No Man is an Island

Communal wisdom states that “no man is an island,” but that is certainly not due to a lack of some of us trying to become one. Seppo Kemppainnen, the reluctant anti-hero in the new short story The Lucky Finn by VM Karren, is a master at burning the bridges that connect his island to anybody or anything else. Seppo’s only goal in life is to remain an island of solitude but finds luck conspiring against him, bringing him undesired good fortune…and too many neighbors!  … More No Man is an Island

The Hills are Alive: A Castle Trip Through Germany, Austria, and Slovenia

Twenty years ago, when our son Matthew was just 3 years old, Val and I took him on a European vacation to Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. We were already living near Amsterdam as American expats and had made a few trips to various European cities, but we were eager to discover more. My parents- and sister-in-law … More The Hills are Alive: A Castle Trip Through Germany, Austria, and Slovenia