Harbor Springs Festival of the Book

In late September for the past eleven years, the picturesque city of Harbor Springs, Michigan, has hosted a small, lovely book festival. Writers and readers converge on this storybook town to hear from authors they love, or grow to love, over the course of the weekend.

Panel: Outrunning the Past 

Left to Right: Emily Lloyd-Jones (Agusta Pine Does Not Exist), Charleen Hurtubise (Saoirse), Christine Kuehn (Family of Spies), and moderator Kim Block

The Harbor Springs Festival of the Book is so popular that every ticket for this year’s event sold out in just over four minutes. Thankfully, volunteers were still needed, so I worked five of the author panels.

Yes, the library is adorable.

 

Late September in a Storybook Town

The weekend of the festival, the weather was gorgeous. The sun sparkled off the water of Little Traverse Bay, the morning light cast beautiful pinks across the sky, and the woodland creatures were actively preparing for what is likely to be a long, cold winter.

On my last full day in town, this is the morning sky that met me. Notice the full moon between the trees. It was ten times bigger in person. Truly amazing.

 

Earlier in my visit, I happened upon these four white-tailed deer. 

 

This was my first time at the festival, though my first visit to Harbor Springs was in 1991. Since then, I’ve visited family in the area almost every year.

For thirty-five years, I’ve told myself that Harbor Springs was my little secret. I’m afraid the secret of this little city that feels more like a small town is out. I don’t own any tourist clothing from the area because I selfishly don’t want any more people descending into town with their big-city energy and entitlement. 

Yes. I know. I live just outside Chicago. As I tell Mr. Kingsley, “You can take the girl out of Michigan, but you can’t take Michigan out of the girl.”

The flowers in September were still quite beautiful, even as the days grew shorter.

 

Side note: I saw a post on social media about northwest Lower Michigan, and someone commented, “Don’t come here! It’s ugly and the people are mean.” 

I liked their comment.

Game recognizes game.

 

Panel: Wit, No Matter the Genre

Left to Right: Ryan Effgen (Make Nice), Jenna Blum (Murder Your Darlings), Jonathan Miles (Eradication), and a lovely moderator who shall remain nameless — until I learn her name.

 

Writers & Readers

I loved listening to the authors talk about their books. Every writer is unique, yet the successful ones seem to share a few things: the ability to build a compelling narrative and convey the complexity of human experience; deft observation, openness, and empathy; and the creativity, vision, discipline, and tenacity it takes to develop an idea and send it out into the world.

Who is an author? 

A person who crafts a story they’ve nurtured from an idea’s infancy. An artist who has faith that their work will resonate with readers on a timeline that only the universe controls.

And yet, the author is only one side of the partnership. 

The writing lies dormant, waiting patiently — maybe even expectantly — for the reader to arrive. The work doesn’t fully exist until it’s read.  

The author throws, the reader catches. It’s up to the reader to decide what they do with the ball. 

 

Thank you for catching, Dear Reader.

 

xo Trace

 

All photography by Trace Kingsley. You’re welcome to share a link to this post on social media. Please ask permission before copying or republishing individual photographs.