What started out as a hobby...

 (This article was one of the best ones written about Sandy so far!)
By Tony Potter Staff Writer tpotter@hibbingdailytribune.net

HIBBING — What started as a hobby, has turned into more than one Minnesota woman could’ve ever imagined.

A.L. “Sandy” Sanderson, 78, began writing about her fascination — Minnesota history — after she retired about 20 years ago.  And now that infatuation with her home state has produced not one, but two published books.   The books, titled “Timber” and “The Last Dance” are fictional, but vaguely resemble the lives of Sanderson, her parents and grandparents.

When she first took up the hobby of writing, her focus was on “The Last Dance,” which is a bittersweet romance.  Then Sanderson decided that an action-packed story would be more interesting. She switched gears and began writing, “Timber,” which is an “adventurous page turner” about a boy who comes to the northern region of Minnesota to work in the timber industry.

Despite the countless hours Sanderson put into the two stories, she said publishing them was never her intention.  That was until her husband passed away and she moved in with her daughter, Susan Bissonette, who urged her to publish them.  “I always told her they were good, but she never believed me,” Bissonette said. “Now she does.”

After those years of encouragement from her daughter Susan and Sanderson published “Timber” in February 2013. She recently launched her second book, “The Last Dance,” on Dec. 7.  Sanderson said the recently published book serves as a good sequel to her first novel.  “It’s really a love story about descendents of the people in ‘Timber,’” she said. “How they tried to make a living and support their families by farming the land that used to grow timber.”

The story of “The Last Dance” resembles how both Sanderson’s parents and grandparents struggled to raise families by farming on post-timber land in Hinckley, Minn. and Milaca, Minn.  “Farming that land was difficult because it doesn’t like to grow crops. It’s made for timber,” she said. “The soil in that area is not rich, and instead rather rocky.”

But the struggle of farming on land formerly populated with a forest of white pine isn’t all that inspired Sanderson to write these books. She noted that her grandparents were immigrants from Sweden.  “I’ve always thought about what it must’ve been like to leave your home and cross the ocean on a big ship,” she said. “Then you arrive in a new land where you don’t know the native language or what could happen….that takes a lot of guts.”

Readers seem to share a similar interest, Sanderson said.

“People tell me they love both books even though they are so different,” she said.

Sanderson said that even though the books have a stronger connection to Milaca and Aitkin, Iron rangers can still relate to it.

“What the books are really about is struggling to survive in a place that’s beautiful but doesn’t make lots of millionaires,” she said, adding that the timber industry spread into Hibbing and Grand Rapids. “I think that Iron Rangers loved their land just as I do.”

And a lot of people have connections to the timber industry, Bissonette said.

“It’s surprising how many people come up to us and say, ‘My uncle was a lumberjack’ or ‘I had a relative who was in the Great Hinckley Fire,’” she said.

In honor of the release of Sanderson’s second book, she will be holding book signings on Saturday, Dec. 21, in Hibbing and Grand Rapids.  Bissonette is inviting everyone to come visit her and her mom at either book signing.  “It’s such a great time of the year to pick up a good book,” she said. “Lots of people are stuck inside, and there is nothing better to do than to cuddle up with a good book.”  Sanderson agreed.

“The most pleasure I get out of this process is to talk to someone who read one of my books,” she said. “It’s not about the money. I want as many people to read my books as possible, because that’s so rewarding.”  The book signing is going to be a lot of fun, Sanderson said.  “I don’t know how many people get excited at 78, but I’m very excited,” she beamed.  “I’m looking forward to seeing all of the faces and talking to other about my books.”

•••

Book signing for Author A.L. Sanderson, who wrote the books “Timber” and “The Last Dance.”

Hibbing

• When: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21

• Where: Howard Street Booksellers, 115 Howard St.

Grand Rapids

• When: 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21

• Where: Village Book Store, Central Square Mall