Teen Dream of Escape Becomes Harrowing Survival Tale in Runaway Storm

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Jan 05, 2010, 05:30 ET

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Runaway statistics are scary - some experts say as many as one in seven kids between the ages of 10-18 will run away at some point. Furthermore, the older kids get, the more they feel they can ignore adults and take care of themselves. But, as Nate learns in Runaway Storm, running away is no answer to problems - those follow you everywhere. Dawne Knobbe's fast-paced adventure will resonate with many teens. She presents the story of a 15-year-old frustrated by his parents' divorce, who responds by running away from New York to the Gulf Islands near Vancouver. At first, everything seems to fall into place - the successful cross-country trip, finding the new kayak his father planned as a birthday present, keeping each of his parents thinking that he's safely with the other. But then everything changes - and his story becomes one of struggle and survival with strangers who want to harm both him and the girl he tries to help.

This is no reality game - it's what life is like on the run. Despite Nate's ability to handle the boat and his knowledge of the area he's traveling in, his situation gets more precarious as the story continues. "Kids have a fascination with the idea of running away," says Knobbe. "It's predicated on the idea of being able to handle what's out there, but as Nate's story shows, plans can fail quickly and problems pile up."

At a time when kids spend much of their time in the cyberworld of adventure where anything is possible, they may not realize how ill-equipped they are to manage on their own. Nate's story both illustrates the value of knowing the outdoors and the fact that there's no glamour in running away. Nate grows up in this story and realizes that he can handle turmoil caused by his parents if he addresses problems directly.

A Vancouver native, Knobbe was intrigued by a runaway she met while adventuring in the islands she writes about. She's passionate about preserving wilderness and strives to ignite the same passion in others through her writing and her company, Toe The Line.

Learn more at www.runawaystorm.com and view the book trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k_fwLLUgwQ.

SOURCE Dawne Knobbe