by Rochelle Melander As we approach the end of the year, it’s helpful to take time to reflect. In Elly Griffiths book, The Stranger Diaries, the protagonist says this about why she keeps a diary: “It’s to make sense of things. … Nothing’s as bad if you put it in writing. It helps you to...Read More

Connect to your Purpose by Rochelle Melander “One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, “What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?”― Rachel Carson Why would anyone put a fox in charge of the chicken coop? It would seem ridiculous. But it’s a...Read More

by Rochelle Melander “Art is my cure to all this madness, sadness, and loss of belonging in the world and through it I’ll walk myself home.”― Nikki Rowe On Saturday, I had a book-making table at the library. I watched as a whole community of children rushed around playing with puppets, dancing to drum lines,...Read More

by Rochelle Melander The nicest part is being able to write down all my thoughts and feelings; otherwise, I’d absolutely suffocate. —Anne Frank I’m a journaling junkie. I’ve been journaling off and on since I was a kid. I’ve been mostly off lately. But last week, with all the anxiety in the air and little...Read More

by Rochelle Melander “Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”― Corrie Ten Boom Having trouble concentrating this week? You’re not alone. With the United States election looming, seven out of ten adults report that politics are increasing their stress levels. But for many of us, if it weren’t the election,...Read More

An Interview with Aaron Boyd By Rochelle Melander I’ve known Aaron for years. We live and work in the same neighborhood–and I’m always delighted to run into him and his family walking dogs or kids. Of course, I’ve always known Aaron was a talented illustrator. I’ve got one of the shirts he designed for Boswell...Read More

by Rochelle Melander Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us. —Rainer Maria Rilke You know the feeling. You’re settling in for a day of writing, when the inner critic  pipes up, “Why are you wasting your time? You’re never going to be good enough. You could be...Read More

by Rochelle Melander Last weekend, I went to the Milwaukee Marathon to cheer on a friend. As I walked to the race, the family and friends of faster runners made their way to their cars. I overheard them talking about the next best place to see their runner. I found a spot on the sidelines...Read More

An Interview with Kim Suhr by Rochelle Melander Tell us about your new book, Close Call: Stories Close Call is a collection of shorts that center around the near misses of life—some more literal than others. The pieces in the opening and closing sections fit more clearly in the short story form with the middle...Read More

by Rochelle Melander Perfection is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a sh***y first draft. —Anne Lamott Are you a perfectionist? Do you Have trouble completing tasks if you can’t do it...Read More