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Inside Their Restricted Worlds
Night Hawks follows the lives of small-town drifters, dreamers, and the disillusioned who are all looking for something more, be that a fresh start, an escape, or just some understanding. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came to me from Edward Hopper’s famous 1942 painting Nighthawks. I always admired that painting and how it reveals a late-night café frequented by lonely souls. That’s what I always saw in it, anyway. The painting sparked an idea for a first chapter titled “The Last Train to Chicago,” which as a story, won a fiction contest award from The Vincent Brothers Review.
That first chapter ended with Hank appearing to lose his longtime server, Lois, and so I decided to write another chapter exploring where Lois went and what happened and once I felt it was becoming a book, I needed a couple more good characters to drop into the fishbowl already inhabited by Hank and Lois, and I put the four of them on constant collision courses.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
I don’t think so. Both Hank and Tyler are military veterans and I’m not. I don’t believe any of the four main characters are based on anyone I know now or from the past. For each of the four characters, I first established their names, and from the names I got a starting point for building them into people. I worked, too, off their occupations: Hank as a diner owner and cook, Lois as a veteran server, Clara as a young server still living at home, and Tyler, a jittery veteran just home from Afghanistan.
So, when I started putting flesh on each one, I began with knowing their name and job and my imagination assembled them, and then with each new chapter, I learned more about them and how they would react. For me, writing is a daily process of discovery like it is for readers. I don’t do character arcs before I start writing. I want the daily surprise that comes day as I know the characters better and hear their voice and understand their desires and conflicts.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Family is perhaps the most important – and obvious – theme in Night Hawks. But not the usual concept of family. The four people in the book whose paths and lives are so intertwined, don’t really have traditional families anymore and so their journeys require them to bond and become their own little family. There are lots of people whose lives have become small and desperate, and they look to the people inside their restricted worlds to be family members.
Perhaps enduring and persevering are themes, too. Hank, Lois, Tyler, and Clara must all maintain hope for something better. They don’t have a lot to work with but must keep fighting to have satisfactory lives.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I am nearly done writing the draft of a novel titled The Gatsby Lover. It has a connection to The Great Gatsby, but I’ll keep that close to the vest for now. After I let it sit a few days and then make revisions, it goes over to my longtime personal editor, Carol Burbank, for her always useful reactions. Fingers crossed it finds a good publisher!
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Hank Spencer knows what goes on in his diner. He knows which days are best for business and whether the Blue Plate special is selling, and he makes note of the customers who come to drink and make small talk with his servers.
Lois is a hardworking waitress pushing fifty who hasn’t forgotten her big city dreams. When opportunity presents itself, she boards the train for Chicago, despite the risks and her boss’s attempts to warn her.
Working all the double shifts in the world won’t take care of Clara’s problem. She’s young, single, and knocked up. She feels trapped—at the diner, living with her god-fearing parents, and in the gossipy town full of watchful eyes.
Tyler is adjusting to civilian life after a stint in the army. At Hank’s Diner, he finds camaraderie and comfort, and sometimes, he can drown out visions of war over a plate of potatoes and meatloaf, and several, ice-cold beers.
These lonely souls converge under the fluorescent glow of the eatery, late at night and during long days, as the train speeds through, blaring its horn and signaling an alternate path. NIGHT HAWKS is a tender novella with a touch of noir about finding family in unlikely places, living through losses, and the connections that keep us showing up for another shift.
Night Hawks
Michael Loyd Gray’s Night Hawks is a gritty, heartfelt novella that weaves together the lives of small-town drifters, dreamers, and the disillusioned. Told through interlinked short stories, the book captures the quiet struggles of characters who are yearning for something more—a fresh start, an escape, or just a little understanding. From the weary cook Hank Spencer to the hopeful but battered Lois, and the haunted veteran Tyler, each chapter peels back another layer of the town’s people, their regrets, and the fragile hope that still lingers in them.
What struck me most about Gray’s writing is its stark simplicity. He doesn’t waste words. Every line feels intentional, every conversation rings with unspoken truths. Take the scene in The Last Train to Chicago, where Lois and Hundley sit in a small-town diner, the weight of their decisions hanging between them like cigarette smoke. You can almost hear the loneliness in the clink of coffee cups and the hum of a jukebox playing old country songs. The writing doesn’t spell things out, it lets the silence do the talking. And that’s the kind of storytelling that hits me hard.
The book’s emotional depth really comes through in Objects in Mirror, where Tyler, a soldier trying to leave Afghanistan behind, takes a construction job demolishing an abandoned building only to realize he’s also tearing down pieces of his own past. Gray does an incredible job of showing the slow, painful process of healing without dramatizing it. The imagery here is unforgettable: the dust rising from broken bricks, the sweat, the ache in Tyler’s arms are all mirroring his internal battle.
Lois’s story arc was the most gripping for me. She leaves town with high hopes, chasing a better life in Chicago, only to be let down in the worst way. Her return in Wrong Turn is almost too painful to watch. When she knocks on Hank’s door, ashamed and exhausted, you feel the weight of every bad decision she’s ever made. But it’s Hank’s quiet understanding that makes this scene so powerful. He doesn’t lecture her. He doesn’t judge. He just lets her in. And sometimes, that’s all someone needs. While the book’s strength lies in its subdued, character-driven storytelling, there are instances, like in The Off Ramp to Nowhere, where I think the internal monologues could be tightened to maintain narrative momentum.
