Why does Donny Brunner of Sault Ste. Marie always have a smile on his face? It’s because of his wife, Sharon Brunner, noted author, avid hiker, and the sweetest woman he’s ever met. And anyone who reads Sharon’s books will agree she’s a talented writer who knows how to create a good story in whatever genre she chooses. She’s a born and bred Yooper having been raised in St. Ignace, attended a small country school where she excelled in athletics and acting, and went on to earn two university degrees. As an over-achiever and consummate “daily list writer,” Sharon has raised her two children and assisted with raising three stepchildren, worked for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, taught at Bay Mills Community College, served as a federal reviewer for the Department of Health and Human Services, written seven books and dozens of short stories, and still finds time to enjoy the outdoors with Donny and their dog, Doogie.
“My love of writing began early in life and continues to be encouraged by Donny,” Sharon said. “It was he who suggested I publish my stories. My first work, Shadow Travelers, was designed to give a well-rounded viewpoint about life for Indigenous people from the time of Samuel de Champlain to modern day reservations and the hardships Native Americans still face. Beyond the Shadows was my second book. It was written to help Native Americans deal with historical trauma and has been used by therapists. ‘The Aftereffects of the Boarding School Experience for Native Americans in Michigan’ was the title of my master’s thesis. My interest stemmed from my mother’s experiences. She was plucked from a life of poverty and forced to live at the Holy Childhood Boarding School in Harbor Springs during the 1940s. Most of her seven siblings also attended that institution. Mom described the school as a large, cold place and said the nuns were often abusive.
“I interviewed tribal elders who attended the Harbor Springs boarding school and the federal boarding school in Mt. Pleasant. I traveled to a number of communities downstate as well as Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace to conduct interviews. Some individuals revealed the trauma of forced exile from their families and culture still haunts them to this day. A common phobia the boarding school attendees developed was a fear of the dark. The books I publish about Indigenous people stem from my life as a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, my volunteer and employment experiences, and from the stories Native Americans have shared with me. My most current work, Manifest Destiny: A Legacy of Genocide, is a lengthy treatise of the various ways in which Euro-Americans have committed serious acts of genocide against Indian tribes from the fur trading days to the present. It’s available on Kindle.
“Although the content of these three books involves serious tribal issues, I’ve also written a book about life as a Yooper entitled Lake Superior in the Moonlight. This work is meant to be fun and entertaining, covering such stories as Big Foot, pasties, rototiller competitions, and much more. Moon: A Potato Planting and Blueberry Picking Pooch is about a dog I was guardian of that was part wolf. She was a gift from a Canadian medicine man and possessed high intelligence that sometimes got her into trouble. Like most wolf-dogs, Moon loved the freedom of being outdoors, of hiking with Donny and me, and occasionally of getting into trouble when she snuck off for a swim without her ‘people.’ I enjoy writing humorous, nonfiction, and self-help books, but my preference is historical nonfiction. My work involves conducting exhaustive research for every book I’ve penned, even the one about Moon. You might laugh, but that book was written in the first person and I needed to think like a dog which wasn’t always easy!
“Swords, Arrows and Broken Promises and The Watchers are two books I’ve written that describe the evils of the world and are typical of my interest in various literary genres. The former defines events that changed the world such as the Thirty-Years War and the Knights Templar. The latter describes the scary things that go bump in the night, including entities such as witches, werewolves, and the mythical Wendigo that ‘watch’ us. Wendigo is an Algonquin folklore spirit said to inhabit the Great Lakes region as well as areas around the Eastern Atlantic coast, the Canadian forests, and the Great Plains. Future books might involve a migration story based on the history of my family, tribal chiefs, and French fur traders, all of which are part of my lineage. Another book idea I’ve been exploring is about patriarchal domination and the church which would include information about Papal Bulls and male dominated rule throughout history.
“When my father was ill from 2002 to 2004, I wrote a series of short stories for him. He loved to read but at that stage of his life, reading a book had become difficult. My obsession with lists and punctuality was indispensable during Dad’s illness. In one afternoon I could write a story he would enjoy. I created a grid with a list of amusing characters and interesting plots, obstacles, and ultimate outcomes that my children helped me develop. After Dad passed, I continued using the grid when working on much longer, more involved works.
“Although I enjoy traveling to historical places like the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre, the Upper Peninsula is rich in history, folklore, and people. I love it here and have been blessed with good friends and family and a variety of interests I share with my husband. I have a balanced life that includes reading authors as diverse as those who write nonfiction for ‘Scientific American’ and those like Stephen King, one of my favorite authors. I rarely have writers’ block, my trusty computer never gets tired when I call it into action, and I have backup computers. The major distraction from writing is my desire to be outdoors in all seasons.
“I have one piece of advice to offer anyone who wants to be a writer and here it is: Butt in seat and start typing! I think everyone has the ability to write. Getting started is probably the greatest challenge, but writing can be cathartic. When I’m hiking, it isn’t unusual for me to have conversations with my characters to gain a better understanding of where they need to go next in the story. Sometimes my characters lead me. Other times I use an outline depending upon the genre I’ve chosen. I’m constantly jotting down things when I hear or read something that one of my characters might say or do. I write almost every day because that’s what writers do. If I waited for the writing muse to visit me, I might still be waiting to write that first book instead of looking forward to working on my eighth.”
Although I couldn’t see him, I’m sure Donny was standing in the background and smiling at the woman who shares her success with him. And I have no doubt Doogie was pulling at his leash, as eager as the Brunners to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.
Sharon’s books are available at the Island Book Store in Sault Ste. Marie. For more information about her work, contact her at sbrunner4599@gmail.com.
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