Category Archives: Blog Archive

Oh oh. The situation all authors of historical fiction dread: Someone points out you got it wrong. Dead wrong, in this case, as I will explain. In my well received and widely read novel of Finnish immigrants to NE Minnesota, … Continue reading →

Ponder (pon’ der) v.i. 1. to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate… In hindsight, maybe the title of this piece should be “the ponderer” (n., one who ponders) It’s 6:00pm. Wedndesday evening. My belly is full of Vietnamese food from … Continue reading →

I finished my court docket just before noon. Even though it was a crappy day (wind, cold, snow on the way only a day after the temp hit seventy degrees) I needed a walk. To clear my head. To feel … Continue reading →

Remember the fisher who dodged traffic? Well, this morning on the way in to work, the following scene unfolded as we slid our way down Lavaque Road past the Blue Max and Eagle’s Nest resorts on Fish Lake. The snow … Continue reading →

Seven days in the sun (and much rain) of central Florida. Orlando. St. Petersburg. Cocoa Beach. Kennedy Space Center. Sea World. Universal Studios. Tampa. The Salvador Dali Museum. Hydroplaning tires in a 6 and 1/2 inch rainfall (in twelve hours) … Continue reading →

(Posted March 20, 2011) OK. Those of you who know me, know I’m a “wannbe”. I grew up surrounded by Finns. Consequently, I find myself writing stories about Finnish Americans, Finnish Canadians, and real honest-to-goodness Finnish Finns. Heck, my novel, … Continue reading →

(Posted March 6, 2011) Yesterday I finally got off my duff and went outside to clean up the snow in our driveway. Usually, Barney the plow guy takes care of all of our plowing needs. But we’ve been away from … Continue reading →

(Posted February 10, 2011) County Highway 44 is dark this evening; one of those Minnesota winter nights of close, damp claustrophobia. No stars. No moon. Just dark, dank atmosphere pressing in on the world. My wife is driving her Toyota … Continue reading →

(Posted February 4, 2011) We met at a local craft show. She was selling jewelry; jewelry she’d made. I was selling books; books I’d written (of course). A very young, striking, diminutive woman, she approached me during a lull in … Continue reading →

(Posted January 31, 2011) Friday night. The weather folks say we’re in for a bit of a snow squall. Instead, as I drive south on I-35 in my wife’s Matrix, my wife in the co-pilot’s seat, my sons Jack and … Continue reading →