Ten Years Downriver
A Memoir by Ashley Durand
How long do you stay when you never knew what love was supposed to feel like?
For the last several years, this story has quietly existed behind the scenes while I continued sharing recipes, photographs, and pieces of everyday life here on Plate & Pen. Today I'm finally able to share what I've been working on.
Ten Years Downriver is my debut memoir, releasing October 16, 2026.
I was seventeen when I met the man I believed I'd spend the rest of my life with. I spent the next decade learning that love and endurance aren't the same thing.
Raised in the deep South, where commitment was expected and endurance admired, I spent years trying to hold together a marriage shaped by control, constant criticism, financial obsession, and the quiet belief that if I simply tried harder, everything would eventually get better.
From southern Louisiana to Memphis, Los Angeles, and finally Cleveland, the Mississippi River quietly flowed alongside my story, connecting the places where my life slowly changed course.
Ten Years Downriver is my debut memoir. It's darkly funny, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately about finding the courage to leave what no longer fits, discovering that chaos isn't the same thing as love, and learning that what you deserve sometimes comes later than expected.
The Story Behind the Cover
One of the hardest parts of writing this memoir wasn't finding the words. It was finding a single image that could represent ten years of my life.
The Mississippi River became the thread that connected every chapter. It was there in Louisiana, and Tennessee, quietly following my story long before I realized it would become the book's central metaphor. Like the river itself, my life never moved in a straight line. It twisted, widened, narrowed, and eventually carried me somewhere I never expected to go.
The cover reflects that journey. The small red flag tucked along the riverbank hints at the warning signs I ignored for years, while the warm earth tones reflect the places that shaped me along the way. I wanted the design to feel simple at first glance, but reveal more the longer you look at it, much like the story inside.
A Thank You
If you've made it this far, thank you for being here.
Writing Ten Years Downriver has been one of the most rewarding and challenging projects I've ever taken on. Whether you've followed Plate & Pen for years or you've just discovered my work, I'm grateful you're here at the beginning of this journey.
I'll continue updating this page as publication day gets closer with preorder information, events, behind-the-scenes updates, and everything leading up to October 16.
I can't wait to share the rest of the story with you.
— Ashley
