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Solitary
to Sanctuary
Elliot
Torres’ Five-Year Odyssey.
—Interview by George Bouldin Gates
 I’M
IN CHELSEA having drinks and dinner with Puerto Rican
author Elliot Torres at Cuba Libre. Not too crowded. Atmosphere
and vibe are aesthetic with colors, pictures and paintings
depicting traditional Cuba and Cuban advertisements. Vintage
music flowing sweet like the Caipirinas Elliot ordered
us to drink. And I have the pleasure of sitting across
from the boy next door. But not just any boy next door.
He’s a star in thugged-out sheep’s clothing,
and Madonna has a signed copy of his book.
After
five years of solitude, I wonder what a handsome, educated
man like Elliot wants to eat, drink, and shoot the shit
about. This is his first real interview since the release
of his self-published smash “Five Years of Solitary.”
He’s been confined far too long. Elliot’s even
got some knowledge he wants to drop on the willing and
ready about how much he’s learned about life and
himself, and how much he’s loved and loved for real,
honestly.
Over
Caipirinas and appetizers (camarones with tamal en cazuela,
and blue cornmeal fried oysters with smokey collards and
salsa enchilada) I get to know the man who’s grown
into the light and reality that has been a five-year odyssey.
What
inspired Five Years of Solitary? Actually I wasn’t
planning on writing a book. When I was writing the poetry
it was basically just a form of me venting as I was going
through experiences. I’ve always been a loner I was
using my writing as a form of venting; sort of like therapy.
When friends weren’t always there I used pen and
paper to get what was inside out. When it was all said
and done I decided to make it a book.
How
did you choose the title? Most of my poetry is about
self-exploration and feeling lonely. It covered a period
of five years and it fit well with the material and how
it all came together.
So
what does Solitary feel like? Lonely, dark, helpless,
painful.
And
you went through that for five years? Over a period
of five years, at different times, and depending on whom
I was dating at the time. (Chuckles) And what experiences
I was going through.
What
were you like before FYoS? Naïve, extremely self
absorbed. And I was naïve in that I was a hopeless
romantic thinking I was going to move here, NYC, at 17
from Illinois (where I was born and raised); have a boyfriend,
and that everything would fall into place. I was selfish
too and very hard to be around. I wasn’t open to
friendships because I didn’t trust a lot of people.
Who
do you feel you have become? Someone who looks at
things much more realistically. I see myself as always
learning and evolving. Since the book I’ve become
wiser, driven, focused. During those five years I saw
myself as too involved in getting a boyfriend, and too
much into my personal and love life.
What
are your favorites in Five? “I’m Sorry,”
“Just Another Piece,” and “Haters in Disguise.”
What
has been the response you’ve gotten so far? A
lot of people have said they can relate to the book. I’m
happy that they get it. That they don’t judge me
because of what the book describes, but that they’re
able to relate to it and say I’ve been through that,
too. I’ve gotten that across the board. People say,
“That’s happened to me and I’m so happy
you’ve had the courage to say those things.”
When I was writing people were like, “You’re
going to actually share that?” and I’m like,
“Yeah, why not?” A lot of us choose to hide
our weaknesses out of embarrassment or for whatever reason.
How
involved have you been in the publishing and promoting
of your book? I’m doing everything, even the
promoting. I enjoy it but it’s a lot of work.
You’ve
starting writing a second book… Yes
What
kinds of transitions does Elliot expect to experience
between now and the next book? Actually it’s
been a huge transition. The second book is a continuation,
picking up where FYoS left off. I think I learned much
more after FYoS than during. Back then I was going through
a cycle and venting, not looking back at what I learned.
After the book I was able to sit back, process, and apply
what I’d learned to friendships and relationships.
At
some point you started also penning your own rap lyrics.
I got into rapping in ’98. I created a persona and
started writing rap lyrics because it was an angry time
for me. I was tired of the guys I was dealing with, and
dating wasn’t working out. I just wanted to say what
I felt so it took the form of rap. It will be appearing
in the second book. I stopped writing it because the person
I was dating at the time didn’t really care for it
(too graphic and sexual), so I stopped and sacrificed
my creativity. But I wouldn’t do that again.
You’ve
also done writing for a dot com company. I was a Hip
Hop Correspondent for loquesea.com. I wrote music and
movie reviews. I interviewed artists like Angie Martinez,
Puerto Rock, Cubanlink, and The Beatnuts. The column was
doing very well, but eventually like a lot of other dot
com companies, they went under.
If
you weren’t writing what would be your creative outlet?
Acting would be cool. I would try anything that would
allow me to express myself creatively.
Can
we get a little teaser about your next book? Stylistically
it’s going to have more of a variety than the first
one. It will be on topics of love and sex, and show that
I was in a two year relationship. It will illustrate the
aftermath of that relationship, how I dealt with it, and
where I am today.
What
is something you will not tolerate from a guy? I can’t
tolerate guys who think so highly of themselves but have
nothing going for them, who have no drive or ambition,
who are unemployed by choice (laughs), who don’t
want to progress, who sit on their asses smoking weed
all day, or who are standing on the corner hanging out
and that’s the extent of their day. I won’t
tolerate that.
Have
you ever been in love? Yes, twice. But only one true
love.
What
did you learn about yourself from those experiences? At
the time I was writing the book I thought I was in love
but it wasn’t. But with my one true love I learned
that I wasn’t fully prepared for it. I’ve realized
that life is sometimes much more real than we like it
to be, and that the most important thing is self love.
What’s
sexy to you? Ummm…wow (laughs). (Elliot is
momentarily saved by the arrival of our entrees: yuca-crusted
salmon with lobster-boniato mash, and ancho-rubbed pork
tenderloin with sweet plantain mash and black bean sauce.)
Sexy is a guy who is ambitious, confident, driven.
A guy who’s a dreamer and believes that everything
and anything is possible, and yet is down to earth. He
most likely won’t be found in New York. (We laugh)
Also someone who’s intelligent and can carry
a conversation. It’s a total package.
 On
a guy: Boxers or briefs, and why? Boxers because they’re
sexier and loose.
I
want to ask you now about some of your favorite things:
Music Artist: Madonna
Artist: Frida Kahlo
Movie: Frida
Food: Paella
Cologne on a guy: Armani Mania
Drink: Caipirinas
Pet(s): Scorpions, pythons and my 2 African Lovebirds
Cartoon: Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones
Gadget/Toy: My Mac
Book: Tuesdays With Morrie
Tattoos: 7
Who
do you admire or who inspires you the most? My mother
because of whom she is, selfless, giving of herself to
the community. She’s very simple, very well liked,
a strong woman.
Who
inspires you the most? My father inspires me because
of everything he’s taught me in the business sense.
Who
do you want to become? I want to become someone who
is involved in every aspect of the media. I’ve always
had these dreams of achieving and moving towards that.
As a person I want to be someone where little things don’t
matter to them, that only the important things count.
What’s
a common misconception about you? Depending on who
you ask…that I’m not friendly, that I sleep
around, that I’m very rude and a cold person. The
people that actually know me know that I have a very good
heart and that I’m a great, dependable friend.
Most
romantic gesture you’ve done for someone? I gave
my ex a large, old-fashioned key with the words My Heart
engraved on it.
We’re
interrupted by staff singing happy birthday to a patron.
If
you were on one of the survivor shows how long would you
last? Long enough to get endorsements. (We get
a good laugh out of that one.)
What
would be five necessities for being in solitary? (Not
in any particular order) Notebook, pen, family photos,
dog, and a guy.
Words
you live by? Anything is possible. No one can tell
me otherwise.
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