Sleepers

Lorenzo Carcaterra

Carcaterra's writing career is a story in itself, a journey from journalist to screenwriter and New York Times bestselling author. He has written several feature film scripts and teleplays, including a stint as writer and producer for the NBC series, "Law and Order," from 2003-2004.

Among his most well known works are his first two books: A Safe Place: The True Story of a Father, a Son, A Murder; and Sleepers. A Safe Place contains Carcaterra's trademark pitiless portrayal of violence and drama, describing his relationship with his abusive, yet affectionate father. In his memoir, Sleepers, he relives the tough life of an adolescent in New York's Hell's Kitchen and the harrowing, brutal experience of being sent to a juvenile detention center. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called it "A gut-wrenching piece of work… Carcaterra's graphic narrative grips like gunfire in a dark alley."

One of his recent novels, Street Boys, is a unique narrative set during the German takeover of Italy in 1943, inspired by the true story of a World War II battle. It tells the tale of children, orphaned and alone in Naples, Italy, who take on the advancing German army in one last desperate attempt to save their city.

In 1996, Carcaterra produced the feature film adaptation of Sleepers. He has since worked on other screenplays with film director Barry Levinson, including "Dreamer," a profile on the singer Bobby Darin. He has also worked on a number of TV pilots for various networks.