One Piece out of Place
by Christian Cupak

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In the summer of 1996, 15-year-old Alex heads down to his family’s favourite campground in Squamish. This year, though, is different; an unexpected connection with a girl he meets there changes the shape of his heart—and his life—forever. It’s not quite romance, or at least, it’s not only romance. She feels like home. But it’s not to be, not now; when she asks him if they can cool things down a little, he feels it like a hole in his heart. Alex carries that hole through into adulthood; their long-distance friendship lingers and slowly shapes itself to their new lives. But he can’t forget her, and he can’t seem to make their powerful connection sit comfortably on the periphery of his life. And when he finds himself on a precipice, she’s the one waiting to catch him. Quiet and nostalgic, One Piece out of Place is a story of love, loss, friendship, and navigating the shifting roads of life.

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When Christian Cupak decided to write a story of growth and love based on some of his own experiences, he chose Vancouver for the setting because of his enduring love for the province and the city. In between his adventures—camping in the summer and skiing in the winter—Cupak has always found a calm sanctuary in his writing, but One Piece out of Place is his first foray into sharing that sanctuary with a wider audience. Cupak lives in Middleville, Ontario, Canada, with his family and their two pets.

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Christian Cupak