Congratulations to the Finalists for the Whistler Independent Book Award

Although SILENCES: A NOVEL OF THE 1918 FINNISH CIVIL WAR was not a finalist for this award, I'm proud that it finished on the shortlist. I think it's a good book, and a relevant book. 

As people are stressed, that stress trickles down into our social norms and institutions. Historical fiction, like SILENCES and other stories and novels, can help us all understand the all-too-human choices available to us. I'm pleased that SILENCES has resonated with readers, and continues to do so.

Kudos also to the Whistler Independent Book Award. It's no small feat to organize an award at any time, and I appreciate their continuing to offer the award in this time of COVID-19. More about the awards is here. 

SILENCES Recognized

This year so far has been ... interesting. My wife and I are hunkered down, working on my next novel, THE ITERATIONS OF CAROLINE. We hope to release it at the end of the summer, pandemic permitting

Meanwhile, exciting news! SILENCES: A NOVEL OF THE 1918 FINNISH CIVIL WAR is on the shortlist for the Whistler Independent Book Awards.

My book is one of six recognized in this way. Three finalists will be announced in mid-July, with winners announced in October--pandemic permitting, I suppose.

To learn more about the awards, click here.

It's welcome news, to know that people are reading my book and (apparently) enjoying it.

And even as the sun and warmth returns, we're still mindful of the little we know about COVID-19, its prevalence--and I suppose its malevolence, although it's not fair to anthropomorphize. It's just doing what viruses do.

So sometimes we mow the lawn, sometimes we rake last year's leaves, and we always keep an eye on our view. This year, we have redwing blackbirds nesting down near the lakeshore, and they're brave to take on and chase away the ravens that plunder their nests. Meanwhile, the ravens (joined by gulls and even crows) harass the eagles.

They all, too, are just doing what birds do. People, though--we can do better. We don't have to kill each other. I think the characters in SILENCES, from Jussi to the Solbakkens to Jimmy, would all agree.