Cynthia T Toney

New People - New Challenges - And a whole new AltitudeIn Alaska, Wendy thinks she's left behind the problems resulting from her mistakes in Louisiana, at least for a while. But starting the summer at her friend Sam's house and volunteering with Alaska Wildlife Conservation bring not only strange surroundings but also strangers into her life. And those strangers have a secret involving a troubled girl who threatens Wendy's friendship with Sam. As Wendy struggles to understand the Alaskans she meets and gets to know, will she be able to forget what she hopes to, or will her new challenges teach her the importance of remembering the past?

Secrets: Visible and Invisible is a collection of short stories by seven CatholicTeenBooks.com authors. As described by Mark Hart of Life Teen International, who provides the foreword, "Each story reveals something different about the human heart and our constant (though, often veiled) desire for truth and virtue." Secret (n.) - something kept hidden from knowledge or view; a mystery. In a dystopian future, an innocent picnic turns deadlyElijah knows nothing of the elderly stranger's secret past--until her disappearance changes everything. A mysterious, ever-changing painting alarms a group of teens. The cannonball took Dario's legs . . . Will he lose his soul too? The arrival of a mysterious girl challenges everything about Jason's life. An unlicensed driver. His dad's truck. What could possibly go wrong? An old tale of murder and forbidden love leads to a modern day treasure hunt. For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. (Luke 8:17 RSV-CE)

Funny how you can live your days as a clueless little kid, believing you look just fine ... until someone knocks you in the heart with it. Wendy Robichaud doesn't care one bit about being popular like good-looking classmates Tookie and the Sticks-until Brainiac bully John-Monster schemes against her, and someone leaves anonymous sticky-note messages all over school. Even her best friend, Jennifer, is hiding something and pulling away. But the spring program, abandoned puppies, and high school track team tryouts don't leave much time to play detective. And the more Wendy discovers about the people around her, the more there is to learn. When secrets and failed dreams kick off the summer after eighth grade, who will be around to support her as high school starts in the fall?