A gifted fiction writer can make the horrors of real life as riveting as any imaginary tale. That's what R. Barri Flowers does in his latest book, Street Kids: The Lives of Runaway and Thrownaway Teens.
In this volume Flowers explores a complex, persistent and often overlooked problem in America: street kids, most of whom are runaways or unwanted children forced to leave home. With a clear and unflinching eye, Flowers examines all the factors that lead to this epidemic of childhood homelessness: neglect, sexual and physical abuse, drug use and much more.
Flowers is eminently qualified to investigate this issue. He is the award-winning author of several crime novels, including State's Evidence, and Justice Served. He has also written a number of nonfiction books with titles like College Crimes and Murder in the United States. In fact, he says he was inspired to write Street Kids by all he learned on earlier books about runaways such as Runaway Kids and Teenage Prostitution and The Prostitution of Women and Girls.
"I have long been interested in child abuse and child sexual exploitation and shedding light on these issues," Flowers says. "Most children who run away or have been thrown away from home have been victims of some combination of child abuse, neglect, child sexual abuse, or gender identity issues. These are key factors in leaving home."
And as Flowers points out, those who end up on the streets typically face further victimization in the form of sexual exploitation by pimps, johns and gang members. They get exposed to violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and all the other hazards of street life. Many of these youths fall between the cracks, invisible to the public. In this book, Flowers tries to call attention to their problems.
Flowers holds a Master's degree in Criminal Justice and has had many nonfiction law, criminology, sociology, and true crime books published. As a criminologist he says he is proud to lend his voice to the study of crime and criminals. And yet, he says he finds writing fiction to be quite rewarding too.
"I enjoy the creativity fiction entails, along with the process of telling a tale with three-dimensional characters and an intricate plot that is heart pounding with a satisfying conclusion," Flowers says. "Fiction requires a totally different mindset than nonfiction. This notwithstanding, my background in criminology has been instrumental in writing my thrillers. Understanding what makes a killer tick and how authorities go about tracking him down gives my thrillers verisimilitude."
One difference between writing a fictional thriller and staring real life in the face is that an author can't help but be affected by the true horrors he has to face. Flowers admits that it is always difficult to write about dark subjects that deal with real people in situations that are often forced on them.
"I have young adult nieces and nephews who could well have ended up on the streets and sexually exploited or otherwise victimized had their circumstances at home been different," Flowers says. "As such, I feel for runaway and thrownaway youth who find themselves turning to survival sex, prostitution, and other forms of criminality just to make ends meet or because of being under the control of some pimp, pornographer, john, drug dealer, or gang member."
Having written many books covering child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, prostitution, serial killers, and theories on crime, Flowers looks at these subjects as a professional, much like those in law enforcement or the medical profession. He feels it is his job to write about these issues and give readers a straightforward exploration of the subject matter and hopes it gives them something to think about and learn from.
Far from being totally pessimistic, Street Kids also explores possible solutions to the problems faced by these vulnerable youth, including the laws aimed at abusive parents and sexual exploiters, law enforcement crackdowns on juvenile prostitution and child pornography, and national hotlines and programs for getting runaways and thrownaways off the streets and out of harm's way. And he says we can take action as individuals too.
"What most people can do to help is to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect as well as teenage prostitution or child pornography. Work in your community to keep pimps and pornographers from setting up shop there, and support such organizations as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and UNICEF."
Flowers hopes that readers of his newest book will recognize that beyond the normal life most children have - growing up with loving parents in a stable household, school life, coming of age, and such, there's another segment of adolescents who have been robbed of their childhood, living on the streets and thrust into a world of sexual exploitation, substance abuse and violence.
"Putting the spotlight on these youths could lead to more compassion and help in giving them a chance before it is too late,." Flowers contends.
This is a worthy goal for a multi-talented author, and reason enough to pick up a copy of Street Kids: The Lives of Runaway and Thrownaway Teens.
Austin S. Camacho has written a series about private detective Hannibal Jones and a series of adventure novels featuring mercenary Morgan Stark and jewel thief Felicity O'Brien. To pay the mortgage he answers media queries for the Defense Department. Camacho lives in Springfield, Virginia with his lovely wife Denise and Princess the Wonder Cat.
