Allan Gartner is the author of THE ABSOLUTION RIVER GANG, a novel energized with passion and life-capturing adventures from his personal explorations of the Mississippi River in northern Minnesota.
The first time Allan glided through the French Rapids on the Mississippi River near Brainerd, Minnesota, a sense of infinite, untold stories was dissipating over the gentle riffles. It was as if history’s voices echoed over the water’s surface, revealing mysteries, and unlocking inspiration for him to follow a childhood dream of authoring a novel – and sharing stories.
After graduating from Saint Cloud State University and beginning a professional career in marketing, Allan inscribed his first words for THE ABSOLUTION RIVER GANG on a business trip in 2002, and the journey of becoming a novelist began. The first draft took two years to write, while the second, third, and fourth drafts took another twenty years. During this time, Allan honed his craft by composing other novels, learning about writing and about himself, all while supporting his family with a successful career in business.
Allan recently rewrote the final draft of THE ABSOLUTION RIVER GANG. The entire process challenged him in ways that fertilized imagination, and the emotional reward fed his desire to continue his literary expedition. Upon reflection, Allan feels very fortunate for that drop of motivation while cruising on the river years ago.
Allan has a soft spot for questions about the gray areas of history, such as a good conspiracy theory, and loves getting encapsulated within a clever science fiction story.
