On a recent trip to Minnesota to promote my book, I was asked to become a guest contributor for the community newspaper, The Ortonville Independent. The series will be called Tales of the Whetstone River, and will include some stories I was not able to fit into Lost Without he River. Here, after their print publication I will share these columns with my online audience. Enjoy!
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Barbara Hoffbeck Scoblic, author of Lost Without the River, shares more Tales of the Whetstone River, the continuing adventures of Northeastern South Dakota’s own Hoffbeck family, who struggled to survive and thrive through hardships of the Great Depression and beyond.
When I visited the Whetstone River Valley recently to read from my memoir, Lost Without the River, each day I was amazed to learn new and exciting things, facts I hadn’t known when I wrote the book.
As I continued to talk to people I kept discovering more and more. One example: I, who walked along the river and throughout the woods looking for wildflowers all through my childhood, was amazed to learn that a rare native plant had recently been found on my old farm. (I’ll write about the mystery revolving around this plant in a future column.)
“Do you remember so-and-so?”
“Well, yes I do!” Those words often instigated the beginning of a spirited discussion of the qualities—and the quirks—of area folk.
Ten days later when I returned to my apartment in Manhattan, exhausted and elated in equal measure, the red message light on my phone was flashing frantically. I hit the play button. A woman with a familiar lilt in her voice, one from my childhood whom I hadn’t heard or seen in years, told me that she’d read my book, and was thrilled I’d mentioned her shop in it. She’s waiting to read my second book, and I’m waiting for me to write it!
At my readings, on the street, and in restaurants, friends and strangers alike, asked why I didn’t write about this or that event. Here, in installments, I’ll do my best to answer those questions.
The people in this community gave me a heartwarming welcome in October, and now I return that by inviting you to read my future columns written from my heart.
Watch this space as
Tales of the Whetstone River continue.