Feb 10, 2021
Johanna Garton is a mother, proud Wisconsin girl, writer and cross country coach. In writing Edge of the Map, she interviewed more than 75 friends and family of Christine Boskoff and Charlie Fowler, including notable climbers such as Peter Habeler, Nazir Sabir, Willie Benegas, Phil Powers, Mark Gunlogson (current owner of Mountain Madness), Hector Ponce de Leon, Steve Swenson, and Conrad Anker. Conversant in Mandarin, Garton conducted several weeks of research and interviews near the site of Boskoff's death in China.
Not a mountaineer herself, Garton was drawn to Boskoff's story for deeply personal reasons: hailing from the same small Midwestern hometown, and in fact, attending high school together, though they never met. Their paths seemed destined to intersect.
When Boskoff went missing in 2006, Garton's mother, also a journalist, began a ten-year deep dive into Boskoff's story as well as a close friendship with Boskoff's mother. She devoted herself to this project until a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease made it clear that Garton was meant to pick up where she left off and ensure Boskoff's story was told.
Before the publication of her book, she dabbled in nonprofit consulting, college teaching and a brief, but quickly extinguished career as a lawyer. She's moved her family to China, been charged by an elephant, and has completed over 20 marathons. She and her husband share their home in Denver with two bright children who are much wiser than she is and the inspiration of her storytelling.
WEBSITE: johannagarton.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/johannagarton
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/johannagartonbooks
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Deborah Bailey is a writer and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio podcast. Learn more about her and her books and courses at: https://DBaileycoach.com
For Deborah's paranormal and fantasy romance fiction, visit: https://dbaileycoach.com/brightbooks