Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist, is being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker since her dad walked out. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked and offer an escape from fear. Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked and together may offer an escape from her fears. AGES: 12 to 18 AUTHOR: Holly Schindler dove headfirst into her writing pursuits after obtaining an M.A. in English from Missouri (ma-zur-ah) State University. Her essays, poems, and short stories have appeared in such journals as The Explicator, Slipstream, and Short Story. A Blue So Dark is her first novel.