Welcome to edition #8 of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. We gather the published works of those who have attended the Retreat, which is held every autumn in Okoboji, Iowa. Find more information about the retreat here.

Today’s submission of the OWSR Collaborative includes original fiction, investigations and analyses. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Author Carrie Spellman had me at her title: Lie to Me.

I mean, c’mon. Who isn’t leaning forward toward that title?

Carrie speaks to what many of us share at one time or another: the death of an actor feels more real than traumas we face in our own lives. Sometimes we connect on a deeper level with fictional characters than with real life.

Carrie makes me feel so seen with her submission this week.

Retired teacher Jodi Gehr shares with us how reciting the Pledge of Allegiance changed in her classroom over the years. She also provides her own personal revised Pledge of Allegiance.

From Jodi Gehr’s insights I then dove into Marcel Harmon’s analysis of the concept of liminality: “An essay about intersections, changes, transitions, and transformations involving our built environment.”

Marcel looks at the world from new angles that expand my mind. This week he gives us two articles. This first one, Building Liminality, investigates the in-between places of our world. The places where

Here is this week’s Collaborative for your enjoyment.

Personal Essay

My Paris Memoir Finally Has a Cover—And a Story Behind It
By Deborah Svec-Carstens

Deborah Svec-Carstens unveils the cover of her forthcoming memoir, Toward the Light: A Year in Paris, along with the story behind the design. Publishing September 2026.

Newsletter: The Spiral Staircase
Read

Personal Essay

Lie To Me
By Carrie Spellman

When emotional reality and fantasy overlap.

Newsletter: I’m Working On It
Read

Serialized Fiction

Landing in Flyover Country, Day 126
By Bob Cline

Much goes unsaid but not unnoticed. What can’t be seen or can be conveniently forgotten from a distance cannot be ignored up close.

Newsletter: Landing in Flyover Country, Experiments in Fiction
Read

National Politics

Unbound by either the facts or the law, the “conservative” Supreme Court majority gets the results it wants . . . again
By Jim Chrisinger

How SCOTUS tips the scales for Republicans.

Newsletter: Democracy Defender 1787
Read

Art, Mountain Climbing, and Politics
By Barbara Leach

Art and People -- the Best Learn and Grow: Gaudi whose architecture escaped boring straight lines to grow into the tallest spires reaching the heavens, and Graham Platner who escaped the ugliness of PTSD to use his broken pieces of the past to sculpt a new vision for America.

Newsletter: Practical Politics
Read

When Republicans don’t think they can win fairly, they stir up doubt where none exists
By Jim Chrisinger

Time to call bullshit on Trump’s complaints about the California primary.

Newsletter: Democracy Defender 1787
Read

Architecture / Community & Culture

Building Liminality
By Marcel Harmon

An essay covering architecture, building and community resilience, verifying occupant experience, street art, the USGBC ADAPT 2026 conference, and psychological horror, viewed through the lens of liminality.

Newsletter: Dispatches from Oz
Read

Fiction

The Battle is Over!
By Risa Dotson Eicke

I’ve been defeated, but participating in the Bunker Battle feels like a win.

Newsletter: Blood Red Ink
Read

Spirituality

A Flag Day Reflection
By Jodi Gehr

What the Pledge of Allegiance means to me…

Newsletter: Being Benedictine
Read

Environment

Road Trip
By Nadene Eller

Ditch the disposable: pack a mug for your next adventure.

Newsletter: Just One Word: Plastic
Read

This is your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative

Your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative is built on the talent of those who attend the Okoboji retreat. This year’s retreat is Sept. 27-30. Hurry to grab your seat because they go fast! Find out more here.

The OWSR Collaborative is published on Substack the first and third Thursday of each month.

Thank you for supporting and reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. As a way to gain exposure for our writers, we don’t use paywalls in this publication, but we deeply thank whose who are able to support our writers by going to their Substack newsletters and clicking subscribe.

When you subscribe for free here, you guarantee that the Collaborative will arrive in your email box.

Best wishes, Teresa Kay Albertson, “The Empoweress”

Find our past issues below

If you have missed our Collaboratives in the past, no worries! I’ve got you. See below to read our past issues. Click on the Collaborative edition below to see the edition.

Premier Issue #1 explains our mission

Issue #4

Issue #5

Issue #6

Issue #7

Welcome to edition #7 of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. We gather the published works of those who have attended the Retreat, which is held every autumn in Okoboji, Iowa. Find more information about the retreat here.

Today’s submission of the OWSR Collaborative includes original fiction, investigations and analyses. Let’s dive in, shall we?

I’ve been following author Julie Cantrell and her Substack for a while now. I met Julie a few years ago at the Okoboji retreat and I’ve come to know her better through a writing organization called Story Summit. I love the way her mind and her Substack reflects her thirst for knowledge. Her newsletter, called Curiosity, features topics that speak to her. She dives in with the investigative curiosity of a prolific and award-winning novelist and comes out the other end with a delightful story to share. I hope you enjoy her submission this week as much as I have. Oh, and welcome to Julie! She is our newest member to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative here on Substack.

Author Barbara Leach discusses a candidate for the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Chris Jones. In this week’s Iowa primary, Jones secured the Democratic nomination. If you haven’t heard, Iowa routinely ranks among the worst states for the highest percentage of polluted waterways. Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture is a leading voice when it comes to issues like healthy water. This analysis of Jones from Barbara, a working farmer, is worth considering.

Writer Nadene Eller continues in her mission to eliminate plastics by highlighting the tea industry and its efforts to remove plastics from tea bags. That’s a no brainer, right? Nadene helps us remember that the darned stuff, plastic, is everywhere. Often where you don’t even know it is hiding.

Here is this week’s Collaborative, for your enjoyment.

FICTION
The Bunker Battle Continues — Risa Dotson Eicke
I’m advancing to the third and last round of the Bunker Battle; voting starts July 1.
Newsletter: Blood Red Ink • READ

CULTURE & LGBTQ+
Design Implications of Entangled Sex / Gender — Marcel Harmon
In celebration of Pride Month, let’s buck the binary and embrace entangled gender.
Newsletter: Dispatches from Oz • READ

PERSONAL ESSAY
It’s My Birthday—And I Have a Gift for You — Deborah Svec-Carsten
In celebration of her birthday and in anticipation of her memoir, Toward the Light...
Newsletter: The Spiral Staircase • READ

SERIALIZED FICTION
Landing in Flyover Country, Day 116 — Bob Cline
Why some of us left Iowa and why some of us come back.
Newsletter: Experiments in Fiction • READ

PERSONAL ESSAY
Riot Fest 2021 — Carrie Spellman
Reminding myself that music binds us.
Newsletter: I’m Working On It • READ

NATIONAL POLITICS
“The Rule of Law:” How Dry and Boring Can It Be? — Jim Chrisinger
Just what is the “rule of law” and why should you care?
Newsletter: Democracy Defender 1787 • READ

NATIONAL POLITICS
Corruption and Consequences — Jim Chrisinger
So much corruption, so much damage, so much to repair.
Newsletter: Democracy Defender 1787 • READ

LITERARY HISTORY
Ever Wonder... Is It True That Emily Dickinson...? — Julie Cantrell
Ever wonder how one of America’s most famous poets nearly disappeared from history?
Newsletter: Curiosity • READ

ENVIRONMENT
Polly Put the Kettle On — Nadene Eller
Your tea bag could be releasing billions of microplastics in every cup!
Newsletter: Just One Word: Plastic • READ

SPIRITUALITY
Images of Faith: The Sacred Heart of Jesus — Jodi Gehr
Images are so powerful. They tap into the pool of memories, both personal and collective.
Newsletter: Being Benedictine • READ

Thanks for reading the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat News & Alum Essays ! This article is public and we’d love it if you would considering sharing it with your Substack community. Just click the button above.

STATE POLITICS
Breaking the Cancer Trap: Chris Jones’ Plan for Iowa’s Water— Pat Shipley
Chris Jones, newly nominated to be Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, has a plan.
Newsletter: Practical Politics • READ

PERSONAL ESSAY
Confessions of a Sun Worshiper — Jackie Wilson
I’ve had a love affair with the sun for as long as I can remember. Beyond the...
Newsletter: Midlife Moments • READ

This is your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative

Your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative is built on the talent of those who attend the Okoboji retreat. This year’s retreat is Sept. 27-30. Hurry to grab your seat because they go fast! Find out more here.

The OWSR Collaborative is published on Substack twice a month. So, even this week when my family is all in a flurry for my eldest child’s wedding, I’ll be here gathering and publishing these outstanding submissions.

Thank you for supporting and reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. As a way to gain exposure for our writers, we don’t use paywalls in this publication, but we deeply thank whose who are able to support our writers by going to their Substack newsletters and clicking subscribe.

When you subscribe for free here, you guarantee that the Collaborative will arrive in your email box.

Best wishes, Teresa Kay Albertson, “The Empoweress”

Find our past issues below

If you have missed our Collaboratives in the past, no worries! I’ve got you. See below to read our past issues. Click on the Collaborative edition below to see the edition.

Premier Issue #1 explains our mission

Issue #3

Issue #4

Issue #5

Issue #6

Welcome to edition #6 of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. We gather the published works of those who have attended the Retreat held every autumn in Okoboji, Iowa. Find more information about the retreat here.

Today’s submission of the OWSR Collaborative features painful, personal stories, many calls to action and reflections on life well lived. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Meeting our writers on the page and in person

As the Collaborative’s manager, I delight in getting to know these writers through their published work, but sadly, I’ve met very few of our writers in person. Thankfully, that changed recently when I met Deborah Svec-Carstens at the Des Moines Book Festival, presented by Beaverdale Books.

Deborah spoke at a session and mentioned her memoir which has been 30 years in the making. This memoir, about her time living in Paris as a young woman, focuses on her life of healing after a sexual assault in the city of light. Thanks to her writing mentor, Deb Engle of Story Summit, Deborah’s book is coming out this fall. She makes this announcement in this week’s submission, I Waited More Than 30 Years to Tell This Story. I’m honored to have a small part in presenting her story to you here in this week’s Collaborative.

Please take a moment to read Jim Chrisinger’s two submissions, including Louisiana v Callais, the Voting Rights Act Case. You may know that the Supreme Court is taking big bites out of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Jim offers a careful explanation of the consequences of these decisions.

And if you need a bit of a break from the stresses of your life, Risa Dotson Eicke is offering a fictional short story that offers a 30 Second Glimpse into the past.

Here is this week’s Collaborative, for your enjoyment.

Environment

Fly Friendlier Skies

By Nadene Eller
Airlines are replacing millions of plastic cups with sustainable bamboo, transforming air travel one sip at a time.
Newsletter: Just One Word: Plastic
READ:

Fiction

Landing in Flyover Country, Day 97

By Bob Cline
Exploring serialized fiction and questioning whether Substack is truly the right home for longform storytelling.
Newsletter: Experiments in Fiction
READ:

A Thirty Second Glimpse

By Risa Dotson Eicke
A heartfelt entry for the Frantic Romantic Challenge that captures fleeting moments of connection and emotion.
Newsletter: Blood Red Ink
READ:

Health

When you’re old, always grab hold of the handrail

By Jim Sayers
Sometimes wisdom shared long ago becomes even more meaningful with age and experience.
Newsletter: Exploring New Ground
READ:

Humor

The Great Backyard Stakeout

By Vicki Minor
Everyday Daisy and Madison turn backyard observations into a charming and humorous adventure.
Newsletter: Relatively Minor
READ:

National Politics

Louisiana v Callais, the Voting Rights Act case

By Jim Chrisinger
A provocative examination of affirmative action and Democratic political strategy.
Newsletter: Democracy Defender
READ:

Resist normalizing the travesty that is Trump

By Jim Chrisinger
A forceful critique of presidential expectations and political accountability.
Newsletter: Democracy Defender
READ:

10,400 Defeats: ICE is the loser

By Barbara Leach
ICE faces mounting criticism amid concerns over constitutional rights and due process.
Newsletter: World War Practical Politics
READ:

The Fighter, the Farmer, and the Teacher

By Barbara Leach
A compelling call to action urging readers to support democracy and civic engagement.
Newsletter: Practical Politics
READ:

Personal Essay

I Waited More Than 30 Years to Tell This Story

By Deborah Svec-Carstens
Deborah Svec-Carstens reflects on the long emotional road toward publishing her Paris memoir.
Newsletter: The Spiral Staircase
READ:

A Couple Fen-tastic Tromps!

By Tim Grover
A long Mother’s Day weekend filled with scenic strolls, reflection, and family connection.
Newsletter: Barnstorming Brain
READ:

Personal Growth

The Right Book at the Right Time

By Jodi Gehr
A celebration of synchronicity, books, and the perfect story arriving exactly when needed.
Newsletter: Being Benedictine
READ:

Delusional or tenacious?

By Carrie Spellman
A candid reflection on perseverance, self-doubt, and the ongoing work of becoming.
Newsletter: Carrie Spellman
READ:

Popular Culture and Politics

America Under Pressure

By Marcel Harmon
An exploration of love, culture, and the urgent need for compassion in modern society.
Newsletter: Dispatches from Oz
READ:

Sports

Baseball Fans--Don’t Miss This!

By Tim Grover
Discover John Liepa’s collection and Iowa’s fascinating connection to baseball history.
Newsletter: Barnstorming Brain
READ:

This is your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative

Your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative is built on the talent of those who attend the Okoboji retreat. This year’s retreat is Sept. 27-30. Hurry to grab your seat because they go fast! Find out more here.

The OWSR Collaborative is published on Substack twice a month. So, unless I get hit by a train or I finally throw everything in the car and follow my heart to the Rocky Mountains, I’ll be here gathering and publishing these outstanding submissions.

Thank you for supporting and reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. As a way to gain exposure for our writers, we don’t use paywalls in this publication, but we deeply thank whose who are able to support our writers by going to their Substack newsletters and clicking subscribe.

When you subscribe for free here, you guarantee that the Collaborative will arrive in your email box.

Best wishes, Teresa Kay Albertson, “The Empoweress”

Find our past issues below

If you have missed our Collaboratives in the past, no worries! I’ve got you. See below to read our past issues. Click on the Collaborative edition below to see the edition.

Premier Issue #1

Issue #2

Issue #3

Issue #4

Issue #5

Thanks for reading Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat News & Alum Essays ! This article is public and we’d love it if you would considering sharing it with your Substack community. Just click the “share” button above.

This is your fifth edition of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative on Substack. We gather submissions from our authors to enlighten your day, inform your mind and entertain your spirit.

The layers of self and a new writer to the Collaborative

In Carrie Spellman’s submission this week, she introduces us to a new scientific experiment: researching the many different versions of herself through the years. It sounds like a fascinating voyage, and maybe a little bit scary to consider for each of us. So don’t miss her maiden submission on this voyage.

This is the first edition of the Collaborate that the our organizer, me, Teresa Kay Albertson, offers a submission from her Substack The Empoweress. I hope it entices you to keep an eye open for further articles.

Unlike me, Risa Dotson Eicke has offered a submission in every Collaborative posting so far. Risa shares two submissions this week about some of her fiction writing adventures. Her articles help us understand the life and adventures of a writer’s life.

Writer Kathy Elliot got me laughing with her first line in her submission this week: “My bookshelf is in great shape. My writing skills, less so.” In her submission this week, she shares the dilemma of loving to read while feeling the calling to write.

This is your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative

Your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative is built on the talent of those who attend the Okoboji retreat. This year’s retreat is Sept. 27-30. Hurry to grab your seat because they go fast! Find out more here.

The OWSR Collaborative is published on Substack twice a month. So, unless I get hit by a train or Idris Elba finally calls (be still my heart—hey, it could happen!), I’ll be here gathering and publishing these outstanding submissions.

Thank you for supporting and reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. As a way to gain exposure for our writers, we don’t use paywalls in this publication, but we deeply thank whose who are able to support our writers by going to their Substack newsletters and clicking subscribe.

When you subscribe for free here, you guarantee that the Collaborative will arrive in your email box.

