SANDPOINT — Steve Brixen’s outward life, a former college basketball player with a degree in marine biology who spent 31 years working in a North Idaho sawmill, usually doesn’t key people into his passion for telling stories.

Brixen himself said he doesn’t know where his love of writing comes from; he wasn’t a great student in high school or college and hardly remembers finding the time to write novels. Yet, the 80-year-old became a published author in late October after years of trying. 

“I don’t have a clue how long it took to do them; it’s almost like someone else wrote them,” Brixen said. “Cause I’m not a very patient person and you got to be patient to sit down and do that.” 

While Brixen said he didn’t know how it got started, writing is a hobby he’s had for over a decade, and he struggles to find words for how he feels about reaching the milestone.  

"I’m amazed, when I pick it up and look it’s got my name on it,” Brixen said with a smile. “The main thing I get is, this is really great, you published a book, how in the hell did you get here?” 

His book “Two Days in August” is the first in a series of novels following main character Alex Knight. This novel follows the “tough, but fair” Knight and his daughter through a motorcycle road trip to Sturgis, S.D., where the duo is threatened by an outlaw troop of bikers. 

Scott Brixen, Steve’s son, said his father is always finding ideas for his stories in real world events. Brixen said this book is very loosely based off a trip Steve Brixen took with his daughter to Sturgis to see a motorcycle rally.  

"There’s another book that he’s written ... called ‘Seat 47 C’ and it’s based on when he came out to visit me and my family when we were living in Singapore,” Scott Brixen said. “He saw somebody in the airport that he thought was behaving furtively and he said, ‘The whole way back I was thinking of the plot for the next Alex Knight novel.’” 

Steve Brixen said he based Knight off his brother and the stories he told Brixen about his time as a heavyweight boxer.  

However, Scott Brixen sees a lot of his father in Knight, as someone who always looks after the little guy and isn’t afraid to dole out a bit of vigilante justice. Brixen recalled a story of being with his father at Harold’s IGA when he got into an argument with another patron. 

"My dad walked up [to a man] and said, ‘You shouldn’t speak to a lady that way,’” Scott Brixen said. “The guy said, ‘Who the (expletive) are you?’ and my dad cold-cocked him.” 

Knight isn’t the only place that Brixen sees his father in his writings. Brixen said he cannot read any of his work without hearing his dad’s voice in his head.  

"I told him ‘Dad, you can’t write like how you talk, just by necessity it’s got to be a little more formal’ and he basically totally ignored me,” Scott Brixen said. “When I read his books, the dialogue rings true because that is how people actually talk, it’s very fun, it’s casual, so I can’t help but hear his voice.” 

Steve Brixen said he drew much of his initial encouragement to get his book published by friends and family. Brixen said he always sought honest feedback from them, and it came back positive every time, which kept him writing. 

Writing came easy, but finding a publisher to take on his books was the challenge, Brixen said he spoke to 40-50 publishers before Austin McCauley Publishing showed interest in “Two Days in August.” 

Scott Brixen said he couldn’t be prouder of his father for getting his book published and is excited to see how it does. If the book does well, Steve Brixen said there’s three more Alex Knight novels already written available for publishing, although there’s a loftier goal he has in mind. 

"I told my kids the best thing that can happen, I hope is, I get a call from somebody in Hollywood and say, ‘We’ve read the book, and we think it would make a great movie,’” Brixen said with a smile. “But I’m not holding my breath.” 

Brixen is waiting until July to hear back from his publishing company on how “Two Days in August” was received. He said he has begun to get recognized around town for writing the book and for now, that’s enough for him. 

"Somebody will say ‘Hey you’re the guy who wrote that book’ and I’m thinking well there’s three people who bought it,” Brixen joked. “If my writing gives enjoyment to other people, that’s what motivates me.”