Sámi Folktales from the Near and Far Worlds

 

I'm thrilled to present the cover of my next book, Sámi Folktales from the Near and Far Worlds, the most extensive compilation of Sámi narratives recorded from Sámi storytellers ever published in English translation. 

Although the publication date is some months away--April 28, 2026 to be exact--it's now in the catalog on the University of Minnesota Press website. I love how the photograph captures the sense of mystery and spaciousness of Finnmark in Northern Norway/Sápmi, where the narratives were collected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

I'm also really pleased to see Isak Saba's name on the cover as a second collector. When the initial volumes of these folktales were published in the bilingual Norwegian Sámi edition in 1927-1929, only the name of Just Knud Qvigstad, the eminent linguist and folklorist, was listed. Isak Saba, a teacher, politician, and folklorist, was relegated to a role as a contributor, particularly of stories from East Finnmark. 

But my research showed that Isak Saba had also been a collector and translator of Sámi folklore. Only his untimely death kept him from publishing his own works of narratives by Skolt and Varanger Sámi storytellers, fifty of which are included in this book.

 Here are a few things that early readers have said about this edition of three hundred narratives, translated from the Norwegian: 

“Beautifully written, the introduction to Sámi Folktales from the Near and Far Worlds captivates the reader from the very beginning with poetic descriptions of the Sámi landscape, the historical context and thematic characteristics of the storytelling tradition in Sápmi, and an exploration of the relationship between Just Knud Qvigstad and Isak Saba. This book is a valuable collection of Sámi stories.” —Line Esborg, Head of Norwegian Folklore Archives, University of Oslo

“For decades, these stories have provided contemporary Sámi literature with drama, detail, and inspiration. This collection is a treasure trove for every writer and reader to choose from, and it's a gift to the English language that these folktales are now translated.” —Elin Anna Labba, author of The Rocks Will Echo Our Sorrow: The Forced Displacement of the Northern Sámi

“Sámi Folktales from the Near and Far Worlds is invaluable to anyone even remotely curious about the Sámi. The deeper you dig into this collection, the more satisfying it gets. Often mysterious and magical, sometimes scary, occasionally funny, the tales are always captivating. They are told with an immediacy and sense of the storyteller’s voice that does more than entertain, it passes on insights into Sámi culture not readily found anywhere else. Including extensive historical information, translator Barbara Sjoholm’s introduction is worth its weight in gold.” —Lise Lunge-Larsen, author of Seven Ways to Trick a Troll

 

 

The Reindeer of Chinese Gardens, Reading at Village Books in Bellingham Oct 12, 4 PM

A heads up for anyone living north of Seattle: I'll be reading from my historical novel, The Reindeer of Chinese Gardens, at the fantastic Village Books in Bellingham's Fairhaven district on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Details here.

The novel has been out since February, and I've done a number of events in person and online, as well as interviews on radio and book clubs on Zoom. Unsurprisingly, since a good portion of the novel is set in Port Townsend, it's been very popular with locals and there's always a waiting list to read at our library. I'm still having interesting conversations with people about things they didn't know about Port Townsend, including the existence of a large and thriving population of Chinese who lived here in the last decades of the nineteenth century. I also get asked which house Dagny Bergland, the narrator of the story, lived in (the house is invented but some of the Victorian homes on Morgan Hill with a view of Admiralty Strait were inspirations). Although parts of the novel also take place in Seattle, Alaska, and Norway, it's the Port Townsend settings that really seem to stir the most interest. "I can see Dagny and Edward on Lawrence Street," they tell me. It's a wonderful feeling when I hear that readers can visualize the bustling wharves on Water Street and the more refined churches and shops in Uptown and see my characters walking past them! 

I've also had the chance to hear from Sámi-Americans about their family experiences of immigration to the US. One memorable event took place at the Nordic Museum in Seattle, where I spoke with Amy Swanson King, herself a descendant of Sámi immigrants and an active member of the Pacific Sámi Searvi in the Northwest. I've been happy to contribute to a stronger sense of this historic and contemporary community. 

See you in Bellingham!