Mr. Mizithra is an Olympic marmot, a yarn spinner and raconteur. Along with his best friend, a Jewish woodrat named Murray who plays the saxophone, they decide to make the trek to Mt. Olympus, the White Mountain. Due to hibernation, they only have 100 days to ascend the berg. As they travel, other animals pass their way, beaver, otters, kingfishers, herons, skunks. Their other goal is to find a new home as humans encroach too closely. They find the Valley of the Stones, climb the mountain, gather their colony, and travel to a new home in this place. The second part involves his hibernation, the tales he tells the young ones, and the exploits of Murray while Mr. Mizithra sleeps. The third part deals with their nemesis, Ralston the Rancid Racoon and his evil forces. This is a time of war. Sides are drawn and the battle ensues. The fourth part of the story deals with the aftermath, the peace. In this, Mr. Mizithra, now living in the Valley of the Stones, must face his past and the lone block to his happiness. To this end, he meets a mysterious character who only speaks in Haiku. The story ends with Mr. Mizithra meeting the first creature he crossed in the beginning of the story. The book deals with love, family, adventure, the history of the Olympics, honoring the native tribes and the land. It is filled with every possible emotion. This story respects nature and urges the reader to do the same without being preachy. It has excellent character development and follows the ways of each species as best possible. I have been writing all my life, since age 10, and this is the best I have ever put on a piece of paper.

Pen name: Ned P. Guickenhacker. Assistant: Calliope Anne Piffl. I am an Oregon native. Began hiking and fishing as a kid in the Columbia Gorge. Moved to Asia for 6 years and there hiked and fished in the low Himalayas. Traveled all throughout Asia. Was in 3 war zones before I was 12. Moved next to Europe, spent 4 years there including time in the Army in the air defense artillery. Lived two summers in Canada as a teen. Fought a forest fire and leaped from a helicopter in B.C. at 15. Hitchhiked from Portland to San Francisco the day after graduation. Hiked and camped all over the States, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington (much time in the Olympics), Idaho, Montana, Missouri, Illinois. Turned my love of nature into a story about an Olympic marmot and his woodrat friend, incorporating fantasy and reality. No sasquatch or unicorns, no wizards or witches, no vampires or werewolves, just the animals who call those mountains home. The story also ventures down to Willapa Bay, where I lived while writing the novel. I do not seek the limelight. This is a great story which I hope does well, but personally, I would rather remain unknown, hence the pen name. Thanks, Geoff