Aug. 20, 2006 — A son of St. Croix has set his eyes on the literary world, and he is set to take it by storm. Born to West Indian and Puerto Rican parents, Ahmad M. Simone is by no means a "freshwater Yankee" making claim to St. Croix.
Instead Simone is a native Virgin Islander making his mark in the United States. This summer, his debut novel, "Lions and Butterflies," was released to critical acclaim.
The story follows the life of Leon, a troubled young man trying to overcome the scars of his past through acts of retribution. Leon finds that vengeance and hatred run rampant within the streets of Miami and that true happiness cannot be found without forgiveness.
Published by Iuniverse, the novel has already earned Editor's and Publisher's Choice honors. Booksellers Barnes and Noble recently picked up the book and will be showcasing it at the chain's Pembroke Pines store in Miami this September.
The power of storytelling was evident to Simone at a young age, as he embarked on a love of reading that began with favorite childhood collection, "Sweet Pickles."
"I remember awaiting the mail eagerly, driving my mother and aunt crazy as I searched diligently for my two monthly books. I was also a big fan of the Hardy Boys book series and of 'twist-a-plot' books, where the reader is given the opportunity to interact with the story, the ending dependent upon choices given to you," Simone said in a recent telephone interview.
Even as he matured, Simone continued to devour books and describes himself as "a bookworm at heart."
Simone, 34, was educated in the St. Croix public schools, and although he excelled in academics, he was also involved in activism, protesting for better school conditions. He attended Alfredo Andrews Elementary and the John H. Woodson Junior High, graduating as valedictorian from both schools.
In 1986 Simone entered St. Croix Central High school. However, fate would step in, setting a series of events in motion that would result in him not graduating from Central. As he describes it, "being scholastically gifted didn't mean you couldn't also be an upstart."
In his junior year, while serving as class president, Simone led a student demonstration against the Department of Education, protesting deplorable school conditions and a lack of both teachers and books.
"I guess you could say I was a rebel. Wow, I think the whole school came out as we shut down Christiansted and marched up to the [Education] department, chanting 'We want a new high school,'" Simone said. "That was a crazy time."
Simone said St. Croix junior high schools participated and schools in St. Thomas held a seperate protest. "Later that year, I was elected student council president for our upcoming senior year but I never got to serve," he said. "I was shipped off to the U.S. mainland that summer. Go figure."
Simone finished his high school education at Brookland Cayce High School in South Carolina, where he was one of only two black students to receive academic honors that year. He then attended Benedict College under a full academic scholarship but later transferred to the University of South Carolina, where he obtained a bachelor of media arts degree. He concentrated in screenwriting and film/television studies.
"I've always been a dreamer or visionary, able to concoct a story at the drop of a dime," Simone said. "I needed a release for all these ideas and thoughts. The next step was to find an audience."
After college Simone traveled to New York City, Miami and northern California, gathering material for various stories he envisioned. He cut short his nomadic lifestyle when he lost two women who were very close to him. Even today, Simone does not talk about the emotional upheaval of that time in this life, except to say it was then he "knew he needed to complete the task that he was charged with — and that was to write and motivate minds."
Simone is not your typical writer. At first impression, he would seem more at home on a fashion runway than typing away lines of dialogue that could move the coldest of hearts. Standing six foot two inches, with the build of a kick boxer, Simone is a disciplined health nut, spending a lot of his free time in the gym. He is also an avid martial arts practitioner, studying kung fu and sup sau pai at the Miami Po Chi Lam training center.
"Lions and Butterflies" is currently racking up solid reviews on the Amazon Web site, which have called the work "compelling," "an intriguing and moving suspense story" and "a must read for the heart and soul." Crucians can meet the author at an upcoming book signing at the Divi Carina Hotel and Resort. The date of the signing is not yet determined. In the meantime, a sample excerpt of his book is available on his Web site.
A former employee of St. Croix Cable Television and local Channel 13 (WCEC), Simone currently works as the senior master control operator/technical director at Univision Network in Miami.
Writing is his passion and his way to teach, learn and experience all the world has to offer, for himself and everyone who comes into contact with his words.
He says: "Words can bring hope, giving one young mind a vision of its future. Words can uplift, inspiring millions to a central cause; and words can fulfill, infusing faith and giving purpose to life."
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