Staring at the Ceiling

Anxiety. Uncertainty. Mystery. Debauchery. Epiphany. Redemption. Loaded with chemicals, the baggage of a troubled past, and the crippling fear of an uncertain future, Andy Maxwell is lost, and going nowhere fast. College is supposed to be a wild ride – a time of exploration, and strategic self-abuse. But what happens when the ride is over, and you find yourself at a crossroads disguised as the end of the line? Being nothing is easy. Living up to the world’s expectations, or even your own, is not. Scared to death by life itself, Andy does his best to outrun his demons – and to convince himself he’s the one behind the wheel. But unseen forces, and the most unlikely angels, are driving him elsewhere. Saints and sinners alike serve as guides along the road to self-discovery, as Andy finds himself in the last place he would have ever expected. Staring at the Ceiling is a gritty, strangely-spiritual sojourn exploring the weight of responsibility, the pain of loss and growth, the cost of control, and ultimately the reward of letting go. Eight days in the heat of a small southern town can pass in a blur, can feel like an eternity, and can change a life forever.

Steven Crane is a freelance writer and twenty-plus-year veteran of the advertising industry - a career which is both to thank and blame for parts of this story. Having edited manuscripts from fellow authors in various genres, and penned a yet-to-be-published children's book, Staring at the Ceiling marks Crane's debut novel. Steven graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Journalism, and now lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife Carie and their two sons. Here, when not writing, he devotes considerable time and energy to his quest to create the perfect pancake.