Rodne Livdahl: Finding Joy, Imagination, and Meaning in the Miles Between
Rodne Livdahl has lived many lives, worn many hats, and gathered more stories than most people realize they are carrying. Opinionated, observant, and unapologetically human, he has always believed that life—at its best—is a collection of moments worth paying attention to. Some are funny. Some are difficult. All of them matter.
Born in 1953 and now based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Rodne’s path to authorship was anything but linear. He worked a wide range of jobs over the years, raised a family, retired, and—like many people—assumed that the chapters of his life were already written. He was wrong.
What followed instead was a return to storytelling that revealed two distinct but deeply connected sides of his voice: one grounded in humor and lived experience, the other shaped by imagination and the moral clarity of youth.
A Storyteller in Two Worlds
Rodne’s fiction debut, Way Down Under, draws from the timeless tradition of classic adventure fantasy. Written for middle-grade and young adult readers, the novel follows a young boy who stumbles into a hidden world beneath his hometown—one filled with magical beings, looming danger, and difficult choices. At its heart, the story is about courage, loyalty, and the moment when innocence gives way to responsibility.
Though aimed at younger readers, Way Down Under reflects Rodne’s enduring belief that stories should teach without preaching, entertain without cynicism, and remind readers—young and old—that doing the right thing often begins with empathy.
His second release, Comedy Cab, moves in the opposite direction in form but not in spirit. Drawn from real-life experiences as a part-time Uber driver in Phoenix, the book is a nonfiction humor collection built from thousands of brief encounters with strangers. Over years and more than 124,000 miles, Rodne discovered that humor has a rare power: it breaks barriers, softens pain, and turns fleeting interactions into moments of genuine connection.
Together, these two books reflect the full range of Rodne Livdahl’s storytelling voice—imaginative and grounded, playful and sincere, always rooted in humanity.
Laughter as a Calling
Rodne has long believed that laughter is not trivial. It is essential.
He loves jokes—the old ones, the corny ones, the clever ones passed down through heritage and family. Norwegian humor, dad jokes, observational comedy, and playful wordplay all find their way into his storytelling. But beneath the punchlines is a deeper intention: to remind people that joy is a choice, and connection is always possible.
That philosophy guided him through his years behind the wheel, through retirement, and ultimately through writing. It also guides him now, during the most difficult season of his life.
Writing as Legacy
Rodne is currently in hospice care, facing advanced emphysema and prostate cancer. Writing at this stage of life is not about career building or recognition—it is about legacy.
Much of his motivation comes from love: specifically, the love he shares with his wife, Marsha.
Over recent years, Marsha endured two knee replacement surgeries, weeks of physical therapy, and then a devastating fall that left her with a broken femur and shoulder. Rodne became her caregiver—lifting, transferring, tending, and supporting her through every intimate and exhausting moment. Later, when chemotherapy complications left him unable to stand, Marsha became his caregiver in return.
“That’s love,” Rodne says. “Caring for each other in times of need.”
Comedy Cab and Way Down Under are, in many ways, gifts—created not only for readers, but for Marsha. They are proof that even in the face of illness, uncertainty, and loss, a person can still choose to create something joyful, meaningful, and lasting.
A Life Lived With Intention
Rodne Livdahl does not claim to have all the answers. He simply writes. He observes. He tells stories. He believes in the variety life has to offer and trusts that God will guide the rest.
His work is for readers who appreciate humor without cruelty, imagination without excess, and stories that feel human at their core. Whether through laughter shared with strangers or adventures imagined beneath familiar streets, Rodne’s writing reminds us that connection is always within reach—and that even the simplest stories can carry the greatest weight.
Media Contact
Company Name: Amazon Publishing
Contact Person: Rodne Livdahl
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://a.co/d/08lXGzZa
