ALASKA KEMOSABE

It’s been two years in the making, and I’m finally able to check the completion of Alaska Kemosabe off my list of writing projects. This 362-page book contains 50 never-before-published stories of Alaska and 51 pictures. The official release date is July 1, 2025.

My publisher, Palmetto Publishing, asked for a sequel, and I’ve already begun the lengthy writing process. The name of it will be: Alaska Kemosabe – Another Twisted Trail Of Lost Legends and Tales. I’m giving myself additional time for this second manuscript because constantly burning the midnight oil is taking a serious toll on my eyes.

More fun was garnered by putting Alaska Kemosabe to paper than any other book. Sometimes I laughed so hard sitting at the keyboard that a break was needed to regain my train of thought. Working with “Miss Purdy” on the AI-generated pictures was a hoot. Miss Purdy is what I named my artificial intelligence helpmate.

I’ve been asked what authors I try to emulate, with one person suggesting it’s Garrison Keillor. The truth is, I’ve never read any of Mr. Keillor’s works or known anything about him until just recently.

If I were to choose anyone, it would be an Alaskan writer named Edward Marvin Boyd. The late Ed Boyd’s take on humor and history is pretty much the same as mine. Mr. Boyd wrote two excellent novels, Alaska Broker and Wolf Trail Lodge, and I have a copy of each.

Books I enjoyed reading, going all the way back to grade school, are history, autobiographies, and biographies, with almost all of them void of humor. No humor in a book is akin to dinner without dessert, cake minus ice cream, or a marriage with no love. Alaska Kemosabe is chock-full of chuckles and grins.

My wife seriously asked me the other morning, “This book won’t offend any of our friends or family, will it?” Thinking about that for a few seconds, I told her it shouldn’t, just as long as they didn’t read things. I know she’ll be one of the first flipping through pages, searching for questionable remarks.

Alaska Kemosabe is available in hardcover, softcover, and Kindle. All versions can be purchased online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, Goodreads, and other popular book outlets. A sizable portion can be read for free on the Amazon book sales site under “read sample.”

Watch for my upcoming podcasts, including a YouTube preview that is now online. Several libraries of my choice will also receive hardcover editions. Unfortunately, the Lake Havasu City Library isn’t one of them.

I tried to donate a couple of complimentary copies, but was informed they first have to be reviewed by the Mohave County Library Board in Kingman. It’s sort of like Alaska Kemosabe having to run the gauntlet before being allowed on a shelf.

Rather than go through the lengthy process, I said, “No, thank you,” and walked back to my truck, chuckling as I whispered to myself, “Hi Yo, Silver, away!”