What Happens Next

(Paperback)

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Description

Before the ski trip, Cassidy "Sid" Murphy was a cheerleader (on the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student and a member of a solid trio of best friends. After the ski trip, she is an insomniac, an obsessive late-night runner and her best friends haven't talked to her in months.

Taller and more developed than your average sixteen-year-old, Sid's never really been the object of affection for boys her own age, so when she's thrown on a ski lift with hunky local college boy, Dax Windsor, she's smitten. "Come to a party with me tonight," he tells her but Dax isn't what he seems. He takes everything from Sid - including a lock of her perfect red curls - and she can't remember any of it.

Back home, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey "The Living Stoner" Livingston for company but as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy and she can almost forget what happened. Now, if only she can shake the nightmares and reach her goal weight, everything will be perfect... or so Sid thinks.

What Happens Next is a natural and approachable, pitch-perfect portrayal of the aftermath of date rape.

Reviews

Jennifer Brown, author of Hate List, Bitter End, and Perfect Escape
* Equal parts endearing spunk and heartbreaking vulnerability, Sid Murphy is a character who feels more like family by story's end. The story-and even more importantly, Sid herself-will stay with readers long after the final page is turned. Kudos to Clayton for crafting a powerful, moving debut.--Kirkus (starred review)
Colleen Clayton's characters stuck with me long after I finished reading this great debut novel.--Lucy Christopher, Printz Honor Winning author of Stolen
Debut author Clayton doesn't simplify Sid or her emotions... painfully realistic yet hopeful.--PW
Girls will see themselves or someone they know in this thought-provoking story as it gets passed from friend to friend.--SLJ
Real teenagers. Real issues. Real writing...Heartbreaking, but still filled with hope and promise, author Colleen Clayton knows that the past can't be rewritten, but you can ruin the future by not learning from it.--Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of I'll Be There
Sad, funny, and true, this book hits all the right notes--Miranda Kenneally, author of Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker

Author Bio

Like Sid, Colleen Clayton grew up in a small, suburban town just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating from Kent State University, she worked as a social worker for fifteen years, as well as in residential treatment centers for troubled teens and as Program Supervisor for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She currently lives Ohio with her family and recently received her MFA from the Northeast Ohio Consortium at Youngstown State University. What Happens Next is her debut novel.