Writer and Stillwater graduate Kerstin March considers the St. Croix Valley her hometown. With a long list of accomplishments that include editor of this magazine and publishing two books internationally, this mother of three is now in the process of writing her third.
“The area had a tremendous impact on my love for the arts, English and literature. A lot of that started when I was really young. I had some wonderful teachers from the high school that encouraged me to write, which led me to St. Olaf College,” March says.
There is a long list of praise for her books, Family Trees and the sequel Branching Out, which take place along the North Shore of Minnesota. Though they each can be read as stand alone novels, the books follow “two people from different lifestyles and the impact that they have on each other as they understand their place in their own family.”
Location plays an important role in the writing process for March, who has fond memories of her own in the areas where her books take place. It’s also where the writing process begins to take shape, along with learning about her own characters. The idea for a sequel didn’t come until her publisher expressed interest.
March also has enjoyed meeting people at book events, as well as book club meetings, many of which have been in the Stillwater area. “It’s something that I hadn’t expected when I set out to do this, but has been the most rewarding experience with publishing the novel,” March says.
