Recently, a former student from the Solstice MFA program where I teach, Jenifer DeBellis, wrote me that her first book, Blood Sisters, had been accepted. She was excited but uncertain how to shepherd it into the future with that “human touch.” Then a similar question from T.J. Harrison on the acceptance of her book, The Fruit of Love and Grief. Both of these women had worked hard, weathered rejection, triumphed over
Here's the fun of being a Michigan Notable Book Author. Twice. The pictures speak in this case.
Anne-Marie’s calendar for spring/summer book events. • May 2, 5:00 pm, Lake Michigan Mermaid: The Story of the Story, Jonesville District Library, 310 Church St., Jonesville. This is a Michigan Notable Book Tour event. • May 16, 2:15 pm, Conference for Study of Midwestern Literature, conference panel. Bonnie Jo Campbell’s heroes. Kellogg Conference Center, 219 S. Harrison Road, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (Books available!) • Monday,
Recently my friend Kelli Fitzpatrick, writer of speculative fiction extraordinaire, emailed, paying an unexpected compliment. She’d won a literary prize and had been asked to do a big public reading, and like all of us in those situations, was feeling the nerves. She noted that she always loved the way I read (I always thought she read well!) and would I offer some suggestions for
Saturday, March 7 The first person I see as I walk down Front Street in Traverse City, Michigan to stand in front of our regional newspaper office, Record-Eagle, is old friend and organizer Ashlea Walters with her two children. How lovely, the children here in the bright March sun, demonstrating with us. They jump up and down (hop really—like small rabbit people) with child-sized signs in
I have been a long-time supporter of Planned Parenthood, giving regularly and willingly because Planned Parenthood is the single reason I didn’t get pregnant in college. Because here’s the truth; in the post free-love seventies, I was sexually active. I should say it louder. I was sexually active. (Does bolding the letters do it?) Not just active but maybe frenetic. Gosh, I loved sex. To
On January 21, the day after the inauguration, I will attend the Women’s March in Washington D.C. to spend the day walking Independence Avenue with people from all over the country. Simultaneously, marches will occur in major cities all over the country. Why am I going? I’m compelled for a myriad of reasons I have been asked to voice here. I will march first because of
A man and woman walk into a bar. Pretend the couple is me and my husband, David. We sit at the bar and order two beers. Overhead, three TV’s hang in their vivid color, ALL of them tuned to FOX news. When we ask for one to be switched to CNN, no one can find the remote. No one can find the remote?!? In this time
After days of trying to find someone to carpool with (many interested, but few able to take time), I decided to attend alone the Vote Your Conscience rally in Lansing on December 19, 2016. At 2:00 the afternoon of that Monday morning, sixteen Michigan electors from the electoral college would gather from all parts of Michigan in the senate chambers of our stately capitol and