Back Road Bio

As a freelance writer, Scott Stowell was a regular contributor to the “Outdoors Weekend” section of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. His writing, publishing and media background also includes work as a magazine and newspaper editor; radio copywriter; television news field photographer; and high school English and video production teacher. Some of his published stories have received individual and collaborative awards from the Minnesota Newspaper Association.

Several of his essays have been broadcast on public radio station KAXE/KBXE Northern Community Radio in Grand Rapids and Bemidji, Minnesota. Many of those stories are part of his book Back Road Grace.

Additionally, he’s hired out writing services to organizations and businesses. These include multiple articles he’s written for polar explorer Will Steger. Along with writing stories for Steger’s Wilderness Center website, he’s worked directly with Steger to edit and publish journal entries from Steger’s 2018 solo expedition to the Barren Lands of the Canadian Arctic.

Born and raised in two very large metropolitan areas, Stowell discovered a love for the arts, hockey and baseball. But his parents made sure he had substantial exposure to the natural world. It came in the form of camping, hunting and fishing. As a result, nature and writing became dominant interests in his life. He was drawn northward and found he cares just as much for the art, culture and people around him, as he does for the forest critters and their habitat. He says the entire bunch of them are inseparable.

In 2004, he and his wife, DyAnne Korda, were unemployed at the same time. After long, unproductive job searches, they recognized that they could be unemployed anywhere. So they took a leap of faith and moved north without jobs or knowing anyone in the area. They now live in Ely, Minnesota, with their Alaskan husky Mustang Sally.