Best wishes, Teresa Kay Albertson, “The Empoweress”

Personal Growth

So Many Me’s
Carrie Spellman
I’m Carrie... I’m working on it.
Carrie Spellman
READ

Personal Essay

The Downside of Being Bookish
Kathy Elliott
How much reading about writing is too much before you just… write?
Living in the In-Between
READ

When “Fine” is Faking It: A Story of Trauma, Recovery, and Learning to Tell the Truth About My Life
Deborah Svec-Carstens
After a sexual assault, Deborah Svec-Carstens spent years insisting she was fine. This is the story of what it cost her, and how she began to heal.
The Spiral Staircase
READ

The Healing Power of Singing in a Choir
Deborah Svec-Carstens
Science says singing in a choir is good for you; Deborah’s story explains why it might actually save your life.
The Spiral Staircase
READ

Mel Robbins Thrilling Live Show
Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson recently saw her favorite podcaster, Mel Robbins, at a live show. Mel has encouraged millions of listeners by sharing personal stories and a driving force for change in Jackie’s life.
Midlife Moments
READ

You’re Forgiven Too, Richard
Tim Grover
Being reunited with a man who fired me 46 years earlier...
Barnstorming Brain
READ

The Mom You Wish You Had
Teresa Albertson
Paying back to the world as the strong person you need in your corner.
The Empoweress
READ

Serialized Fiction

Landing in Flyover Country Day 86
Bob Cline
Can a novel be serialized as daily emails? This author thinks so.
Experiments in Fiction
READ

Fiction

NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge
Risa Dotson Eicke
My experience participating in the Short Story Challenge
Blood Red Ink
READ

Time to Vote in the Bunker Battle!
Risa Dotson Eicke
Read 8 stories, vote for 4!
Blood Red Ink
READ

National Politics

Choose Hope Over Fear
Jim Chrisinger
The case for looking forward with hope instead of backward in fear
Democracy Defender 1787
READ

Book Recommendation: “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels,” by Jon Meacham (2018)
Jim Chrisinger
How our “better angels” need to rescue America, again
Democracy Defender 1787
READ

The Fighter Iowa Needs: Why Josh Turek is Flipping the Script
Barbara Leach
Josh Turek is the one candidate who can win Iowa’s Senate seat. He will lead the Iowa ticket with the same “Fighter’s DNA” that defined the Harkin era—a relentless determination focused on the working class.
Practical Politics
READ

Environment

B.Y.O.B.
Nadene Eller
How many years can we continue to pump billions of plastic water bottles as waste into our environment?
Just One Word: Plastic
READ

Decarbonization, Environmental Education, and the Human
Marcel Harmon
Reflections on the 2025 Kansas Environmental Education and Greenbuild Conferences, and how equitable, healthy, sustainable, and resilient design is facilitated by environmental education
Dispatches from Oz
READ

Find our past issues below

If you have missed our Collaboratives in the past, no worries! I’ve got you. See below to read our past issues. Click on the Collaborative edition below to see the edition.

Premier Issue #1

Issue #2

Issue #3

Issue #4

Your Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative is built on the talent of those who attend the Okoboji retreat. This year’s retreat is Sept. 27-30. Hurry to grab your seat because they go fast! Find out more here.

One of the most common things you overhear at the retreat is how amazed attendees are with the life-changing elements of the event. Learning sessions are intimate. Unlike many other retreats where you are sitting in an auditorium as you squint to see the speaker, at the Okoboji retreat, you’ll likely be sitting next to the speakers or sharing your lunch with them.

But I digress.

Introducing two new writers to the Collaborative

What I really want to tell you about is our amazing writers who have submissions for you this week.

We are even introducing two new writers to you: Barbara Leach and Pat Shipley.

Barbara writes about “Practical Politics” and comes to us with amazing life experiences. From her about-page on her Substack newsletter, you’ll learn that Barbara lives a life “like a lovely quilt — full of stories, opportunities, and challenges.” She grew up in Iowa, “the daughter of a railroad worker with an eighth-grade education and a +140 IQ who grew up in Canada, and a mother who was one of those women whose career at a big insurance company in Des Moines saved her parents from being on the street when the Great Depression tore the world apart.”

See Barbara’s submission below.

Although Pat Shipley starts her submission with bright words about Easter, she can’t help but slip into politics. But, hey, this is Iowa after all. Pat is telling us that we are at a crossroads, and action is required.

Pat is a retired educator and small town mayor. She writes “spirited commentary on education, politics, and community life and a voice for those who haven't found their voice yet.”

See Pat’s submission below.

This is Collaborative #4

The OWSR Collaborative is published on Substack twice a month. So, unless I get hit by a train or Ryan Gosling finally calls (be still my heart—hey, it could happen!), I’ll be here gathering and publishing these outstanding submissions.

Share Okoboji Writers' & Songwriters' Retreat News & Alum Essays

Thank you for supporting and reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. We aren’t using paywalls with this publication as a way to gain exposure for our writers, but we deeply thank whose who are able to support our writers by going to their Substack newsletters and hitting subscribe.

When you subscribe here, you guarantee that the Collaborative will arrive in your email box.

Best wishes, Teresa Kay Albertson, “The Empoweress”

📚 Fiction

Write Now Writers Club

By Risa Dotson Eicke
My experience with UI’s Writing Contests and the new Writers’ Club—an inside look at growing as a writer in community.
👉 Read more
Blood Red Ink

Grandpa’s Crib

By Bob Cline
A short, grounding story that offers a pause from Landing in Flyover Country.
👉 Read more
Experiments in Fiction

🏛️ National Politics

Hello Graham Platner! UPDATE!!

By Barbara Leach
Meet a Maine Senate candidate who speaks plainly and stands firm—contrasting sharply with politics-as-usual.
👉 Read more
Practical Politics

Stop Blaming Trump; Blame the Cowards Who Could End Our National Nightmare Tomorrow

By Jim Chrisinger
A provocative argument shifting responsibility to those in power who could act—but don’t.
👉 Read more
Democracy Defender 1787

Silence No Longer Golden

By Pat Shipley
A call to action: Iowa’s voices—and its representatives—must speak up.
👉 Read more
A View from Here

✍️ Personal Essays

Finding Peace Without Justice

By Deborah Svec-Carstens
A deeply moving exploration of healing, voice, and survival in the absence of justice.
👉 Read more
The Spiral Staircase

Leave a comment

Making a Difference Part 3

By Marge Nelson
A heartfelt conclusion reflecting on the impact of one life on others.
👉 Read more
dreamsof writing

🌱 Personal Growth

Don’t Let The Past Rewrite Your Future

By Naz Pankey
A safe, honest space for reflection, courage, and embracing life’s messy beauty.
👉 Read more
From Naz With Love

🎭 Culture

Friendship

By Marcel Harmon
From anthropology to SNL, a fascinating look at what shapes friendship—and where it’s headed.
👉 Read more
Dispatches from Oz

🙏 Spirituality

A Journey with The Little Prince

By Jodi Gehr
A brief but profound spiritual journey inspired by a timeless classic.
👉 Read more
Being Benedictine

🎤 Interviews

From Someday Ideas to Stories That Stay: Rita Dotson Eicke

By Vicki Minor
A thoughtful profile on persistence, creativity, and the writing life.
👉 Read more
Narratives and Notes

🚜 Farming

Mobile Farm Memorabilia

By Jim Sayers
An old pickup becomes a moving archive of family, memory, and rural life.
👉 Read more
Exploring New Ground

Leave a comment

Find our past issues below

If you have missed our Collaboratives in the past, no worries! I’ve got you. See below to read our past issues. Click on the Collaborative edition below to see the edition.

Premier Issue #1

Issue #2

Issue #3

Hair today, gone tomorrow

According to Nadene Eller, 550 million empty plastic shampoo bottles are tossed in the trash every year. That’s enough to fill 1,164 football fields. Almost none of those bottles are recycled.

Nadene’s mission to liberate her life of plastic has led her to a stunning discovery (at least stunning ton me!): shampoo packed in an environmentally-responsible manner without plastic! Read about Nadene’s insights including a DIY dry-shampoo recipe at her Substack, “Just One Word: Plastic.”

Everyone is a king and a fool…but which is which?

In his Substack submission, Jim Chrisinger shares his response to a reader who suggested that Donald Trump isn’t trying to be a king. Jim breaks down his assertion in 9 points that, yes, Donald Trump wants to be a king and has tried to be a king. Jim writes his Substack under the title of “Democracy Defender 1787.”

Yesterday was April Fool’s Day. I have always loved the day, and I’ve noticed that because I live alone and work alone, I don’t enjoy it much at all because I have no one to trick and no one tricks me. Sad, right?

Well, thanks to Vicki Minor’s Substack submission, “If a Camel Says ‘Happy Hump Day,’ Walk Away Slowly,” I enjoyed an April Fool’s Day smile. Thank you, Vicki.

This is edition #3

This is your 3^rd edition of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative on Substack. This edition has the most submissions yet at twelve. That’s twelve insightful, knowledgeable, funny and creative writers from all around the country found in one magical place, the OWSR Collaborative.

And we continue to grow! We have 24 writers in the Collaborative. Of course, not all of them submit for every edition, so you never know what you are going to find in this particular box of chocolates.

Julie Gammack is the glue

What binds us together? Julie Gammack, of course, and her Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat held every year in Okoboji, Iowa. Julie’s mission is to support writers. If you write, if you want to write, if you know a writer, if you know someone who wants to write, and if you want to rub shoulders with writers (we are very cool), send them our way or come join us in Okoboji this year September 27-30. It changes lives. For the better, I promise.

As we continue to grow, we are hoping you will consider subscribing to this Collaborative and/or to our writers. Some of us, me included, write for a living. This is our job. And we thank you dearly for your support.

The OWSR Collaborative is published on Substack twice a month. So, unless I get hit by a train or Patrick Stewart finally calls (be still my heart), I’ll be here gathering and publishing these outstanding submissions.

Thank you for supporting and reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative. We aren’t using paywalls with this publication as a way to gain exposure for our writers, but we deeply thank whose who are able to support our work.

Best wishes, Teresa Kay Albertson, “The Empoweress”

🌍 Environment

Only My Hairdresser Knows For Sure
By Nadene Eller · Just One Word: Plastic
A personal reckoning with everyday plastic use—and change.
👉 Read More

🚜 Farming

Conservation: there’s always something new to learn
By Jim Sayers · Exploring New Ground
A reminder that learning and growth never stop—at any age.
👉 Read More

Liberation
By Tim Grover · Barnstorming Brain
A poetic reflection on soil loss and rural depopulation.
👉 Read More

✍️ Fiction

Iowa [W]rites of Spring
By Risa Dotson Eicke · Blood Red Ink
An anthology celebrating Iowa City writers and the season of renewal.
👉 Read More

😂 Humor

If A Camel Says ‘Happy Hump Day’, Walk Away Slowly
By Vicki Minor · Relatively Minor
A witty take on April Fool’s chaos and midweek absurdity.
👉 Read More

🏛️ National Politics

Concentration Camps... Again
By Marcel Harmon · Dispatches from Oz
A forceful argument about detention centers and moral responsibility.
👉 Read More

Trump supporters pushed back when I said Trump was trying to be a king
By Jim Chrisinger · Democracy Defender 1787
A firsthand account of political debate and pushback.
👉 Read More

📝 Personal Essays

Becoming My Own Boss
By Jackie Wilson · Midlife Moments
Reflections on a decade of writing after building a freelance career.
👉 Read More

Making a Difference Part 2
By Marge Nelson · Dreams of writing
A continuation of one woman’s determination to push beyond expectations.
👉 Read More

Reminder to Self: No One Made Me Do This
By Kathy Elliott · Living in the In-Between
An honest journey through procrastination, insecurity, and self-doubt.
👉 Read More

🎧 Recommendations

A Different Kind of Attention: Recommendations for Women’s History Month
By Deborah Svec-Carstens · The Spiral Staircase
Curated books, podcasts, and shows honoring women’s voices and lives.
👉 Read More

📚 Serialized Fiction

Landing in Flyover Country, Day 52
By Bob Cline · Landing in Flyover Country
A continuing story of return and reckoning, told through emails.
👉 Read More

🌿 Spirituality

How to Bear Discomfort Well
By Jodi Gehr · Being Benedictine
A reflection on carrying both personal and collective burdens with grace.
👉 Read More

💌 If something moved you, share it. Great writing deserves to travel.

Our glue-mistress, Julie Gammack, also manages the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative which is really MAKING WAVES around the world. Have you read it? Find it here:

And here’s a sweet picture of Julie from the 2025 Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat with Pulitzer Prize Awardee and all around very interesting fellow Art Cullen. Thanks, T.K.A.

Welcome to episode #2 of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Collaborative. Not sure what this is? Check out our premier edition that dropped March 5, 2026. It explains what we are all about.

As always, we are featuring the writing of those who have attended and taught at the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. What? You haven’t attended yet? Spots are still open for this year’s event Sept. 27-30. But hurry, the event usually sells out!

Today’s selections

Today, as always, we have quite the smorgasbord for you. From fiction to spirituality, from personal essay to world affairs, we have it all. (Almost) no matter your appetite, we have what you are craving.

Before we launch into the servings, please welcome Bob Cline, Jim Chrisinger, Vicki Minor and Jackie Wilson to our ranks. Don’t forget to keep coming back as we grow.

Unless I fall into a crevasse or Javier Bardem finally calls (be still my heart), we publish twice a month.

--Teresa Kay Albertson The Empoweress

Feature Story

Playing the Game: Finding Love and Understanding in Dementia Care
By Vicki Minor
Author Terri Leedom celebrates the publication of her second book, Play the Game: A Caregiver’s Journey of Navigating Dementia With Patience, Humor, and Love.
Narratives and Notes
Read More:

Fiction

Landing in Flyover Country Day 38
By Bob Cline
Emails replace chapters, mirroring how digital communication now substitutes much of human connection, as the narrator returns to a changed Iowa farm country.
Experiments in fiction writing
Read More:

Lunch in the City
By Risa Dotson Eicke
Runner-Up in the inaugural Frantic Romantic Challenge!
Blood Red Ink
Read More:

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National Politics

A poison solution looking for a problem: the SAVE America Act
By Jim Chrisinger
Trump’s at it again, lying to try to steal the 2026 election.
Democracy Defender 1787
Read More:

Personal Essay

Life lessons from my blind aunt
By Jackie Wilson
My blind aunt taught me unexpected life lessons as a teenager.
Midlife Moments
Read More:

Making a Difference
By Marge Nelson
As I’m halfway through my 80’s I look back at the life I’ve lived and wonder if I made a difference. I want to believe I have.
dreamsofwriting
Read More:

Personal Growth

Be Careful What You Speak Over Yourself
By Naz Pankey
“My words shape my reality. I speak truth, power, and love over myself. I am not my mistakes. I am becoming.”
From Naz With Love

Read More:

Spirituality

A Prayer of Longing for Women’s History Month
By Jodi Gehr
During Women’s History Month, we honor the women who have a “secret prayer inside them”, a holy longing to be heard.
Being Benedictine
Read More:

When the Body Calls Us to Slow Down
By Deborah Svec-Carstens
Sometimes the body insists on a slower rhythm than the mind prefers.
The Spiral Staircase
Read More:

State Politics

The Legislature’s Trans Obsession Harms Every Kansan
By Marcel Harmon
While focused on Kansas, the harms of anti-trans legislation covered here are relevant to all states suffering from their passage. Republican-controlled legislatures should focus less on culture wars and more on economic realities.
Dispatches from Oz
Read More:

World Affairs

The Strait of Consequences
By Nadene Eller
A distant conflict reveals how deeply our everyday lives depend on oil—and the supply of plastic it becomes.
Just One Word: Plastic
Read More:

The image above is typical for a workshop session at the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. Look closely. You might see some of today’s featured authors in this photo.

This is your thought magazine that gives you a little bit of everything. It’s like a buffet. You are invited to taste, sample and go hog wild with whatever selection satisfied your cravings.

This OWSR Collaborative will grow as more and more members of the OWSR community start Substack accounts and hear about this opportunity. If you are an alum of the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, either as an attendee or as a presenter, and you have a Substack and you are actively publishing either regularly or once in a while, we welcome you to join this Collaborative. We will help drive readers to your original thinking.

But for now, let’s cheer for our inaugural members here included in today’s issue. Keep coming back to watch how we grow.

What you will find in today’s issue

In this edition, you’ll find Marcel Harmon in his Substack “Dispatches from Oz,” reflects on the role of hope in a challenging world and bemoans Erin Reed’s designation of Kansas as a “do not travel” state, along with Texas and Florida.

Jodi Gehr, in her Substack, “Being Benedictine,” considers how a snow day can be considered a day of contemplation.

Writer Tim Grover shares some tidbits from 1979 when he worked in a state hospital in Independence, Iowa in his Substack titled “Barnstorming Brain.”

