Best Selling Author Erin Soderberg Downing is a rockstar Wisconsin Author who not only loves being on Lake Superior but has also turned an uplifting and unexpected Superior Hiking Trail trip with her son and weaved it into an epic tale for all to enjoy.
This incredible new release of Erin Soderberg Downing’s is one of the over 100 books she has authored. See why I used the word rockstar earlier? And if you think that’s interesting, wait until you read about our Q & A session with Erin Soderberg Downing later in this article. You’re in for an inspiring treat!
“Anytime we were having a particularly frustrating day, a glimpse of my beloved Lake Superior could always turn things around!”
– Erin Soderberg Downing
If you like to browse the hiking books aisle or are on the prowl for books for middle schoolers, ‘Just Keep Walking‘ is a must-add to your TBR! (To Be Read, all the cool kids are saying it. And by all the cool kids, I mean us bookworms. So, I stand by my previous statement: we are the cool kids!)
‘Just Keep Walking’ by Erin Soderberg Downing
Here’s the epic story we’re diving into, an awesome find if you love books about hiking or books for middle schoolers. Truthfully, I don’t believe books for middle schoolers have to be exclusive to that age group. If a book sounds like it’s up your alley, give it a go! I know I put ‘Just Keep Walking‘ on my Goodreads TBR!
Here’s a synopsis of this inspired by true events on the Superior Hiking Trail story by Lake Superior-area Author Erin Soderberg Downing, ‘Just Keep Walking‘.
Two years after her parents’ surprising and painful split, twelve-year-old Jo and her mom find themselves on the 100-mile hike on the Superior Hiking Trail along Lake Superior’s north shore –a journey that Jo had always looked forward to hiking with her dad. It’s not a situation that either of them ever predicted they’d find themselves in, yet here they are in the wilderness with their entire lives stuffed into a pair of thirty-pound packs.
Along the trail, they’ll suffer through endless aches and pains, scorching heat, and crippling self-doubt. They’ll encounter bears, moose, and other wildlife and meet and collect an assortment of unlikely friends. Day after day, Jo will battle the incessant thoughts that come in and out of her head. But as one obstacle after the next continue to test her strength and ultimate survival, Jo will have to confront her greatest fears head on and learn how to be alone.
What begins as a journey to prove to her father that she and her mom can make it on their own turns into a quest to rediscover their strength, build resilience, and prove that they can survive—both for themselves and for each other.
Read more about ‘Just Keep Walking’ and about Erin Soderberg Downing here!
Erin Soderberg Downing’s books ‘Just Keep Walking‘ and ‘Controlled Burn‘ are impressively and perfectly sitting on the shelf of the Children’s Bestsellers on the Midwest Indie Bookseller List, a major accomplishment, and earned the title of Best Selling Author. Way to go, Erin!
Q & A with Erin Soderberg Downing
I had the wonderful opportunity to correspond with Erin Soderberg Downing and ask her a few questions about her experience on the Superior Hiking Trail with her son, her writing, and what she loves about being on Lake Superior.
I’d also encourage you to read her article “How Hiking 310 Miles Helped Build a Novel—and Taught Me a Few Things About Writing Along the Way“ to learn even more about her remarkable journey with her writing and her own inner strength as she took on the Superior Hiking Trail by herself after her and her son’s adventure together. It was an incredibly inspiring read, and I hope it brings a spark of hiking enthusiasm in you as it did for me!
OLS:
It’s interesting how we, as writers, can sprinkle a lot of ourselves in our works without noticing at times. You’ve mentioned in your guest article, “How Hiking 310 Miles Helped Build a Novel—and Taught Me a Few Things About Writing Along the Way” that during your writing process, you realized that your character and yourself both had a fear of being out on the trail for a few nights on your own. Were there any other characteristics/quirks that you discovered that you slipped into the characters and story from you or your son?
Erin Soderberg:
The main character in this novel, Jo, is absolutely a combination of me and Henry. I took the best parts of both of us, and smushed them into one 12-year-old girl. I love the way Jo uses humor during hard times to help her get through – that’s a quality I try to employ in my own life, so I wanted to be sure that was something I focused on with this character. She also has a lot of self-doubts at the beginning of the story, which is also something I’ve dealt with in my own life (haven’t we all??). I totally use real people to inspire my characters, since I think that really helps to make them feel more relatable to readers.
OLS:
When hiking on the Superior Hiking Trail, did you find Lake Superior inspiring when it was in view?
Erin Soderberg:
Henry and I had a rule that anytime we came to a beautiful overlook (especially of the big lake!) we would take out our little camp chairs and sit and read and enjoy the view for at least 20 minutes. Those moments of rest and recovery are what helped keep us going – and anytime we were having a particularly frustrating day, a glimpse of my beloved Lake Superior could always turn things around!
OLS:
What elements of the Superior Hiking Trail set it apart from other trails that you’ve ventured on?
Erin Soderberg:
I love that there are so many beautiful vistas – every day afforded different views, terrain, and experiences that kept the experience feeling fresh. In fact, there were so many beautiful views that Henry and I realized we’d started taking some of them for granted! That’s when we knew it was time for us to take a break from our distance hike, and come back when we could appreciate each moment of beauty more fully!
OLS:
Did you have an inner message of strength/positivity that you would give yourself during your expedition to encourage yourself to keep on going?
Erin Soderberg:
Henry and I traded off bad days during our hike, just like Jo and her mom do on their journey. We had to lean on each other to keep going, and when one of us was feeling down, the other would pick up the positivity-slack and keep the other moving along. We also promised ourselves at least one candy bar each day, which was a great motivator!
OLS:
When you think back on this remarkable trip, what’s one of the first memories that pop into your head?
Erin Soderberg:
The night we sat on the cliffs at the top of Section 13, and an eagle flew by right at eye level. It was so unbelievable, and with the sun setting and the sky painted magical colors, it was a truly restorative moment on our hike.
OLS:
If you could have given a message to your future self before you and your son started your expedition, what would you have said?
Erin Soderberg:
JUST KEEP WALKING! It’s worth it.
OLS:
“Just Keep Walking” is a brilliant way to capture such an impactful moment in your and your son’s life (and relationship!). Do you think your epic adventure will inspire another novel?
Erin Soderberg:
I don’t think I’ll write another trail adventure, but I do think this book helped me figure out that writing books set in the upper Midwest make me happiest as a writer. I love capturing that sense of place, and sharing the beauty of our area with people who have never visited the Great Lakes region!
Superior Hiking Trail Information
The Superior Hiking Trail is a gorgeous 310-mile adventure waiting to happen on Lake Superior. This hiking journey takes place in Minnesota, and the trail itself snakes through eight Minnesota State Parks! An average hike-through time is somewhere between two and four weeks, but you can take the Superior Hiking Trail section by section or go for a day hike.
The Superior Hiking Trail’s epic beginnings take place in Jay Cooke State Park and come to a close near the Canadian Border. Before your epic journey begins, you can get your adventure snack and drink of choice to get amped up at Dovetail Cafe in Duluth, MN (a part of the Superior Hiking Trail)!
Want to find more hiking on Lake Superior? Check out our hiking section!
Supporting a Lake Superior-area Author can go a long way; please consider checking out Erin Soderberg Downing’s books on her website and spreading the word about her fantastic stories!
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