Welcome

    Welcome to FedoraHouse.com, the online home for author Mark Kratina and his debut novel The Nostalgist.

The story behind The Nostalgist was nearly ten years in the making.

    “I really wanted to write a story about a guy who was going places but ultimately finds himself retreating from the world,” author Mark Kratina said. “His retreat has more to do with the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, a guy whose beliefs are at odds with the way the world works. The stumbling block I kept running into was why anyone would care. But the idea of having this person run for office seemed a unique opportunity for people to make an emotional investment in him. Beyond that, the idea of a political campaign serving as a catalyst for deeper themes of loss, change, and how we interact with one another was interesting to me. 
    
    “Although The Nostalgist centers around a political campaign, I really didn’t want to write a partisan political story. Certainly the story contains contemporary political issues, but nowhere throughout the novel will the reader see the words “Republican” or “Democrat.” If I have written it the way I hoped, the story will be accessible for everyone, a voice that is somewhere in-between partisan rhetoric.

    “When I pitched the book to publishers, the stories I kept coming back to were a mixture of the folksy Americana of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington meets the uglier, more sinister aspects of All The President’s Men, which seemed appropriate because journalism and the battle between old media vs. new media is a major theme of the story.

    “Ultimately, though, The Nostalgist really is about who we are as a country, where we’re headed, and how we feel about that direction. No matter your age, demographic, or political leaning, I think the book has something for everyone and I want to sincerely thank you in advance for considering picking up a copy.”

The Nostalgist is also available through Amazon.com