James, who is now an author and founder of the publishing company, Gang Tales, grew up in North Long Beach in the area along Artesia and Long Beach boulevards. While James spent the next few years in and out of prison due to drug charges, it was during this time that he began writing poetry and short stories, which he passed around to other inmates, including what would become the basis of his first published work, “The Bust: Live By the Gun, Die by the Gun. “Just seeing that I could do something positive and bring other people up that walked in the same shoes, like pretty much I walked in, like just that’s more rewarding,” James said