William Alton

A literary novel for young adults that deals with a despairing teen uncertain about his sexual preferences who turns to drugs, alcohol, and unreliable friends for solace Told in a series of images and fragments, Flesh and Bone is a raw and real portrayal of a teen struggling to find love in his life. When Bill’s father leaves and he and his mother move far away to live with her parents, his whole world implodes. His grandparents are cold and distant, his mom is distant both physically and emotionally as she deals with her own struggles, and his dad is just gone. Bill explores his sexuality with multiple partners as he searches for love and compassion and turns to drugs and alcohol to dull the pain of loneliness. Flesh and Bone is a powerful tale that sheds light on the dark places of the soul.

Flesh and Bone

After his father's suicide, fourteen-year-old Happy O'Neill struggles with addiction and an inclination for self-harm. His mother, working several jobs, struggling with single parenthood, and at a loss as to how she can reach Happy, commits her son to a high security psych ward. Despite the rigidity of the ward, and the vigilant oversight of its staff, Happy becomes embroiled in a romantic triangle that will change everything. Told in small chapters of spare language, The Tragedy of Being Happy explores the depths of mental illness and adolescence, and the divide between those who live with it and those who exist "on the other side." The poetic pacing feeds into the sense of a separation, the struggle to overcome it, and poignantly demonstrates that the human need for connection transcends illness.

The Tragedy of Being Happy

Bill's life is turned upside down when his dad leaves and his mom moves them to her parent's home, where he turns to drugs, alcohol, and exploration of his sexuality to combat his loneliness.

William Alton

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