Drifting

by Steven Cross

Drifting brings light into the dark corners of mental health, bullying, and sexual assault.
Dean Knight has struggled against his personal demons for as long as he can remember. He thought he lost that struggle when he felt their knowing grip pull him deeper into the river, but he was saved. Saved for what? His memories are trapped within his mental illness. He hears his sister and father's voices. The problem is, they're dead, both killed in the same river that tried to claim Dean. As he struggles to remember, he realizes their voices aren't pushing him to harm himself, but to discover the truth surrounding both their deaths. One person, Ella, has all the answers, the Dean can't remember if she loved him or if she tried to kill him. Roxanne "Rocky" Rivers struggles against her own demons, not voices, but a past trauma she can't fully remember. She only knows everyone at school thinks she's a slut and a head-case. A razor her only release for the pain. Rocky knows no one will believe a crazy girl who tries to kill herself.
Dean and Rocky find a connection. Can they find the strength and trust to help each other when neither can survive alone?

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2021

About the author

I'm not quite sure how old I am in dirt years, but it's up there anyway. I am an educator and freelance writer who has been married more years than I was single. I love reading YA fiction because it doesn't get stale. YA authors are not afraid to experiment. I love that. I dabble in screenwriting and playwriting and would love to sell a screenplay or option one of my books for a screenplay and then write the script. I have published some plays, but I don't write many of them anymore. My first love is YA fiction, though I read everything from the classics to King to Koontz. I am a diehard St. Louis Cardinal baseball fan. Currently, my wife and I reside in Poplar Bluff, MO. Our daughter and son-in-law also live in Poplar Bluff, MO. Both of them are also in education. Jean and I do the best we can to spoil our two grandkids.

Reviews

[Amy Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in May 2021, Drifting is the follow-up to writer Steven Cross’s young adult novel from 2019, Drowning. In the first book, we are introduced to Dean Knight, a young man who struggles to keep himself grounded as he comes to terms with mysteries of his past and his current mental health struggles. I definitely recommend beginning your journey with this series with the first book, though the second does give enough information to help the reader catch up, so it could be read as a standalone work. Continue reading at www.libgirlbooks.com.

[Heather Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relatable

This is a great view of what people can go through when they have mental health problems. Not everyone's experience will be just like anyone in this book, but it is completely relatable. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to know what it's like or wants to feel seen or heard.