We must never lose our amazement over the fact that Duluth, Minnesota, is an international port. Dead center of the continent, thousands of miles from any saltwater, and we see ships roll in from Europe, Africa and beyond.

Northern Minnesota may not touch the ocean, but we have always lived along the inland seas of the Great Lakes. On the Iron Range, Duluth stands as a beacon on the horizon, beaming light across Lake Superior, illuminating the rest of the world.

I’m excited to announce that one of my essays, “A Long Way to Duluth,” was selected to appear in “On the Inland Sea: Writing the Great Lakes” from Belt Publishing. Edited by Michael Welch, this anthology touches on a wide variety of topics surrounding life on, in and alongside the unsalted seas.

Though it is quite early, I welcome you to preorder the book now. Belt is a fantastic small press and the preorders help a lot. The book is out March 10, 2026. I’ll be announcing some events next year when I have more details.

And YES, I know. It would be better if my ongoing saga “Power in the Wilderness” was coming out that date. As it is, later in 2026 seems more likely. Now that I’m settling into my new job at the Minnesota Star Tribune, I will be able to snip and sew the beastly manuscript with renewed vigor over the next couple months.