About Grey Areas:
The halls of Rocky Summit High are supposed to be a sanctuary. But on one terrifying Monday, they become a battleground.
Tera Ohrmund, the principal of Rocky Summit High School finds her school irrevocably shattered when a disgruntled sophomore walks in with a gun. What begins as a chilling lockdown escalates into a desperate hostage situation, trapping students and teachers in a nightmare that plays out in agonizing, minute-by-minute detail.
Edward Archer, a teacher who believes in the power of connection and second chances, finds himself staring down the barrel of a gun, his own daughter among the terrified students. He and his colleague, Clay Hull must navigate the emotions of a volatile teenager while he buys time for the police to respond.
The violence of the day is just the shattering climax of the simmering tension that is revealed by the “grey areas” of a system under siege. From the quiet anxieties of a track star hoping for a scholarship, to the frustrations of teachers grappling with budget cuts, incompetent administrators, and demanding parents, the novel peels back the layers of a community pushed to its breaking point.
As the echoes of gunfire fade, the fight for Rocky Summit High is far from over. Allegiances will be tested, careers will hang in the balance, and the very integrity of education will be challenged. When powerful forces seek to assign blame and protect their own image, Tera, Edward, and Clay must unite to expose the truth—and fight for the future of their school, no matter the cost.
Grey Areas is a gripping and timely exploration of the choices we make under pressure, the systemic failures that push individuals to their limits, and the unwavering courage found in the most unexpected places.
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Author Bio:
I grew up very poor in Hemingford, Nebraska, a small farming and ranching community in the panhandle. I never met my father, and my mother abandoned me at a fairly young age. I lived with my grandparents, but my grandmother died when I was six, and my grandfather died in August, right before my Senior year started. I worked at the local grocery store and as a school custodian to survive. I knew, even from a young age, that the only way I could ever afford college was to get scholarships, so I took honors classes, was in four sports, and participated in a multitude of other activities.
I went to Chadron State College practically free on several grants, academic scholarships, and a track scholarship. CSC was originally a Teachers College and is still renowned for its Education program. I averaged over 20 credits per semester while being an NCAA Division II athlete and lettered all three years I participated. I was part of the 1st Graduating Class of the CSC Four-Year Honors Seminar Program. I graduated in 4 years with a B.S. in Education: Language Arts Field Endorsement.
I spent my first 10 years teaching in very small, rural schools in Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming. I had very few students, but many duties. I taught all English and language arts classes, yearbook, drama, speech, and debate. I coached track and basketball, sponsored proms and homecomings, helped with accreditation, served on multiple committees, was a national representative for NEA, and even drove the activity bus (cliche but true) when I wasn’t coaching. In 2006, we moved to Colorado, where I decided to get an M.A. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from UNC, graduating with Honors in 2008. During that time, I was still teaching, but now in a very large urban charter school in the metro area.
I have been the principal of two small rural high / middle schools: once during the economic crash of 2009-11 and again during the COVID Pandemic of 2020-21. Again, I had many and various duties. Each time, I was in charge of several buildings, about 35 staff, 300 students, a multi-million dollar budget, security, evaluations, accreditation, committees, participated in school board meetings, and so much more. The schools, students, and I received a variety of awards and recognition, including the US News Best Small Schools, the only Colorado student to ever win the National H.S. Heisman, Boettcher Foundation-Principal That Cares, Casa of the Plains-Morgan County Hero, Multi-Million Dollar BEST Grants and RISE Grants.
In 2015, I was asked by a fellow educator to help build a Night School Program in APS focused on At-Risk Kids and Code 40’s. We started the grant funded program with 5 staff (an administrator, two teachers, and two paras) and graduated around 70 of 95 At-Risk students in the first few years. When the grant money ended, we reduced staff, but were still able to graduate about 35 kids per year. Chalkbeat and the Denver Post praised the work we did to help several hundreds of At-Risk kids have a better chance at life.
Early on, Tammie and I moved frequently while looking for workplace nirvana, but never found it. With our two daughters finally out of college and on their own, we decided to build a forever home where we eventually want to retire and moved with our two cats to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Until just a few years ago, I still ran and even competed occasionally in various 5K races. My stress fractures and feet prefer it when I just ride my bike. I love to golf and try to get in several rounds per week and new courses each month. I’ve tried to travel as often as possible, and have been to most of the 50 states and some places in Canada, Iceland, Britain, France, and the Bahamas. I also love shooting billiards (that’s how I met my wife), riding my Harley Davidson, playing chess, and reading a wide variety of local and regional literature.