An Alternate Life ~ House Hunters International and In Urbana, I…

Recently, through the wonder of Twitter, I found myself engaged in a conversation with Carolyn Kellogg, book reviewer from the Los Angeles Times, about the HGTV show House Hunters International. She’d put a call out for folks to be in touch if they watched the program; she was writing an article on it. Of course […]

They Talk, We Listen ~ A Brief Collection of Author Interviews

Author interviews. I have to admit, I like them quite a lot. A glimpse into what makes them think, write, rewrite, enjoy life, and so on and so on. When I read of their concerns, their vulnerabilities, their insecurities, I recognize that the authors I admire are just people, people like me, maybe. And sometimes […]

Always An Avid Reader ~ Interview with Suzy Takacs of The Book Cellar

A year ago, on his blog Praeterita, Philip Hartigan published this interview with Suzy Takacs, proprietor of the very fine independent bookstore The Book Cellar in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. As Borders closes its doors, we are reminded how important it is that we all frequent and support our local bookstores. To paraphrase what someone else […]

Mount Carroll’s Market Street Commons ~ A Temporary View From the Keyboard

What was once known as the Kraft Building, a lovely old commercial edifice constructed more than 100 years ago, is now home to Mount Carroll’s Market Street Commons. After a devastating lightening strike to the old building and its resident businesses a few years ago, the place was taken over by Mount Carroll’s Community Development […]

Oh, Interlochen, I Miss You So ~ A Brief Summary of a Writers’ Retreat

How could it possibly have gone by so fast? Interlochen College of Creative Arts Writers’ Retreat of 2011 was four days full of writers reading, talking, writing, eating, imbibing, walking, sharing, sleeping (just a little,) listening, and yes, drawing. We are back at our house in Mt. Carroll, IL, and are happy for our own […]

A View From the Keyboard ~ A View From the Palette

Philip Hartigan is a visual artist born in the UK and now living in the US. (With me, in Chicago; he’s my husband.) Along the way from there to here, he has had some very interesting stops. Among them, time he spent in Barcelona working on a Masters degree in painting. He has started a series […]

Writers’ Retreat | Interlochen Adult Arts Programs

See? This is what it looks like to write in Northern Michigan. Join us for the Interlochen Writers’ Retreat June 20 – 23, 2011. Philip Hartigan and I will be teaching Journal and Sketchbook. Workshops in Poetry, Fiction, and Memoir as well. Craft talks. Readings. Gatherings of like-minded writer folks. More info? Hit this link: Writers’ […]