Cassie Linden Finds Her Sweet Spot
A story of memory, resilience, and rediscovering joy.
For Stamford author Linda Avellar, the release of her debut novel, Cassie Linden Finds Her
Sweet Spot, marks the culmination of a long and winding creative journey—one filled with
persistence, passion, and a deep love of storytelling. “I’ve written other books before this one,” Avellar admits, “but this is the first to be published. My publishing journey has been long and bumpy, but I’m so happy to be where I am now.”
Avellar grew up in the sunny suburbs of Fullerton, California, a time she recalls as “idyllic.” Childhood days were filled with bike rides, backyard forts, and adventures with her two younger brothers. “Kids weren’t so scheduled back then,” she says. “We just went outside to play.”
In 1995, she and her husband relocated across the country to Stamford, Connecticut, drawn by
its mix of urban energy and natural beauty. “It was the perfect balance—a small, vibrant city
with the woods just a few miles up the road,” she says. The couple settled in North Stamford,
where they still live today.
It was there, while raising her children, that Avellar found a new professional home at The
Ferguson Library. A former freelance reporter, she joined the library’s team as a part-time
communications staffer—an opportunity that quickly grew into a career encompassing
marketing, public relations, and fundraising. “I’ve always loved books and libraries,” she says.
“It’s been such a rewarding place to work all these years.”
That lifelong relationship with reading and writing eventually led her back to fiction. Cassie
Linden Finds Her Sweet Spot centers on a woman confronting family, memory, and identity at a
pivotal crossroads in her life. Cassie faces the decision of whether to get tested for the genetic
mutation that caused her mother’s early-onset Alzheimer’s while also caring for her aging father, managing her wayward son, and tending to her father’s beloved bees.
“It’s a story about resilience and transformation,” Avellar explains. “Cassie is juggling a lot—her
father’s memory issues, her own fears about the future, and an unexpected relationship that
helps her reimagine what a full life looks like.”
The novel’s recurring theme of memory is deeply personal. Avellar wrote much of the book
while her own father was declining with Alzheimer’s disease. “It’s not about him,” she says,
“but writing it helped me come to terms with what was happening.” She ultimately dedicated
the book to him.
Nature also plays a starring role. “I love hiking and gardening and have always been fascinated
by bees,” she says. “When I started researching for the novel, I didn’t know much about
beekeeping, but I quickly became enthralled. Bees can teach us a lot about cooperation,
community, and resilience.”
As with her heroine Cassie, Avellar’s own story is one of perseverance. “Writing, like life, isn’t a
straight line,” she reflects. “There were plenty of rejections along the way. But every step, every
draft, every setback taught me something.”
Now, as she shares Cassie Linden Finds Her Sweet Spot with readers, Avellar hopes her story
reminds others that it’s never too late to rediscover purpose—or joy.
“Don’t give up,” she says with a smile. “Even when it’s hard. Keep going. You never know what
sweet spot might be waiting for you.”