The 1096 Gang

FM 1096 is more than a road-it's a lifeline.

In a small Texas community where gravel driveways, front-porch conversations, and family bonds shape everything, The 1096 Gang tells a deeply moving story of siblings growing up surrounded by love, faith, and real-life lessons that don't come from books.

Raised by a pastor mother and stepfather, with a grandmother next door whose porch carried the sound of football games and neighborhood laughter, three siblings-along with cousins, aunties, uncles, and lifelong friends-learn what it means to belong. The middle and youngest children, twins, share a bond forged through shared struggles, victories, and a fierce loyalty that runs deep. Together, they navigate childhood mischief, sibling rivalries, sports triumphs, and the unspoken rules of protecting family at all costs.

But life doesn't stand still on FM 1096.

As the siblings grow, they face change-some expected, some heartbreaking. When the oldest leaves home for college and returns to find her beloved grandmother fighting for her life, the road that once felt like safety becomes a place of reckoning. Through moments of humor, grief, and quiet reflection, the family learns that love doesn't fade with distance-and that strength is often born in the hardest seasons.

The 1096 Gang is a story about growing up Black in the South, about faith that's lived more than spoken, and about community ties that don't break under pressure. It celebrates childhood joy, the power of forgiveness, and the beauty of coming home-whether for the first time or the hundredth.

Raw, heartfelt, and deeply real, this novel invites readers into a world where family is chosen every day, God's grace shows up in ordinary moments, and one road holds generations of stories.

This is not just a coming-of-age tale.
It's a testament to love, legacy, and the places that shape who we become.