Melissa Westemeier

I ran some errands yesterday and as I drove around I was treated to a lot of Christmas decorations propped outside people's houses. Some ...

A couple of bird feeders hang outside my window and flocks of visitors arrive all day long. Even on this dreary winter day, sparrows, fin...

The report from Room 209: This first week of the school year was ... really different. My students' desks are arranged in rows per CDC re...

I'm different than I was yesterday. Every day I learn new information or have a new experience, and my knowledge expands and my understan...

This strange summer I have worn down a path moving through my daily routine. Kitchen to make coffee. Library to write. Garden to pull wee...

This quiet summer means I get to swim nearly every day. In order, my strokes of preference are: back stroke (my best and fastest), breast...

Last summer an idea for a story squeaked around the edges of my brain and I articulated it to my writing group. "Possibly my next book pr...

Long-time followers and friends know about Mr. D's strange proclivity for acquiring critters. He's responsible for one of our stray cats ...

It's human nature to pull in tighter when we feel fear. Instinct makes us curl in to protect ourselves from a punch, we wrap ourselves ar...

This pandemic has revealed a few sobering truths to me. That's bound to happen when isolated with your own thoughts, there's no distracti...

A few early reviews of my new book have come in and they are very flattering (special shout-out to Musings of a Bookworm!). Thank you to ...

It's strange to share a bed with someone while they read the book I wrote. I can't focus on my own book because my gaze keeps moving over...

While pushing out my new book and keeping up with teaching online, I've enjoyed some pretty eclectic reading in my spare time. Most peopl...

My new book will be available April 1st! It's been printed and shipped and you can hold a copy in your hands in just a few short days! Am...

Today the Creative Writing Club I advise at school met. We're focusing on developing voice in our writing this year and over Christmas br...

a Christmas escape

cover reveal for Through the Channel!

The world learned yesterday about Toni Morrison's death. Tayari Jones shared her thoughts about Toni Morrison's contributions on NPR, and...

Remember this old commercial? Years ago I had a wonderful strawberry patch in a raised bed in our front yard. The berries were dependably...

A week ago I foolishly raised my hopes that we'd get a snow day. I let the prospect of a free day sink giddily into my heart and I starte...