Gig Harbor Author to Explore Hidden Side of Abraham Lincoln at Tenino Library – The Daily Chronicle

Former President Abraham Lincoln comes to life through a lens most people have never viewed him through when biographical novelist D.L. Fowler speaks about his book, Lincoln Raw.

The author is scheduled to lead a short writing workshop from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 22 at the Tenino Timberland Library.

The entire 90-minute session is free to the public, though the workshop portion is geared specifically toward aspiring authors.

Fowler, who goes by his middle name Larry and lives in Gig Harbor, pens a tale from the perspective of Lincoln long before his ascent to the highest public office in the United States. Relying heavily on archived materials long hidden from public view by Robert Lincoln after his father’s assassination, Fowler paints a picture of a homespun boy struggling to overcome his rough and tumble upbringing as well as internal demons that threatened to derail his life before it truly began.

“The book includes a lot of his different biases and how he changes as he grows, where his values come from and the principles he really sticks to as an adult,” Fowler said. “(Robert Lincoln) was really embarrassed by the real (Abraham Lincoln), which is well documented, so he tried to filter everything and make him seem more sophisticated than he really was.

Fowler started his research into Abraham Lincoln’s early life while writing a suspense novel titled Lincoln’s Diary. In it, a young woman tries to find a copy of the former president’s diary her family used to own. Fowler wanted the novel to reflect Lincoln’s personality, thus began the deep dive into his upbringing.

The psychological impact that stories short and long alike can have on readers is an area of high interest for Fowler. He teaches classes on the subject at Tacoma Community College and will feature the concept during the workshop portion of his time in Tenino.