Self-proclaimed octogenarian Marjorie Nelson, in her Substack, “Dreams of Writing,” gives us a narrative worthy of an ESPN commentator from her recent attendance at two Iowa State University basketball games; a men’s and a women’s game.

These four authors are just a sampling of what we have to offer in this week’s OWSR Collaborative. You can expect the Collaborative to drop twice a month, unless I get hit by a bus or Brad Pitt finally calls (be still my heart). Until then, thank you for reading this week’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative.

-Teresa Kay Albertson, coordinator

Personal Essay

Hope is a Promise
Marcel Harmon
Hope is a promise, as well as a weapon and a tool we can use to help us resist, while building a better future.
Read more:

Jimmy Ling’s Crucifiction
Tim Grover
An afternoon on a softball field...
Read more:

Game Day Excitement
Marge Nelson
Just say yes but bring your earplugs and your youthful spirit.
Read more:

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Spirituality

Your Body Often Knows Before You Do
Deborah Svec-Carstens
Discernment begins when we slow down enough to notice what the body already knows.
Read more:

A Snow Day and The Wonder of Winter
Jodi Gehr
Snow shadows shifting on the snow through the day become contemplative prayer.
Read more:

Subscribe now

Writing / Reading

Indiegogo Campaign has launched for our Anthology
Risa Dotson Eicke
Iowa [W]rites of Spring: Anthology of poetry, short stories, and art launches fundraiser this week.
Read more:

Environment

Bring Your Own Fork
Nadene Eller
Join the revolution that fits in your pocket!
Read more:

Personal Growth

You Are Not Behind
Naz Pankey
Sometimes we think we’ve missed our moment because it didn’t happen when we wanted it to. But life doesn’t always move on our schedule. It moves on the timing that’s right for us. So if you feel behind, take a breath. You’re not late. Your life is simply unfolding in its own season.
Read more:

Note: The Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Collaborative uses AI resources in a limited fashion. Most uses, for example, for an image, will be noted in the text. However, as we prepare each Collaborative, we also use AI to assist with quickly organizing submissions into a compact and efficient format. Otherwise, all text, submissions and images, unless otherwise noted, are original from Human Intelligence— that means we, the original writers supporting this publication. Thank you.

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We now have 60 people enrolled in the Okoboji Mastery Circle year-round online class series, and 43 of them are also signed up for the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. This is the fastest start we’ve had in six years of producing the retreat.

Happy dance. Turns out, I’m not the only one eager to carry the OWSR community vibe throughout the year.

One of my motivations for creating this online course series is personal. During the retreat itself, I’m usually running from place to place and rarely get to sit in on sessions. I’m genuinely thrilled to be able to participate fully this time during the online classes.

Subscribe now

It’s not too late to sign up. The ridiculous Early Bird rate has now become a very good Early Bird rate:

• $497 for the online series only

• $895 for both the online series and retreat enrollment

(The retreat will be $995 after July 15.)

For the super-impressive class schedule, click here:

OMC Schedule

More OWSR News

For those who have participated in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, we will be launching an OWSR Collaborative of writers who have their own Substack column. Although it is modeled after the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, the OWSR Collaborative does not require professional writing experience.

This is limited to OWSR participants only.

will be coordinating this effort and it will launch in January of 2026.

If you want to learn how to launch a successful Substack column, Story Summit will be offering online beginner classes in January. and will be co-facilitating these sessions.

Interested? Let me know:

Featured During the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, September 27-30

Five (!) literary agents. Click:

Literary Agents OWSR VI

If you know someone who would like to receive information about the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, and the Okoboji Mastery Circle, please send them this post and encourage them to subscribe.

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New: Okoboji Year Round Online Mastery Circle — $397 Early Bird price until December 15. This 10-session online workshop series can keep the spirit of the retreat alive throughout the year. If you missed a coveted session last year, or want to hear it again, or can’t show up in real time next September, this is designed for you. The course leaders are listed below. Mastery Circle Online Only

Mastery Circle Online Only

The Sixth Annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, September 27-30, 2026 Early Bird Registration is now.

OWSR VI Early Bird Only

Or, do both the Okoboji Year Round Mastery Circle + OWSR VI for one price of $795 until December 15. Our very best deal.

OMC + OWSR VI SPECIAL

The time has come.

Today we’re rolling out the best early-enrollment offer we’ve ever had—because we’re adding something brand new. Beginning January 14, we launch the Okoboji Year-Round Mastery Circle, a monthly online class series that keeps the Okoboji magic going long after the docks are pulled in for the season.

Each session runs 90 minutes on the second Wednesday of the month and features one of our OWSR workshop leaders adapting their signature class for Zoom. I’ll be moderating the conversations, keeping them lively, useful, and laser-focused on helping you move your writing forward.

Of course, you’ll want to join us in person September 27–30 for the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. But this new series gives you a way to stay plugged into the vibe all year long—staying inspired, accountable, and connected with your fellow writers between our gatherings by the lake.

New Speakers Joining OWSR VI

We’re welcoming an extraordinary lineup of newcomers this year:

Rita Rosenkranz

A powerhouse literary agent representing first-time and veteran authors alike. Her list includes major nonfiction voices such as Barbara Oakley (A Mind for Numbers) and Julie Bogart (The Brave Learner). Rita brings decades of editorial and industry experience and a keen eye for distinctive nonfiction.

William Bernhardt

A nationally bestselling, New York Times–listed author of more than 60 books—mostly novels, with a new nonfiction title arriving in April. William is a master storyteller and teacher with a gift for helping writers sharpen their craft.

https://williambernhardt.com

Romen Borsellino

A comedy writer—and a stand-up guy in more ways than one. Smart, sharp, and generous with insights about humor, timing, and creating work that connects. Romen Borsellino is a Los Angeles-based comedy writer and performer. He most recently wrote for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show during Kal Penn’s weeks as guest host. Romen was a staff writer for Season 2 of NBC’s A Little Late with Lilly Singh as well as the sole writer for CTV’s Battle of the Generations, hosted by Lilly Singh. In 2020, Romen co-created and executive produced Freeform’s comedic election series Kal Penn Approves This Message. Romen has also written comedy for President Biden’s 2023 White House Correspondent’s Dinner remarks, the 2023 Pen America Literary Awards, the 2021 WGA Awards, and Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s This Giant Beast

Megan Gogerty

Playwright, comedian, teacher, and award-winning solo performer. Megan’s résumé reads like a creative fireworks show: Edinburgh Fringe, Cloris Leachman Award, Critic’s Picks, international productions, and published plays. She teaches at the University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop and brings unmatched energy and expertise.

…stay tuned to the website, as the speaker roster evolves

OWSR VI Website

Okoboji Year-Round Online Mastery Circle

These dates are subject to change.

January 14 — Kali White VanBaale

Points of Entry in Storytelling
How to choose where a story begins—prologues, frame narrators, in-media-res openings, and the dreaded “false start.” Perfect for fiction, nonfiction, and memoir writers wrestling with where to step onto the path.
Bio: Award-winning author of The Monsters We Make, Release of Information, and more. MFA, educator, and editor-at-large of The Past Ten.’

February 11 — Peter Hedges

From Page to Screen: Writing Character-Driven Stories for Film and Stage
Learn how an Oscar-nominated screenwriter shapes emotional arcs, builds memorable characters, and thinks cinematically—whether writing scripts or prose.
Bio: Author, screenwriter, filmmaker known for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Pieces of April.

March 11 — Rekha Basu

Writing for Change
How to use your voice to illuminate injustice, human rights issues, global challenges, and more—and how to offer readers pathways to action.
Bio: Syndicated columnist, author, and globally raised feminist journalist.

April 8 — Rachelle Chase

Turning Local Stories Into Powerful Narrative
Discover how to uncover overlooked histories, interview with sensitivity, navigate research gaps, and build narratives that matter.
Bio: Author, columnist, historian known for her celebrated work on Buxton, Iowa.

May 13 — Phoebe Wall Howard

Lazy Language and How to Fix It
A spirited deep-clean of clichés, filler, and saggy sentences—and how to replace them with crisp, fresh, surprising language that pops off the page.
Bio: Award-winning journalist known for turning business and automotive reporting into can’t-put-down storytelling.

June 10 — Debra Engle

Finding Transcendence in Your Memoir
How to move beyond “what happened” toward meaning, shape, and emotional resonance. One of the most beloved OWSR classes every year.
Bio: Author, teacher, and mentor to thousands of memoirists.

July 8 — Beth Hoffman

Bringing It All Together: Finding Themes in Your Memoir
If you’ve got pages (or piles) of stories, this workshop helps you discover the through-lines that hold them together.
Bio: Longtime journalist, author of Bet the Farm, and host of At the Iowa Farm Table and In the Dirt.

August 12 — Nicole Baart

Nicole Baart is the author of twelve novels, including Everything We Didn’t Say (an October 2021 Book of the Month selection and Amazon Editor’s pick) and Where He Left Me, an instant National Bestseller. The cofounder of a nonprofit and mother of five, she lives in Iowa with her family. Learn more at NicoleBaart.com and follow her on Substack:

September 9 — Literary Agent Katharine Sands

Making the Perfect Pitch
What makes agents say yes? How do you pitch memoir, fiction, or nonfiction? What hooks a reader—or an editor? Find out from the agent provocateur herself.

October — Nonfiction Panel

Featuring:

• Douglas Burns — award-winning journalist and publisher

  

• Robert Leonard — “finding your voice and perspective—doing you”

• Ty Rushing — writing about sensitive subjects with empathy

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First, if you participated this year, have you filled out the survey:

OWSR V Survey

Next, I’ll be holding a Zoom call today at noon to get your feedback.

Here is your link:

Julie Gammack Potluck Zoom

I’d love to hear about your experience and your thoughts about the future of the event.

The fifth annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat is a wrap!

Many decisions about the future of this event will be made in the weeks ahead, so if you attended this year, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey now. Your opinion really does matter.

OWSR V PARTICIPANT SURVEY

I’ve loved seeing your posts across Facebook, Instagram, and Substack—it almost makes me feel like I was there Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. My sincere apologies for not being; something hit me hard and I’m still recovering. Honestly, the survey is the only thing I’ve had the energy to crank out, but it’s important to capture your impressions while they’re fresh.

I’ve already received incredible, heart-wrenching emails from both first-time participants and longtime attendees. Every year, people tell me how the retreat content “notches up” because of the speakers and the new touches we add.

Meanwhile, as the retreat organizer, I’ve spend way too much time obsessing over the details that didn’t go perfectly. Let’s just say I will never again try to moonlight as a travel agent. (What made me think I could pull that off on top of everything else? That’s a question for a therapist someday.)

So your notes and heartfelt reflections mean the world to me. They are a balm. I am beyond grateful for the chance to play a role in bringing this community together.

Invoices are coming in a bit hire than expected. If you’d like to help:

Help Get OWR Expenses Paid

Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

This Land is Your Land...

From left to right, singers and songwriters: Dartanyan Brown, Joel Wernimont, Justin Roberts, Mitchell Walsmith, Jason Walsmith, Peter Strand, Maxwell Schaffer, Chad Elliott and Kathryn Severing Fox (the Weary Ramblers), Chip Albright, and Becky Thoreson…

Read more

9 months ago · 52 likes · 26 comments · Robert Leonard

Faculty Index

Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat
September 28 – October 1, 2025

Baart, Nicole

• Panel: Fiction Fundamentals — Mon 9:15 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Crafting an Unforgettable First Page — Mon 10:45 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Interiority: Harness Your Protagonist’s Inner Life — Mon 3:00 PM (Waitt 2)

• Panel: Fiction Futures — Tue 9:15 AM (Waitt 1)

• Panel: Slush Pile (Fiction) (lead) — Tue 1:15 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Panel: Fiction: Slush Pile — Wed 8:45 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Interiority: Harness Your Protagonist’s Inner Life — Wed 10:15 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

Basu, Rekha

• Panel: Opinion & Commentary — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Panel: Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Opinion Writing: Finding Your Voice — Tue 10:45 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Panel: Writing & the Defense of Democracy — Wed 8:45 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: My Experience With Substack — Wed 10:15 AM (Library)

Belin, Laura

• Panel: Journalism & Investigative — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Finding & Using Public Records — Mon 10:45 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Using Social Media Without Feeding Trolls — Tue 10:45 AM (Library)

• Panel: Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Wed 8:45 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

Bigelow, Kelsey

• Panel: Poetry & Spoken Word — Mon 9:15 AM (Primitive)

• Workshop: Uncovering Your Poem — Mon 10:45 AM (Primitive)

• Panel: Poetry in Community — Tue 9:15 AM (Primitive)

• Workshop: Uncovering Your Poem (Generative) — Tue 10:45 AM (Primitive)

• Workshop: Poetry as a Coping Tool — Wed 10:15 AM (Primitive)

• Panel: Poetry & Spoken Word — Wed 8:45 AM (Primitive)

Brooks, Kevin

• Panel: Songwriting & Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Morning Music — Tue 7:30 AM (Main Tent)

• Panel: Songwriting Across Genres — Tue 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Brown, Dartanyan

• Workshop: My Integrated Life — Mon 3:00 PM (Calvin)

• Panel: Songwriting Across Genres — Tue 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: My Integrated Life: Journalism, Arts & Education — Tue 3:00 PM (Pammel)

Burns, Douglas

• Panel: Opinion & Commentary — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Speechwriting: From Op-Ed to Oval Office — Mon 1:15 PM (Main Cottage)

• Panel: Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Panel: Opinion & Commentary — Wed 8:45 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: My Experience With Substack — Wed 10:15 AM (Library)

Burton, AJ Philby

• Panel: How to Make a Movie — Tue 3:00 PM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: State Resources for Filmmakers — Wed 10:15 AM (Macbride [AV])

Calhoun, Will

• Panel: Songwriting & Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Rhythm, Rhyme, and Storytelling — Tue 3:00 PM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

Casey, Maura

• Panel: Memoir Basics — Mon 9:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Ten Lessons in Memoir — Mon 10:45 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Opinion Writing: It’s Always the Angle — Mon 1:15 PM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Opinion Writing: It’s Always the Angle — Tue 1:15 PM (Main Cottage)

• Panel: Opinion Writing Today — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Panel: Memoir: Courage to Tell the Story — Wed 8:45 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Nonfiction Slush Pile — Wed 10:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Cowan-Schroeder, Michelle

• Workshop: From Loss to Light: Turning Pain into Story — Tue 3:00 PM (Library)

Cullen, Art

• Panel: Opinion & Commentary — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Opinion Writing: Get the News Up Front! — Mon 10:45 AM (Main Cottage)

• Panel: How a Book Is Born — Mon 1:15 PM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Opinion Writing: Get the News Up Front! — Tue 10:45 AM (Main Cottage)

• Panel: Opinion & Commentary — Wed 8:45 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Nonfiction Slush Pile — Wed 10:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Donovan, Lea

• Workshop: Using Generative AI Responsibly in Documentary — Tue 3:00 PM (Macbride [AV])

• Workshop: Using Generative AI Responsibly in Documentary (with Shadley Grei) — Mon 1:15 PM (Bodine [AV])

Dorman, Todd

• Panel: Opinion & Commentary — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Letters to the Editor & Reader Columns — Mon 3:00 PM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Panel: Opinion Writing Today — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Letters to the Editor & Reader Columns — Tue 10:45 AM (Pammel)

• Workshop: Getting Your Opinion Published — Tue 3:00 PM (Main Cottage)

• Panel: Writing & the Defense of Democracy — Wed 8:45 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: Nonfiction Slush Pile — Wed 10:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Elliott, Chad

• Panel: Songwriting & Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Co-writing Workshop (with Kathryn Severing Fox) — Mon 3:00 PM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Workshop: Hair Brained or Inventive? — Tue 1:15 PM (Macbride [AV])

• Panel: Songwriting as Storytelling — Wed 8:45 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Engel, Allison

• Workshop: Writing Your First Play: Finding Financial Support for Your Writing (with Margaret Engel) — Mon 3:00 PM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Panel: How to Get a Play Produced (with Margaret Engel) — Tue 3:00 PM (Shimek)

• Panel: Comedy & Performance — Wed 8:45 AM (Pammel)

Engel, Margaret

• Panel: Opinion Writing Today — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: Writing Your First Play: Finding Financial Support for Your Writing (with Allison Engel) — Mon 3:00 PM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Panel: How to Get a Play Produced (with Allison Engel) — Tue 3:00 PM (Shimek)

Engle, Debra

• Panel: Memoir Basics — Mon 9:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Workshopping Your Memoir — Mon 3:00 PM (Mahan [AV])

