Jumping The Candlestick

Last Few Days For The Reading Challenge Sign-Up

2012-02-14T07:51:00.001-05:00

Still a couple of days to sign up for my Michigan Notable Books Reading Challenge. For details and to sign up, click here -- executive summary is that if you commit to reading two books from the current Notable Books list (with no deadline or time table for doing the reading; no book reports required...) you'll be entered in a drawing for a gift certificate to a Michigan independent bookstore.

Happy Reading and Good Luck in the drawing! Winner will be announced March 1.

Upcoming Library Event

2012-02-01T16:47:00.002-05:00

This Saturday, February 4, I'll have the pleasure of being on a panel with authors Ruth McNally Barshaw, Amy Huntley, and Carol Grund. The four of us will be discussing "The Path To Publication." We'll be at the Haslett Library from 1 to 2. I hope to see some of you there!

Michigander Monday: Jeni Decker

2012-01-30T00:01:00.079-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Jeni Decker to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Jeni, please tell us a little about yourself.

Jeni: Excerpted from the pretentious third person bio; a must-have for every author:

Jeni Decker lives on a farm in rural Michigan with her husband, two autistic sons, some chickens, the occasional pig, her dog, and an albino frog named Humbert Humbert. She’s the author of I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames and the co-author of Waiting for Karl Rove. You can find her blatantly exploiting her children (and often politicians) on closetspacemusings.blogspot.com.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Jeni: I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames is a memoir; my crazy life and everything in it - shaken, not stirred. The Library Journal called I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames “…brash, sarcastic, irreverent, heartfelt, and touching…” and who am I to argue?

Waiting for Karl Rove is irreverent, politically incorrect satire masquerading as road trip memoir. Think Thelma and Louise—only Thelma’s menopausal, Louise is an erratic big-mouth with a penchant for discussing her hemorrhoids, and they’re on a road trip to wrestle an apology from Karl Rove by any means necessary.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Jeni: My co-author Kat Nove and I are working on book two in the Waiting for Karl Rove series - Waiting for a Plot: What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas, Especially if Someone Slips You a Roofie. Book two takes place during a span of time covered in book one where the “characters” are in a drunken blackout. Did I mention that Kat and I wrote ourselves into these books? Yeah, so there’s that.

Also, I’ve got two books with small publishers that should be released this year - barring any terrorist activity or other unforeseen complications. The Peacock Mirror is a cheeky Victorian era romp; a cautionary tale of blackmail, bed-hopping, and social climbing that explores sexual mores and social standing around the time of the Oscar Wilde trial.

Far From Happy takes place during the pre- to post- gentrification of New York City and follows a male hustler as he comes to terms with his sexuality. This one isn’t humor, though it’s one of my personal favorites. I believe there’s a great deal of beauty in the pain life has to offer and as a writer, I often find it necessary to push those bruises and shine a light on life’s sores.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Jeni: I’ll be at Schuler Books on Feb. 7th at 7pm
2660 28th St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Also, Literary Life Bookstore & More doing a reading followed by a signing on the evening of February 9th starting at 7:00pm.
758 Wealthy Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
www.literarylifebookstore.com

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan library?

Jeni: I’ve always loved libraries; I equate the smell of a library to the feeling of limitless possibilities. It’s the one place I’d have no problem being locked inside for any length of time. I could go a day or so without food and water, but not reading material.

I live in Reed City so I use that library frequently, as well as the Big Rapids Public Library. The staff at both are fantastic. I’m sort of a book fiend, so it helps that they don’t look at me strangely when I approach the desk with a stack of books that’s taller than I am.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Jeni: The one place we take the kids every year is Ludington Beach. Unlike the beaches in Florida where I come from, there’s no car traffic so I can actually sit and relax as the kids run free. The other huge plus: fresh water = no sharks and jellyfish!

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Jeni: Not a specific event, but I have to say, living somewhere where there’s an actual change of seasons is fantastic. Florida had one season: hot. Okay, two: hot and sticky. Okay, three: hot, sticky and humid.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Jeni: My mother is also a writer and she’s fun on Tuesdays and alternating Saturdays. The rest of the week, I just ignore her. But she feeds my addiction to making crazy videos (SEE: agorophobejeni on Youtube). Her name is Susan Stec and her book The Grateful Undead: They’re So Vein is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book, as well as at Barnes and Noble for Nook. She’s got two others in the humor series coming out soon, and I highly recommend them all. She’s another author who wrote herself into her book, along with the entire “cast” of estrogen-producing members of our family… only in her book everyone’s a vampire. Except me. Even in fiction I have to be the sensible one.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Jeni: People are really nice here. Seriously, that took some getting used to… people always smiling.

Debbie: Final question: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Jeni: How about Meshugenah? I’m not Jewish, but it does mean crazy, so it's apropos. Seriously, I lived in Florida my whole life, up until about 5 years ago when we came here. I don’t think I’ve earned the title Michigander or Michiganian yet. I only started driving in the snow last year. Holy crap, that’s scary! But if I were forced to choose, Michigander gets my vote. I like the way it rolls off the tongue. Any ole place can slap a ‘ian’ on the end of their state and call it a day, but not everyone can add a ‘gander’ and get away with it.

Hawaiigander? I think not.

Debbie: Good point - and Michigander it is! Jeni, thank you so much for being here today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Jeni and her books, visit her blog and her Twitter feed. And view the book trailer for her new book over on YouTube.

Michigander Monday: Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli

2012-01-23T00:01:00.085-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Elizabeth, please tell us a little about yourself.

Elizabeth: I’m a writer, probably always have been. Story is a big part of my life—what I see in the lives of others; in my own life. Plotlines. Reasons for doing what we do. Writing fiction, making stories from the world around me, is a way to find some sense, partial reason, for the things I see but don’t understand. Probably, at the heart of this need to know, is ego—a will to tame this world: I will redo it and make it to my own liking. I guess this is who I am, in the deepest part of me.

If—by ‘a little about myself’—is meant a list of accomplishments—degrees—friends, family—there are those: Macomb County College after having five kids. Oakland University—a degree in education. My first novel published by Bantam: Gift of Evil. Then on to grad school at the University of Michigan.

And then life interfered with writing. My husband, Tony, was in a terrible car accident that took years of his life and many operations to recover from. All the time writing in my head, even when I wasn’t writing in fact.

The thing about being ‘a writer’ is that dealing with thoughts and words isn’t a thing you do outside yourself—like being a ditch digger or a doctor. It is a part of every corner of your brain. A part of every day: observing, understanding, asking questions. A part of everything we see, hear, smell, feel. So—not a job. More, as Flannery O’Connor observed, “A Habit of Being.”

And then a job change and a move to northern Michigan—time to write again. I wrote five books in five years—as if something stoppered had been freed. All the novels sold and I am now on to the fifth in a series with a new series beginning.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Elizabeth: I write mysteries because, again, I have the most control over my people, my places, my stories. Evil is nothing to fear when you create it and then punish it. Character is of the highest importance to me—after all, it is people who live the lives we write about, the events, who figure (or don’t figure) out how to deal with life. Place is their setting—my people. The world around them, seen through their eyes, reflects who they are, what they know of the natural world.

My latest books are: Dead Dancing Women, Dead Floating Lovers, Dead Sleeping Shaman, and Dead Dogs and Englishmen. Dead Dogs and Englishmen received a starred review from Kirkus, then was chosen as one of the best mysteries of 2011. Then the Christian Science Review chose it as one of the best mysteries of 2011. The next in this series is Dead Little Dolly. In a new, psychological thriller, series, I’ve written The Philosopher’s Wife, which takes on philosophy and physics, God, the devil, and a few other things—such as monumental evil and what it is to be a human being. This one’s with my agent now.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Elizabeth:
Jan. 30—Kiwanis Club in Traverse City
Feb. 4—Writers conference in Chicago—panel leader
April: MLA National Conference; appearance at Kent Library.

Many appearances planned on into the new year.

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan bookstore?

Elizabeth: Almost any bookstore where the owners or managers love books and writers and readers. Any bookstore where books aren’t only saleable objects, but revered treasures—for the thought, the talent, the art forms it takes to create them. Brilliant Books in Traverse City is such a bookstore. Horizon Books in Traverse City. The Cottage Book Store in Leland. Saturn Books in Gaylord. These people, these owners, have feelings for books even I can’t quite fathom—it is so deep and so real. It is reverence for inanimate objects offering what is best about the rest of us., that share ideas, that teach, that entertain, that connect mind to mind.

Debbie: How about your favorite places in Michigan?

Elizabeth: Oh my God—let’s start with Rugg Pond, near me. A pool of absolutely still water on one side, a torrent of disgorged water on the other. Swans. Broken trees. In winter the bottom branches of pine trees ice up and create dams in the whirlpools. Walks in very hot sun, watching not to step on grasshoppers. Shorter walks around circles of bloodied trees. Even shorter walks over ice—to see if the water is still falling.

Deward—the site that used to be a logging town. Now there’s nothing left of Man but a few things He built to herd the logs down the Manistee River.   A kind of sad reminder of how all we touch will change. A happy reminder that no matter how Man destroys everything around him, Nature will heal it and the birds and trees will come back and the river will still run in heavy rains and run dry in drought times.

So much to love about Michigan. Backwoods people—with their own patois and their own kind of honesty. City people—black and white, with differing cultures and differing religions. Women in high heels and short skirts flagging down strange lovers. Women in veils. Women in jeans and midriff shirts picking their kids up at school. Office women dressed in suits—like little men . . . All kinds of people: golden shores to trailer parks.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Elizabeth:  All my kids. All my grandkids. All my friends. Writer friends who don’t take themselves seriously (I’ve found the best writers don’t wear airs of destiny draped around them). Writer friends like Doug Stanton and Mardi Link and Aaron Stander, Rainelle Burton, Carolyn Hall, Annick Hivert Carthew. Michigan people I can laugh with . . . and on and on and on.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Elizabeth:  Michigan isn’t just a big chunk of real estate surrounded by a lot of water.   It’s a state of being—sports: winter and summer. Sailing. Skiing. And studying. Learning about the natural world—forests, birds, animals—things to be watched closely in case we’re wrong and they know more about existence than we do.   Miles of swamps where dangerous men live alone with voices in their head—and you don’t want to stumble on them. Universities where the true salvation of all of us is being worked out—in medical research, in physics, in Cosmology. In these places, new worlds will be announced. And miles and miles of water where you look out and see nothing on the horizon and you take in deep breaths and feel what being alive is all about.

Debbie: Finally -- Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Elizabeth: I pick Michiganian. The other sounds as if I’m horning in on all those intelligent geese, with their free-form Vees, who know enough to get the heck out when winter’s coming.

Debbie: Michiganian it is! Elizabeth, thank you for being here today!

To learn more about Elizabeth and her books, be sure to stop by her web site and blog.

Michigander Monday: Eileen Pollack

2012-01-16T00:01:00.086-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Eileen Pollack to Michigander Monday. (Special note to those of you in the Ann Arbor area: Eileen will be appearing this Wednesday at Nicola's Books - details below!)

Debbie: Eileen, please tell us a little about yourself.

Eileen: I grew up in the Catskills in New York State--my family owned a small hotel there. The region was famous for its working-class Jewish hotels--and the stand-up comics who entertained the audiences there. The most famous of the Catskills Hotels, Grossinger's, which was the model for the hotel in Dirty Dancing, was located in my hometown.

After I left home, I studied physics at Yale, worked as a reporter at a small newspaper in New Hampshire, earned my MFA in creative writing from the University of Iowa, then lived for ten years in Boston with my ex-husband, Tom, a genetics researcher. When Tom was recruited by the U of M, I came along. That was 1994. Ann Arbor was a wonderful place for our son, Noah, to grow up. He attended Community High and is now a senior at the University of Chicago.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Eileen: Breaking and Entering is my second published novel and my first book set in Michigan. Just after I moved here, Timothy McVeigh blew up the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, and stories about the Michigan Militia were all over the national media. I was fascinated to learn about the far rightwing views of many militia members, and equally interested in the conservatism and fundamentalism of other residents of my new state. I spent a day as a visiting writer in a public school to the west of Ann Arbor and was stunned to find out that most of the biology teachers were creationists. And yet here were my husband and his coworkers in Ann Arbor studying genetics, believing as deeply in evolution as their fellow Michiganders believed in creationism. I grew close to a friend living in a town where the minister was making vitriolic anti-Semitic sermons every Sunday. Her husband, who is Jewish, protested the sermons, and their children began to be harassed. Soon afterward, their house burned down. My friend was pretty sure that she and her family had been burned out on purpose; the town fire marshall, in fact, found evidence of arson, but he accused them of burning down their own house to collect the insurance. All that gave me an idea for a book--a book in which I tried to figure out how people so different from one another could all be Michiganders, could all be Americans, and how we could ever hope to make a democracy work with citizens who felt so passionately about such disparate beliefs.

My earlier books include two story collections (In the Mouth and The Rabbi in the Attic), a novel set in the Catskills (Paradise, New York), and a work of nonfiction called Woman Walking Ahead: In Search of Catherine Weldon and Sitting Bull, which is about a female artist and Indian rights activist who was friends with Sitting Bull and lived with him and his family toward the end of his life. A long time ago, I also wrote a children's book about AIDS.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Eileen: I've just finished a memoir about my childhood dream of becoming an astrophysicist and my time as one of the first female physics majors at Yale. I'm trying to get at the deeper cultural and psychological reasons that so few American women go on in math, physics, engineering and computer science, even today.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Eileen: I'll be reading at Nicola's in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, January 18, at 7 pm, and on the U of M campus on Wednesday, April 4, at 5:30 pm, at the Hatcher Graduate Library.

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Eileen: Nicola's at Westgate Plaza in Ann Arbor ... and all the wonderful libraries on the U of M campus ... as well as the public library in downtown Ann Arbor.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Eileen: My favorite place in Michigan is the Diego Rivera room at the DIA. I have to say that Bliss Beach near Cross Village is my favorite place on the lake. I like to take walks along the river in Ann Arbor. And when the winters get me down, I trek out to the Matthei Botanical Garden and spend some time in the desert room in the conservatory.

Oh, and I'm a tennis fanatic, so I love spending time at the Varsity Tennis Center here at the U of M. State-of-the-art facility, wonderful coaches and pros, and terrific women to run me around the court.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Eileen: I love our recruitment weeks in March, when the students we've accepted to our MFA Program in Creative Writing show up on campus. We're one of the top two MFA programs in the country and get approximately 1100 applications for 20 spots (in poetry and fiction). These are some of the most creative young people in the country, and getting to meet them in person after reading their poetry and prose is a pure joy.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Eileen: Too many colleagues and students and former students to name ... if I start, I'll leave someone out and be sorry for it later. Let me just say for now that the last three winners of the National Book Award have been women who've either taught writing or studied writing at U of M or Western Michigan!

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Eileen: We have the best deli and roadhouse in the country right here in Ann Arbor.

Debbie: Finally -- Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Eileen: Given that I've already used the word "Michigander" several times, you know my answer.

Debbie: Michigander it is. Eileen, thank you for being with us today!

To learn more about Eileen and her books, stop by her web site. And if you're in the Ann Arbor area, be sure to head over to her signing at Nicola's on Wednesday at 7 PM.

Michigan Notable Books 2012 Reading Challenge

2012-01-08T18:39:00.004-05:00

After meaning to do so for several years, last year I hosted a "Michigan Notable Books Reading Challenge" here on my blog. I'm happy to say that I'm doing so again this year. I'm not affiliated in any way with Notable Books, but I think it's a really terrific program; so my Reading Challenge is meant to be a small show of support for the program and for the wonderful books selected for it.

So what's involved involved in the Reading Challenge?

Rest assured, it's a totally No Stress reading challenge. Bottom line: If you’re willing to commit to reading at least two of the books on the 2012 Michigan Notable Books list, at some point in the next year or so, you’ll have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to a Michigan independent bookstore.

Do you have to live in Michigan to participate? NO.

Do you have to tell me which two books you're reading? NO.

Do you have to read the books by a particular date? NO.

Like I said, it's a totally No Stress reading challenge. We aim to please here at Jumping The Candlestick.

Here's all you do need to do:

1. Take a look at the 2012 Michigan Notable Books list.
Titles are listed below. If you'd like more details, you can find further description of each book by clicking here.

2. Choose two books you'd like to read.
You do NOT have to read them by a particular date. Just some time within your lifetime. Timetable is totally your call.

3. Inform me that you're participating.
Inform me how? Well, you can comment on this blog post. Or you can tell me when you see me. Or you can send me an email ( deborah [at] deborahdiesen [dot] com ). Or you can write a note in invisible ink and send it by carrier pigeon. Method is totally up to you.

That's it! If you do those three things, you're entered for a chance to win. One Lucky Reader will win a $50 gift certificate to a Michigan independent bookstore. The winner chooses which bookstore. (Note that most bookstores have online ordering options, so even if you live out of state, you'll be able to redeem your prize.)

Some optional things:

1. If you let other folks know about this reading challenge, I'll put your name in the hat twice. Are you required to let others know in a particular way? No. You can email friends a link to this page; you can mention the challenge at the office water cooler; you can share on your FaceBook page; you can tweet; you can work out an arrangement with your friendly local carrier pigeon. Or, of course, there's the ever-popular Michigan Notable Books tattoo option. It's your call. Any spreading-of-the-word counts -- just let me know you've done so and I'll double your hat entries.

2. If you end up really excited about one of the books that you read, I'd be happy to have you do a Guest Blog Post about the book. Totally optional, totally your call, but if you're interested, let me know.

3. Lansing area folks, there's usually a public reception for the Notable authors in the spring at the State Library - you might want to go to it. I generally attend the function (it's a great opportunity to meet writers and learn more about their work; and there's generally a keynote speaker - great fun to hear). I'd encourage any of you who are in the area to attend as well.

4. Special Note: If you're an author who's on the list, you can still participate in the Challenge - you just can't read your own book as one of your two books.

As for timetable?

Well, like most things related to my blog, I'm a bit loosey-goosey. But let's try to have sign-ups by ~~January 31~~ February 15. I'll plan do the gift certificate drawing around ~~February 15 (though if by any change I extend the sign-up period, I might end up with a~~ March 1 drawing). Stay tuned for details; but all things considered, I'd prefer you sign up sooner rather than later. Thankee.
[2/4/12 note - I've updated deadlines - still plenty of time to sign up!]

Now, without further ado, here are the 2012 Michigan Notable Books:

Elly Peterson: "Mother" of the Moderates by Sara Fitzgerald (University of Michigan Press)

Everyday Klansfolk: White Protestant Life and the KKK in 1920s Michigan by Craig Fox (Michigan State University Press)

Fever: Little Willie John, A Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul by Susan Whitall (Titan Books)

Ghost Writers: Us Haunting Them, Contemporary Michigan Literature edited by Keith Taylor and Laura Kasischke (Wayne State University Press)

Hank Greenberg: The Hero Who Didn't Want to Be One by Mark Kurlansky (Yale University Press)

Here Comes Trouble: Stories from My Life by Michael Moore (Grand Central Publishing)

In Stitches: A Memoir by Anthony Youn, M.D. (Gallery Books)

Jacobson's, I Miss It So: The Story Of A Michigan Fashion Institute by Bruce Allen Kopytek (History Press)

Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art by J.H. Shapiro and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Charlesbridge)

Michigan and the Civil War: A Great and Bloody Sacrifice by Jack Dempsey (The History Press)

Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton (Minotaur Books)

Miss Martin Is a Martian by Colleen Murray Fisher and illustrated by Jared Chapman (Mackinac Island Press)

Motor City Shakedown by D. E. Johnson (Minotaur Books)

A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Dial Books for Young Readers)

Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America's Big Three Automakers-GM, Ford, and Chrysler by Bill Vlasic (William Morrow)

Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (Norton)

Songs of Unreason by Jim Harrison (Copper Canyon Press)

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood (Riverhead Books)

Vintage Views Along the West Michigan Pike: From Sand Trails to US-31 by M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson (Arbutus Press)
Wire to Wire by Scott Sparling (Tin House Books)

Where Has "Michigander Monday" Gone?

