Just Over Broke: Where Pain Shaped the Man, and Purpose Saved the Boy

He was just over broke-financially, emotionally, and spiritually. But he was never too far from purpose.

Just Over Broke is a raw, heart-shaking coming-of-age novel that follows Malik Carter, a young Black boy growing up in a city where the streets never blink and hope feels like a luxury. Torn between the chaos around him and the music within him, Malik must navigate trauma, betrayal, fatherhood, and the cost of becoming a man before he's ready.

From faking report cards to protect his parents, to standing in the gap for his younger brother, to facing the weight of young love and unexpected loss-Malik's journey is layered with survival, soul, and spiritual awakening. When a second chance arrives in the form of a compassionate officer and a beat-up piano, Malik begins to believe that maybe-just maybe-his life can still mean something.

Written with poetic grit and emotional honesty, Just Over Broke is for the broken dreamers, the resilient fighters, and anyone who's ever felt trapped between who they are and who they're called to be.

If you've ever been overlooked, underestimated, or just holding on-this story is for you.