She, Scarlette, could give you a list of reasons defending her decision to end her life. She could go on and on about how it isn't fair that her foster family is looked down upon by the community, all because her brother is gay. She could tell you how hard it is to focus in school because of the bullies. She could tell you how much she feels like a burden to her foster family. She could walk right off the edge of her high school's roof, too. But she can't. From his house across the street, high-school drop out Gerard sees her on top of the school. He races over to her, and gives her an ultimatum: step away from the edge, or he'll jump after. How could she be responsible for his death? All he asks for is all of Spring Break, two weeks, to convince her that the world isn't better off without her. That there are so many things for her to live for. As she agrees not to end her life that night and to give him two weeks, she truly begins to live. Even when she's put to the ultimate test.

→ finished ← Claustrophobic and agoraphobic, Alaska Gouramie doesn't leave the house much. She whiles her days away nurturing her goldfish, Gordon. Her life is passing her by. Elver Harrison James is scared of fish. He won't go near the pond at the bottom of his garden. He will do anything to stay away from those water-loving freaks. Alaska's mother forces her to leave the house. It's just a trip to the park, no big deal. Until Alaska falls in the pond. And Elver is the only one around. Teen Fiction #118

"Give me ten days, and I can give you ten reasons not to die." Evan paused. "And if I can't change your mind by then, you can go jump off that cliff."

A newly expanded and professionally edited version of the Boy in the Woods is now available for sale as an ebook and paperback! Buy it at Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and many other online outlets. Winner of the 2014 Wattys Talk of the Town award. After a devastating accident takes Jess's parents, a cold and controlling uncle is the only family she has left. Ripping away everything she's ever known, he takes her far from her home in the big city to live on the rural family estate. With a spoiled and stuck up older cousin the only other young person in the home, Jess struggles to adjust to her new life of loneliness and quiet isolation. While exploring the woods surrounding her home one day, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy. Desperate for a friend, she's instantly drawn to him, but he's deeply distrustful and wants nothing to do with her. Sneaking away to see him, she works hard to break through his walls and slowly gains his trust. As time passes, their bond grows from forbidden friendship into something more, but the threat they'll be caught looms closer. How far will Jess have to go to protect the boy she's fallen in love with? Or will her uncle find out about them before she can escape his control? The Boy in the Woods is a mysterious and poignant coming of age novel set in the late 1950's, with the same classic feel as A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. As one of the top ten most read historical fiction stories on the popular reading website Wattpad.com, it's already loved by tens of thousands of readers. This compelling story is twice the length of the average young adult novel, and is appropriate for ages 14 to adult. By the same author as Wattys finalists Stolen Hearts and Love You Forever! Best Ranking: Historical Fiction #1 General Fiction #3 Warning: This story contains occasional language and mild violence.