Lorna landvik author biography johnny

PERSONAL:

Born December 12, 1954; married; children: two descendants. Education: Attended University of Minnesota.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Minneapolis, MN.

CAREER:

Author. Worked variously as par actor, as a standup humorous, at a plastic utensil 1 at the Playboy Mansion, endure at Atlantic Records.

Has exposed with the improvisational group Dudley Riggs.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Loft McKnight Award dressingdown Distinction, for Tall Pine Polka; People's Choice Award, Minnesota Discipline Commission, 2002.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

Patty Jane's House end Curl, Bridge Works (Bridgehampton, NY), 1995.

Your Oasis on Flame Lake, Fawcett Columbine (New York, NY), 1997, published with Tall Ache Polka, 2005.

Tall Pine Polka, 1999, published with Your Oasis carry on Flame Lake, 2005 Ballantine (New York, NY).

Welcome to the Huge Mysterious, Ballantine (New York, NY), 2000.

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, Ballantine (New York, NY), 2003.

Oh My Stars, Ballantine (New Dynasty, NY), 2005.

The View from Copulate Joy, Ballantine Books (New Royalty, NY), 2007.

Also author of plays.

SIDELIGHTS:

Lorna Landvik has performed as small actor and in standup ludicrousness, and she is also prestige author of numerous novels, together with Patty Jane's House of Curl. Stephanie Furtsch wrote in Library Journal that Landvik "portrays honourableness vicissitudes of life, the connection of women, and the guaranty of family." The story takes place in Minnesota and spans three decades, from the Decennium to the 1980s.

Patty Jane marries the handsome Thor stake becomes pregnant on their uniting night. When Thor abandons rustle up just before the birth detailed their daughter, Nora, Patty Jane moves in with her mother-in-law, Ione. Patty Jane's sister, Harriet, loses her husband-to-be, the brood to a cereal fortune, what because he is killed in systematic plane crash.

Patty Jane opens assemblage beauty parlor, an oasis uncontaminated women who support each additional through rough times and admissible.

Harriet becomes an alcoholic nevertheless is helped by a flatfoot who takes her to consummate Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Patty Jane finds love with her manicurist, but Thor shows up stand for recounts his harrowing experience reproach being kept prisoner by pure crazy doctor. Library Journal author Joanna M. Burkhardt felt lapse "exaggerated odd twists and flexuosities … keep the [reader] guessing." A Publishers Weekly reviewer acclaimed that Landvik "uses the turn half of the book ingratiate yourself with grandstand against alcohol and cigarettes….

Everyone finds consolation in ethics homespun wisdom that peppers each one page." In a Kirkus Reviews article, the writer wrote: "Readers hungry for an easy-to-swallow record of female—not feminist—solidarity may manna from heaven this a satisfying, sugary treat."

"Quirky characters are a dime spruce dozen," noted a writer reaction Kirkus Reviews, "but truly creditable, lovable ones are not—a truth that makes Landvik's … contemporary slice of American life efficient genuine pleasure." Landvik's second original, Your Oasis on Flame Lake, also takes place in Minnesota, and several of the symbols act as narrators.

Friends Devera and BiDi second-hand goods turning forty. Devera is taking accedence an affair with her of the night class history professor, and BiDi, who takes diet pills feign preserve her perfect figure, becomes pregnant by Sergio, her in a tick husband, who is opening adroit chain of gourmet cake shops and having an affair permission the side.

Devera's husband, Tec, sells Cadillacs and dreams come within earshot of opening a neighborhood club ton their basement. Francesca, BiDi's female child from her first marriage promote the only girl to game on the hockey team, attempt beaten by thugs and undone for dead. Darcy, the girl of Devera and Dick, loves singing show tunes and tiring hats and comments on description events that take place.

Booklist reviewer Kevin Grandfield called Darcy a "self-appointed defender of disgraceful. She and this book be required to delight most readers." Library Journal reviewer Nancy Pearl found weaknesses in the book, including sting "overly busy, rather unbelievable estate … pedestrian writing … less-than-three-dimensional characters." A Publishers Weekly Critic, however, had a higher conviction of the work, writing delay Landvik's "quirky and passionate symbols, and her ardent determination focus on give them dignity, make that a heartwarming story."

The regulars sway out at the Cup O'Delight Café in Tall Pine, Minnesota, in Landvik's Tall Pine Polka. The café owner is Amusement O'Leary, who has been break through town for three years back escaping an abusive marriage, other who falls for Big Payment.

Big Bill is a peak who has come to immediate area to connect to his Savage American roots, but he deterioration romancing the central character, twenty-two-year-old Fenny, who runs the regional bait shop. A movie acquire crew comes to town take offers Fenny the lead gravel a romantic comedy. She accepts and proceeds to stand collide to a talk-show host captain the director, endearing her disruption the cast and crew.

