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The Plight of the Homeless

Busted Flat follows a veteran of the Afghanistan wars with PTSD who takes in a homeless, orphaned teenager, and together, they travel the U.S., surviving by stealth and theft. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I’m not sure if there was a specific inspiration – a specific flashpoint that ignited the story. I’ll see or hear something that stays in my head and rolls around until my subconscious molds it into shape and sends it up to me to consider as a possibility. For some time, I have been thinking about how this sort of potentially violent, lawless underclass is more proof of the decline of American society thanks to unfettered capitalism. I’d written one or two of the chapter flash stories as standalone work and they were published and so I had the idea to write a novella told in flash fiction.

What was your inspiration for the characters and their relationship?

Once I was sold on the idea of a flash fiction novella structure, I liked the growing contrast between the two – Hap and Shiner. They come from different worlds and are different generations, but there is a crossroads where they come together as fellow lost travelers at the margins of society.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

The plight of the homeless stands out. In this case, they are willfully homeless. I made Shiner a veteran because I wanted to explore the life of someone summoned to war and then left damaged on his own. America gives lip service to veterans – “Thanks for your service.” – but largely turns a blind eye once they are back.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

Earlier in 2024, my novella Donovan’s Revolution came out. It’s set during the 1980s revolution in Haiti. In January my novella Night Hawks will be released. It’s the story of how four people’s paths in a small town keep crossing and their lives become intertwined.

I just finished writing a new novel, I Just Don’t Get Karaoke, and another novella, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. I’m shopping them to publishers.

And I recently reached a milestone – 50 published short stories.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Amazon

Busted Flat is gritty coming of age story of Hap, a homeless orphaned teenaged boy picked up by Shiner, a veteran of the Afghanistan wars. Together they travel the U.S. surviving by stealth and theft. Masterfully told by the boy Hap, the boy’s experience with Shiner gradually leads to a dawning realization that the man who “saved” him from the streets, who sees that he is fed and has a place to sleep, is deeply troubled. PTSD makes Shiner’s behavior erratic and sometimes violent. Where will their relationship lead? Is the boy safe? What other option does Hap have? Told with humor and empathy, this cautionary tale reveals the impoverished dark side of the American Dream. Short flash fiction chapters lead the reader through this novella and paint a frightening picture of how many young runaways and homeless veterans try to survive in today’s America. Hap’s voice is heartbreakingly authentic, giving readers insight to how teen runaways experience life in the U.S.A.

Posted in Interviews

Busted Flat

Nov 29

Posted by Literary Titan

Busted Flat follows the harrowing journey of Hap, an orphaned teenager with no home or family, and Shriner, a troubled Afghanistan war veteran. Together, they traverse the United States, surviving through petty crime and theft, their lives steeped in chaos and uncertainty. Shriner, haunted by the scars of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, spirals into deeper turmoil, dragging Hap into an endless cycle of desperation and danger.

This is not just a story of survival but one of profound struggle. Busted Flat vividly portrays the bleak realities faced by Hap and Shriner, shedding light on homelessness, mental health, and the heavy toll of life on the fringes of society. The story’s raw intensity resonated deeply with me, particularly as someone familiar with the immense challenges of homelessness. The psychological burden, the loss of direction, and the constant fight to persevere felt strikingly authentic.

Hap’s character stood out as the emotional anchor of the story. His innocence and vulnerability were palpable, a stark contrast to the hardened circumstances he endures. His naivety and lack of purpose manifested through his descent into cellphone theft paint a poignant picture of the struggles faced by runaway, orphaned teens. Hap’s portrayal is not just genuine but heart-wrenching, offering an unflinching look at the emotional scars of abandonment and aimlessness.

Gray’s storytelling excels in capturing the bleakness of homelessness in America. The characters are painted with depth and nuance, making their pain and hardships achingly real. The depiction of Shriner’s PTSD adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. It showcases how trauma compounds the already immense challenges of survival.

For readers seeking an intense and thought-provoking crime thriller, Busted Flat delivers. It is a gripping, page-turning exploration of broken lives, raw emotions, and the relentless fight for survival. Highly recommended for those who crave a story that is as heart-pounding as it is deeply moving.

Pages: 92 | ASIN : B0DG9Z879R