"A charm that comes from authenticity, compassion, and humor—not to mention the musicality of the prose. If you want to—and you ought to—get a feel for the idiosyncratic concerns and challenging habitats of those with a generational claim to these old rocks of the Adirondacks, read this book."—Geri Lipschultz, author of Grace Before the Fall
"To honor any place, art must resist both idealization and generalization. Sheffer's specific Adirondacks is true, understated, mysterious, and human. The characters that blow in and through these rewardingly interwoven stories-- set in one earth's most peaceful places over a fifty year span-- yearn quietly for connection and historical continuity as they pay close attention to signs, loons, music, love. To the shapes made on the water by arrival, to how they change upon departure. This book will make any Adirondacker feel curious and seen, while outsiders will feel more confident in their ability not only to enter but to embody the secrets contained within the Blue Line.""—Tyler Barton, author of Eternal Night at the Nature Museum
"These stories, like wind from the 46 High Peaks, will cut through each layer of you. They will knock you down."—Luke Rolfes, author of Sleep Lake
"With riveting dialogue, propulsive pacing, and vividly drawn settings, The Loon Counters lingers in the imagination and will make the reader who hasn’t yet been north of Cooperstown wish to get in the car and head past the blue line this weekend. Others may wisely choose to stay at home and read these stories instead."—Natalia Rachel Singer, professor emerita, St. Lawrence University
Description
In the fictional Adirondack towns of Silver Lake and Lost River, a colorful cast of residents coexist, sometimes unharmoniously, with seasonal visitors, travelers, and vacationers. Their stories are told in The Loon Counters, which sees the residents and visitors of the community encounter Olympic torchbearers, a mysteriously unseen-but-often-heard violinist, pushy hikers, brooding art museum security guards. The characters recur across stories, seasons, and locations, finely illustrating the subtle shifts in the life of a rural, isolated Adirondack enclave.
Across sixteen interconnected stories, Roger Sheffer explores the lives and world of this community of outsiders who call this unique region home. Sheffer crafts stories that speak to the complex charm of the region, the isolation and the community, the nostalgia, and the conservation, all the while finding the small places people carve for themselves in nature.
About the Author
Roger Sheffer has published three collections of fiction and has won several national short story contests. His stories have appeared in many magazines, including Blueline, The Missouri Review, Third Coast, Arts and Letters, and Adirondack Life. He taught writing and literature at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
March 2026