“In Cod We Trust is a vivid portrayal of modern Norway through the eyes of a fourth-generation Norwegian American from Minnesota. In this cross-cultural memoir, Eric Dregni tells the hair-raising, hilarious and sometimes poignant stories of his family’s yearlong Norwegian experiment.” —La Crosse Tribune

Eric Dregni’s great-grandfather Ellef fled Norway in 1893 when it was the poorest country in Europe. More than one hundred years later, his great-grandson traveled back to find that—mostly due to oil and natural gas discoveries—it is now the richest. The circumstances of his return were serendipitous, as the notice that Dregni won a Fulbright Fellowship to go there arrived the same week as the knowledge that his wife Katy was pregnant. Braving a birth abroad and benefiting from a remarkably generous health care system, the Dregnis’ family came full circle when their son Eilif was born in Norway.

In this cross-cultural memoir, Dregni tells the hair-raising, hilarious, and sometimes poignant stories of his family’s yearlong Norwegian experiment. Among the exploits he details are staying warm in a remote grass-roofed hytte (hut), surviving a dinner of rakfisk (fermented fish) thanks to 80-proof aquavit, and identifying his great-grandfather’s house in the Lusterfjord only to find out it had been crushed by a boulder and then swept away by a river. To subsist on a student stipend, he rides the meat bus to Sweden for cheap salami with a busload of knitting pensioners. A week later, he and his wife travel to the Lofoten Islands and gnaw on klippefisk (dried cod) while cats follow them through the streets.

Dregni’s Scandinavian roots do little to prepare him and his family for the year in Trondheim eating herring cakes, obeying the conformist Janteloven (Jante’s law), and enduring the mørketid (dark time). In Cod We Trust is one Minnesota family’s spirited excursion into Scandinavian life. The land of the midnight sun is far stranger than they previously thought, and their encounters show that there is much we can learn from its unique and surprising culture.

Eric Dregni teaches creative writing at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Italian at Hamline University and at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of several books, including Minnesota Marvels (Minnesota, 2001) and Midwest Marvels (Minnesota, 2006).

Get more info on Eric and his book at www.upress.umn.edu/Books/D/dregni_cod.html.

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Tuesday, July 28 at 1 pm. - Book signing with Gail Lukasik: Gail returns to Novel Ideas to sign and read from her new book, Death's Door , the second book in her mystery series set in Door County.

Death's Door "is fast-paced and literate, with a strong protagonist and a puzzle that keeps you guessing." —Kirkus Reviews

On the eve of tourist season in the resort community of Door County, Wisconsin, a killer is targeting young blond women, leaving their strangled bodies along the desolate Mink River. The killer rituallistically arranges their bodies to mimic sleep, except for the long blond hair, brushed over their faces, and his deadly calling card - a purple band wrapped around the victim's ring finger - a macabre symbol of love.

Reporter Leigh Girard's investigation into the murders lures her into a bizarre correspondence with the killer. His letters taunt Leigh with cryptic literary clues that hint at his identity. Leigh races against time to crack the killer's code, before he kills again.

Gail Lukasik was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and was a dancer with the Cleveland Civic Ballet Company. She has worked as a choreographer and a freelance writer. Lisel Mueller described her book of poems, Landscape Toward a Proper Silence, as a "splendid collection." She also has been published in over sixty literary journals and magazines, including The Georgie Review, Carolina Quarterly, The Writer magazine, and Ars Medica. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she taught writing and literature. She lives in Libertyville, Illinois, with her husband.

Check out Gails's website at www.gaillukasik.com.

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Tuesday, August 4 at 1 pm. -International bestselling author, Brian Freeman: Brian is the award winning author of psychological suspense novels featuring detectives Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial. He'll be signing his latest novel In the Dark.

Edgar-finalist Freeman's fourth thriller to feature Duluth, Minn., police lieutenant Jonathan Stride (after Stalked) may be his most ambitious—and accomplished—work to date. - Publishers Weekly

As the title suggests, even those involved in the closest relationships can be kept in the dark about a loved one's past. When a woman shows up in town and informs Stride that she's writing a book about the 30-year-old mystery surrounding the murder of the older sister of the girl who grew up to become Stride's spouse, he's forced to re-examine the validity of his bond with not only his late wife, Cindy, who died of cancer five years earlier, but also that involving his current love interest, a former Vegas cop turned PI, Serena Dial. Powered by darkly poetic atmospherics and deep character development (especially Stride, whose understated intensity, dignity and resilience are emblematic of the Twin Ports area itself), this harrowing and heartrending novel will leave readers guessing until the very last pages. - Publishers Weekly.

Brian's books have been sold in 46 countries and 17 languages and have appeared as Main Selections in the Literary Guild and the Book of the Month Club. His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Edgar®, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. His second novel, STRIPPED, was named among the top 10 mysteries of 2006 by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The Library Journal review of his third book STALKED declared, "Freeman just keeps outdoing himself with each book."

Prior to going out on his own as an author and business writer, Freeman established a reputation among the most respected writers and communication strategists in his home state of Minnesota. He served as director of marketing and public relations at the international law firm of Faegre & Benson, where he conceived and led a multiple-award-winning communications and marketing program. Freeman is a 1984 alumnus of Carleton College, where he graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with distinction in the department of English. He was born in Chicago and grew up in San Mateo, California, before moving to Minnesota.

Find out more about Brian and his novels at www.bfreemanbooks.com.

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Ongoing: Books for Soldiers Postage Fund Drive

Thanks to your generosity, Novel Ideas has hundreds of books ready to be shipped to our deployed men and women in the military. However, we are now in need of monetary donations to cover shipping fees. Receive a free 'advanced reading copy' with any donation OR give a special gift by donating in a friend or family member's name.

Please scroll down for more details of the Books for Soldiers program.

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Ongoing - 'Books for Soldiers' Donation Drive.

Novel Ideas is shipping new and gently used books to our troops overseas.

Novel Ideas is proud to announce our membership with 'Books for Soldiers'. First formed about 10 years ago by the Red Grail Church in North Carolina, Books for Soldiers is now a federally approved, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our soldiers in the military that are currently deployed outside the United States. Books for Soldiers receives no government support and very limited corporate support. It is primarily made possible through the generosity of its members.

We are asking your help in supporting our troops overseas throughout the year by making a donation to help us ship out new or gently used books. Here's how you can help:

• Bring in to Novel Ideas new or gently used books from the genres listed below to donate
• Purchase new books from Novel Ideas at 10% off to donate
• Donate money to be used for book purchases and postage costs. Your cash donation will be used to purchase additional books and help cover the high postage costs.

Five (5) book genres are requested at this time:

Mystery, Thrillers, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and current Best Sellers

Please donate only these types of books that are new or gently used. Novel Ideas reserves the right to refuse your book donation.

Click here for more information on Books for Soldiers by visiting www.booksforsoldiers.com.

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Join us next summer for Kids Storytime - Join us on Saturday morning for book readings, poems and fun! Each Saturday has a different theme.

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Novel Ideas is working to bring fun & exciting events to the store. Please check back as we will list events when they are finalized.

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