Kartoffel Noggin

Kartoffel Noggin, the fifth installment of the Prairie Preacher series, transports readers from the small North Dakota farming community the Schroeder family calls home to war-torn South Vietnam. The year is 1969, and Andy Schroder, the little boy we first met in Prairie Preacher, is now eighteen and has been drafted by the army to serve in the Vietnam War. During his tour of duty, Andy learns a lot about humanity, morality, and the will to survive. He worries about his family at home, especially his dear Annie who had promised to become his wife. He also befriends a wide variety of characters: Jackson, an Indian boy from South Dakota; Chicago, a young black man from Chicagos inner city; Swede, a tall kid from northern Minnesota; and Bandaid, the medic from Boston. Together, they face death, fear, and tragedy, and forge a special bond that can never be broken. Andys harrowing experiences force him to shed his simplistic attitude toward morality. He discovers that he is capable of things he never imagined, and he witnesses good guys succumb to hatred and bad guys display love and compassion. He soon realizes that when he returns to North Dakota, he will not be the same person he was when he left. Though he may leave Vietnam, Vietnam will never leave him.

Teased by his siblings for being a potato head, Andy Schroeder had been a good natured, optimistic young person. He was in college and deciding where to attend law school, when he received his draft papers. Soon, he was known as Spud by the guys in his unit in Vietnam. Even though he was the grenadier, he was of slight build. He was often called upon to be a tunnel rat, sent down dark, sabotaged, enemy tunnels to retrieve intelligence. By the time he was injured, the war had already taken a massive toll on Spud. He was no longer optimistic and doubted most of his previously held beliefs of life and God. He still loved his bride and his family, innocently believing that he could get home and go right back to the life he had left. Artillery fire changed all that. He did not return home as he had planned. Spud was an angry, bitter and frustrated person in a wheelchair. He doubted his beliefs, hated his situation and felt like a failure to everyone. He faced not only his visible wounds, but the ravages of the invisible ones. He tried not to be hateful, but not very successfully. After Vietnam, Spud felt his life was no more than a pile of useless potato peelings. He tried to put them together to get his life back, but found it a monumental task. With the help of his family, faith and friends, he began to put them back together-- one peeling at a time.

Rainbows and Rattlesnakes is the continuing story of the Praire Preacher family. This book is about the Pastor Byron's youngest daughter, six year old Ginger. In an attempt to overcome some difficulties, she takes an action that causes her life to change dramatically. Her family rallies around her to help her overcome the tragedy and rebuild her life. In the process, they all become acquainted with a young physician, Zach Jeffries. Zach is just starting out in his career, but is hampered by the memories of a horrendous childhood. In order for him to find peace, he must face and deal with the demons that have stolen his life and almost his sanity. He must learn to put his past into perspective so that he can enjoy his present.

Matt and Diane Harrington were settling into their newly married life. Diane’s past had been hampered by a dysfunctional childhood, an abusive early marriage, and physical violence at the hands of her in-laws and even her own mother. Now she had a good, happy marriage, a relationship with her brother and her wonderful friends, and a great relationship with Matt’s family. All she needed to complete her happiness was to have a child. She had been pregnant while she was married to Dean. After a beating with a fireplace poker from her then mother-in-law, Diane not only lost her infant son but sustained serious damage to her ability to have another child. Matt was supportive, and he understood her position. He told her that she was more important to him. They could adopt. He didn’t want to lose her. She had always craved to be like the other girls. To her, this was the most important thing. She wanted to fix up a nursery, talk about baby showers, and then have the pride of handing a child to her wonderful Matt. Matt was reluctant, but he relented. He knew how much it meant to her.

May of 1972 finds the folks of the Engelmann clan preparing for the long-awaited wedding of Matt Harrington and Diane Waggoner. Numerous family members from out East will be attending the event. In the past, members of both their families had shown vehement objection to the wedding; but as of late, most of those things seemed settled. They had hopes of having a fun family reunion. As the event nears, other families appear and attend the wedding. There are many characters and subplots revealing themselves before the nuptials take place. In the end, the Engelmann clan learns to value their clan even more.

Johnny Standing Elk rolled his eyes and thought, This woman is a walking disaster area. Then he decided that he still had the rest of today and thirteen more to watch out for her. He made himself a heartfelt promise to never make a commitment to look out for someone again, even though this ladys brother, Brett, was a nice guy. Johnny finally had to ask her, What are you afraid of, Wednesday? Can you tell me? I can tell youre a professional woman, likely with a great career. I know it isnt any of my business why you are here or what is going on. But if it is going to affect how you treat me and everyone else, maybe we can talk about it. Okay? I give you my word. Ill keep it in total confidence. Okay? She thought over her situation. She had never been so out of control in her life. More importantly, her quandary was nowhere near remedied. She was rather certain that she could never last until Brett got back without falling apart. She could barely survive a simple day. Maybe it would better for everyone if she just left. But to do that, she would have to confide in Johnny.

EARLY HARVEST 28th of the Prairie Preacher Series Darrell and Jeannie had a wonderful marriage and were looking forward to the arrival of their first child later this summer. However, this summer so far had been miserable. They had lost one of their best friends, Diane Harrington, who died from a fall while expecting their first baby. Diane died, but the baby, though premature, survived. The little girl, Dana, had recently come home from the hospital. Jeannie would babysit both babies while the men worked in the fields. Dana and her daddy, Matt, lived in the same yard with Darrell and Jeannie. It had been an extremely dry year with miserly rains in the spring. The crops were drying up in the fields. Farmers had been gathering every bit of hay or grain they could find. The men were hurrying to finish the last field before the long awaited rains began. It was supposed to be heavy and last a while, so the hay or crops would be ruined if left in the field. There was a rush to get it in. All was going well, and then in early afternoon, life took another tragic turn. In a matter of minutes, life at the Jessup place would change forever.

W. H. Crandall has been left as an abandoned child as an infant, and he grew up in the foster care system. When he became a teen, he migrated toward juvenile detention. Then as he was getting older, he was given the option of joining the military or going to jail. He chose the military. There he found a home of sorts and became a pilot. After the military, he and his friend Mick started a small private airline. While Mick began to put down roots, Crandall maintained his solo life. And jealously guarded his independence. Now in his late forties, his life had taken another turn. The independence had turned more into isolation, and he found he craved belonging more than ever. He had few close friends; however, after a close call with romance years before, he had decided he would be a bachelor all his life. Suddenly, the past he had put behind him was demanding his attention. It would require him doing all the things he thought he despised.