Dan's first novel, released in May 2004, is about a young man's battle to avoid his God-ordained destiny and his girlfriend's determination to see that he accepts it. 
       The story begins in Hamlin, West Virginia, with 17-year-old Jana waiting for her 23-year-old boyfriend, Sean, to pick her up. He pulls up in a hurry: He's just seen his cousin shot to death in a botched drug deal and the killers are after Sean because they think he stole $30,000 from them. They have to leave town now, he tells Jana. I can't leave without telling Granny, she says. We can't stop for that; they'll kill us, he says. As they race out of town, Jana delivers her news: She's pregnant.
       The story follows the progress of Jana and Sean’s relationship as they experience a series of life-threatening trials. Jana reacts to their troubles by standing on her faith; Sean draws back into his worldly cynicism and doubt. Will this experience tear them apart or draw them closer? Will faith save them, or will they die alone in a world without mercy?
       The story addresses many of the issues young people face today, among them premarital sex, interracial relationships, the draw of money and the world’s pleasures, and the clash of cultures and generations in a changing world.