Welcome to Kamini: A Novel [Paperback]

Poor Russell Dean, golden boy of American advertising. His meticulously crafted career has brought him wealth, fame, an idyllic lifestyle and a beautiful wife. But now his wife is divorcing him, he's surrounded by fools and Russell is in a tailspin. A golf vacation to a remote Ontario resort town is exactly what he needs to skate through a rare rough patch. Or not. Mysterious natural forces far beyond his control and the eclectic characters he meets -- including three skilled, powerful women and a mirthful Ojibwe fishing guide -- have decidedly different plans. Welcome to the Canadian wilderness, Mr. Dean. Welcome to Kamini: Danger, Suspense, Mysticism, Romance and Live Bait.

A native Minnesotan, Don Engebretson began writing about his passiongardeningafter college and soon was writing for magazines across the US. He has won five national writing awards from Garden Communicators International. Always a fiction fan, he began writing short stories and ultimately sat down to write Welcome to Kamini, his debut novel. Don joyfully acknowledges that summers spent at the family cottage in Minaki, Ontario had the greatest impact on his upbeat personality and positive outlook on life.

Before dropping their lines Gribber might suggest his fishing party learn an Ojibwe phrase to bring them luck. Always thrilled to do so, his eager students would repeat after Gribber each enchanting word:

Niwii(na-wee)

wewebanaabii(way-way-bon-ah-bee)

mitaakwazheyaan(ma-tah-kwuh-ZHAY-yon)

Shout it to the heavens! Gribber would implore his party after mastering the phrase.

Niwii-wewebanaabii mitaakwazheyaan! they would shout in unison.

Delighted, each would head home able to say, It is a good day to fish naked in Ojibwe.

His guests were of course unaware their bush-town Indian guidewas fluent in English, French and Ojibwe and held a bachelors degree in philosophy from Dartmouth College. The shtick nearlló'