2012-01-06T20:04:00.003-05:00

Don't worry: "Michigander Monday" is just on a brief hiatus. During the holidays, I didn't send out any interview requests, so I don't have any profiles to feature right now. But once I get back underway (later this month), rest assured there will be more Michigan and Michigan-related author interviews here.

In the meantime, check out the recently-released 2012 Michigan Notable Books List. And then come back here next week to read about my Michigan Notable Books reading challenge (complete with a chance to win a gift certificate to a Michigan indie bookstore).

Till then!

Michigander Monday: Sarah Kallio

2011-12-19T00:01:00.042-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Sarah Kallio to Michigander Monday! Sarah is co-author of The Stocked Kitchen: One Grocery List, Endless Recipes.

Debbie: Sarah, tell us a little about yourself.

Sarah: I was born and raised in Michigan. I have migrated West across the State from Essexville, to Mt. Pleasant, to Grand Rapids, to Grand Haven. I briefly lived in North Carolina and Illinois after college, and missed the mitten. (More accurately, I missed my boyfriend who is now my husband, and has been for 12 years.) I graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School and went on to receive a BS from the College of Engineering at Michigan State University. I married my Larry and we have 2 of the most gorgeous, funny, and lovely daughters a mom could ask for. The are now 5 and 9, going on 15 and 25. (I allowed my youngest to wear just a bit of eye shadow for Halloween and she asked if I would give her a "smoky eye." Lord help us!) I worked in industry and manufacturing for years, but never felt like I was exactly in the right spot. I now know that I need to have an more creative outlet. I have a huge mound of kinky red hair, which I no longer attempt to straighten. I love to read and to watch Merchant Ivory films (my husband argues that making him watch them with me is not in accordance with the Geneva Convention and is a crime against humanity.) My favorite Sunday afternoon is when I put on an apron and set Slacker Radio to Edith Piaf and bake. I like to always be wearing a bit of leopard skin pattern, and all I need to know I learned from Fran Drescher on The Nanny. I love hard and hurt hard too. I think it has something to do with a redheads mutation in the MC1R gene. I am constantly curious and my feet rarely stop fidgeting.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your book!

Sarah: The Stocked Kitchen was basically formed out of necessity. My friend Stacey Krastins and I wanted to find an easier way to cook and entertain. We loved to do it, but when we had our babies, the process became a lot more complicated. Getting to the store for milk was a chore, so we for sure didn't want to have to go every time we made a new recipes. We figured out that convenience to us didn't mean little seasoned rice packets packets or frozen dinners. The convenience we were looking for was having what ingredients we needed on hand when we needed them. We decided that by limiting the ingredients that we use and having what we needed on hand all the time was the solution we were looking for. We created one single grocery list and wrote a whole bunch of recipes that only used the ingredients on that list. We self-published our first book and won the Gold Medal for Cookbooks from the 2010 Independent Publisher Book Awards. From there we signed with an agent and received a book deal from Atria, a division of Simon and Schuster. They launched The Stocked Kitchen nationally this last July! This book has changed the way we operate in the kitchen, all for the better. We spend less, stress less, waste less, and enjoy cooking more!

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Sarah: We are currently in talks with Atria for more books. We would love to see a series of books that all use the same grocery list, but focus on different themes, such as holidays, healthy, special occasions, etc. I love the fact that our book is so versatile that you can use it for just about and cooking or entertaining situation that you find yourself in.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Sarah: Check out our calendar at http://www.thestockedkitchen.com/pages/upcoming-events

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore?

Sarah: The Bookman in Grand Haven, Michigan is such a great store for our community and our local authors. Small, independent book shops with knowledgeable staff can change the way people see the world! (I also tend to be a bit dramatic.)

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Sarah: Lake Michigan in general, however we stumbled on this little cottage to rent in Charlevoix, MI a couple of years ago, that is right on Lake Michigan. We live in a beach town, but there is something so perfect about having Lake Michigan waves lull you to sleep. It barely sleeps four, so I especially love that when we are there, it is just me, Larry, and the girls. Just family time.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Sarah: I absolutely love Muskegon's Irish Music Festival, of course Grand Haven's Coast Guard Fest, and we had a ball last year at Charlevoix's Venetian Festival. Fall tours of apple orchards and pumpkin patches are a must. My girls and I go every year to the Nutcracker in Grand Rapids, which is such a treat. I am trying to like winter, and we are going to be skiing more with our girls this year. (I may or may not make it off the bunny hill. My oldest finally said "buck up Mommy" last year, after I stood on the bottom of the hill freaking out.) Spring will come though and we will be reminded why we live in "Grand Heaven" where the beach is a constant part of our lives all summer long, as is evident by the trails of sand though out our home. My favorite thing to do, though, is just to go and explore. On those rare occasions that we have a free weekend, my husband and I will choose a nearby city and I will look on the local events webpages, "family friendly" activities webpages, travel guides etc. I absolutely love stumbling on little local festivals. Exploring and playing it by ear is such a treat, especially now that the kids are old enough to enjoy it too.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Sarah: I have to say that Sue Beecham of Sue Beecham Photography is so talented and has been such an amazing friend to The Stocked Kitchen. She did all the photography in our book and continues to take amazing pictures of my kids, and is a very dear friend of mine. In general, when we were first starting out, there were so many people that were gracious and helpful to us. Some of our biggest advocates were independent store owners that gave us a chance. A few are Santo Stefano Del Lago and The Bookman, Grand Haven, MI, Rykes Bakery, Muskegon, MI, The Seasoned Home, Holland, MI, The Ideal Kitchen, Manistee, MI. These small independent stores are so important to our communities because they often help foster success for local small businesses. Remember your small independent stores this holiday season. I have to say in general, I am amazed by the resilience and innovative spirits of Michiganders (spoiler alert for the question 10).

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Sarah: Michigan is stronger than we appear. That is what I would like people to know. We are strong, innovative, and exceptionally good at making things. We used to be known for our manufacturing. I think we are still made of that stuff. Maybe we just forgot that a bit. We are this unique mixture of Countrytime Lemonade commercial aesthetic and industrial grit. A goodness and realness mixed with logic and resilience. All this and an amazingly diverse and gorgeous landscape backdrop. I think we need to worry less about reinventing our State and more about remembering what qualities made us great in the first place.

Debbie: Well said! Last question: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Sarah: I don't think there is a debate, I just think Michigander is correct. Michiganian sounds crazy! :)

Debbie: Sarah, we'll add you to the Michigander column! Thank you so much for being here today!

Guest Blog Post: Julie Hedlund

2011-12-14T00:01:00.031-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome guest blogger Julie Hedlund to Jumping The Candlestick! Julie, a regular reader of this blog, has a blog of her own that you should take a look at: Write Up My Life. Julie is here today to tell us about an upcoming writing challenge on her blog, as well as about a competition that a story of hers is in. Welcome, Julie!

First, I want to thank Debbie for hosting me today.It is such an honor to be here since she’s a celebrity in our house! I finally broke down and bought the e-book version of The Pout-Pout Fish because our printed copy was worn to nubs.

As a pre-published picture book writer, I was thrilled to discover that Debbie, a best-selling author, also hails from Michigan. Although I currently live in Colorado, I was born and raised in Gaylord and graduated from the University of Michigan.From Debbie’s wonderful “Michigander Monday” series, I’ve since discovered more amazing Michigan authors.

Speaking of picture books, I am sponsoring a picture book writing challenge on my blog this year called 12 x 12 in 2012. The goal is to write one complete picture book draft a month for each month of the year in 2012.

I got the idea for the challenge while participating in this year’s Picture Book Idea Month, sponsored by author Tara Lazar. You see, I participated in PiBoIdMo last year too, but when I looked over my output for 2011, only one of those 30 ideas ended up as a complete draft. I was determined to change those statistics for 2012 and invited fellow writers to join me.We have more than 100 participants so far!I hope to see some of you there too.Debbie herself is going to be one of our featured “author experts” (although I can’t tell you which month because I want to keep it a surprise).

I do have one picture book I wrote, A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS, entered in the Children’s Author Challenge with e-Publisher MeeGenius.I love this story because it teaches kids some collective nouns for groups of animals. I’d heard of a pack of wolves, a herd of buffalo and a pride of lions. But a float of crocodiles? An ostentation of peacocks? So fun!

I would love it if you could take a look at the story and give it a “like” IF you like it. If you’re interested in doing more and want the chance to win some prizes, I’m running a contest on my blog right now. Just hitting the “like” button gets you two points.Prizes include a list of agents, an iPod shuffle, bookstore gift cards, writing critiques and, of course, Picture Books!

Once again, my sincere thanks to Debbie for hosting me today and to YOU for reading.

Happy Holidays!

Julie Hedlund blogs about the writing life (and regular life) at Write Up My Life. She writes picture books, travel articles and personal essays and WILL write a novel one day. When she is not mothering, writing or reading, she enjoys running, hiking, skiing, cooking, yoga, and savoring a great glass of red wine at sunset. She especially likes to do these things while traveling.

Michigander Monday: Jay Miles

2011-12-12T00:01:00.091-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Jay Miles to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Jay, please tell us a little about yourself.

Jay: I was born in Muskegon, MI, the same year that ARPANET (a predecessor of the Internet) saw its first computers connected remotely (and I’ve been riding the wave of technology ever since!). I moved to the Washington, DC area as a young teen, and started learning about TV production in high school. I studied technical theatre at the University of Virginia, moving to New York City after graduation. I later landed in New Haven, Connecticut, where the coffeehouse scene pushed my growth as an artist. Over the next few years, I ran a small record label, worked for several ad agencies, wrote for the local paper and dabbled in graphic design. All of these pursuits came together in 2001, when I was accepted into the TV, Radio and Film master’s program at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communication.

From Syracuse I drove to LA and spent the next 5 years working in TV and film, including shows for NBC, FOX, ABC and the Discovery Channel. Since returning to the East Coast, I have worked on broadcasts of “The NHL on Versus” (now part of the NBC sports group), two shows for HGTV and the US Open tennis tournament (for DirecTV). I currently teach high school video and audio production and I’m a hockey player, poker player and drummer. I live near New Haven with my cat, Ruffus.

Debbie:  And, of course, we want to know all about your book, Conquering YouTube.

Jay: The book merges production skills used by TV pros with time-tested exercises I use with my video students. The book’s 101 tips provide affordable, effective video solutions to all YouTube users.
My initial idea was to help teachers benefit from creating video for use in their classrooms. Teachers are being pushed to use more and more technology, but often have to find their own quick, economical solutions. I approached publisher Michael Wiese, who suggested that I take a broader approach: to bring video power to the people. Michael also encouraged me to stay away from writing an overly technical manual, so I was free to keep my sense of humor and write from a perspective of empowerment. And, for the most part, I feel like I managed to do just that - bringing a wealth of video tips and tricks to YouTuber and to those who are curious about video.

I was also responsible for creating the images for the book, which took almost as long to finish as it took to write the text. I generated over 500 images and narrowed that down to some 200 images that appear in the book. They include “how-to” style pics, before and after shots and images taken from YouTube videos and major motion pictures. I spent the summer of 2010 working with LA-based editor Pam Grieman, who did a fantastic job keeping me focused and positive. This was the first time I had been edited in about 10 years, and I was a nervous wreck, but Pam was super patient and helpful.
My vision had been to bring as much knowledge and video tips to as many as possible, and Michael and his publishing team were able to give me the chance to make that happen, without compromising my ideas or pushing me away from my strengths or the strengths of the book. All told, the entire process took about 2 ½ years, from my first “pitch” email to MWP until the day we released the book.

Debbie:  Other books or projects on the horizon?

Jay: In addition to teaching, I have several upcoming video productions going, including a music video for a New Haven rock band and a documentary that I am co-producing that centers on some unexpected religious history in a small Connecticut town.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Jay: This coming February 23rd, I’ll be giving a special workshop for aspiring YouTubers at New York City’s celebrated camera store, Adorama. Also in late February, I will be an honored guest for the New Haven LEAP organization’s annual fundraiser. The event includes a book signing and a dinner.

Debbie:  Do you have favorite Michigan library?

Jay: The Hackley Public Library and the Norton Shores Branch Library, both in Muskegon, remain two of my favorite libraries. I visited both frequently as a kid, and they both provided excellent experiences. As libraries, they offered a huge variety of activities for kids that were both fun and stimulating. The classic Victorian markings of the Hackley, from the woodwork to the famous glass floors, are just awesome. The stone front rises like a castle from the downtown streets and its smooth, curved entrance almost swallows you as you near.

The Norton Shores branch of the Muskegon libraries is a modern building set back in the woods organically, almost like a Frank Lloyd Wright home, serving as a quiet barrier against the modern world. I recall countless evenings at this library, sitting on one of the many carpeted “block”-style risers, gazing out of the full length windows at the trees and ignoring my mother’s calls for us to leave.

Debbie:  How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Jay: Wow, just had a flood of places come rushing back to me! I love the shore of Lake Michigan, especially P.J. Hoffmaster State Park and Pere Marquette Park. As a kid we vacationed at Silver Lake and the dune rides still resonate as some of my most thrilling experiences. Sleeping Bear Dunes in Traverse City is a must, as is the campus at the U of M. The town of Saugatuck set an early standard for me for art, adventure, ice cream and fun. I love visiting Holland’s Wooden Shoe Factory and Dutch Village. I am way overdue for a return visit to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. I dig the Blockhouse in Muskegon State Park, football games at Grand Valley State and touring the USS Silversides. But my favorite might be Michigan's Adventure – the amusement park. I was there recently, and was thrilled to see that some of the same rides that I enjoyed as a kid (when the site was much smaller, featured live animals you could feed and was known as Deer Park) are still in operation. Some things never change.

Debbie:  Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Jay: Does it count that I got to see the Michigan Panthers (of the now defunct USFL) play at the Silverdome once? Yeah, probably not… I make the ritual pilgrimage to see Grand Haven’s Musical Fountain during my summer visits. Pop Go the Sailors, the annual Mona Shores High School choir/band/talent performance, is always awesome. Watching West Michigan natives (Abdelkader, Bylsma) capture the Stanley Cup is always the best part of Spring! And I try to see a hockey game in Muskegon during every Holiday visit – no matter the team. I’ve seen Mohawk, Fury and Lumberjack teams and I love ‘em all!

Debbie:  A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Jay: Some of my fave famous Michiganders are Anthony Kiedes (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Iggy Pop, Michael Moore, actor/producer Jeff Daniels, Francis Ford Coppola, Dick Martin, Dick Enberg, Steve Gorman (drummer, Black Crowes), and the late Harry Morgan. I grew up leafing through my mom’s old high school yearbooks trying to find pictures of Jim Bakker – back in his pre-scandal days. She also went to school with Bill Szymczyk, producer for The Who, The Eagles, and others. Buster Keaton spent his childhood summers in Muskegon and always regarded Muskegon as his home town. And I love that the actor and former hockey pro who played one of the Hanson Brothers (from ‘Slap Shot’) still lives in West Michigan.

Debbie:  Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Jay: It’s not soda, it's pop. And you haven’t really had a ginger ale until you’ve had a Vernor’s!

Debbie: Finally, some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: what’s the better term, "Michigander" or "Michiganian"?

Jay: I’ve actually never heard anyone say "Michiganian"! LOL So, I am firmly in the "Michigander" clan!

Debbie: Michigander it is! Jay, thank you very much for being here today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Jay and his book, stop by his web site, his Facebook page, or his Twitter feed.

Michigander Monday: Patricia Majher

2011-12-05T00:01:00.047-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Patricia Majher to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Patricia, please tell us a little about yourself.

Patricia: I'm a product of Bay City Catholic schools, got my undergrad degree in journalism from Central Michigan, and started my career as an advertising copywriter in 1979. After 10 years or so, I got restless in the business and began to look for a new direction to take. While on a walking tour of Ypsilanti's historic homes, I heard about a program in historic preservation offered at Eastern Michigan. I took one class, and another, and ended up finishing a master's degree there. Then I kept on doing what I'd been doing until 2003, when I decided to dust off the diploma and see where it could get me.

Though a change in career meant I had to start over on the pay scale (all the way back to minimum wage!), I built up some great experience at Michigan museums big and small. In 2009, the combination of my writing background and my knowledge of state and local history got me the job of editing Michigan History--a dream position.

Debbie:  And, of course, we want to know all about your book, Ladies of the Lights.

Patricia: The book had its genesis in my previous job, as assistant director/curator for the Michigan Women's Historical Center in Lansing. Among my responsibilities there was the development of new exhibits highlighting the historical achievements of Michigan women. An article on female lighthouse keepers sparked my interest, and eventually became the focus of my first exhibit. The exhibit's popularity surprised me, and made me think that the subject might make a good book. Thankfully, the University of Michigan Press agreed.

I spent another year on additional research into the subject, and saw Ladies of the Lights published in the fall of 2010. I've been on the road about once a month since, talking up the book and selling copies out of my trunk! (Sometimes literally.)

The book introduced me to many brave and interesting women who worked in the predominantly male occupation of lighthouse keeping. I grew especially fond of our last female keeper--Frances (Wuori Johnson) Marshall--and had the unique opportunity to interview her before her death. She was the last link in a chain of female keepers that stretched back to 1849 in the Great Lakes State.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Patricia: I've explored the idea of a children's picture book, and was amazed to discover what a different publishing experience that would be. I didn't know I'd have to find my own illustrator!

Debbie: I'm very thankful my publishers found mine - I wouldn't know where to start! Patricia, how about upcoming appearances?

Patricia: I'm taking it easy for the rest of the year. We'll see what 2012 brings.

Debbie:  Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Patricia: Nicola's in Ann Arbor is my local favorite. She's really weathered the storm of store closings--even outlasting Borders--with style. My favorite library would probably be the one I grew up with: Sage Library in Bay City. The elegant, chateauesque structure was so unlike anything in the surrounding neighborhood that it was like visiting another world.

Debbie:  How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Patricia: I had the privilege of working for about a year on Mackinac Island. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the history of that place.

Debbie:  Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Patricia: My husband and I like to make the rounds of summer festivals in Washtenaw County: the Manchester Chicken Broil, Dixboro Fair, Old St. Pat's Labor Day Picnic, and the Webster Fall Festival.

Debbie:  A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Patricia: Two people who come immediately to mind are Jack and Dave Dempsey. I met Jack through Michigan History; he was a huge help in shaping the magazine's commemoration of the Civil War sesquicentennial. (He sits on the Michigan Historical Commission, is a leader in the state's effort to commemorate the Civil War, and has written his own book on Michigan's involvement in that conflict.) I crossed paths with his brother Dave Dempsey when I was still at the women's museum. Dave's book on Michigan's conservation history was my primary source for an exhibit on Michigan women in nature and the environment.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Patricia: That you shouldn't judge the state solely by the southeast corner. I've met so many people (some of them natives) who've never ventured outside the metro area and yet claim to know all there is about Michigan!

Debbie: Finally, one last question. Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Patricia: I'm lining up with the minority vote: I prefer "Michiganian." I find "Michigander" too slangy for my taste. Who wants to be compared to a male goose!

Debbie: Michiganian it is! We'll add you to tally. Patricia, thank you so much for being here today for Michigander, er, Michiganian Monday!!

Michigander Monday: Allan Woodrow

2011-11-28T00:01:00.063-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Allan Woodrow to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Allan, please tell us a little about yourself.

Allan: I grew up outside East Lansing … moved to Michigan right before first grade from sunny Southern Florida; I still remember my sister and I wearing jackets, freezing, while everyone else wore shorts. Mom and Dad still live in the house where I grew up, but I don’t get back as often as I’d like. I went to University of Michigan. Quite a few locals accused me of being a traitor to that other Big 10 school around the corner.

