The Moon Tavern

Soon to be Released

I realize it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been traveling and working to finish my latest novel, which I wrote with my wife, Stephanie. It’s hard to edit a final draft with all the second-guessing of certain passages and then finding those pesky typos. We did submit an earlier version to Kirkus for their review. Just got that back, and it gives us a boost in confidence. So, here it is:

In Hansen and Johnson’s novel, a cookbook writer tracks down her biological grandmother on a Croatian island and uncovers long-buried family secrets—and a new zest for life.

Vesna “Ves” Ivelja takes an extended break from her home in Minneapolis—and her crumbling relationship with long-term boyfriend Reed—to travel to the island of Lastovo, off the coast of Croatia, in search of her biological grandmother, Marta. Ves ultimately wants answers about her parents, who died in the Yugoslav Wars in the early 1990s. As she struggles to get to know Marta (a task made more complicated by the language barrier), Ves gets to know other people around her, including handsome single dad Dinko Radić, and places, such as the now-shuttered Moon Tavern that her family used to own. The more time she spends with her newfound family members and friends, the more she questions whether she’s living the life she truly desires. As painful memories of Ves’ childhood begin to resurface, she tries to find a way to come to peace with both the past and the present. Following each chapter is a recipe (for such dishes as “Seafood Soup” and “Osso Buco”) inspired by Ves’ culinary and familial journey. Hansen and Johnson have crafted a unique blend of cookbook and family drama that effectively develops both its characters and its locale: “And the island would sustain itself with home-grown produce, seafood right offshore, olives, and grapes. I’d be happy with close friends and a family who loved me.” Although readers may find it a bit disconcerting to go from a hugely emotional moment to, say, a recipe for “Lentil Stew With Sausage,” the book’s duality largely works, thanks to the authors’ clear prose and mostly realistic dialogue. Ves’ personal discoveries, about her family and about herself, demonstrate how the effects of war and trauma can reverberate through generations. The result is a book that thoughtfully explores themes of identity, grief, and new beginnings.

A far-flung journey of self-discovery that’s delightfully seasoned with history and delicious recipes.

Yes, I’m working on the “mostly realistic dialogue.” Look for the book’s release in April.