Keynote Speaker

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

I was asked to be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting for the Grass River Natural Area in Bellaire, Michigan.

This conservation area protects almost 1,500 acres along the beautiful Grass River, the waterway connecting Clam Lake to Lake Bellaire 

(see the previous blog post for a look at this important preserve).

The meeting was held at Shanty Creek. 

Shanty Creek overlooking Lake Bellaire

Executive Director, Haley Breniser, introduces me

Over 100 people attended this dinner meeting

I enjoy speaking to crowds of any size to share my love of our Great Lakes. I have travelled to eight states for speaking engagements and am currently booking events for 2016.

[contact me at LakeTrek@gmail.com to inquire about your events]

Tales from the Book Tour: Kalamazoo Book Club

Park Club, Kalamazoo

 A Kalamazoo book club invited me to join them while they discussed my book. They meet at the Park Club, a fixture in the city for over a century.

It's always fun and instructional for me to meet with book clubs. They let me know what parts of the book they most connected with, where they had questions, and if the book challenged or changed they way they think about our Great Lakes.

And a lovely lunch!

It was a privilege to meet with these thoughtful women.

Thank you all!

For the Love of Book Clubs!

Every writer hopes to be published. And when that happens, every author hopes that their book will go out in the world and find readers.

I have had the privilege of meeting so many of my readers while on my book tour this past year at lectures and readings in five states. People told me their favorite part of the book, or what they were surprised to learn, or about their connection to the Great Lakes.

Many book clubs have chosen my book to read and discuss. How thrilling is that for a writer? It's amazing!

Quite a few of these book clubs have extended an invitation for me to join them while they talk about my book, and I've been able to attend several of these gatherings. This photo is from the most recent book club I attended in North Carolina! They held a lively discussion of the book and had some great questions and comments.

Thank you to all the readers and
book clubs who have chosen and
championed my book!