Why did I decide to create this project? 

Mecca is the second installment and prequel to the first of a four-film anthology called The Parables (theparables.net), which takes its viewers on a mind-binding journey through time, genre, and the human spirit. A drama set in New York City soon after 9/11, Mecca gave me the opportunity to showcase humankind’s capacity for suffering, perseverance, catharsis and ultimately serenity in the face of an incredible odds.

How much of my soul is in this project? 

I lived in New York shortly after 9/11, lived in the same neighborhoods, felt the same emotions and faced many of the same challenges as the protagonist in this story, so a great deal of me is found in these pages.

Who do I wish to share this project with? 

I share this story first with the irreplaceable people of New York, who I don’t believe have had a proper story given to them illustrating how they stood back up after that terrible day in September. Next, I share it with anyone who dared to start a dream, only to have it come crashing down, and refused to accept that outcome, having the courage to say to themselves: “get up.”

To whom do I dedicate this project? 

Always first and foremost to my father, without whom none of these stories would be possible; to every person with the audacity to never give up; and to the beautiful men and women of New York City.