Tragedies change people. That being said, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the accident changed Gemma. Anger problems seem like the only issue to her, but her father and evil step-mother see a lot more than that lying underneath. Unable to help her, they go to their last resort; they send her to Safe Haven, a summer camp for troubled teens. Haven is a place where misunderstood teenagers can realize their problems and work through them in a safe environment. At least, that's what Gemma thought. The first things that come are the notes. Each one is written with a specific message on it, targeting the accident that killed her best friend and blaming her. The next are the secrets; everyone has one. But does everyone have one about her? The threads start unraveling as Gemma searches for the person who's hurting her; the person who is trying to drive her insane. But the closer she comes to uncovering the secret, the closer she comes to realizing that not everyone is who they seem. Mystery #3 October 3rd, 2012 Watty Awards Mystery Finalist 2012 Cover by @captainmarvel165

[NOTE: This book was written in 2010, a time of long-distance phone cards, weight-loss obsessions, and searching for a man as a solution to life's problems-what a messy time to be alive! In other words, I hope you enjoy this throwback, and while this book does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, the sequel addresses any unanswered questions (which is hopefully fair, given that book 1 is free, ya know?] An awkward family homecoming at Christmas. A humiliating public weigh-in, with two judging parents as the audience. The announcement of a deadline for arranged marriage doom. And that's just the first two chapters. In "Year of the Chick," Romi Narindra must find love before her parents find her a husband. Easy to say, less easy to live through, as this book takes you deep inside "awkward Indian living in the West." To escape her fate, Romi wades through the waters of secret-dating, where self-consciousness is at an all-time high, and experience at an all-time low. It's the sort of thing that would turn almost anyone into a man-crazy freak with romance tunnel-vision, and that's exactly what ends up happening. All the while, a lack of inspiration in her corporate job leads Romi to her love of writing, in what quickly becomes a man-quest play-by-play. From whiskey-breath scum bags to uni-brow creeps and everything in between, Romi and her wingmen come up empty time after time. And that's when she meets a fellow writer. On the Internet. So will it be arranged marriage doom, or an Internet affair that's not as creepy as "To Catch a Predator"? Time will tell in the "year of the chick," a twelve-month quest to find love. Tick-tock. --------------------------------------------- "Year of the Chick" is book one of a series, and book two is available at Amazon! LENGTH: 75,000 words or 285 pages DISCLAIMER: this book contains profanities, blunt accounts of the dating scene, and many awkward family moments. Enjoy!