Central Kansas Library System

Living deep within a cove in the Appalachians of North Carolina during World War I, Laurel Shelton finally finds the happiness she deserves in Walter, a mysterious stranger who is mute, but their love cannot protect them from a devastating secret.

"One day a young couple wakes to find a boy asleep on their porch. Unable to speak, the boy cannot explain his history. What kind of people would leave their child with strangers? All John and Marta know is that they have been chosen to care for this boy. As their connection to him grows, they embrace his exuberant spirit and talents. The three of them blossom into an unlikely family, but how long can their happiness last?"-- From dust jacket flap....

Three strangers each encounter the same mysterious storm and awake the next day to find that everyone else has vanished. Afraid and desperate for answers, they eventually cross paths and discover they are being watched. A mysterious little boy appears to hold clues to the mystery, but when he disappears and the "observers" become agressive, the three are forced to flee Chicago in search of answers...and more survivors.

A badly scarred mute stows away aboard a magical Windship, befriends a crazy adventurer, meets and falls in love with a Dainnan ranger, and journeys through fantastic lands filled with magical creatures to find a healer who might be able to repair her scars and restore her memory.

In an otherworldly story set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America, an amphibious man is discovered in the Amazon--and subsequently finds love within the human race.