I wanted to be an author since elementary school, but it took me awhile to step up to the plate. Fear of rejection and the busy-ness of life are both to blame, pretty much equally.

Instead, I spent my career as an advertising copywriter and Creative Director, writing TV and radio commercials, and such. Wrote a little for TV and the stage on the side. Worked in and outside Detroit for big ad agencies. Moved to St. Louis for a brief spell, and then to Chicago.

When I finally set my mind to finally going after my life-long dream of being an author, it all happened quickly. From declaring I was going to write a book (my 2009 New Years resolution) to figuring out what book I would write (I had the resolution months before I had any good ideas), from writing it to finding an agent and getting a four-book contract … it all took less than a year. It was a bit of a whirlwind.

Debbie: Wow! Please tell us all about the first book in the series.

Allan: The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless (HarperCollins) is the story of the world’s most evil kid. Zachary would do anything to join the Society Of Utterly Rotten, Beastly And Loathsome Lawbreaking Scoundrels, the world's most horrible gang of super villains. But first he must perform a truly terrible deed. With the help of his henchman Newt, Zachary battles the horrible Mayor Mudfogg and other felonious foes, not only to join SOURBALLS but to survive! Bwa-ha-ha! For ages 7-10.

Debbie: Other books and projects on the horizon?

Allan: The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless, Book 1, came out this past Spring. Book 2, The Stench of Goodness comes out this winter, Book 3 (SOURBALLS) comes out next Spring and Book 4 (The Undersea Lab) launches a year from this winter. Books 5 through 432 are under negotiations.

I just completed a non-Zachary book and my agent is in the process of sending it out, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Even with Zachary Ruthless books constantly being written, I have a number of books in various stages of disarray.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Allan: None in Michigan, I’m afraid. At least at this moment. With Book 2 coming out this Winter, I’ll be planning some signings, but nothing definitive right now.

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore?

Allan: I haven’t lived in Michigan for awhile, I’m afraid. When I was a kid, I loved an old used bookstore in East Lansing called the Curious Book Shop. I would ride my bike there almost every week and buy old comic books and baseball cards with my paper route and snow shoveling money. I was the kind of kid who was always trying to earn money.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Allan: There’s no place like home (hmmm, I should use that line sometime in a book. Has it ever been used before?...)

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Allan: When people think of Michigan they often think of Detroit, and often those thoughts aren’t flattering, which is a shame. I lived outside Detroit for a number of years after college, and miss the area quite a bit. I love going home, too, and I’ve visited all sorts of places on vacation, from the U.P. to Mackinaw to Saugatuck. I’m constantly delighted at how eclectic the state is, from the metropolitan cities, to the beaches and small towns. Michigan is so many things, and so many of its people are wonderful. So for any non-Michigander: Detroit is only a small part of Michigan, so don’t pigeonhole it.

Debbie: Finally... Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally, what’s the better term: "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Allan: I grew up with Michigander, so I’m heavily in the gander camp.

Debbie: Michigander it is! Allan, thank you for joining us today for Michigander Monday.

To learn more about Allan and his books, please visit his web site and his blog, The Shelf Life. You can also view a Zachary Ruthless book trailer over on YouTube to determine if you can laugh as evilly as Zachary Ruthless! And you can find Zachary Ruthless on FaceBook.

Book Giveaways

2011-11-25T09:52:00.001-05:00

Why bother with Black Friday shopping when you can just win a book instead?

Well, OK, I can't guarantee that you'll be a winner. And in any case, you won't know today. But what I can tell you is that there are currently two blogs hosting giveaways for my books.

First, you can enter to win a signed copy of The Barefooted, Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade on the blog The Girl From the Ghetto. You enter by leaving a comment on the giveaway blog post (click here); you also have the option of increasing your chances by doing additional things, such as sharing the giveaway link on Twitter or Facebook. Deadline for entering is December 6 at 10 PM.

Second, over on the Memorable Children Books and Gifts blog, Mymcbooks, you can enter a giveaway for copies of The Pout-Pout Fish books. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on the giveaway post (click here). Deadline for entries is December 10. The blog also has an interview with me. For the interview, click here and then scroll down past the bio to get to the Q and A.

Good luck - I hope you win a book!!

[Note: Just so there's no confusion about where to leave your entry comments (that is, they have to be made on the blogs that are hosting the giveaways, not here), I've turned off comments on this post. But the comments option should still be available on all other posts on this blog.]

Michigander Monday: Merrie Haskell

2011-11-21T00:01:00.076-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Merrie Haskell to Michigander Monday!

Debbie:  Merrie, please tell us a little about yourself.

Merrie: I was born in Mt. Pleasant, lived in Harrison and Midland until moving to Sault Ste Marie while my mom finished her nursing degree -- before we moved to North Carolina for the subsequent 11 years. Then I came back to Michigan for college. I majored in Biological Anthropology at the University of Michigan, and promptly got a job in a library. Because that's what you do when you don't go to grad school with a BioAnth degree, I guess. Anyway, I got married somewhere in there, started and didn't finish library school, and wrote some books! I'm also a fifth-generation Michigander, if not sixth/seventh, which blows my mind since I think of the US as such a young country. My namesake ancestor got married in Holland, MI in the 1840s (Merrie is a family name).

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your book.

Merrie: The Princess Curse came out this fall from HarperCollins Children's Books. It's an "upper tween" retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" set in medieval Romania. I'm told it's also a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" but I swear that wasn't intentional. The main character is an herbalist's apprentice who is trying to break the curse so she can join a convent and become a master herbalist--but things go awry. As they do in fiction (and life). Anyway, if you are a fan of YA or fairy tale retellings, don't shy away from this just because it's marketed to tweens!

Debbie:  Other books or projects on the horizon?

Merrie: I'm under contract for two more books. I'm just finishing up with the second book (not a sequel) with my editor, and starting work on the third! The second will be another historical fantasy, this time set in Germany with dragon slayers. The third is gestating, and doesn't want me to talk about it.

Debbie:  Upcoming appearances?

Merrie: I'm on the verge of getting some scheduled, but don't have any yet -- but my website www.merriehaskell.com will always have the most up-to-date information.

Debbie:  Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Merrie: I love Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor -- it's sort of the platonic ideal of an independent bookstore. And while Crazy Wisdom in Ann Arbor is not solely a bookstore, I love it to pieces and do buy a lot of books there. I also love Schuler's (I go to the 28th St. location in Grand Rapids all the time in the summer, since it's the closest bookstore to our cottage), since going there hearkens back to the early, pre-corporate days of Borders. I'm so sad Borders is gone; they had become something other than what they had been, but in the beginning my love for them was unparalleled. Let's just say, an inappropriate proportion of the reasons I chose to come to the University of Michigan had to do with Borders being here.

As for libraries... I have so many favorites, it's absurd. First, of course, I love the library I work in -- the Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan. It's old and it's big and it's got so much character. Some students here refer to it as Hatcher Graduate Labyrinth, which is spot on. It's seriously the most fun place, and I learn new things about it every year. Secret passages! Glowing floors! It's amazing. I love my hometown library, Saline District Library -- it's just a great small town library. The wooded walking path adjacent to it is icing on the cake. I spent all my childhood summers in Michigan, and those summers were made much happier by going to the Harrison, Gladwin and Midland libraries, and each of those has a special place in my heart, as well. (I had family in all three towns that I spent time with, and they would all succumb to my begging to go the library sooner or later!).

Debbie:  How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Merrie: Tough question! I practically grew up in the Cedar River in Gladwin. In it, not on it! My family used to cajole me: "Come out, your lips are turning blue!" "Come out, you're going to grow gills!" I will always love the Cedar above all other places; you can't fight the nostalgia of happy childhood memories. I also spent a lot of time in Higgins Lake as a kid, and I miss it. I am also a huge fan of Gun Lake, where my husband's family have had a cottage for something like seventy-five years. And of course Mackinac Island. My mom worked there for a summer before I was born, and had such fond memories of it, so it always seemed like this mysterious, wonderful place, and I just love it. Especially staying on the Island after the last ferry leaves for the night, and the whole pace and tenor drop a level, and you can see the locals breathe a little easier. I mean, we're still tourists and we're still there, but it's calmer, and you get a brief sense of how it might be as a small town. I have recently noticed that I have a huge attraction to tourist towns, which I have decided to embrace, and no longer deny. Mackinac Island, Mackinaw City, Saugatuck... (And numerous tourist towns other places, too!)

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Merrie: Even though I live in Saline, I have lived in or near Ann Arbor since I was 19, and have worked in Ann Arbor all my adult life. And I, like most Ann Arborites, have a love/hate relationship with the art fairs. Mostly love, at this point, though; I like to get over-priced street food with a friend and people-watch. Delicious and educational!

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Merrie: Well, even though I write children's books now, I started out in science fiction short stories, so most of my writer acquaintances are from the sci-fi/fantasy side of things. So, I commend to you Jim C. Hines, who writes fantasy books and has a new series coming up that I believe is set in a library in the UP. Jim and I have one of those "It's a small state!" stories, because before we met as writers, I used to play paintball with his sister-in-law. And Saladin Ahmed, a fellow historical fantasy writer who just returned to Michigan after some time away. And Pearl North, who has an amazing YA series about a library/labyrinth (a concept near and dear to my heart). And I also have to commend our local small press, Subterranean Press, and the fine folks there are supporting really great genre work . I have no affiliation with them, they're just cool people.

Debbie:  Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Merrie: a) There's a lot more going on in Detroit than pictures of ruined buildings. b) We're in the Eastern Time Zone! Really!! c) There is really nothing like a Michigan summer day on a lake. Nothing like it.

Debbie:  Last question: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Merrie: Michigander, definitely! My grandfather taught me Michigander when I was a little kid; he never looked kindly on that other word.

Debbie: We'll put you in the Michigander column! Merrie, thank you very much for being here today!

To learn more about Merrie, her book, and her stories, head over to her web site and her blog. You can also find her on Twitter; and over on FaceBook there's a page for her book The Princess Curse.

Michigander Monday: D.E. Johnson

2011-11-14T00:01:00.092-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome D.E. Johnson to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Dan, please tell us a little about yourself.

Dan: I was born in Kalamazoo and have lived in West Michigan all my life, most of my adult life in the Grand Rapids area, though my wife and I are back down by Kalamazoo again.

I have three lovely daughters, all out of the house now, which is both good and bad. Good because it gives me the time I need to write while also holding down a full-time job, and bad because we miss them.

Up until five years ago, I was one of those frustrated people who knew they should be writing, but I’d never worked at it and so was even more frustrated when I did try. Finally I got off my butt and started learning the craft, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I’m a happy guy.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Dan: I’ve got two historical mysteries out. Here is the cover copy for each:

The Detroit Electric Scheme (2010, St. Martin’s Minotaur Books)

Detroit 1910: When Will Anderson finds the body of John Cooper crushed in a huge hydraulic press, he panics—for good reason. The body is in his father’s electric automobile factory, in the department Will manages. Worse yet, Cooper is engaged to the woman Will loves, his ex-fiancée, Elizabeth Hume.

He runs, eluding the police but leaving behind his cap and automobile. Under threat from a blackmailer and with the police closing in, Will discovers that Elizabeth is in terrible danger. He follows her through the Detroit underworld, trying to save her and find the killer at the same time.

As the evidence mounts, Will gets closer and closer to the secret Cooper had been desperately trying to keep—a secret that could cost Will not only his life, but also the lives of the people he loves most.

Booklist named The Detroit Electric Scheme one of their Top Ten First Crime Novels of the Year, and it also received a Michigan Notable Book Award.

My new book is Motor City Shakedown (2011, St. Martin’s Minotaur Books)

Detroit, 1911. Seven months have passed since Will Anderson’s friend, Wesley McRae, was brutally murdered, and Will and the woman he loves, Elizabeth Hume, barely escaped with their lives. Will’s hand, horribly disfigured from the sulfuric acid he used to help save them, causes him constant pain, forcing him into a morphine addiction. He lives for nothing except revenge against the people who contributed to Wesley's murder—first among them crime boss Vito Adamo.

When Will stumbles upon the bloody body of Adamo's driver, he knows he'll be a suspect, particularly since he was spotted outside the dead man's apartment that same night. He sets out to find the killer, and the trail leads him to a vast conspiracy in an underworld populated by gangsters, union organizers, crooked cops, and lawyers. Worse, it places him directly in the middle of Detroit's first mob war. The Teamsters want a piece of Will’s father’s car company, Detroit Electric, and the Gianolla gang is there to be sure they get it.

To save their families, Will and his ex-fiancée Elizabeth Hume enlist the help of Detroit Police Detective Riordan, the teenage members of what will one day be known as the Purple Gang, and Vito Adamo himself. They careen from one danger to the next, surviving shootouts, kidnappings and police brutality, while barreling toward a devastating climax readers won't soon forget.

Reviews so far for Motor City Shakedown have been great. Booklist recommended the series to fans of George Pelecanos and James Ellroy, Publishers Weekly gave it a rave and a starred review, and The New York Times even said that the scenes of Detroit were “extraordinarily vivid, and best viewed from the seat of one of those very snazzy cars.”

Debbie: Outstanding reviews! Do you have other books on the horizon?

Dan: I have a contract with St. M’s for two more books. Next up will be Detroit Breakdown, which will come out next fall. This one sets Will at Eloise Hospital, which many people from the Detroit area will be familiar with. It was Wayne County’s sprawling mental health hospital from the mid-1800s until the 1970s. Of course, mental health care was not exactly enlightened 100 years ago (though I’d argue it’s still not). That gives me license to put Will through more pain while he tries to solve a murder.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Dan: New appearances pop up frequently. Check my website – dejohnsonauthor.com – for details.

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan bookstore?

Dan: How about three – Schuler Books in Grand Rapids, Kazoo Books in Kalamazoo, and Aunt Agatha’s in Ann Arbor. All three are independents fighting the good fight. Please, everyone, support your local independent bookseller!

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Dan: I know this makes me a freak, but my favorite place is where I am right now: sitting in my office at my computer.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Dan: Two authors everyone should read: Bonnie Jo Campbell – she’s an amazing writer. Read her new one, Once Upon a River. You’ll buy everything else she’s written.

The other is Albert Bell. Albert writes a number of different things, including an outstanding Roman mystery series. His third in the series, The Corpus Conundrum, came out recently. The second, The Blood of Caesar, was one of Library Journal’s Five Best Mysteries of 2008.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Dan: When they say Pure Michigan, they’re not kidding. There are still so many beautiful parts of the State, you could never see them all.

Debbie: Last question. Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally, are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Dan: Dang. I’ve wrestled with this. Michiganian has so much more dignity to it, but I grew up with Michigander, and I seem to be moving back in that direction.

Debbie: No worries - for now, we'll put you in the "both" column! Dan, thank you very much for being here for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Dan and his books, visit his web site, D.E. Johnson, or find him on FaceBook. You can even sign up for a chance to win an autographed copy of Motor City Shakedown (but act fast - deadline is 11/15!) and/or sign up for a chance to be a character in his next book (deadline is 12/31).

Michigander Monday: Wade Rouse

2011-11-07T00:01:00.159-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome Wade Rouse to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Wade, please tell us a little about yourself.

Wade: I am a bestselling humorist, whose work has been featured on NBC’s Today Show as well as on Chelsea Lately on E!. USA Today has called me “a wise, witty and often wicked voice,” and the Chicago Tribune’s Pulitzer Prize-winning cultural critic states that my memoirs are filled with “sparkling humor” and that everyone should “read Wade Rouse, especially if you value laughter and wisdom.” I am a regular contributor to Michigan Radio, one of the nation’s largest public radio stations, and live just south of Saugatuck-Douglas on three acres of pines and sugar maples in a knotty-pine cottage named “Turkey Run.” In fact, my partner and I fell so deeply in love with Michigan that we quit our jobs and moved (in the winter, no less!) from the city to more rural, small-town life (it’s the basis of my memoir, At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream). I am a huge runner, I love caffeine, wine, Kashi, lip shimmer, as well as Michigan’s beaches and unique resort towns. I do not love the snow, however. I tend to go all Shining after a few months. Most importantly, Writer’s Digest recently named me the #2 Writer, Dead or Alive, “We'd Love to Have Drinks With” (I was just behind Ernest Hemingway, and just ahead of Hunter S. Thompson). Depending on how you look at it, that’s either a wonderful honor or a very sad one. (Personally, I equate it with winning the Pulitzer, especially since I’ll never win a Pulitzer).

Debbie: Never say never! Wade, please tell us about your books.

Wade: I am the author of four critically acclaimed memoirs: America’s Boy (Dutton/2006), Confessions of A Prep School Mommy Handler (Harmony/2007), At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream (Harmony/2009), and It’s All Relative: 2 Families, 3 Dogs, 34 Holidays, and 50 Boxes of Wine (Crown/2011). My current book is the hilarious dog anthology, I’m Not the Biggest Bitch in This Relationship (NAL/2011), which features essays by some of America’s favorite humorists about their neurotic relationships with their dogs. I created and edited the project, and also contributed an essay. It features a Foreword by Chelsea Handler’s dog, Chunk, as well as nine New York Times bestselling authors and a Tony winner; and 50 percent of the book’s royalties are going to the Humane Society of the United States. I’m proud that my books have been national and IndieBound bestsellers, as well as “Books of the Year”, “Must-Read Picks” and “Breakout Books” by such places as Target, Barnes and Noble, (the former) Borders, Detroit Free Press, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chicago Public Radio, the Grand Rapids Press and the American Library Association. It’s All Relative will be released by Random House in paperback this February, and my first memoir, America’s Boy, is being reissued this fall, which thrills me to no end.

Debbie: What an amazing array of work! Do you have other books on the horizon?

Wade: Yes. A lot. I’m working on two memoirs, a novel and another “celebrity” anthology. In regard to the memoirs: My next book is entitled, THIS BLOWS! A Life, in Locks. It is what I’m calling the first-ever “hair-moir,” a memoir about my addiction to my hair (something to which I think most of us can relate). The book is a funny look at the styles – good, bad, sad – and Dippity-do’s and Dippity-don’ts of hair trends over the years. It’s also a deeper look at vanity and addiction, and the book juxtaposes my vanity against that of my mom, who had zero. As a hospice nurse who eventually battled cancer, she could have cared less how she looked, or whether she was wearing a wig. “A body is a body,” she always told me, “but a soul is a soul.” I’m also working on a book about our late mutt, Marge, titled One Final Walk: The Cross-Country, Ash-Scattering Odyssey of Two Men and the Rescue Dog Who Re-Taught Them to Laugh, Love and Live in the Moment. My partner and I are scattering Marge’s ashes in the 16 states she ever lived in, or visited, and recounting the lessons she taught to us. Michigan, of course, is featured prominently. It’s really a lovely tribute to her, and the power of animals, and loving unconditionally. I’m also working on a new celebrity anthology, which will also showcase humor to raise awareness, as well as a novel, both of which I’m playing close to the vest right now (although I’m not wearing a vest). I also speak and teach writing workshops around the country (http://www.wadeswriters.com/), am a regular contributor to Michigan Public Radio, and write two humor columns. I’m a busy boy, but I know it is a blessing to be doing what I love.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Wade: I just finished a nearly month-long tour (NYC, Chicago, Milwaukee, lots of stops around Michigan) for Bitch, but I do have a number of others scheduled here and around the country, including:

-November 10 at the Fennville Public Library at 7 p.m. (Reading/signing)
-November 18, Forever Books, St. Joseph, 6-8 p.m. (part of town’s luminary holiday festival; will be signing books)
-December 10, Writing Workshop "Facing Your Fear and Finding Your Voice" at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids -- for event details, click here; for registration info, click here

-December 17, Barnes and Noble, Holland, Noon (Reading/signing)

(For complete appearances info, please see Wade's appearances page on his web site.)

