At this time of the year there is not much sunlight. On clear days the sun will barely peek above the mountainside and start its descent around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. That is a sharp contrast to the summer months, where we would have daylight all the time! But in the fall darkness sets in with a vengeance, though the white snow helps.

I still remember the year well. It was 1957 and I was 8 years old. It was the year of Sputnik1, the first artificial satellite to be sent to outer space. I also remember we had a teacher at our school that was bald and often had a hot temper. Mischievous children secretly referred to him as Sputnik as well! Like so many times before I remember walking home from school, a trip that would take at least an hour and a half. Weather did not matter; the school was always open. No snow days here! There was also no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!

I had stopped by a friend’s house, and was walking home alone. Suddenly the sky lit up in all colors imaginable. Wave after wave I could see colors rolling over the sky in blue, green, red and many other colors and I could feel the air fill with static electricity. The sudden outburst of colors petrified me. Then I heard my mother’s voice far off calling my name. “Where are you? It’s suppertime!” I ran and told her what had happened, but she just calmly said, “It is the Northern Lights, have you not seen them before?” With that I settle down for the evening.

Many years have passed since I first saw the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis as it is officially called. But I was almost 50 years old before I saw a different kind of light in my life. For years I have always enjoyed writing, but now through encouragement from friends and my wife, Judy I started to write full time. I often tell friends it took me 50 years to learn, but now I want to spend my next 50 writing.

I enjoy writing together with people. I like to pick up their views about everything, their thoughts, their feelings and transfer this spirit into anything I write. We all have a dream and I enjoy pursuing that dream. Where the road will then take me, I do not know. All I know is - it has been an exciting journey so far, taking me to places I would never thought on my own.

I have truly enjoyed working with Kim. She is so easy to get along with, faithful and caring. She is not only a beautiful young woman, but also her inner beauty shines through anything she does. If you love Hawaii, love and romance - the book will give you many wonderful moments in a tropical paradise.

Bjorn O. Wastvedt