Detours to the Good Stuff is an epic and gripping true story of a young woman and her family's unforgettable journey to find peace and happiness. The road ahead was littered with obstacles that oftentimes appeared impossible to avert, but despite the many unavoidable detours that changed the course of their lives, Katie never lost sight of the potential rewards at the end of their relentless expedition. In the early 1960s, Katie Wiederman was a well-bred, corn-fed, Midwestern teenager, blessed with beauty and brains, a loving family, close friends and aspirations, complemented by a steady older boyfriend with a groovy car. The attractive high-school senior was living the all-American dream, the envy of all her friends, and she seemed to have it all...until one dreary April morning, when her world spiraled out of control. A teenaged pregnancy at the age of 17 was never a consideration in Katie's long-range plans, and the last thing her parents had ever anticipated from their youngest child. At the urging of her parents and her church, Katie married her steady beau, Darren Munson, shortly after her 18th birthday, in May of 1963. The newlyweds subsequently rented a house near Katie's parents in Huntington, Minnesota, where they decided to raise their forthcoming child together as a family. Just a few short months after their wedding, however, during an intense Minnesota heat wave in the summer of '63, Katie noticed her husband starting to change. Darren was just 21, but he was already becoming a very angry young man, even though he didn't drink or use drugs. Katie couldn't understand why the charming boy she had met at the New Year's Eve party less than a year before had changed so drastically. Although she tried desperately to become the pleasing wife her husband had envisioned, the young bride fell short of Darren's unreasonable expectations. Katie, in turn, grew increasingly despondent and fearful, as her husband was constantly critical and belittling, comparing Katie to his mother (the perfect homemaker), which infuriated his new bride. Concealing her pain from everyone, there came a time when she could no longer hide. Darren's rage had taken control, and when he unleashed his anger upon his pregnant wife, Katie had no choice but to flee. Strengthened by the love of her supportive parents, Katie divorced her husband and moved back home, where she gave birth to a son in December of that year. That wasn't the end of Darren Munson, not by any means. In fact, that was only the beginning of a dramatic and traumatic journey for Katie, after she had remarried her ex-husband and bore three more daughters. Sadly, history was doomed to repeat itself, and Katie found herself divorced from her estranged ex-husband once again. With her four young children in tow, Katie relocated her young family to their new home in a small rural town in southeastern Minnesota. In the comfort of her new surroundings, Katie presumed that she, along with her son and three baby girls, were safe from harm's way. She believed they had escaped the iniquity from her past and were free to begin a renewed and happy life together. December 2, 1967, was a very special day for Katie Munson, but while she prepared for her son's fourth birthday party, nothing could have prepared her for the unforeseeable winter storm that was blowing in her direction, or the unspeakable terror that accompanied it!
About the Author: Vickie McGillis is a native of Winona, Minnesota. Although this is her debut novel, she is a seasoned, award-winning published poet, as well as a longtime supporter of animal rights groups. Vickie and her wonderfully-supportive husband still reside in the Winona area, along with their rescued four-legged companions.