Carolina Summer

Fresh off the heels of his sophomore year at the University of Baltimore, Tanner Coyne is not thrilled about returning to North Carolina for the summer. Being home means leaving his freedom and playing chauffeur for his fifteen-year-old sister Tatum. His annoyance is only amplified when he’s roped into helping her with the city’s annual Fourth of July festival. But one smile may have the potential to change Tanner’s attitude, maybe even his entire life.

[NOTES: Cover art by inkpop's BeautifullyAnonymous who I unfortunately lost contact with when the site was sold to Figment. I am still endlessly grateful for the lovely gift. This story gave me the best summer of my life on inkpop and I am so grateful to HarperCollins's editorial board for the amazing feedback. Thank you to everyone who made 2011 so awesome.]
[A NOTE FROM 2014: Carolina Summer isn't so much a short story as it is (or was meant to be) the preface of a bigger piece. I like to call this a fictional memoir, if you will. CS lacks a true conflict for the most part, but I am still incredibly fond of these characters and am looking forward to finishing Tatum's novel sometime next year. I know a lot of y'all have a fondness for her, too.]