10, 9, 8, 7, 6....the new book has been launched into readers’ orbits and it is sparking ideas all around Illinois to visit statewide gems. We know time is precious…does the way you spend spare time reflect this adage? As the Land of Lincoln, Illinois is proud of the 16th president - and there’s much more!

Illinois is its people. It is the people who run the rock-climbing haven in Southern Illinois. And it is the people who care for 289,000 acres of national forest land, within which are trails for hiking, places for picnicking, unique shops, and historic state park lodges. It is entrepreneurs and mayors who want the best for their cities. It is park rangers and visitor bureau attendants and fellow tourists smiling and chatting as they view something new.

Illinois is also its rivers and lakes. Show me a river and I'll show you its indigenous footprints. I'll also show you some of the best ways to enjoy Illinois' waterways.

So, I'm back home after completing the tenth event just over a week ago, held in Peoria - a river town whose riverwalk affords stunning views, a stellar museum/planetarium, and a vibrant surrounding region. And what did I learn? People are eager to get out and go. The Covid shutdowns left a deep mark on our psyches. We couldn’t fly, float, nor gather together. Post-Covid, we are ready to roam. We saw loved ones sick (or worse) and we have a new sense of priorities.

To share a bit about the build-up to the Book Launch Series, it included my appearance on WGN-TV's morning news show — HERE is a link to watch my five-minutes-of-Chicago-TV-fame. There was also an interview with (pinch me!) John Records Landecker (yes, his middle name is Records) -- a legend in radio and in Chicago (in that order). HERE is the link to listen. Add five more radio interviews (Springfield, Rockford, and three in St. Louis), plus a slew of newspaper interviews, and suffice it to say that the month of May raced by. When June arrived, I (and my husband, my rock) hit the road, and I got to talk to people directly - in libraries such as the ultra-historic Alton and Allerton, plus at book signings in bookstores and museums. There was even an event at the home (now a museum) built by Frank Lloyd Wright in Kankakee (it’s in the book!). Kankakee County is where my roots are deepest. Always, we seem to come full circle, don’t we?

This book is the best way to top off my career as an author - my fifth and final book. Next up will be a speaking series to promote my fellow Illinoisans and this great state. I look forward to meeting more of the nicest, hard-working, fun-loving people in this great state. Talking to people is what gives me the greatest pleasure. After all, “no (hu)man is an island,” they say. I’m certainly not. I'm more of a raft, welcoming newcomers. So grab a book and come aboard! Let’s float together!

Thanks one and all!

Book Launch Event held at Sock Monkey Museum in Long Grove (May 27, 2023). The entire historic district of Long Grove is included as a Must-See in the book! — ***Launch event held at Sock Monkey Museum, Long Grove (5/27/23). Long Grove’s historic district is in the book!***

Melanie Holmes