Michigan Writers Come in Many Models and Options
It has been said that Michigan was first in the recession, and last out. So, by 2006, with the decline of the auto industry already under way, it took a bit of chutzpah for a university press based in one of the most-maligned, grittiest cities in the world to come out with a new literary series of home-grown writers. But that’s what Detroit-based Wayne State University Press did with its Made in Michigan Writers Series.
Ten years later, Michigan is on the rebound and the midsize university press can boast that it’s helped to put the Great Lakes State on the map for a positive reason. The Made in Michigan Writers Series recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, so as the good Michiganders we are—Foreword Reviews is based in lovely Traverse City, Michigan—we checked in with Annie Martin, the series’s acquiring editor, to talk about Michigan’s diverse writing ecosystem.
Featured Reviews
Isles of the Blind, by Robert Rosenberg. A pitied son rejects low expectations in this rich meditation on bloodlines, loyalty, accountability, and absolution. Reviewed by Michelle Anne Schingler.
Conquer Your Chronic Pain, by Peter Abaci. A pain management doctor prevents holistic and pill free methods for dealing with chronic problems. Reviewed by Melissa Wuske.
Know the Mother, by Desiree Cooper. Thirty-one short stories explore ambivalence about motherhood, and ongoing racism in America. Reviewed by Rebecca Foster.
Soul of a Crow, by Abbie Williams. This novel traces the harrowing journey of a couple and their loved ones trying to start a new life in the West. Reviewed by Camille-Yvette Welsch.
The Confluence, by Ed Baldrige and friends. This collection of essays, sketches, and tall tales centered on fishing is well worth getting reeled into. Reviewed by Trina Carter.
Annie Martin, Wayne State University Press
Are there any common elements among specifically Michigan-made authors?
Quality writing, specific perspectives on being human, and a connection in some way to Michigan are the only three common elements I can think of. One of the reasons I think the series works and why I love working with Michigan-made authors is the diversity of voice and style. This state is eclectic by nature; we have a bridge connecting the lower and upper peninsulas, we have a population that includes basically every culture, and varied industries from farming to auto to mining to short run printers, and a socio-economic factor at play that is both scary and interesting … you can’t get much more eclectic than that.
Read the full interview with Annie Martin of Wayne State University Press.