On Writing She Rides, Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico

She Rides, Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico

By Alenka Vrecek

During my 2500 mile long mountain bike journey from my home in Lake Tahoe, California to my second home at the tip of Baja Peninsula in Mexico, I wrote a blog, so my family and friends could follow along. With every post I shared, my readership increased and the anticipation for my next post grew along with it. Many followers of my blog, some I knew, many I didn’t, encouraged me to write a book. Sure, I thought, that would be fun. Little did I know, I would embark on one of the most difficult journeys of my life yet. But, just like when we go through challenging times in life we take one step at a time, one rotation of the bike wheel after another, one word after word. Before we know it, we see the light at the end of seemingly endless and dark tunnel.

The most difficult things in life are by far the most rewarding. They give a feeling of accomplishment, increase sense of self-worth, and give us a feeling of belonging. By completing writing and publishing a book, we receive a place on the bookshelves, and hopefully, a place in the hearts of the readers.

I never wrote, never mind published anything in my life, and sometimes ignorance really is a bliss. I wanted to improve my writing skills, and I wasn’t afraid to ask for help. Along the way, I found mentors who believed in me, and saw that I had a voice and was also coachable. I took many classes offered by people who had knowledge and experience, and were better and more successful than me. Yes, I got frustrated and discouraged, and I walked away from my project many times thinking, why would anyone want to read about my life, my journey, my struggles, and my triumphs?

There are so many books already written by famous athletes and famous people. I am just like anyone else who has been delt with some shitty cards in life. And that was just it- what I was hoping to achieve with She Rides, was that anyone could relate to my story and chase their own dreams, whatever they may be. If I could do it, so can you, sounds like a cliché, but it is true. We just need an inspiration, a little kick in the butt, and some encouragement along the way.

Writing She Rides book was extra challenging for me. I am an immigrant, so English is not my first language. The isolation during COVID was an ideal time to commit myself to writing. I attended writing conferences and online writing classes, and collaborated with experienced writers and editors along the way. The online writing community blossomed. We should all have purchased stocks in ZOOM.
After I completed the manuscript, I started an endless process of querying.

Since COVID insinuated itself into every aspect of our lives, agents and publishers weren’t open and responsive to a never published and unknown author. The entire publishing industry came to a grinding halt. I knew I didn’t want to self-publish the book. Early in my book-writing-journey, one of my mentors suggested I submit to She Writes Press, an award-winning, hybrid Indy publishing company, catering to female writers. First, I was skeptical, but I had great respect for my mentor/editor, who recommended SWP (She Writes Press). After I did more research, I submitted my manuscript.

Soon I signed the contract and my first check. Yes, you have to be prepared to invest a good chunk of your own money, but SWP will do everything from proofreading, book cover design, final design and formatting of pages, sending book to printer, upload to major online platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books…as well as traditional distribution through Ingram Publisher Services, the largest book distributor in the country. They provide support and guidance every step of the way, which is the key in writing and publishing of the book. 

In short, if you have a story you want to write and share, do it. The world always needs more books that make us feel good, give us hope and courage. Dream big and work hard and the impossible will become possible.

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About the author: Alenka Vrecek was born at the foot of the Alps in Slovenia, a part of former communist Yugoslavia. Born with a spirit for adventure, she came to America at twenty years old with a backpack, a pair of skis, and a pocket full of dreams. She was a ski coach and a director of Pedagogy for Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows Ski Teams for thirty years. Alenka owns Tahoe Tea Company and lives in Lake Tahoe, California, with her second husband, Jim, their four children, three grandchildren, and a Golden Retriever named Monty. She continues to ride and write.

She Rides: Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico

At fifty-four, Alenka was running out of time to follow through on a dream she’d written down in her pocket-size Rumi book just after her first marriage crumbled. Years later, as she slowly rebuilt her life with her second husband, things started spiraling out of control. The only way she knew how to heal and connect all painful parts of her life was by riding her bike, and she didn’t want to have regrets. But was she brave enough to embark on an unknown path and risk losing everything . . . perhaps even her own life?

Determined to awaken her dying spirit and heal her battered body, Alenka loaded her mountain bike with 50 pounds’ worth of camping gear and set off on a 2,500-mile journey. Starting in Lake Tahoe California, she hoped to ride along the Sierra Nevada Mountain range to the tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, following remote mountain trails. Alone.

What followed was an irrevocably transformational journey of love, hope, courage, and resilience—and here, Alenka tells that story in a voice stripped of self-pity and infused with a good dose of humor. She Rides is a galvanizing wake-up call for anyone who wants to unearth and follow their own deeply buried dreams—and reclaim their life.

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Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing