My first novel, “They Flutter Behind You”, follows the life of Glenwood High School Guidance Counselor, Trent Reynolds, who is arrested and convicted for the statutory rape of a student under his care. We walk with Reynolds through his prison sentence, the painful struggle for personal clemency, and the battle to put the shattered pieces of his life back together.

Through a series of letters written from his prison cell, Reynold’s traumatic childhood and the shipwrecked relationship with his father is revealed. His father’s near-death experience exposes his own woundedness and an opportunity for restoration and healing between himself and his estranged son.

           

            As the story unfolds we are introduced to characters who tell Reynolds’ story from personal perspectives of their intimate relationship with him: The wise and insightful prison psychiatrist who forces Reynolds to face the truth about himself and his crime; his compassionate sister whose support and love encourage him to face and confront personal demons; and his victim, whose world, once filled with hope and promise has been torn apart by the one person she put all of her trust in.

            Each, from their unique perspective, tell the story of how Reynold’s actions have impacted their lives and provides a vista through which the reader is forced to consider perhaps the most abhorred stigma of our times in a different light. In the wake of the #MeTooMovement, ‘Flutter’ offers a glimpse into the mind of those sinister enough to exploit others for their own selfish gain. And who knows? That may be all of us. 

            The novel is a blend of sorrow, rejection and healing. My hope is that readers fall in love with the characters and story of Reynold’s transformation from cowardice to manhood; a family’s journey through brokenness to beauty.