Island Getaways Outside Michigan's Traverse City

Traverse City and surrounding areas are one of Michigan's top travel destinations.

Check out the islands- it looks tropical doesn't it?

Of course I would hate to see what this looks like in the middle of an icy gray winter.

Photo Credit: Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau

Seen from the northwest, Power Island and its tiny neighbor, Bassett Island, lie in the clear waters of West Grand Traverse Bay, beside the narrow Old Mission Peninsula.

The islands are only nine miles north of the resort community of Traverse City.

By MIKE NORTON

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – At least once a year, Jane Conway drives up the narrow Old Mission Peninsula, launches her kayak, and paddles two and a half miles across Bowers Harbor to the tree-covered dome of Power Island.

“It’s one of my little rituals, I suppose,” says the 27-year-old Ohio woman. “This is a place I just keep coming back to. Sometimes I bring a friend, but mostly it’s my special getting-away-from-it-all place. My own little island.”

A lot of people feel that way about Power Island (or Marion Island, as the locals still stubbornly insist on calling it). A 204-acre preserve of forests, wetlands, bluffs and beaches on West Grand Traverse Bay, its only human residents are the county park ranger and his family who stay in the summers to keep an eye on things. But for boaters and paddlers, it’s one of the most popular destinations on the bay – thanks to its sheltered location at the mouth of Bowers Harbor.

On summer weekends, in particular, the island’s tiny harbor is filled with boats and frolicking boaters who congregate around the dock and swimming beach, or cluster in the shallows off its southern edge to enjoy the limpid Caribbean-clear waters and picnic on the tree-shaded beaches.

But solitary souls like Jane Conway can find tranquility on the island even on the busiest days, since 90 percent of its visitors never venture more than a few yards from the water’s edge. The interior of the island is a treat for hikers: miles of well-maintained trails lead through the dense beech-maple forest (home to fox, bobcats and a diverse population of songbirds) to a high ridge known as the Eagle’s Nest and along the wild western shore with its steep bluffs and rocky shoals.

To the north, there’s even another, smaller island: little 2-acre Bassett Island, which in low-water periods is linked to its larger neighbor by a causeway of sand, gravel and boulders. Here, the Grand Traverse County parks department maintains a small five-site rustic campground. (Camping costs $15 per night, and reservations must be made ahead of time by calling (231) 922-4818.) It’s a strange experience to camp out on a “desert island” so close to the mainland that you can watch the lights of the homes and restaurants that line the opposite shore.

What’s equally strange is that in spite of its closeness to some of the most sought-after real estate in the Traverse City area, Power Island has never been seriously considered for development or settlement. It passed through several owners – including auto pioneer Henry Ford, who sometimes camped there with his pals Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone – but aside from a brief logging attempt in the 1940s, it has always been left largely in its natural state.

Bassett Island’s career was slightly different. For years it was known as Haunted Island because of a tale (probably apocryphal) that it was inhabited by the ghost of an Indian girl who had been marooned there for some breach of tribal etiquette. In the late 19th century it was purchased by a Civil War veteran named Dick Bassett, who built a small cabin, raised his own food, and was considered a mysterious hermit. In 1901 a steamship company bought the island and erected a two-story dance pavilion that was a major attraction for excursion boats until the early 1930s.

During most of the intervening years, the two islands have been accessible only to boat owners. More recently, though, a new breed of excursion operators are bringing casual visitors out for tours in sea kayaks. One operator, Uncommon Adventures, has designed a “Water-to-Wine Day Tour” that pairs a paddling trip to Power Island with a gourmet picnic and a tasting tour of several nearby Old Mission wineries. A more laid-back approach is favored by Bowers Harbor residents Mary Man­ner and Susan Tar­c­zon, whose kayak livery, PaddleAway Tours, specializes in low-stress paddling excursions geared toward novice paddlers.

Kayakers who prefer to keep their own schedules can bring their own boats or rent them from any number of local liveries in and around Traverse City, such as McLain’s Cycle & Fitness.

GETTING THERE

The best jumping-off spot for a trip to the islands is at the public boat launch in Bowers Harbor, just off Peninsula Drive on Neahtawanta Road. Thanks to its sheltered location, the crossing is an easy one in most weather – but it can be tricky on a windy day, especially when the wind is out of the south. For novices, the best route is to cross the harbor to Neahtawanta Point and make the relatively short open-water crossing to Bassett Island.


For more information about islands, parks and other special places in the Traverse City area, and for a comprehensive listing of nearby restaurants, accommodations and attractions, contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-TRAVERSE or on line at http://www.traversecity.com/

Take a Step Back in Time at Crossroads Village

My family loves to visit the historical little town of Crossroads Village in Genesee County.

