Minnesota Teacher Wins National Award For Her First Book, Set in Minneapolis
United States of America (Press Release) May 13, 2008 --
Minneapolis resident Laurel Osterkamp has won a 2008 National Indie Excellence Book Award (Chick-Lit category) for her first novel, Following My Toes, which is set in the city she loves best. The story is about a broken-hearted young woman who decides to make a change by moving from Duluth to Minneapolis. Once there she has some tough times, including problems with a crazy roommate and an elusive stalker. Some of these experiences mirror Osterkamp’s own life. Because she feels her twenties were greatly influenced by living in the Twin Cities, she chose to make it one of the focal points in the book.
“I moved here when I was just out of college. Minneapolis taught me how to grow up and become an adult, and I had a lot of fun in the process. There’s something really special about being young and starting fresh in a brand new place. I tried to capture that combined feeling of excitement, anticipation and confusion in Following My Toes.”
Osterkamp, 37, now lives in the Camden neighborhood and teaches English at Columbia Heights High School. However, like many young transplants new to the Twin Cities, when she first moved here she lived in Uptown. That is where Faith, the protagonist of Following My Toes, settles when she arrives in Minneapolis. Faith explores many well-known (and some not so well-known) places in the cities, including Brit’s Pub, Calhoun Square, Joe’s Garage, and the Mall of America. “Usually books like mine feature a young, single woman living in Los Angeles, New York, or London. I thought it was time for Minneapolis to receive its due!”
In addition to receiving a National Indie Excellence Book Award, editorial and reader reviews have been universally positive. “I’m quite honored to receive such positive feedback! I teach creative writing and I try to encourage my students to persevere and have faith in their abilities. Now maybe I can lead by example!”
Following My Toes is published by PMI Books,Boulder, Colorado. To read a sample chapter or reviews of the book, go to www.laurelosterkamp.com.
For Further Information Contact:
Laurel Osterkamp
612-521-3500
or 612-598-1404
email: laurel@pmibooks.com
“I moved here when I was just out of college. Minneapolis taught me how to grow up and become an adult, and I had a lot of fun in the process. There’s something really special about being young and starting fresh in a brand new place. I tried to capture that combined feeling of excitement, anticipation and confusion in Following My Toes.”
Osterkamp, 37, now lives in the Camden neighborhood and teaches English at Columbia Heights High School. However, like many young transplants new to the Twin Cities, when she first moved here she lived in Uptown. That is where Faith, the protagonist of Following My Toes, settles when she arrives in Minneapolis. Faith explores many well-known (and some not so well-known) places in the cities, including Brit’s Pub, Calhoun Square, Joe’s Garage, and the Mall of America. “Usually books like mine feature a young, single woman living in Los Angeles, New York, or London. I thought it was time for Minneapolis to receive its due!”
In addition to receiving a National Indie Excellence Book Award, editorial and reader reviews have been universally positive. “I’m quite honored to receive such positive feedback! I teach creative writing and I try to encourage my students to persevere and have faith in their abilities. Now maybe I can lead by example!”
Following My Toes is published by PMI Books,Boulder, Colorado. To read a sample chapter or reviews of the book, go to www.laurelosterkamp.com.
For Further Information Contact:
Laurel Osterkamp
612-521-3500
or 612-598-1404
email: laurel@pmibooks.com
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