Ticket to a Lonely Town examines the inner life of beliefs, regrets, and yearnings that shape our identities. But in my stories identity is never stable, and few of the characters live the lives they had intended. As the title of the collection suggests, my people are on the move, sometimes if only toward loneliness.

A structural feature of the collection is the recurrence of characters and themes in various stories. Thus, although the characters may be lonely, there is also a sense of the connectedness of human life, even when that connectedness is only partial.

One story, told by a wise and droll Minnesotan, celebrates the rebirth of his community through the efforts of a plump, socially aware stripper. Another story offers the bizarre fantasies of a delusional blackmailer who believes that he is living with the reincarnated poet Pablo Neruda. As these descriptions suggest, I try to moderate the “lonely town” theme with generous helpings of humor.

While these stories take us away from our own lives, into a world of other tears and laughter, I hope that each story is also a ticket back to ourselves and to the experience of America. This collection has been a finalist for the St. Lawrence Book Award and for the Serena McDonald Kennedy Award.

For a sample of my writing read: Solitude

To read what others have said about Ticket to a Lonely Town

New Poem: "July Afternoon" July, 13th 2006, Reader Weekly

I live in Duluth, MN and am available for signings and other book events in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Louisiana, and elsewhere as finances allow. For any such event, please contact me at with “book event” on the subject line.

Ticket To A Lonely Town - On Sale Now