INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Martha O’Sullivan’s love of Tahoe has inspired five books, including one trilogy and her latest story titled “Sierra Fall.” O’Sullivan’s writing has been praised by friends and readers for evoking the beauty of the North Shore and the different perspectives she brings in her main characters.

O’Sullivan says she’s always loved romance novels and reading, taking the city bus to the library and devouring books as winters settled in the Midwest. She had a penchant for finishing a story to her liking as she read, an early writer’s instinct. “But writing went on the backburner for a long time,” said O’Sullivan. She previously worked as an acquisitions editor, then became a stay-at-home mom to her daughters.

Now, she writes as an independent and self-published author, which she calls her “second dream in life.” She was inspired by writers like Nora Roberts, who is also self-taught and explores a variety of character voices and perspectives.

All of O’Sullivan’s current novels take place in Tahoe to some degree, which she fell in love with after she’d visited. “There’s a sense of freedom and it’s such a beautiful place, I wanted to put the books there. There’s a peacefulness and a feeling that everything is right there,” said O’Sullivan.

Her memories and joy in Tahoe shine through her descriptions of the jewel of the Sierra, though, she joked, “There’s only so many ways you can say how blue the lake is.” But she cares deeply about establishing a sense of place and drawing inspiration from the North Shore, where she’s primarily visited.

“I try to be as accurate as far as locations—for example, the characters visit Fanny Bridge and Tahoe City,” said O’Sullivan. She modeled much of the characters’ favorite places and restaurants after her experiences visiting Incline Village, the Hyatt Regency and the Lakeshore neighborhood.

Her newest story, “Sierra Fall” explores the North Shore more than her previous stories, and explores a different relationship than typically seen in commercial romance.

Mackenzie Bishop is a recent widow after her husband dies in a military training accident. She moves to Reno with her two kids and happens to meet Bren Banks, a writer who has all but given up on love. Against the backdrop of Tahoe, the two start to fall for each other.

The characters are in their forties, a departure from usual romances and even O’Sullivan’s previous trilogy where romance protagonists are typically in their twenties.

“It’s something totally different to write about older characters with kids. They say write what you know and as a stay-at-home mom, I thought of that as a way to connect with other readers,” said O’Sullivan. “I have military friends whose lives have changed through service and writing about a widow and a tragedy felt like a new and different hook.”

O’Sullivan says she’s lucky to be an independent author, despite its difficulties, because it’s allowed her to maintain creative control over her work. She’d originally pitched and began writing the Chances Trilogy through a publisher, but was able to get the rights and her story back and continue to write it on her own terms.

As someone who got a chance to pursue her lifelong dream, it’s no wonder second chances at happiness feature in all of her books. “With the Chances Trilogy, ‘Christmas in Tahoe’ and ‘Sierra Fall’, it’s just a reminder to never give up—that there’s a happy ending and a way to love again,” said O’Sullivan.

You can read more about Martha O’Sullivan and her other books on her website at https://www.marthaosullivan.com/ and pick up a copy of “Sierra Fall” online. Or if you’re in Incline Village, you can buy her books at The Potlatch at 930 Tahoe Boulevard.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.