I’m also doing some national appearances, including the mega Pulpwood Queens’ Book Club 12th Anniversary Girlfriend Weekend from January 12-15 in Texas. I’m leading the Tulsa Writes! program (component of Tulsa Reads!) in April. And I’m also leading a three-day writer’s retreat in my hometown of Saugatuck from May 17-20. For more, folks can go to my web sites, waderouse.com and wadeswriters.com

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Wade: Michigan has been incredible to me: The readers, the fans, the booksellers, the libraries. I truly heart the Mitten. I hate to name one, as I’ve been to nearly every one of them, but here goes (and forgive me if I’ve forgotten to mention one): Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord; McLean and Eakin in Petoskey; Brilliant Books in Sutton’s Bay; Schuler Books in Grand Rapids and Lansing; Forever Books in St. Joe; Reader’s World (and Barnes and Noble) in Holland; Singapore Books in Saugatuck; Barnes and Noble (and MacKenzie!) in Rochester Hills; Common Language in Ann Arbor. I hope to visit Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor soon.

As for libraries, I adore the Grand Rapids Public Library. It is beautiful, the staff is amazing, and I love doing events there.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Wade: I love my hometown of Saugatuck-Douglas. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world, as is Oval Beach and our local dunes area. I adore the Leland/Sutton’s Bay area, as well as Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Wade: I live for the annual adult Halloween parade in Douglas. More fun than a human should have. I love the summer Ox-Bow artist events/auctions, where talented young artists get to showcase their work in Saugatuck. It’s perfection. I love the annual fall Blue Coast Artist tours in southwest Michigan as well as the annual Mt. Baldhead run here. And when they light the towns of Saugatuck-Douglas for Christmas, it is one of the most beautiful, special traditions I’ve ever experienced. Michigan has some amazing traditional events!

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Wade: I hope folks know the amazing author Bonnie Jo Campbell, as well as the wonderful writer Kris Riggle. I am a huge fan of local Saugatuck painter James Brandess and writer Jacqueline Carey, both of whom are hugely talented and nationally famed. Matt Balmer, the chef and owner at Everyday People Café in Douglas, is as creative and talented on a culinary level as they come. The owners of Evergreen Creamery, which makes the best goat cheese I’ve ever eaten, live around the corner from us. Uncommon Grounds in Saugatuck roasts the best coffee and makes the best lattes (Caramel Silk rocks!) anywhere. And Crane’s Pie Pantry and Orchard in Fennville is an institution: Go pick some apples or peaches, or just pick up a homemade pie. All of these folks make Michigan magical.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Wade: Perhaps the most stunning scenery in America. The most beautiful beaches, the most unique towns. And the state is home to some of the nation’s best colleges and universities. And the people: I’ve been blown away by their kindness, compassion, and love of Michigan. This is a special place, so do we really have to let others know?

Debbie: It's the best kept secret in the nation! Finally, last question: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally, are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Wade: Michigander. Totally. I was born in Missouri, so I was a Missourian. And I lived in St. Louis, so I was a St. Louisan. I went to grad school at Northwestern in Chicago, where I was a Chicagoan. Michigander just sounds right. Or maybe I’m just sick of being an “ian.” (And if any of you just said, octogenarian, I’m comin’ after you!)

Debbie: Non-octogenarian Michigander it is! Wade, thank you so much for joining us today for Michigander Monday.

To learn more about Wade and his books, stop by his web sites: http://waderouse.com/ and http://www.wadeswriters.com/ . And check out his blog at http://blog.waderouse.com/

Michigander Monday: Ron Riekki

2011-10-31T00:01:00.117-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Ron Riekki to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Tell us a little about yourself.

Ron:  Hi, my name is Ron Riekki and I'm pretty tall.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Ron: I just have one main book, a novel entitled U.P. It's done pretty well for a smaller press, Ghost Road out of Colorado. John Casey nominated it for the Sewanee Writers Series. Later it was also nominated for the Great Michigan Read series. And I have a couple of poetry chapbooks with Gypsy Daughter, both nominated for &Now Awards for Innovative Writing. Leave Me Alone I'm Bleeding is probably my favorite of the two. For playwriting, Ruckus Theater in Chicago did a great production of my play All Saints' Day and I also loved Circle Theatre's production of my play War.

Debbie:  Other books or projects on the horizon?

Ron: There are too many to list. I had a multi-book deal with Ghost Road, but that fell through. But I'm talking with Michigan State University Press, Northern Michigan University Press, and Wayne State University Press about a bunch of book projects that look like they are going to happen, so I'll be busy from now until 2016 or so with those. I just adapted Dandelion Cottage for Lake Superior Theatre. It looks like they'll be performing the adaptation next summer if all goes as planned. I have a publisher interested in the adaptation, so discussing that. In the interesting liminal stages for a lot of these projects. I'm doing another adaptation for another theater as well. And Stageworks/Hudson just did a great production of my play Carol. Then I have some TV and film things in the pipeline, but I don't like to talk about those too much until they're closer to coming to fruition. I'm repped by a great agency out of Beverly Hills for TV writing. I like them very much. And hope they read that I like them very much. Also, I have a thriller I've been struggling with that a literary agent wants to see when it's ready, but the key verb in this sentence is struggling.

Even more projects than the ones listed above.

I like to keep very busy in the writing world, but those are the things that immediately come to mind.

Debbie:  Upcoming appearances?

Ron: I have a couple of appearances in the Savannah, GA, area in November. I forget where, have to look them up. Appearing there with Chad Faries and Amy Lynn Hess, two great poets. Looking like maybe one or two in FL upcoming too, but will see. I'm on deadlines, so not a lot of time anymore to appear for things, especially if they're wanting me to do it for free. I have to focus my energies on completing the projects already underway. (Plus I'm directing a play in Ocala, FL, so my scale of busy-ness on a scale of one to ten is at an eleven right now.)

Debbie:  Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Ron: Peter White Public Library has always been nice to me. Bayliss Public Library too. A lot of libraries, actually. The Chicago Public Library was the first ever to host me for a reading, so I'm definitely thankful to them.

And Snowbound Books in Marquette has always been a big supporter of my novel. Aurora Books in Menominee too. And Safe Harbor Books. North Wind Books, Country Village. Too many stores to list. Polyester Books in Australia I have to mention too.

I really appreciate the stores that support Michigan writers. I once contacted Prairie Lights in Iowa City to see if I could set up a reading and the person who answered the phone said something along the lines of--nobody around here would care about a book set in the U.P. So thank God for the bookstores who do care about a book set there.

Debbie:  How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Ron:  Little Presque always comes to mind, but . . .

Last year I was driving with Steve Hamilton (great writer and an amazing human being) and he took me to this breathtaking beach near Paradise, Michigan. We were on our way to a reading and I couldn't help it--I had to jump in. It was just too beautiful not to swim. He basically had to call me back to shore and I ended up changing clothing really quickly at his friend's house and we still made the reading on time, just barely. But that was one of the best moments of my life. There's something about beautiful Michigan nature and being with a writer you respect that for me is just perfection. After a reading at Falling Rock Cafe and Bookstore in Munising (another store I love), I went canoeing with Jonathan Johnson (great poet and also an amazing person) and there was just a gorgeous calm to the air. That perfect U.P. summer air. Chad Faries was in a kayak circling us talking about his owl tattoo. Those were great moments, peaceful.

Debbie:  Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Ron: I've been Program Director for the U.P. Book Tour for the last two years. We appeared all over the U.P. last year--Houghton, Ishpeming, Negaunee, Sault Ste Marie, Menominee, Munising, Hancock, Baraga, Marquette, Escanaba, St. Ignace, Brimley, and a bunch of other towns. Those events have been incredible. In the Sault, the panel consisted of Steve, myself, Jonathan, Nancy Eimers, William Olsen, Jaswinder Bolina, and Keith Taylor. Those events are really fun, to get the best Michigan writers I know into one room like that. I'm excited for what's falling in place for next year's events, which are looking to be Jun 20 to Jul 7, 2012.

Debbie:  A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Ron: I've already named a bunch, but I think Matthew Gavin Frank is someone people should check out. He's a nice guy too. And Bamewawagezhikaquay. I don't think you can really be a Michigan writer until you've read her. She's so formative, necessary to know. I'm a big Neil LaBute fan. Philip Levine too. And Catie Rosemurgy is a pure Michigan writer to me. A lot of names I could name. A lot. I'll try to hold back though. Oh, five more and then I'll move on--Laura Kasischke, Ellen Airgood, Caitlin Horrocks, Beverly Matherne, Austin Hummell . . . Arnie Johnston, Donald Goines, Sam Raimi, Wayne Dyer, Stuart Dybek, John Smolens, Jen Howard, Carroll Watson Rankin, Melinda Moustakis, Nelson Algren . . . I can't stop. So many names people should know. Hell, Eminem, Gregg Alexander, MC Serch, Madonna, Aaliyah, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Iggy Pop while we're at it. And for sports journalism--Mitch Albom or even better yet Jim Lahde. That's for those out there who really know your Michigan sports journalism.

When you really look at it, the talent out of Michigan is incredible. I could make a full list that would make you think all of the best artists and writers from the country come from one state. Pure respect for the wolverine state . . .

By the way, buy Michigan books for upcoming Christmas presents! Keep it local. (If you have young daughters who behave, buy 'em Dandelion Cottage. If you have young sons who don't, buy 'em U.P.).

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Ron: We have amazing literature up here. Enough books about New York, especially people from New York who have nannies and visit India. I think after I read my 1000th book set in New York I started realizing this intense craving for books set where I grew up. So I started devouring Michigan authors and loved the connection I feel to the place as I'm reading. [Let me put it this way: I dislike New York pizza. Give me Tino's (in Negaunee) any day.]

Debbie: Finally, last question -- some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Ron: Yooper.

Debbie: Yooper it is! Ron, thank you for being here today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Ron, his books, and the U.P. author tour, please stop by his web site.

Michigander Monday: Dan Mulhern

2011-10-24T00:01:00.070-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Dan Mulhern to Michigander Monday! Dan is the author of Everyday Leadership and Be Real and the co-author, with his wife Jennifer Granholm, of A Governor's Story: The Fight For Jobs and America's Economic Future. Both will be appearing at the Schuler Books in Okemos this Friday and at the Michigan International Book Festival in Livonia on Saturday; details are below.

Debbie: Dan, please tell us a little about yourself.

Dan: I am the father of 3, sibling to 6 and husband of one. I am trained as a teacher and as a lawyer, but I have done many many things in my life – from working in steel mills to caddying; from being a teacher and youth worker, to being a campaign manager and a fundraiser. Most of my career I have been working in the field of leadership – helping to guide individuals and groups to lead as best they can. I have written two books about leadership, coached many executives and executive teams, and hosted a radio show called “Everyday Leadership.”

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about A Governor's Story.

Dan: Our book chronicles an amazing eight years in our lives. The “our” here is of course my wife, Governor Jennifer Granholm, but especially the people of Michigan who were struggling with our aching economy. We learned that the old ways in Michigan no longer work. That’s an easy sentence to write, but involved a huge number of painful truths for businesses large and small, for government, for labor unions, and for individuals and families. A Governor’s Story is very much an “inside look” from the Governor who wanted to fix everything and her relationship with the people who wanted her to fix everything. We tell the story of what it was like as Michigan faced first what the entire country is now facing: a stubborn lack of jobs, deficit-ridden budgets, and warring ideas about how to fix things. Jennifer and I have blended our perspectives – her analytical, systemic look at jobs and government, and my views as a leadership and business expert and a man cast in a whole new role – of supportive spouse and lead parent. We didn’t want to write a book that pretended that she knew everything and never made a mistake, but instead a very personal story of what it was like to lead in such difficult times. There is challenge and drama, but there are critical insights for this presidential race, and some real signs of hope for a revitalized economy. It’s also an inspiring story of a pretty amazing woman!

Debbie: Do you have other books on the horizon?

Dan: I am thinking hard about how to write a book about the enormous changes affecting boys and men. Hundreds of books have been written about “women’s liberation,” but few about men’s “confinement” let alone their liberation. I think it’s a great untold story which I and an increasing number of men have happily embraced. It’s a story we need to tell our boys.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Dan: A signing at the Okemos Schulers Oct 28 from 10:30am – 12pm (http://www.schulerbooks.com/event/book-signing-governor-jennifer-granholm-and-dan-mulhern-governors-story-okemos) and

A signing at the Michigan International Books Festival Saturday October 29 at noon (http://www.michiganinternationalbooksfestival.info/granholm).

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Dan: Jennifer (former Governor Granholm) and I spent many many “date nights” trolling through Schuler Books in Lansing, camping on the floor or in a great leather chair and reading. John King’s rare books is a blast and always deserves more time than we can give it. As a high school student I spent many hours doing debate research at the Southfield Public Library; since then it has been enlarged and it is a wonderful community gathering place.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Dan: Michigan’s governor has use of a wonderful “cottage” on Mackinac Island. I fell in love with Mackinac. With the trails that I grew to know very well, to the pier from which I jumped into frigid waters, and of course to the smell of fudge and horse droppings.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Dan: “The Joe” tops my list. Hockey is an amazing sport and Wings fans are completely into the game. Jeff Daniels’ Thanksgiving concerts and the Michigan Theater have been marvelous. But my fondest memories are the Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Run.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Dan: Jim Dreyer (yes, that’s his name) who was once afraid of water, but now owns multiple Guinness records, and has swam across all 5 of Michigan’s Great Lakes; he’s also a champion for Mentor Michigan. Joe Dumars is (like me) not “fun;” he’s a serious guy, but a fascinating person, smart, well-rounded, competitive and gentlemanly.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Dan: Our Lakes are for all practical purposes as large as oceans. Our beaches are as warm and wonderful as Florida’s. And we are both a kind and a diverse and soul-filled people.

Debbie: Finally, some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally, what’s the better term: "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Dan: If it’s good for the goose it’s good for the Gander!

Debbie: Michigander it is! We'll add it to our tally. Dan, thank you for being here today!

To learn more about Dan Mulhern, visit his web site, "Everyday Leadership." You can also find him on Twitter and on FaceBook.

Michigander Monday: Caitlin Horrocks

2011-10-17T00:01:00.052-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Caitlin Horrocks to Michigander Monday!! Caitlin is the author of the story collection, This Is Not Your City, and her stories and essays have appeared in numerous publications.

Debbie: Caitlin, tell us a little about yourself.

Caitlin: I grew up in Ann Arbor, moved away for college, then worked my way back to the state via Ohio, Arizona, England, Finland, and the Czech Republic. I moved to Grand Rapids four years ago to take a job teaching writing at Grand Valley State University, and I’ve enjoyed exploring the west side of the state.

As a kid, I was always reading, and I wrote my own choose-your-own-adventure stories and recorded fake radio shows with my sister. I took creative writing classes in college, but I kept thinking it was something I’d grow out of when I had a “real” career. But I kept writing, and while I was in graduate school I started sending my work out for publication. I got a lot of positive responses from literary magazine editors, and that helped me take myself more seriously as a writer. Some of the first stories I sent out ended up in my first book, This Is Not Your City, which came out this past July.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your book, This Is Not Your City.

Caitlin: The jacket copy says it like this: “Eleven women confront dramas both everyday and outlandish… in stories as darkly comic as they are unflinching, people isolated by geography, emotion, or circumstance cut imperfect paths to peace—they have no other choice.” The New York Times called it “appealingly rugged-hearted,” and I like that a lot. I’m definitely interested in characters who don’t always follow the better angels of their natures.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?
Caitlin: I’m working on a novel, but story ideas keep popping up to distract me.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?
Caitlin: In Michigan and elsewhere. For a current list, check out www.caitlinhorrocks.com/news.htm

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore?

Caitlin: My beloved neighborhood bookstore is Literary Life Bookstore in Grand Rapids. For used books, I could spend hours in Dawn Treader Book Shop in Ann Arbor.

Debbie: Fabulous bookstores, both! How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Caitlin: It’s impossible to pick one, but the Manistee National Forest, on Lake Michigan, is the site of my favorite camping memories. A childhood friend’s family began a camping tradition up there, renting group sites and inviting lots of people to join them for a week or a few days. The beach and dunes there are gorgeous, but I also loved seeing friends, year after year, as we all grew up together.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?
Caitlin: ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. It’s three years old this year, and worth travelling for. The downtown area fills with art, both giant installations and smaller pieces, and members of the public vote on their favorites. This results in plenty of grumbling about taste, but it also gives people the courage to feel like their opinion matters, like they’re “allowed” to have ideas about art, that it isn’t intended only for a particular museum or gallery-going crowd. It’s a very permission-giving sort of event, and it transforms the city for a few weeks each year.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?
Caitlin: One of my favorite Michigan writers is a children’s author, John Bellairs, who grew up in Marshall and wrote these wonderfully creepy, Gothic kids’ novels, some of which featured recognizably Michigan locations. If you’ve never read them, the fact that Edward Gorey did the illustrations will tell you a lot about their feel. Ander Monson decamped for Arizona a few years ago, but he still counts: he’s a Michigan native and amazing writer of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Overachiever! His wonderful story collection-slash-novel Other Electricities is set in the Upper Peninsula. I also really enjoy Peter Ho Davies’ fiction. He lives in Ann Arbor and teaches at the University of Michigan.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?
Caitlin: It’s so much more diverse, in every sense, than anyone outside the state imagines. We aren’t just a blown out tire and a rusty fence and a swath of wilderness. There’s a lot of life and a lot of beauty here, of all kinds.

Debbie: Agreed! Finally, some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: what’s the better term, "Michigander" or "Michiganian"?
Caitlin: Michigander. Which makes me think of geese, but still sounds better than the ungainly –ganian.

Debbie: Michigander it is! Caitlin, thank you so much for being here today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Caitlin, please visit her web site. For her upcoming appearances, be sure to visit her "News & Events" page.

Poetry Friday: Distraction

2011-10-14T04:46:00.017-04:00

Distraction

Early morning autumn. Leaves fall
from the tree in the moonlit yard. I haul
the front porch chair to the driveway for a better
listen. Ah, the crisp rustle of the changing season.
Ah, the clearing of my mind. I settle down,
content in my chair. Until

Off to the side, comes the snuffling of a
night creature. Raccoon, probably; groundhog,
perhaps; who the heck knows?
This is why I don’t go camping –
this mysterious, unsettling, unknown imposition
of the nocturnal world. And in an instant of
freshly caffeinated certainty, I’m suddenly
quite sure it must be…

A skunk.

A skunk that I will startle.
A skunk that by instinct shall spray me.
A skunk that will define
the rest of the day the week the month the year
oh it started so magnificently!
and ended so badly,
so godawful stinkin’ badly.

And so, slowly, I rise.
Even more slowly,
I backstep to the porch,
chair in hand.
Set the chair down.
Ease myself in
by the solid brick wall of the house.

And there I sit, in the moonlight shadow,
only half listening

to the fall of the leaves.

Michigander Monday: Scott Sparling

2011-10-10T00:01:00.082-04:00

I'm very pleased to welcome Scott Sparling to Michigander Monday! Scott, now of Oregon, hails from and regularly returns to Michigan; and much of his absorbing and compellingly written novel Wire to Wire occurs here in the Mitten state.

Debbie: Scott, tell us a little about yourself.

Scott: I grew up outside Jackson, Michigan, on a dead-end road near the Penn Central tracks. Jackson was a conservative town, but my family was not. Along with a friend, I co-founded the Jackson Moratorium Coalition during the Vietnam War. Outside a church in downtown Jackson, we read the names of 35,000 American soldiers who – at that point in the war – had been killed in Vietnam. That was not popular with city leaders.

I also hung out near those railroad tracks. With a different friend, I began riding freights across southern Michigan, and then from Ann Arbor up to Frankfort and Elberta. Soon we were riding to the southwestern states, up the Pacific coast to Seattle, and across the northern states to Minneapolis. Then all across Canada. We rode off and on for six or seven years.

