Up There at the House

Away in the hills of an Eastern Kentucky county he has never left, a boy waits to be transported—to where, he does not know. He grits his teeth to keep the tears from his eyes. He refuses to let anyone see him cry. Just as they are leaving, the fine mist that has been falling turns in to a steady rain. A short time later, Cygnet A. DeKeigh is welcomed to his new home: an asylum.

Thankfully, Cyg’s new home is temporary and he is eventually released back into the poverty-stricken world that surrounds the Appalachian Mountains as the only child of unruly and unstable parents. As he continues a coming-of-age journey fraught with trials, tribulations, and triumphs, Cyg must somehow navigate through emotional upheavals, roller coaster relationships, and good and evil. Finally as he completes high school, Cyg has the chance to reflect on his experiences, his lessons, and most importantly, how he will pursue his dreams.

Up There at the House shares the provocative account of a boy’s coming-of-age journey in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky as he learns about life, love, and the value of an education.