I'll Be There
Jude Ryan
language
(Chelsea Square, June 22, 2011)
"On the grand scale of hidden talents, mine is kind of lame. I mean, I don’t turn into a gorgeous goth vampire at night, and I can’t morph into animal shapes. If I was a cartoon character I’d be ‘Close-Your-Eyes-Think-of-a-Place-then-Appear-There Girl’." Thirteen-year-old Anna is just like any other teenager, except for the angry purple birthmark on her face -- and the talent to transport herself wherever she likes. Desperate to fit in at her new school, Anna uses her ability to visit the mall after hours and 'borrow' the latest gadgets and fashions. When a great-aunt comes out of the woodwork to ask Anna to track down a man from the past, Anna's intrigued. Surely her boring family doesn't have any hidden secrets?But what Anna uncovers is more than just a secret -- it's a tragedy that's ruined lives, and it's all her great-aunt's fault. Can Anna use her talent to make right the wrongs of the past, even as she struggles to find her place in the present?I'LL BE THERE is best-selling author Jude Ryan's first novel for young adults. Ryan is also the author of three chick-lit novels: FLIGHT OR FANCY?, THE AFTERLIFE CLUB, and ABOUT FACE.