Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas? That question has been a source of intrigue since first posed by Edward Lorenz in 1972. Inspired by the author's life and experiences with autism, A Wave of the Wings shows how a seemingly unimportant event can open the door to something extraordinary. In two intertwined novellas, we first meet middle-aged Jack Oliver who suddenly finds himself in his twelve-year-old body in 1970, with the vague instruction to change one thing about his life. Reliving his boyhood with adult perspectives gives Jack a greater understanding of his world, and his "one change" ultimately proves to be much more important than he ever could have imagined. We then read about Jack's junior high nemesis, Luther Howell, who shares a number of significant events in common with Jack. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Luther's story takes on a life of its own, with a rather stunning outcome.