Widening the connections

Originally,  when I started writing,  I did not envision a book about my grandmother.  I envisioned a telling of the details of both her life and Fredrik's.  How I got to Kristine Finding Home is the subject for another post.  The best outcome of publishing a book and writing it  as a story is to connect with people in a way that speaks to them.  I have had many unexpected people across a wide spectrum read and appreciate Kristine Finding Home which humbles and delights me.  Recently though, I was surprised to find that Kristine's story was used as an example of how to research family history by Daytona Danielsen.  
     Daytona was a journalist specializing in Scandinavian Food writing based in the Seattle area.  I came across her work while doing my research.  I had at one time thought to tell Kristine's story in recipes. Danielsen's  life has changed somewhat but she maitains an active online presence including hosting a book club while writing, working and going to graduate school. She writes about her grandparents, 
 "They, like Kristine, intended to return to Norway after a period of time. They, like Kristine, never moved back. Although much is different between my grandparents’ experience and that of this woman and her family, I appreciated this glimpse into her story, knowing that there is something universal about being human and the way we experience life. Even though I’ll never know much about what it was like for my grandparents to leave Norway, reading Kristine’s story—as written by her granddaughter based on letters, reports, and oral history—expands my understanding of an experience that I’ve never had, and helps me to perhaps understand my grandparents more as well."  Her website daytonadanielsen.com is filled with interesting stories and another way to delve into how we become the people we are.
     Writing down family stories continues to open doors that I never knew existed.  I have discovered a rich and varied community for which I am grateful.  
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