Ongoing praise for Winter Heart continues to pour in. This one from Tom Powers of Michigan in Books review:
https://michiganinbooks.blogspot.com
Check back soon for release information on our next novel, Summer Rounds!
Marquette Arts and Culture Names B.G. Bradley 2022 Writer of the Year
B.G. Bradley was named the Marquette Arts and Culture Writer of the Year in the 25th Marquette Arts Award Ceremony Oct. 8.
“The whole thing took me by complete surprise.” said Bradley. “I was sitting at home watching a baseball game and the phone rang, which is kind of a rare thing for most people these days, and suddenly I was saying thank you and thank you. I haven’t stopped since. My writing endeavors have always been a do-it-yourself, close to the bone effort. I’m always pleasantly surprised when someone tells me they have read something I wrote. Even if they didn’t like it. So this was more than I ever expected. The evening of the awards was a lot of fun as I met so many old friends from the arts circles of our area, and several folks who are new to me, and are trying their own hand at creation in whatever form. As for me, I’ll keep trying. I promise to keep trying as long as I can and thank you.”
Acceptance Speech for Marquette Art and Culture
Once upon a time, I wrote a story, for my third grade teacher and my classmates. It was about my dad and me hunting. My teacher liked it. My classmates liked it. They loved it. Once upon a time I wrote a poem for a writing class at Northern. It was about my brother and me hunting. My classmates liked the poem. My teacher liked the poem. They loved it, and that’s all it took to launch me into our local arts community. One such compliment, one helping hand, one bit of encouragement can start someone down the artistic road, and join them with a greater artistic community. Such arts communities are essential everywhere, but even more so in backcountry places like the U.P., because here, the opportunities for an artistic and spiritual connection to the rest of humankind are much rarer. I hope to provide such connections to my friends and neighbors for as long as I can hold a pen or utter a word.
Thank you first to Deb, the love of my life, who has been putting up with all of this artistic lunacy for 40 years. Thank you to my artistic sons Tag and Pat for inspiring me time and again along my path, and thank you to my parents Lucy and Ken and siblings Jim, Tim, Denny and my fellow artist and sister Beth, and to my whole extended family. Thank you to my publishing partner, Matt Dryer, my poetry partner, Marty Achatz, and my wilderness adventure partner,Tom Hall, and to all of my friends who have shared, enabled, and sustained this artistic life journey with me. And finally, thank you to Marquette Arts and Culture and to the extended community of artists everywhere through which all of us are able to do what we do. Thank you.
North Words and Music Halloween Show Oct. 24 at Peter White
The North Words and Music Halloween Hoedown featuring poems, stories, and songs with the rhythms of whispers in the dark, little costumed kids knocking at the door, west northwest winds bringing falling leaves and chilly air, and all that goes with the season comes to the Pete Oct. 24.
Join Marquette’s Writer of the Year, B.G. Bradley, Two time UP poet Laureate, Marty Achatz, Streaking in Tongues ( musician/poet Ronnie Ferguson), and Under This Cold Sky ( folksinger Steve Hooper) for an hour of Halloween fun with a UP flavor at Peter White Library, 7 p.m. Oct. 24. See you there!
August 22, 2022
North Words and Music on Tour
A huge thank you to all of you who shared Monday evening with North Words and Music at the Frazier Boathouse/Lake Superior Theatre! You were a wonderful crowd and we hope you had as great a time as we did! Thank you as well to Peggy and Pete, Jim, and the whole crew from LST. It felt great to be back, and you truly made Marty, Steve, and Ronnie, newcomers to the LST stage, feel very welcome as well. Thank you! If you missed the show this time, word is North Words and Music will be back at LST next year with an even bigger show full of original poetry, songs, and stories, all with Up themes. And long before that, look for North Words at the Peter White for our Halloween show Oct. 24! Hope to see you then! 
North Words and Music on Tour
Beeg at Poetry Readings and Book Signings
North Words and Music, featuring Beeg, UP Poet Laureate Emeritus Marty Achatz, poet, singer, songwriter, Ronnie Ferguson and Under This Cold Sky, also known as folk singer Steve Hooper, will be appearing at Superior Culture, at 717 North Third in Marquette, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. The folk music/folk poetry quartet will be marking the second stop on their extended UP tour that night with more to come.
“The guys and I are having a blast!” said Beeg. “It’s so much fun for the four of us to combine our poems with the music of the NWAM Band and to create a folk song or two all our own.”
NWAM will be appearing elsewhere in the UP soon. Watch this space for concert dates.
Also, Beeg will be reading poetry Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at Superior Culture as part of the Electric Words and Music event. Hear the words of Beeg and other poets along with singers and bands!
In addition, look for Beeg signing books Dec. 4 at Snowbound Books in Marquette following the release of Tales from the Sugar Shack the fourth book in the Hunter Lake book series. And, be on the lookout for “Old Hunter” the fifth Hunter Lake book for Christmas. Old Hunter features four, count’em, four Hunter Lake novellas!
And there is much more to come!
North Words and Music at Peter White Library August 17, 6 to 8 p.m.
See B.G. Bradley with two time UP Poet Laureate, Marty Achatz, and singer songwriters Steve Hooper (AKA Under This Cold Sky) and Ronnie Ferguson in a performance of soulful, rousing, and funny, original poetry, songs, and music, on the steps of Peter White. This free outdoor event brings together four gifted artists in a genre-bending performance that combines poetry, folk songs, and stories into one event!
“We’re really excited about the nature of this event!” said Bradley. “I’m proud to combine my words with the lines and music of these gifted artists! Come on out to the steps of your favorite library and bring your friends and family! It’s going to be a fun, even inspirational outdoor evening!” 
