Perched in their self-built home high in Colorado's Elk Mountains, Shelley Read reflects with astonishment on the worldwide accomplishments of her inaugural novel, "Go as a River." Even before its release in the United States, Read notes that more than 30 translation rights had been secured, an achievement she describes as thrilling, daunting, and magnificent. A fifth-generation Coloradan, Read resides in Crested Butte with her husband.
Although the novel, published in 2023 by Spiegel & Grau, initially received scant notice from major reviewers beyond industry trade publications, it has triumphed both domestically and internationally. Garnering regional acknowledgements such as the High Plains Book Award and the Reading the West Book Award, it also appeared on bestseller lists throughout North America and Scandinavia, with sales surpassing one million copies. The story’s success has led Mazur Kaplan, founded by producer Paula Mazur and bookseller Mitchell Kaplan, to develop a film adaptation, with director Eliza Hittman, known for "Never Rarely Sometimes Only," attached to the project.
"Go as a River" spans roughly 300 pages, chronicling events from the 1940s through the 1970s. It focuses on Victoria Nash, a 17-year-old farm girl from Colorado, and her ill-fated relationship with an itinerant Indigenous man—a bond whose reverberations profoundly affect numerous lives over ensuing decades. The novel’s rise demonstrates how certain literary works can gain traction without the benefit of high-profile endorsements or prior author fame. Additionally, Read, at age 61, joins a noteworthy cadre of debut authors who embark on major literary projects later in life, following in the footsteps of writers like Frank McCourt and Louis Begley.
Cindy Spiegel, co-founder of the publishing house Spiegel & Grau, comments on Read's distinct accomplishment, observing that while many hold long-held creative visions, few commit to completing and sharing them. Reading from her Crested Butte residence via Zoom, Read recounts her background as a Denver University graduate with a master’s in creative writing from Temple University. After nearly thirty years teaching literature, she found herself increasingly drawn to a character who would become her novel's protagonist, Victoria Nash.
Despite ongoing other commitments, including raising two children and maintaining a busy professional life, Read began collecting fragmentary notes and ideas on scraps of paper, an unsolicited presence that persisted over time. Encouraged by her husband, she opted for early retirement from Western Colorado University to devote herself fully to her writing. Although she had written short stories earlier in life, a full-length novel was uncharted territory.
Completing her manuscript by 2019, Read incorporated historical elements drawn from local history, such as a 1960s flood in Iola, Colorado, and wove in a deep appreciation of the regional landscape. At a 2017 writers conference, she connected with literary agent Sandra Bond from Denver, who shared Read’s Colorado roots. Bond recalls being profoundly impressed by the manuscript but noted that the book’s latter half did not initially meet the quality of its beginning. Recognizing her own editorial limitations, Bond helped connect Read with publisher Cindy Spiegel.
During an extensive revision process, which shifted the narrative wholly to Victoria's point of view, Spiegel & Grau demonstrated a keen editorial guidance that ultimately produced the novel’s finished form. The publishing house introduced the manuscript to international agent Susanna Lea, who quickly arranged foreign publishing deals, securing a broad network of translations even during the typically quiet summer months when industry professionals are often on vacation.
Currently, Read is working on a second novel set in southeastern Colorado, an area closely tied to her family's homesteading history. The financial success of "Go as a River" has afforded Read practical benefits, including solar panel installation at her home, travel opportunities, college tuition payments for her son, and bolstering family retirement savings. Maintaining a modest lifestyle, Read says the royalties have principally enabled her to pursue her dream of being a full-time writer.