Erica Olsen

Where do you call home if you are of Korean-Swedish-Norwegian heritage and were born in Hollywood?  In spite of her claim to not have a home town, Erica Olsen’s writing indicates to me that she has made her home on the Colorado Plateau.  She tells us that her writing influences include Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote about colonial America from the perspective of the mid-nineteenth century in his “twice-told tales,” and Isaac Babel, for the violence and beauty of the stories in Red Cavalry.  But it seems to me the stories in her collection are shaped most strongly by the landscape and past of the American West.  That and her obviously keen intelligence. We agree, Erica, put all that together and your stories offer the reader clarity of language, emotional and aesthetic complexity, and no easy answers.   They are Westerns.

We are more than delighted to have Erica join the growing family of THP authors with her collection of short stories we think we will call Recapture.  We are shooting for a fall 2012 publishing date.  See more about Erica and about Recapture on our Upcoming Titles link here.  Welcome Erica!