What's it about?

Hometown is about 17 year-old Border Baker. He's just moved from New Mexico to a small town in Minnesota where his dad grew up. People in the town haven't forgotten that Border's dad fled to Canada rather than serve in the Army in Vietnam, and Border becomes a target of their simmering resentment.

Where did you get the idea?

Hometown is a twenty-five-year-later sequel to my previous novel, Come in from the Cold. One of the minor characters from that novel was a Vietnam era draft resister. When I finished writing the book, I was still thinking about him. I knew then that I wanted to write about a teenager dealing with the consequences of his father’s decision (made ever so long ago) to avoid the Vietnam military draft and go to Canada. Most of my books are about teenagers dealing with the consequences of the decisions their adults make--the good decisions and the bonehead.

Is this one your favorite?

Yes! This one really is, probably because it was so much fun to write. Also, I like Border a lot.