Gateway A Story About Chaotic Harmony

Gateway is a story that reflects the modern generation drug war against kids as they are growing up. This is a story about friendship, love, addiction, self destruction, and the search for salvation. Gateway is unique in the way it follows Kellen in a first-person narrative in part one and second- person through part two of the novel. When part one of the book comes to a close, the intensity of the story in the final moments perfectly transitions into a second-person narrative, moving the reader into the eyes of Kellen.

Gateway is a story that reflects the modern generation drug war against kids as they are growing up. This is a story about friendship, love, addiction, self destruction, and the search for salvation. Gateway is unique in the way it follows Kellen in a first-person narrative in part one and second- person through part two of the novel. When part one of the book comes to a close, the intensity of the story in the final moments perfectly transitions into a second-person narrative, moving the reader into the eyes of Kellen. Kellen was a young boy when his mother died in a fatal car accident, her death devastated his family. When Kellen's mother died she was having an affair with a married man who miraculously survived the accident. Kellen and his brother are raised by their father; he raises them the best he can through his constant loneliness and depression. As a young teen Kellen is sent away to military school and is forced to grow up fast. He learns to fend for himself, trusting no one but a few select friends to confide in. The story takes place in Kellen's hometown of St. Louis; the Gateway City. The towering beauty of the Gateway Arch, and what it represents, is offset by the secretive underworld in which Kellen operates. In the shadows, and behind closed doors, perceptions change quickly and danger is ever present. Some of Kellen's friends make it out alive, others are not as fortunate. Follow Kellen as he battles the demons of his past, awakens the demons of his present, and later battles himself and his surroundings in an attempt to rise from the ashes and find salvation.

Throughout my life I've had a passion for writing stories. Writing stories from my imagination and letting my words flow through my hand on a blank sheet of paper let me create my own worlds. In 2007 I attended a fiction class at the University of Missouri. Most of the people in my class were only worried about their grades and weren't passionate about writing. My teacher quickly saw that I stood out from the class after reading a story I wrote called 'Chemicals', the story of a lost boy in a lost generation. The fiction teacher helped me pursue my talent and arranged for me to take a couple honors classes at the Pierre Laclede Honors College at UMSL. The classes I took in the honors school pushed me to create new stories each week, and also gave me the chance to read other students stories and critique their work. I loved having my writings critiqued each week; it helped me grow as a writer. There was always this calling in my heart to show my stories I created to the world. The concept of writing a book seemed impossible; I was always unmotivated by the negativity around me. When I'd tell people I was writing a book they didn't take me seriously or they figured it'd never amount to anything. I loved writing stories and creating new worlds; it was my escape from my day to day life. Even with the world around me telling me the book would go nowhere; I continued my journey and finished Gateway. Everyone has a dream of where they want their life to take them; my dream is to become a successful author.