Who?
A Pacific Northwest Author — Born in Forsyth, Montana, educated in Missoula, pining for the glassy, early morning waters of Flathead.
Ten early years in Riggins, Idaho, down along the Salmon. The flavors of peaches, icy streams, forest fire smoke, and brook trout still on my tongue. Those quirky, off-beat characters wandering through my psyche most often hail from that arid canyon with its mesmerizing river.
On to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. As sweet and tart as its blueberries in July–I will always be romanced by its produce. Birthplace of my son–my inspiration.
Home: West of the continental divide, north of the 45th parallel, south of the Canadian border. The Sevin Devils, Imnaha, The Zumwalt, Hells Canyon, River of No Return, The Cascades, The Pacific, Lake Missoula, The Columbia Gorge, Going To The Sun, Flathead, Wallowa, Joseph Canyon, The Rattlesnake, Pittsburg Landing, The Lochsa, Lookout, Mission Falls. I am a daughter of the west.
KBOO Radio Interview with Heather
Heather Sharfeddin holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Art.
In DAMAGED GOODS, Sharfeddin introduces us to Hershel Swift, a successful auctioneer living amidst the forests and hazelnut farms of small-town Oregon. A car accident leaves him a broken man—confused, angry, and unable to do the one thing he’s always been expert at—looking at anything and instantly determining its value. His past is suddenly blank to him, and the only evidence he has of the man he once was is in the accusing eyes of the people he’s hurt. This is when Silvie comes into his life, fleeing from a man who made her ashamed of her own past and desperate to escape it. She seeks Hershel out as shelter in a storm, and Hershel finds in Silvie a shot at redemption. He can’t remember who he was, but she can help guide him to what he can become.
Words from nice people
“Comparisons will be made to Kent Haruf . . . Sharfeddin’s . . . eye for detail . . . and her unsentimental compassion for her characters . . . will entrance readers. The stark terrain is beautifully rendered.”
– Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Superbly crafted . . . Characters are wonderfully drawn . . . Explores a wide range of themes related to sin and guilt, personal integrity, and the destructive power of prejudice. Highly recommended.”
– Library Journal (starred review)
“Sharfeddin has captured the family-like entanglements in a small community—by showing us what happens when those relationships begin to come apart.”
– Philadelphia Inquirer
“A good old-fashioned cowboy tale that’s as gritty as they come… A nice piece of emotional storytelling.”
– Chicago Tribune
Windless Summer is honored at the 2010 New York Book Festival.
Sweetwater Burning (hardcover: Blackbelly) is honored at the 2010 San Francisco Book Festival.