New Interview with BG Bradley on WEMU
B.G. Bradley has lived in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula his entire life. He has authored a series of books set in the northern part of the state and will soon be publishing a book of poetry, which includes a poem for every day of the year. He spoke with WEMU’s Lisa Barry about his writing and the inspiration he gathers living in the northern part of the state with its rough weather and natural beauty.
Fallback Review from Michigan In books
Fallback
by B. G. Bradley
Hunter Lake is a small, fictional U.P. village that is filled with singularly engaging characters. The people and the village exist in the imagination of B. G. Bradley and the three books, to date, he has written chronicle critical and life-changing events in the villagers’ lives. I have frankly become an addict of the series of which “Fallback” is the third.
Jake O’Brian left Hunter Lake after high school, became a world traveler, lawyer, dealmaker, and an international VIP. Late in middle-age, he married a trophy wife. The man who was always two steps ahead of everybody else, confident, and very self-assured slowly comes apart when his wife becomes pregnant and he is not sure the child is his. His wife adds to his torment by constantly changing her story or mind as to who is the father. Like a wounded animal returning to his den, Jake returns to Hunter Lake hoping to find some solace and support from family and friends, figure out if there is hope for his marriage, and can he love the child if it isn’t his. Making things more difficult is the fact that his wife will not tell him whether or not she wants out of the marriage.
B. G. Bradley is not afraid to experiment with narrative styles. Thumbing through his first book with all its narrative kinks and novelties I thought it would be unreadable yet I became completely caught up in the novel. He takes similar chances with narrative style and pacing with this book. Most of the book is composed of very short chapters as Jake tells his story to friends and family and wrestles with what to do. Interspersed with the chapters set in Hunter Lake are brief scenes from a host of different locations ranging from sessions with a therapist to airports, Fiji, and a hunting camp in the U.P. to name a few. At first, the reader doesn’t know if all the narrative jumping about is in chronological order or are flashbacks. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter because the brief chapters become brushstrokes of a talented portrait artist adding depth and character to his subject.
Once again the author’s unorthodox style snares the reader and pulls them into Jake’s life and his struggle to decide on a path of his post playboy life. The book is not without surprise twists and turns. As with all Bradley’s books on the denizens of Hunter Lake, the heart of this novel helps define home, love, family, and the unexpected turns one’s life can take. I am eagerly looking forward to meeting yet another fascinating character from Hunter Lake. Hopefully in the near future.
Fallback by B. G. Bradley. Benegamah Press, 2019, $9.95
Fallback Press release
Benegamah Press Announces the Release of Fallback
Bradley to sign copies at UPtown Gifts and Falling Rock
Hulbert Lake, Michigan; Canby, Oregon; Harvey, Michigan—-Benegamah Press and La Dolce Video announce the release of B.G. Bradley’s Fallback, the pending audio book version of Winter Heart and the launch of Bradley’s web site at bgbooksup.com. In connection with the new releases, Bradley will be signing books in coming weeks at UPTown Gifts in Marquette and Falling Rock Cafe and Books in Munising.
Fallback, the third installment of the Hunter Lake Book Series, chronicles the return of international lawyer Jake O’Brian to Hunter Lake. People who grow up in the U.P. often find a way to come back. Those who don’t often daydream, as they gaze out city office windows, about pristine clear winter skies over cross country ski tracks on new crystalline snow, the colorful outbreak of fall, spring buds on the trees and the spectacular breakup of ice on inland lakes, or the long light and bright stars of summer over a campfire. So it’s not surprising that international lawyer and home town golden boy Jake O’Brian has come back to Hunter. He’s come back alone with a secret he doesn’t fully fathom. It’s doubtful he’ll keep it long. After all Hunter is a small U.P. town, and his lovable, nosy sister Jen lives in it. So does his brother, the old poet and teacher Ben who can read Jake like a book, though the old curmudgeon would prefer and half believes this isn’t so. What Ben and Jen know, what most of the town knows, is that old player Jake, who has starred on athletic fields in the field of law and in playing the field still has some growing up to do. And life, especially in the U.P. where living can be harsh and simple and thus you can’t fool much of anyone about much of anything, has a way of causing maturity to happen. And though Jake has made his escape from his sophisticated life, his trophy wife Christy, who is pretty shiny herself, might have something to say or do about that. Return to your fictional U.P. hometown of Hunter near beautiful, mysterious Hunter Lake, and find out what Jake has to learn. Or come for a visit for the first time or the hundredth. All those wise, funny, deceptively astute home folks are waiting for you.
“We’re very excited to keep this series rolling,” said Bradley. “Jake’s story sheds a new light on all the other characters and gives new insight into someone, you may come to appreciate more before the story is over.”
Fallback as well as the previous books in the series including Winter Heart and Summer Rounds are available online through the website at bgbooksup.com Or, pick up a copy at one fo two upcoming book signings in the area. B.G. Bradley will be signing copies of his new book, Fallback, at UPtown Gifts UPtown Gifts – 702 Chippewa Square, Marquette, Michigan 49855 Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. On hand with Beeg will be the unquestioned star of the Hunter Lake Book Series, Tom the Chocolate Labrador!!! Beeg and Tom will welcome all purchasers and visitors! Beeg with a handshake, and a book signing, Tom in his own unique doggy way! Hope to see you there! More on appearances by Beeg, upcoming projects from Benegamah Press, blogs, poetry and more at bgbooksup.com
Also, Bradley will be signing copies of Fallback, Winter Heart and Summer Rounds Thursday Dec. 5 at Falling Rock Cafe and books in Munising. The event in conjunction with other festivities at Falling Rock is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Announcements on the audio book version of Winter Heart as ready by Bradley, are coming soon, as final preparations develop. Watch this space.
WINTER HEART earns praise from Michigan In Books Book Review