• Panel: Memoir: Lessons from Loss & Healing — Tue 9:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Finding Transcendence in Your Memoir — Tue 10:45 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Panel: Memoir: Courage to Tell the Story — Wed 8:45 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Self-Editing for Fiction & Memoir (with Elizabeth Kracht) — Tue 10:45 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

Faulkner, Grant

• Panel: Fiction Fundamentals — Mon 9:15 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: The Art of Brevity — Mon 10:45 AM (Waitt 2)

• Panel: Fiction Futures — Tue 9:15 AM (Waitt 1)

• Workshop: Writing a Novel (with Kali White VanBaale) — Tue 10:45 AM (Waitt 2)

• Panel: Slush Pile (Fiction) — Tue 1:15 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: The Art of Brevity — Tue 3:00 PM (Waitt 2)

Fons, Marianne

• Workshop: Read My Latest Quilt — Mon 10:45 AM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Panel: Fiction Futures — Tue 9:15 AM (Waitt 1)

• Workshop: My Experience With Substack — Wed 10:15 AM (Library)

Fox, Kathryn Severing

• Panel: Songwriting & Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Are You Ready to Share? — Mon 1:15 PM (Library)

• Workshop: Co-writing Workshop (with Chad Elliott) — Mon 3:00 PM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Panel: Songwriting as Storytelling — Wed 8:45 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Garson, Arnold

• Panel: Family History into Story — Mon 9:15 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: The Elements of Writing a Family History — Mon 10:45 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: How & Where to Find Your Ancestors — Mon 3:00 PM (Shimek)

• Panel: Family History: Beyond Genealogy — Tue 9:15 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: The Elements of Writing a Family History — Tue 10:45 AM (Dining Hall Porch)

Garson, Scott

• Workshop: Five Prompts: Generating Flash Fiction — Mon 1:15 PM (Waitt 2)

• Panel: Fiction Futures (mod.) — Tue 9:15 AM (Waitt 1)

• Workshop: Why Journalists Make Good Fiction Writers — Tue 1:15 PM (Waitt 2)

• Workshop: Five Prompts: Intuitive Paths Toward Flash — Wed 10:15 AM (Waitt 2)

Grei, Shadley

• Panel: Filmmaking & Screen Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Workshop: Using Generative AI Responsibly in Documentary (with Lea Donovan) — Mon 1:15 PM (Bodine [AV])

• Workshop: Strategic Storytelling: Turning Ideas into Action — Tue 3:00 PM (Lakeshore Canteen)

• Panel: Publishing & Agents — Wed 8:45 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Making Money as a Writer — Wed 10:15 AM (Lakeshore Canteen)

Grundy, Pamela

• Panel: Journalism & Investigative — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Writing Together Can Make It Better (with Susan Shackelford) — Mon 1:15 PM (Macbride [AV])

• Workshop: Word to Page: Editing Oral History Interviews (with Susan Shackelford) — Tue 1:15 PM (Rec Hall [AV])

Heftman, Nik

• Workshop: Documentary Filmmaking 101 — Mon 10:45 AM (Macbride [AV])

• Workshop: Documentary Story Strategies: Planning Your Film (with Beth Howard) — Tue 10:45 AM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Storytelling through Video — Wed 10:15 AM (Main Cottage)

Hedges, Peter

• Panel: Filmmaking & Screen Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Workshop: How to Find & Grow Your Original Idea — Mon 3:00 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Adaptation: What I Learned from Adapting… — Tue 10:45 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Panel: How to Make a Movie (mod.) — Tue 3:00 PM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Revising Versus Editing — Tue 3:00 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Adaptation: What I Learned from Adapting… — Wed 10:15 AM (Bodine [AV])

Hoffman, Beth

• Panel: Memoir Basics — Mon 9:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: How to Get Others to Care About Your Memoir — Mon 1:15 PM (Mahan [AV])

• Panel: Memoir: Lessons from Loss & Healing — Tue 9:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: How to Tackle the Big Stories in Memoir — Tue 1:15 PM (Mahan [AV])

• Panel: Memoir: Courage to Tell the Story — Wed 8:45 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: How to Get Others to Care About Your Memoir — Wed 10:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

Howard, Beth

• Evening Program: PIEOWA Screening + Q&A — Mon 7:45 PM (Pearson Lakes Art Center)

• Panel: Memoir: Lessons from Loss & Healing — Tue 9:15 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: Documentary Story Strategies: Planning Your Film (with Nik Heftman) — Tue 10:45 AM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Panel: How to Make a Movie — Tue 3:00 PM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: From Idea to Edit: Case Study of PIEOWA — Wed 10:15 AM (Lakeshore Lodge)

Imhotep, Abena Sankofa

• Panel: Poetry & Spoken Word — Mon 9:15 AM (Primitive)

• Panel: Poetry in Community — Tue 9:15 AM (Primitive)

• Workshop: How to Give a TEDx Talk — Tue 10:45 AM (Macbride [AV])

Kaiser, Jan

• Panel: For Authors: You’ve Written the @#$! Book. Now What? — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Small)

Kracht, Elizabeth

• Workshop: Self-Editing for Fiction & Memoir (with Debra Engle) — Tue 10:45 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

Leonard, Annie

• Panel: Family History into Story — Mon 9:15 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales — Mon 1:15 PM (Shimek)

• Workshop: Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales — Tue 1:15 PM (Shimek)

• Panel: Family History: Beyond Genealogy — Tue 9:15 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales — Wed 10:15 AM (Shimek)

Leonard, Robert

• Panel: Storytelling Basics — Mon 9:15 AM (Lodge)

• Workshop: Finding Fulfillment in the Writing Process — Mon 1:15 PM (Pammel)

• Workshop: Opinion Writing: Structure & Pitching — Mon 3:00 PM (Main Cottage)

• Panel: Opinion Writing Today (mod.) — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

• Workshop: How to Get Your Substack Off the Ground — Tue 1:15 PM (Pammel)

• Panel: Writing & the Defense of Democracy (mod.) — Wed 8:45 AM (Shimek)

• Workshop: My Experience With Substack — Wed 10:15 AM (Library)

Letofsky, Polly

• Workshop: Publishing 101 — Mon 1:15 PM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Panel: For Authors: You’ve Written the @#$! Book. Now What? (mod.) — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Small)

• Workshop: Top 20 Ways to Market Your Book — Tue 10:45 AM (Calvin)

• Panel: Publishing & Agents — Wed 8:45 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Nonfiction Slush Pile — Wed 10:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Montag, Carol

• Music: Registration — Mon 7:00 AM (Main Tent)

• Workshop: Writing from Impressions — Mon 1:15 PM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Panel: Songwriting Across Genres — Tue 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: More Than Entertainment — Tue 1:15 PM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Panel: Songwriting as Storytelling — Wed 8:45 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Rainey, Caleb

• Panel: Poetry & Spoken Word — Mon 9:15 AM (Primitive)

• Workshop: Make Your Performance Pop! — Mon 1:15 PM (Primitive)

• Panel: Storytelling & Performance — Tue 9:15 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Poetry as Protest (Page & Stage) — Tue 1:15 PM (Primitive)

• Workshop: Protest with Poetry on the Page & Stage — Tue 3:00 PM (Primitive)

• Panel: Poetry & Spoken Word (mod.) — Wed 8:45 AM (Primitive)

Roberts, Justin

• Workshop: Songwriting Is for Everybody — Mon 10:45 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Panel: Storytelling & Performance — Tue 9:15 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Writing for Kids (Stories & Songs) — Tue 1:15 PM (Library)

• Workshop: Songwriting Workshop — Wed 10:15 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

Rood, Lee

• Panel: Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Watchdog Journalism in Iowa — Tue 3:00 PM (Dining Hall Main)

• Panel: Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Wed 8:45 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

Rossi, Lisa

• Workshop: Writing on Your Feet — Mon 10:45 AM (Pammel)

• Workshop: Joke Writing 101 — Mon 3:00 PM (Pammel)

• Panel: Storytelling & Performance (mod.) — Tue 9:15 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Joke Writing 101 — Tue 1:15 PM (Calvin)

• Panel: Comedy & Performance (mod.) — Wed 8:45 AM (Pammel)

• Workshop: Joke Writing 101 — Wed 10:15 AM (Calvin)

Rushing, Ty

• Panel: Journalism & Investigative — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Why Consistency Matters on Social Media — Mon 3:00 PM (Primitive)

Sands, Katharine

• Workshop: Master-Pitch Theatre — Mon 10:45 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Master-Pitch Theatre — Tue 10:45 AM (Shimek)

• Panel: Publishing & Agents (mod.) — Wed 8:45 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Getting Ready, Getting Read, Getting Readers — Wed 10:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

Schaeffer, Maxwell

• Workshop: Podcast Tips & Tricks — Mon 1:15 PM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Workshop: Podcast Roundtable: Tips & Tricks — Tue 10:45 AM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Workshop: Photography for Storytellers — Tue 1:15 PM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Panel: Comedy & Performance — Wed 8:45 AM (Pammel)

• Workshop: My Experience With Substack — Wed 10:15 AM (Library)

Semken, Steve

• Workshop: From Notes on a Napkin to Your First Book — Mon 10:45 AM (Library)

• Panel: How a Book Is Born — Mon 1:15 PM (Rec Hall [AV])

• Panel: For Authors: You’ve Written the @#$! Book. Now What? — Tue 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Small)

• Workshop: Finding the Right Words at the Right Time — Tue 3:00 PM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Panel: Publishing & Agents — Wed 8:45 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Nonfiction Slush Pile (lead) — Wed 10:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

Shackelford, Susan

• Panel: Journalism & Investigative — Mon 9:15 AM (Dining Hall Lakeview)

• Workshop: Writing Together Can Make It Better (with Pamela Grundy) — Mon 1:15 PM (Macbride [AV])

• Workshop: Word to Page: Editing Oral History Interviews (with Pamela Grundy) — Tue 1:15 PM (Rec Hall [AV])

Smith, Becky

• Panel: Filmmaking & Screen Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Lakeshore Chapel [AV])

• Workshop: Building the Foundation (Part I) — Mon 10:45 AM (Bodine [AV])

• Workshop: Digging Deeper (Part II) — Tue 1:15 PM (Bodine [AV])

• Panel: How to Make a Movie — Tue 3:00 PM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Refining & Feedback (Part III) — Wed 10:15 AM (Lakeshore Rec Hall [AV])

Stahl, Jay

• Panel: Storytelling & Performance — Tue 9:15 AM (Main Cottage)

• Workshop: Masterclass in Journalism: Interviewing & Reporting — Wed 10:15 AM (Dining Hall Main)

Strand, Peter

• Workshop: Copyright for Creatives — Tue 3:00 PM (Library)

Thoreson, David

• Workshop: Improve Your Photography Skills — Mon 3:00 PM (Macbride [AV])

• Workshop: Photography for Storytellers — Tue 1:15 PM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Workshop: Environmental Writing & Photography — Tue 3:00 PM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Workshop: Improve Your Photography Skills for Storytelling — Wed 10:15 AM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

VanBaale, Kali White

• Panel: Fiction Fundamentals — Mon 9:15 AM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Where Is the Language Coming From? — Mon 1:15 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Panel: Fiction Futures — Tue 9:15 AM (Waitt 1)

• Workshop: Writing a Novel (with Grant Faulkner) — Tue 10:45 AM (Waitt 2)

• Panel: Slush Pile (Fiction) — Tue 1:15 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Workshop: Revising Versus Editing — Tue 3:00 PM (Waitt 1 [AV])

• Panel: Memoir: Courage to Tell the Story — Wed 8:45 AM (Mahan [AV])

• Workshop: My Experience With Substack — Wed 10:15 AM (Library)

Walsmith, Jason

• Panel: Songwriting & Storytelling — Mon 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

• Workshop: Tips & Tools of a Performing Songwriter — Mon 10:45 AM (Lakeshore Conference Room [AV])

• Panel: Songwriting Across Genres (mod.) — Tue 9:15 AM (Great Hall [AV])

September 28 – October 1, 2025

Sunday, September 28 — Welcome

5:30 PM — Volunteer-Hosted Hotdog Roast Potluck (Lakeside Labs)
Pick up registration packets, tote, and name badges.
Bring a dish, a drink, a drum, or a dollar(s).
Music: Bring an instrument!

Thanks, CJ Petersen, for organizing this event! If you're able, please bring a chair.

Monday, September 29 — Foundations

7:00–7:30 AM — Registration (Main Tent) — Music: Carol Montag
7:30–9:00 AM — Welcome & Introductions (Main Tent) — Julie Gammack

9:15–10:30 AM — Panels

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Fiction Fundamentals — Nicole Baart (mod.), Kali White VanBaale, Grant Faulkner

• Mahan [AV] — Memoir Basics — Debra Engle (mod.), Beth Hoffman, Maura Casey

• Shimek — Family History into Story — Annie Leonard (mod.), Arnold Garson

• Dining Hall Main — Opinion & Commentary — Todd Dorman (mod.), Rekha Basu, Art Cullen, Douglas Burns

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Journalism & Investigative — Laura Belin (mod.), Pamela Grundy, Susan Shackelford, Ty Rushing, Lee Rood

• Lodge — Storytelling Basics — Phoebe Wall Howard (mod.), Robert Leonard

• Primitive — Poetry & Spoken Word — Abena Sankofa Imhotep (mod.), Kelsey Bigelow, Caleb Rainey

• Great Hall, Lakeshore Center [AV] — Songwriting & Storytelling — Chad Elliott (mod.), Kathryn Severing Fox, Jason Walsmith, Kevin Brooks, Will Calhoun

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Filmmaking & Screen Storytelling — Peter Hedges, Becky Smith, Shadley Grei

10:45 AM–12:00 PM — Workshops

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Nicole Baart — Crafting an Unforgettable First Page

• Waitt 2 — Grant Faulkner — The Art of Brevity

• Mahan [AV] — Maura Casey — Ten Lessons in Memoir

• Dining Hall Main — Laura Belin — Finding & Using Public Records

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Katharine Sands — Master-Pitch Theatre

• Shimek — Arnold Garson — The Elements of Writing a Family History

• Main Cottage — Art Cullen — Opinion Writing: Get the News Up Front!

• Primitive — Kelsey Bigelow — Uncovering Your Poem

• Bodine [AV] — Becky Smith — Building the Foundation (Part I)

• Rec Hall [AV] — Marianne Fons — Read My Latest Quilt

• Macbride [AV] — Nik Heftman — Documentary Filmmaking 101

• Pammel — Lisa Rossi — Writing on Your Feet

• Library — Steve Semken — From Notes on a Napkin to Your First Book

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Justin Roberts — Songwriting Is for Everybody

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — Jason Walsmith — Tips & Tools of a Performing Songwriter

12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch (Dining Hall, Lakeside Labs)

1:15–2:30 PM — Workshops / Panels

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Kali White VanBaale — Where Is the Language Coming From?

• Waitt 2 — Scott Garson — Five Prompts: Generating Flash Fiction

• Mahan [AV] — Beth Hoffman — How to Get Others to Care About Your Memoir

• Dining Hall Main — Maura Casey — Opinion Writing: It’s Always the Angle

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Polly Letofsky — Publishing 101

• Shimek — Annie Leonard — Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales

• Main Cottage — Douglas Burns — Speechwriting: From Op-Ed to Oval Office

• Primitive — Caleb Rainey — Make Your Performance Pop!

• Macbride [AV] — Pamela Grundy & Susan Shackelford — Writing Together Can Make It Better

• Bodine [AV] — Lea Donovan & Shadley Grei — Using Generative AI Responsibly in Documentary

• Pammel — Robert Leonard — Finding Fulfillment in the Writing Process

• Library — Kathryn Severing Fox — Are You Ready to Share?

