The gunshots don't worry thirteen-year-old Power-Up much-after all, gunfire isn't unusual in his Baton Rouge neighborhood. Besides, he has bigger concerns.
With the loss of his mother's job, he has to do something to help-even if it means hustling. When a dying drug dealer stumbles into view, Power-Up gets the chance he needs: a ziplock bag full of crack.
Teaming up with Boo, an older friend from a hustling family, Power-Up discovers the seductive nature of the game and becomes as hooked on cash as any drug addict.
He and Boo quickly make names for themselves on the streets.
When an armed robbery goes south, Power-Up lands in jail, a sixteen-year-old boy charged as an adult. Ten years later he's back on the street, hustling even harder, only with new friends. His return doesn't sit well with old allies, however. A confrontation is looming in Power-Up's future-one that could quickly turn deadly.
A taut, fast-paced thriller, Gutta Boyz explores the destiny of a young man who believes he has only one option to survive and a world that offers him few, if any, alternatives.
About the Author: Bryan K. Johnson is a native of Plaquemine, Louisiana, who grew up in Baton Rouge. He has three brothers: Eric (a.k.a. "Baby face") Darryl, and Robert. At the tender age of eight in 1997 Johnson's sister, Darrilyn, was killed in an accident. Johnson was raised by his mother, Terry, and grandmother Carrie Mae "Bernard" Johnson.
Johnson has been incarcerated since the age of sixteen. He did not complete high school, but while incarcerated he received his GED and trained for various trades. Johnson has written five book manuscripts and two plays.
With his release date slowly approaching, Johnson trusts that God will see him home with his family: his mother, Terry; his son, Lil Bryan; his stepdaughters, Ty and Mia; and Shamecko, his devoted fiancé who continues to inspire him.