The village is actually part of the Genesee County Parks and is open throughout the summer, in the Fall for Halloween trick or treating and at Christmas Time. It is also open one night in November for a special Ladies Night Out.

Crossroads Village is set up as a late 1800's town and has authentic buildings from the Genesee County area that have been rescued or donated to the park- like a couple of houses and the church.

It even has a grand Charles W. Parker carousel fully functional and in working order- just the way it was in 1912.

The park features home that are fully decorated and fuctionable right down to the wood burning stoves that still work to keep the buidlings warm when the park is open in the winter.

It is so beautiful in the winter- makes you think you've truly stepped back in time to a smpler era where malls didn't exist and the holidays were all about family. I love walking through the village when it is covered in snow.

And my family has a Christmas Eve tradition of driving through the village on Christmas eve night to see all the lights. It is one of the only times you're allowed to drive through the village and it's a great family tradition.

The inside of one of the Victorian era homes.

I love this barn, don't you?

The church, you can even schedule weddings here.

Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad

May 29 ~ September 6, 2010

Open Wednesday thru Sunday & Holidays

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

6140 Bray Rd.

Flint, MI 48505

For more about Crossroads Village

http://www.geneseecountyparks.org/crossroadsvillage.htm

Welcome Michigan Born Author Lynda Hilburn & Giveaway of Undead in the City

Hello, everyone!

It’s great to be here during Michigan authors month!

I was raised in the inner city of Detroit, went to high school in Garden City, and eventually finished up my undergrad degree at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Along the way, working as a singer in rock and roll bands, I performed all over the state. My son still has nightmares about all the Holiday Inns I dragged him to before he started school back in the day.

My brother, the lead guitar rock star, still lives in Lansing.

I moved to Boulder, Colorado several years ago, but I’m a Michigan woman at heart. There’s just something about that Midwestern vibe.

I feel very fortunate to have grown up around some of the greatest musical talents in the world, and I cut my rock and roll teeth alongside many Motown and rock idols. I remember the time I befriended a Motown accountant just so I could attend a party at Diana Ross’s house. I think he had fun, too. What a blast. Then there was the bar downtown where Bob Seger’s band played before they hit the big time! Great times.

My erotic paranormal novella, Undead in the City, was inspired by my love of vampires and my rock and roll history. The story was originally sold to Loose Id, and after I got the rights back, I published a Kindle edition at Amazon.com and all other e-forms at Smashwords.com. Some of the heroine Tempest’s, experiences came directly from my life. Of course, I didn’t know any real vampires back then, but I’m always eager to encounter one.

Other writing news: I’m working on the third book in my Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series, along with some short stories and a spin-off series in Kismet’s world. I’m fantasizing about winning the lottery so I can quit my full-time day job and write! Keep your fingers crossed for me.


Here’s a blurb about Undead in the City:

Musician Tempest Moon knew the world was a rough place. Raised in the inner city of Detroit, the only way she learned to succeed was to be smarter – and tougher – than the next guy. Being a sexy, talented singer/lead guitar player with her own band was her way of staying in charge of her destiny. Whether anyone else liked it, or not.

Tempest’s band was gigging in yet another downtown dive. The club was almost empty due to the arrival of the worst blizzard the city had seen in a century. With one more set to play before she and the band could escape the smoky lounge, a mystery man walked in. Even dripping wet from the relentless onslaught, Tempest could tell the man was unusual. If only because he was the most gorgeous male specimen she’d ever seen. But he was a little pale.

Malveaux had ducked into the bar to avoid having to kill anymore of the worthless minions set upon him by the local vampire territory boss. Under most circumstances, he’d have enjoyed tracking the idiots, and tearing their hearts out. He’d learned long ago to take pleasure in his work. But Malveaux wasn’t dealing with usual circumstances. A sexual obsession, passed to him by his sire and suddenly overwhelming, had changed all the rules of the game. He knew if he didn’t find an “offspring” – a female thrall to serve his sexual needs – he’d go mad.

When he laid eyes on the charismatic musician on stage, he knew he’d found his “child.” She wouldn’t need to know he was an assassin. But she’d find out his deeper secret soon enough when he sank his fangs into the pulsing vein in her neck.

Together they’d take on the human underworld and the undead.

**********

I’m happy to give away a pdf copy of

Undead in the City to one commenter!

