One Day on the River Red

One Day on the River Red is an innovative and rather unusual work of fiction by Timothy J. Kloberdanz. The book is a novella and is only about 136 pages in length. Nonetheless, the book deals with a surprising variety of characters, plot twists, themes, and topics.

The novella opens with a widower who stands on the banks of the Red River of the North. The old man contemplates the mysteries of life and death. His name is Raymond O. Knutson and he lives in Fargo, North Dakota. The old man does not realize it, but he is about to experience the most extraordinary day of his entire life.

Raymond soon encounters a mysterious young woman with long red hair and startling green eyes. They meet on the banks of the Red River. She calls him “Raymondo.” He is fascinated by her exotic appearance and unusual behavior. But the old man is soon beset by questions: Where did the mysterious young woman come from? Is she too good to be true? Is she a figment of his imagination? Is she human? Or is she perhaps, a being from another world?

Raymond and the mysterious young woman soon embark on a one-day journey that gives them many insights into each other’s inner character and personal past. Indeed, the entire story takes place within the span of a single autumn day. And while most of the attention centers on the Red River, other locations are integral parts of the story: Fargo, Bismarck, and Wahpeton, North Dakota; as well as the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in North and South Dakota. There are also references to Moorhead, Minnesota, and Winnipeg, Canada.

The author explains that the reason the historic Red River of the North is referred to as “the River Red” in the book’s title is addressed in the opening chapter.

“Sometimes,” Kloberdanz explains, “a slight difference in the arrangement of a couple of words signals a big change in the way we see something. This is intentional. One needs to remember that my story is fiction. So there is a fair amount of embellishment and even fantasy in my rendering of ‘the River Red.’ After all, it is a river with many faces and many moods. And so I try to capture some of that.”

One Day on the River Red is the first in a series of fictional books Kloberdanz is writing about the “Legendary Rivers of the American West.” He also is working on novels about the Platte River of Nebraska, the great Mississippi, and the Missouri River.

Potential readers of One Day on the River Red include fiction lovers, regional enthusiasts, dreamers, idealists, educators, and individuals who appreciate the intricacies of Nature, fantasy, mystery, romance, and the supernatural.

Published authors who have read and offered comments about this book include the following:

“Imagine the familiar voice of an old friend sharing an amazing fable. . . . But maybe it isn’t a fable after all. A marvelous dream, perhaps. One thing is certain: One Day on the River Red ends too soon.” —Tony Bender, author of If Every Month Were June and The Last Ghost Dancer

“A humorous, poignant, and quirky tale. . . . Richly described, the story celebrates the magic, mystery, and transformative power of folklore.” —Troyd A. Geist, author of Faces of Identity, Hands of Skill and From the Wellspring

“If you appreciate a good story, you’ll love One Day on the River Red. Kloberdanz takes his readers on a most fascinating journey. . . . Be prepared!” —Dr. Vernon Keel, author of the North Dakota crime novel The Murdered Family

“A charming tale that eloquently weaves together the magical elements of a river with events from everyday reality—yielding untold surprises.” —Dr. H. Elaine Lindgren, author of the widely acclaimed Land in Her Own Name

Timothy J. Kloberdanz is a retired professor who is fascinated by the legendary rivers of the American West. One of the many rivers he has come to know is the historic Red River of the North. (Yes, this river actually flows north!)

Some of Kloberdanz’s friends refer to him as “The River Writer.”

“I’m not sure about that nickname,” says Kloberdanz. “It sounds too much like ‘The River Rider.’ But if it means I like writing about rivers, then I’m okay with it.”

Kloberdanz’s first book about a river is a novella. It is entitled One Day on the River Red.

Although the author is a native of Colorado, he has lived in the Red River Valley of North Dakota for more than forty years. He has traveled the entire length of the Red River of the North—from Wahpeton, North Dakota, and Breckenridge, Minnesota, to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada.

The author earned academic degrees at the University of Colorado (Boulder), Colorado State University (Fort Collins), and Indiana University (Bloomington).

Although he is “retired,” Dr. Kloberdanz continues to do ethnographic and literary research in the Great Plains region and in other parts of the American West. A professor emeritus at North Dakota State University, he taught more than eight thousand students and received many awards during his academic career. He is the author or co-author of several books and has written numerous articles and other pieces, including a script for a prize-winning public television documentary.

Along with his wife Rosalinda, Kloberdanz currently makes his home in Fargo, North Dakota. “Fargo is renowned for its wicked winds and bone-numbing winters,” the author writes. “But these realities are balanced by occasional gentle breezes and brilliant displays of the great northern lights.”

Kloberdanz’s next book will deal with the Platte River of the Central Great Plains. He also is doing background research on two other books that deal with the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

“I never get tired of writing about rivers,” says Kloberdanz. “No matter what, those rivers just keep flowing and flowing. I’ll try to follow their example for as long as I can. So I just look ahead and hope for the best. And I let the words flow.”