Singing in the Corn

"Secrets and evil can't just be blurted out..." Riley Janes asserts in the opening pages of this dark and humorous tale about two teens who end up hurting each other while trying to free themselves from the twisted reality that asserts itself over Isle of Hope, a small Georgia town.

When Riley wakes up in the hospital, she can't speak. The doctor says it's due to the trauma of "the accident" and encourages her to write her thoughts down. Meanwhile, Billy Jack is also writing an account of what transpired. Haunting their steps is the troubling question: are there valid excuses for cruelty? As Riley and Billy Jack struggle to make sense of their lives, and battle the demons that have a stranglehold on their futures, hope seems to elude them at every turn-and yet they are both bound and determined to not be defeated.

An extraordinary piece of literature, "Singing in the Corn" gives voice to the taboo topics of sexual abuse and the traditional Southern views that prevent women from pursuing their dreams. After reading this debut novel from up-and-coming author Rebecca Helms, you'll be keenly anticipating whatever she writes next.