Be sure to leave email contact info with comment

One winner to be announced on Wednesday

You can visit me here:

http://www.lyndahilburnauthor.com/
http://paranormalityuniverse.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LyndaHilburn

Thanks for having me!
Lynda

Guest Blog and Giveaway with Michigan Author Stephanie Hecht

You Write About Michigan?

More times than not, when I tell someone that I set my books in Michigan I get the same question, “You write about Michigan?”

My reply is always the same, “Of course, I love the state!”

I know, I know, you’re all shaking your heads right now. To say that Michigan has had a rough few years would be an understatement. Unemployment is at its highest, foreclosures are soaring and there is a new political scandal hitting the news nearly every day. So, what could I possibly see in my home state?

Plenty!

Michigan is rich in history and has so much to offer. Since I can tell that you’re all still scratching your heads in confusion, I’ll share the top ten things the “Mitten State” has to offer.

1) Hockey! Michigan is home to the Detroit Red Wings. Not only are they one of the most competitive teams in the NHL, but the franchise happens to be part the “Original Six” teams in the league. I live for hockey season and never miss a playoff game. What’s even better is all of Michigan rallies behind the Wings, so the excitement is shared by everyone.

2) We get all four seasons. When asked to pick a favorite season, I can never come up with a good answer and that’s because I love all of them for their own special reasons. I love the smell of fresh flowers in the spring, the warm weather in summer, the beautiful colors of autumn and the first snow fall of the year. In Michigan I get to experience all of these things.

3) We’re the home of Vernors. Every time I get the flu and settle my stomach with ginger ale, I always drink Vernors. That drink got me through two pregnancies, too.

4) Motown! Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy Jr, launched the careers of the Jackson Five, The Four Tops, The Supremes plus many other great artists.

5) The Woodward Dream Cruise. Every August, for one weekend, classic cars take over Woodward Avenue. Whether you’re driving your prized classic car, or just watching from the sidelines, it’s an event that enthusiasts look forward to all year long.

6) The Great Lakes. Michigan is almost completely surrounded by the Great Lakes. Giant, bodies of water, they make up one fifth of world’s fresh water surface.

7) Cook’s Dairy Farm. You can find this dairy farm in Ortonville, Michigan. Not only do they give tours, but you can purchase fresh milk and ice cream. Let me tell you, the ice cream is to die for, too.

8) Michigan International Speedway. Located in Brooklyn, Michigan, this NASCAR race track can hold up to 119,500 fans.

9) Battle Alley. So named because of a street fight that took place in 1880 between locals and workers from a traveling circus, this historic street is in my hometown of Holly. The street is even mentioned in one of my books, Double Shot Cappuccino. It still has many of the original buildings, one of which is the historic Holly Hotel.

10) It’s still Motor City. Despite all the trouble the Big Four have had over the past few years, no one can argue the huge impact they’ve had on the auto industry. Henry Ford established the first assembly line in Detroit. My father worked for General Motors for over thirty years. My uncles were all auto workers, too. To say that Michigan and the auto industry supported one another, would be a vast understatement.

This was just ten of the reasons why I love Michigan. I could have easily written
a dozen more things. Most of all, though, I love Michigan because it’s home. I never want to live anywhere else, either.

To celebrate Michigan I will be giving away two PDF downloads.

One will be the aforementioned, Double Shot Cappuccino and the other will be the first book of my Lost Shifter Series, Primal Passions.

Primal Passions is a M/M paranormal, shape shifter book that takes place in Flint, Michigan.

To qualify to win one of these titles all you need to do is leave a comment.

-Stephani Hecht

Author Bio:

Stephani Hecht is a happily married mother of two. Born and raised in Michigan, she loves all things about the state, from the frigid winters to the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. You can usually find her snuggled up to her laptop, creating her next book.

Stephani Hecht's Email Address
archangelwriter@yahoo.com

Stephani Hecht's WebSite
http://www.stephanihecht.com

Guest Blog and Giveaway with Jennifer Armintrout AKA Abigail Barnette

Hello everyone! I’m super psyched to be here today, because I like guest blogging, and I like being a Michigan author. In fact, I like being a Michigan author so much, I’m two Michigan authors!

On September 7th, my very first erotic romance, Ravenous, will be released from Samhain publishing, under the pseudonym Abigail Barnette. Isn’t that a great pseudonym? Abigail Barnette: Erotic Romance author. Abigail Barnette: for seventh district judge. Abigail Barnette: Gangland’s most ruthless killer. It works on so many levels.

Anyway, I’m primarily known as a vampire author, so vampires were a natural choice for my first foray into the world of eBooks. Not just any vampires, though. Ravenous is a m/m/f vampire pirate velour historical menage. Oh yes. You read that right. Vampire. Pirate.

