A mixed martial artist has one last fight. To make things right. He just wants to train. Hop an NJ Transit train. Do some work in Newark. Rep his fight team and his fans across the nation. Outlast that international sensation. Hopefully raise a victorious glove. Maybe get back with his love.

But he's feelin the heat. On Jersey's streets. They docked his dock job. He owes a favor to The Frog. And his teen son T's bein bullied. His plan's all gettin sullied. Not to mention dealing with issues of class. Race. The mirror's reflecting face. It's like there's no escapin '08. But wait. Let the haters hate. Franco's goin for great.

Fightin straight outta Woodbridge. Aka Hoodbridge. The Wood. The Hood. By any name, a town. Too small to be a city. Too broke to be a burb. Too rough to be rural. Just a tough little Turnpike town. Older than America yet representative of today's America. Connecting north to south. Red to blue. Old to new. Either a perfect alchemy. Or an insane stew. In March of '08 it was looking like the latter. One that would swallow up Franco and T both. All in a novel written lyrical. Nah not a miracle. Just Made in the USA. Like jazz. Stand-up. And MMA.

LP Novel: (n.) A novel that is written lyrical. At times. In its usage of wordplay. And rhymes.