Jeffrey Dunn Weaves Life Into Story
- Stephen rocketfish@like-media.com
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Updated: May 1
An exploration of freedom and place in his newest novel, Whiskey Rebel
By Like Media Team
Jeffrey Dunn, whose third novel, Whiskey Rebel, will be launched at Spokane’s Auntie’s Bookstore on Friday, May 9, has spent a lifetime weaving experience into story. With a Ph.D. in English Literature and Cultural Studies, a 41-year teaching career, and an upbringing rooted in nature, Dunn carries a unique perspective into every novel he writes. "Everything is an influence," he says. Each phase of his life has shaped his work: from childhood under trees and alongside streams to graduate studies that deepened his understanding of human and natural history. Teaching teenagers, he adds, became a living laboratory—a place where the seeds of creativity, exploration, and voice could grow.
In embracing his dyslexia, Dunn reframes what many call a disability. "The ‘dyslexic’ mind is an evolutionary adaptation of great value," he explains. Visualizing, associating, storytelling—these have been the building blocks of human survival long before literacy took center stage. Dunn’s approach to writing honors this heritage, treating creativity not as a struggle against traditional expectations but as a natural way of being.
His new novel, Whiskey Rebel, published in May 2025, is born out of a road trip memory and a landscape so otherworldly it begged for a story. Driving along Washington's Columbia River, his wife recalled living near Moses Coulee—an isolated, almost lunar expanse. That moment planted the seed for a story questioning the American ideal of freedom. The novel pairs a shell-shocked Iraqi war veteran with a hyperactive descendent of the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion, sending them into the heart of the coulee to build a still and search for meaning. Not long after, their party is crashed by a collection of other down-and-outers: Cherry—aka the Aphrodite of Wenatchee, her best friend Loyalhanna—a woman so traumatized by her past that she refuses to speak to men, and Sam the Man— the indigenous hustler who fences their “spirit whiskey.” "All rollicking good fun really," Dunn says, "as well as a bit to chew on, if you're so inclined.”
Setting is never just a backdrop in Dunn’s novels. “The geology and natural history of Central and Eastern Washington (hey, throw in Northern Idaho, too!) is mind-blowing: the volcanic flows, the scablands, the Missoula floods, the Palouse, and the Columbia,” he says. In Whiskey Rebel, this geology and natural history become central to the story’s spirit. Dunn's passion for place is palpable, whether he’s channeling the misty forests of the Olympic Peninsula in Radio Free Olympia or capturing the grit and lyrical beauty of Appalachia in Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance.
Dunn's work has found audiences at local literary events, including Spokane’s “Broken Mic” at Neato Burrito, “3 Minute Mic” at Auntie’s Bookstore, and “Poetry at the Podium,” a part of the “Words of Inspiration” that kicks off each Spokane City Council meeting. Beyond exposure, these platforms have deepened his connection with readers hungry for stories that challenge and expand their views of culture, nature, and self. He also regularly shares new writings under his name on Medium and as Culture Raven on Substack, offering cultural critiques, surreal short stories, and reflections on what he calls “feral Christianity” and popular music.
For aspiring writers in the Inland Northwest, Dunn offers advice grounded in creative authenticity. He encourages them to foster an expansive awareness of nature, art, and people, allowing writing to grow organically rather than adhering strictly to format or convention. "Writing comes like a flower emerging from ever-expanding roots in the soil," he says. His daily rhythm involves drafting and revising 300 words at a time, nurturing work that evolves over the years if needed, always returning, pruning, and refining. “Ten years after finishing Radio Free Olympia, I went back and deleted 50 of the first 100 pages and added 50 new ones. It’s all about continually tuning myself in concert with my work. This is how I get my most refined creations,” he explains.
Looking ahead, Dunn is already immersed in a new magical realism project set in and around Spokane. The story follows two characters—Anise Finocchia, who navigates life with her eyes closed, and Spokane Patrick, a reincarnated Saint Patrick—weaving a surreal, layered narrative that promises to captivate with its imaginative reach. Dunn remains anchored in a deep love for place, story, and the ever-expanding doors of perception. Readers can find his work at bookstores, on Amazon, and through his website, JeffreyDunnSpokane.com.
Jeffrey Dunn
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