ABOUT TESS

Hello!

I'm so happy you've found me! Here's a little about me.

I'm a proud mother. A loving wife. A woman of faith. A daughter to aging parents. A best friend.

I write fiction about people like you and me. Characters who deserve second chances and love and redemption and have had heartbreak and joy and everything in between.

I worry about my aging parents and my kids and sometimes wonder if I'm doing a good job as a mother or a daughter.

I have two cats I adore and take too many photos of. Mittens is a tuxedo and sleeps on my desk. Midnight hardly leaves Cliff's side, but I don't hold it against her even though she was my cat first.

I hate cooking dinner. My cakes always fall apart, even when I use a mix. I'm a little messy, especially when I have a deadline. I'm forgetful, which I blame on the stories in my head that distract me from real life. I'm always trying to lose ten pounds. I love Zumba and strength training classes at my local YMCA even though my knees sometimes ache. I love nothing better than to read all day in bed. As I grow older, I find myself liking books about good people and happy endings than works of great literary merit that leave me feeling sad. Sorry, but that's just the truth. If it were between French fries or a cookie, I would always go for the potatoes. I love sappy, sentimental movies and binge-watching series, especially Masterpiece Theatre, country music, wine, flowers, birds, the beach and snuggling on the couch.

I work hard because I love what I do and never want to squander the opportunities God has given me. There's never a day I'm not thankful to my readers. Without them, I would not have my dream life, sitting at my desk and writing from my heart. I'm also blessed with a team behind the scenes who do all the things so I can write.

My best friend is Violet. She's brilliant and kind and a second mother to my girls. She makes me laugh and warms my heart even during the hardest times. I can tell her everything and never feel judged. She's just the best. You know what I mean because you probably have a Violet too.

My daughters, Emerson and Ella, are the pride of my life. They're both smart, compassionate, hard workers, and the most amazing humans. Honestly, I thank God every day for giving me the chance to be their mom. Although they're now young ladies, I still see the babies and little girls they once were. They'll always be my babies no matter how old they are. Sniff.

My stepsons, who I refer to as my Bonus Sons, are now adults forging their own way in the world and making us proud with their independence. I didn't have long with them, so I can't really take much credit, but I love them and am humbled and honored to be part of their lives.

And then there's Cliff. My soulmate. My partner in life. Cliff and I found each other when we were in our middle forties, after years of heartache for both of us. I was divorced with two little girls, and he was a widower raising two teenage boys on his own. We met through an online dating app! Tinder, of all places. I know, the odds of us finding each other were astronomical, especially on a dating app designed for young people. Honestly, it was nothing short of a miracle! We committed to going through the rest of our lives as a team and I can tell you without a doubt he was the best decision of my life. Cliff has supported my writing dreams, even during the years of struggle and disappointments. He always believed in my talent even when I wasn't so sure. All the success I have now is because of him. He's my WHY for all things. Recently, we moved into our dream house on a small lake. I'm still pinching myself.