During that time, a good friend built a house up near Maple City. Over the years, I’ve spent weeks and months living in his cabin, gathering notes and working on sections of Wire to Wire. I moved to Portland in 1989, where I live with my wife and my son who just started college. But I’ve been back to Michigan almost every year.

Debbie: Scott, please tell us all about your book.

Scott: I started writing fiction when I was 30. I thought I knew about a couple things that not everyone knew – riding freights, certainly, and Northern Michigan, which is pretty much a secret once you leave the area. I knew from the start that I had to write about those two things.

I’ve been very influenced by Robert Stone. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve read Dog Soldiers. Stone influenced me to write in third person at a time when first person narratives seemed to have much greater currency. I was also writing about white males in the Midwest at a time when the publishing world had just opened up – rightly and belatedly – to voices and characters from other cultures and other walks of life.

Those factors may have made it harder to sell Wire to Wire to a publisher, but the biggest obstacle was my own slow rate of learning. I understood sentences almost from day one. It took me years and years to understand story.

At one point, in 1993, I got my manuscript into Jim Harrison’s mailbox. I’d talked to Harrison briefly – I’d asked him to pass the mustard in the Sugarfoot Saloon up by Cedar, Michigan. He obliged, and so I thought he might be the kind of person who would enjoy getting an unsolicited manuscript in the mail. This turned out not to be true. Though he was actually fairly nice about it and even passed the manuscript on to his agent. They both said it was well written but didn’t have a sufficiently compelling story for an unknown author. It took me another decade or so to correct that. But I was also doing other stuff. My wife and I raised our son. I have a day job. I launched and still write Segerfile.com.

Now that it’s done, I think of Wire to Wire as literary fiction with elements of a crime novel plot. Michael Slater is a video editor with many problems: he has a metal plate in his head, he sees things that aren’t there, he’s hooked on speed. And he’s been wounded in love. All of this plays out on the screens in his edit suites.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Scott: I’ve finished the first draft of a book set in the Pacific Northwest, ostensibly about organ theft, but on a different level about moving on after loss, which to me is also what Wire to Wire is about. And I’ve written the first chapter of a novel set in Detroit. I’m not far enough along to know where that’s going yet.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Scott: I hope to be at the final Bob Seger concert in Detroit, whenever that occurs – maybe this December. Last July, I put 2,700 miles on a rented Dodge Avenger reading at 10 bookstores across Michigan. Nothing else is scheduled right now, but I hope to be back.

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Scott: The last I heard, my hometown of Jackson no longer has a bookstore, which is sad. The Jackson District Library, Carnegie Branch, where I read in July, is certainly my favorite library. It’s a great place – I spent a lot of time there as a kid.

My tour of Michigan bookstores introduced me to a lot of great stores, and I feel like I’d have to name them all. A person could hit my web page and see where I was in July, because I love all those stores. I even like the store that cancelled my reading after one bad review.

One thing I learned during that tour is what a strong connection indy bookstores have with their readers. Wire to Wire is selling and being read in Michigan in large part because indy bookstore owners have talked to their regular customers about it. I feel extremely grateful for that.

Debbie: Michigan does have some really amazing independent bookstores! How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Scott: There are a lot of places. I like standing at the end of Strathmoor Lane outside Jackson and trying to hallucinate the younger me carrying his lunchbox to the bus stop. There’s a place near the old dairy in Jackson where my father last spoke to me. The bar in Ann Arbor where I fell under Bob Seger’s spell. The Cabbage Shed bar in Elberta.

But if I had a Transport Button that would teleport me to any place in the world, it would be set to the Lake Michigan beach just north of Frankfort. I’d be waist deep in water. My friend T.L. would be there, maybe on the shore. He would have just thrown an orange ball in my direction and I’d see it arching across the blue sky. He’s thrown it a little too far. I’m going to have to jump to catch it, but I think I can reach it. That moment and that place is where I want to be.

Debbie: What an amazing image and memory, grounded so firmly in place.

Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Scott: Any place Bob Seger is playing. I’ve never been to the Kerrytown BookFest, but I hope I get to read there in the future.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Scott: Here are some photographers I admire: D. C. Jesse Burkhardt -- the guy I rode freights with. He’s published non-fiction books about his freight trips, but also has some beautiful photo books of trains. Tom Weschler is a great guy with fascinating stories of Seger’s early days. He and writer Gary Graff put out the Seger book, Travelin’ Man. I love talking music with Ken Settle, another great Detroit area photographer – his memory, sense of detail and perspectives are amazing. Last summer in Jackson, I met a young photographer named Nick Dentamaro whose photo galleries of the old Jackson prison blew me away.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Scott: The amazing number of great Michigan writers. And the beauty of Northern Michigan. I’m torn on this last one. Part of me wants to keep it secret.

Debbie: Totally understandable! Last question: some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: what’s the better term, "Michigander" or "Michiganian"?

Scott: I’m too old school to switch away from Michigander. But I think it sounds ridiculous. I never say it without making a joke about it. “From Michigan” is the only good alternative. I’m from Michigan. I like the sound of that.

Debbie: We'll add you to the "From Michigan" column! Scott, thank you very much for being here today!

To learn more about Scott Sparling and his novel, please visit his web site and blog. And for more about his book, Wire to Wire, click here.

Michigander Monday: Jane Shapiro

2011-10-03T00:01:00.071-04:00

I enjoy every single Michigander Monday interview I do, but I find it particularly wonderful when I get to interview members of my own writing group! Due to geography, Jane Shapiro is no longer an Attending Member at our critique sessions (the monthly commute from Oregon to Michigan would be a wee tad much...), but she remains a member in spirit, and a friend to us all. We're quite thrilled about her new book, Magic Trash.

Debbie: Jane, welcome!

Jane: I’m excited to be a guest on the blog of my past critique partner and continuing writing friend. And, of course, splashing in the same waters as Mr. Fish is quite a thrill, whatever his mood.

Debbie: Your Michigan-related book is out in the world now. What inspired this book?

Jane: My book, Magic Trash, A Story of Tyree Guyton and his Art, arrives in bookstores this month. What a ride this has been! The idea for a children’s book about Tyree’s work struck me seven years ago when I led tours as a docent at the Kresge Art Museum on the Michigan State University campus. Visitors, adults and children, gravitated to his workman’s lunchbox painted in an American flag design and locked in a birdcage.

Debbie: Then you approached the artist about a book?

Jane: Both Tyree and his wife and manager Jenenne Whitfield immediately agreed to a biography and have supported with enthusiasm the many versions and revisions.

Debbie: Would you tell us about the writing process for Magic Trash?

Jane: I wrote the first manuscript of Magic Trash in rhyme. Randi Rivers from Charlesbridge responded that she “loved” the story, but requested that I take it out of rhyme to develop the characters and also the setting. Well, writers will do a lot for the love of an editor. So, I added more of young Tyree and his Grandpa Sam and continued their relationship through the years in the city of Detroit. But wait, I kept the rhyming refrain.

http://www.charlesbridge.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=5408

Debbie: Have you visited Heidelberg in Detroit?

Jane: Yes, and now I consider The Heidelberg Project in Detroit to be one of my favorite places in Michigan. A picture from one day I spent there with Tyree is on my website:

http://www.jhshapiro.com/

In addition, a surprise about Michigan for people living elsewhere is that the city of Detroit is a wonderful place with great museums, four professional sports teams, restaurants, and much more. I’m looking forward to a visit to Detroit on October 14th for a jazz concert in honor of Heidelberg’s 25th anniversary. Earlier that day I'll be signing at the Wayne State Barnes and Noble from 1 to 3 PM. Tyree will join me there to sign from 2 to 3. Please, everyone, stop by if in the area.

Debbie: You’re still a Michigander at heart?

Jane: Michigan has been a place of wonder for me since I was a child in Indiana, spending part of each summer at the amazing Richelieu Lodge on Corey Lake in Three Rivers: turtle races, week-long shuffleboard tournaments, swimming, speed boating, water skiing (once), canoeing. Ahhh, summer meant Corey Lake and life there was all good, even when my older brother knocked me out of the shuffleboard bracket. Sadly, the lodge burned down some years ago. However, turtles probably flapped and snapped in relief that the races had ended.

Debbie: When did you become a resident of our wonderful state?

Jane: After college I moved to East Lansing, delivered my son at Sparrow Hospital, and remained there until a few years ago when I relocated to Portland, Oregon where my son and his wife delivered their first child this year.

During those years in East Lansing I earned a master’s degree in social work at MI State University, eventually working for the Department of Medicine. I sang in the chorus for MSU productions of Madame Butterfly, Fidelio, The Merry Widow and other operas, and I sang soprano in the fun a cappella group, The Silver Swan Singers, performing around Michigan including the annual Renaissance Festival.

Debbie: You had plenty to do already, but began writing for children?

Jane: When a family at the Department of Medicine requested a children’s book on von Willebrand disease, a bleeding disorder, I wrote my first picture book aided by grants, the expertise of publishing professionals at the university, and a tenor in the Swans who painted fabulous green dinosaurs. Of course, this was part of my job and the books were given to children and families. But I was hooked the moment I saw kids clutching and reading the book.

Debbie: And now you live in Oregon?

Jane: After my husband, a mathematics professor at MSU, retired, we decided to experience living in the Northwest. Now we stare with wonder at beautiful mountains, forests, and our new granddaughter. But we’ll always be Spartans, wherever we are, especially during college basketball season.

Debbie: Finally, for our ongoing tally: Michigander or Michiganian?

Jane: Definitely Michigander, and thanks for inviting me to Michigander Monday.

Debbie: Jane, it was truly my pleasure! Thanks for being here!

To learn more about Jane Shapiro, please visit her web site. You can find out more about The Heidelberg Project at this link, and about Tyree Guyton at this link. And be sure to stop by the Wayne State Barnes & Noble on October 14 for a joint appearance by Jane and Tyree!

Michigander Monday: Jerry Dennis

2011-09-26T00:01:00.075-04:00

I'm very pleased to welcome Jerry Dennis to Michigander Monday! His newest book, The Windward Shore, is just out this month and already a bestseller!

Debbie: Jerry, please tell us a little about yourself.

Jerry: Dangerous question! Whenever I do journalism, that’s the first question I ask the people I interview, because I know that they will 1) tell a LOT about themselves, and 2) tell stuff they didn’t intend to tell. But here goes: I’m a full-time writer (have been since 1986) because I know that if I had another job, even a few hours a week of honest manual labor for minimum wage, I’d be too lazy, self-indulgent, exhausted, resentful, and distracted to write much of anything. I need to feel that time is expanding endlessly around me so that when I enter my office in the stone hut in the morning and know that I have all day ahead with no chance of being interrupted, I might be able to silence the monkey chatter in my head and sink into the work. Happily married for many, many years to my best friend. Proud father of extraordinary sons, Aaron and Nick. Outdoorsman, reader, animal lover, former athlete turned sometimes ardent tv sports fan (baseball, hockey, football. And now, women’s soccer!).

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Jerry: Ten published, plus the new book just out. Subjects of books are like rooms in the mansion of the author’s life, each packed with overflowing boxes, swollen file cabinets, photos and art on the walls, miscellaneous oddities junk, all theme-based. In my case, the themes have been the sense of wonder and the complexity of life, canoeing, camping, fishing, wildlife, growing up on the water and in the woods of rural northern Michigan, natural phenomena of the sky, Leelanau County, the Great Lakes.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Jerry: The Windward Shore: A Winter on the Great Lakes is now out from the University of Michigan Press. It will be followed by a collection of essays about animals, their behavior, and our relationships with them, with stunning illustrations by Glenn Wolff. Also in progress: a sprawling inquiry into the idea of abundance in life. And a collection of short stories which I have been working on for two decades and have appeared in literary magazines at the break-neck pace of one every two years. And another collection of essays on nature.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Jerry: Many this fall. See my website (www.jerrydennis.net) or the University of Michigan Press for the schedule.

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan bookstore? Favorite Michigan library?

Jerry: I’m a hometown boy: favorite bookstore is Horizon Books in Traverse City. Vic and his staff embraced me when I was a punk first-time writer entering their store in 1986 with the news that my guidebook to canoeing in Michigan was about to be published, and they’ve embraced me and every one of my books ever since. Favorite library is Traverse Area District Library (the brilliant successor to the richly atmospheric Carnegie Library on Sixth Street where I composed some of my early work and where my young sons fell in love with books). A close second is Peninsula Community Library down the road from my house, which is staffed by lovely friends and fellow book-lovers.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Jerry: An embarrassment of riches! I’m prejudiced, of course, but I can never resist raving about northwest Lower Peninsula — the Lake Michigan shoreline and the dunes, the rivers and creeks, the rolling wooded hills, the swamps and bogs, the abandoned farmsteads turned wildflower meadows. When Gail and I need to get away we love the U.P., especially the Whitefish Point area and the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Jerry: First snowfall in November, when the landscape becomes monochromatic overnight. First blizzard. First scent of spring (usually, very faintly, in January). Maple syrup time in March. Morel mushrooms late April through May. Traditional trout opener last Saturday in April. Hawk migration at Whitefish Point in early May. Arrival of the neotropical songbirds in mid- to late-May. Bird camp in the U.P. in October with ten fellow writers (25 years and counting).

Debbie: What a great range of Michigan events and happenings! How about a few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Jerry: I have collaborated with three artists who continually inspire and delight me. They are northern-Michiganders by choice, but are known around the world:

-- artist/musician Glenn Wolff (www.glennwolff.com) whose illustrations have enriched my books immeasurably and whose fine-art enriches the world.

-- Ken Scott (www.kenscottphotography.com), whose unique vision and tireless work ethic have rewarded us with iconic images of Leelanau County that shatter all the easy, tourist-bureau snapshots.

-- Chad Pastotnik (www.deepwoodpress.com) whose astonishing letterpress creations may help ensure that the book as an object of art survives the digital age.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Jerry: That it’s an astonishingly rich and diverse place and there’s much more to it than you suspect.

Debbie: Agreed! Finally, some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Jerry: I’m definitely a Michigander.

Debbie: Jerry, we'll add you to the Michigander column! Thank you, so much, for being with us today.

To learn more about Jerry and his books, visit his website and his blog. And be sure to check his appearances list, as there's a good chance he'll be in a bookstore or library near you this fall!

Michigan Reads 2011: Devin Scillian's "Memoirs of a Goldfish"

2011-09-21T08:53:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of being involved with the Michigan Reads program. Each year, the Library of Michigan selects a children's book to be featured in schools and libraries throughout the state, in order to highlight and reinforce the importance of books and reading in the lives of children.

This year, the featured book is Memoirs of a Goldfish, written by Devin Scillian and illustrated by Tim Bowers. What a fun book!

Devin Scillian and Tim Bowers are touring the state this month and next, and will visit twelve public libraries and schools. To see if the tour is coming to your neck of the woods, check the MDE's page about the book and program.

I really love the Michigan Reads program - it's such a great resource for families, schools, and libraries. And it reminds us all that Michigan reads to its kids, and Michigan's kids read!

Michigander Monday: Loreen Niewenhuis

2011-09-19T00:01:00.075-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Loreen Niewenhuis to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Loreen, tell us a little about yourself.

Loreen: Well, I grew up in the greater Metro Detroit area (Plymouth and South Lyon), went to college in Grand Rapids (Calvin College) and Detroit (Wayne State), and now live in Battle Creek.

I pursued a life of science, getting a Bachelor, then Master of Science degrees. I worked in various aspects of that world including a hospital laboratory, basic animal research, and a bone marrow transplant group.

While taking a break from this work to raise my young sons, I began writing fiction. This evolved into a passion and I returned to school to get my MFA from Spalding University.

Many of my short stories have been published in literary journals and in 2009, my short story collection, Scar Tissue, was a finalist for the Flannery O’Connor Award.

From the time I was a young girl climbing sand dunes and splashing in its cool waters, I felt connected and drawn to Lake Michigan. In 2009 I had a midlife crisis that evolved into a midlife adventure and I hiked all the way around this Great Lake, a journey of 1000-miles!

Debbie: Wow - what a hike! Please tell us about your books.

Loreen: The account of my Lake Michigan adventure, A 1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach, was released in March 2011 by Crickhollow Books. It recently spent several weeks on the Heartland Indie Bestseller List!

My novella, Atlanta, was just released by Main Street Rag Publishing. I was at the Decatur Book Festival (in Georgia) to debut the novella this past Labor Day weekend.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Loreen: I am the finishing touches on a novel set in the medical world. It’s called Tumor Board. It has a unique, modular structure and I have had a lot of fun working on it.

Next year I will undertake another 1000-mile hike in the Great Lakes region that will allow me to touch all five Great Lakes.I’ll announce the details on my blog this fall (http://LakeTrek.blogspot.com).

Debbie: Both projects sound very intriguing and absorbing! How about upcoming appearances?

Loreen: MANY! Over the next month I’ll be in St. Louis, MO, and in Kalamazoo, Bangor, Mt. Pleasant, Lansing, and Romeo, MI (whew!). Please check my website for events booked through the end of the year: http://LakeTrek.com

Debbie: Do you have favorite Michigan bookstore?

Loreen: I am a huge supporter of Michigan’s indie bookstores and have been to MANY of them on my hike and book tour. We are fortunate to have so many indies in Michigan and I encourage everyone to support them by making their book purchases there. A few of my favorites are Brilliant Books (Suttons Bay), Mclean and Eakin (Petoskey), Dog Ears Books (Northport), and Black River Books (South Haven).

Debbie: I second your enthusiasm for Michigan's great bookstores! How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Loreen: I’m rather partial to Lake Michigan (ha!) and my favorite stretch of shoreline is the magnificent Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Debbie: What a lovely area of the state! Loreen, do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Loreen: Any sunset on Lake Michigan is one of the best shows you can see in this great state! Traverse City Film Festival is a LOT of fun after the sun goes down.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Loreen: Michigan writers have finally gotten the national recognition they deserve in recent years and I’d like to point out that two have been recently nominated for the National Book Award. Bonnie Jo Campbell was nominated for American Salvage, and Jaimy Gordon was nominated and won for Lord of Misrule.

Debbie: Michigan has so much writing talent! How about something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Loreen: I’ve heard that Michigan has the third-longest “sunset coast” in the nation (behind California and Alaska). The west side of Michigan’s lower peninsula has some of the most beautiful sandy beaches in the world.

Debbie: Last question: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: what’s the better term, "Michigander" or "Michiganian"?

Loreen: Michigander. Totally. Though it seems like we women in Michigan should be called Michigooses. Ha!

Debbie: Michigander (Michigoose!) it is! Loreen, thank you so much for being here today for Michigander Monday!!

To learn more about Loreen and her books, visit her web site, her blog, and her FaceBook page.

Michigander Monday: Jane Knuth

2011-09-12T00:01:00.071-04:00

This week I'm very pleased to welcome Jane Knuth to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Jane, please tell us a little about yourself.

Jane: I am from Kalamazoo, graduate of Kalamazoo College, '80. While raising my two daughters with husband, Dean, I began writing about my adventures volunteering in a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. These were published occasionally in magazines and the local Catholic paper. Oct. 2010 my first book, Thrift Store Saints: Meeting Jesus 25 Cents at a Time, was published by Loyola Press, Chicago.

Debbie: Please tell us about your book!

Jane: Thrift Store Saints tells stories of how a reluctant, middle-class mom, found herself volunteering in the heart of the inner-city, and all the amazing spiritual lessons that came with it.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Jane: Thrift Store Graces will be released March, 2012.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Jane: I recently spoke at the Annual Meeting of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Dallas, TX, Aug. 31. Next up is the A.M. Todd Rare Book Room, Kalamazoo College. Oct. 22 and 29, 10 a.m. also, Nov. 4, 4-8 p.m. I have other events in 2012, closer to the release date of the new book.

