Book Nook - On the Road with Rodney

 Rodney Badgermann is very much a typical American guy.

He is fiftyish, holds down a steady newspaper job, and lives an unremarkable life with Barbara, his wife of 30 years, and a Doberman Pinscher named Max.

One early summer day, Rodney’s life begins to change. His cousin shows up with news of a possible inheritance. They board an RV and travel from Michigan to Texas to learn more about the inheritance and its rumors of “millions.” Along the way, they meet some quirky characters, including a young couple who are “running away from home.”

​​​​​​​Rodney is just Rodney. But like Walter Mitty, he sometimes imagines he leads a more glamorous life.

Finally, the inheritance is resolved. Money indeed will change hands. And they are almost ready to return home when Rodney meets a woman who completely enthralls him. Almost on a whim, Rodney, his new love interest and his cousin embark on a side trip that will take them across the desert Southwest U.S. to Las Vegas.

Along the way, Rodney’s once unremarkable life undergoes several transformations. And he faces a decision — will he return home to his former life? Or will he embark on a new life?

In this bold short novel On the Road with Rodney, his final decision may surprise you.

I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.

What's your favorite thing about writing fiction?

Asking “What if?” Journalists do a tremendous job identifying who, what, when, where and why. But fiction writers get to ask the next question: What if? What if a serendipitous event happened that forever altered people’s lives? What if two people met randomly? What if a relationship developed that neither saw coming? 

Where did you get the inspiration for your new novel?

“On the Road With Rodney” is a completely original story. But it was loosely inspired by “The Hobbit” and the short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

Why is it important for people to be willing to have adventures later in life?

Adventures later in life are vital to explore who you are, what you have become and what you might yet be.

What do you hope people take away from this novel?

Life can deal us choices, often at the most unpredictable time. How we deal with those choices define ourselves and our character.

Award-winning journalist Daniel Behringer, who writes fiction under the pen name Dann Darwin, worked in the newspaper industry in Michigan, Texas, Utah and Nevada for nearly 40 years. He won numerous awards in the industry before turning to fiction and longer narratives. His other novels include Wilson’s Women, One Year, Hearts in Play and Love and Betrayal: The Secrets We Keep. 

“Many readers will identify with Rodney,” the writer says. “He is Mr. Everyman in many respects. But his travels and adventures take him to different places where a lot of middle-aged men don’t go.”

“At its core, it’s a road story. But perceptive readers will discover another layer or two beneath that.”

“You’ll definitely want to read the book before it makes a splash on the big screen.”

On the Road With Rodney

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple eBooks and other major sellers