Letters tell the story
There is a letter at the beginning of every chapter. They are the heart of the story and shine a light on the sisters' relationship in a new way.
A novel by Cherie L. Genua
Introducing Greetings from Tucson
A feel-good novel about four sisters, decades of letters, and the unbreakable bond that carried them through it all.
About the book
Inspired by a true story
Greetings from Tucson was inspired by my grandmother's early life. At a young age, she and her sisters were left parentless—forced to move thousands of miles away from one another.
Two sisters remained in Connecticut, while two were adopted and moved across country to Arizona. They stayed in touch and grew their bond through the art of letter writing—long before social media or email made life simpler.
A coming-of-age story with true love at its core, the novel follows Cookie, Frankie, Dottie, and Connie from childhood into adulthood through the letters that once formed a lifeline between them.
Illustrations bring it to life
Hand-drawn illustrations by designer Jordan Bernard are scattered throughout the book, helping the story come alive on the page.
Greetings from… Connecticut?
The title went back and forth—Letters from my Sisters? Hello from Waterbury?—until a vintage postcard sparked Greetings from Tucson.
“Good for the soul” fiction
A love story between four sisters that's meant to make you feel good—the relationship, the letters, the LOVE, the ending.
Vintage vibes
Set in the 1940s, 1950s, and beyond—including a train scene with a sleeping cabin and luggage trunks.
My favorite chapter
“Wildflowers” was written in the dead of winter—but I could almost smell the wildflowers as I wrote the scene.
“I think about my mother. I think about my father. I think about my sisters. I think about what our lives could have been.”
About the author
Hi, I'm Cherie.
I'm the author of Greetings from Tucson, my first published novel. It's a wholesome, heartwarming story with twists, lots of love, and, of course, letters.
In 2020, I got into the art of letter writing—surprising friends and family with handwritten cards. Those letters connected us, and prompted me to finally write the story that had been in the back of my mind since 2012, when I discovered a shoebox filled with pastel-colored envelopes tucked away in my grandmother's closet.
Those letters from the 1940s and beyond pieced together the stunning—and tragic—story of her early life, and taught me a sisters' bond can never be broken, no matter how hard life gets.
From the book
Illustrations & inspirations
A peek at the hand-drawn illustrations and vintage photos that inspired Greetings from Tucson.
Say hello
Contact me
For questions, inquiries, or just to chat—drop me a note. Don't be shy, I'd love to meet ya!