I’m so pleased to be on Cheryl Grey Bostrum’s book tour to promote her latest book, What The River Keeps. And what a book it is! With an outdoorsy theme and a love element too, it’s the perfect holiday read. Before I chat to Cheryl, here’s a quick summary of “What The River Keeps” …
BOOK SUMMARY
Reclusive biologist Hildy Nybo returns to her childhood home on Washington’s Elwha River, where she untangles her mysterious past.
Hildy Nybo is a successful biologist, her study of the Pacific Northwest’s wild fish both a passion and a career. But behind her professional brilliance, Hildy’s reclusive private life reflects a childhood fraught with uncertainty. Haunted by the confusion of her early years, she now records her life in detailed diaries and clings to memory-prompting keepsakes.
Then her mother’s health fails, and Hildy accepts a job near her childhood home, joining a team of scientists who will help restore her beloved Elwha River after two century-old dams fall. There Hildy settles into a cabin on her family’s rustic resort—a place she both loves and dreads, for reasons she can’t fully explain.
When a local artist rents an adjacent cabin for her pottery studio, Hildy resists the intrusion—until intriguing Luke Rimmer arrives to help with the cabin’s renovation. Now a few years beyond a tragedy that brought him to his knees, Luke recognizes a kindred soul in Hildy. As he earns her trust, they uncover her mysterious history, and Hildy dares to wonder if she can banish her shadows—and follow her river’s course to freedom.
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction (August 12, 2025)
ISBN: 1496481585
ISBN: 978-1496481580
AISN: B0DK3ZW85L
ASIN: B0DYG3PK8T
Print length: 368 pages (also available as ebook and audiobook)
THE INTERVIEW
I’m so pleased to welcome author Cheryl Grey Bostrum onto the blog …Hi Cheryl 👋
Hi 👋 I’m Cheryl Grey Bostrom, Tyndale novelist and nature photographer from the Pacific Northwest.
My award-winning novels —Sugar Birds, Leaning on Air, and What the River Keeps—are all contemporary fiction in which the breathtaking natural world illuminates emotional and spiritual truths in our lives. I write for readers who crave stories of hope, redemption, and deep connection to both people and place.
Who or what inspired you to write What the River Keeps?
The inspiration sprang from my love for wild rivers and the idea that healing — whether personal or environmental — requires trust, resilience, connectedness. I’ve long been moved by the story of the Elwha River on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, especially its real-life dam removal and ecosystem revival. That transformation became a perfect metaphor for my protagonist’s journey back to wholeness.
I really enjoyed reading your book,What the River Keeps, and I particularly enjoyed the characters of Hildy & Luke. Hildy’s reclusive character was particularly riveting. What character did you particularly enjoy writing about? What character was the hardest to
portray?
I’m so glad Hildy resonated with you. She was both the most challenging and the most rewarding to write. Her emotional isolation, grief, and spiritual struggle demanded deep honesty and care. As for the most enjoyable? Luke surprised me. His layered strength, quiet faith, and loyalty made him a steadying force, both for Hildy and me.
You live in the Pacific Northwest— did you base the Elwha River & camp in your novel on the river areas in your region?
Absolutely. I grew up hiking along the Elwha River, which tumbles from the rugged Olympic Mountains through the forested canyons of Olympic National Park. I enjoyed Lake Aldwell (the Elwha dam’s reservoir) and the Elwha Resort before the healing ecosystem absorbed them both. The story’s flora, fauna, and landscape framed my coming of age in Port Angeles, Sequim, the Elwha Valley, and points farther west on the Olympic Peninsula.
Growing up, did you envisage yourself as a writer or did you have other career aspirations?
Though I wrote poetry from a young age, I initially pursued a career in education, and taught high school English and psychology for years. While I late wrote a couple of nonfiction books,storytelling was always humming beneath the surface. Eventually, the call to write fiction became too loud to resist. I cleared my slate, devoted myself full-time to learning the craft, and haven’t looked back.
Is What The River Keeps available to purchase worldwide?
Yes! The book’s available through online booksellers, independent bookstores, and major retailers. Ebook, audiobook, and paper editions are all available.
If you could visit any place in the world to inspire your next novel, where would you go and why?
While I’ve boated the Alaskan coastline, I’d love to explore its far north interior—landscapes where austere wilderness tests the resilience of humans and wildlife alike. A fresh canvas for the kinds of redemptive stories I love to tell.
Are you a bookworm yourself? If so, what genres (or authors) do you usually like to read? And are you a Kindle or “proper book” fan?
Absolutely a bookworm! I gravitate toward lyrical literary fiction, stories with spiritual resonance, and those steeped in nature. I admire writers like Leif Enger, Marilynne Robinson, Annie Dillard. As for format, I’ll always default to physical books—but I pack my Kindle when I travel.
Personal now—what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
Most days, I’m in jeans, hiking boots or trail shoes, and a cozy sweater or fleece—ready to grab my camera and head outside. Simplicity and comfort suit both writing and photography in wild places.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
I love outdoor and sustainable brands like REI and Patagonia. I also support small businesses and artisan shops, especially those in the Pacific Northwest.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I’ve got my eye on a new pair of waterproof boots—durable enough for muddy trails but stylish enough for town.
Boots or Shoes?
Apart from the few months I can go barefoot here in Northwest Washington State, I choose boots. I like dry feet—and being prepared when the outdoors beckons.
BOOK TOUR DATES
My thanks to Cheryl for having me on her book tour and for a preview copy of her fab book “What The River Keeps”.
Photographs have been published with the kind permission of Cheryl Grey Bostrum
The river photo that heads the interview is by Linda Hobden
Follow
