• Age: 12 to 17
• Grade: 7 to 12
• Reading age: 12 to 18

In this exciting coming of age story, the lives of two boys, separated by several hundred miles, begin to converge and they learn valuable lessons about life and the connections carried from birth. Far inland, Tanner is concerned and frightened by a repeated dream of the sea, increasingly severe headaches and the rage that is beginning to control him. When a hockey trip to the coast presents itself, Tanner believes he will have a chance to solve the mystery of the dream and hopefully find some measure of peace. Meanwhile, Alex is stuck in a small coastal community, with a father he can barely stand and a burning desire to get out, even if that means leaving behind the one person he truly cares for. When he does make it to the big city Alex finds that his problems have only just begun. Faced with a difficult decision, he makes the wrong choice and the situation progresses rapidly from bad to worse.

Shelley Hrdlitschka discovered her love for children's literature while teaching school. She decided to try writing her own books, and is now the award-winning author of nine novels for teens, all published by Orca Book Publishers.

Shelley offers school and library presentations on the value of perseverance. She describes the pitfalls she encountered on her path to becoming a published author and discusses where ideas come from using examples from her books. She touches on numerous literary devices, tailored to the age of the audience. Shelley also reads from some of her many rejection letters-the part of the presentation that students seem to like most. She is also available for writing workshops.

Shelley lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia, with her three daughters and an assortment of animals. When she's not writing, she can be found hiking, snowshoeing, practicing yoga or hidden away with a book and some good music. More information can be found at http://shelleyhrdlitschka.wordpress.com.

Shelley Hrdlitschka's profile page

• Short-listed, Surrey Book of the Year nominee
• Commended, CCBC Our Choice