Will Kalinke

Mark and the Mystic Marble Will Kalinke

A marble is just a marble-unless it's a magic marble. And a troubled teen is just a troubled teen, unless that teen is Mark. After watching his mother die in a terrible car accident, Mark gives up on life. He loses interest in school, family, and friends, and unexpectedly, he heads off in search of meaning-and an escape from the pain he feels over the loss of his loving mom-with only her favorite marble to protect him. His trip takes him as far away as Florida to San Francisco, California; all the while, his frantic father, Willis, still mourning the death of his wife, is on the search for his lost son. Willis fears the worst; he has come to expect as much. Just like his son, he finds himself in a state of disrepair over losing the love of his life. All the while, the marble glows, making Mark wonder whether the marble has a special power. Mark and the Mystic Marble is a story of surviving tragic circumstances and seeking identity even in the face of terrible challenge. Mark has choices on his lonely road. He can choose to continue running from his painful past, or he can choose to turn back and face his problems with love, understanding, and power. It is ultimately Mark's choice, but the marble may have its own ideas, as well.