Sierra Mason’s life is built on responsibility. After decades of sacrifice and a long estrangement, her bipolar sister Hope reappears—fragile, volatile, and desperately in need of help once again. When Sierra realizes Hope’s mental state is teetering into madness, she steps in, determined to keep her sister safe.
Then a wellness check goes disastrously wrong. Hope is critically injured, and Sierra is thrust into the aftermath—hospital rooms, legal uncertainty, and the fragile work of helping her sister recover. But while she works to secure her sister’s future, her own is slipping away.
Can Sierra rebuild her sister’s life without losing her own?
Hope and Madness is an upmarket, character-driven novel about complicated families, moral pressue, and the enduring bonds that persist even when everything else fractures. Readers drawn to emotionally resonant stories of difficult choices and hard-won persistance will want to read Hope and Madness.
Author
Julie Hartig
I’ve always been drawn to stories. As a child, I spent hours lost in books—traveling through imagined worlds, following characters into unfamiliar lives, and learning how stories can both comfort and challenge us.
Today, I write character-driven fiction for readers who are drawn to stories that ask difficult questions and sit with complexity. My work centers on family, responsibility, and the quiet moral pressure of real life—where care has limits, systems falter, and the right choice is rarely simple.
When not writing, you’ll find me outdoors, traveling, savoring a meal, or engrossed in a story of my own, often with a cup of tea in hand.
The Boundary Reset is a brief, reflective guide that explores why burnout happens—and how creating space doesn’t have to come with guilt or confrontation.
The next chapter
Follow Along
Why “What Do You Do?” Isn’t Simple
A story and reflection on identity, social expectations, and the question, “What do you do?”
Introducing The Boundary Reset: Choosing Limits in an Unrelenting Moment
A reflection on boundaries, burnout, and care—exploring how thoughtful limits can help us remain engaged without losing our humanity in these trying times .
Restarting After a Break When Momentum Is Gone
After a long break, restarting creative work can feel heavier than staying still. This essay explores gentle, realistic ways to overcome inertia and begin again without shame.
Contact Author
julie @ jahartig.com