Just a little Northern Michigan to share with you today….

Just before we went into Stay Home mode here, I drove up Straits Highway, through Topinabee along Mullett Lake and on up to Mackinaw City in the sunshine. By the time I reached this shore, clouds had rolled in but enough sun and sky was out to sparkle the ice blue. I wondered as I took this series of photos if we were next on lockdown. I wished it wasn’t happening, but then I looked through the viewfinder on my phone and took this picture.

I am compelled to write, to capture this unique part of the world in words and in photography. Nothing makes me feel more comforted, inspired, motivated and free than being outside in Northern Michigan and I’m convinced it’s a feeling that is shared by many many others. I can’t send you a pine cone right now or a waft of pine trees dense with spring rain, but I can remind you of them, of drifts of snow, of summer sunsets and blue waters.

The stars were so brilliant the other night, I was mildly surprised at them for looking so beautiful at such a horrible time, but they gave me hope for another day.

I am grateful to our independent bookstores and hope you’ll visit their websites, order a book, sign up for libro.com subscriptions, buy gift certificates for upcoming graduates, a copy of Walloon Writers Review or a pack of magazines to pass the time. Were it not for independent bookstores, I would not have become a writer. Our small indie stores throughout Michigan preserve the inspiration for young writers, embolden others to begin putting down their stories to share. In these books, and on their covers, interesting photography and art is there to inspire or bring you to a place in time.

I hope you’ll stand outside and catch a ray of sunshine, a flock of birds noisily announcing their arrival, a squirrel running across your path or a handful of stars sparkling at you and find a moment of peace.

-Jennifer Huder, editor

Yesterday, the elusive 29th of February brought ideas of fantastic adventures in time portals that only reveal themselves on this calendar catch up day.

A hint of new beginnings prompts many of us to stretch our creative souls, come out from hibernation of elegant tea, amber ales and deep red wine aside the fire as we delve into books we stacked up all year to read.

Up north, March is everyseason rolled into one. But, the snow looks different, the mud season begins, coffee is to keep up the war against ice patches and yet more snow. Interesting events start popping up on calendars and they seem less treacherous to consider.

As you start your spring preparation, planning for Northern Michigan and UP adventures, remember to share your ideas on paper…plant seeds for the story or poem you hope to share come September.

Check back and stay in touch as we roll out readings from Walloon Writers Review contributors around the state to bring a reminder of the inspiring beauty of Northern Michigan and the UP closer to you.

We hope to continue to update you on activities by our community of contributors.  Please also visit and check in frequently on our Facebook Page and on Twitter!

 

Walloon Writers Review is honored to share the talents of our outstanding contributors.  Over the next few weeks, we are offering an opportunity to learn a little about the exciting Fourth Edition contributors who make Walloon Writers Review special.

Our Fourth Edition spectacular cover photography titled ” Rumblings On the Little Bay” was contributed by Harbor Springs artist Kelly Tingle Kazmierski.  Three of her works are included in our Fourth Edition, including “Morning Glory” and “View of the Beast” as they capture an array of unique and breathtaking moments.  Kelly Tingle Kazmierski is a multi-medium artist and creator of original and commissioned works of photography, pencil, pen and ink, acrylic, oil and mosaic.  Kelly’s most recent distinctions are highlighted with an Art Prize 2016 top-20 finalist selection, the publishing of her children’s book, The Girl with Spaghetti Hair, and a heritage photograph honored by the Harbor Springs Historical Society.  Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, former school teacher and veterinary technician, Kelly is a year round resident of beautiful Harbor Springs, Michigan where her influences are rooted in the natural majesty of the Great Lakes and purity of animals and nature.  Here, surrounded by inspiration, is where she works from her studio above the shores of Little Traverse Bay.

Petoskey writer Glen Young submitted vivid poetry that captures the imagination and instantly transported us to the places he creates in his delectable crafting of words. Three of his poems “Ava Gardner, Casting for Native Brook Trout, Somewhere along the Yellow Dog River, 1954”; “Men Grooming Horses”; and “Miss Millay and Me” are presented together in our Fourth Edition.  From his bio:  Glen Young paints houses on Mackinac Island and teaches school in Petoskey. He is a longtime freelance writer.  His poetry appeared recently in Thoreau at Mackinac, and he served as editor of the collection Beneath the Lilac Canopy.

 

 

Let’s start 2019 off with kudos to all of the talented contributors who make Walloon Writers Review possible!  Thank you and bravo! We are honored to share the writing and photography of such outstanding contributors, give voice to new writers and photographers, and a special place for Michigan-inspired materials for more well-recognized authors and artists.

Over the next few weeks, we would like to share a bit about the contributors you’ll find inside Walloon Writers Review Fourth Edition.   From the west side of Michigan, here are two contributors you’ll be excited to know about.

“Pine River Raid” by Brett Allen is one of the great short stories selected for our Fourth Edition.  Brett Allen is a West Michigan author and U.S. Army veteran, is originally from Fremont but, now residing in Ada, Michigan with his wife, two young children and devious dog.  When not writing and spending time with his family, he enjoys exploring the vast expanses of Michigan’s bountiful breweries.  For the past 20 years, Brett’s made annual summer camping trips to the Pine River.  “This story is my story from my first trip so many years ago,” writes Brett.

Poet Greg Rappleye shared “Missing Woman Found Alive In Quarry” for our Fourth Edition.  So rich is his writing, we felt like we were standing on the sidelines as the poem unfolded.  From his bio:  Greg Rappleye’s poems have previously appeared in Poetry, Shenandoah, The Southern Review, Virginia Quarterly Review and other literary journals.  His second book of poems, A Path Between Houses (University of Wisconsin Press, 2000) won the Brittingham Prize in Poetry.  His third book, Figured Dark (University of Arkansas Press, 2007) was first runner-up for the Dorset Prize and was published in the Miller Williams Poetry Series.  His latest book, Tropical Landscape with Ten Hummingbirds, was published  this past fall by Dos Madres Press.  He teaches at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

We are really pleased to share these exciting writers with you in our Fourth Edition.

Walloon Writers Review Fourth Edition is available at independent bookstores in Northern Michigan, including Between The Covers Harbor Springs, McLean & Eakin Booksellers Petoskey, Horizon Books Traverse City, and Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord, as well as here on our website through Square (a safe & familiar payment processing company to those of us who choose to spend an enormous amount of time in coffee shops and bookstores) or at Amazon.com.  We encourage you to please inquire about Walloon Writers Review at an independent bookseller near you!

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to check out all of the visiting authors in and around Northern Michigan!

(wait for it…..!  checking around again….)

 

There is still time to order or pick up a copy of Walloon Writers Review Fourth Edition in time for Christmas! Visit area independent booksellers like Saturn Books in downtown Gaylord, Horizon Books in Traverse City, Between The Covers in Harbor Springs and McLean & Eakin in Petoskey. For out of area orders, we can still ship to the Midwest but, beyond that, they may arrive late.

Thanks Jan D. Palland for letting us share this beauty.

Wishing all of our friends who are celebrating the Festival Of Lights a Happy Hanukkah!

Our Fourth Edition submission fee recipients are Walloon Lake Trust & Conservancy and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. If you are giving this day or this year, these two organizations work to protect the inspiring natural beauty of the region.

www.walloon.org/about/walloon-lake-trust-and-conservancy/

Or

http://www.watershedcouncil.org