Untraceable

A Modern Day Katniss..." Reel Life with Jane" article.

Award-winning books and young adult author! Untraceable and Uncontrollable have been teen best sellers, making many of the top young adult best seller lists including: Best Debut, Movers and Shakers, Top 100 in Thrillers, and the Top 100 in Teen Action Adventure books.

Nature girl, Grace, has lived in the Smoky Mountains all her life, patrolling the wilderness with her father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and survival.

When her forest ranger father goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating English accent and a deep-seeded secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to find her missing father. She must use her survival instincts to survive, find her father, and - hopefully - return home.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever her new teen romance, her family relationships, and the lives of many that live in her small town. She finds herself questioning who to trust, even questioning those closest to her.

Soon, she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

Kirkus Reviews called this teen book "a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen romance." While Reader's Favorite loved the action adventure mixed with "a message of wildlife conservation".

This teen series for girls has it all: teen romance, action adventure, and mystery all backdropped by the Smoky Mountains. The twists and turns will create mystery and suspense that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Dear Reader:

This book has been a long time coming.

When I started it a couple years back, I had no idea if this teen thriller would ever see the light of day. After many ups and downs in publishing, it came down to just me. I believed in this book when no one else did.

The idea for Untraceable first came to me one day when my hubby came back from a camping trip. He said (in a English accent!), "I was so far out in the wilderness that crazy people could do anything and easily get away with it."

At the time, I noted it but put the comment away. It was the seed that got planted in my imagination, only to bloom later.

A year later, I visited Cherokee, North Carolina with my family. Amidst the beauty and peaceful setting of the Smoky Mountains, I came across something that deeply disturbed me. Something I could not fathom or understand. Something that I never expected to still exist in today's world. The abuse of bears on a Native American Reservation.

That gave me an idea and passion for this book. It inspired me to create a suspenseful thriller that still holds a splash of romance, while addressing some concerns I have with how some choose to treat nature and animals. Even today.

I created Grace because I felt I wasn't seeing someone like her in today's books. I love all of the paranormal and dystopic books out there, but I noticed a trend. There were tons of strong, bada$$ girls - but they were always placed in imaginary words with special magical powers that made them strong.

I set out to create a character who is strong, yet feminine and funny. Someone who is independent in today's world. Our world. A girl who could take care of herself in real life and whose life does NOT revolve around mean boys or bad hair days. Grace's life revolves around something more. Something deep that she cares for. Because I think we don't give these real girls enough air time or enough credit in our books.

Untraceable is my way of making a small difference while somehow, just maybe, shedding a ray of light on a very dark spot in this world. Don't get me wrong, this book is fun, thrilling, and mysterious - oh yeah - and there are also two hot boys and some great kissing. :) But underneath all of that is a hint of something horrible replaced with a small thread of hope.

Finally, I have a favor. As you know it is very hard to stand out and get reviews. The reader now has the power to help a book stand out! I would really appreciate hearing from you and seeing your honest reviews on Amazon or other sites - whether you loved it or hated it! :)

There are 2 more in the series and hopefully a 4th coming soon.

I hope you like it and I would love to hear from you anytime! You can email me at shelli@srjohannes.com or visit me online at srjohannes.com.

I also offer free SKYPE visits to book clubs that read the book. In addition, I offer school and library visits where I talk to teens about publishing, reading, writing, and making a difference.

Thank you for spending your time reading Untraceable! It means a lot to me because I know there are a million or more books you could have chosen!

Best
Shelli