Admit it, you all have one. The dream. What you would do if you weren’t doing what you were doing. Even if you love what you’re doing. I have a new friend. Snoqualmie is her home. Her passion is writing. Her dream is called “Riversong.” It is her first published novel.
Tess Hardwick’s college major was drama, but writing was what she wanted to do. Then life developed and she ended up in corporate America – working in Human Resources. She quit work for a while to have her daughters. Then the time came. Time to go back to work. Time to head back to the corporate world that helped pay for the life she and her husband shared. But then a “what if” thought crept in. What if I could do what I really love? What if I could be home with my daughters and write? How could we make that work?
You make it work by downsizing your life Tess told me. Last summer, she and her husband sold their house, a car and 
moved to a smaller, more affordable town home on Snoqualmie Ridge. The downsizing released Tess from corporate America’s grasp. It afforded her the opportunity to stay home with her young daughters, cozy up to a desk facing the Cascade Mountains and continue writing her “dream” novel.
Riversong, Tess’s first novel, was the end result of many life-changing moves. The book hit Barnes and Noble online and Amazon a couple of weeks ago. It was published by Booktrope, a start-up publishing company which captures the power of online reading, social media, book sharing and the ever-popular eBook. Booktrope was founded in 2009. It isn’t the traditional paper publishing company. It focuses on the potential and popularity of the eBook. There are still traditional printed copies of the book, but with more focus on the online side of publishing, more writers like Tess Hardwick and her book, Riversong, get a chance. For more information on Booktrope and their business model visit http://www.booktrope.com/.
Here’s a bit of what Riversong is about: “When Lee Tucker’s husband commits suicide, he leaves her pregnant and one million dollars in debt to a loan shark. Out of options, she escapes to her deceased mother’s dilapidated house located in a small Oregon town that, like her, is financially ruined, heartbroken and in desperate need of a fresh start. Lee’s resilience leads to a plan for a destination restaurant named Riversong, to new chances for passion and love, and to danger from her dead husband’s debt as her business blooms.”
This coming Saturday, April 23rd, is Riversong’s official book launch party. It’s a big day for Tess – kind of the icing on the cake. It’s more than just a celebration of a book. It’s a celebration of Tess’s tenacity. Her unwillingness to give up and her willingness to change life to realize a dream. It’s happening right here in Snoqualmie – at Uncorked Wine Bar. Click here for more info on the launch party.
Congratulations to my new friend, Tess. So many people are glad you picked Snoqualmie as your home base. I understand that love of writing and I am happy and inspired to know someone who has realized “the dream.”
Comments
I loved the book. My only negative reaction was the many misspelled words, punctuation errors, inserted words, etc. Being a former business teacher I am sure I could be of service to you for this author or others.