A Language of Water

Minnesota, 1997.

In the wilderness of the Boundary Waters, Kieran Lindstrom-seventeen and deaf-has always believed he’s too different to be loved. After what could have been the worst night of his life, Ryan Sullivan appears-and what begins as an act of kindness becomes something neither of them expected. In the aftermath, they’ll discover that love can grow even from the darkest places.

A decade later, Kieran’s nephew Danny carries the same fear. Adopted by Tyler and Jen Morrison, Danny has found a family-but at seventeen, he’s still convinced his deafness makes him unlovable. Until David Cunningham walks into theatre club and, without hesitation, starts learning sign.

When all four return to the Boundary Waters-the place where Kieran and Ryan’s story began-they’ll face summer storms, capsized canoes, and wolves in the darkness. But the real journey is inward: Danny and David learning to trust each other, and Tyler finally confronting a secret from 1997 that still haunts them all.

Told across two timelines, A Language of Water is a story about ordinary people finding the courage to love and be loved-and learning that connection isn’t about hearing someone speak, but about choosing to learn their language.