Never Gone

Fifteen-year-old artist Dani Deane feels like the universe has imploded when her photographer father dies. Days after his death, she sees him leafing through sketches in her room, roaming the halls at church, wandering his own wake. Is grief making her crazy? Or is her dad adrift between this world and the next, trying to contact her?Dani longs for his help as she tries and fails to communicate with her workaholic mother. Her pain only deepens when astonishing secrets about her family history come to light. But Dani finds a surprising ally in Theo, the quiet guy lingering in the backstage of her life. He persistently reaches out as Dani's faith falters, her family relationships unravel, and she withdraws into a dangerous obsession with her father's ghostly appearances. Will she let her broken, prodigal heart find reason to hope again?From the skyscrapers of New York to the sheep-dotted English countryside, NEVER GONE explores life after loss with emotional honesty, humor, and a touch of romance."Garver tackles difficult subjects with depth and grace, weaving the complexities of faith with the complexities of growing up."--Heidi Willis, author of Some Kind of Normal Laurel Garver holds degrees in English and journalism and earns a living as a magazine editor. She is a mosaic artist who enjoys quirky independent films, word games, British television, and Celtic music. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. An arty, urban Christian teen navigates the storms of loss, first love, and family crises. Along the way, she wrestles with God to find hope in dark times and discovers how those closest to us can often surprise us.