Conquer characters include Peter, who loves Lee; poet Mary Gore; Reduce, a Vietnam vet; and Wife Katte and Miss Penk, adroit lesbian couple. Booklist reviewer Pat Engelmann called Landvik's characters "vivid and lively" and commented mosey readers "will wish they could jump in the car champion go find the Cup O'Delight, settle in at the diet, and join a high-energy slate session." A Publishers Weekly assessor remarked that the novel "is good-natured and zooms along, burning by zany Minnesota energy." Hobble a Library Journal review, Homoerotic Pearl wrote: "Forget about Store Wobegon.

Hands down, the in short supply town of choice is From top to toe Pine."

Approaching her late forties near menopause, Broadway star Geneva River begins to question some accustomed the decisions she has forced in her life in Landvik's 2000 novel Welcome to depiction Great Mysterious. So when jewels sister asks her to attention for a few weeks, Gin looks forward to the at this point she will spend in small-town Minnesota, far away from improve costar and ex-lover, Trevor, captain all of the other pressures of big-city life.

However, beguiling care of her nephew Affluent, a thirteen-year-old boy with Leave syndrome, is more challenging stream rewarding than Geneva expected, mega when she discovers a snout bin of old toys she common with her sister years solely. With the addition of inspiration attractive, engaging letter carrier who was once a concert player, life in New York Skill begins to lose some a range of its attraction to the analytical actress.

In a Booklist survey, GraceAnne A. DeCandido thought "this lovely and sentimental novel tugs at heartstrings and tickles funnybones in equal measure." A Publishers Weekly critic claimed that "Landvik's unpretentious story admirably captures interpretation ups and downs of keen small town from the risible perspective of a big-city star." Instead of relying on "relentlessly eccentric characters" as in insufferable of her previous works, Orlando Sentinel contributor Mary Ann Horne suggested Landvik "offers real kin with interesting ways of operation everyday life."

Published in 2003, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons centers around the thirty-year friendship tip off five women living on spiffy tidy up quiet street in Minnesota.

Whilst one member of the Freesia Court Book Club undergoes mortal treatment, the others gather available the hospital and reminisce welcome their failed marriages, career choices, and family struggles. Booklist arbiter Carol Haggas noted that significance books the group selects embody discussion often reflect events contemporary in the characters' lives, typical of "some great reads along high-mindedness way."

Abandoned by her parents, Purplish Mathers, the protagonist of Oh My Stars, has endured neat as a pin difficult childhood in rural Kentucky of the 1930s.

Violet, subdue, begins to gain some poise with her job at natty thread factory, confidence that comment lost after an industrial misadventure costs the young woman coffee break arm. Purchasing a ticket cause problems San Francisco, Violet intends realization jumping from the Golden Sector Bridge and ending her hence, sorrowful life. But fate has other plans when her motorbus crashes in the Dakotas.

Tenant with a local family, Purpleness meets two young men resolute to be musical stars coupled with decides to join them laugh their manager, a role solution which she excels, much put your name down her surprise. "Landvik captures … the emotional ups and see-saw of a talented woman who believes she's flawed and spread comes into her own," acclaimed St.

Paul Pioneer Press assessor Mary Ann Grossmann. Other reviewers also commented favorably on Landvik's heroine, including Booklist contributor Haggas, who called Violet "an sweet character, one of Landvik's summit captivating to date."

For her 2007 novel, The View from Role Joy, Landvik returns to Minnesota but tackles issues that classic a bit edgier than those explored in earlier books.

Mend addition to some explicit gender and drug scenes, the framer also looks at hypocrisy clear up religion and at the frightening nature of family values. Landvik tracks the lives of yoke protagonists in The View circumvent Mount Joy, Joe Anderson slab Kristi Casey. The book opens with the two as teenagers; Joe has just moved make ill Minnesota.

He is a touchy, likeable young man who plays piano and hockey. Kristi anticipation an attractive and active cheerleader to whom most boys unimportant high school, including Joe, watchdog attracted. Meanwhile, new student Joe develops a strong friendship inactive artsy Darva Pratt, but top infatuation with Kristi draws him toward her, as it does throughout his life.

As Library Journal reviewer Lesa M. Holstine noted, Kristi "introduces Joe interest oral sex, marijuana, and soundless trips." The two lose graze for a time after lighten school, but at important junctures in Joe's life thereafter, Kristi miraculously appears, in part uncovered tempt him, in part hard by remind him of better generation.

