I have a brand-new book coming out on July 12 from Montlake that I can’t wait to tell you about. It’s called “The History of Us” and it’s about a small-town crime that throws together ex-high school sweethearts who have never quite gotten over their past. Set in the fictional town of Port Inez, Washington, “The History of Us” has a few references to my previous books, “Sweet Bliss” and “Good Catch” which take place in Harper Landing, but is a standalone novel meant to be read independently.
All of my books hold a piece of my heart, but “The History of Us” has a piece of my brain, too. On March 28, 2021 I published a column headlined “A delicious spring getaway is a lot closer than you think” about a day trip my daughter and I took to Kingston. We walked on the ferry, enjoyed the view of the mountains, and indulged in treats at Mora Iced Creamery and Sweet Life Cakery. But most of all, we soaked up the atmosphere, which was important because I was imagining what the town of Port Inez might look like and used Kingston as inspiration. At that point, I was three-quarters of the way done with my first draft.
When we came home to Edmonds, I was excited to complete my manuscript, especially now that I could clearly visualize Port Inez in my mind. Unfortunately, a few days after my column came out, I was struck with transient global amnesia. All of a sudden, I morphed into a confused person grappling with my own reality.
It took me a couple of months to recover from brain fog before I could finish my manuscript. After I turned it in, my editors spotted a weird schism where the characters had forgotten things that they previously knew about each other. It was the three-quarters mark, the point at which I had picked the draft up again after suffering amnesia. With my editors’ help, and a lot of deep revisions, I fixed that issue.
My editors helped me see other things about my book, too, that I hadn’t fully understood while writing it. I thought it was only a love story between the main characters, Andrea and Dustin. My editors showed me that it was also a love story about families. “The History of Us” explores how people growing up in the same house remember events in different ways. Ordinary objects; a coin, a china cabinet, a truck; can hold deep memories of loved ones who are no longer with us.
My towns and characters are fictional, but the emotions I write about are real. I hope that when readers turn the pages of “The History of Us” or listen to it on audiobook, that they will get swept away. Thank you for reading!
Edmonds resident Jennifer Bardsley publishes books under her own name and the pseudonym Louise Cypress. Find her online on Instagram @jenniferbardsleyauthor, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as Jennifer Bardsley Author. Email her at teachingmybabytoread@gmail.com.
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