Sand-Stained: A Mega Novel is a relentless, sprawling epic the length of three full novels, grappling with the secrets, addictions, and shadows of Kysa Young.
Everyone in Kysa's life thinks they know who she should be. But why should she care? They can keep their pathetic opinions to themselves.
On the edge of eighteen, Kysa has gotten good at making herself hard to love. She picks fights she doesn't need to win, disappears for days at a time, and would rather put her fist through a wall than let anyone take a peek at what fuels her rage.
Her father keeps shoving sermons down her throat. If he doesn't shut his trap, she might have to find some duct tape.
Her boyfriend offers her an escape. (Even if that 'escape' is simply an abandoned school bus hidden in the Georgia woods, where she can suck down cigarettes far away from her nagging family.) Lately, he wants to be the only place she runs to. The only thing she 'needs.' Who in the world does he think she is? Some Barbie doll he can bend into whatever shape he wants? She'd rather cling to dead trees than cling to him.
At least her boyfriend doesn't bother hiding what he wants. Her family's not so honest. Her older brother has a version of their family's history no one ever meant for her to hear. His mission is to make sure she finds out, regardless of the consequences.
And, out of nowhere, a boy from her childhood resurfaces. No warning. No reason. After years of silence. What's the motive? What's he hiding? And why is he being so...nice?
Once Kysa starts pulling at all these threads, pressure bears down on her from all sides as her life unravels, forcing her to confront one question: who is she, and what does she want to become?
If becoming yourself is a drug, Kysa's about to see just how brutal the side effects can get.
Sand-Stained: A Mega Novel is a fiercely intimate story of family secrets, complicated love, female identity, betrayal, and one unforgettable young woman fighting her way into adulthood.
This epic is for readers who love deeply flawed heroines, messy families, consuming relationships, buried secrets, and character-driven stories where every revelation changes what came before.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Everyone in Kysa's life thinks they know who she should be. But why should she care? They can keep their pathetic opinions to themselves.
On the edge of eighteen, Kysa has gotten good at making herself hard to love. She picks fights she doesn't need to win, disappears for days at a time, and would rather put her fist through a wall than let anyone take a peek at what fuels her rage.
Her father keeps shoving sermons down her throat. If he doesn't shut his trap, she might have to find some duct tape.
Her boyfriend offers her an escape. (Even if that 'escape' is simply an abandoned school bus hidden in the Georgia woods, where she can suck down cigarettes far away from her nagging family.) Lately, he wants to be the only place she runs to. The only thing she 'needs.' Who in the world does he think she is? Some Barbie doll he can bend into whatever shape he wants? She'd rather cling to dead trees than cling to him.
At least her boyfriend doesn't bother hiding what he wants. Her family's not so honest. Her older brother has a version of their family's history no one ever meant for her to hear. His mission is to make sure she finds out, regardless of the consequences.
And, out of nowhere, a boy from her childhood resurfaces. No warning. No reason. After years of silence. What's the motive? What's he hiding? And why is he being so...nice?
Once Kysa starts pulling at all these threads, pressure bears down on her from all sides as her life unravels, forcing her to confront one question: who is she, and what does she want to become?
If becoming yourself is a drug, Kysa's about to see just how brutal the side effects can get.
Sand-Stained: A Mega Novel is a fiercely intimate story of family secrets, complicated love, female identity, betrayal, and one unforgettable young woman fighting her way into adulthood.
This epic is for readers who love deeply flawed heroines, messy families, consuming relationships, buried secrets, and character-driven stories where every revelation changes what came before.
Genre: Literary Fiction