Flew Too High A gay drug smuggler's transcendent odyssey in the heyday of Studio 54

A southern gay college boy sets out for the Big Apple where a demonic Svengali lures the naïve student into the razor-wire underworld of international drug smuggling. Upon his arrival in Bombay, Louie—now rechristened Eli—detours to the mystical ashram of guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Netflix's "Wild, Wild Country") and explores new possibilities. With a flawed moral compass, he's trapped in purgatory: Is it too late to walk away, or is he fated to follow in the nefarious footsteps of his father, Nick the Greek? Woven throughout this epic true story is a proud heritage dating back to ancient Sparta, the struggle between a pious mother and rebel father, and the battle that rages on in the soul of their only son. Think Augusten Burroughs' DRY meets THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller.

Dropping out of art school, Louie Mandrapilias moved to New York City to pursue a brief career in drug smuggling, followed by a journey into the art of woodworking in a Midtown Manhattan loft. He returned to the University of Houston to complete his B.A. in Graphic Design.

Louie has spent the past forty years in the world of media —including LGBTQ+ publishing pioneers The Advocate and Out magazines—and designing for luxury brands Fortuny Fabrics and Agraria Home Fragrances.

An imaginary conversation with his father resulted in his memoir "Flew Too High". Coming full circle, Louie recently completed a full renovation of a historic Brooklyn brownstone. He lives a blessed life in the City of Angels.