SPOTLIGHT ON AUTHOR
KENNETH LINDE
-
BookView interview with Kenneth Linde (February 2022)
​
Prolific author, Kenneth Linde, has published eight fictional historical and social narratives in the acclaimed Waldwick Series since October of 2018 dealing with contemporary social, legal, and ethical issues that remain prevalent today. Following the fictional Terrill family, Linde stories are all centered around Southern Wisconsin from 1820 to today.
What is your background?
As a child, I led a life dissimilar to that presented on television at that time. Sleeping in a public hallway under a stairs for 12 years has a way of affecting you while being alone, somewhat socially isolated and a victim of bullying do to abject poverty and a childhood weight problem opened my eyes and my heart to those who suffer the same social perils based on being judged for what they are instead of who they are. Because of my singularity, I created my own world filled with stories of love and hate, achievement and conquest that became submerged in my mind. As I matured, married and have led a life of love and satisfaction, pride and achievement where my greatest honor has been the sanctity of marriage to the same woman for over 48 years and the honor of two incredible daughters who have shown me the majesty of honesty, dignity, and respect.
Why writing? Why now?
For nearly 65 years I was content to live my life as it had become until one day I collapsed with 70 blood clots and was given less than a 5% chance of living three hours. For six days, I was totally immobilized on a ventilator, staring at the ICU ceiling, unable to move or communicate except with the blinking of my eyes. During that time, I had the opportunity to think about life and what was important, realizing that when you think you;re going to die, you don't think about all that you've accomplished, but the things you didn't do. One of those things was to bring forth the stories I had as a child and with it the pain of loneliness and the suffering of singularity. It was then I vowed that, should I live, I would take those thoughts and create stories...first for my family and then for the world that addressed some of the feelings that had been seared into my heart and soul so long ago.
​
What are your books about?
Waldwick is currently a series of which eight book with two more planned all dealing with contemporary issues that affect all people ranging from loneliness and bullying to the taking of land through eminent domain as well as the collusive power of the pharmaceutical industry and government control of the information highway we travel.
​
Where do the ideas come from?
My books come from my heart, traverse through my memory and end up at the tips of my fingers. My goal was, is and will always be to make my readers learn something, feel something and want something more from life than what they had when they turned the first page of any of my books.
What genre are your books, and why were you drawn to it?
Waldwick is historical fiction that takes real people, events, and circumstances that my main characters interface with and how these people and situations affected my fictional family as are War of My Brothers, King of Hearts, Little Spirit, Driftless, Hayflick Limit, Let Go, and Survivor are contemporary fictional sequels of the same family that address different social, political, legal, and ethical issues that face us all.
Who is the intended audience?
The books are intended for any person interested in history and/or who enjoys a story that addresses how we all have strengths and weaknesses that affect our relationships with others. In our world today, we all spend so much time in tribal fashion classifying everyone else based on race, religion, language, or orientation when in fact, if we look beyond those classifications, we find people very similar to ourselves who only want peace, security, and a better life for themselves and their children.
Why are these stories important to you?
They're important because they address a lot of topics I hold dear to my heart. First and foremost is oppression and tyranny that usurp the abilities of people to achieve social acceptance and the quality of life to which they aspire. Second, they are love stories based not only the love of another person, but a land and a way of life. Finally, all of my books have one common theme so desperately needed in America today … judging people for who they are and not what they are. The vitriolic nature of our society, culture, politics, and nation has resulted in a level of violence perpetrated simply because of one’s race, religion, orientation, or country of origin and is NOT what America should be about.
Why the title “Waldwick?”
First and foremost to honor my mother and grandmother who were born in Waldwick, Wisconsin. Second, to honor those who continue to honor our heritage, by sustaining the family farm. Third, because I love the Driftless area of Southern Wisconsin and always feel at peace when I “come home.” While born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, there is a feeling I get whenever I’m “in town” that takes away the pressures of life and gives me a renewed sense of living.
​
How long does it take you to write each book? What is your process?
What do you enjoy most about writing the books? What was the hardest part?
The main body of Waldwick took nearly two years to research from which I have written, designed, and released the others in various amounts of time. My process is segmented in that I evolve from macro-to-micro perspectives and in so doing, follow an evolutionary path of logic that starts with my own observations and/or experiences and then address the social issues and subjects, while sustaining a thematic objective of how the information is/was applicable to the subjects and characters.
What do you enjoy most about writing the books? What was the hardest part?
Knowledge is truly bliss! Learning has opened doors never before unlocked that has allowed me to marvel at the profound majesty of the history of the land where my ancestors were born while creating people and situations that personify many of the social issues prevalent in our society today. The most difficult part is, was and remains attempting to transfer emotions from my heart to the mind of another and do so with enough creative verve to make the reader not only think but feel, what I am expressing.
How are you publishing these books and why?
It has not been an easy road traveled! I’ve learned that subjective items such as music, art and books are extremely difficult to garner interest and commitment within the establishment. World-famous writers share stories of countless rejections before someone, somewhere, finally was willing to take the risk of even listening to what they've expressed and I've learned that it takes determination and persistence to finally find that one person or company willing to make a commitment to your passion.
What is your education/background?
I grew up in Madison and spent wonderful summers with my grandmother in Mineral Point. I have a degree from the University of Wisconsin in communications and economics and spent the first five years of my career as a writer for television, radio and advertising before moving into the world of sales and marketing, where I spent the remainder of my career as a senior executive. Now that I am semi-retired, I've returned to my first passion, which is writing and communicating with others.
What's next for you?
I am currently writing “Greed” as the ninth book of the Waldwick Series that is set in the same area and continues the life path of the main characters while examining the question When is enough enough? When do we have enough money, property, perks, and possessions and what happens when they're all removed? Do we keep our dignity? Do we sustain our desire? How are we changed when everything else has too?
​
What’s next?
Keep writing! Keep hoping that someone, somewhere will believe in me and my words to the point they will assume responsibility for the publishing aspect and allow me to focus on the writing part. With more books in the Waldwick series swirling in my head, I need more creative time. In the meantime, I'm available for book signings in libraries and restaurants and hope to place my books in independent bookstores while also willing to meet with schools, book clubs, libraries, and nonprofit organizations to discuss the topics at hand and assist them in fundraising endeavors and attending book fairs and art and craft shows to share my passion with others.