About the Author

Tamara Valentine obtained an M.A. with distinction from Middlebury College in 2000 and has spent the past 14 years as a professor in the English Department at Johnson & Wales University. Presently, she lives in Kingston, Rhode Island with her husband and three children.

Reviews

What the Waves Know is a beautiful, elegant book that dives deep into the heart of childhood, memory and voice. Izabella, our silent protagonist, will surely stay with you for a very long time, as if she were someone you once knew and loved. -- Jessica Anya Blau, national bestselling author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties "In this journey of trauma and healing, the walking wounded repair their lives together, their voices shaping a rough chorus that calls us back from darkness to light." -- USA Today bestselling author Pamela Schoenewaldt With poignant language and compelling characters, Tamara Valentine explores voice and silence, creativity and madness, imagination and memory, and the mysteries that imbue our world and our minds. In so doing, Valentine reminds us that to be fully human is to be both a story teller and a story dweller. -- Christina Meldrum, author of Madapple and Amaryllis in Blueberry "What the Waves Know is a marvelous novel that creates a sense of place so specific you can practically taste the salt spray on the windswept New England beaches." -- New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Mary McNear A novel rich in mythology and childhood secrets... This dreamy coming-of-age mystery unfolds in tantalizing waves with keen insight and lush prose. -- Kirkus Reviews Valentine's debut is a well-written, charming book. She writes gracefully about loss and sadness and how time and good people can help to heal the wounds of a hurting child. -- Library Journal With the sass of Fannie Flagg and the subtle magic of Alice Hoffman, this short but powerful book should find readers of many generations. -- Booklist "Valentine's debut novel is a beautiful tale of loss, love and the fortitude of the human spirit." -- Romantic Times BOOKclub, 4 stars