Member Highlight: Grace Grogan

Grace published “Genealogy Goals for 2026” in the “Who Am I?” genealogy column on page 7 in the March edition of The Lakeshore Guardian. 

“Michigan’s Historic Wildfires: What We Know Today” begins on page 3 of the Freshwater Reporter March edition. 

“Martyrs, fertility, and Greek mythology: the strange history of St. Valentine’s Day” begins on the cover of the Freshwater Reporter February edition.

Author/Literary Events, Writing Conferences, and Writing Contests

Third Coast Author & Book Festival takes place March 21, 2026 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at The Book Cellar, 8 N 7^th Street, Grand Haven, Michigan. The festival brings together hundreds of local, national, and international poets, authors, illustrators, and publishers. The weekend consists of over 200 authors and the majority of the event is free. Click here for more information and to sign up for email updates.

2026 London Book Festival Call for Entries accepts books in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Italian. Books may be published, self-published, or independent publisher non-fiction, non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography/memoir, children’s books, cookbooks, compilations/anthologies, genre-based, how-to, photography/art, spiritual, young adult, unpublished, business, wild card (anything goes!), science fiction, self-help and poetry. Books published on or after January 1, 2021 are eligible for the competition. Deadline for submissions: March 25, 2026. Additional information and entry forms are available here.

A Rally of Writers will take place Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at the Lansing Community College West Campus, 5708 Cornerstone Drive, Lansing, Michigan. Registration for the 39^th annal writers conference is open now; early bird $120 price runs through March 31^st, regular registration after March 31^st is $150. For full information click here.

2026 CRAFT Award for Excellence is accepting entries February 9, 2026 to April 12, 2026. The award honors the very best in each creative prose genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, and Flash Creative Nonfiction. Each genre has one winner, who will receive a $1,000 price, online publication, reMarkable Paper Pro tablet and set-up, and a CRAFT plaque commemorating the win. There is a $20 entry fee, and all work must be unpublished. Click here for additional information and submission guidelines. 

Dreaming Dirty in Michigan 2026 will be held April 11-12, 2026 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The event features authors and readers from throughout the country and thousands of books to choose from, with over 100 authors in attendance. Additional information available here.

Midwest Literary Walk will take place on April 18, 2026 in Chelsea, Michigan. The single-day event features nationally recognized authors in public venues. Lit Walk is a celebration of literature, reading, and the Chelsea community. All events are open to the public and free to attend. Click here for more information.

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference takes place April 23-25, 2026 at Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. The 23rd annual conference registration includes pitching to two publishers/agents and a blue pencil review with up to two industry experts. The conference kicks off at 1 pm Thursday, offers a wide variety of classes and workshops, and is capped at 150 attendees. Registration includes a Thursday night get-together with finger foods and lunch on Friday and Saturday. Registration for the three-day conference is $525/members, $575 non-members registering by March 20th, $550/members/$600 non-members March 21st to at-the-door. Click here for full information, schedule, offered classes, registration, and more. 

2026 Michigan Writing Workshop will take place May 2, 2026 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Livonia, Michigan. This is a full day in-person event on “How to Get Published.” You receive a full day of classes, can pitch a literary agent or editor, and more. Topics include publishing opportunities, how to write queries and pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading you manuscript, and more. All genres are welcome; seating is limited to 200 attendees. For additional information including the sessions, workshops, and registration click here.

PSM Spring Conference 2026 will be held Saturday, May 2, 2026 at the Castle Museum, 500 Federal Avenue in Saginaw Michigan. The cost is $35 and includes lunch and a drink; student rate is $20. Registration and payment available online or you can mail in your registration no later than April 20, 2026.

2026 San Francisco Book Festival Call for Entries to its annual program celebrating best books of the spring season. Consideration is given to non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, biography/autobiography, memoir, compilations/anthologies, young adult, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, business, history, wild card, gay, photography/art, poetry, unpublished technology, artificial intelligence, and spiritual/religious works. There is no date of publication restriction. Deadline for submissions: May 25, 2026. Additional information and entry forms are available at San Franciso Book Festival.

