The Benefits of Retreat

Last summer my writing group visited my parents’ cabin in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We scattered around inside and out in the mornings to work on our writing projects; in the afternoon we went on an adventure. In the evenings we talked and laughed. What a wonderful...

Overhaul: Necessary for the Writing Life

I’m sitting in the beautiful Icons Cafe in Alger Heights, a neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Mich., that is seeing renewal. My husband grew up in this neighborhood and his parents still live here. They have seen the small business district as a vital neighborhood hub;...