January 27, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 5A
Author has ‘romance’ with Cannon Beach
By Lyra Fontaine
For Cannon Beach Gazette
From impassioned citizens
at Cannon Beach city meet-
ings to the antique stores and
charm of small towns, author
Mindy Hardwick has found
no shortage of writing materi-
al on the North Coast.
“I feel like I have lots of
stories I can write for a long
time,” she said with a laugh.
Hardwick, a part-time
Cannon Beach resident since
2013, writes contemporary
romance, young adult and
children’s books. She also
facilitates poetry workshops
at the Denney Youth Juvenile
Justice Center in Washington
state and will soon publish a
memoir on the experience.
Hardwick decided to pur-
sue writing while teaching
seventh grade.
“I took my kids to a young
authors conference and I re-
ally resonated with the chil-
dren’s writers,” she said.
In 2002, Hardwick was
selected to work with youth
at the National Book Award
Foundation summer writing
camp. At the camp, Hardwick
met an author she admired,
Norma Fox Mazer. Hardwick
went on to receive a master’s
in fine arts at Vermont College
of Fine Arts, where she wrote
LYRA FONTAINE/FOR CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Cannon Beach resident Mindy Hardwick has found no
shortage of writing material on the North Coast writes
children’s, young adult and contemporary romance books.
‘I feel like I have lots of stories
I can write for a long time.’
Author Mindy Hardwick
two children’s books.
Since then, her young
adult book “Stained Glass
Summer” was a 2013 EPIC
eBook Award finalist and she
has published sweet contem-
porary romance novellas.
“I had always done those
stories in my head, ever since
I was in my 20s,” she said.
‘Cranberry Bay’
Hardwick used parts of
Wheeler and Nehalem, includ-
ing the vintage shops, as the
backdrop for her “Cranberry
Bay” romance series.
“It just screamed ‘story,’”
she said.
The series, which focuses
on three brothers in a family
each falling in love, is avail-
able at the Cannon Beach
Bookstore.
“I’ll come here and say, ‘If
you sit here for two hours and
get 1,800 words done, then you
can go,’” Hardwick said. “It’s
very strict and I set goals.”
Before writing a book,
Hardwick maps out scenes and
chapters and creates detailed
character descriptions.
Recently, she’s been writing
in an unlikely place — an Ap-
plebee’s near her primary home
in Lake Stevens, Washington.
She started writing reg-
ularly at the restaurant and
befriended a waiter who has
helped her throughout the writ-
ing process, such as figuring
out what dates her characters
will go on. “He brought in that
guy perspective,” she said. “It’s
funny when you have someone
playing with your characters
with you. This is not typical for
how I write my books.”
Hardwick’s experience get-
ting involved in local govern-
ment issues served as inspira-
tion for scenes in a “Cranberry
Bay” book.
In August, the third Cran-
berry Bay book, “Sweetheart
Wedding,” will be released.
When she’s not writing at
Bella Espresso, Hardwick en-
joys walking the beach with her
cocker spaniel, sewing, cook-
ing and traveling.
Memoir took ‘courage’
A memoir of Hardwick’s
experience teaching at the ju-
venile justice center, “Kids
in Orange: Voices from A Ju-
Parenting classes offered at
Seaside Heights Elementary
Music night!
R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Thursday nights are music night at Bill’s Tavern and
Brewhouse in Cannon Beach.
Northwest Parenting and
the Lower Columbia His-
panic Council are offering
two parenting classes held
at Seaside Heights Elemen-
tary School.
Lori Honl of Northwest
Head Start will lead the
“ABC’s of Parenting” class
on Thursday nights through
March 8. A dinner will be
served at 6 p.m. and the
class follows from 6:30 to
8 p.m.
“ABC’s of Parenting” for
children five to eight years
is a free, seven-session
group-based program. Par-
ents learn about nurturing
parenting skills and ways
to promote their children’s
success in school. This class
is taught in English only.
Maritza Beltran of the
Lower Columbia Hispan-
ic Council will lead the
“Building a Better Future
through Parent Leadership”
class on Wednesday nights
through March 22. A dinner
will be served at 6 p.m. and
the class follows from 6:30
to 8 p.m.
This class is a nine-week
program for parents who
want to learn how to support
their children academically
in school. The class will be
taught in Spanish only, and
is for parents of children
who are preschool age up to
third grade. Childcare will
be provided.
To enroll in the “ABC’s
of Parenting” program or
for further information, call
503-325-8673, ext. 1; or
visit www.nworparenting.
org. To enroll in the “Build-
ing a Better Future through
Parent Leadership” class
or for more information,
call 503-325-4547; or visit
www.lchispaniccouncil.org.
Seaside Heights Elemen-
tary School is located at
2000 Spruce Drive, or call
503-738-5161.
venile Detention,” will be re-
leased early this year.
Hardwick guides young
adults in writing poetry about
their life experiences.
“It’s very raw and honest,”
she said. “They were the ones
who inspired me to write my
memoir. It took me multiple
drafts to get to that level of
honesty where they go instant-
ly. They taught me a lot about
having the courage to get to
that place.”
