ON A PERILOUS,
HYSTERICAL ADVENTURE
INTO THE INNER
WORKINGS AND INNER
SANCTUM OF MOBSTER
MENTALITY AS ONLY A
FAMILY MEMBER CAN.
WITH A ROLL OF THE
DICE, WE’RE CAREENING
ALONGWITH JON IN
SUMPTUOUS 1970S
VEGAS HOTEL SUITES AND
AT THE CRAP TABLES. HE
BREATHES TECHNICOLOR
LIFE INTO CHARACTERS
WHO NEVER, EVER
BECOME CARICATURES.

Like all children, I was influenced by the things around me during the
formative years. Some children grow up in a family of doctors, lawyers,
investment bankers, owners of small and large businesses, police chiefs,
insurance salesmen, stockbrokers, corporate executives, or small town and big
city politicians. If something went wrong in their family they usually blamed it
on families like mine...or they came to families like mine for help.
In my immediate family there were no doctors, lawyers, investment
bankers and so on.
This is my story, based on actual events, of living on the fringe of what some
people call “the Mafia.”
You see, several members of my immediate family were connected.
Connected simply means that through blood, honor or business...you have a
direct connection to the Cosa Nostra, the Mafia, Our Thing, La Famiglia, the
Mob. And those members of my family made a very comfortable living for
many, many years through this affiliation.
I thought about becoming more involved when I was in my early 20s, but at
the time it was the mid-1970s. I was a professional musician and having too
much fun living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. I was living every dream of most of
my high school and college buddies (and at the time...that mattered!), so why
would I want to cut my hair, wear dark suits and ties...and take the chance of
getting whacked?
Instead, I decided to watch da guys from the sidelines.
I was able to enjoy the best of a few worlds. I was having my little slice of
rock ‘n’ roll success, I had a great social and family life, I got to play with my
connected relatives...and I also got to hang with The Boys From Hudson County.
I got to be a part of the games, the hustles, the respect, the scams, the Federal
investigations, the women, the stories, the parties...and the cash.
I got to do some wild things...and I got to meet some very interesting and
unique people. A lot of them aren’t with us anymore. Most of them are dead. A
Cont’d…

JAN-FEB 2015

PAGE 22

WRITERS TRICKS OF THE TRADE