Mainer Writes Amazing First Novel

It always amazes me when someone writes a great first novel. It takes a compelling plot, realistic characters, good dialogue, and for me, intrigue that keeps me reading, wanting to know what happens next.

Thomas Torrington does all of this in his first novel, Evergreen. Set in my area of central Maine, where Thomas worked for 20 years as a golf teaching professional, Evergreen takes the reader on a long and sometimes very difficult journey through the lives of neighboring families who suffer more than their share of tragedies, along with wonderful experiences.

Lots of bad mistakes are made by some of the characters, but overall, this is a very hopeful and inspiring story.

There are lots of good messages from faith-based journeys to raising children. In a message to his children at the beginning of the book, Thomas wrote: “Everything I could hope to teach you can be found within these pages.” All I can add is: great job Thomas!

Thomas is now a stay-at-home Dad, focused on his family and his writing. I can only hope he’s working on a new novel.

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.