Abiding Lilac

by Cat Adams, E.C. Graham

Madison Grey, Madi as she is known to her few friends, is 14 yrs old and has never had a boyfriend. In fact, she's never even been kissed. Madi, her 12 yr old brother, and her parents have just moved to Dallas from small town Indiana. Both apprehensive and excited, Madi decides to look at the move as an opportunity to fit in and possibly even find a boyfriend. Despite a summer of preparation, her efforts fail and she finds herself eating lunch in the girls’ restroom to avoid further humiliation from the group of senior girls who have been taunting her since day one.

Enter Kurt Armstrong, a senior and quarterback of the football team. Kurt begins to build Madi up with compliments and attention…secret attention. Believing her luck has finally changed, Madi allows herself to be swept away by Kurt’s charms and affections.

But things aren’t as perfect as they seem and Madi slowly begins to see that Kurt isn’t as chivalrous and perfect as he appears to be.

Despite the warning of a fellow classmate and despite the secrecy of their relationship, Madi continues to see Kurt clinging to the belief that he cares for her. Her hopes are soon dashed and her heart broken one night when things go a little farther than she had planned. Confused, Madi makes excuses for Kurt and continues to do so until she is faced with such an unbearable and harsh reality she can no longer deny the truth about Kurt.

But has she gotten herself in too deep? Will she be able to escape the fate Kurt has in store for her? Will anyone believe her? More importantly, will she be strong enough to heal from her brush with the dark world she has been lured into?

(Portions of the proceeds from this book are donated to CATW-Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. To read more about this organization please visit www.catwinternational.org.)

170 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2011

About the author

This is the pen name of Cathy Clamp and C.T. Adams (co-authors of the Thrall trilogy and the Sazi series published by Tor). They created this name to write under to make it easier for new fans (or old) to find them on the book shelves.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/catadams