Book Launch and Signing

I return once again (and for the final time) to Ravens Nest. This is a story of fiction but based on my own life and creative storytelling. As with the two other books about Ravens Nest (Hermit of Puccini Ridge and Tales of Ravens Nest), I tell the story through the voice of Jake Collins.

 In Flight of the Raven, circumstances happened long after Hermit and Tales were published “by Alistair Corey” that I felt needed recording. The destruction of the main house at Ravens Nest allowed the longtime caretaker Bernice Sanderson to find new writings by Jake Collins, the founder of Ravens Nest.  But those long-hidden stories caused me to bring them to life as Book Three of the Ravens Nest Trilogy. This ends a literary saga that began innocently enough several years ago. It blossomed as new stories surfaced. 

This newest book of Jake’s writings, compiled by Bernice, is entitled Flight of the Raven. Ravens played an important role in the property called Ravens Nest and it is fitting the end of the saga of Jake concerns the ravens taking flight and leaving. It is composed of more stories of Jake’s career, but not told as fictionalized short stories as in Tales. It also includes essays about the place called Ravens Nest and includes much of the elder Jake’s philosophy. My guess is Jake was putting on paper his thoughts and philosophy, knowing his final days were near.

About the Author: Although he grew up in a small Illinois town, Joseph Colwell has spent over 50 years living and working across the West. During his college years at the University of Idaho studying forestry and wildlife management, he worked in Idaho State Parks, and Mt. Rainier and Grand Canyon National Parks. He then spent over 27 years with the US Forest Service in five different national forests in four states. After retirement from the Forest Service, he spent ten summers doing fire information work on wildland fires, assisting the media and homeowners in understanding wildfires. As a second career, Joseph Colwell has authored eight books.

Joseph and his artist wife (and editor) Katherine now own and live on their 40-acre nature preserve in western Colorado. They specialize in assisting others in exploring creativity, using nature as the source of inspiration. They can be reached through ColwellCedars.com or jcedarsj@gmail.com.