Gatekeeper II – The Leaving

Book 2 in the Gatekeeper Trilogy – 180 pages

Life couldn’t get crazier for Anna Merritt…

Leaving college is hard. It’s even harder when half your mind and all of your heart are an ocean away. Freshly returned from her semester abroad at Oxford University, Anna Merritt is finding life at her small private college in the States almost unbearable. Between picking up old friendships, starting a new job, dealing with unexpected suitors, and pining for England, how is she supposed to discover and prepare for the next step of the crazy journey called “life”? Thank goodness she has letters from her good friend Eddie to keep her company…and a surprise visit from the enigmatic Mr. Truman, who has another mysterious mission for her to complete.

Interview with the Author

Q: What makes the Gatekeeper trilogy special?

A: Who doesn’t like a bit of adventure, particularly of the European kind? The Gatekeeper trilogy takes the reader through adventure in every form. In the first book, adventure finds us unexpectedly; in the second, we learn the dangers of trying to manufacture adventure for ourselves; in the third, we realize that the truest and biggest adventures always turn out to be rather different than what we’ve planned.

Q: What is the main character like?

A: Anna Miranda Merritt is a girl very much like me – a likeness which is the cause of most of her woes, alas. Her unquenchable thirst for beauty and meaning leads her right into the literary, cultural arms of Oxford University, a place which captures her heart and awakens new dreams in her soul. It is this love of all things British – and, more importantly, the deep and surprising relationships she discovers in England, Ireland, and beyond- that makes her coming of age story uniquely poignant.

Q: Do I have to read the books in order?

A: I have an abiding devotion to order, particularly of the chronological kind. I wrote these books over a period of thirteen years, so they are a kind of authorial autobiography. Ergo, reading the trilogy in order certainly gives some insight, as you can chart the personal and artistic growth of the author along with the main character. That being said…I also have an abiding commitment to personal freedoms. Do what you will; I believe you will enjoy Anna’s story in whatever sequence. 🙂

Q: Why should readers give these books a try?

A: This is a story about beginnings, endings, and all the quietly real drama that occurs in the most ordinary of lives during these “in-between” times. For anyone who’s ever found themselves, lost themselves, or is still searching, these characters have something to say. I wish you joy of the journey!