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Carol Montag — Writing from Impressions

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — Maxwell Schaeffer — Podcast Tips & Tricks

• Rec Hall [AV] — How a Book Is Born — Steve Semken, Art Cullen, Phoebe Wall Howard

3:00–4:00 PM — Workshops

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Peter Hedges — How to Find & Grow Your Original Idea

• Waitt 2 — Nicole Baart — Interiority: Harness Your Protagonist’s Inner Life

• Mahan [AV] — Debra Engle — Workshopping Your Memoir

• Dining Hall Main — Phoebe Wall Howard — Making Broccoli Delicious

• Shimek — Arnold Garson — How & Where to Find Your Ancestors

• Main Cottage — Robert Leonard — Opinion Writing: Structure & Pitching

• Primitive — Ty Rushing — Why Consistency Matters on Social Media

• Calvin — Dartanyan Brown — My Integrated Life

• Macbride [AV] — David Thoreson — Improve Your Photography Skills

• Pammel — Lisa Rossi — Joke Writing 101

• Library — Steve Semken — Finding the Right Words at the Right Time

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Chad Elliott & Kathryn Severing Fox — Co-writing Workshop

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — Todd Dorman — Letters to the Editor & Reader Columns

• Rec Hall [AV] — Allison and Margaret Engel — Writing Your First Play: Finding Financial Support for Your Writing

[4:15 PM — Canteen: Private no-host AA meeting]

6:15–7:30 PM — Dinner (Pearson Lakes Art Center, optional + cash bar)
7:45 PM — Evening Program (Pearson Lakes Art Center): Screening of PIEOWA (Beth Howard) + Q&A

Tuesday, September 30 — Exploration

7:30 AM — Morning Music (Main Tent) — Kevin Brooks
7:45–9:00 AM — Morning Speaker Introductions

9:15–10:30 AM — Panels

• Waitt 1 — Fiction Futures — Scott Garson (mod.), Marianne Fons, Nicole Baart

• Mahan [AV] — Memoir: Lessons from Loss & Healing — Debra Engle (mod.), Beth Howard, Beth Hoffman

• Shimek — Family History: Beyond Genealogy — Arnold Garson (mod.), Annie Leonard

• Dining Hall Main — Opinion Writing Today — Robert Leonard (mod.), Maura Casey, Margaret Engel, Todd Dorman

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Douglas Burns (mod.), Phoebe Wall Howard, Rekha Basu, Lee Rood

• Main Cottage — Storytelling & Performance — Lisa Rossi (mod.), Caleb Rainey, Justin Roberts, Jay Stahl

• Great Hall [AV] — Songwriting Across Genres — Jason Walsmith (mod.), Carol Montag, Dartanyan Brown, Kevin Brooks

• Primitive — Poetry in Community — Kelsey Bigelow (mod.), Abena Sankofa Imhotep

• Dining Hall Small — For Authors: You’ve Written the @#$! Book. Now What? — Polly Letofsky (mod.), Steve Semken, Jan Kaiser (Chris Britton is organizing an OWR Authors Group)

10:45 AM–12:00 PM — Workshops

• Waitt 2 — Grant Faulkner & Kali White VanBaale — Writing a Novel

• Mahan [AV] — Debra Engle — Finding Transcendence in Your Memoir

• Dining Hall Main — Rekha Basu — Opinion Writing: Finding Your Voice

• Shimek — Katharine Sands — Master-Pitch Theatre

• Dining Hall Porch — Arnold Garson — The Elements of Writing a Family History

• Main Cottage — Art Cullen — Opinion Writing: Get the News Up Front!

• Primitive — Kelsey Bigelow — Uncovering Your Poem (Generative)

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Peter Hedges — Adaptation: What I Learned from Adapting…

• Calvin — Polly Letofsky — Top 20 Ways to Market Your Book

• Macbride [AV] — Abena Sankofa Imhotep — How to Give a TEDx Talk

• Pammel — Todd Dorman — Letters to the Editor & Reader Columns

• Library — Laura Belin — Using Social Media Without Feeding Trolls

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Elizabeth Kracht (with Debra Engle) — Self-Editing for Fiction & Memoir

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — Maxwell Schaeffer — Podcast Roundtable: Tips & Tricks

• Rec Hall [AV] — Beth Howard & Nik Heftman — Documentary Story Strategies: Planning Your Film

12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch (Dining Hall, Lakeside Labs)

1:15–2:30 PM — Workshops / Panels

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Slush Pile (Fiction) — Nicole Baart (lead), Kali White VanBaale, Steve Semken, Grant Faulkner

• Waitt 2 — Scott Garson — Why Journalists Make Good Fiction Writers

• Mahan [AV] — Beth Hoffman — How to Tackle the Big Stories in Memoir

• Dining Hall Main — Phoebe Wall Howard — Lazy Use of Language & Rethinking Words

• Shimek — Annie Leonard — Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales

• Main Cottage — Maura Casey — Opinion Writing: It’s Always the Angle

• Primitive DeKock — Caleb Rainey — Poetry as Protest (Page & Stage)

• Bodine [AV] — Becky Smith — Digging Deeper (Part II)

• Macbride [AV] — Chad Elliott — Hair Brained or Inventive?

• Calvin — Lisa Rossi — Joke Writing 101

• Pammel — Robert Leonard — How to Get Your Substack Off the Ground

• Library — Justin Roberts — Writing for Kids (Stories & Songs)

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Carol Montag — More Than Entertainment

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — David Thoreson — Photography for Storytellers

• Rec Hall [AV] — Pamela Grundy & Susan Shackelford — Word to Page: Editing Oral History Interviews

3:00–4:00 PM — Final Block

• Great Hall [AV] — How to Make a Movie — Peter Hedges (mod.), AJ Philby Burton, Beth Howard, Becky Smith

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Kali White VanBaale — Revising Versus Editing

• Waitt 2 — Grant Faulkner — The Art of Brevity

• Library — Michelle Cowan-Schroeder — From Loss to Light: Turning Pain into Story

• Dining Hall Main — Lee Rood — Watchdog Journalism in Iowa

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Steve Semken — Finding the Right Words at the Right Time

• Shimek — Margaret & Allison Engel — How to Get a Play Produced

• Main Cottage — Todd Dorman — Getting Your Opinion Published

• Primitive — Caleb Rainey — Protest with Poetry on the Page & Stage

• Macbride [AV] — Lea Donovan — Using Generative AI Responsibly in Documentary

• Pammel — Dartanyan Brown — My Integrated Life: Journalism, Arts & Education

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Will Calhoun — Rhythm, Rhyme, and Storytelling

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — David Thoreson — Environmental Writing & Photography

• Lakeshore Canteen — Shadley Grei — Strategic Storytelling: Turning Ideas into Action

• Library — Peter Strand — Copyright for Creatives

6:15 PM — Sunset Cruise (Main Dock, Arnolds Park)
7:45 PM — Auction at the Roof Garden

Wednesday, October 1 — Integration & Next Steps

8:00–8:45 AM — Morning Inspiration (Main Tent)

8:45–10:00 AM — Panels

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Fiction: Slush Pile — Grant Faulkner (mod.), Nicole Baart, Kali White VanBaale

• Mahan [AV] — Memoir: Courage to Tell the Story — Debra Engle (mod.), Beth Hoffman, Kali White VanBaale

• Dining Hall Main — Opinion & Commentary — Art Cullen (mod.), Maura Casey, Douglas Burns

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Investigative Journalism & Democracy — Laura Belin (mod.), Phoebe Wall Howard, Lee Rood

• Shimek — Writing & the Defense of Democracy — Robert Leonard (mod.), Rekha Basu, Todd Dorman

• Great Hall [AV] — Songwriting as Storytelling — Jason Walsmith (mod.), Chad Elliott, Kathryn Severing Fox, Carol Montag

• Primitive — Poetry & Spoken Word — Caleb Rainey (mod.), Kelsey Bigelow

• Main Cottage — Publishing & Agents — Katharine Sands (mod.), Polly Letofsky, Steve Semken, Shadley Grei

• Pammel — Comedy & Performance — Lisa Rossi (mod.), Maxwell Schaeffer, Allison Engel

10:15–11:45 AM — Workshops / Slush Piles

• Waitt 1 [AV] — Nicole Baart — Interiority: Harness Your Protagonist’s Inner Life

• Waitt 2 — Scott Garson — Five Prompts: Intuitive Paths Toward Flash

• Mahan [AV] — Beth Hoffman — How to Get Others to Care About Your Memoir

• Dining Hall Main — Jay Stahl — Masterclass in Journalism: Interviewing & Reporting

• Dining Hall Lakeview — Katharine Sands — Getting Ready, Getting Read, Getting Readers

• Shimek — Annie Leonard — Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales

• Main Cottage — Margaret Engel — Getting Your Opinion Published

• Primitive — Kelsey Bigelow — Poetry as a Coping Tool

• Bodine [AV] — Peter Hedges — Adaptation: What I Learned from Adapting…

• Calvin — Lisa Rossi — Joke Writing 101

• Macbride [AV] — AJ Philby Burton — State Resources for Filmmakers

• Pammel — Phoebe Wall Howard — Making Broccoli Delicious

• Library — My Experience With Substack — Maxwell Schaeffer, Douglas Burns, Marianne Fons, Kali White VanBaale, Robert Leonard, Rekha Basu

• Lakeshore Chapel [AV] — Justin Roberts — Songwriting Workshop

• Lakeshore Conference Room [AV] — David Thoreson — Improve Your Photography Skills for Storytelling

• Lakeshore Canteen — Shadley Grei — Making Money as a Writer

• Lakeshore Lodge — Beth Howard — From Idea to Edit: Case Study of PIEOWA

• Lakeshore Rec Hall [AV] — Becky Smith — Refining & Feedback (Part III)

• Great Hall [AV] — Nonfiction Slush Pile — Steve Semken (lead), Polly Letofsky, Art Cullen, Maura Casey, Todd Dorman

12:00–12:30 PM — Closing Surprise (Dining Hall, Lakeside Labs)
Wrap-up; Music by Weary Ramblers

Here goes — pretty impressive, don’t you think?

Below you’ll find information about our speakers, their bios, and workshop offerings for the Fifth Annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat.

If you are enrolled in the retreat and have not yet completed the survey indicating your workshop interests, please take a few minutes to do so. You won’t be locked into these choices — it’s simply to help me plan which rooms to reserve on campus based on the level of interest in each session.

I also added a question asking if you are an independent author, would you like to meet with others for the purpose of sharing best practices and mutual support?

Your input makes a big difference as we finalize the schedule. Thank you!

Your Opinion Matters - Survey

Evening activities (dinner, film, concert, auction) are optional with an additional fee. If you are enrolled in the retreat and want to participate, check this out.

EVENING ACTIVITIES RSVP

OKOBOJI WRITERS’ AND SONGWRITERS’ RETREAT SPEAKERS

Baart, Nicole
Nicole Baart is the author of twelve novels, including Everything We Didn’t Say (an October 2021 Book of the Month selection and Amazon Editor's pick) and the upcoming Where He Left Me (November 4, 2025 from Atria/S&S). The cofounder of a nonprofit and mother of five, she lives in Iowa with her family. Learn more at NicoleBaart.com.
Workshop 1: Interiority: Inner Lives & Icebergs — In this workshop, participants will learn how to mine the depths of their characters' inner psyche to unlock deeper connection and understanding in their readers. Anyone can craft a compelling plot and a cast of interesting characters, but interiority is the third rail that electrifies storytelling and makes a passable narrative superb. Want your book to be unforgettable? A rich, immersive experience that stays with your readers long after the final page is turned? Unlocking your character's inner world is the answer, and in this workshop Nicole will hand you the key.
Workshop 2: Crafting an Unforgettable First Page — When querying an agent or trying to reel in a reader, we only have a few short lines to set the hook. If our first sentence, paragraph, and page don't contain the essential elements of a great start, we may lose our chance to wow. We’ll cover the crucial components of a gripping opener—and how to ratchet up interest so no one can resist turning the page.

Auction item -

Basu, Rekha
Rekha Basu has worked as a full-time reporter, editorial writer and columnist in New York, Florida and Iowa. Her work has appeared in newspapers in all but two U.S. states. For 30 years, her syndicated columns were staples in The Des Moines Register (USA Today Network), to which she still contributes. She writes weekly at basurekha.substack.com. She has coached for the Register Storytellers Project, moderated the Iowa Smart Talk Women’s Lecture Series, and appeared in conversations with Ta-Nehisi Coates, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Heather Cox Richardson. She has been featured on C-SPAN Book TV and appeared with Tom Brokaw, Rachel Maddow, Gwen Ifill, and more. Rekha has an MS in journalism from Columbia, an MA from Goddard-Cambridge, a BA from Brandeis, and an honorary doctorate from Grinnell College.
Workshop 1: Writing for Change — Writing persuasive, from-the-heart commentaries that move and educate people and change minds. Includes writing exercises and critiques.
Workshop 2: Writing Compelling First-Person Columns — Strategies to bring larger universal truths into focus through personal narrative.

Auction item: Indian dinner for six in Rekha’s home.

Belin, Laura
Laura has 30 years of professional writing experience, including 17 years covering Iowa politics at the Bleeding Heartland website. She also co-hosts a 30-minute weekly radio show about Iowa politics, publishes on Substack, and is active on several social platforms.
Workshop 1: Finding Public Information and Using Iowa’s Open Records Law — Practical techniques to locate, request, and use public records effectively.
Workshop 2: Using Social Media to Promote Your Writing Without Feeding the Trolls — Grow reach and engagement while minimizing bad-faith interactions.

Bigelow, Kelsey
Kelsey Bigelow is a poet and speaker based in Des Moines. She works as a mental health poet, shares this therapeutic tool with audiences worldwide, and is the author of four poetry projects, including Far From Broken. She’s a 2024 Pushcart Prize nominee, 2023 Button Poetry Video Contest finalist, and 2023 Central Avenue Poetry Prize finalist. Her performances/partnerships include The Mayo Clinic, NAMI, Planned Parenthood, and more; videos appear on Button Poetry, Write About Now, and elsewhere. She founded the Des Moines Poetry Workshop, chairs the Iowa Poetry Association Poetry Slam, is a teaching artist, a director for the BlackBerry Peach Director of the National Poetry Slam, and a founding member of the 2025 io-what poetry slam team.
Workshop 1: Uncovering Your Poem — Discover what you have to say and pull the poem out of it through prompts and guided exploration.
Workshop 2: Poetry as a Coping Tool — Methods for writing poetry to process and manage emotions, from free writing and prompts to observation and form.

Brooks, Kevin
An avid sailor, singer/songwriter, and storyteller, Kevin has performed with top artists over three decades, sharing stages with the Limeliters, Chet Atkins, Charlie Byrd, and more, and performing at venues such as the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian Folklife Festival. A founding member of the Eastport Oyster Boys, he tours widely and writes songs celebrating life on the Chesapeake Bay.
Workshop 1: Songwriting 101… A Novel in 3 Minutes and 40 Seconds? — Secrets of a good song and good story when you don’t have 700 pages.

Auction item: Cruise Annapolis aboard Kevin’s Cape Dory, the Pearl of Eastport

Brown, Dartanyan
A journalist and 3-time inductee into Iowa's Rock ’n’ Roll, Jazz and Blues Halls of Fame, Dartanyan brings a cross-disciplinary perspective to everything he does. Artist, educator, and “digital packrat,” he brings 50+ years of archival knowledge to workshops and performances. His Substack (dartanyan.substack.com) covers a wide range of topics.
Workshop 1: My Integrated Life — Exploring the intersection of journalism, the arts, and education in service to democracy.
Workshop 2: My Integrated Life (Extended) — Continuing the exploration with added focus on songwriting’s role in democratic discourse.

Burns, Douglas
Douglas Burns is a fourth-generation Iowa journalist and former co-owner of the Carroll and Jefferson newspapers. A regular contributor to La Prensa Iowa and Des Moines Cityview, he has also written for outlets in D.C., Florida and Iowa. He’s business development director for Latino IQ, a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, an OWR instructor, and 2019 Carroll Citizen of the Year. He’s a Northwestern University alum.
Workshop 1: Speechwriting — How to craft speeches, from wedding toasts to political announcements.
Workshop 2: Reporting: A Master Class — Practical strategies for impactful reporting.

Calhoun, Will

Will Calhoun is a two-time Grammy Award-winning drummer, composer, and producer from the Bronx, best known as the rhythmic force behind the rock band Living Colour. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Music Production and Engineering, he has built a career that bridges genres—rock, jazz, world, funk, hip-hop, and electronic. In addition to his groundbreaking work with Living Colour, Calhoun has collaborated with legends such as B.B. King and Mick Jagger, and he continues to push the boundaries of percussion through innovative projects that blend traditional rhythms with new technologies.

Workshop 1: How does rhythm matter to a writer.

Workshop 2: TBD

Casey, Maura
Maura worked for three New England newspapers and The New York Times editorial board. With 30+ years in opinion writing, she now lives on a small Connecticut farm. Her memoir, Saving Ellen: A Memoir of Hope and Recovery, was published by Skyhorse in April.
Workshop 1: Opinion Writing — It’s Always the Angle — Think like a jaded op-ed editor to find the fresh angle editors crave.
Workshop 2: Ten Lessons in Memoir — Universally applicable lessons learned writing and researching Saving Ellen.

