Touch

As Ava lies sick and dying, she spends her days remembering Theo, the one who got away. They have not seen each other in years. But even though Theo's life is no longer familiar to her, the need to see him again suddenly grows.

Theo is married, bitter and unable to come to terms with the choices he has made. As his unhappy wife Caroline drifts toward alcoholism, she questions her own choices, too. When Theo hears about Ava's condition, he has to face painful memories and make a difficult decision.

Mary is a middle-aged caretaker in the hospital who takes an interest in Ava, while struggling at home to raise her young nephew Sidney. When Sidney starts hanging around the hospital, he stumbles across Ava, and they form a unique bond.

Beating time and swallowing pride, Ava and Theo try to bridge the physical and emotional distance while they still can.

Written in lyrical prose, TOUCH is a character-driven portrait of a theme we all deal with: understanding life's trajectories. It's also about healing the heart against all odds, and discovering that nothing is ever really the end.

Combined with a sprinkling of the surreal and just a hint of magic realism, Amanda's writing touches on a contemporary understanding of the timeless workings of the universe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Mininger grew up in rural Colorado, and later graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Northern Colorado. She worked as an editor for a newswire service for over seven years before taking a job with a small software company. She accepted a place in the MFA program at the University of San Francisco, but left to pursue writing on her own. Amanda lives in Denver, and enjoys an outdoor lifestyle. TOUCH is her first novel.