Brighton author releases debut novel about first Swedish settler in Minnesota
BRIGHTON — A newspaper article Jason Bergeron read four years ago was the inspiration for his debut novel.
“Wilderness of the Heart” was released Oct. 9. The historical fiction novel has been listed No. 1 for History of Canada in Amazon Hot New Releases. The book is based on the life of Jacob Fahlstrom, the first Swedish settler in Minnesota, and focuses on the fur trade in the early 1800s in North America.
Bergeron, a Brighton resident since 2001, was reading a Minneapolis Star Tribune article four years ago about Fahlstrom. After more reading and confirmation, Bergeron discovered Fahlstrom is an ancestor of his wife.
“It seemed the more I found out, the more interesting the story became,” Bergeron said. “After a while, I decided I had to write this book.”
“Wilderness of the Heart” tells the story of Jacob, orphaned at age nine in Sweden and taken by an ill-tempered uncle on a merchant ship bound for London in 1810 — according to the book's description. Jacob ends up homeless and signs with the Hudson’s Bay Fur Co. at age 12. He later finds himself in North America. Mackinac Island plays a role in the book, Bergeron said.
“(It's) the journey of a boy, not only fighting to survive, but learning to become a man who can take care of himself, for he is truly alone in this place where death lurks in the shadow of towering pines,” the book description reads.
Bergeron has always had an interest in history, he said, and was a writer in advertising for 20 years. He spent two years writing the book. Bergeron consulted with Rob DeMilner, a Brighton resident with a background in screenwriting.
“Just having someone to bounce ideas off was super helpful,” Bergeron said.
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As he wrote his debut novel, Bergeron said, having the discipline to write daily and the editing process were difficult. Bergeron grew up in northern Minnesota and said his experiences there helped him. He's pleased with positive reviews from readers.
“You always appreciate validation of your work, and the fact people are enjoying the stories and taking things away from it is fantastic,” Bergeron said.
Bergeron is also creating high-resolution, cinematic photos of his book characters using Midjourney, an artificial intelligence program. The photos can be viewed on his Instagram page: @jasonbergeronauthor.
“It’s almost like being able to travel back in time and take these photos,” Bergeron said. "It’s pretty amazing.”
Bergeron is writing a sequel to the book and plans to release it next summer. He also plans to begin another series called “Viking America.”
Learn more at jasonbergeron.org.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Brighton resident's debut novel focuses on fur trade in early 1800s