Cowan-Schroeder, Michelle
Michelle is a lifelong Iowan and registered nurse (recently a certified case manager). After losing her husband to a drunk driver in 2009, she self-published Better Not Bitter: A Journey of Heartache to Healing in 2023 after attending the first OWR; it reached #1 in its Amazon categories. She co-hosts the From Loss to Light podcast and tours Iowa’s public libraries sharing her story and path to self-publishing.
Workshop 1: (Talk/storytelling session on turning loss into a book and library tour; marketing, speaking, and presentation building.)

Auction item: barbecue tools and a grocery store gift card/

Cullen, Art
Editor of the Storm Lake Times Pilot, Art won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for editorials on agricultural surface-water pollution. Author of Storm Lake and Dear Marty, We Crapped In Our Nest, his essays have appeared in national outlets; he writes a weekly Substack column.
Workshop 1: Opinion Writing — Get the News Up Front! — How to compress a book into 18 column inches.
Workshop 2: Dear Marty — Iowa’s Environmental Catastrophe — A discussion of his new book and the stakes you can smell from the Lakeside Lab.

Dinges, John
Award-winning investigative reporter and author, former foreign correspondent in Latin America for The Washington Postand Time, and longtime NPR editor/director. Emeritus professor at Columbia Journalism School. His latest book: Chile in Their Hearts: The Untold Story of Two Americans Who Went Missing After the Coup (UC Press). Author of Chile in Their Hearts.
Workshop 1: Finding Secrets — Sources and methods of investigative reporting: developing human/document sources, planning investigations, getting it on paper—and avoiding lawsuits.
Workshop 2: Those Pesky Facts — The challenges of nonfiction writing.

Donovan, Lea
Iowegian-British multimedia producer with 18 years in documentary production and rights/licensing for scripted narratives. Credits include BBC, PBS, Channel 4, NatGeo, Discovery, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters (BAFTA 2023 Best TV Drama). Equity UK actor and poet; Communications Chair of the Archival Producers Alliance. leadonovan.co.uk
Workshop 1: Using Generative AI Responsibly in Documentary — Guidelines, tips, and a practical toolkit.
Workshop 2: What Does an Archival Producer Do—and Why You Need One — Demystifying a crucial, often overlooked role.

Dorman, Todd
Editorial page editor and columnist at The Gazette (Cedar Rapids); 18 years in opinion trenches; previously covered the Iowa Legislature for Lee newspapers.
Workshop 1: Opinion Writing — Be fair, be knowledgeable, and take a strong stand.
Workshop 2: The Perils and Rewards of Writing Blue in a Red State — Lessons on voice, audience, and courage.

Elliott, Chad
Multi-award-winning Iowa singer-songwriter with 200+ shows a year for two decades; “Iowa’s Renaissance man” (Culture Buzz). He’s penned 2,000+ songs and is a painter, sculptor, storyteller, illustrator, and published author. Touring solo and with the duo Weary Ramblers alongside Kathryn Severing Fox; inducted into the Iowa Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (2025).
Workshop 1: Co-Writing with Kathryn Severing Fox — A glimpse into the Weary Ramblers’ writing process and how to apply it to your collaborations.
Workshop 2: Writing the Ship — How songwriting can be used for healing and redemption through life’s more difficult times.

Engel, Margaret
Bio: Margaret Engel directs the Alicia Patterson Journalism Foundation and was the managing editor of the Newseum. She was a reporter for the Washington Post, Des Moines Register, and Lorain Journal, and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, where she studied worker health and safety. She and her twin sister, Allison Engel, wrote two widely produced plays about women journalists — Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins and Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End — which together have been staged more than 137 times nationwide. They are currently expanding their 10-minute play Down There, a tragicomedy about women’s reproductive choices, into a full-length production.

In 2017, Margaret and Allison co-authored ThriftStyle: The Ultimate Bargain Shopper’s Guide to Smart Fashion with Reise Moore, a book on clothing re-use. Earlier, she and her husband, Bruce Adams, wrote three editions of a Fodor’s travel guide to America’s baseball parks.

Margaret has served on the boards of Theatre Washington/Helen Hayes Awards, the Fund for Investigative Journalism, and currently chairs the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards board. She is also a member of the Nieman Foundation board and of Spotlight/DC, a nonprofit supporting investigative journalism in Washington. She mentors writers through the national Op-Ed Project.

Workshop 1: Getting Your Opinion Published
Workshop 2: How to Get a Play Produced

Engel, Allison
Reporter for the Des Moines Tribune, San Jose Mercury, Pacific News Service; Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford; speechwriter for Gov. Tom Vilsack and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson; past president of the Des Moines Playhouse; co-author (with Margaret) of Red Hot Patriot and Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End, and Food Finds (adapted for Food Network). USC communications leader; Fellow of the LA Institute for the Humanities.
Workshop 1: Playwriting — Why playwrights control the words; collaborative processes; where to break in (schools, community theaters, radio plays), plus resources and feedback.
Workshop 2: The Business of Playwriting — Marketing yourself without an agent, trade organizations, leasing companies, Dramatists Guild, competitions, contracts, and getting on artistic directors’ radar.

Engle, Debra
Bestselling author of five nonfiction books, including The Only Little Prayer You Need (foreword by the Dalai Lama). Debut novel Twenty (2020). Executive director of Story Summit, where she teaches memoir, revision, Substack, and spirituality & writing; longtime national magazine writer/editor. Currently working on two memoirs and two nonfiction books on writing and healing; member of the Iowa Collaborative. debraengle.com
Workshop 1: Writing Your Life Through Memoir — Hands-on exercises: where to start/end, developing characters and scenes, helping readers find transcendence in your story.
Workshop 2: Spiritual Nonfiction — Writing to Inspire — Clarify audience, blend insight and narrative, and craft wisdom stories that resonate in today’s market.

Faulkner, Grant
Co-founder of Memoir Nation and the Flash Fiction Institute, co-host of the Memoir Nation podcast, and executive producer on America’s Next Great Author. Author of The Art of Brevity, Pep Talks for Writers, Brave the Page, All the Comfort Sin Can Provide, and Fissures. Serves on boards for National Writing Project, Litquake, Aspen Words, and Left Margin Lit, and is widely anthologized.
Workshop 1: The Art of Brevity — How a different creativity emerges within hard compositional limits; forms of short shorts; building through gaps as much as words.
Workshop 2: Writing with Vulnerability — Why risk and honesty connect us and make for compelling work.

Fons, Marianne
Known to millions as former co-host of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting (Public TV), co-author of Quilter’s Complete Guide (500,000+ sold). She spearheaded the Iowa Quilt Museum (2016) and Iowa Theater renovation (2017); 2022 Madison County Citizen of the Year. Her Substack, “Reporting from Quiltropolis,” shares small-town quilty life. Now focused on fiction, with agent representation. Fons also speaks about fiction with agency representation, and a novel recently sold.
Workshop 1: “Read My Latest Quilt!” — A visual journey from the 1800s to today, exploring how quilters embed sorrows, sentiments, and messages—and how making a quilt parallels writing a novel.
Workshop 2: —

Fox, Kathryn Severing
“Fiddler extraordinaire” (Cityview). DownBeat award winner; played on the Grammy-nominated “All My Tomorrows.” A voting member of the Recording Academy, she toured with Barrage 8 internationally and has worked with George Benson, The Beach Boys, The Eagles, Pharrell, Gloria Estefan, Natalie Cole, Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Kenny Loggins, and more. She co-writes/plays with Chad Elliott (Weary Ramblers) and pens songs across piano, guitar, and mandolin.
Workshop 1: Co-Writing with Chad Elliott & Kathryn Severing Fox — A glimpse into the Weary Ramblers process and how to apply it to your collaborations.
Workshop 2: Are You Ready to Share? — Find your story and inspiration; explore honesty and vulnerability in songwriting/creative writing.

Garson, Scott
Scott Garson is Founder and Editor of the multi-Pushcart Prize-winning journal of flash fiction, Wigleaf. He’s the author of Is That You, John Wayne?—a collection of stories. His work has appeared via Story, Threepenny Review, American Short Fiction, Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Conjunctions, and others. He lives in Columbia, Missouri and coordinates undergraduate Creative Writing at Mizzou.
Workshop 1: Five Prompts — Intuitive Paths Toward the Making of Flash — Observations on how flash works, with a series of guided generative experiments.
Workshop 2: What Is—and Isn’t—a Story — Four perspectives on narrative art, with prompts/experiments.

Garson, Arnold
National award–winning reporter, editor, and news executive with a 47-year career, including The Des Moines Register. Founder and principal, Family Stories by Arnold Garson, a successful start-up writing business focused on family history. Founding director, South Dakota News Watch, a digital nonprofit news organization.
Workshop 1: How and Where to Find Your Ancestors — What to look for and where to look.
Workshop 2: The Elements of Writing a Family History — From records to readable narratives.

Grei, Shadley
IP innovation strategist, author, ghostwriter, and founder of Grei Matter and Kingbird Press, helping thought leaders turn expertise into high-impact books. 20+ years in marketing/media with Disney, Hasbro, Condé Nast. Ghostwrites for executives and AI innovators; hybrid imprint with 90% royalty model. Author of Before Closure; development consultant for Ardvella Entertainment.
Workshop 1: From Page to Screen — Understanding the Adaptation Process — Identify cinematic potential, reshape for a new medium, and stay true to core story.
Workshop 2: Strategic Storytelling — An action plan to turn ideas into action across books, brands, and content.

Grundy, Pamela
Independent historian and author of Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women’s Basketball, Color and Character, Legacy: Three Centuries of Black History in Charlotte, and more; currently writing a biography of Ora Washington for Yale University Press.
Workshop 1: (Panel participation)
Workshop 2: (Panel participation)

Hedges, Peter
Novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Adapted his first novel What’s Eating Gilbert Grape for the screen; wrote/directed Pieces of April, Dan in Real Life, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Ben Is Back, and The Same Storm. Academy Award nominee for About a Boy adaptation.
Workshop 1: How to Find and Grow Your Original Idea — Nurture fragile first impulses, avoid common missteps, and build practices that help new work thrive.
Workshop 2: Adaptation — What I Learned — Lessons from adapting his and others’ novels (Gilbert Grape, About a Boy, A Map of the World, The Devil Wears Prada).

Heftman, Nik
Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker, formerly of CBS News; CEO of The Seven Times. His debut documentary, The Negro Artist, premiered at OWR IV and is receiving acclaim in theaters and festivals across the U.S.
Workshop 1: Documentary Filmmaking 101 — An Unconventional Approach — Foundations, fieldcraft, and creative choices.
Workshop 2: Video Storytelling and Creativity — Techniques for compelling visual narratives.

Hoffman, Beth
Beth has aired/published with NPR’s Morning Edition, The Guardian, Civil Eats, the NewsHour, Latino USA, and The World. Former “Hungry Hack” at Forbes.com; taught Media Studies at University of San Francisco. Author of the memoir Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America. Runs Whippoorwill Creek Farm, blogs at In the Dirt, and produces the At the Iowa Farm Table podcast.
Workshop 1: How to Get Other People to Care About Your Memoir — Use your story to tell a bigger story; find themes that grab readers. Hands-on with concrete structural takeaways.
Workshop 2: How to Tackle the Big Stories — Analyze how great journalism is structured and adopt an easy-to-use format to engage readers; hands-on exercises.

Howard, Phoebe Wall
National award-winning investigative reporter and feature writer with careers at Arkansas Gazette, Des Moines Register, and Detroit Free Press; frequent commentator on BBC, CBC, NBC, Fox, ABC, and NPR. Built Substack column “Shifting Gears” to 360,000 readers in 11 months.

Workshop 1: Making Broccoli Delicious — Turn nutritious but “boring” stories into emotionally engaging work—on air and in print.
Workshop 2: Lazy Use of Language and Rethinking Words — Examine word choices (“black” sky, “illegal” vs. “undocumented,” etc.) and their deeper implications.

Howard, Beth
Author of Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Pie; Ms. American Pie; and World Piece. She gave a TEDx Talk on the healing power of pie, is an NPR commentator, and once ran the Pitchfork Pie Stand in the American Gothic House. Her documentary Pieowa: A Piece of America releases in 2025. theworldneedsmorepie.com
Workshop 1: Finish Your D*mn Book! — Tough-love motivation and strategies to get your project done.
Workshop 2: How to Make a Documentary Film When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing — DIY insights and tips to get your film started and finished.

Imhotep, Abena Sankofa
Award-winning author, scholar, and activist celebrating Africana, challenging historical narratives, and advocating for a just world. CEO of Sankofa Literary & Empowerment Group; founder of Sankofa Literary Academy; author of Omari's Big Tree and the Mighty Djembe (distributed in 29 countries). TEDx speaker; host of Black & Privileged in Americapodcast; Iowa Author Award recipient.
Workshop 1: Podcasting 101 — A beginner’s deep dive into launching an independent podcast.
Workshop 2: Crafting Your Big Idea into the Perfect TED Talk — Refine message, structure, and delivery to inspire action.

Kracht, Elizabeth
Literary agent with Kimberley Cameron & Associates and author of The Author’s Checklist. MFA in fiction from San José State; also a developmental editor and sought-after conference instructor. Represents literary/commercial fiction and a wide range of nonfiction categories.
Workshop 1: How to Find a Literary Agent — What agents do, whether you need one, resources to find the right fit, and submission do’s and don’ts.
Workshop 2: Self-Editing for Fiction and Memoir Writers — 50+ agent-informed checkpoints (dialogue, prose, characterization, plot, and more) based on The Author’s Checklist.

Leonard, Annie
A lifelong genealogist and storyteller with a BA in Anthropology and Professional Writing (University of New Mexico). She’s applied those skills across industries while always writing, editing, and helping others find their words. Today she manages a real-estate office, mentors agents, and helps clients turn family research into narratives.
Workshop 1: Dead Folks Tell the Best Tales — Transform dates and places into rich, engaging stories by adding historical context, finding the human arc, and writing for family readers.
Workshop 2: Writing Family History People Will Actually Read! — Techniques to shape research into compelling, readable narratives.

Leonard, Robert
Occasional contributor to The New York Times, Kansas City Star, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Des Moines Register, TIME, FERN, USA Today, and more—often on rural issues. Interviewed 8,000+ Iowans for KNIA/KRLS Radio. Anthropologist with dozens of scholarly publications; author of Deep Midwest. Writes Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture and Cedar Creek Nature Notes newsletters.
Workshop 1: Opinion Writing — How to structure stories, respond to the moment, and pitch.
Workshop 2: Finding Fulfillment in the Writing Process — Why writer’s block is a myth and how to love the process.

Letofsky, Polly
After being ripped off in publishing with her book 3mph: The Adventures of One Woman’s Walk Around the World, Polly founded My Word Publishing (2012) to help authors professionally self-publish while keeping 100% of rights. With 1,000+ books published, two traditionally published books, and one movie, MWP was entered into the U.S. Congressional Record (2022).
Workshop 1: Publishing 101 — Options (traditional, small indie, subsidy, true independent), expectations, pitfalls, and how to spot a scam.
Workshop 2: Self-Publishing Step-by-Step — The whole process: costs, timelines, royalties, worldwide distribution, and practical handouts.

Montag, Carol
Performing singer/songwriter described by Tom Paxton as a “genuine discovery.” Influences include Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Eva Cassidy, and more. She’s recorded multiple albums, performed with Ballet Iowa and Ballet La Crosse, and was invited to perform at the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony. Recent IndieFEST Award for her “Strange Ballet” music video.
Workshop 1: Writing From Impressions — Reflect on life’s indelible moments and transform them into powerful stories, poems, or songs.
Workshop 2: More Than Entertainment — Dig beneath melody and rhythm to tell the truth through song; explore vulnerability, honesty, courage, and connection.

Rainey, Caleb (“The Negro Artist”)
Author, performer, and event producer; Amazon #1 new release (Look, Black Boy), North Street Book Prize winner; author of Heart Notes; 2024 Iowa Author Award for Poetry. Winner of multiple poetry slams; ranked 7th worldwide in UNESCO Slam-O-Vision (2023). Curates Iowa City’s spoken word scene via IC Speaks and produces Mic Check Poetry Fest.
Workshop 1: Make Your Performance Pop! — From vocal performance to choreography, techniques to elevate your next reading or performance.
Workshop 2: Protest with Poetry on the Page & Stage — Craft a new poem (page and performance), workshop it, learn performance techniques, then share in a celebratory reading.

