Chris and I are reading in bed and talking about tractors, the political climate, and other timely matters. I have a cold and so I'm talking loudly and can't remember anything.

The brilliant writer and editor Cait West kindly interviewed me about The Waters at Books & Mortar, an independent bookstore in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Sheila and I are heading to the Little Cottage together, and we talk about this and that.

This was a great panel of Southwest Michigan writers sharing their Book publishing experiences with large and small presses. This is unedited, and I started recording after the introductions were well underway so you'll first hear Elizabeth Kerlikowske asking the writers to share a story. Thank you, Andy Mozina, Kathleen McGookey, Susan Ramsey, and Marcel Fable Price.

Our mother planted pawpaw trees, and now we have lots of fruits! So many we have to freeze some of the meat, which involves a bit of work getting them peeled and seeded. We are chatting, and our neighbor Kim comes over to visit.

While visiting the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan I got a chance to chat with Jack Lessenberry, who knows a lot about Michigan Politics, past, present, and even future. I interviewed him at 7am, before he took his dogs out to the park for tug-of-war, so I was kind of dopey. But he sounds just right, so I won't bother trying to edit out my ums and hems and haws. He's the author of a book about (Republican) governor William Milliken, and if you want to hear more about every aspect of Michigan politics, here's a link to his blog: https://lessenberryink.com

Well, Chris and I were just talking about my birthday, weed burning and vapor barriers! I'm always happy when I'm talking to this guy.

Michigan author Steve Amick invited me to take off my shoes and stay a while in his home on Lake Michigan in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We talked about writing and life.

His website: https://steve-amick.com/