Saturday, December 13, 2014

Praise for Louis The Coin’s new memoir, ‘You Thought It Was More’


UPDATE, 12-14-14:

'You Thought It Was More' Live on Kindle


  • Look inside







  • Print pre-order via IceBox Publishing


  • Print publication scheduled for early 2015







    “Louis ‘The Coin’ Colavecchio won a name for himself by being able to make anything, and now he has made a profane and raucously funny memoir of his life of crime. This is a world of hot cars, hot jewels, hot women, a wad of cash in your pocket and a handmade silencer on your Ruger automatic pistol. Bookies and loan sharks, enforcers and counterfeiters, con men and scam artists: ‘You Thought It Was More’ evokes a bygone era, treating us to a wise-guy crime romance that's part ‘Law & Order’, part ‘Guys & Dolls.’ ”
    -Novelist / Essayist Rand Richards Cooper, author of “Big as Life,” is a restaurant critic for the New York Times.

    “Louis came up with a brilliant plan. We The Cops did, too. I do not condone his criminal behavior, but I understand it; he was very creative, an artist. I assisted in some small way with him going to jail and he served his time ... After spending time together after the case closed, we have developed a friendship. That’s OK with me. I am no longer a trooper, having retired in 2003. He’s retired, too, right?”
    -CT State Police Det. Sgt. (Retired) Jerry Longo, now a senior investigator for a major casino.

    “Remarkably crafted. Who would have thought Louis the Coin could be a vivid storyteller? He writes with commanding vigor. Reminiscent of ‘Honor Thy Father,’ the gracious portrait of the Bonanno crime family by Gay Talese.”
    -James H. Smith, a New England journalist for nearly 40 years and author of “A Passion for Journalism.”

    “So much sets this book apart – the extraordinary tales it tells, its insider’s look at organized crime, and Louis Colavecchio's enormous affection for his characters. But the biggest surprise? I was held in total suspense by the technical sections. I never expected to be riveted by metallurgy . . . but I was.”
    -Novelist Pam Lewis, author of “Speak Softly, She Can Hear” and “Perfect Family.”

    “Riveting! Raises the bar for all future storytellers in this genre of wise guys and their adventures.”
    -New York trial attorney Bruce Baron, frequent media commentator on outlets including MSNBC and Fox News.

    “You Thought it Was More is not – thankfully – literary. It is, however, a tale told in a voice that rings true, very much in the aesthetic tradition of our best oral histories. Louis ‘The Coin’ Colavecchio would probably be right at home in a Studs Terkel book."
    -Poet Jon Andersen, Professor Of English, Quinebaug Valley Community College, and author of “Stomp And Sing.”

    “First off, how can you not love a book written by someone named Louis the Coin? It’s worth reading just to enjoy the names of the wiseguys! This is a must-read for anyone who loved Goodfellas, Casino and Bronx Tale! Louis took me so far into the Providence Mob that I thought I was a snitch! I’m still looking over my shoulder!”
    -Mickey Sherman, criminal defense lawyer, CBS legal analyst and author of "How Can You Defend Those People?"

    “It is fortunate … that he lived to tell the tale … Louis The Coin offers the novice the genuine article …”
    -Lionel Bascom, Professor of Writing at Western Connecticut State University and author of “Rubouts” (Avon 1991) and “A Renaissance in Harlem: The Voices of a Lost American Community” (HarperTrade, 2001).

    “Louis has nailed Rhode Island In The 1960s and 70s: Raymond, National Vending, the wise guys, the cars, the cash-carrying habits of certain individuals, travel tips in Italy and more.”
    -Ed Dunn, retired newspaper editor, USA Today and The Norwich Bulletin.

    “This tale gives you an unblinking look straight into the criminal mind.”
    -Novelist Denning Powell, author of “Monkey Trap” and “Hiding Hand.”

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