Roberts, Justin
Five-time GRAMMY nominee who helped define modern family music with smart, soulful songs for kids (and former kids). He’s performed at Ravinia, Symphony Space, The Getty Center, and on Today and NPR; author of four picture books (Putnam). Album Brain Freeze releases April 2025.
Workshop 1: Songwriting Is for Everybody — A welcoming framework for beginners and pros; we’ll compose a group song together.
Workshop 2: Writing for Kids — Create quality work for children that also resonates with adults; insights from 25+ years writing songs and picture books.

Rood, Lee
Reader’s Watchdog columnist at The Des Moines Register since 2012; longtime investigative reporter/editor. Her work has prompted legal and policy changes, court actions, arrests, and community action. Coach for the Register’s Storytellers Project; coordinator of a new project with Hoyt Sherman Place.
Workshop 1: Launching an Investigation — Tools to do your own deep-dive reporting.
Workshop 2: Lessons from Live Storytelling — Tell a moving story in 10 minutes or less and apply those tools to your writing.

Rossi, Lisa
Comedian exploring marriage, Midwestern life, and her love of Chardonnay and French fries. Festival credits include Omaha, Laugh Riot (LA), and Lysistrata (New Orleans). Completed Groundlings Writing Lab (2022). JSK Journalism Fellow at Stanford, where she used improv to teach journalists connection with readers.
Workshop 1: Writing on Your Feet — Use improv to unlock new comedic ideas.
Workshop 2: Joke Writing 101 — Mine everyday life to find the funny.

Rushing, Ty
KC-born journalist who became a first Black reporter and/or editor at eight Iowa print publications. Wrote/produced/directed an Emmy-nominated Iowa PBS documentary; recipient of a 2024 Greenlee/Kappa Tau Alpha Diversity & Inclusion Award. Journalism professor at the University of Iowa; co-founder/president of the Iowa Association of Black Journalists; former chief political correspondent at Iowa Starting Line.
Workshop 1: Ways to Get Your Social Media Audience to Care About You — Build connection and engagement with purpose.
Workshop 2: Why Consistency Matters with Social Media — Systems and strategies for sustainable growth.

Sands, Katharine
Katharine Sands has worked with a varied list of authors who publish a diverse array of books. She is the agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent’s Eye, a collection of pitching wisdom from leading literary agents.. Actively building her client list, she likes books that have a clear benefit for readers’ lives in categories of food, travel, lifestyle, home arts, beauty, wisdom, relationships, parenting, and fresh looks, which might be at issues, life challenges or popular culture. When reading fiction she wants to be compelled and propelled by urgent storytelling, and hooked by characters. For memoir and femoir, she likes to be transported to a world rarely or newly observed.
Workshop 1: Master-Pitch Theatre — Your pitch is a performance. Hone on-page and in-person elements; craft a 200–250 word description; avoid “Querial Killers”; and create coming attractions that whet agents’ appetites.
Workshop 2: Getting Ready • Getting Read • Getting Readers — From concept incubation to Page One hooks, proposals, query letters, selling points, submission strategies, and author-agent-editor dynamics.

Schaeffer, Maxwell
40+ year broadcast veteran, podcaster, producer, and Iowa media influencer; Iowa Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee for radio work; award-winning director/actor/voice artist/songwriter.
Workshop 1: Podcast Roundtable — Tips & tricks that level-up your podcast.
Workshop 2: “Finish My Song” Collaborative Circle — Bring an instrument and unfinished tunes for lyric/music help from the group.

Semken, Steve
Indie publisher since 1991 (hundreds of books; Midwestern themes/issues), writer, and former Writer-in-Residence at the Island Institute (Sitka, AK). Faculty at Midwest Writing Center’s David Collins Writing Conference; organizer of Voices From The Prairie with Humanities Iowa. Author of Pick Up Stick City and The Great Blues (Kansas Book Award).
Workshop 1: Getting a Book Published — From Start to Finish — From good idea to your first public event; panels, pitches, and practical pathways.
Workshop 2: Writing With The Elements — Fire, water, earth, air, ether: crafting beautiful nature essays.

Shackelford, Susan
Lifetime basketball fan and first female sports editor of UNC’s Daily Tar Heel. She is a former sports writer for the Miami Herald and Charlotte Observer and co-author of Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women’s Basketball.
Workshop 1: Interviewing Techniques
Workshop 2: Sport as Story

Smith, Becky

Bio: Becky Smith is an Emmy-nominated writer and director, as well as an Emeritus professor at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television, where she taught screenwriting and production for 28 years. Becky has an extensive career in Hollywood and independent filmmaking, and directed pilots and series for NBC, CBS, PBS FRONTLINE, BRAVO, Disney Channel, The History Channel, and other networks. Her feature film “16 to Life” is distributed across all major platforms by Warner Brothers Digital. Smith is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and an alumni of the Directing Workshop for Women, Stanford’s MA in Film, and the AFI MOW workshop. She was a Fellow at the McDowell Writer’s Workshop.

Workshop (3-part series): This workshop is for those who have just an idea for a feature screenplay, an outline or perhaps a treatment – and want to get feedback, inspiration and zero-in on the story they want to tell and how to tell it.

• Day 1 – Building the Foundation Introductions, the structure of screenplays, character development, and key ingredients of three-act structure. Writers will be given a short assignment to prepare for the session on Day 2.

• Day 2 – Digging Deeper Assignments presented and discussed, screenplay development tools, and personalized feedback. Writers will leave with a second short assignment.

• Day 3 – Refining and Feedback Writers present an outline or summary of their script. Becky will provide discussion notes during the session and follow up with written feedback by email within two weeks.

Focus Areas: Feature filmmaking • Script Development

Contribution: Donating her time on a detailed written critique of an outline or first draft of a feature, with a follow-up zoom discussion if the writer would like one. Value $1,000

Stahl, Jay

Jay Stahl is a reporter covering national issues and politics at USA TODAY. He was recently assigned to the USA TODAY politics team and joined the organization in January of last year.

An award-winning reporter, he won an Iowa Newspaper Award in 2024 for best series for his coverage of Iowa social media influencers. He was the 2024 recipient of the Iowa State University Greenlee School and Kappa Tau Alpha Community and Media Impact Award alongside Ty Rushing for his coverage at the Des Moines Register. He is an Iowa native and was raised in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Panel: Storytelling Basics

Strand, Peter
Partner at Mandell Menkes LLC (Chicago), representing authors, songwriters, recording artists, producers, composers, filmmakers, and more. Decades drafting/negotiating entertainment agreements; adjunct professor of music/entertainment law; former Recording Academy trustee and Chicago chapter president. Multiple “Best Lawyer” and Chambers USA honors. Former full-time touring musician (Yipes!).
Workshop 1: Copyright for Creatives — Protect your work from copying and unauthorized use.
Workshop 2: Avoiding Issues with Creative Collaboration — Use simple written agreements to clarify rights and obligations.

Thoreson, David
David Thoreson learned to sail on West Lake Okoboji in Iowa as a boy and has since sailed over 75,000 nautical miles worldwide. His Arctic expeditions, including twice through the Northwest Passage, made him a witness to climate change, inspiring him to advocate for a sustainable future through photography, writing, and speaking. Thoreson uses a multi-platform narrative to communicate complex topics, using storytelling and imagery to promote public land and water protection. David authored a photo memoir, "Over the Horizon," is a two-time TEDx presenter, National Fellow of the Explorers Club, and lectures globally about exploration, climate and conservation. His work has appeared on Iowa PBS, NBC, ABC, National Press Club, Smithsonian, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic and the World Science Festival.
Workshop 1: Improve Your Photography Skills — Smartphone techniques, simple editing, and using images to tell a story.
Workshop 2: Kayaking & Environmental Writing (Field Session) — Afternoon paddle in Little Millers Bay to take photos and discuss environmental writing (with guests).

VanBaale, Kali White
Author of three novels (The Monsters We Make) and the forthcoming story collection Release of Information. American Book Award and other honors; two State of Iowa major artist grants; editor-at-large of The Past Ten. MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts; core faculty at Lindenwood University MFA in Writing (Adjunct Professor of the Year, 2022).
Workshop 1: Fiction Fundamentals for Novels and Short Stories — Characterization, POV, plot/structure, setting, techniques, handouts, and energizing exercises.
Workshop 2: New Ways of Looking at the Memoir — Explore memoir-in-essays, vignettes, hybrid structures; examples, exercises, and collaborative idea sharing.

Walsmith, Jason
Singer-songwriter and founding member of Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band The Nadas; also records/tours as Jason Walsmith Storyteller. Photographer and columnist (The Racontourist). His 2022 solo album Overlander charted three top-10 songs on the European American Country Music Chart; he tours widely in his Storyteller Overland camper van.
Workshop 1: Tips & Tools of a Performing Songwriter — Workflows and best practices for writing, recording, touring, performing, and connecting with audiences.
Workshop 2: Creative Collaboration — How to co-write and thrive in partnerships based on 30+ years in a duo/band.

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(Sorted by Item)

Afghan (handmade, min. value $150)

Donor: Janeen Johnson —

Resume Writing Service

Donor: Phoebe Howard —

Author Two Book Basket ($30 value)

Donor: Dave Engelken —
Donor: Bob Shreck —

BBQ Basket (Fareway gift card + extras)

Donor: Michelle Cowan-Schroeder —

Book Donations (Signed Books)

Donor: Allison Engel —

Book, Signed — Make Me Commissioner (Jane Leavy)

Donor: Peggy Engel —

Book, Signed — Backroom Deals in our Backyards (Miranda Spivack)

Donor: Peggy Engel —

Book, Signed — Jane Leavy (Baseball biography series)

Donor: Peggy Engel —

Ring! —

First Edition, signed, by Dan Brown, The Secrets of Secrets. Donor: Beaverdale Books

Gordon Gammack: Columns III Wars (first edition)

Donor: Julie Gammack —

Condo Stay in Mexico

1 bedroom condo (which works well for 1 or 2 people). It's in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle ~40 minutes north of the Puerto Vallarta airport. And would be available for up to 1 week anytime during April or May 2026.

Donor: Walt and Anna Spevak —

DINNER IN THE MANSION

Significance

Chef prepared a four-course dinner at the historic Adams-Higgins House in Spencer. Each course paired with wines from the private cellar.

• The house is architecturally interesting for the mix of styles: originally Victorian, then modified with Neoclassical styling, especially in its porches, roofline, and columns. Wikipedia+2Amazon Web Services, Inc.+2

• It reflects local history: the wealth and social status of its owners (farmers, bankers, etc.), and general trends in architecture and preservation in Iowa.

• The playhouse is a quirky and charming historic feature tied to local life (children of the Higgins, and also used for other community purposes).

• The property is a landmark in Spencer, both visually and historically, and part of a larger historic district that has many fine old homes.

Available May through September 2026. Donor: Neal and Kitty Conover

Djembe Drum

Donor: Julie Gammack —

Editing / Coaching: Opinion Piece (2 hrs)

Donor: Maura Casey —

Framed Art Prints (2 pieces, $75 each)

Donor: Teresa Albertson — tkawrite@gmail.com

Framed Signed Print (Fireworks over Okoboji) + Two Signed Photo Books (Over the Horizon)

Donor: David Thoreson, Bluewater South — bluewatersouth@gmail.com

Hank Aaron Baseball (Collectible)

Donor: Peggy Engel —

Honey Gift Box (Iowa honey, incl. jalapeño honey)

Donor: Sharon Chism —

House Concert

Donor: Chad Elliott —
Donor: Maxwell Schaeffer —
Donor: Carol Montag, Mondays Music —

Ice Cube Press Books (set of 5)

Donor: Steve Semken — steve@southslope.net

Indian Dinner for 6

Donor: Rekha Basu — Dinner for six in the Des Moines home of Rekha Basu.

Jewelry

Donor: Phoebe Howard —

Manuscript Critique & Query Review (with editorial letter + first-page notes)

Donor: Katharine Sands — katharine@sarahjanefreymann.com

Manuscript Consultation (15 pages, any genre)

Donor: Kali Van Baale — kalivanbaale@msn.com

Manuscript Review (full)

Donor: Literary Agent Andy Ross —

Nicole Baart —Hour-long consult call. I’ll tailor the experience to the individual. If they just want to ask industry questions and pick my brain, great! If they’d like me to respond to the first three pages of their manuscript or offer plot advice or edit their query letter, I’m happy to do that, too.

Mont Blanc Pen (pre-owned, classic ballpoint, $200 value)

Donor: Peggy Engel —

Movie Screening (Private, Iowa Theater, Winterset, up to 15 guests + popcorn) — $400 value

Donor: Marianne Fons —

Music Package (Merchandise: CD, t-shirt, poster)

Donor: Kathryn Severing Fox —

Personal Assistant / Private Event Host (Okoboji area, Nov–Dec availability)

Donor: Barb Winchell — barb.winchell@icloud.com

Picture Books & CDs (Children’s music/reading bundle)

Donor: Justin Roberts — justin@justinroberts.org

Pottery by Katy Gammack —

Quilt (Handmade)

Donor: Mary Shotwell — Mary is a consistent blue-ribbon winner in quilt shows, including the Iowa State Fair.

Resume Briefing (Service: Writing or editing a resume)

Donor: Phoebe Howard —

Script Coverage Check (rights clearance, up to feature length)

Donor: Lea Freelance —

Signed Book Basket (Vermillion)

Donor: Bob Shreck —

Songbook & CD (Strange Ballet) + House Concert

Donor: Mondays Music —

Sunset Cruise (2 hours, Historic Annapolis Harbor, aboard “Pearl of Eastport”)

Donor: R. Kevin Brooks — Kevin will give you a REAL tour of Annapolis and Eastport, the charming community on the Chesapeake Bay, aboard his beloved sailboat.

Okoboji Condo the week of the Fourth of July

Donor: Richard Gilbert and Julie Gammack. Two bedroom, West Lake Condo during the most sought-after time of the summer. July 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6th! THE PRIME SIX DAYS OF THE YEAR.

Video Pep Talk / Writing Coaching Session (via Zoom)

Donor: Grant Faulkner —

Watermelon Tourmaline & Diamond 14kt Gold Ring (value several thousand $)

Donor: Becky Noehren — bkejul@gmail.com

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We’re thrilled to welcome Katharine Sands, a literary agent with the Sarah Jane Freymann Agency in New York City, to this year’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. Katharine is the agent provocateur behind Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch A Literary Agent’s Eye, and she’s shared her expertise at Poets & Writers, UCLA, NYU, and beyond.

Her roster of represented works ranges from Barbara Barnett’s The Apothecary’s Curse (a Bram Stoker Award nominee), to Lisa Smith’s memoir Girl Walks Out of a Bar (featured in People magazine), to activist Jamie Margolin’s Youth to Power, to Will Calhoun’s The Secret Life of Beats.

What kind of projects make her lean in? Katharine is drawn to books that improve and enrich readers’ lives—whether in food, travel, lifestyle, home arts, beauty, wisdom, relationships, parenting, or fresh cultural perspectives. In fiction, she wants to be “compelled and propelled” by urgent storytelling and unforgettable characters. For memoir—be it femoir, himoir, or otherwise—she’s seeking stories that transport her into worlds rarely or newly observed.

And here’s the kicker: our own Doug Burns will be showing this native New Yorker around northwest Iowa. We can’t wait to see what happens when a sharp-eyed literary agent meets gravel roads, small-town cafés, and Doug behind the wheel. This should be fun.

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Watch this space as we update our speaker roster over the next few days.

If you are not enrolled, do so before it’s too late!

This year, we have made it easier for out-of-towners to come by bundling the various activities with lodging. Check it out:

To: Enrollees in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat
Re: Evening Activity Sign-Up Now Open
From: Julie

OWR V will officially be a sell-out on September 15! For the fifth year in a row, we’ll hit our self-imposed cap. With more than 50 speakers, this limit ensures small workshops stay intimate and hands-on.

If you’re already enrolled in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, this information is for you.

It’s time to register for evening activities. Most participants join in, but we keep these costs separate so those who don’t attend the dinners, concert and auction, aren’t paying extra.

• If you enrolled at the bundled price of $1,595–$1,795, which includes lodging and evening activities, you’re all set! You’ll soon receive a confirmation with your hotel assignment.

• If you enrolled at the basic fee or partial scholarship, please see the sign-up options below.

ALREADY ENROLLED IN THE RETREAT?

