DEER RIVER, Minn., Oct. 4, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Choice is a luxury not afforded at every stage in life. For example, the family into which a child is born can run the gamut from nurturing to nightmarish. In his new book, Lisa's Lifeline (now available through AuthorHouse), Gordon Mostoller introduces readers to a vulnerable, lonely teen who seeks to emerge intact from under her tumultuous formative years.
The story is narrated by Lisa, a young woman who has received harsh lessons in reality early in life. She opens her story by detailing a young couple's series of wrong choices. The misguided teens are her parents, and their youthful marriage brings Lisa into a world filled with verbal abuse, depression, and poverty.
Becoming shy and withdrawn, Lisa plays with her toys and avoids contact with other people. This makes her first year of school difficult until her teacher pairs her with a girl named Julie, who suffers a similar home life. The two children cling to each as their worlds turn increasingly hard to handle.
Finally, Lisa's mother divorces her husband and moves with her daughter to a peaceful apartment, away from the torment they endured. But more changes are in store for the troubled girl. She gains a stepfather named Roger. Kind to Lisa at first, he grows more demanding as time passes, and even shatters her relationship with Julie. The family moves from Minnesota to Chicago, where Lisa must learn to fit in with a new group of kids.
In this urban setting, she befriends a tough, outspoken outsider named Melissa and faces challenges as her new social group embarks on antisocial mayhem. Torn between her father's demands and her new friends' wishes, Lisa must listen to her heart to discover which future she desires: one of promise or peril.
"Anyone who enjoys meeting a new friend will enjoy this book," Mostoller writes. "Learning the details of the character's life and how she survives and overcomes the trials in her life will draw in readers of all ages to learn what will become of Lisa."
Mostoller earned bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education and has 34 years of teaching experience with thousands of children in grades three through six. Recently, he began teaching classes in reading strategies through literature to children ages 8 to 12. A lifelong resident of north central Minnesota, he is married with four children and nine grandchildren. Lisa's Lifeline is his second book. His first, To Catch a Falling Star, is also available through AuthorHouse. For more information, visit www.gordonmostoller.com.
AuthorHouse is the premier publishing house for emerging authors and new voices in literature. For more information, please visit www.authorhouse.com.