Gray doesn’t offer easy answers, and that’s what makes Night Hawks so compelling. It’s a book about real people making real mistakes, but it also offers moments of grace and redemption. The prose is unpretentious but deeply evocative, making it a perfect read for those who appreciate character-driven stories with a raw, honest edge. If you liked Kent Haruf’s Plainsong or Raymond Carver’s short stories, this one will stick with you.
Pages: 111 | ASIN : B0DKVGTZ21
An Exotic Revolution
Donovan’s Revolution follows a former seminary student turned itinerant Catholic worker who is sent to Haiti by the Vatican, and he winds up entrenched in the revolution there. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Most of my writing is set somewhere in America. Usually the Midwest. Although I was born in the South – Arkansas — I grew up in Illinois and now live in Michigan. I ran across something about the Haitian Revolution of the 1980s and it intrigued me. It was an opportunity to do something different and soon I began to imagine a character – Donovan – and what his conflicts might be as an outsider to Haiti, and the story took off. Donovan and Gilles come from very different backgrounds and yet they slowly establish a friendship based on mutual friendship and humor.
What starts out as another assignment from the Vatican for Donovan turns into a life-altering experience. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I liked the idea of someone like Donovan, who had decided priesthood wasn’t for him, to nonetheless be thrust into an exotic revolution as a reluctant representative of the Vatican. It sets him up to either stay mired in uncertainty or to grow and find himself. Pairing Gilles with Donovan enables Gilles to re-discover humor and hope for people. The unlikely pairing, which at first is manipulative by Gilles, becomes a true friendship.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I don’t start writing with themes in mind – not consciously in mind, that is. My subconscious likely works on that. At first, I likely have just a character and an awareness of that person’s conflict, and a setting. But that’s enough for me to get going and to learn the story as it unfolds. Like with readers, it’s a journey of discovery for me, too. So, I wasn’t trying to impose a theme like faith/religion, for example. Making Donovan an employee of the Vatican was useful in putting him into action with the cynical, world-weary Gilles.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My novella Busted Flat, winner of a Literary Titan Gold Award, came out in early November 2024 from Blue Cedar Press. Forthcoming for February 2025 from Type Eighteen Books – Night Hawks, a novella. I’ve lately been writing new stories and completed a collection, The Space Between Now and Then, and I’m looking for a publisher. I also recently completed a novel, I Just Don’t Get Karaoke, and two novellas, The King of Kalamazoo and Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Are you listening, publishers?
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Written by award-winning author, Michael Loyd Gray, this special book about male bonding in the unlikeliest of circumstances will both entertain and intrigue readers.
Donovan’s Revolution
Michael Loyd Gray’s Donovan’s Revolution is a captivating work of historical fiction that plunges readers into the heart of Haiti during the turbulent Duvalier regime. The novel chronicles Donovan, a former seminary student turned itinerant Catholic worker, as he navigates the political and social unrest that defines this era. Immersed in the vibrant yet volatile life of Haiti, Donovan finds himself entwined in the people’s uprising against the infamous Baby Doc Duvalier.
Gray’s prose seamlessly intertwines vivid imagery of Haiti’s lush landscapes and vibrant culture with the raw emotional intensity of its political struggles. The contrast between the country’s breathtaking beauty and its stark poverty and violence reflects Donovan’s own internal conflicts, creating a narrative as rich in depth as it is in detail. Through Gray’s masterful storytelling, readers are transported into the heart of the revolution, experiencing the turmoil and uncertainty that define both the characters’ lives and the historical moment itself. At its core, Donovan’s Revolution is a story of self-discovery and transformation. Donovan confronts his doubts and searches for faith, identity, and purpose. Along the way, he forges meaningful connections: with Gilles, a mysterious guide to the rebels; Michel, the resolute leader of the resistance; and Emmanuella, who helps Donovan explore his gentler, more vulnerable side. Most compelling, however, is the sense of hope Gray imbues throughout the narrative, a hope that fuels the Haitian people’s unwavering fight against oppression. The novel is an emotional journey, blending despair and inspiration. Gray does not shy away from the harrowing realities of violence and suffering. Yet, he balances these darker moments with the resilience and courage of ordinary individuals rising to reclaim their futures. The life-threatening challenges and existential dilemmas faced by the characters linger in the reader’s mind long after the final page.
I recommend Donovan’s Revolution to historical fiction enthusiasts who will appreciate the novel’s insightful portrayal of Haiti’s modern history, an often overlooked subject. Political observers may draw parallels between the Duvalier regime and Haiti’s ongoing struggles, while those who enjoy thought-provoking stories will find much to reflect on. Themes of faith, hope, friendship, and identity ensure this gripping tale will captivate readers from start to finish.
Pages: 163 | ASIN : B0D9L6PB4L
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
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
LITERARY TITAN 