Parallels That Cross is a delightfully creative novel that will take you down literary paths like those you have explored with Barbara Kingsolver's books. Gary Graham interweaves stories of his two equally important main characters and presents their stories with diverse sentence and paragraph structure in a literary manner that may remind readers of Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See. Perfect for book clubs seeking an enjoyable alternative to dystopian or fantasy novels. Parallels That Cross launches us into the worlds of ancient cultures, never before seen wildlife, parental and sex-based relationship anxieties, and the fundamentals of love - all wrapped around a man and woman presented as equals and given equal page time. This novel pivots on Mica, an archaeologist, and Clay, an ornithologist, who are independently and simultaneously resolving their anxieties while searching in 1982 for extraordinary treasures hidden deep in the Peruvian wilderness. Mica is exploring for an ancient city she theorizes was founded by women led by a princess daughter of Peru's last reigning Inca ruler. Clay, working on his doctoral research on another side of the same mountain, is testing his new biodiversity model that predicts discovery of new avian species. Mica suffers from a lifelong self-doubt that she will turn out like her lesbian mother. Clay is tormented by his own nightmare that he has become his philandering dad. Ultimately, they must confront whether their lives are controlled by destiny or free will. Rich with humor, poetry, music, imagery and using a creative story-telling format Parallels That Cross and 2019 William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition Semifinalist Gary Graham deliver a novel unlike any you have experienced. What Makes Parallels That Cross Unique Mica and Clay • Their love of life, discoveries, music and humor coupled with childhood traumas. • Female and male main characters are given parallel and equal page time. • Characters portrayed realistically without the sanitizing constraints of mainstream media. Settings • Experience the beauty and mysteries of Elfin forests and puna grasslands in Peru. • Quirky campus fun at Berkeley, Louisiana State University, University of Wisconsin and University of New Mexico. • A Peruvian culture rich with wonderfully gentle people you will want as friends. How the story is told • Genre bending - shifting easily among literary, thriller, romance and adventure fiction. • Side-by-side chapters to reveal Mica's and Clay's lives simultaneously. Discoveries • Explorations in nature and archeology that make you want to become a scientist. • Original poetry and humor that make you want to become a writer or comedian or both. Book Excerpts • "I choose, navigating by grace and with gratitude. I choose, being queen of my inner kingdom." • Where Ewoks escape from Return of the Jedi to find a secret home on earth--one that no human has ever beheld. • "Free will, her strength undeniable, if you believe Destiny is merely in the eyes of the beholder."