The Telling Author:Eden Winters Time in Iraq cost Michael Ritter some of his hearing and a friend whose death he feels responsible for. He'd left Alabama hoping to escape a dull, small-town life, only to return four years later, lugging a duffle full of personal demons. Cookesville, Alabama isn?t the most welcoming place on earth, particularly for a gay, Hispanic student wanti... more »ng nothing more than to earn his degree and get back home to Texas. An image of a somber young man that he knows only by name and the stories told by an adoring sister comes to life when Michael returns home, just as Jay is already half-way to losing his heart. Michael?s biggest battle lies ahead, and he?ll need all the help he can get to find his way in a world where he no longer fits in. Jay?s not sure where he fits either, but it could be next to the war-torn soldier who needs his strength.« less