It Wasn't Always Like This

In 1916, Emma O’Neill is frozen in time. After sampling an experimental polio vaccine brewed in the remote swamps off St. Augustine, Florida, she and her family stop aging—as do the Ryans, her family’s business partners. In a way, this suits Emma fine, because she’s in love with Charlie Ryan. Being seventeen together forever with him is a dream.

But soon a group of religious fanatics, the Church of Light, notices that Emma’s brother Simon hasn’t aged past two—when he should be five. In the name of divine justice, the Church attacks both families, killing all but Emma and Charlie. Drinking the elixir makes one impervious to aging, but not to murder. In a final tragic blow to Emma, Charlie abandons her, claiming it’s the only way she’ll stay safe. For the next 100 years, Emma wanders, avoiding the descendants of the Church even as she searches for a way to stop them. And always, she keeps an eye out for a certain seventeen-year-old boy whom she hopes is searching for her, too . . .

Joy Preble lives in Houston with her family. She teaches and lectures widely on writing and literacy, and is the author of theSweet Dead Life series, the Dreaming Anastasia series, and Finding Paris. Visit her online at joypreble.com or follow her on Twitter @joypreble.