From Cory Kruse, author of the critically acclaimed A Dream of Darkness , comes an incisive collection that will delight, inspire, devastate, and uplift you. Told in spare, accessible entries, Grace in the Dirt is a lyrical memoir that delves into life's ever-changing seasons, leveraging the author's own history to explore the complex, and often contradictory, nature of the modern human experience. Specifically, Kruse covers an expansive breadth of deeply personal topics, things such as love and heartbreak, grief and despair. He recounts moments of hope, and crises of faith; he confesses family drama, personal weaknesses, and his own culpability in the deterioration of dreams. Throughout, he also shares euphoric stories of triumph and overcoming, of crushes and first loves, all while looking toward the future with bright, belief-filled eyes. And, among it all, he offers existential reflections on the fragility---and inanity---of this strange, wonderful thing we call life. Across these pages, then, readers will encounter recollections of grace and levity, failure and sorrow. They'll discover truths hard won as well as witness the enduring legacy of hope---all of which will remind them that, no matter what season they're in, they're not alone. Relatable, honest, and exceedingly human, Grace in the Dirt is a diary and a roadmap and a balm---one that will, upon reading, feel like coming home. "... [an] unexpectedly compelling, insightful, and astutely collated collection ..." - Kirkus Reviews "Kruse's debut book of poetry focuses on grand themes of love, loss, and faith. His sweeping ideas are many ... but the structure of the book is clean and clear, establishing a strong flow from poem to poem and topic to topic. The verse, too, is inviting, as Kruse offers beautiful, direct reflections on love, loss, despair, and hope ..." - BookLife Reviews "A story filled with love, laughter, life, and grief. Each and every page offers something new. The language is heart-touching, raw, and authentic. [A] fresh and new concept." - The "Magic Through Your Eyes" Blog  Cory Kruse has worked as an English teacher, fundraiser, marketing communications specialist, and, most recently, as a sales trainer for a local IT company. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, he now resides in South Dakota, where he spends his free time with friends and family, watching college sports, and nerding out over all things Star Wars. Along with Grace in the Dirt, Kruse is the author of the supernatural suspense novel A Dream of Darkness. Learn more at AuthorCoryKruse.com.