So, since I’m writing about pirates, I couldn’t really set this book in Michigan. We have a really disheartening lack of pirates here. And my next book as Jennifer Armintrout, American Vampire, which will release from Mira in March, 2011, isn’t set in Michigan either. It’s set in Ohio. But don’t worry, Michiganders, I made Ohio as hellish as we all know in our evil little mitten-shaped hearts that it is. My main character in American Vampire, indeed, the titular (lol, tit) American Vampire, as it were, is from good old Detroit.

So, Jen, you’re probably asking me right now, and I just can’t hear you because we’re not in the same room and also this is in the internet and you have to type things unless you’re using skype or something, why Michigan? Why doesn’t a glamorous, beautiful, well-read and articulate international woman of mystery move to another place, like Indiana or something? Well, to put it bluntly, there is no place on earth that is as cool as Michigan. We have waterfalls, shipwrecks, mushroom hunting, the auto industry, the motown music scene, Detroit Tigers baseball (which is, coincidentally, the best baseball of all time) sea monsters, dogmen, a giant tire and pasties. No, not the things strippers wear on their nipples. Our pasties are 100% sequin and tassel free, and taste good with ketchup. Yes, we have to put up with a thirty year recession and Rod Allen’s sports commentary, but it’s worth it to live in a place where it can be seventy degrees three days in a row and a blizzard on the fourth day.

Say yes to Michigan, y’all. Come visit. Read my books. Don’t get in a shipwreck. Thank you.

Blurb for Ravenous by Abigail Barnette:

One man claims her by day, another by night. Together they lay claim to her heart.

Annabelle Whittington sails toward Jamaica, and marriage to a wealthy plantation owner, on winds of hope. Hope that she hasn’t saved her virginity only to be doomed to proper English wifehood, never to fully satisfy her sexual curiosity. Then the sails of the pirate ship Howling Hades appear on the horizon.

Captain Galerius’s demands are simple: in exchange for her blood to slake his eternal thirst, and her body to quell his voracious lust, he will guarantee safe passage. Except his motives are less than pure. In his hold is another prisoner, Ian Drummond, who must soon be replaced…with Annabelle.

But Ian has plans of his own, and they don’t include giving up his lover so easily. And, once he gets a taste of Annabelle’s sweet blend of innocence and boldness, he can’t imagine living without either one of them.

Annabelle, sensing the tortured soul beneath the monster, refuses to let Galerius intimidate her—and finds an unexpected ally in the infuriating, maddening Ian. As danger threatens the Hades, she is faced with a choice. Return to her life of duty, or embrace her spirit of adventure…and sail the high seas with the men who have captured her heart.

Warning: Avast! Here be hot vampire pirate lovin’ that won’t be coming to a theater near you any time soon; a comely wench who be givin’ “boring” the old heave-ho. Cool rum drink recommended.

Giveaway Time

Jennifer, er Abigail, has offered one lucky winner a pdf of Ravenous

The book has not been released yet so you'll have to wait a couple weeks for her to get copies

To enter leave a comment on this post with email address

Winner TBA next Wednesday

Guest Blog and Giveaway of Shivers with Selena Kitt

The Spirit of MichiganI'm a midwest girl, born and bred, although I never understood how a state bordering Canada could be considered the "midwest." Personally, I think Michigan deserves its own category. What other state allows you to simply hold up your hand and point when someone asks what part of the state you live in?

I've lived in Michigan all my life and don't know that I will ever move. While I've found myself slowly migrating from the suburbs of Detroit over the course of my life, further and further north, (and consequently, moving into a more rural lifestyle) I find this state one of the most special and beautiful I've ever seen.

Just last week I spent a week near Petoskey (they have the coolest stones you'll ever see) and couldn't get enough of the sun, the water, and the beauty that is Michigan. It's breathtaking - beyond breathtaking, it's magical.

And before I sound even more like a commercial trying to bring in tourists... I want to explore that "magical" part of Michigan a little further. This isn't New Orleans - we aren't known for our ghosts (or our vampires)... but there is something extraordinary about this state. Something remarkable, a little offbeat. You can feel it when you walk through the woods up north, pine needles underfoot, sighting an occasional deer. It's almost like another presence, a spirit, walking with and beside you.

Strange things happen here. And while we aren't famous for our ghosts (although some could argue poor Detroit is turning into a ghost town) they do appear. The Great Lakes surround us, and are full of ghost ships. Who could forget The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, sung about so eloquently by Gordon Lightfoot? And there are rumors of several haunted lighthouses throughout the state - considering we have more lighthouses than any other state in the U.S., I suppose that's not a surprise!

