Close to the Sun (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798292048794)

By 1994, the Promised Land of North Carolina has soured. Ansel Obsidian has finally found his calling as a pastor, but behind the stained glass of the Charismatic Holy Baptist church lies a rot he can no longer ignore. When Ansel dares to challenge the corruption of the church leadership, the "holy" community he helped build turns on him with a vengeance.

Twelve-year-old Grayson, Ansel's son, is caught in the fallout. Overnight, he goes from being part of a prominent family to a social pariah, branded as a black sheep by the very kin who once welcomed him. In a town where everyone knows everyone, there is nowhere to hide from the glares of former friends and the cold shoulder of a town that prizes loyalty over truth.

While his father scrambles to build a new empire from the ruins of his reputation, Grayson seeks refuge in a world of his own making. A world of roleplay, comic books, and his first, fragile taste of young romance. But as his parents' obsession with "God first" leaves him increasingly isolated and ignored, Grayson must navigate the treacherous waters of teenage heartbreak, family grudges, and the high cost of standing alone.

The Obsidian Outcast saga reaches its most personal chapter yet in this raw look at the price of integrity, the weight of a name, and the pain of being left behind.