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan bookstore? And/or a favorite Michigan library?

Jane: Michigan News Agency, Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, Dean Hauk is an amazing owner! Also Saturn Books in Gaylord, Horizon Books in Traverse City and Cadillac, and Black River Books in South Haven have been very good promoters of Michigan authors like me. Schuler Books in Lansing bent over backward to put on a great author speaking event--they put books face-up on tables everywhere! I love the library in Constantine, Nottawa Township Public Library. They have started a very nice Michigan author speaking series.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Jane: Who doesn't love the Leelenau? Or anyplace along our beautiful coasts? But, this is shocking--downtown Detroit tugs at my heart. The Detroit Institute of Arts is fabulous, the Pewabic Pottery preserves a lovely side of Michigan's artistic history, and don't miss the Edsel Ford house. There is much, much more to see and enjoy in this classic American city.

Debbie: Very true! Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Jane: Since childhood, I have always loved to pick blueberries. Check out the blueberry festival in South Haven.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Jane: Ladislav Hanka, he mostly makes exquisite nature etchings, but he also writes and binds his own books occasionally. Bob Rowe has spent his career singing in hospitals and nursing homes. Most of us will inevitably hear his band some day. Lovely stuff.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Jane: Non-Michiganders need to be warned that the natives make an effort to be polite. People in Michigan wait in lines, give customers time to think, and buss their own tables. They rarely double-park, they give driving directions using north, south, east and west, and they don't put sugar in your tea without asking.

Debbie: Finally, some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Jane: Michigander.

Debbie: We'll add you to the Michigander column!

Jane, it was lovely to have you here with us today. Thank you!

Kerrytown BookFest This Sunday!

2011-09-08T14:29:00.000-04:00

I'll be at the Kerrytown BookFest in Ann Arbor on Sunday the 11th, doing a story time in the children's tent at noon and again at 12:30.

The rest of the time I'll be wandering around in fangirl mode, because there's an amazing line-up of authors and book people slated to appear. Click here for the full list of participants.

For the event schedule, click here.

Hope to see you at the Kerrytown BookFest!

Michigander Monday: Jannie Ho

2011-09-05T00:01:00.063-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Jannie Ho to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Jannie, tell us a little about yourself.

Jannie: My name is Jannie Ho (pronounced Jane-nee) and I've been a children's book illustrator for over 5 years now. I studied illustration at Parsons School of Design. I worked as a designer and an art director for various publishing houses before following my dream as a children's book illustrator. I moved from New York to Ann Arbor 2 years ago when my husband got a post doctoral position at the University of Michigan.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books!

Jannie: The Haunted Ghoul Bus and The Great Reindeer Rebellion, both written by Lisa Trumbauer, published by Sterling, are some of the first books I've illustrated. I've also illustrated many board books, the most recent being What Does Cow Say?, written by Joan Holub, published by Cartwheel books.

Debbie: Other books and projects on the horizon?

Jannie: I have a picture book coming out in September, Road Work Ahead, written by Anastasia Suen and illustrated by me. Its published by Viking and its filled with fun transportation and road work vehicles, which I hope to be a hit with boys (and girls too!) And a fun Halloween book- Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes written by Michael Teitelbaum, published by HarperFestival.

Debbie: Jannie, do you have a favorite Michigan library?

Jannie: The AADL (Ann Arbor District Library) is absolutely amazing. I can't rave more about it. They have incredible events and workshops that are fun for all ages. Its been a great venue for me to meet new people and learn new things.

Debbie: How about a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Jannie: This past summer, I participated in Kids Read Comics, a free event celebrating the art of comics, that was held in Chelsea. It was inspiring to meet other professional and young artists alike. It was also a great event to meet writers, librarians, and teachers too!

Debbie: Jannie, thank you so much for joining us today!

To learn more about Jannie Ho and her books, visit her web site and her blog. And look for her books at your favorite library or bookstore!

Libraries after Irene

2011-09-02T09:25:00.000-04:00

The American Library Association has a rundown of libraries affected by Hurricane Irene. Amongst the libraries is the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay, NY, which lost nearly its entire children's collection, including every single picture book.

Author Kate Messner has information about how you can help rebuild the library's collection (through monetary or book donations - see details in her post) and/or help with an upcoming silent auction fundraiser (they're looking for donations of original children's book art and also signed copies of children's books).

Please help if you can. Thank you!

Michigander Monday: Dr. Howard Markel

2011-08-29T00:01:00.108-04:00

I'm very pleased this week to welcome Dr. Howard Markel to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Tell us a little about yourself.

Dr. Markel: I was born in Michigan and have lived nearly my entire life here, with the exception of seven years in Baltimore and a year or so in New York City. After earning my Bachelor of Arts and Medical degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, I was in Baltimore to complete my medical internship and residency in pediatrics and doctorate in the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins University. As much as I loved the experience, I guess I’m a Michigander at heart, because I came back to the University of Michigan Medical School as an assistant professor in 1993, and I’ve been here ever since. Today, I’m the George E. Wantz, M.D. Distinguished Professor of the History of Medicine and the Director of the U-M Center for the History of Medicine. I hold additional professorships in pediatrics, history, psychiatry, and health management and policy.

As a scholar and historian I have published widely on a broad range of topics, but have especially focused on the social history of epidemic disease including the cholera pandemic of 1892-3, trachoma and typhus in the early 20th century, and the influenza pandemics of 1918 and 2009-2010. With regard to that last topic, I served as an influenza consultant to the White House in 2009, and have served as a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on pandemic influenza planning since 2006.

Aside from frequently publishing in medical journals, I am a regular contributor to the New York Times and contribute a monthly segment called “Science Diction” on National Public Radio’s Science Friday, where I discuss the often surprising history and evolution of scientific and medical terms. In 2008, I was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, which is an independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public.

Debbie: What an amazing range of research, work, and publishing! And, of course, we want to know all about your latest book.

Dr. Markel: An Anatomy of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, and the Miracle Drug Cocaine is the story of two medical giants who happened to abuse cocaine. Freud, of course, is the father of psychoanalysis, while Halsted, who is less well known to the general reader, was the father of modern surgery. Both experimented with cocaine to help others. Freud hoped it would cure a dear friend of morphine addiction, and Halsted believed cocaine was destined to be the world’s first truly effective local anesthetic. Both used themselves as guinea pigs, and were soon ‘hooked.’

Through their shared addiction, Freud and Halsted are tragic figures, but the sum of their life achievements makes them heroes. Freud never used the drug intravenously, and very likely overcame his addiction just as he started developing the therapeutic process we know as psychoanalysis. Halsted wasn’t as lucky. He used cocaine and morphine intravenously for the rest of his life, and underwent the personality changes and alienations we now associate with the addiction process. His iron will to develop new and better surgical techniques, and to teach these to students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was strong enough to insure that he confined his addictive excesses to times away from the hospital.

Debbie: What an extraordinary book! Other books or projects on the horizon?

Dr. Markel: As a matter of fact, I’m now researching someone who had a huge role in Michigan’s history—John Harvey Kellogg. He was a Battle Creek physician, breakfast food inventor, and international personality. If his name sounds familiar, perhaps it’s because his brother Will Keith Kellogg founded the breakfast cereal company Kellogg’s of Battle Creek—but you’ll have to read my new book when it’s published in a few years to learn more about the Kellogg brothers and the famous doings of the Battle Creek Sanitarium.

Debbie: Can't wait to read it!! How about any upcoming appearances?

Dr. Markel: I have five appearances in Michigan this fall:

September 8, 7 p.m., Nicola’s Books
Westgate Shopping Center, 2513 Jackson Avenue, Ann Arbor

September 12, 7 p.m., Ann Arbor District Library
Downtown Library, Multi-Purpose Room, 343 South Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor

October 12, 5:30 p.m., Author’s Forum, The University of Michigan
Hatcher Graduate Library, Gallery in Room 100, Ann Arbor

November 8, 7:30 p.m., JCC of Greater Ann Arbor Book Festival
2935 Birch Hollow Dr., Ann Arbor

November 13, 5 p.m., 60th Annual Jewish Book Fair of Metro Detroit
D. Dan and Betty Kahn Building
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
600 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield

I have others scheduled around the country, and the best way to stay in touch with all my appearances is through my website http://www.howardmarkel.com/ and FaceBook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Howard-Markel/152545694809469

Debbie: Favorite Michigan library or bookstore?

Dr. Markel: My favorite bookstore is John K. King, Used and Rare Books, which is located on West Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit. Anyone who loves old books should make the trip to John King’s – it’s one of the best used/rare bookstores in the world.

The Hatcher Graduate Library here at the University of Michigan is my favorite library. I spent a lot of time at Hatcher over my eight years as an undergraduate and medical student. During that period of my life, it seems as if I was always either studying or reading in the stacks.

Debbie: From my U-M days, I fondly remember the Grad Library! Terrific library facility. How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Dr. Markel: Would it surprise you if I answered Ann Arbor? I’ve spent much of my youth and adult life here, and I am still finding new and fun things to do, and intellectual experiences to appreciate. I think it’s the most culturally interesting city in the state, and it sets a certain rhythm to life that I find very satisfactory. That being said, Mackinac Island is appealing to me for its wonderful historical venues.

Debbie: Both wonderful places! Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Dr. Markel: My favorite event was here in Ann Arbor, the University Musical Society’s May Festival but sadly the last one was held in 1995. This multi-day festival started in 1894 and, sooner or later, most world-class orchestras and soloists performed for the festival. By the 1990s, times had changed and it was hard for both orchestras and ticketholders to commit to four performances in four days. I can’t think of any event or happening in Michigan that’s been able to replace it for sheer talent and memorable performances.

I’m a Detroit Tigers fan, so I can’t pass up the opportunity to attend as many home games as I can. Among the most memorable have been the 2006 playoffs (both the Yankees and the Oakland series) and the World Series (in which we were decimated by the Cardinals). Back when I was in medical school, I even slept outside the old Tiger Stadium to get tickets for the last two games of the 1984 World Series, in which we decimated San Diego!

Debbie: That's dedication to your team! How about something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Dr. Markel: Come and visit. We won’t bite!

Debbie: Very true! Finally... Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander or "Michiganian?

Dr. Markel: When I need to identify where I am from, the first term that comes to mind is “Detroiter”. I was born in Detroit—at Harper Hospital—and grew up in suburban Oak Park and Southfield. During medical school, I lived for a year on the campus of the Henry Ford Hospital. I have a lot of affection for Detroit and its environs. Detroit and its cultural zeitgeist shaped my world view. If this isn’t an old saying, it ought to be: You can take the boy out of Detroit, but you can’t take Detroit out of the boy!

Debbie: Detroiter it is! Thank you, Dr. Markel, for being here today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Dr. Howard Markel and his books, stop by his web site. And be sure to attend one of his upcoming appearances, listed above.

Michigander Monday: Camille Noe Pagán

2011-08-22T00:01:00.078-04:00

I'm very pleased to welcome Camille Noe Pagán to Michigander Monday!! I had the pleasure of briefly meeting her at one of her recent book signings, and not only is she a talented writer, she's a friendly and delightful person. Great to have her here with us today!

Debbie: Camille, tell us a little about yourself.

Camille: I was raised in Dearborn, Michigan and attended the University of Michigan (on accident, really; they offered me a full scholarship and that ended my thoughts on getting out of town). When I graduated, I attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course, which is a six-week boot-camp for publishing hopefuls (now offered at Columbia in NYC), then moved to New York and found work at a magazine. I worked for an editor for several years, then made the leap to freelance writer in 2004, and haven't looked back since. I write for consumer magazines like Parade, SELF and O, primarily about nutrition and health, and in 2009 I sold my first novel, The Art of Forgetting, to Dutton; it was published this June. I moved from Brooklyn to Ann Arbor last summer so I could raise my two children closer to my family.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your book!

Camille: The Art of Forgetting is about two long-time friends—who grew up in Michigan and moved to New York City to start their adult lives—and how their friendship is upended after one of them suffers a brain injury that affects her memory and personality. The Chicago Tribune says "Pagan writes with both a subtle sense of humor and great wisdom about the power of friendship and the importance of forgiveness in her quietly compelling literary debut."

Debbie: Other books and projects on the horizon?

Camille: I'm hard at work on my second novel! I'm also taking on regular journalism stories and writing for SvelteGourmand.com, a site I co-founded in 2009 with my friend and colleague Sara Reistad-Long.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Camille: None, thank goodness! I have a seven-month-old and a three year and just finished my mini book tour. I'm exhausted and really looking forward to digging into my next book.

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan bookstore? A favorite Michigan library?

Camille: The Borders in downtown Ann Arbor has always been a favorite; I've been going there as long as I can remember and I'm so sad that the company went out of business. As for libraries, the Dearborn Public Library system made me a reader (I went to all of the branches regularly as a child and later as a young adult) and it will always have a special place in my heart.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Camille: My family goes up to a little town in the Upper Peninsula called Curtis. It's almost impossible to get an internet connection and there's nothing going on up there—it's beautiful and remote.

Debbie: Sounds wonderful! Camille, do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Camille: The Ann Arbor Art Fair! I was so bummed that I wasn't able to attend it this year.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Camille: We live in a fantastic neighborhood in Ann Arbor called Lower Burns Park, and our one-block street is very close—we have regular Friday night potlucks. At one of these get-togethers, my husband mentioned that he'd picked up this little physics book in Spanish when we were in Argentina a few years back. The neighbors who live directly across from us looked shocked and asked the name of the book. Low and behold, the husband of the two - Alberto Rojo - had written it! We hadn't made the connection, and we still can't believe what a crazy coincidence it was. As it turns out, in addition to being a physics whiz, Alberto is also an amazing guitarist, and his CD is worth checking out. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/albertorojo

Debbie: Definitely a CD worth giving a listen to! How about something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about our state?

Camille: The best Lebanese food in the entire country can be had in Wayne County, Michigan. My favorites are Sheesh (http://www.annarbor.com/restaurants/sheesh-mediterranean-cuisine/) in Ann Arbor and Al-Ameer (http://www.alameerrestaurant.com/) in Dearborn Heights.

Debbie: Sounds delicious! Finally, some residents of Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: Are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Camille: I'm a Michigander, always. :)

Debbie: Michigander it is! Thank you, Camille, for joining us today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Camille Noe Pagán and her debut novel The Art of Forgetting, visit her web site. And be sure to check out her Svelte Gourmand site as well!

Michigander Monday: Howard Binkow

2011-08-15T00:01:00.047-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Howard Binkow to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Howard, tell us a little about yourself and your books.

Howard: I was born in Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan. I started writing and publishing late in life. I am now the CEO of the We Do Listen Non Profit Foundation and devoting my life to help children. A group of us have created the Howard B. Wigglebottom series of picture books and songs. They are helping young children become better listeners, learn important life lessons and feel good about themselves. Lessons like anger management, telling the truth, moderation, dealing with divorce, peer pressure, bully issues, learning disorders and the power of giving. Our next book, Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship: Winning Isn’t Everything will be available later this year.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Howard: It’s important for me to have direct contact with our readers. I travel around the country and visit elementary schools to spend quality time with the children. Schools interested in a free author visit should contact me at http://www.wedolisten.com.

Debbie: Favorite things about Michigan?

Howard: The best thing about Michigan is the people. Most of my close friends are Michiganders (or is it Michigoosers?). I know I am painting this with a large brush but us hicks from the Midwest have some values I really like. My theory is that because there aren’t as many things to do as other places, those of us from Michigan have more time to think about the benefits of being truthful.

I remain a loyal Michigan football fan even when they experiment with new coaches. My favorite bookstore was the Borders in Ann Arbor. My favorite place in Michigan is Harbor Springs. My favorite event is the Fourth of July parade in Harbor Springs. My two all-time favorite Michigan restaurants are Julierettes in Harbor Springs and Lafayette Coney Island in Detroit.

We love to hear from children, their parents and teachers. I can be contacted through our website, http://www.wedolisten.com/.

Debbie: Howard, thank you so much for being with us today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Howard Binkow, his books, and his school programs, visit the We Do Listen web site.

Michigander Monday: Doc Fletcher

2011-08-08T00:01:00.072-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome Doc Fletcher to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Doc, tell us a little about yourself.

Doc: I was born in Detroit, graduated H.S. in Temperance MI, and earned my Bachelor's in Business Administration at EMU. Maggie and I were married along the banks of the Huron River where it flows through Riverside Park in Ypsilanti (you can see that my affinity for rivers has been around for awhile).

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books!

Doc: I've had 3 books published by Arbutus Press (1) Weekend Canoeing in Michigan, (2) Michigan Rivers Less Paddled, and (3) Canoeing and Kayaking Wisconsin. These 3 books are based on 62 river trips that I've taken in MI and WI between 2007 - 2010.

Each river gets its own chapter which consists of 3 parts: (1) the outline of a day trip down the river, usually 2-4 hours; I assign a degree of difficulty to the day trip based on the experience level required to paddle the river; the trip is measured in minutes and miles from starting point to end point; minutes and miles are also noted from start to various landmarks along the way to let you know how you're progressing against the trip's total time, (2) history of a nearby riverside town; in the case of the two MI books, the "Town" section begins by telling you where to turn the dial to find the local Detroit Tiger radio affiliate so that you can listen to the Boys of Summer while paddling rivers far from home and (3) each chapter concludes by directing you to an old time tavern in the town, a place where you can relax with food and drink after your day on the water.

My books are available at bookstores across MI and WI, from small town independents to chain stores, as well as at dotcoms including my website www.canoeingmichiganrivers.com.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Doc: So Many Michigan Rivers, So Little Paddling Time will be released in December of this year with the same rivers-towns-taverns format as the first 3 books.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Doc: Wednesday, Sept. 28, 7PM at the Woodmere Library in Traverse City

Thursday, September 29, 7PM at the Alpena County Library in Alpena MI

Tuesday, October 18, noon at the Mott Community College Library in Flint MI

Tuesday, November 1, 6PM at the Hackley Library in Muskegon MI

New dates are added to my website "Calendar" section as they are scheduled.

At each of these appearances (free to attendees) I present an hour-long photographic journey down selected rivers from my books, kind of a virtual tour on dry land. Afterward, we hold a drawing (entering is free) where one winner receives a canoe/kayak livery gift certificate good for a day trip down a Michigan river. For those interested, I sign and sell copies of my books.

Debbie: Favorite Michigan bookstore? Favorite Michigan library?

Doc: Among many great bookstores, my current favorite is Black River Books in South Haven.

My favorite library is the Sandburg Library in Livonia run by a dear friend, Ms. Toni LaPorte.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Doc: My Northville home 'cause that's where Maggie is.

Debbie: That's probably the sweetest answer ever to that question! :) How about a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Doc: Paddling rivers in the high water speed of Spring or during the gorgeous color season of Fall is always special....

Crossing the Big Mac into the U.P. is good for the soul each and every time it happens...

The Quiet Water Symposium, held each year the first Saturday of March, is a wonderful opportunity each year to connect with fellow passionate paddlers and get your mind into the rivers...

and, of course, the Opening Day of the Detroit Tigers, our fantastic harbinger of Spring.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Doc: Gloria Miller is an 85-year young kayaker and conservationist, President of Friends of the Looking Glass, a gorgeous river near Lansing. Gloria paddled all 225 miles of the 13-day "Grand Expedition" in 2010, an amazing person and an inspiration to all who meet her. [Ed. Note: Articles about Gloria Miller available here and here.)

Debbie: She sounds like a remarkable woman!

Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Doc: Read one of John Voelker's, aka Robert Traver's, books and fall in love with Northern MI, especially the U.P. Take the time to paddle the Fox, the Pere Marquette, the Carp, or canoe the Two Hearted River right into Lake Superior, and you will come back again and again to this beautiful state.

Debbie: Final question: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Doc: I use both names, but Michigander more often.

Debbie: We'll add you to the "Mostly Michigander" column! Doc Fletcher, thank you so much for being here today!

