About the Author James Brakken writes novels and short stories from his Bayfield County home in Northwest Wisconsin. His award-winning, 2012 historical fiction novel, The Treasure of Namakagon, led to his Chief Namakagon trilogy, revealing the life and true identity of Chief Namakagon while exploring lumberjack life in 1880s Wisconsin. Brakken confirmed the existence of Namakagon's lost silver mine when he re-published the 1892 memoir of Benjamin Armstrong, friend of both Chief Buffalo and Namakagon. Between novels, Brakken writes short stories based on northwest Wisconsin's "good old days." The Moose & Wilbur P. Dilby and Billyboy, the Corner Bar Bear each contain 37 captivating "up north" short stories. Recognized as a leader in lake protection, Brakken wrote Saving our Lakes & Streams, a handbook of practical things we can do now to protect our surface waters for tomorrow. DARK, A Campfire Companion is an illustrated collection of 56 of the author's scary short stories and delightfully frightening poems. It's great reading for dark and stormy nights. Today, few know of the 1939 plight of Ray Olson, chased through the Chequamegon Forest by throngs of bloodthirsty men hoping to collect a $1,000 dead-or-alive reward. Alias Ray Olson reveals facts never before made public about this almost forgotten, appalling affair. Brakken's 10th title, Infamous, is another fact-based, true-crime, novel. But this Great Depression Era woodsman deserved to be hunted by the FBI for crimes committed in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. Brakken won 2nd place out of 10,000 worldwide entries in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards for Treasure. He also received the 2013, 2014, and 2016 Lake Superior Writers Award and the coveted Wisconsin Writers Association Jade Ring. Of Brakken's writing, Publisher's Weekly Magazine and Amazon Books said, "Difficult to put down. ... A great read," and "the flow of words is like an old fashioned song." (See more reviews on preceding pages.) Most of the author's books are illustrated and all are intended for adults but great for young readers as well. See them all at BadgerValley.com where the Wisconsin sales tax is pre-paid and nationwide shipping is free.
