After several years of ideas and putting pen to paper, Carolyn Burros completed her first book "A City Hidden."

Burros says the fictional book is about how gangs entice children to join their groups.

She developed the idea while earning her Master's in Counseling Psychology.

"I was always interested in working with gangs, and I did a lot of research on them while I was working on my degree," said Burros.

As a first-time author, we asked Burros about the experience, and she said "there were days where I would be driving down the road, and I would pull over so to write down an idea."

Burros decided to take the non-traditional approach to having her book published, and took it straight to Amazon.com where the book was digitized and made available for the popular Kindle e-reader.

"When I logged in and saw that my first copy sold, I was ecstatic," said Burros.

"A City Hidden" costs just $9.99 and is available by clicking here.

Book Description:

It is a parent’s worst nightmare when a young son goes missing in the night, only to become entrapped in an enticing world that offers a false sense of belonging and family. A City Hidden tells the story of a just-turned 13-year-old slipping from his bedroom window to escape an abusive step-father’s tyranny. Bo’s journey takes him to the inner city for a trip down memory lane that leads him to the city’s focal point, a huge suspension bridge.

"His dad had always told him that they didn’t have time to go across the bridge, and Bo couldn’t wait to finally see what was on the other side.”

His first trip alone in the city takes an unexpected twist that tumbles him into a chaotic world of cruelty, surprising friendships, and his first love. Bo endures a fearful night and day alone in one of Riverview’s roughest neighborhoods. In a garbage-filled alleyway, his fear turns to exhaustion as he weighs his options of returning to a broken home and trying to find new one.

"Within moments, Bo was startled by a noise that originated mere inches from where he sat. He opened his eyes to see a huge shadow fall over him. He sprang to his feet and drew his hands up in fists.”

Bo experiences violence, drugs, and bad alliances as he tries to find a place to belong with his new friend inside a local gang.

"Look, you better come with me. You ain’t gonna be safe here. This is a bad hood, and it’s gettin’ really late.” Runner smiled.

Bo ran after him. Anything would be better than being alone in the city at night again.

New friendships and tragedies compromise his ethics, and before he realizes it, it’s too late to go back home. He quickly learns that the world is not limited to just what he had always known.

"Times are hard in the hood. The little one needs to understand that. Most of us are just tryin’ to survive, like a lion does…survival of the fittest.”

As Bo struggles into a new life, his mother, Jillian, fights to hold onto hope, as she realizes that it was her choices that pushed Bo away. She relentlessly strives to find her son, including her perilous journey into the inner city.

"If there are such things as Angels, please let them protect Bo. He is in such a bad place.”

This candid account of violence and drugs illuminates the growing epidemic facing the American Family Value System today. Bo’s story will draw you into a harsh reality of an ever increasing temptation for youth today.