Southern Pines, North Carolina, is supposed to be a place where you can raise your children and not worry about safety. That was true until single mother Dorothy and her two sons, Bobby and Johnny, have to abandon their hometown when death comes knocking on their door. In a quest to flee after her best friend and mother-in-law are murdered, Dorothy hastily relocates her kids from their beloved community in the south to the gang- and drug-infested streets of Bedford Stuyvesant, New York. Brooklyn breeds a new batch of worries as the younger son, Bobby, joins a vicious street gang. As Bobby struggles with the peer pressure of the ghetto—drug hustlers, prostitutes, gang violence, shootouts, and stabbings—his brother, Johnny, plans to kill the woman who gave him life. Cross Roads is a classic timepiece set in the 1950s but is reminiscent of modern times. Just as the Bishops and Chaplins fought for territory back then, Bloods and Crips wage the same wars in today’s society. This inspiring coming-of-age story details how a young boy is forced to become a man while fighting for his life and the safety of his family.
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Carl Patterson began his writing career at the age of 45 after his now deceased wife inspired him with her unpublished poetry. He recalls her telling him, "Carl, life will not always deal us a winning hand. We must accept the good with the bad and the bitter with the sweet. By doing so we can turn the negative into the positive. We can do that through life experiences in our writing. Anything negative can become a positive tool of learning for others."
Strongly inspired by her positive views on life, Carl began to write poetry, but when his wife read his work she said his writing reads more like a script than poetry. She then encouraged him to attempt writing a novel from his own life experiences. Although he knew his life at an early age was exciting, he did not feel that it was novel material. So he decided to create his own version of life as a child growing up in a big city after being born in the South. Before his first draft was completed, Carl’s wife died of an unexpected illness and never got to see his finished project. Ironically, his wife died at the age of 45 the same age he was when he began writing. A poem entitled "Unforgotten Love" can be found on Poetry.com. It was written by Carl in memory of his wife. Other works Published by The National Library of Poetry can be found there as well. He also had a piece published in the "Dear John" column of the Daily News in 1997. After his wife’s death, Carl enrolled in a writing program at The Institute of Children’s Literature in West Redding, Connecticut and took a course in "Writing For Children & Teenagers." Carl dedicates "Cross Roads" to his wife Eleanor "Kim" Evans Patterson. (1948 - 1993).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Transformations,
By Lela "TLC" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cross Roads (Paperback)
Dorothy Jordan has decided that she has got to get away from Southern Pines, North Carolina. Her husband has gone astray and now it's just her and her two sons, Johnnie and Bobby. Before she can make that move, death has stolen her best friend, Paula Wilson and in a rush, Dot is certain that she's making the right move for her family. She needs to first go up to New York, find a job and a place and then she'll send for her sons. Life has got to get better for them. Doesn't it?
However, before Dorothy has a chance to make things right in New York, murder has come again to Southern Pines, North Carolina. This time the victim is her mother-in-law, who was raising the boys until Dorothy got settled in. Is there something Dorothy isn't telling her sons? Johnnie and Bobby Jordan are saddened by the loss of their grandmother and hate that they have to move away from the comfort of their home. Johnny, a once hearty child, sticks to himself and locks away all of the hurt he's experienced while diving into art. Bobby is completely smitten by the differences New York has to offer. He is quickly intertwined with a mixture of kids adding both bad and good qualities to his character. New York changes the Jordan family completely bringing about depression, secrets and valuable lessons. Will this once loving family be able to get back on track? Cross Roads is an okay read that I wish would've offered a little more.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Struggles in the Big City.,
By
This review is from: Cross Roads (Paperback)
Brothers eight year old Bobby and ten year old Johnny live with their single mother Dorothy Jordan. Born and bred in North Carolina in the late 1950's, the Jordan family encounters tragedy when Dorothy's best friend is murdered. She decides to move her children to New York. While looking for housing in NY, Dorothy leaves the boys with their grandmother...who is also mysteriously murdered. Dorothy is stunned, and quickly moves her boys to Brooklyn New York to start a new life. Being inquisitive, the boys ask their mother all kinds of questions about the killings, which have affected them deeply. Dorothy avoids their questions and enrolls them in school hoping their new surroundings will make them forget what happened back in North Carolina. Bed-Sty Brooklyn is nothing like down south. The apartment is small and the neighborhood is rough with street gangs controlling sections of the neighborhood. Johnny and Bobby settle into new schools, Johnny is smart but quiet and keeps himself occupied by drawing. Bobby the more out going of the two makes friends at school. Dorothy is very protective of her sons and when Bobby unwillingly gets involved with a street gang, and almost gets himself killed she ups and moves the boys to a different neighborhood; Something she does regular making the boys very suspicious of their mother, especially, as she refuses to answer any questions concerning their grandmother's death, leading them to think their mother knows a lot more about the murders than she says. Bobby notices how Johnny sometimes looks at his mother with hatred. Those looks were only the beginning...Little did he know Johnny internalized his feelings and was slowly becoming someone they wouldn't recognize... Bobby and Johnny witness a lot when they were young and impressionable, and were left to speculate on the out come while coming of age in unfamiliar surroundings. This compelling drama, gives us an inside look of the long term effects pain and tragedy can cause if not addressed. Kudos! The cover of this book was very nicely done. I thought the character Bobby was written a little too mature for his age. I enjoyed this story of the brother's struggles to be accepted in the big city. I thought their mother Dorothy would have had some more drama to her past, but I was satisfied with the outcome of the story on a whole. Locksie ARC Book Club Inc. Star Rating ****4.0
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Like a Sunday Afternoon,
By Louise (Chicago - I'm back home FINALLY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cross Roads (Paperback)
Bobby and Johnny never knew moving to New York to be with their mother would change their lives forever.
Johnny, the elder brother, has always looked out for his younger brother. Not having a father in the home made him realize that he was the not only his brother's protector but his mother's helper. Loving the slow way of life in Southern Pines, Johnny tries to cope with his mother's constant moving and his deep depression. Learning that he despises his mother can only bring him to an edge that he might soon fall over. Bobby has always been impressionable and love to follow the crowd. Remembering little moments of his life in the South, Bobby has fallen in line with the New York madness. Seeing that his brother is going through his problems, Bobby is enticed and winds up with one of the most notorious gangs in the New York. Even the constant location switch by his mother doesn't stop Bobby from running with the tough crowd. Bobby wonders if he has gotten himself into something that he wishes he could get out of. Crossroads does offer positive and uplifting moments which really focus on the main character Bobby. The charm of the novel has such a Southern feel that you feel like you are reading it on a Sunday afternoon instead of a Monday night. There are quite a few of unanswered questions and quite a few scenes that were brought up and not addressed again. With this said, overall the novel was an okay read.
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