We all dream of disappearing into the forest and living there away from noise and people, I think. At least among us men, I’m pretty sure we all do from time to time. I’m one of the few people who’s actually done it – then I wrote a book about it. But there was at least one other important element to my story, beyond escape from the urban jungle, and that was purpose.

We all ask ourselves big questions sooner or later in life, things along the lines of, Why am I here? What’s the best thing I could be doing with my life? or What’s truly fundamental? The Eastern Brook Trout Solo Adventure and The Dying Fish was my answer to all of these. And I answered them all for myself while in motion – not while meditating quietly at home (what kind of a book would that be?) Don’t be intimidated though by my humble attempt at philosophy. The book remains, essentially, an easy read – the story of a man bumbling along through the woods looking for trout.

Sunday, May 1 looks like the big day. I’ve been leading you all along for months now with promises of pages but it really looks like Sunday is the big day. It’s the day I’ve waited for anxiously over the last 9 and a half years – since I first had an inkling that there was work to be done out in the Appalachian Mountains and a story that maybe only I could tell.

How will I celebrate the release of the book? Well, I’ll get out in the woods more – too much time in Pittsburgh and on the computer recently. I need the woods just to keep me centered – the same as we all do. Then too, there’s something new cooking – I’ll keep you posted.

The Dying Fish – May 1, 2016 on Amazon.com and CreateSpace.com