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Peace, Love, and Spiritual Revolution
Trippy Hippy follows a young man in 1967, the Summer of Love, who moves to San Francisco and goes on a journey of self-discovery. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The so-called “Summer of Love” was an especially vibrant period in San Francisco instigated by drugs and rock music. It brought young people from all over the country to descend upon San Francisco along with ideals of peace, love, and spiritual evolution. It was a particularly exciting period to use as a setting for my novel.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
The character Arnie/Gator was based on my own transition from bookkeeper to full-on participant in the lifestyle of the times, but once that transition is made the events that Gator participates in are wholly from my imagination.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The themes that I think were important are embodied by the slogan “Make Love; Not War.” The use of drugs to attain enlightenment plays a huge role in the book as well as the daily life and interactions of the characters. The idea of “free love” is introduced early in the story when Nola gives Gator a welcome to the Ashram blow job with no accompanying drama. Gator’s love and loss of Eddy brings out the pain that comes with living on the edge. Music, too, plays an important part in the lives of the characters as Gator and Wabash form a band to not only make money but to express their ideals.
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it?
I’ve written the first draft of a historical novel about two boys growing up in pre-civil war West Virginia. I’m not sure when I’ll go back to it. Right now I’m working on a sort of wild boys story set in the early 1950s in Houston where I was raised. It’s called The Road to Hell, and it’s both humorous and potentially tragic as the young gang members pull off pranks that become increasingly serious in nature. I’m also considering writing a second draft of a story I wrote years ago about a drive through Mexico in an old car with a hole in the radiator called A Hundred Years of Cilantro.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Trippy Hippy peels back the facade of Adler’s Ashram to expose the daily lives of its occupants. Wabash Jones, musician and future rock star, Nola and Victor Granola, apartment managers and social magnets, Jeepster Joe, adventurer, and teen boy seducer, and Gracie Fontana, Wabash’s doll-like sweetheart. This acid-splashed tell-all by Gator lays bare the hippy lifestyle during that remarkable year known as The Summer of Love.
Trippy Hippy
Trippy Hippy by Sebastian presents an engaging narrative of self-discovery and romance, adeptly encapsulating a pivotal epoch of sociopolitical revolution. The novel centers on Arnie, affectionately known as ‘Gator,’ a young gay man immersing himself in the blooming hippie culture in San Francisco.
The story underscores the transformative power of a fresh environment, allowing Gator to shed his inhibitions and foster enduring relationships while simultaneously grappling with the dizzying pace of global change. Amid this seismic shift, Gator explores Adler’s Ashram, a vibrant community teeming with strangers who morph into friends, lovers, and back to strangers, capturing the ebb and flow of interpersonal dynamics within this radical movement.
Sebastian’s portrayal of Gator’s psychedelic experiences is refreshing, unveiling a unique narrative texture that rarely sees the light in conventional storytelling. The author dives into the exploration of psychedelic substances without reservations, presenting them not as vices but tools for gaining alternative life perspectives as perceived by Gator. Nevertheless, Sebastian wisely leaves room for readers to form their own judgment on these controversial elements.
What sets this novel apart is its central character’s confident navigation of the world as a gay man. Gator’s unabashed self-acceptance and bold embrace of his sexuality provide a refreshing divergence from the often-portrayed narrative of shame associated with homosexuality. His journey towards self and communal discovery in a rapidly changing world is heartwarming.
Sebastian’s Trippy Hippy offers a detailed and immersive narrative that will undoubtedly resonate with readers who appreciate narratives about self-discovery, the exploration of sexuality, historical periods of the cultural revolution, and the transformative power of intimate relationships. Its poignant portrayal of personal growth amidst significant social upheaval makes it a standout novel for readers interested in LGBTQ+ themes, the hippie movement, historical fiction, romance, and coming-of-age stories.
Pages: 192 | ASIN : B0C94ZJ6WM
LITERARY TITAN 