Michigan is awash with spirits, and I think we writers feel them more keenly than most. Capturing them on paper is the trick. I have an old-fashioned ghost story in my erotic horror anthology, Shivers, called The Laundry Chute. It takes place in an old Michigan house, where the laundry chutes were known to be very large - and very dangerous to small children. There's also another ghost story in that anthology, called The Velvet Choker, that I adapted from the version I heard around campfires up north while we made s'mores and huddled shivering under blankets - not knowing whether the goosebumps were from the chill in the air, or the supernatural nature of the story...

Michigan writers have a plethora of material to draw from - the spirit of Michigan, her ghosts, phantoms, and apparitions, are all around us. We just have to wander through her woods, or sail her waters, to find them.

Today I'm offering a free pdf of Shivers to one lucky winner.

Just leave a comment on this post and include your email info

Guest Blog and Giveaway with Chrissy Munder

Good morning, Roxanne and the Fang-tastic Book Fans! Thank you for letting me be a part of your month-long, Michigan Authors Celebration. I'm Chrissy Munder, a GLBT author currently writing m/m romance and living in this great state.

“Pure Michigan” is the new advertising slogan for the state’s tourism industry, and it’s a good one. There’s something unique and purely Michigan; something compelling and timeless, and once it gets a hold of you doesn’t let go.

I’m a good example of this. Born and raised in Southeastern Michigan, I left the state early on in search of adventure. Work had me traveling across the United States for years after that. At last count I’ve called seventeen states as home.

But here I am, back in Michigan.

While barely scratching the surface of story and plot line possibilities, Michigan’s bright sunny beaches and Great Lakes have become the background for many of my stories. Including the building of the Mackinac Bridge, and the awesomeness of the Michigan pastie in the short story, Bridge of Dreams. Asparagus farms on the west side of the state were highlighted in the novella, Start From the Beginning, and the Bayview Mackinac Boat Race held annually on Lake Huron was used in the novella, Fair Winds.



But there’s another side to this amazing state, a darker side. Just visit this website, The Shadowlands, for an alphabetized listing of Michigan happenings both chilling and supernatural. Take a look at the city where you live – you may be surprised at what’s going on in your backyard.

Michigan’s lighthouses have always been a romantic source of speculation and mystery. To discover more about them you can visit The Michigan Lighthouse Alliance, and get lost in learning about the more than 115 lighthouses that dot the Michigan coastline. I couldn’t resist using the idea as a backdrop for my paranormal story, After the Storm where, angry and frustrated with his chronic illness, Vincent Poulsen moves into an old lighthouse to live out the few days he has left. After a dangerous collapse, he meets the ghostly Captain Cason, who shares stories of his distant past. In the process, Vincent stumbles over the tragedy that binds the captain to the lighthouse and his haunted memories. Then fate offers them in death a chance to make right what they couldn't in life....


A childhood trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, miles of isolated forest and the eerie sight of a burned-down motel, isolated and surrounded by mist served as the inspiration for my June paranormal release, The Scenic Route, where it’s the first time Ed Baldwin has ever taken his boyfriend Joe Sutton home to meet his parents, and nervous, he keeps trying to pick a fight with Joe to relieve his stress while they drive. When Joe’s had enough, they pull over in a very small town where the choice in motels only adds to Ed’s anxiety. A series of strange happenings puts them back on the road sooner than expected, and it’s at an all-night diner that they find out why the Easy Rest Motel didn’t live up to its name. That’s what Ed gets for letting Joe take the scenic route.

Luckily for me, the possibilities of what to write next are never-ending, and Purely Michigan.

So how about you? Would you like to read more about the dark side of Michigan, or do you prefer the light?

How many of you have left the state only to return?

Leave a comment and let me know. Be sure to put your email in your comment as everyone who replies before 11:00pm EST (Michigan time!) will be entered in a random drawing for a free pdf copy of my novella, After the Storm.

To learn more about me you can visit my website, my blog, friend me at Facebook, or stop by my page at the GLBT bookshelf for even more links on where you can find and follow me across the web.

*Whew* that's a lot. But wait - There's more! (Yes, there’s nothing like late night television commercials.)

You can view my backlist and purchase my work here at Dreamspinner Press. But you can also find me at Amazon.com, Fictionwise, All Romance eBooks, Rainbow eBooks, and other fine booksellers across the web. Hopefully, at one of your favorites.