An Ode to Tacky Souvenirs … and the Unexpected Honor of Becoming One
When I was a kid spending summers on Mackinac Island in the 1970s, life was all about two things: scoring free fudge samples from Doug Corey at Ryba’s with Fred and Dennis Brodeur — and scoping the Trading Post on Main Street.
Betty’s Gifts, Frank Shama’s, The Big Store, the Horse Corral, and a few other hotspots were also in the rotation. It was a paradise for a kid, a nutty carnival of trinkets, treasures, and smells. This was the golden era of souvenirs—moccasins, balsa wood boxes emblazoned with "Mackinac Island," switchblade combs, naked lady playing cards (yes, folks, it’s true), and the pièce de résistance: the Mackinac Island bead belt. These were the halcyon days of musket cap guns and throwing stars, a chaotic, dangerous wonderland for a ten-year-old.
It was fantastic.
The Birth of a Modern Souvenir
Fast forward to the days when Jim and I embarked on the insane journey of publishing "The Dockporter” in 2021. I remember declaring with the fervor of a man possessed, "I want this book to be the Mackinac Island bead belt of the 2020s." Seemed doable. Aim low, I say! A must-have Mackinac Island memento. Sure, the bead belts and throwing stars are relics of a wilder time, but the soul of a good souvenir never dies. I dreamed of our book as the ultimate keepsake, something people had to bring home.
We love the craft of writing, pouring our twisted hearts into high-quality stories with glorious blue and yellow covers that we design ourselves and plots more labyrinthine than Tranquil Bluff Trail.
But let’s be real.
Being a souvenir would be very, very cool.
The Dream Comes True
As our books started to gain traction, Jim and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Island Bookstore for signings (year four and counting). I began to feel like our novels were catching on. The orders continued at the Island Bookstore (our mostly exclusive bookseller). Souvenirs that people snagged as a memento of their Mackinac adventure, something to recall their trip by (even if they later cursed us for sneaking in a few expletives). "The Dockporter" was our first salvo, followed by "Somewhere in Crime," each one a love letter to the island’s charm and madness. And now, the latest addition, "MisGuided," is ready to make its debut.
The Ultimate Honor
Then, a thunderbolt from the gods: MLive featured our Mackinac Island Novels in an article about souvenirs. I nearly hit the floor. Accolades and recognition are all well and good, and sure, that Peabody Award we (didn't) win was nice and all. But to be enshrined alongside pressed pennies and T-shirts? That’s the pinnacle.
We’ve made it.
Our books have stormed the hallowed halls of Mackinac Island souvenirs. I always dreamed of our stories being something special that people had to take home, and now it's a glorious, chaotic reality.
WE ARE FUDGE.
The Art of Subversive Storytelling
We set out to create something more than just a novel. We wanted to craft an experience, a piece of Mackinac Island that people could carry with them, complete with a taste of chocolate-esque subversion. "The Dockporter" introduced readers to the island’s luggage-hauling subculture, "Somewhere in Crime" added a layer of intrigue and filmmaking, and "MisGuided" promises to tie it all together with a twisted look at history. Now we’ve stormed Fort Mackinac!
The Circle of Souvenirs
As we come up for the summer of 2024 to sign copies of our latest book, I’ll swing by The Trading Post to see what the newest version of those balsa wood boxes with deer on them looks like. I’ll also be smiling inside, knowing that maybe—just maybe—some 13-year-old kid (or 56-year-old kid)is wandering through the Island Bookstore, pulling Mackinac Island Novel off the shelf.
It’s not a switchblade comb, but it might just be the Mackinac Island bead belt of books.
He’ll survive.
Ant wait to read this new book!