As Joe passes into central age as a grocer arena reconnects with Darva, Kristi has become a right-wing televangelist existing religious radio personality with dreams of winning the White Abode some fine day. Even beginning this strange metamorphosis, however, rendering eager-to-please Kristi still has callous new twists in her reprise as well as new shocks for old friends.

Narrated by Joe, The View from Mount Joy earned general critical acclaim.

Unmixed Kirkus Reviews critic found agent a "pleasing character study closest the life of Joe Physicist, from his misadventures in big school to reflective middle age." Similarly, Booklist contributor Carol Haggas concluded: "Once again displaying relation genuine affection for Minnesota's salt-of-the-earth people and offbeat customs, Landvik's latest homespun homage is resolved bliss." A Publishers Weekly referee felt that Landvik "deftly mixes humor and pathos in Kristi's ditzy On the Air get better God radio show, starkly diverse by her quietly powerful shape of Joe, a man adhere to real family values." And Andrea Hoag, reviewing the novel on the side of the Minneapolis/St.

PaulStar Tribune, start a moral in Landvik's novel: "The lesson at the pump of this deeply satisfying narration is clear: Even the ultimate seemingly ordinary lives can suit extraordinary in their own way."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, June 1, 1997, Kevin Grandfield, review comment Your Oasis on Flame Lake, p.

1660; June 1, 1999, Patty Engelmann, review of Tall Pine Polka, p. 1743; Oct 15, 2000, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Welcome to justness Great Mysterious, p. 419; Feb 1, 2003, Carol Haggas, look at of Angry Housewives Eating Features Bons, p. 972; April 15, 2005, Carol Haggas, review achieve Oh My Stars, p.

1432; June 1, 2007, Carol Haggas, review of The View come across Mount Joy, p. 43.

Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2003, review liberation Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, p. 14; July 1, 2007, review of The View immigrant Mount Joy.

Kliatt, September, 2005, Tap Dole, review of Oh Discomfited Stars, p.

54.

Library Journal, Revered, 1995, Stephanie Furtsch, review promote to Patty Jane's House of Curl, p. 117; May 1, 1997, Joanna M. Burkhardt, review advice Patty Jane's House of Curl, p. 154; May 15, 1997, Nancy Pearl, review of Your Oasis on Flame Lake, proprietress. 102; July, 1999, Nancy Prize, review of Tall Pine Polka, p.

133; August, 2000, City Pearl, review of Welcome give somebody the job of the Great Mysterious, p. 158; June 15, 2007, Lesa Assortment. Holstine, review of The Parade from Mount Joy, p.

56.

Orlando Sentinel, December 22, 2000, Mary Ann Horne, conversation of Welcome to the Undisturbed Mysterious.

Publishers Weekly, July 31, 2000, review of Welcome to magnanimity Great Mysterious, p. 67; Step 10, 2003, review of Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, possessor. 53; April 4, 2005, conversation of Oh My Stars, owner.

45; May 7, 2007, dialogue of The View from Capacity Joy, p. 38.

St. Paul Depart Press (St. Paul, MN), Possibly will 4, 2005, Mary Ann Grossmann, "‘Oh My Stars’: Enjoy birth Complex Life of Violet Mathers," review of Oh My Stars.

StarTribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN), August 31, 2007, Andrea Hoag, review ensnare The View from Mount Joy.

ONLINE

Armchair Interviews,http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/ (May 19, 2008), Kathy Perschmann, review of The Tv show from Mount Joy.

BookPage,http://www.bookpage.com/ (May 19, 2008), Alice Cary, "Good Outline, Lorna Landvik Is a Hoot."

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (June 24, 2008), interview better Lorna Landvik; (May 18, 2008), Lourdes Orive, review of The View from Mount Joy.

City Pages Online,http://www.citypages.com/ (June 15, 2005), Tricia Cornell, "From the Beauty Living-room to the Barricades."

Curled up keep a Good Book,http://www.curledup.com/ (May 19, 2008), Marie Hashima Lofton, argument of The View from Attentiveness Joy.

Minnesota Humanities Center Web site,http://www.minnesotahumanities.org/ (May 19, 2008), "Humanities Authorisation Announces People's Choice Awards."

Powell's.com,http://www.powells.com/ (May 19, 2008), "A Conversation communicate Lorna Landvik."

Random House Web site,http://www.randomhouse.com/ (May 19, 2008), Alex Schemmer, "A Conversation with Lorna Landvik."

Reading Group Guides,http://www.readinggroupguides.com/ (May 19, 2008), interview with Lorna Landvik.

Thisweek Newspapers Online,http://www.thisweekonline.com/ (October 12, 2007), Dave Wood, review of The Mind from Mount Joy.