The Heart of the River (I wrote a book!)

In every story that you read,
a heroine or hero fills a need
and the day is saved—not with luck,
but with courage, heart, and a bit of pluck.

The story of The Heart of the River begins with a family announcement. A little over three years ago I learned I was going to become an aunt for the first time. Excited by just the idea of her existence I put pen to paper and after a few months had a first draft of what would turn out to be a little girl’s journey of discovery.

In the intervening years I’ve learned a lot about book production and what started out as a means to bring joy to now two little girls has ended up to be a true labor of love.

Every adventure starts the same way: with one foot in front of the other. The Heart of the River follows a young explorer named Arya as she searches for wonder at the heart of the River Idira. Along the way she encounters a fearsome dragon, and uncovers her own ability for courage and kindness.

This project would never have been possible without my family – my parents, siblings, and brother-in-laws – or a group of friends that were my cheerleaders from the very start (Sara, Rob, Grace, Christine, Frank, Zarin, McKenzie, Julia, Diana, Kelly, Alison, Rebecca, Linda, Monica, Saba, Tarika, Elisha, Alex, and Mike.)

Not to mention Tricia for answering my questions and inspiring me with her book to take the leap.

Then there are the people who brought the story to life. Sarah, the editor for making my rhymes shine. Shane for bringing my words to life when I finally acknowledged that illustrating is much harder than writing, and Meagan who made everything fit together.

And finally, I wanted to say that imagination is a precious commodity. This book started as a kernel of thought in my mind, and then moved on to a tingle in my fingers—pouring out as if with a life of its own. But none of it would have been possible without my imagination, a state of being which was developed over 33 years thanks to a wrinkle in time, a magic school bus, a boy wizard, and naturally a galaxy far, far away. I am forever grateful for those who wrote before, and to those who continue to inspire and spark dreams.

And so…

I am really excited that I am finally able to share this book with the world. You can also purchase The Heart of the River on Amazon.com. The official website for the book is www.theheartoftheriver.com.