First published 2024
John Warford closes his orthodontist practice and steps into the political arena as Bismarck's newly elected mayor in 2002. The transition from adjusting teeth to managing a city proves more complex than he anticipated. Warford faces budget shortfalls, infrastructure demands, and skeptical city council members who question whether a dentist can handle municipal governance. He develops innovative approaches to urban planning and economic development while navigating the personal costs of public service. His family struggles with the scrutiny that comes with political life. Warford must prove that his outsider perspective can transform Bismarck into a thriving community. The novel explores how one person's commitment to civic duty can reshape not only a city but also the lives of those who call it home.
Genres: american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, outsider-perspective
Setting: Bismarck
Period: 2002
100 pages · Hardcover · University of Mary Press