Tim Spitzack grew up throughout the Midwest. He was born in western Minnesota, went to high school in central Iowa, attended college in Wisconsin and is now living in Hastings.
And now his new book, "The Messenger," is based in a fictional, small Minnesota town.
"I've lived in a number of small towns in the upper Midwest, so it influenced my book greatly in that regard," Spitzack said. "I think a lot of other folks can relate to this book in that way."
"The Messenger" is about a young journalist, John Jenkins, who is writing for a community newspaper, the Marquette Messenger, until he can make it to the big-league papers. One day, Jenkins is given an obituary of a local farmer, and he expects it to be another routine story.
As he is reporting, Jenkins uncovers the untold story of this farmer, who was a German immigrant who was fighting in World War II for the German army. The farmer fled Germany after discovering the reality of the concentration camps.
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While he took some experience into consideration for the story, most of it came with a little creativity, Spitzack said.
"There was a gentleman from my church who had immigrated from Germany and he was from that era," he said. "But that's the only extent (of inspiration). The rest came from my imagination."
Spitzack started writing the book in 2006, and found time to write here and there.
"I have four kids and they were all young at the time," he said. "A lot of the writing was done after the kids went to bed."
To order your own copy of "The Messenger," go to Postbulletin.com for links.
