Salinas author JS Waters explores local gang life in new fiction work “The Modern Primitives”

This ought to be interesting.
A new novel, “The Modern Primitives,” by Salinas native and CSU Monterey Bay grad JS Waters, is a fictional story of a Salinas man, a young member of a law enforcement family, who goes vigilante after his brother is murdered by gangsters. It will be published by Draeconis, a Seattle based publishing house.
The press release, which is swiped in full after the jump, mentions Steinbeck and gang bangers and Salinas crime statistics, while the author claims to have moved from the city to escape the violence.
All very... interesting.
I don't know what to make of this, but the book will be released as an e-book Aug. 20, followed by a paperback printing in November.
Full press release after the jump.

SALINAS NATIVE BRINGS GANG VIOLENCE TO LIFE IN DEBUT CRIME NOVEL

August 02, 2010, SEATTLE—Draeconis, a Seattle based publishing house, has announced
today that it will release the debut novel The Modern Primitives by JS Waters. The Modern Primitives is the story of a disillusioned heir to a law enforcement dynasty who forms a vigilante group to seek revenge against the gangsters who murdered his brother.
JS Waters brings the gritty street violence of gangs to life in this fictional tale set in Monterey County. The novel will be released on Friday, August 20, 2010 in e-Book format for Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s Ibooks and Barnes & Noble’s Nook at $7.99.
A paperback release date has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 16, 2010 for $13.99.
“J.S. Waters continues the work of Steinbeck to observe with sweeping criticism what has become of Salinas” said Sean Manzano y Labrador, the book’s editor. “—no longer tragedy in the fields, but rather tragedy in the streets. The Modern Primitives describes a new kind of killing field. The irony is not lost. The fertile valley soaks in blood.”
Salinas has been plagued by four decades of gang violence. In 2009 the city saw a record- setting 29 homicides, all gang related, ranked fourth in California below Richmond, Oakland and Inglewood, respectively, with 20.1 homicides per 100,000 residents. In 2008, Salinas held the same position at number four in California for large city homicides despite it’s meager population of 148,000. As of August 1, 2010, Salinas has reached 7 gang related homicides.
“I think the escalation of gang violence in Salinas is a look into the future of small town America.” said JS Waters. “It’s time our attention is drawn from foreign threats and we take a long hard look at the urban terrorists who plague our communities on a daily basis. Americans need to stand together and stamp out this epidemic before it infects us all.”

JS Waters was born and raised in Salinas. Surrounded by three generations of law
enforcement. His Grandfather was Hon. Kenneth H. Blohm, a Monterey County Judge and
Supervisor. His father, Raymond Waters, a former motorcycle patrolman for the Salinas Police Department. JS Waters lived in Salinas until 2007, when he moved away due to the gang violence. He currently lives in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon with his wife and three children.
He is the author of three feature length screenplays, “The Nephilim” (optioned 1998 Lizard Tongue Austin), “Keepers of the Dead” and “The Modern Primitives,” which is now adapted into his debut novel. He has a BA in Teledramatic Arts & Technology from CSU Monterey Bay and has been writing professionally for sixteen years.