Anthony Schmitz

My novel, Darkest Desire, was described as offering "a vivid psychological portrait, witty dialogue worthy of the stage and sharp meditations on the nature of desire and the hopelessness of self-improvement schemes," by the Minneapolis StarTribune. The New York Times Book Review said, "People who believe that 'ethical journalist' is an oxymoron will love Anthony Schmitz's prickly novella, ''Darkest Desire: The Wolf's Own Tale.''

My eBooks, Mermaid in Vegas, Valentine's Cafe and Thereafter, each describe worlds in which fantastical elements lap over into the everyday world. Characters are forced to contend with things that should not be possible, or should not exist.

My fiction is an outgrowth of a career in journalism. I worked for a number of newspapers and national magazines. I was also the founder and publisher of the Frogtown Times, a newspaper that served St. Paul's immigrant neighborhood. I've long been active in neighborhood affairs. In addition, I build traditional skin-on-frame kayaks, and am a certified kayak instructor.