Interlochen Writers Retreat 2026 will take place June 1-6, 2026 at the Interlochen College of Creative Arts in Interlochen, Michigan. This five-day writer’s retreat allows you to spend your days writing new material, attending presentations, and enjoying lakeside lunches and evening readings while making connections with others in the literary world. Cost to attend starts at $749. Click here to purchase tickets.

2026 Finding Your Voice Mackinac Island Writing Retreat is offering two sessions in 2026: Session 1: July 6-10, 2026 and Session II: October 5-9, 2026. This is an intensive week of generative writing, craft seminars, one-on-one conferences, and in-depth discussions on the craft and business of writing. The program is inclusive, intentionally small, and takes place on beautiful Mackinac Island. Tuition for this event is $1,995 and includes round-trip ferry transportation to the island, breakfast and lunch Tuesday-Friday, and numerous opportunities at the retreat. Click here for more information; applications are open. The admission process is competitive.

Columbus Book Festival takes place July 11-12, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. The event is held inside the main library and in Topiary Park, featuring over 100 authors talking about their newly released books in lively panel discussions. There is also an outside festival marketplace with over 100 authors in the Indie Author Alley tent, over 100 exhibitor tents, family-friendly entertainment, food trucks, merchandise tables, and more. Click here for more information and applications.

9^th Annual Detroit Festival of Books will take place July 19, 2026 at the Eastern Market in Detroit. This is a free event and is Michigan’s largest book festival, featuring vendors from the US and Canada.

Write Michigan Short Story Contest is open to all Michigan residents with three categories of writers: Adult (ages 18+), Teen (ages 13-17) and Youth (ages 12 and under). Adults pay a $10 entry fee. Maximum length is 3,000 words, unpublished in print or online. All winning entries are published in an anthology by Chapbook Press. Submission Dates: September 1, 2026, to November 15, 2026. Click here for more information.

19^th Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan. “Michigan’s Best One Day Conference” will host a variety of presentations for fiction and nonfiction writers, including topics in craft talks, business of writing workshops, and literary agent appointments. Registration and details coming soon. Visit the Rochester Writer’s Website for information on past events and to sign-up for their newsletter.

Beware of Fake Author Emails

I felt honored to receive the following email, but was also skeptical when I realized who it was that was contacting me:

From: Ron Chernow <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Feb 21, 2026 at 1:48 PM

Hello,

I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing to connect with someone who shares a genuine love for history and storytelling.

Every writer has their own story, and mine began with a deep fascination for biographies and real-life narrative, particularly those that explore how power, money, leadership, and human ambition shape societies. From an early age, I was drawn to historical figures in finance and politics, not simply for what they achieved, but for who they were as people, their motivations, struggles, contradictions, and flaws.

My background includes a strong academic foundation and a career in financial journalism, which taught me how to explain complex ideas clearly and engagingly. Over time, this naturally led me toward biographical writing, where I enjoy spending years immersed in research, working with original documents and archives, to create narratives that are both deeply researched and accessible to general readers.

What I genuinely enjoy most is learning about other writers’ journeys, what first drew you to writing, and was there a particular book, figure, or moment that shaped your path?

Can’t wait to hear from you, and to hear about your story. I’m really looking forward to connecting.

Warm regards,

Ron Chernow
Historian & Biographer
Pulitzer Prize–Winning Author

Author of:
Alexander Hamilton Washington: A Life Grant
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Website: www.ronchernow.com

The email included a photo of the author and had a look of authenticity. However, I felt it unlikely this was a legitimate email. In conducting my research into who he was, I discovered that all contact with Ron Chernow must be made through Sarah Hutson at Penguin House, not a private email account. I emailed Sarah and asked if she could verify whether the email was legitimate. I explained if valid, I was honored Ron had reached out to me, but given how often identities are stolen I was skeptical that an author of his caliber would reach out to me unsolicited. 

Sarah responded within 24 hours “This is not legitimate I’m afraid. These author impersonations are proliferating sadly.”

Beware that if you receive an unsolicited email from an author it could be an impersonator. I have no idea what this person’s goal was in contacting me, but I’m glad I didn’t get excited about a “somebody” contacting me that it clouded my skepticism.