View from the SideRoad: A Collection of Upper Peninsula Stories

Enjoy U.P. Stories from the View of a Yooper Join us for a trip through Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula in this collection of fictional short stories. Let the characters of View from the SideRoad surprise you with their resilience, humor, and unpredictability. Whether it's a sailor who shuns water, an old maid who wants to shoot her cats, or a man who keeps his lover in the junk drawer, the stories range from witty to wry to weepy. Sharon is a master of the short form. As readers of her newspaper column and previous collections will attest, she never disappoints. Her stories will keep you turning the pages and thirsting for more. "Penned by Sharon Kennedy, a hidden gem in the wilds of Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, this book is a fine collection of humorous, satirical, and poignant stories." -Jim Dwyer, Writer, Mackinac Journal "View from the SideRoad weaves vivid tales with warmth and humor. The author really knows how to captivate the reader with tantalizing stories." -Jill Lowe Brumwell, Author of Drummond Island: History, Folklore, and Early People "Sharon Kennedy is one of the Upper Peninsula's premier writers. A well-read columnist in the Eastern U.P., she has turned her attention to writing books and U.P. literature is the better for it. Her stories are reminiscent of Cully Gage's, Northwoods Readers, but with her own spin and style." -Mikel Classen, Author of True Tales: Forgotten History of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, recipient of Charles Follo Award / Historical Society of Michigan "The hallmark of each story is a unique narrative voice and a one-of-a-kind character around which the story is told. In the introduction, the author tells how some of the stories had been handed down or based on stories by both her mother and father. The author's father was an Irishman and was an endless source of great stories. This collection is special because the stories are grounded in the U.P. experience and simultaneously speak to the general human condition." -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books Learn more at www.AuthorSharonKennedy.com From Modern History Press

About the Author :
Sharon's hallmark is her ability to portray fictional characters as if they were our friends and neighbors. This collection of short stories is an amusing and often poignant observation of people who populate small towns whether in Michigan's Upper Peninsula or elsewhere. Sharon writes a general interest newspaper column for Gannett Media

Review :
"Penned by Sharon Kennedy, a hidden gem in the wilds of Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, this book is a fine collection of humorous, satirical, and poignant stories." -Jim Dwyer, Writer, Mackinac Journal "View from the SideRoad weaves vivid tales with warmth and humor. The author really knows how to captivate the reader with tantalizing stories." -Jill Lowe Brumwell, Author of Drummond Island: History, Folklore, and Early People "Sharon Kennedy is one of the Upper Peninsula's premier writers. A well-read columnist in the Eastern U.P., she has turned her attention to writing books and U.P. literature is the better for it. Her stories are reminiscent of Cully Gage's, Northwoods Readers, but with her own spin and style." -Mikel Classen, Author of True Tales: Forgotten History of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, recipient of Charles Follo Award / Historical Society of Michigan "The hallmark of each story is a unique narrative voice and a one-of-a-kind character around which the story is told. In the introduction, the author tells how some of the stories had been handed down or based on stories by both her mother and father. The author's father was an Irishman and was an endless source of great stories. This collection is special because the stories are grounded in the U.P. experience and simultaneously speak to the general human condition." -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books "Congratulations on creating such a great smorgasbord of characters from up north of the bridge. Anyone who has lived here in the U.P. for any length of time will recognize the stories of poverty, loneliness, alcoholism, and isolation. These are characters on the fringes of U.P. culture who have endured long winters and too many months of cabin fever. I especially enjoyed the stories: Tank, The Frying Pan Incident, Aunt Betty's Secret, and Forgive Us Our Sins. The dark humor, even the passive/aggressive behavior, were often hilarious. Who knew that domestic dysfunction could be so entertaining? These characters aren't afraid to speak their minds. It's too damned cold up here to mince words; they have to get right to the point." -- Rich Hill, author of West of the River, North of the Bridge