To learn more about Doc Fletcher and his books, visit his web site. And then jump in your canoe and enjoy one of Michigan's many wonderful rivers!

Babble Book List

2011-08-06T17:19:00.000-04:00

Melissa Taylor, of Imagination Soup, has a "100 Best Children's Books" list over on Babble. She was kind enough to include The Pout-Pout Fish. It's in the Toddler Books category. Thanks, Melissa!

Be sure to head over to Babble and check out the rest of the list.

Nancy Shaw and Shutta Crum reading and signing

2011-08-05T09:44:00.000-04:00

If you're in the Northville area tomorrow, you can catch two of my favorite children's book authors at a reading and signing.

Nancy Shaw and Shutta Crum will be doing a short reading and a book signing at the Next Chapter Bookstore and Bistro, as part of the Buy Michigan Now Festival.

They will start at 10:30 for 30 minutes or so of stories and talk. Then they'll be signing books until noon.

Hope you go -- Shutta and Nancy are not only totally talented, they're also wonderfully nice. You should go see them!

Michigander Monday: Sharon Kegerreis and Lorri Hathaway

2011-08-01T00:01:00.140-04:00

I'm pleased this week to welcome Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis to Michigander Monday. Today marks the first Michigander Monday Q&A to include a wine recommendation. I'm thinking of adding it to my standard Qs!

Debbie: Tell us a little about yourselves.

Lorri: Growing up on Leelanau Peninsula gave me the appreciation for Michigan and all it has to offer. (OK, so it wasn’t until I was adult that I really appreciated it, but I got to this point nonetheless!) After getting a business degree from Central Michigan University, I became a commercial real estate broker, a position I greatly enjoyed until I became a mom. I decided to chuck the corporate world to stay home with my babies and began to focus on writing and photography. Before kids, I had traveled to Europe several times and saw amazing landscapes and realized that Michigan has that, too. I also began to explore the wines and foods here and was amazed that Michigan was producing great wines and growing great agriculture. Today, I live in East Lansing with my husband and four kids and continue to write and take photographs, mostly inspired by our Great Lakes state. I also travel the state with Sharon giving presentations on Exploring Michigan Wineries, the History of Michigan Wines and Michigan Agricultural Experiences.

Sharon: I enjoyed an idyllic childhood in Charlevoix on Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan. Throughout my youth, my parents instilled in me a love of adventure and travel. After earning a communications degree from Central Michigan University, I moved to Colorado to start my public relations career and ski. After two years working in radio and television, I moved to California and worked in PR in the high-tech industry for five years. Travel experiences in the U.S., Latin American and overseas reinforced my love for travel – and a new appreciation for Michigan’s four seasons, fresh water lakes, rivers, rolling hills and beauty to which I returned in 1997. I love travel, local wines (Michigan wines and wines from whichever region I am visiting), real maple syrup, fresh blueberries and grilled whitefish, and am an aspiring gardener, outdoor enthusiast, writer and photographer. I live in charming Chelsea with my husband and two girls.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books!

Lorri and Sharon: From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries is a full-color, hardcover book that takes you to wine country before you visit, introducing you to many of the winemakers and more than 50 agricultural destinations. It is divided into four wine trails and beyond, making it easy to plan your route to visiting a handful of tasting rooms at a time. Many readers take the book along to the tasting room and collect winemaker signatures on the various pages. It’s great for first-time tasters to wine enthusiasts, travelers and anyone passionate about Michigan. This was our first book, and we were so excited when it won the 2008 Michigan Notable Book award.

The History of Michigan Wines: 150 Years of Winemaking along the Great Lakes provides insight into Michigan’s rich wine history, which ignited in 1863 along Lake Erie with the state’s first commercial tasting room. Highlighted are the rollicking era of Prohibition and a raid on red wine in the Upper Peninsula that garnered national headlines, and the surprising wine industry boom of the 1930s in Detroit, following Michigan’s repeal of Prohibition. The book takes you through the decades to present day, showcasing both historic and modern photographs.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Sharon and Lorri: Yes, we are currently working on a book about Michigan agriculture called Delicious Michigan. We’re very passionate Michiganders and love supporting “all things Michigan.” We’re excited for its release in the spring so that we can share info about all the exciting things grown in our Great Lakes state.

Debbie: Sounds like a great book - can't wait to see that! How about any upcoming appearances?

Lorri and Sharon: Yes, we are presenting at:

Saturday, August 6, 2011
TawasUncork'd and Untap'd
Tawas, Michigan
12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Celebrity wine pouring and book signing

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Bronson Place

Kalamazoo, Michigan

2:00 p.m.

Presentation and book signing

Sunday, August 21, 2011

PentwaterPublic Library

Pentwater, Michigan

2:00 p.m.

Presentation and book signing

Saturday and Sunday, September 25-26

What’sCooking Detroit Food and Wine Celebration

The Palace of Auburn Hills

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Presentations and book signing

Debbie: Favorite Michigan library or bookstore?

Lorri: The East Lansing Public Library has wonderful children’s programs. And, a huge bonus for us is that my daughters’ former preschool teacher, Mrs. Thode, works there, making it an extra special visit.

Sharon: My favorite bookstore is Round Lake Bookstore in Charlevoix for its quaint, small town appeal, diverse fiction and nonfiction book selection and personable owner. I have two favorite libraries: the Charlevoix Public Library, which is in my old middle school that has been renovated and adapted to its new use. The library features a charming section for children and lovely outdoor garden. I also love the Chelsea District Library for its friendly staff and creative programs for children, teens and adults. Both libraries feature stunning outdoor artwork, connecting art and nature with literature.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Lorri: I love the Empire Bluffs. The views are just as amazing as anywhere in the world, and the lake breeze is so refreshing. Glen Lake is my favorite lake. I also love having dinner in Detroit’s Greektown.

Sharon: I can easily spend hours walking along the dunes and flora of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, particularly along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire, along Lake Michigan in Charlevoix and at the Grand Sable Dunes in Grand Marais along Lake Superior. I also enjoy experiences in Detroit’s sports arenas and theaters, and Grand Rapids’ vibrant downtown.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Lorri: I rarely miss the Leland Wine Fest on the second Saturday in June. The fest itself is great, but I mostly enjoy sitting on the deck next to the waterfall at Ric’s Cafe and having dinner at The Bluebird. Art’s Bar in Glen Arbor at midnight on New Year’s Eve is another annual tradition.

Sharon: Growing up fifty miles south of the Mackinac Bridge, I enjoyed jaunts to Mackinac Island nearly every summer as a child. A tradition my family now enjoys is our annual trek to the island, which consists of riding around the 9-mile island on our bikes and rewarding ourselves with several slabs of fudge. It’s the one time of the year we wholeheartedly embrace our inner Fudgies. Favorite festivals include Charlevoix’s Venetian Festival for the lighted boat parade and fireworks extravaganza and Chelsea’s Sounds & Sights Festival – three nights of music and dancing under the big tent.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Lorri: Michigan doesn’t get enough credit for how beautiful it is with its gorgeous coastline of massive freshwater lakes surrounding two peninsulas. We are also the second most agriculturally diverse state, and wine is one of our top commodities. With a rising trend for agricultural experiences, Michigan is one of the best places to achieve that.

Sharon: Michigan offers abundant world-class culinary and agricultural destinations and diverse recreational options. It’s easy to unwind here thanks to the lake breezes, sandy beaches, bucolic scenery, award-winning wines and creative food artisans. Water and hills abound for kayaking, fishing, hiking, skiing and snowshoeing.

Debbie: Some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you "Michiganders or "Michiganians?

Lorri: Oh, no question at all on that one! I’m definitely a Michigander! I’m not really sure what a Michiganian is.

Sharon: Michiganian-who? I am a proud Michigander.

Debbie: I'll add you both to the Michigander column! Finally, a bonus question: I’m not knowledgeable about wines, but I do very much enjoy red wines that are dry and a bit murky. Any particular wine you’d recommend for me to give a try to?

Lorri: Hmm.... I’m not sure I should refer to anyone’s wine as “murky,” but certainly for some dry, deep wines, try any at Brys Estate. They make delicious reds. Many other wineries do as well. The best way to taste wines is at a wine tasting where you can try small sips to find something you love.

Sharon: In addition to Brys red wines, try Domaine Berrien Cellar’s Crown of Cabernet or Syrah.

Debbie: Thank you for the recommendations! (And I promise not to use the word "murky" anymore to describe a wine...) It's been a pleasure to have you both here for Michigander Monday - thank you!

To learn more about Lorri and Sharon and their books, visit their web site Michigan Vine / Delicious Michigan. Their site also includes a schedule of appearances. And you can find them on FaceBook.

Summer Beach Reading

2011-07-27T14:06:00.000-04:00

Mr. Fish is tickled to find himself on a "Best Beach Reads" list! Over on The Children's Book Review, Bianca Schulze has recommendations for summer reading, including The Pout-Pout Fish In The Big-Big Dark. Thanks, Bianca!

Michigander Monday: Andrea King Collier

2011-07-25T00:01:00.068-04:00

This week I'm pleased to welcome writer Andrea King Collier to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Andrea, tell us a little about yourself.

Andrea: I am a full-time journalist and book author. I have been doing my thing for the past 25 years. I am the mother of two adult children, and three if you count my husband of almost 30 years. I also teach writing.

Debbie: And, of course, we want to know all about your books.

Andrea: I have two books, Still With Me...A Daughter's Journey of Love and Loss, now available on Kindle. It is about mothers and daughters and the ties that bind us. And The Black Woman's Guide to Black Men's Health, from Warner Wellness. I am also in the anthology Fits, Starts and Matters of the Heart from Freelance Success.

Debbie: Other books or projects on the horizon?

Andrea: First novel. Coming out in Fall. Also a book of essays on turning 50.

Debbie: Congratulations on both! How about upcoming appearances?

Andrea: None until the Fall. Taking the summer off.

Debbie: Favorite Michigan bookstore? Favorite Michigan library?

Andrea: I love the East Lansing Public Library. I adore Everybody Reads in Lansing. All the Schuler's--gotta plug the indies.

Debbie: How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Andrea: My house. It is what keeps me coming back to Michigan after a long trip. Think Dorothy, Ruby Slippers, heel click--No Place Like Home.

Debbie: Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Andrea: The Detroit Jazz Festival is awesome. It draws folks from all over the country. And I love the food festivals that are popping up around the state. I am excited about the way that restaurants, farmers and growers, as well as wineries are branding the great assets here around food.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Andrea: There are so many. One person I discovered recently is Tom Crawford out of Ann Arbor. He was my coach for my recent TEDX Lansing talk. [Ed. note: you can catch part of Andrea's TEDx talk on YouTube - click here.] He is also the father of this great cooking app called VizChef. He is creative on so many levels. Travis Tomlin, an amazing young photographer who has a great eye.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about Michigan?

Andrea: There is a great arts/creativity community that is alive and well across the state.

Debbie: Indeed! I never cease to be amazed at all the talent in this state. Finally, some folks in Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others as Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Andrea: I guess I would be a Michigander. But I have to say, that even though we moved here in 1989, I still feel more like a Hoosier/Chicagoan. Go figure.

Debbie: We'll add you to the Michigander/Hoosier/Chicagoan column! Andrea, thank you so much for being here with us today.

To learn more about Andrea King Collier and her books, visit her web site. And be sure to check out her books at your favorite bookstore or library!

The Pout-Pout Fish Sure Gets Around! (And We've Got The Photos To Prove It...)

2011-07-22T11:12:00.000-04:00

The delightfully talented and funny Dan Hanna has a collection of Mr. Fish photos. Follow this link for a display of thumbnails. Then click on any of the small photos for a larger version and a description. Here are a few samples:

Michigander Monday: Carrie Harris

2011-07-18T00:01:00.109-04:00

I'm thrilled to welcome YA novelist Carrie Harris to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Carrie, please tell us a little about yourself.

Carrie: I grew up near Cleveland, Ohio, which means that I’ve heard just about every joke about burning lake water that you can come up with, and some you probably can’t. Back in Cleveland, I managed the national center for surveillance and research in the human form of Mad Cow disease, and I’ve heard all the jokes about THAT too.

I’d been freelance writing for about ten years when we moved to the Ann Arbor area. I loved writing but always figured it would be a hobby. But the move seemed like the ideal opportunity to take the writing plunge. I was so lucky that my first YA got me an agent, and my second sold to the miracle workers at Random House’s Delacorte Press!

Now I spend my days herding my children on the slip-n-slide, naming my flock of zombie penguins, and trying to convince my ninja-doctor husband that he should wear his ninja garb every day. Because it’s strangely attractive, although maybe that’s just me.

Debbie: Ninja garb definitely has something going for it. But setting that aside for a moment... Tell us about your book!

Carrie: Bad Taste In Boys is a YA zombie comedy. My main character, super-smartie Kate Grable, gets to play doctor as the student trainer helping out her high school football team. She figures that the experience will look good on her college apps, and she gets to be close to her quarterback crush, Aaron. BONUS! Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating...zombies.

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend...not even Kate...

Dum dum DUUUUUUM.

Debbie: Ooooh, way to leave us hanging! The book is now definitely a must-read for all of us! Other books or projects on the horizon?

Carrie: Absolutely! I’m just putting the finishing touches on my edits for Kate Grable’s second appearance, which is in a standalone book called Bad Hair Day. It’s tentatively scheduled for summer of 2012, and it’s about werewolves and nanotechnology and blueberry flavored astronauts and killer coconuts. And I’m putting the finishing touches on a new, non-Kate book right now, so I hope to be able to talk more about that one soon!

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Carrie: Yes! Bad Taste In Boys officially hit the shelves on July 12^th, so I’m running a big online event called Night of the Giving Dead to help celebrate and collect books for Mott Children’s Hospital at U of M. And the official launch party will be on July 23rdat 2 PM at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor. I plan to wear my zombie unicorn dress, and I’m really ridiculously excited about that.

I’m also in the process of finalizing some more events, which will be announced on my website—hopefully soon!

Debbie: Favorite Michigan bookstore? Favorite Michigan library?

Carrie: Well, of course I love them all (at length and great expense). But there’s a special place in my heart for Nicola’s, where they let me sit in the throne in the kids’ area and kick my feet while I read. I also can’t get enough of Manchester Public Library, whose tween reading group went on a dead flower hunt to get decorations for my recent appearance (ed note: article here). You have no idea how cool that made me feel. I am the kind of girl who gets ridiculously excited over dead flowers.

Debbie: Nicola's Books is fabulous, and I love the Manchester District Library! How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Carrie: Every year, my family vacations at Oak Cove resort, on Lake Cora near Kalamazoo. It’s one of my favorite places — I spend most of my days in the water. I honestly think that I’m part mermaid. Or a siren. My singing voice would quite easily drive sailors to their deaths. It’s THAT BAD.

Debbie: I was about to say, "Surely, it can't be that bad," when I thought of my own singing voice, which actually is That Bad. Perhaps we are kindreds!

How about a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Carrie: I’m a huge fan of the Detroit DerbyGirls. It’s funny, because I’m not really a sports-compatible person in general. But set me down and let me watch a bunch of girls with campy nicknames shove each other around on roller skates, and I’m captivated. In fact, I may or may not have used that obsession as an inspiration for that sekrit third book…

Debbie: Intriguing! How about a few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Carrie: I’m still stuck on the roller derby thing, so the first person I thought of was Racer McChaseHer. Sorry, I get on these tangents and can’t stop.

I’m really proud to count Michigan YA writer Aimee Carter among my friends. Her book The Goddess Test is a terrific read—I was really into mythology as a kid, so I’ve been trying to invent a time machine so I can send a copy back to Junior High Me.

I’m also a huge fan of the zombie penguins from You Look Delicious, and they’re made by Michigan artist CMcKz. You can also get them at Vault of Midnight in Ann Arbor.

Debbie: Something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about our state?

Carrie: This is a good place to visit if you’re directionally impaired like me. You can point out the relative location of any city in Michigan using your hand. This does not help me find the grocery store, but it’s really nice when you meet people from out of town, and they tell you where they’re from, and you look at them like a total idiot. They just point to your town on the hand and then theirs. You still look like an idiot, but you’re an idiot who knows where they live.

All joking aside, though? I really love it here.

Debbie: Me, too! Finally... Some residents of Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: Are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Carrie: I’m a very confused former Ohioan who doesn’t know what the heck to call herself now. If you ever come up with a definite winner, please let me know! Because otherwise I end up calling myself a Michiganderainianette, which is very difficult to say.

Debbie: New column for the tally -- Michiganderainianette! Love it. Carrie, thank you for being here today for Michigander Monday!

To learn more about Carrie, head on over to her web site. And be sure to check out her auction benefit for Mott Children's Hospital!

Michigander Monday: Kristina Riggle

2011-07-11T00:01:00.110-04:00

Jumping The Candlestick's Michigander Monday feature expanded this year and now profiles not only Michigan children's book authors/illustrators (its main focus for the past 3 years) but also Michigan and Michigan-related authors in other genres as well. And so I am thrilled this week to welcome novelist Kristina Riggle to Michigander Monday!

Kristina has three novels, the most recent of which, Things We Didn't Say, was released last month. Those of you in the Lansing area, please note that she'll be at Schuler Books Eastwood this Tuesday, July 12, at 7 PM (details here). Not in the Lansing area? Be sure to check out her full tour schedule.

Now, for the interview!

Debbie: Kristina, tell us a little about yourself.

Kristina: I'm a recovering journalist. My glib answer for what I write is "I write novels about people with problems." I am co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. I'm married with two kids and a dog.

Debbie:  And, of course, we want to know all about your latest book.

Kristina: Things We Didn't Say is about a blended family in crisis when the middle son goes missing and the volatile ex-wife shows up on the scene. That's the plot, anyway. It's a complex web of relationships strained by secrets and withheld emotion.

Debbie:  Sounds wonderful - can't wait to read it! Other books and projects on the horizon?

Kristina: I'm finishing up Book Four, which I won't talk about until after my editor reads it! It's also under contract with HarperCollins.

Debbie: Upcoming appearances?

Kristina: I've been to Chicago and I'm traveling all around Michigan this summer. The whole list is here: http://www.kristinariggle.net/events.html

Debbie: Do you have a favorite Michigan bookstore?

Kristina: Schuler Books in Grand Rapids is my wonderful hometown store, but I have many that I love. Literary Life in Grand Rapids, also. McLean and Eakin in Petoskey. Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord. Round Lake Bookstore in Charlevoix.

Debbie: Those are all fabulous bookstores! How about a favorite place in Michigan?

Kristina: Charlevoix, Michigan, is my favorite place! My grandparents retired there so I've visited often over the years. I set my debut novel, Real Life and Liars, there.

Debbie:  Do you have a Michigan event or happening that you love to attend?

Kristina: I love Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids. I won a writing contest as part of Festival in 1990, and I still remember getting that award up on the Calder Stage. It was a thrill. But I love seeing all the musical acts, and the dancing, and the artists with work on display. It's such a vibrant, fun time.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Kristina: Dean Margaret Hauck, owner of the Michigan News Agency in Kalamazoo, is someone very fun to know. If you stop into the Michigan News, tell her I sent you and talk baseball with her. Speaking of southwest Michigan, Bonnie Jo Campbell, National Book Award nominated author, is great fun and down to earth and full of energy. Wade Rouse, memoirist, is a Michigander these days and he's hilarious. Go hear him speak if you have the chance. I'm afraid I'll leave someone out! Michigan is full of great people.

Debbie: Very much agreed! How about something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about our state?

Kristina: It's not all log cabins and farms outside of Detroit! Some people seem surprised we have actual cities here.

Debbie: Finally, some residents of Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others Michiganians. For our ongoing vote tally: Are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Kristina: Michigander, of course.

Debbie: I always like adding a tally mark to that column! Kris, thank you so much for joining us today!