If you’ve already enrolled at the inclusive price of $1,595 or $1,795, your evening activities are all set—no extra steps needed. If, however, you enrolled in just the retreat, it is time to sign up for the evening activities.

And yes, I know—it feels a little #$@ complicated. That’s because we’re trying to keep the retreat fee as low as possible while not asking everyone to pay for extras they might not want.

SIGN UP FOR EVENING ACTIVITIES HERE!

1

PACKAGE 1 (DINNER & MOVIE MONDAY NIGHT + ALL ACTIVITIES TUESDAY - CONCERT & AUCTION AT THE ROOF GARDEN AFTER THE SUNSET CRUISE) $85.

Package 1 - Buy now

2

PACKAGE 2 EVERYTHING IN PACKAGE 1 + 3 NIGHTS CAMPUS LODGING, OWR HAT, AND BOOK. $595. (does not include retreat enrollment fee). $595.

Package 2 - Buy now

3

PACKAGE 3 EVERYTHING + 3 NIGHTS LODGING (EITHER THE INN, THE OAKWOOD INN, OR CRESCENT BEACH RESORT). $695. (does not include retreat enrollment fee).

Package 3

4

Have you been notified that you have been awarded a scholarship?

Scholarship Winner

Have you filled out the participant survey?

Your input is critical as we put together the agenda. We also added a question for independent authors who are coming as participants:

Participant Only Survey

Still not Enrolled in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat??????? Times up September 15!

ENROLL NOW!

Only the Inclusive Package is available today:

Inclusive Package Retreat + Activities

Frequently Asked Questions

I took advantage of Early Enrollment but still need housing and won’t be doing the inclusive package. Are there low-cost options?
Yes. Try Village West at 712-337-3223. It’s close to Lakeside Labs and the Lakeshore campus where workshops will be held.

I don’t see my name on the roster, but I’m certain I enrolled earlier. What do I do?
Email me right away and I’ll look it up.

I have dietary restrictions. What options are available during the retreat and evening activities?
We’ll offer a vegetarian option for campus lunches and evening activities. Strict vegans or those with other dietary needs should make their own arrangements.

I don’t consider myself a writer—this just looked fun and now I’m getting cold feet. Will I be out of place?
No! About half of our participants are just like you. The other half may be published or working pros. All skill levels are welcome.
(Also, after September 1 there are no refunds—smile.)

I’m an independent author coming as a participant. Are there ways to meet others like me?
Yes. Contact volunteer Chris Britton at cqbritton@hotmail.com—he’s organizing a meetup for authors.

I want to come but I don’t do online payments. Can I send a check?
Yes—for the $1,595 inclusive package or the $895 enrollment fee (no lodging or evening activities).
Make checks payable to Julie Gammack and mail to:
20794 170th St., 6B, Spirit Lake, IA 51360.
Please email me to let me know it’s on the way.

We Have 0 Spots Remaining

It’s Not Too Late to Enroll

Registration will close on September 15!

There are three options for new enrollments.

1. Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Enrollment (Basic, not including evening activities or lodging) ($895) — there are additional charges for the Monday night dinner & movie, plus the Tuesday night concert and auction. Stay tuned.

OWSR V Enrollment Fee

2. Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Enrollment + Upscale Lodging + Evening Dinner and Activities Monday and Tuesday nights ($1,595)

OWSR V + Lodging + Evening Activies

3. Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat Enrollment + Lakeview Lodging + Evening Dinner and Activities Monday and Tuesday nights ($1,795)

OWSR V + Lodging + Evening Activities

Learn more about who will be teaching: Speakers

Attendees Who’s Who

A

• Abild, Lillian

• Adams Willman, Suanne

• Albertson, Teresa Kay

• Albright, Chip

• Almquist, Catharine

• Anderson, Ray

• Argiro, Vincent

B

• Baart, Nicole

• Baker, Emily

• Baker, Nina

• Ballantine, Elizabeth

• Barnhill, Elizabeth

• Basu, Rekha

• Bauer, Robert

• Baxter, Lisa

• Beck, Bridget

• Becker, Elizabeth

• Beckman, David

• Beckman, Susan

• Bedell, Tom

• Belin, Laura

• Beneke, Helen Ruth

• Berhane, Arsema

• Bernstein, David

• Bharwani, Jawed

• Bigelow, Kelsey

• Blanco, Molly

• Blom, Joel

• Brakel, Becky

• Brand, Bill

• Brann, Laura

• Brann, Tammy

• Britton, Chris

• Britton, Nancy

• Brooks, Richard Kevin

• Brosnahan, Hannah

• Brosnahan, Jill D

• Brown, Dartanyan

• Brownlee, Stephanie

• Bruna, Katherine

• Bryant, Sierra

• Burns, Douglas

• Burr, Kris

• Burr, Stephen

• Buster, Amy

C

• Calhoun, Will

• Cannon, Walter

• Carlson, Marilyn

• Cashman, Micaela

• Catlett, Mary

• Chism, Sharon

• Chism, Stewart

• Cline, Robert

• Clingan, John

• Combs, Madeline

• Crocker, Christian

• Conklin, Gwen

• Conover, Niki

• Cooper, William

• Cowan-Schroeder, Michelle

• Crawford, Jerry

• Crowder, Courtney

• Cullen, Art

• Cullen, Tom

• Curbow, Joan

• Cyndari, Karen

D

• Dailey, Samantha

• David, Erica

• Deibler, Diana

• Dhawan, Tej

• Dickel, Skip

• Dinges, John

• Doke-Kerns, Jennie

• Donnelly-Anderson, Katherine

• Donovan, Emily

• Donovan, Lea

• Dorman, Todd

• Dunbar, Teresa

• Dunbar, Tim

E

• Edwards, Marty

• Elgatian, Sarah

• Elliott, Chad

• Elliott, Kathy

• Engel, Allison

• Engel, Margaret

• Engle, Debra

• Engelken, David

• England, Carrie

• Everist, Nancy

F

• Faulkner, Grant

• Fehring, Rae

• Fons, Marianne

• Flood, Ann

• Fox, Kathryn

• Frandsen, Kay

• Frantz, Andrea

• Freed, Jann

• Frazer, Claudia

• Franklin, Derek

G

• Gammack, Julie

• Gardner, Paul

• Gardner, Carolyn

• Garson, Arnold

• Garson, Naomi

• Garson, Scott

• Gehr, Jodi

• Gehr, John

• Genna, Jamey

• Gerstandt, Joseph

• Gibson, Kyle

• Gilbert, Richard

• Gifford, Jody

• Giller, Mollie

• Gillum, Hunter

• Goerdt. John

• Goodman, Willa

• Gottschalk, Mary

• Greenwald, Rebecca

• Grei, Shadley

• Gross, Gene

• Guhin, Carolyn

• Grundy, Pamela

• Gustafson, Amber

• Grover, Timothy

H

• Hadar, Joe

• Hagermann, Kim

• Hale, John

• Hale, Terri

• Haley, Maureen

• Hansen, Kurt

• Harkin, Tom

• Harris, Melissa

• Hartley, Dale

• Hauenstein, Greg

• Hatherill, Debra

• Hecsh, Janet

• Hedges, Peter

• Heggen, Jill

• Herzberg, Katelyn

• Hieronymus, Megan

• Hines, Kimra

• Heftman, Nik

• Henning, Christina

• Heron, Brian

• Hoemmen, Stephanie

• Hobbs, Bethany

• Hoffman, Beth

• Hoffman Meyer, Lonni

• Hoffman Place, Valerie

• Howard, Beth

• Howard, Phoebe Wall

• Houston, Amy

• Hovey, Erick

• Huber, Clare

• Hunter, Linda

• Hurley, Mo

I

• Imhotep, Abena Sankofa

J

• James, Rhonda

• Jochum, Pam

• Jeske, Doug

• Johnson, Janeen

• Jones, AJ

K

• Kaiser, Jan

• Kane, Leslie

• Kealey, Kate

• Kelly, Dennis

• Ketter, Joni

• Kelly, Patrick

• Kenyon, James

• Klein, Julie

• Klein, Kathleen

• Klotsche, Jessica

• King, Jackie

• King, Ricki

• Kracht, Elizabeth

L

• Lauer, Katie

• Leonard, Annie

• Leonard, Robert

• Lenertz, Kathy

• Leedom, Terri

• Lefeber, Sarah

• Letofsky, Polly

• Lauer, Tiffany

• Lima, Lisa

• Loring-Jass, Elaine

• Lundsgaard, Ned

• Lundquist, Jessica

M

• Manders, Rachel

• Markel, Katrina

• Marquez, Dave

• Martin, Emily

• Martinez, Jasmine

• McCarville, Mike

• McCarthy, Mary

• McCracken, Ana

• McKinney Peckinpaugh, Pam

• Mandsager, Dennis

• Meek, Lucas

• Mercer, Gaylyn

• Meyer, Alice

• Miller, Duane

• Miller, Helen

• Milton, Rob

• Minor, Vicki E

• Moews, Mary

• Moore, Allison

• Moore, Kathleen

• Moore, Marilyn

• Moore, Tracy

• Montag, Carol

• Mores, Alan

• Morlock, Lisa

• Morrison, Jennifer

• Murtha, Diane

• Moyer, Keith

• Muhammad, Sabur

• Mulqueen, Bob

• Murray, Michelle Sprout

N

• Naughton, Dennis

• Neary, Shirley

• Nelson, Marjorie

• Noehren, Becky

• Nobiss, Sikowis

• Nolan, Jessica

O

• O'Brien, Denise

• O'Dea, Suzanne

• Olson, Meredith

• O'Reilly, Eugene

• Opstad, Elodie

P

• Pals, Kaitlin

• Pappas, Kellyn

• Peerman, Celina

• Percy, Sandra

• Petersen, CJ

• Peterson, Amy

• Peters, Adam

• Pfaff, Jolene

• Phelan, Mari

• Philips, Victoria

• Phillips, Jane

R

• Rainey, Caleb

• Ramsey, Sara

• Rathman, Denise

• Reed, Robert

• Reid, Marge

• Reid, Marjorie

• Reid, Yana

• Reiners, Eric

• Reyna-Rodriguez, Victoria

• Riccelli, Christine

• Richter, Herman

• Riley, Victoria

• Robberts, Jennifer

• Roberts, Dallis

• Roberts, Dawn

• Roberts, Justin

• Rood, Lee

• Rose, Peter

• Rosado, Alexis

• Rogers, Marcia

• Rossi, Lisa

• Rosmann, Michael

• Royal, Barb

• Rowland, Joshua

• Rummer, Ken

• Rushing, Ty

• Russell, Matthew

S

• Samuelson, Drey

• Sands, Katharine

• Sayer, Jim

• Schaeffer, Brian

• Schaeffer, Maxwell

• Schissel, John B.

• Schissel, Nicky

• Schlapkohl. Lana

• Schmitt, Jacqueline

• Schmell, Tanya

• Schrunk, Irene

• Scull, Sarah

• Seeberger, Theresa

• Semken, Steve

• Semken, Steven

• Shackleford, Susan

• Siddall, Katy

• Skopec, Mary

• Sheehan, Kitty

• Shadley, Grei

• Shreck, Bob

• Shipley, Pat

• Shriver, Adam

• Sinkler, Jen

• Smith, Becky

• Smith, Erin

• Smith, Jeniece

• Smith, Olivia

• Spevak, Sarah

• Stahl, Jay

• Stewart, Mary

• Stillwell, Mazie

• Strand, Peter

• Stump, Lisa

• Sutter, Sara

• Sutter, Steve

• Swenson, Mack

T

• Tevis, Cheryl

• Tempero, Sue

• Thiessen, Kristine

• Thoreson, David

• Thoreson, Rebecca

• Trax, Mark

• Traxler, Virginia

• Treinen, Karla

V

• Vannoy, Teri

• VanBaale, Kali

• VanWingen, Marissa

• Vilsack, Christie

W

• Wade, Billie

• Walsmith, Jason

• Walsmith, Mitch

• Wei, Carolyn

• Weiser, Nadine

• Wendel, Sandra

• Wernimont, Joel

• Whiteman, Hardy

• White, Jane

• White VanBaale, Kali

• Williams, David

• Williamson, Parker

• Willman, Suanne Adams

• Wilson, Jackie

• Wilson, Matt

• Winchell, Barb

• Winkowitsch, Jo

• Wisner, Alice

• Wobeter, Berleen

• Woody, Michael

• Wolfe, Melissa

• Wright, Linda

Message from Julie

Attendee Survey!!

If you are currently enrolled, please fill out the survey below. It helps us plan speaker room assignments, and many other details:

The vibe? Joyfully creative with a dash of chaos and a heap of heart.

✨ Highlights:

• Rachelle Chase opened by introducing herself as a longtime Okoboji alum, published author (fiction and nonfiction), podcaster, and public speaker. She’s attended every retreat so far and brings a deep well of experience to the group. Rachelle Chase on Substack.

• Becky Smith (former UCLA instructor and Emmy-nominated director of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) talked about her workshop on screenplay structure and her philosophy: bring clarity, enthusiasm, and get people talking. She emphasized how powerful it was to teach people from varied backgrounds—retired farmers, small-town residents—who came to write with passion and purpose. She also recalled a past panel experience that lacked structure and advocated for clear, participant-informed panel topics.

  Julie Gammack and Guests

  Persistence Paid Off for filmmaker Becky Smith

  Join me, founder of the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat, as we welcome Emmy‑nominated filmmaker and UCLA professor Becky Smith for an engaging conversation about what it means to find and nurture your creative voice. Becky begins by recalling her improbable journey from a town of just 350 year‑round residents in Okoboji to earning a scholarship at Stanford aft…

  Listen now

  a year ago · 4 likes · 2 comments · Julie Gammack

• Beth Howard (a memoirist and co-teacher) discussed her session, “Keep Your Butt in the Chair,” which gave writers practical tools to stop making excuses and just finish the damn book. She co-taught last year and stressed the need to pace the speaker schedule so presenters aren’t overbooked and exhausted.

• Nik Heftman (former CBS Mornings producer) shared the origin story of his heartfelt documentary about Caleb—sparked by a chance encounter at the retreat when Caleb got locked out of his room. Their connection turned into a full-fledged documentary that premiered at Okoboji to a standing ovation. Nick and Becky were asked to lead two panels this year—possibly split by themes like narrative vs. documentary or process vs. product.

  https://www.thenegroartist.com

• Shadley, a past participant turned presenter, recalled attending last year just after her husband lost his job. The retreat was a revelation, helping her finally hit “publish” on her novel. This year, she’ll be teaching about adapting books into films and how thinking cinematically can unlock new creative possibilities.

• Peter Hedges (Oscar-nominated filmmaker and novelist) offered to speak on process, story-finding, and how to sustain creative energy. He emphasized that panels should aim to be generative—not just deliverables, but experiences that plant seeds. He’d be happy to be on whatever panel needed him.

  Julie Gammack and Guests

  Here's the Podcast: Peter Hedges Comes Home

  When I opened the conversation with author, director, and filmmaker Peter Hedges on Monday’s Potluck Zoom call, I could’ve led with the obvious: the big Hollywood names orbiting his life. But instead of clickbait, I chose to bring him home—beginning not with stardom, but with the recent passing of his former Valley High School drama teacher, the man who…

  Listen now

  a year ago · 10 likes · 6 comments · Julie Gammack

• Will Calhoun - globally traveled musician and poet, spoke beautifully about the intersection of rhythm, culture, and writing. With stories from Mali, Morocco, and the Outback, he explained how he sees sound, story, and structure as one interconnected creative act. His approach to songwriting—often beginning with poems and building music around them—offers a unique perspective. He’s considering a workshop on how indigenous instruments and rhythm connect to writing. Everyone agreed: he must teach something.

• Julie Gammack,, the retreat’s producer, reminded everyone that the goal is to avoid overbooking speakers so they can also learn and enjoy the experience. With 60 speakers and 170 attendees, the sheer abundance is by design—to encourage participation without burnout.

🧠 Big Takeaways:

• Panels need a clear purpose. Becky suggested pre-defining panel topics so participants know what to expect.

• Split panels thoughtfully. Suggested themes included:

  • Narrative vs. Documentary

  • Process vs. Product

  • How to Make It in Hollywood vs. How to Fund and Distribute Independent Work

• Teaching philosophy: More than credentials, what matters is connection, clarity, and relevance to participants' goals.

• Musicians and writers can learn from each other. Integrating sound, story, rhythm, and poetry creates new learning avenues—and this retreat is the perfect place for that.