Blooming Where Planted

The third person novel Blooming Where Planted chronicles a teen and his family as they take their turns, respectively, with drug abuse, alcoholism, self-mutilation, sex, divorce and broken homes, with a mother trying to do her best to raise a son without a father and an anonymous boy whose habits are representative of the nation's youth. At many angles morally, this novel can prove that a teen can get through adversity (drugs, cutting, etc.) and come out stronger, that parents are flawed, or that basically, when life takes a swing at you, take off your white gloves and hit back.