For more information about Kristina Riggle and her books, head over to her web site, find her on FaceBook, and/or follow her on Twitter!

Night of the Giving Dead

2011-07-10T15:13:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the launch of her young adult novel Bad Taste in Boys, which hits shelves on Tuesday, Carrie Harris is hosting an online auction to benefit The Giving Library at the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital.

More information is available at this link, and the auction goes live tomorrow. I hope you'll consider bidding on some of the items, and/or making a contribution to The Giving Library!

Michigander Monday Expansion

2011-07-02T09:23:00.001-04:00

Regular readers of this blog know that for the last couple of years I've been running a (semi)regular feature called "Michigander Monday." My Michigander Monday Q&As have been with children's book authors and illustrators who are current or former Michigan residents. The purpose of the profiles has been to highlight the talent of the state of Michigan and draw attention to the wonderful resources and opportunities that Michigan offers.

I've recently decided to expand the feature, and while I'll continue to profile lots of children's book authors, I'm now including authors of books for grown-ups as well, though still with the Michigan focus. In doing so, I hope to get the feature back up to speed as a weekly feature. It's also in keeping with my own reading interests, which include, well, a bit of everything.

I've got a couple of new interviews ready to roll out this month (not sure if there will be an interview on the 4th, but I do have ones for the 11th and the 18th already set), so be sure to stop by Mondays and get to know some fabulous authors.

And speaking of fabulous authors and eclectic reading tastes... Those of you participating in my Lazy Person's Book Group (join anytime), how's your summer reading coming? I've been working my way through most of the book options, and already have discovered several books I would never have encountered otherwise. If you've got a book recommendation based on your reading for the LPBG -- or heck, if you've got a book recommendation for any reason -- feel free to share it.

I also welcome your recommendations for folks you'd like to see profiled for Michigander Monday. You can chime in down in the comments section, or email me at deborah [at] deborahdiesen [dot] com

May you all have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing Fourth of July weekend.

(And happy reading, always!)

Nick & Robbyn van Frankenhuyzen

2011-06-29T15:57:00.003-04:00

If you'll be in the Petoskey area over the extended holiday weekend, you might like to know that Nick and Robbyn van Frankenhuyzen will be at McLean & Eakin on Tuesday, July 5 from 1 to 3 PM.

They'll be signing books, and Nick (Gijsbert) will be doing a drawing demonstration for kids. The event is free, but reservations are requested and space is limited. Call McLean & Eakin, at (231) 347-1180, for all the details.

The van Frankenhuyzens did a Michigander Monday Q&A on this blog a while back. To read it, click here.

How To Really Fool Yourself

2011-06-27T18:30:00.000-04:00

If you’ve got kids, and if a bit of summer boredom might be setting in by this time, I have a book recommendation for you.

My kids recently checked out from the library the book How to Really Fool Yourself by Vicki Cobb, illustrated by Leslie Morrill. Published in 1981 and reissued in 1999, the book is full of fun, kid-friendly, do-it-yourself demonstrations of illusions along with explanations of how our senses work and why they aren’t entirely infallible.

Great hands-on fun (and science education) for summer!

Poetry Friday: "Intersection"

2011-06-24T04:10:00.032-04:00

Intersection

Five fifteen AM and the road says,
“It was not a good night for cats.”
“So I noticed,” I say. I accelerate gently
along the familiar route.
“But better than usual for raccoons,”
says the road.
I push the pedal a little further down.
“Hmmmm,” I say, noncommittally.
For I do not care for raccoons.

“You do realize,” says the road, after a time,
“that I don’t really like them either.”

One of us sighs. Deeply.

“But try wearing a dead one all day. And eventually,
well, you start rooting for them.”

I lift my travel mug to my lips.
I swallow, then nod slowly.
Set the mug back in its holder.
“I guess I can see that,” I say.

We sink into companionable silence. I drive on.
Soon, the traffic signals will return to their daytime cycles.
The sun will rise up
and some of its rays will shine down
upon the carcasses left by darkness’s casual collisions.
I grip the wheel.
I think of my own cat back home, safe and sound.
Perhaps some creatures
are just not meant
to be let out
into the night.

“I can take it, though,” says the road.
“Whatever’s dished upon me, believe me, I can take.
I’m tough. Hard as rock. No worries here.”

“Hmmmm,” I say, one last time.
Still noncommittally.

Then I straighten my spine.
Push my middle-aged shoulders back and down.
And without a glance in my rearview mirror,
I drive on, incautiously,

under the blinking amber.

Wednesday Workout Review: Denise Austin's "Blast Away 10 lbs"

2011-06-22T09:25:00.058-04:00

I'm not really a big Denise Austin fan.

I say this with no disrespect, as I recognize that she's a hugely popular and inspiring fitness person, with loads of exercise DVDs to her credit, plus television shows, articles, on and on. Her success speaks for itself. But the thing about using exercise DVDs is that it's important to find folks who mesh with your own personal style, as it increases the likelihood that you'll stick with your good intentions of exercising regularly. For me, I find Denise's onscreen persona to be a bit much. She talks Non Stop, with Great Enthusiasm, and a Huge Smile. It's just Too Much for the Eeyoresque amongst us!

So given all this, I don't know what possessed me to check out from the library her "Blast Away 10 lbs" DVD.

I further don't know what possessed me to stick the thing in my DVD player. I mean, what was I thinking? And sure enough, same scene: annoyingly perky and excessive over-the-top chatter. Ack!

And yet...

The first of the two twenty-minute workouts (the only one I've done enough to review; I'll abstain on the other one until I've done it more times) is incredibly effective and, well, fun! Lots of kicking (something I've come to truly enjoy) and punching (also fun, even if my hooks, jabs, and crosses all pretty much look the same: think random flailing limb ((yes, I do sometimes get my legs and my arms mixed up)) and you've pretty much got the picture) delivered in a nonstop but doable package that will get your heart pumping in a hurry and make you feel great by the end of it.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a short but intense cardio workout, and happen to enjoy kickboxing, this may just be for you.

(But if you watch it, I suggest you do like I do, and turn the volume Way Down.)

Other reviews here, here, here, and here.

Ann Arbor Book Festival

2011-06-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, the Ann Arbor Book Festival has a Breakfast With Authors (at 8 AM) and a Writer's Conference (10AM to 2:40). There are a dozen guest authors, including children's book author Cynthia Furlong-Reynolds and young adult novelist Lara Zielin

Space is limited, and registration is required, so if you're interested in either event, head directly over the the Ann Arbor Book Festival web site for details and registration info.

For you writer and illustrator types...

2011-06-16T13:15:00.000-04:00

Some news that may be of interest to those of you who write or illustrate for children: Abigail Samoun (who was my editor for The Barefooted, Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade back when Tricycle Press still had wheels...) and Karen Grencik have founded a new literary agency called Red Fox Literary.

Read more about Red Fox Literary by clicking here; and if you'd like submissions info, click here.

Great congratulations to Abi on this exciting news!

Wednesday Workout Review: "A New You Coming - Body Sculpting Workout" by Kelly Coffey-Meyer

2011-06-15T09:36:00.084-04:00

Those of you who tune in regularly for my periodic workout DVD reviews may recall that, back in January, I reviewed Kelly Coffey-Meyer's "30 Minutes To Fitness: Weights." That DVD continues to be one of my all-time favorites and has been responsible for the little bit of upper body strength that this upper body wimp has managed to acquire. In it, Kelly Coffey-Meyer encourages use of the heavier end of free weights, and you push your way through steady sets.

"A New You Coming: Body Sculpting Workout" takes a somewhat different approach. The overall pace is faster, and the weights are lighter. The 55-minute workout moves back and forth between upper body and lower body, with an abs section at the end. If you do the full workout, it genuinely doesn't feel like nearly an hour as it moves rapidly and has a great deal of variety. But if you don't have a 55-minute time slot available, you can also do one of the shorter premixes and focus on just one part of the body.

Weight amounts aren't specified, but though I can use 10s and 12s for "Weights," when I do "NYC" I top out at 5s for the light set and 8s for the heavy pair. Even then, I can't make it through the triceps section without collapsing onto the floor in a pathetic heap.

Kelly Coffey-Meyer has numerous workout DVDs available, including a couple of new ones out just this spring. You can find more information about her and her DVDs over on her web site.

Other reviews of "NYC: Body Sculpting Workout" available here, here, and here.

Authors to See This Week

2011-06-13T20:09:00.001-04:00

A couple of children's book author events this week you might want to know about:

On Tuesday, Nicola's in Ann Arbor will welcome Shutta Crum for the launch of her new picture book, Mine. For more information, click here.

Up in Petoskey on Saturday, bestselling children's book author Gloria Whelan will have a book discussion and signing of her latest titles, Small Acts of Amazing Courage and See What I See. Reservations and tickets are required; for more info, click here, or call McLean and Eakin at (231)347-1180 or (800) 968-1910.

Great authors and great bookstores - what a great combination!

In other news, don't forget that there's still plenty of time to get in on the summer session of the Lazy Person's Book Group. Discussion not required; good reading guaranteed.

The Lazy Person's Book Group Reconvenes!

2011-05-31T21:04:00.001-04:00

Seeing as I can’t remember when the last session of The Lazy Person’s Book Group was , I’m pretty sure it’s time for another installment.

And just what, you may ask, is The Lazy Person’s Book Group?

Well, if you occasionally long to toss the phrase “My book group…” into casual conversation, but you balk at the notion of regular book club meetings, assigned titles, and/or discussing literature with others, this is your no-fuss alternative.

To participate, simply nod at your screen. Then pick one or more of the books from the suggestion list below, and read it or them at your convenience.

That’s it! All of the benefits of a book group. None of the hassle.

Now that we’ve cleared up the complicated membership requirements, let’s move on to your reading options.

The list below is longish, to give you plenty to choose from; but remember you only need to pick one to be in.

Here goes:

A book by someone who shares your name. Could be an author with your same last name, or your first name, or, heck, your middle name, or your nickname, or even your codename with the FBI witness protection program. Whatever works for you works for us at Book Group HQ.

A book that was a childhood favorite of yours but that you haven’t gone back and re-read as an adult. Until now.

A “hot” book – something that’s showing up on lots of summer book lists and/or that’s getting scads of good reviews. Or, a book that has “hot” somewhere in the title. Or, a book that you forgot about and left in the car in the sun for too long.

A book written in a century you know next to nothing about.

A book recommended to you by one of your kids. If you don’t have kids, a book recommended to you by someone else’s kid or kids. Incidentally, my own kids are very opinionated, so if you need some proxy kids for a book recommendation, holler; I’ll send them over and pick them up within three or four days, promise.

A book about a skill or hobby you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t gotten around to yet. Doesn’t have to be a how-to or even nonfiction (though it can be if you’d like it to), as long as the book has some connection to your interest.

A book by a debut novelist.

A book currently popular with that other kind of book group (you know, the let’s-all-read-the-same-book-and-meet-in-person-to-talk-about-it kind (aka the who’s-bringing-the-corkscrew kind)). This gives you the opportunity to crash one of their meetings: “Hey, my book group read that, too! Pass the Merlot!”

A book with a color somewhere in the title.

A book with a connection to Michigan. I know, I know, always with the MichLit agenda. But truly, Michigan has great writing talent, and I like to encourage folks to discover Michigan’s authors if they haven’t already.

A book written by an octogenarian. Or, a book written about an octogenarian. Or, heck, a book recommended to you by an octogenarian. Or, if you’re an octogenarian, pick any book you want (but maybe make it a short one?).

A book by a celebrity. (I’m including this option because I secretly want to read Steven Tyler’s autobiography and need an excuse to do so.)

A book with an intriguing cover.

A book you’ve openly scoffed at, and/or mercilessly made fun of, but have not actually read. Or, a book you once wrote a paper about for a high school English class but did not actually read. Also acceptable: that book you faked reading for the book group you recently got thrown out of. (In any case, it’s OK to skip the middle 100 pages if they’re just not working for you.)

A book with the word “beach” or “sand” somewhere in the title.

A book that’s really, really funny.

A book that doesn’t fit into any of these categories but that you were planning to read anyway

Once you’ve decided on your book choice(s), you’re welcome to comment here with your selections, and/or to list your reading selections on your own blog. And if you'd like, you can share your thoughts on the books after you’ve read them. But these are totally optional actions and are not required.

I'll teach you the secret handshake later, but in the meantime, Welcome to the Group, and Happy Reading!

Joplin Public Library

2011-05-26T14:38:00.000-04:00

On Jumping The Candlestick, I occasionally profile libraries that are recovering from disasters or difficult circumstances.

The Joplin Public Library building was not damaged by Sunday's devastating tornado, and throughout this past week the library has been open and serving the community as a place for information, internet access, and cell phone and laptop charging. But two library staff members were injured in the storm, and eight lost their homes. The Kansas City Public Library has an article about the Joplin library, as does ALA.

If would like to make a donation to help the library staff members who were affected by the tornado, you may mail a check, payable to "Joplin Publib Staff Relief Fund," to the Joplin Library Foundation at 300 South Main St., Joplin, MO 64801-2384.

To donate to general Joplin relief, please visit the Missouri American Red Cross page.

Michigander Monday: Lesley DuTemple

2011-05-23T00:01:00.078-04:00

I'm pleased to welcome author Lesley DuTemple to Michigander Monday!

Debbie: Tell us a little about yourself.

Lesley: I live year round in the Keweenaw Peninsula, right on the shore of Lake Superior. In the summer I get to kayak just by stepping out my front door, and in the winter I get to plow our road. I've been writing children's books for more than 20 years, with more than two dozen books in print, and before that I worked in marketing and advertising. So most of my post-college career has been spent working with words. I'm married, have two children, a cat, and a three-legged dog.

Debbie: Please tell us about your latest book.

Lesley: Stars in the Water: Three Tales of Magic and Nature is a children's book that's actually suitable for all ages. It's three legends that are based on First Nation oral traditions. In a nutshell, the book tells you why coyotes howl, why deer have black knees, and how water lilies came into existence. Preschoolers love having it read out loud, anyone over the age of eight can read it for themselves, and adults get caught up in the stories. When I was writing it, I wasn't really thinking of a particular age level with the vocabulary, so it just sort of happened that way. It's turned out to be a kids book where one-size-fits-all. And the illustrations, by Jack Oyler, are gorgeous. They're three dimensional woodcuts that have then been photographed for the book.

Debbie: Lesley, do you have other books and projects on the horizon?

Lesley: For me, it's usually a case of too many ideas, too little time. My next book, which should be out spring 2012 is a children's Christmas story and it's also being published by Mudminnow Press. And I'm working on an adult mystery with a paranormal bent. I entered several chapters of that manuscript in a literary contest (first time I've ever done that) and it won first prize, so I keep chipping away at it. My agent is representing that manuscript and I'm not yet sure who will be publishing it.

Debbie: We'll definitely watch for that! Lesley, do you have upcoming appearances?

Lesley: I'm doing a lot of book signings and story hours for Stars in the Water this coming summer. The best place to check the schedule is on the Mudminnow Press web site: www.mudminnowpress.com

Debbie: Favorite Michigan bookstore? And favorite Michigan library?

Lesley: Grandpa's Barn, in Copper Harbor, is my favorite Michigan bookstore. It's charming, well-stocked, and in a beautiful location. You can sit on the porch and watch hummingbirds. As for libraries, my two favorites would be the Peter White Public Library in Marquette, and the Portage Lake Library in Houghton. One's old, one's new, but they're both great libraries.

Debbie: Favorite places in Michigan?

Lesley: I really love the Keweenaw Peninsula and the upper peninsula in general. I live in the most beautiful place in the world. Eagle River, Eagle Harbor, and Copper Harbor are all spectacular and I love being part of this community. And Isle Royale is amazing. I've been going to Isle Royale since I was a kid, and every year a high school friend and I go out there and spend a week kayaking. We've been going to the island since high school, so this is now a decades old tradition. All of Michigan is amazing.

Debbie: Agreed! Lesley, do you have a favorite Michigan event or happening?

Lesley: I usually attend both the Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor art fairs. They occur on consecutive weekends in August. I actually miss a lot of Michigan events because so many of them occur in the summer and early fall and I'm frequently traveling during that time. But I like jazz, so one of my goals is to attend some of the great jazz festivals that take place in the state.

Debbie: A few fun Michigan people we should all know about?

Lesley: Oh geez, way too many to count! Laura Smyth, in Copper City publishes two beautiful magazines (Further North and Adventures in the U.P.), Joe Kirkish runs Club Indigo, a great dinner-and-a-movie affair that occurs monthly in the Calumet Theatre. Suzanne Van Dam, at Finlandia University, is always organizing interesting events. Rolf Peterson does the wolf-moose study on Isle Royale. There's the Raptor and Migratory Bird Study that's been taking place on Brockway Mountain. The Keweenaw is geographically remote and a lot of the time you have to make your own entertainment. It seems like everyone's adept at that, and there's no lack of talent up here.

Debbie: What's something you'd like a non-Michigander to know about our state?

Lesley: It's not always winter! Our summer's are amazing and our Great Lakes alone are worth the trip. And Michiganders are friendly people. I think Michigan embodies the best of the midwest.

Debbie: I agree with you on that! Finally, some resident of Michigan refer to themselves as Michiganders; others prefer Michiganian. For our ongoing vote tally, are you a "Michigander" or a "Michiganian"?

Lesley: Oh, I am definitely a Michigander.

Debbie: Lesley, thank you so much for being with us today!

To learn more about Lesley DuTemple and Stars in the Water, head over to Mudminnow Press.

Bike Rides, Comics, and More

2011-05-17T10:49:00.001-04:00

A few things going on you might like to know about:

Sue Stauffacher's Tillie Ride is underway! Children’s book author Sue Stauffacher, accompanied by her husband, Bob Johnson, and various groups of school kids along the way, is bicycling from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Chicago, Illinois, to deliver donated copies of her Tillie the Terrible Swede the Chicago Public Library. In Chicago, they will stop at the Swedish American History Museum and the Sulzer branch of the library. She's visiting schools along the way. What a ride! Follow her progress on her blog or her Facebook Page.

This coming Saturday, May 21, many Michigan children's book authors and illustrators plus other midwest children's book authors and illustrators will be at Claire's Day in Toledo. Claire’s Day is a free family book festival held annually in honor of Claire Lynsey Rubini, a young lady who loved to read, tell stories, dance and make crafts, and who died suddenly at the age of ten as a result of a heart condition.

On June 18 and 19, the Kids Read Comics event will again be held in Chelsea, MI, at the Chelsea District Library. There's also a mobile mini tour; click here for details.

From The Rooftop!

2011-05-08T19:12:00.001-04:00

I ran across this YouTube video recently, of The Pout-Pout Fish being read from the rooftop of an elementary school....

Follow this link and then scroll down about 2/3 of the way.

Wednesday Workout DVD Review: "Xtend Barre Lean & Chiseled" by Andrea Rogers

2011-05-04T05:36:00.065-04:00

I'm drawn to ballet-inspired workouts, but I find that many of them move too slowly and methodically for my attention span. Andrea Rogers' Xtend Barre Lean & Chiseled doesn't fall into that category: the pace is fast and energetic. The full workout, a combination of ballet, Pilates, and general toning, runs 55 minutes, but it definitely doesn't seem that long, because you're moving quickly through a lot of exercises. Segments within the workout make it possible to do a shorter session (e.g. skipping the Arms segment shaves off 11 minutes and allows me to fit the workout in my morning timeslot).

The instructor is Extremely Cheerful. I generally find this be a grating trait, but somehow, she pulls it off; perhaps because her exercises are effective and unique. Her Barre segment (23 minutes) has some challenging moves that really get at your calves and your hips; and her Core section (10 minutes) does a fine job with your obliques. The overall workout, though not cardio per se, will keep your heart moving at a good clip.

More reviews here , here, and here. There's a Q&A with Andrea Rogers over on the Acacia site, and her Xtend site is here.