Alex’s Restaurant is local author Sandy Compton’s bold new novel

By Reader Staff

Celebrated local author Sandy Compton has released his 16th book, Alex’s Restaurant — a semi-autobiographical novel drawing on the wild eight months he spent working in a Nevada mountain lodge. 

Known for his heartfelt, family-friendly storytelling, Compton takes a bold new turn in this more mature romp full of grit, redemption and humanity.

Alex’s Restaurant follows a cast of misfits, oddballs and outcasts — many inspired by real people Compton met during his time “on the run” in the 1980s. Though fictionalized, the funny, raw and poignant story is rooted in Compton’s own experience and showcases his gift for portraying the quirks and beauty of the human condition.

“This one’s a little different than anything I’ve written before,” Compton said. “It’s kind of spicy. I just decided to let it all out — within reason — and see where the story took me.”

Compton is the founder of Blue Creek Press, an independent publishing house based in Heron, Mont. — the area in which he grew up before attending high school in Sandpoint — and is a longtime literary fixture throughout the Inland Northwest, whose work is known for its warmth, wit and wisdom.

For both fans and newcomers to Compton’s work, Alex’s Restaurant offers a fresh but familiar voice. The novel is available now on Amazon, BlueCreekPress.com and at Sandpoint Books (312 N. Second Ave., in Sandpoint).