Susan Michalski

Safe Distances: Sage's Story Susan Michalski

Marc Notes: Includes an excerpt from Stellar navigation: Elena's story, Geodesy, book 2. Biographical Note: Susan Michalski has been creating stories for as long as she could talk. Because she rarely sleeps, reading and writing have filled the dark hours. With degrees in literature, drama, creative writing, and secondary education, Susan has been able to find work as an actress, high school teacher, college instructor, web/UI designer, private tutor, online course writer, curriculum designer, technical writer, waitress, swim coach, and lifeguard. She dreams of quitting her day jobs to live in an alternate reality full-time. Because surviving trauma and how it affects our interactions with others is one of the most interesting conundrums of the human condition, Susan made it the focus of her first novel series. She is a believer in paranormal phenomenon of many kinds. Susan Michalski lives, works, and occasionally sleeps in Austin, Texas with one genius child, two devoted dogs, two immortal hamsters, and a talking guinea pig named Butterscotch. Safe Distances is her first novel. Publisher Marketing: Safe Distances, a story of trauma and survival for new adult readers, explores the consequences of exposing secrets long buried. Seventeen-year-old Sage Evans' therapist mother has given her one rule: never fraternize with the patients. But the summer Sage and her mom move into the Paige's garage apartment, all the rules change. Sage is drawn to the twins her mother is treating through a confusing psychic connection to them and a burning desire to know what left them so damaged. Elena takes pleasure in harming herself while healing others, and Ethan is stuck in time at the age of four, a terrified child whose ability to see others' pasts and futures comes at a painful price. Sage's deepening feelings for the twins complicates her romantic relationship with the dangerous fire-starter, Finn Mulcahy, whose past is intricately intertwined with the twins. As Sage uncovers the mysterious tragedies and the secret pain of each of her friends, she finds herself falling in love with all of them. In addition, her own safe world begins to collapse when her relentless curiosity uncovers horrible damage her father has inflicted and her own complicity in his crimes. As Sage selfishly reaches out to her friends for comfort and connection, jealousies and guilt are aroused that spiral out of control, ending in a fire that destroys the Paige's garage apartment. Any of her friends or family members could be responsible, but Sage has to face her own damage to unravel the truth. Contributor Bio:  Michalski, Susan Susan Michalski has been creating stories for as long as she could talk. Because she rarely sleeps, reading and writing have filled the dark hours. With degrees in literature, drama, creative writing, and secondary education, Susan has been able to find work as an actress, high school teacher, college instructor, web/UI designer, private tutor, online course writer, curriculum designer, technical writer, waitress, swim coach, and lifeguard. She dreams of quitting her day jobs to live in an alternate reality full-time. Because surviving trauma and how it affects our interactions with others is one of the most interesting conundrums of the human condition, Susan made it the focus of her first novel series. She is a believer in paranormal phenomenon of many kinds. Susan Michalski lives, works, and occasionally sleeps in Austin, Texas with one genius child, two devoted dogs, two immortal hamsters, and a talking guinea pig named Butterscotch. Safe Distances is her first novel.