Arts Center author talk examines a changing Northern Michigan

From staff reports

What happens when a place is so beautiful that everyone wants to go there—and then they stay? That question is central to Leelanau County author Tim Mulherin’s book This Magnetic North: Candid Conversations On A Changing Northern Michigan. Mulherin will discuss why he wrote the book, and the conclusions he drew at the July 11 Coffee with the Authors interview at the Glen Arbor Arts Center. The program begins at 11 am.

Mulherin, a seasonal Leelanau County resident, conducted dozens of interviews in an effort to get some clarity on his question. He spoke with climate refugees, lifestyle migrants, people fleeing the COVID pandemic, tourist industry leaders, conservationists, business owners, public safety officials, descendants of European settlers, and descendants of the region’s first and original human inhabitants. All these voices helped Mulherin in his “personal exploration of the relocation phenomenon that’s occurring in northwest lower Michigan …” Published in 2025, This Magnetic North was named a 2026 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan.

Coffee with the Authors is a series of conversational interviews with local, regional, and state authors about the art, craft, and process of writing, facilitated by GAAC gallery manager Sarah Bearup-Neal. There is no charge. Coffee with the Authors enjoys the support of the Cottage Book Shop and the Glen Lake Community Library.