“Write about what you know” is advice given to many writers. It’s something that McCauley author Leif Gregersen takes to heart. He has written several books, the most recent of which are a novel called Green Mountain Road and a memoir about growing up with a mental illness entitled Through The Withering Storm.

Gregersen has been writing since he was a child. “Language Arts was almost always my best subject because my sister taught me to write before I even started school (she now has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education – go figure!) and one of my first birthday gifts after learning to read was a typewriter,” he says.

He also credits his father as a huge influence. “When I was too young even for grade school, he would take time to read to the whole family, not just picture books but books like Robinson Crusoe and William Faulkner’s The Kite. When I got older and read a lot of comic books, he tried to impress on me that there was so much more out there,” Gregersen explains.

Prior to his current career as a full-time writer, Gregersen worked in the film and concert business, setting up stages and doing security for movie sets. “It was incredible work, the money was great, but it wasn’t challenging me mentally,” he says. “Last fall I decided to put my all into writing. I landed a few pretty good writing assignments for magazines as well as being able to sell books and sign them at a few events. At one time I was even a volunteer on the board of Boyle McCauley News.”

Green Mountain Road: A Story of Politics and Revenge in a Far-Off Place is Gregersen’s first novel. “The inspiration for that book came from a lot of directions. I have had friends who grew up in small towns in B.C. and I myself have worked in sawmills,” he explains. Some of the characters are also based on people he has known.

Through the Withering Storm is an autobiographical look at Gregersen’s younger self as he began to display signs of mental illness. It is very candid and contains many deeply personal details. “I had to finish the book and take it all the way to print because there are so many people out there who suffer from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia that it became important to tell the story of what happens to us,” he explains.

Interested readers can find copies of Gregersen’s books at Audrey’s on Jasper Avenue and 107 Street. They can also purchase books directly through Gregersen by getting in touch with him at lgregersen@ymail.com. He’ll even sign the books and deliver them in person!

He is already at work on his next writing projects. “I wrote a children’s book loosely based on my eight year-old niece about a young girl who befriends some aliens who came to Earth to find fuel for their spaceship which happens to be ordinary lint which they trade for gold which is plentiful where they come from. I am also writing a sequel to Through The Withering Storm in which I bring the story up to date and try to be even more honest and explain everything that goes through my head.”

Aside from writing, Gregersen enjoys working out, walking, cycling, yoga, photography, and, not surprisingly, reading. Learn more about Gregersen and his work at www.valhallabooks.com or by searching for Valhalla Books on Facebook.