Nelson Brunanski grew up in Wakaw, Saskatchewan, the inspiration for the fictional town of Crooked Lake featured in his two novels, Crooked Lake and Frost Bite. He left for the city, yet his memories of small-town life on the prairies stayed with him. He received a B.A., B.Ed. and went on to a career teaching English, playing music and writing. Brunanski lives in Victoria, B.C. Canada.