I received an unexpected message on Facebook from a woman which said, “Mike Larson I ran across in cleaning yesterday afternoon a ‘gift’ to son Peder; a manuscript of a book you authored with a personal note written on it how it was not accepted for publishing three times. Assuming it was a science gift? Any recall? I will sit down and read it!”

Immediately I recognized what the request was referring to.

So be patient as I explain how this mother’s son had my first ever manuscript in his possession.

It all started back in 1956 when I was a sixth grader in the Clinton Public School. My teacher, Mrs. Sager, displayed my writing assignment on the bulletin board. My bird report along with several other fellow classmates’ reports were considered exemplary works.

That’s when my desire to become a published author began to take shape in that sixth grade brain of mine.

Several years went by and I was too busy doing farm chores, exploring the many haunts on our farm and playing sports to begin the process of becoming a published author. Anyway I still had plenty of time for writing I assumed as I was barely a teenager.

The winter of my eighth grade year was a cold and vicious winter. After chores we spent the evenings in the house completing school homework, reading or playing games. A television set did not yet grace our living room much to the disappointment of my siblings and myself.

I decided I would begin my writing career that winter. So with a tablet and a lead pencil I settled into an over stuffed chair in the living room and began to scribble my first manuscript.

As I mentioned earlier I loved to explore the sloughs, farm fields and tree claims. I loved the outdoors so it was natural that the title of my first manuscript would be “Slinker the Mink”

It turned out to be quite a success when my English teacher, Mr. Wray, got wind of my writing. He invited me to come to the front of the classroom and read the complete manuscript to my classmates.

My Mom had been a country school teacher for several years and was quite proud of my desire to write. So she spoke to our school’s typing teacher, Ms. Hanson, and asked her if she would type my manuscript.

I had a crush on Ms. Hanson so there was no way I was going to have the courage to ask her for her typing assistance. 🙂

Poor Ms. Hanson said yes not realizing it would turn out to be a twenty-one page manuscript. Upon the completion of the project my Mother gave her a silk scarf and a brooch.

I was embarrassed since I had to give her the gift and I would have preferred the gift to be something more to my liking. Maybe a basketball or a Micky Mantle baseball bat.. Remember I was only in the eighth grade. 🙂

With guidance from my Mom I even sent the manuscript to three magazines and received my first rejection slips as an author. I was stoked!

Though as I look back now sending the manuscript to Boy’s Life made sense but when I sent it to the Farm Journal that rejection letter should have been no surprise. 🙂

So now you are wondering how it happened that many, many years later Peder gets a copy of my first manuscript Slinker the Mink?

Now for the rest of the story.

I was invited to present at a Young Authors Conference at Fergus Falls, MN when Peder and his fourth grade classmates from the Wheaton Public School also attended.

My presentation consisted of me describing the path my writing career had taken and in doing so I read aloud the first page of my first manuscript “Slinker the Mink”.

After the presentation was over Peder and his friend who were both lovers of the outdoors must have wanted to hear the rest of the mink adventure. So they approached me and asked if they could each have a copy of my manuscript.

After forty years my first manuscript was finally being sought after. Once again I was stoked! 🙂

So I spent a half hour or so in the school copy machine room and produced two additional Slinker the Mink manuscripts. I signed both of them and went to the elementary school and delivered them to the two nature loving fourth graders.

The message from Peder’s Mom indicated my first attempt at writing must have been fairly well received as the young lad still had it and did not throw it away.

I have read the first page of Slinker the Mink several times now to various groups and each time I am surprised at the violence my eighth grade mind came up with as Slinker battled and killed an intruder who turned out to be the king of the minks (at least in that local area! :))  Blood and gore filled the first page as well as various other sections in the manuscript.

I’m sure those many years ago when my manuscript arrived at Boy’s Life Magazine it put a smile on some editor’s face as he slipped an impersonal rejection letter into my self-addressed, stamped envelope along with my precious first manuscript.

The Farm Journal Magazine editor probably nearly went into cardiac arrest expecting a manuscript on positive features of using the four bottom plow instead discovering the story of a mink’s struggle for survival.

That experience probably brought a round of chuckles when the editor shared the Slinker story at the family’s evening meal.  But who knows, perhaps some small child sitting around that family table got inspired with that eighth grade produced manuscript and as a result is a well known writer today.

The longevity of that manuscript I’m sure would have surprised Mr. Wray, Ms. Hanson, my Mom and I’m a little shocked myself.

Maybe I should discuss the possibility with Janine, my artist, about publishing a updated picture book about Slinker. We would have to cut down on the blood and violence however.

Oh and one final thought. Often authors have to pass on to that great library in the sky before their works are sought after. Do you realize when my turn comes there will only be three copies of my first manuscript?

Can you imagine what one of them would go for at auction? Perhaps the selling price would be in the six figure range.

I do have the original copy of Slinker the Mink so if you want to gamble on purchasing it from me for investment potential send me an offer. I’ll consider it. 🙂

Until next time.