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A name that was given to me by my grandmother, Rosemary Traveler Wilson. She named her second son out of six children that name, but he died at birth, so I was gifted with that remarkable name. My mother, Troylinn Jones, had me when she was sixteen years of age, a blessing they called me. My entire family helped my mother raise me to be the man that I am today. I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana known as the Crescent City, a place of culture. As a child, I attended a Catholic elementary school by the name of Holy Ghost Elementary. There I was introduced to the Catholic religion, which I still follow to this day.

New Orleans is known worldwide for this huge party we call Mardi Gras. During this time we have daily parades, which are orchestrated by marching bands and floats. The saying "Throw Me Something Mister" originated from people on the floats throwing beads at the parade goers, an exciting atmosphere that I totally enjoyed. Needless to say, I loved catching beads as a kid, but what really sparked my interest as an adolescent was the marching bands. Mostly local high schools and some elementary schools would march and play music during the parades. One marching band for some reason, was always first in every other parade I would attend. This high school band would take up the entire street, meaning when they are marching, you as a parade goer had to move back on the sidewalk to let them thru. Escorted by the NOPD (New Orleans Police Department), everyone would yell, "Here comes St. Aug!!" My eyes used to light up when they would march right past me, their music was really loud and clear, a very distinct sound. They wore purple and gold uniforms and they marched with authority, commanding the crowd's attention. "The Marching 100" is their claim to fame, one hundred high schoolers playing music that I knew and my mother knew, which definitely excited me each time that I saw them. It had gotten to a point where I had to see them, and only them. So of course when it was time to choose a high school that I wanted to attend, it was St. Augustine High School. Yes, I was a purple knight and I marched in the band, I was so proud. Not only the band was magnificent at this school, all sports we strived at and also the education was the best. An all boys Catholic high school that taught me everything, from schoolwork to living life, meaning manners, respect, finance, religion, the list goes on. I graduated from St. Aug in 1994, I'm a purple knight for life.
From high school I made the decision of enlisting into the United States Navy. I attended boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois and it was cold. I wasn't used to cold weather being from New Orleans and all, but I had to achieve the goal of completing this situation, and on top of all that, I didn't know how to swim. It took numerous amounts of swimming classes but I finally learned and know how to swim. I also experienced racism for the first time in my life there. We all went out for PT one morning, and when the unit returned, someone wrote the "N" word on all of the black recruits beds. It turned me for a loop, I was disgusted and angered by it, and I didn't want to speak with no one else but the people who were affected by this. I graduated boot camp, but with a chip on my shoulder.

My next duty station was in San Diego, California on a tender ship named the Cape Cod. I was seventeen at this time and I felt in my heart that I was a full grown man. I ended up meeting a few people from New Orleans that were on different ships and we were insuperable, everywhere I went, they were right there with me. That was until the mighty Cape Cod was decommissioned. I was forced to go to another duty station, I was livid about that.

The U.S.S. Coronado was my next ship, a flag ship, meaning a rear admiral's ship. This ship was pretty, all of the bells and whistles, shiny chrome, shiny everything. On this ship is where I learned how to steer a big vessel, a helmsman so to say. Also on this ship is where I became subject to racism again. In my department, myself and another person were the youngest sailors on the entire ship. He was a white guy from Mississippi, and we hated each other. For no apparent reason we avoided speaking to each other, it was crazy. One particular time we were assigned to work with each other, which ended up in a fist fight between us. We both were reprimanded and our punishment was to spend two months with each other, work and liberty (free time). In the beginning it was rough, we fought a few more times, once until we were tired. Finally we managed to talk to each other and figure out why we were fighting so much, the answer, our thoughts on each other's race. We were misguided our entire life up until that point, now, myself and Richard Pickers are best friends.

I decided to leave the military, I left with an honorable discharge. I moved back to New Orleans for six months then I moved to Valdosta, Georgia and attended Valdosta Technical College on the G.I. Bill and HOPE Grant. I graduated with a Associate's Degree in Computer Information Systems (CIS), a two year program. I moved back home with dreams of working in the computer field. I had a few job offers, but without my preference of pay, that was until a received a federal security job offer in Atlanta, Georgia. I accepted, and was on my way to Atlanta for the interview process. But by that time, particularly that weekend, Hurricane Katrina struck, and devastated my city. I lost most of my belongings and my mind, thinking about the pain and suffering my fellow New Orleanians were going through.

I was hired for the job in Atlanta, and I was making good money, but my thoughts were still traumatized by Hurricane Katrina. Once everything was settled and people were able to move back home, it eased my mind. I met a female in Atlanta and she comforted me throughout my heartache and pain. We ended up falling in love and got married.

My job was great and my marriage was great. I had a wife and two stepchildren, girls to be exact. But like most married couples, my wife and I had our ups and downs. Soon enough, our problems grew and I became resentful towards her about any and everything. Our lives were separate basically, and I didn't feel loved, but I wanted to make our relationship work. I practically forced it to work, and it didn't happen. We were always at each other's throats verbally. The relationship had gotten so bad that I ended up in jail, then sent to prison.

The worst time of my life by far, I was ridiculed by society and my so called friends. I sat in prison still in wonderment about how this entire situation occurred, I blamed myself, and I hated the judicial system. One, because I was convicted solely on an accusation, and two, the D.A. just wanted a conviction under her belt, not caring about my life at all, I served my country for Christ's sake, I even policed in the county that I was convicted in. I was a good cop, no reprimands or anything like that, and this is how I get treated? I never in my life got myself into any kind of trouble dealing with the law, and for the courts to criticize me and berate me on an accusation, angered me.

I was told long ago that God put you into situations that he knows you can handle, and for the most part, prison made me focus more on myself. I stopped beating myself up and I managed my time wisely. I read a lot of books, educating myself much more. My relationship with my family and God grew stronger than ever and I really found myself. One particular day, a friend noticed my constant reading and brought to my attention a book that he thought would be very good for me to read. I read it, and once I finished the book, he quizzed me. Really? A quiz? In prison? I went along with it and I aced his quiz with flying colors. After a few conversations and multiple book debates, that same friend, Mr. Kenneth Wiggins challenged me. He wanted me to write a book, but not just any book, something that I would never think I could write about, I accepted his challenge.

The birth of Black Salt began and I was extremely proud of myself. I came up with kingdoms and characters based on the city of New Orleans, my friends, and even people that I've met throughout my life. Of course I had to put myself as a character. Mr. Wiggins told me to write at least a sentence a day, well, that one sentence a day turned into a complete book with seventeen chapters. The love of the medieval times enthused my writing and I have an infatuation to continue to write, book two is coming soon, and another book after that, and after that. I won't stop, so get ready for the Black Salt series. I loved sharing my story with you, I hope it inspired you to write and to truly understand your worth, love yourself, God bless!!

Kevin O'Keefe Wilson