In a moving tribute after Steven 's death , he recalled that Bill had asked him to write a series about small towns in the Upper Midwest that were dying .
Bankers and powerful families were fighting against the intrusions of new industries .
In a moving tribute after Steven 's death , he recalled that Bill had asked him to write a series about small towns in the Upper Midwest that were dying because bankers and powerful families were fighting against the intrusions of new industries .