Meet the acclaimed American author who sets most of his books in Nova Scotia

While it's been almost 40 years since American author Howard Norman called Nova Scotia home, the Maritime province is never too far from his mind.

Since around 1990, the Ohio-bornVermont residenthas frequently set his books inNova Scotia and its capital city of Halifax.

"I feel like my imagination has a kind of dual citizenship," said Norman, 68, whose published works include children's stories, memoirs and fiction.

Norman'sNext Life Might Be Kinder, What Is Left The Daughter, The Museum Guard: A Novel, Devotion and My Famous Evening: Nova Scotia Sojourns, Diaries,and Preoccupationsall have ties to Nova Scotia.

One notable exception is 1994'sThe Bird Artist, a tale of love and murder set in coastal Newfoundlandin the early 1900s that caught the eye of legendary performer David Bowie, whoonce listed the novel among his100 must-reads.

That work was a fiction finalist for the National Book Awards, a prestigious Americanliterary competition of which past winners include Norman Mailer, John Updike and E. Annie Proulx.

Norman was also a finalist in the same category in 1987 forThe Northern Lights, a coming-of-age story set in 1950s Manitoba.

Repeat visitor

The author's latest book, My Darling Detective, takes place in 1970s Halifax.

"There's an intellectual probity that I always find compelling to apply to Halifax, but it's just the way one gets to view the same place at different angles," saidNorman.

"It seems to endlessly sustain me in that regard ... for me, it just keeps rejuvenating my interest and intensifying my sense of storytelling."

He's not sure what initially drew him toCanada's East Coast, but in 1970, he began living inAdvocate Harbour,a small fishing community that lies along the Bay of Fundy. Though he stopped living there in 1980,the salted sea air keeps drawing him back to Nova Scotia.

Normanhas admittedly "fairly clichd" reasons for returning again and again, both literally and literarily: the seaside, the people, the weather.

His last trip to the province was 18 months ago. When visiting, Norman has been known to stop by the Nova Scotia Archives for research before returningto Vermont to write.

Newest work features local landmark

The opening scene ofMy Darling Detectiveis set at the Lord Nelson Hotel, a downtown Halifax landmark. The book involves love, murder and mystery, andbegins with an act of vandalism at an auction involving a photo taken by famed war photographer Robert Capa.

The detective assigned to the case, Martha, is engaged to a man named Jacob, whose mother is accused of the crime.As Martha investigates the case, sheunearths historyabout Jacob's family, details he wasn't aware of.

Martha and Jacob's relationship is one that fits along the lines of how Norman's work often covers romance.

"I write a lot about difficult courtships, you know, where everything seems to be working against two people, but their intuitions keep them close," he said.

Norman said he plans to writeanother book involving the characters fromMy Darling Detective.

Asked if he'd consider moving back to Nova Scotia, Normansaid Vermont with its strong sense of community is similar to his former Maritime home.

"There's quite a similarity in terms of how people comport themselves and behave toward each other....There's not a very difficult transition between Vermont and Nova Scotia for me," he said.

However, he said the American political climate does give him pause.

"Our present political atmosphere in the U.S. would certainly sponsor any sane person to perhaps think of living elsewhere."