U.P., the Novel

It’s been many decades since a feature film was made with the U.P. as a setting.

But two Negaunee natives are planning one.

Ron Riekki is the author of “U.P.”, a best–selling novel published in 2008.

He also has a near-complete screenplay of the book.

A book tour of the U.P. is just wrapping up.

He and actor/producer Steven Wiig are also scouting local sites as possible shooting locations in case the movie gets the green light.

With state tax incentives and the need for employment opportunities in the U.P., they say shooting a U.P. story in the U.P. would be a natural.

The book is set in Marquette County in 1989.

It’s a novel of friendship and brutality.

Reikki says it’s a story of four teens that each of them takes turns telling in the narrative.

The “U.P.” book tour continues tonight in Houghton.

Reikki and Wiig have stops tomorrow in Negaunee, Ishpeming, Palmer and Marquette.

On Thursday, the two will be in Cedarville and Munising.

The promotional tour is being documented on Facebook.

You can head here for a look at it.

The novel itself, and merchandise related to it, will be available for sale at each event.