Softly Goes the Water

Book excerpt: Softly Goes the Water is the sweeping saga of two families, the Rileys and McCaddens, who live next door to each other on the wealthy shoreline of Lake Minnetonka near Minneapolis. The story centers on Ever Riley, a lonely only child whose prodigious intellect emerges in childhood. Jules McCadden, the boy who lives next door, has uncanny “second sight” that allows him to see events before they happen. The course of their friendship, cemented on the day President Kennedy is assassinated, shapes a fantastical narrative that is the heart and soul of the book. Through the story of Ever and Jules, we witness a sprawling drama that centers on the struggles, missteps and many faces of maladjustment of family, friends and lovers during the iconic sixties and seventies. Fate and tragedy collide when a Shoreline Drive car accident and The Vietnam War forever change both families. Softly Goes the Water shines a light on mental illness, anomie, social dysfunction, sex and secrets—and a secret Ever chooses to carry alone. Ultimately, it renders tangible the joy in finding where one belongs in life, even if it’s not the answer one expected. A magical and heartwarming story of love, hope, and the power of friendship: coming-of-age and coming to believe amidst incredible odds.