Ink Fish Books presents a book signing with two local authors (and friends) who have published novels on the theme of women on a journey toward awakening — Martha Reynolds, I Wish I Had a River, and Belle A. DeCosta, Treading Water.
Copies will be available for purchase during the signing.
About the Books
I Wish I Had a River by Martha Reynolds (published October 2022)
Pediatrician Anna Drury has been contentedly married to her husband Nick for three years when he receives a terminal diagnosis. In the two weeks before the fatal illness claims his life, Nick makes three urgent requests that Anna is determined to honor. She takes a year-long leave from her practice and travels to Portugal, Spain, Italy, and finally, France.
Throughout her journey, Anna discovers secrets about her late husband and his family that are troubling. Her healing depends on reconciling her husband's flaws and finding her own balance. For fans of Eat, Pray Love, this novel will take the reader on a four-country journey of self-awareness and ultimate forgiveness.
Treading Water by Belle A. DeCosta (published November 2021)
Meet Caroline McMerritt. Ambitious and driven, with a tongue as sharp as her mind, she is the top advertising executive for a prestigious Manhattan firm – until a particular circumstance takes a bite out of her edge, and she starts down a precipitous path.
Forced to take a hiatus or lose her job, and at the strong suggestion of a trusted brother, Caroline finds herself exiled to the abandoned family cabin in the backwoods of Maine.
Disgusted by her surroundings and enraged by the involuntary break, she vows to be unproductive and miserable, counting the days until she can return to the fast-paced life of her beloved NYC. But a telling moment brings Caroline face to face with her problem, and for the first time in her life, she feels out of control, lost. Panic ensues.
The discovery of a hidden treasure, buried in her deceased mother’s hope chest, helps her reset and restores her strong will. The unexpected gift not only provides the comfort of her mother’s presence but tells of secrets kept, past experiences lived, and lessons learned.
Join Caroline as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, hard truths, friendship, and love, guided by the advice and wisdom of her late mother. Will it be enough to save her?
Praise & Awards
Praise for I Wish I Had a River
“I Wish I Had a River is a magical journey through love, life and loss, a quest not for riches so much as fulfillment. Martha Reynolds has fashioned a shrewd and sensitive tale that explores both the breadth and the limits of the human heart to emerge from tragedy. This is literary writing of the highest order, on par with Elizabeth Gilbert, Alice Hoffman, and even the great Joan Didion. I only wish there were more books like this!”
–Jon Land, USA Today best-selling author
Awards for Treading Water
Finalist for Best First Novel by Next Generations Indie Book Awards 2022.
About the Authors
Martha Reynolds is the award-winning author of eleven novels, including the best sellers Chocolate for Breakfast and Bits of Broken Glass. Her novel, Villa del Sol, was awarded the 2018 Book Prize in Literary Fiction by Independent Publishers of New England. Her writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and her very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during NPR’s Tell Me More poetry challenge.
With five novels set in her beloved Switzerland, she is always dreaming about her next trip. She lives with her husband and their sweet dog, Bonnie, in Rhode Island—never far from the ocean. Learn more about Martha at marthareynoldswrites.com.
Belle A. DeCosta’s memoir, Echoes in the Mirror, was published in June 2020, and her piece, “An Introduction,” is featured in the 2020 ARIA Anthology, Hope. Her novel, Treading Water, published November 2021, was awarded Finalist for Best First Novel by Next Generations Indie Book Awards 2022. Her piece, “Favorite Neighbor,” is featured in the 2022 ARIA Anthology, Iconic Rhode Island.
Belle has had a lifetime of involvement in dance and choreography. She is the creator and director of Tap n’ Time, a seated tap and rhythm class designed for the elderly. Previously, she owned Belle’s School of Dance for 25 years, and was founder and director of VERVE Dance Co.
When not traveling to nursing homes to share her program, she enjoys spending time with her grandson, being in nature, dining with friends, and of course—writing. Belle makes her home in East Providence, Rhode Island, and is a proud member of the Association of Rhode Island Authors. Learn more about Belle at belledecosta.com.