I am glad for the chance to talk about what I do. I love talking to people about my stories and how I came to write them.
Okay, so it’s not a seat next to a late-night TV host, but it is my audience. People who live in and love rural America. Those folks (along with those who wish they did) are my main fan base.
When I go to my presentations, I’m always well-received. Why? Because I spend most of the time telling the people there how great they are. Their parents and grandparents survived the worst times in one of the hardest-hit parts of the country. Yet, they are resilient, hard-working, and forthright.
What’s not to like?
My stories are nice books about nice people who live or have lived in rural northeastern South Dakota. They tell a tale about a culture that has been all but lost in large cities and many surrounding suburbs in this land.
People here still respect one another and one another’s property. They will accept you at face value and treat you with a kind dignity.
So why not meet people like that? Why not stand in front of a gathering and talk about why I love it here?
Yes, I’m an extrovert and love public speaking and book signings.
The downside? When I go to a book signing, my wife encourages me to wear a fedora. Why? She says the hat keeps my head from getting too big.