Book excerpt: Along the oldest river in North America, New River, Zoe and Tod take a vacation with their teenage daughter Diana, who is experiencing a heartbreak. The beauty of Appalachia presents a new world in many ways, with intimations of the past and future mixing together. When Diana is swept down river due to unknown causes, an unexpected world opens up. Laden with dangers and tests, the question arises whether another world can help bring love to this one.