Meet Author Tim Jollymore of Finns Way Books

NAC 2020 Author Virtual Tour

MEET AUTHOR TIM JOLLYMORE

Tim Jollymore grew up next to the swamps, forests, and Indian reservations of northern Minnesota, the setting of his first novel. He spent his working life as a tree planter, pulp peeler, local historian, traveling salesman, and corporate manager. After migrating to California, he pursued residential design, contracting, and the teaching of English. Jollymore has a master’s degree in literature from the University of Minnesota.

Since leaving teaching in 2011, Jollymore has devoted his time to fiction and drama, writing a five-act play, completing two novels and numerous short stories.
During summer, he camps across the western states traveling to visit extended family in northern Minnesota. Otherwise, he writes in Oakland, California and shares free time with his artist companion, Carol. His three grown children live nearby.

Jollymore’s fiction explores struggles of identity and loss in American society from the viewpoint of the under and working classes. Though these contests—sometimes mysterious and often fierce—play out in spare, natural settings and every day, domestic life, they are marked by unusual, compelling events. 

His novels include: "Listener in the Snow" (2014) which abounds with Native stories, Algonquin legend, Indian characters, and heartrending strife set against the Northern Minnesota snowscape.

"Observation Hill", a novel of class and murder (2015). Police Detective Paul Tuomi has his hands full. He has just been assigned the highest profile murder case of his career, is in the middle of investigating the strange death of a family member, and is about to cross the line on a long ago failed marriage.

"The Advent of Elizabeth", (2016). Twenty-four years have passed since the murdered girl was buried. The classmate who confessed to the stabbing is doing time. Both families moved out of town. Case closed? Justice done? Not so fast. As they converge on their California high school’s 100th anniversary celebration, cryptic notes are unsettling members of the “Class of ‘67”. Some question what they thought they knew.

Jollymore's books have won awards or been finalists in several award categories. His book of short stories, essays, and poems, "Lake Stories and Other Tales", (2017)

has had a warm reception. Comic, heartfelt, and mysterious, these stories charm the reader with good humor, affection for their natural settings, and the gentle, persistent seeking for a lasting place in the daily world of common folk.

Jollymore's newest book, "People You've Been Before" (2019) edges into city life, recovery culture, the lives of writers, and fallout from the Vietnam conflict. 

All books are available on Amazon and his website timjollymore.net