Diana Riechers /Submitted photo
Even through the demands of raising two children and being a full time teacher, Salem School sixth grade math teacher Diana Riechers found time to write a novel. In fact, she’s written three and a half novels of a planned four-book series in the last three years.
The idea of being a novelist always sat deep in the back of her mind, but all practicalities lead her to a teaching career. It wasn’t until she got a new laptop, an idea, and summer break that she found herself with all practicalities to write. Riechers remembered the advice, “write about what you know” and set her first book, a young-adult novel, in her hometown of Wisconsin Dells.
Although the book is not autobiographical, Riechers has a lot in common with the main character, Ava. Riechers spent seven summers working as a tour guide for the Dells Boat Tours, and much of the book is focused on Ava’s experience as a guide.
At first, it was a fun, creative outlet for her in her downtime. Once finished, she asked some friends and family to read it. She got such a great response that she decided to self-publish, which hasn’t been easy. Figuring out everything she needed to do to make her book professional and successful has been a lot of work, but she’s thrilled that her book is finally available as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.
“I wasn’t sure at first that I really wanted to publish my book for anyone to read, but my friends who read it were so encouraging that I decided to go for it,” said Riechers. “I’m very excited that my book is finally out there.”
Reichers’s students are excited that their teacher wrote a book, but Riechers warns that it may not be appropriate for all students at Salem. “The target age range is 13 and above.” If parents are concerned whether they should allow their students to read the book, Riechers recommends reading it first yourself. “If your student has read books like The Hunger Games and Twilight, then The Carrier might be appropriate for them.” But searching for The Carrier may be tricky if you don’t use Riechers’s pen name, Diana Ryan. “Riechers is a confusing name to spell and pronounce easily, so I’ve taken the pen name which is easier for my readers to remember.”
Riechers grew up in Wisconsin Dells, and spent her summers working as a tour guide for the Dells Boat Tours on the Wisconsin River. She even was part of a short-lived group of singing guides that gave tours through the 1990s. Riechers went to college at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point where she completed her teaching degree. She was hired as a teacher at Salem Grade School in 2004 and has spent the last 11 years teaching mostly at the middle school level.
The Carrier delivers its plot through a two-part, dual-perspective storyline. The first half of the novel follows college student Ava Gardner, who is spending the summer after her first year of college as a tour guide on the Dells of the Wisconsin River.
But there are two sides to every story.
Just when college student Ava Gardner thinks it will be another humdrum summer as a tour guide on the Dells of the Wisconsin River, handsome and charismatic newbie, Nolan Hill, walks onto her boat and into her heart. Falling for a guy was not on her to-do list for the summer, but Ava can barely resist Nolan’s stunning blue eyes, his flirty personality, or the fact that he seems to show up right by her side wherever trouble finds her.
But what should love-struck Ava do when she accidentally discovers evidence suggesting Nolan isn’t quite the man she thought he was? Out of place guys in black suits hanging around his cabin, a hidden briefcase filled with mysterious techie objects, and his avoidance of answering personal questions urge Ava to wonder if the summer will only end in heartbreak.
The Carrier is currently available on Amazon as an ebook.
