My Life. My Blog.

The only thing more shocking than the truth
are the lies people tell to cover it up.

I am a strong believer in owning and embracing everything that has happened to you. Your experiences are you own, and you should be able to mold them into stories and they should belong to you. I think it is a real strength to be able to own something horrible that has happened to you. To go from hiding a shameful secret to being able to say, “hey, this is my truth, I got through it and I’m okay.” I don’t think I’m quite there yet, in terms of declaration, but at the end of the day you are allowed to own the hurt you’ve experienced, you’re allowed to take back what you feel like people have taken away from you. I’ve decided to ensure that I will not let this ruin me.

Welcome to my page.......The Straight T!

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In his debut full-length novel, Stripped, author Erik Austin explores the desperation and depravity that come with survival—especially when searching for love and a little fun. What begins as a simple swipe on a dating app quickly unravels into a nightmare, shattering the illusion of the American Dream. Caught in a modern-day Dickensian tale, he becomes entangled with a group of homeless con-artists who, in their relentless pursuit of drugs and shelter, steal from the wealthy and surrender their spoils to a sinister “Fagin” in exchange for their next fix.

A raw, twisting memoir that reads like fiction, Stripped chronicles Erik’s dramatic fall after escaping rehab, ending up homeless, scavenging food from dumpsters, and spiraling through some of Los Angeles' most dangerous neighborhoods. He’s thrust into a world he never knew existed.

With relentless urgency and unflinching honesty, Austin thrusts readers into the underworld, revealing the harsh choices it demands from those trapped in its grasp. A natural storyteller, Erik recounts his wild journey—from blackmail to a soul-shattering deal with a drug dealer—with suspense, unexpected wit, and harrowing honesty. Candid, shocking, and unforgettable, Stripped is a story about surviving one’s own destruction, and despite the darkness, it’s strangely filled with hope.

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