Many of her students
have committed drug-relat-
ed crimes, but Hardwick said
their stories allow others to
see that “you may have done
something, but that’s not com-
pletely who you are.”
After the workshop, the
children might be released or
start a long-term program.
“There’s so much that
they’re working with and that
you’re working against,” Hard-
wick said.
Hardwick will read from
the memoir in May at the Can-
non Beach Library as part of
an authors series.
BUSINESS
DIRECTORY
M INI -S TORAGE
SPACE AVAILABLE
CANNON BEACH
MINI-STORAGE
Units Available
5’ x 10’ • 10’ x 10’
Contact Shawna at 503-436-2235
C ONSTRUCTION
“Helping shape the character of Cannon Beach since 1973”
Residential • Commercial • Remodeling
New Construction • Storm Damage Repair
Full Service Custom Cabinet Shop
503.436.2235
www.coasterconstruction.com • CCB# 150126
H EATING & C OOLING
Expert Service,
Repairs & Installation
Residential & Commercial
Gas, Oil & Electric Furnaces
Ductless Systems • Fireplaces
Water Heaters • Heat Pumps & AC
Licensed & Bonded
Commercial Refrigeration
Locally Owned & Operated
Cannon Beach, Oregon
CCB#199205
Wheeler and
Nehalem a
backdrop for
romance series
503-440-6975
coastheating@gmail.com
P AINTING
Randy Anderson
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB# 89453
36 Years Experience
Anderson Painting
(503) 738-9989 • Cell (503) 440-2411 • Fax (503) 738-9337
PO Box 140 Seaside, Oregon 97138
PUBLIC MEETINGS
www.andersonpainting.biz
Tuesday, Feb. 7
Thursday, Feb. 23
Tuesday, March 21
Cannon Beach City Council, 7 p.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach Planning Commis-
sion, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Friday, Feb. 24
Cannon Beach Public Works
Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163
E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach City Council, 5:30
p.m., work session, City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Thursday, Feb. 16
Cannon Beach Parks and Commu-
nity Services Committee, 9 a.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach Design Review
Board, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Tuesday, Feb. 21
Cannon Beach Public Works
Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163
E. Gower St.
Seaside School District, 6 p.m., 1810
S. Franklin, Seaside.
Cannon Beach Emergency Pre-
paredness Committee, 10 a.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Seaside School District, 6 p.m., 1810
S. Franklin, Seaside.
Tuesday, March 7
Cannon Beach Emergency Pre-
paredness Committee, 10 a.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach City Council, 7 p.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Tuesday, March 14
Cannon Beach City Council, 5:30
p.m., work session, City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Thursday, March 16
Cannon Beach Parks and Commu-
nity Services Committee, 9 a.m.,
163 E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach Design Review
Board, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Friday, March 24
Cannon Beach Planning Commis-
sion, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Tuesday, April 4
Cannon Beach City Council, 7 p.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Tuesday, April 11
Cannon Beach City Council, 5:30
p.m., work session, City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Tuesday, April 18
Cannon Beach Public Works
Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
Thursday, April 20
Cannon Beach Parks and Commu-
nity Services Committee, 9 a.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Cannon Beach Design Review
Board, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E.
Gower St.
YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF
(no Scotch Broom)
503-717-1454
34154 HIGHWAY 26
SEASIDE, OR
Cannon Beach Emergency Pre-
paredness Committee, 10 a.m.,
City Hall, 163 E. Gower St.
Laurelwood Farm
COASTER THEATRE
C ONSTRUCTION
45 TH ANNIVERSARY
SEASON
B oB M c E wan c onstruction , inc .
E xcavation • u ndErground u tiitiEs
r oad w ork • F ill M atErial
s itE P rEParation • r ock
owned and operated by
M ike and C eline M C e wan
503-738-3569
2017
34154 Hwy 26, Seaside, OR
P.O. Box 2845, Gearhart, OR
S erving the p aCifiC n orthweSt S inCe 1956 • CC48302
Jan 28 • Puffi n & Friends
Feb 4 • Best Buys of the Year
Feb 11 • Wines for Romance
Feb 18 • Urban Wines
Feb 25 • Wine Shack Favorites
Mar 4 • Puffi n Wines
Mar 18 • Storm Large Pre-show Party
THE CELEBRATION BEGINS
MARCH 3
“Best Wine Shop”
Tickets: 503-436-1242 or
costertheatre.com
- 2016 Reader’s Choice Award
124 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach - 503.436.1100 - www.thewineshack.wine
Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix
Soil Amendments
Cannon Beach Planning Commis-
sion, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower
St. Friday, April 28
Cannon Beach’s Best Selection
of Oregon and Washington Wine!
Shack Hours
Daily
11am to 5:30pm
Tasting Room Hours
Saturdays • 1 to 5pm
L ANDSCAPING
Thursday, April 27
1972
UPCOMING
TASTINGS
“Custom Finishing”
108 N Hemlock St
Cannon Beach OR 97110
BUSINESS
DIRECTORY