Alumnus Jeff Elzinga '78 Releases Novel 'The Distance Between Stars'

Alumnus Jeff Elzinga '78 recently released his debut novel, The Distance Between Stars, through Water's Edge Press. The book is available for purchase here.

The Distance Between Stars follows the intertwining stories of two men whose careers bring them together in unexpected ways. Joe Kellerman has dedicated his career to "solving difficult problems in sub-Saharan countries" as a skilled diplomat, while Maurice Hightower has focused on exposing injustice in the United States through his brilliant but controversial journalism. When Hightower travels to an African country on the brink of civil war to investigate claims that the U.S. government is supporting a violent regime, he disappears in the bush. It is then up to Kellerman—who must put his own life in danger to find a man he does not admire—to bring Hightower back to safety. Along the way, both men must confront their choices and their histories to find "redemption for a life lived imperfectly." 

Keith Richburg, former Africa bureau chief for the Washington Post, calls The Distance Between Stars "...a thoroughly authentic novel of Africa whose themes of race, privilege and what it means to be American ring true to anyone who has spent time on the continent."

In an interview shared on his website, Elzinga states, "Serious issues related to the color of our skin live at the core of the collective American Experience...The legacy of slavery continues to haunt us. Racism, discrimination, injustice, and white supremacy are the focus of local and national news stories on an almost daily basis in the U.S...I would be very happy if this novel sparked even one additional conversation about racism or bigotry in the U.S. But these problems are not solely American problems, of course. Bigotry and racism have found a way to infect every society on the planet. The larger question is how they relate to human nature."

Jeff Elzinga was born and raised in Wisconsin, where he returned as the writer-in-residence for a state arts program after receiving his MFA. He then taught writing at a small liberal arts college for ten years until he joined the U.S. Foreign Service and was posted to Africa. Elzinga served as the only political and consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi, and later as one of several political officers at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia. He received the U.S. State Department's Superior Honor Award for the work he did in Malawi while the country was transitioning to democracy after 30 years of dictatorship. He now lives in Wisconsin with his family.