Susan Ray

Infamous for her blocks on the roller derby circuit, Ballistic Miss L rolls with whatever life hands her. But Malinda Locke’s fearless demeanor can’t keep her wheels turning when she hears those dreaded three words: you have cancer.

Having lost her brother to cancer, Malinda feels like her family is cursed. Determined to fight back without anyone knowing, she quickly finds that trying to keep the secret from her best friend, her brother’s widow is harder than accepting her fate. As Malinda is faced with life-altering decisions, she starts to rely on her derby friend Dex the Hall.

 

Declan Hall is a paramedic and a volunteer at the local cancer center and he has a vast network by which he can help Malinda learn about her cancer and her options. He’s also the jammer on the men’s roller derby team. He’s as fast on eight wheels as he is to come to Malinda’s aid, but Declan has three vices. He attends AA to handle his alcoholism and he gnaws spearmint gum to stave the nicotine addiction. But not even the reality of cancer can deter the fixation he has for Malinda.