Gretchen M. Garrison

Gretchen Garrison is a Nebraska enthusiast who loves to tell stories about her state. As a former classroom teacher and current homeschool mom, she struggled to find resources to teach her four children about Nebraska. To change that, she knew she needed to travel the state with intention. In 2013, she began writing about the people and places of Nebraska, both past and present, on her blog, Odyssey Through Nebraska. Book # 3, "100 Things to Do in Lincoln Before You Die" celebrates many of the places that make Lincoln a wonderful place to live and to visit. This will be available from Reedy Press in the Fall of 2020. Book # 2, "A History Lover's Guide to Lincoln" will be available from the History Press in the summer of 2020. This book is a travel guide to Lincoln's history. Lincoln's past is brought to life - people can visit those places where the city of Lincoln's stories are told. Book # 1 - How "Detour Nebraska: Historical Destinations and Natural Wonders" came about. During the summer of 2016, the History Press contacted Gretchen about writing a book. What resulted was 1,700 miles of travel across Nebraska in four days. This trip added depth to her Nebraska experiences. Besides writing “Detour Nebraska,” Gretchen also took almost all of the photographs for the book. When not traveling around the state, Gretchen enjoys reading. This led her to start the group, “Odyssey Through Nebraska Literature” group. Gradually she is writing literature guides to help others appreciate books set in her state. In addition, she helps her husband run their company, GP Restoration and Blasting. She and her family live west of Lincoln, Nebraska, on an acreage.