She Turned Down a Pro Hoops Career. The Pope Died After Meeting J.D. Vance. Iowa Writers Unpack a Week That Might Just Change Your Perspective.
...This is the Wednesday Flipside edition of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative
This is the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Flipside edition, where we hold a separate space for Sports, Music, Travel, Dining, and Personal Essays. Take a break. Enjoy. But if you missed Sunday’s Roundup and want to stay informed:
🏀 Sports
Jane Burns
Drake basketball star Katie Dinnebier had a shot at a pro career but turned it down to continue with her studies. Why? "I'm a nerd," the academic all-American said.
👉 Read here
🎶 Music
Kathryn Severing Fox
From daily writing challenges to soul-baring songs, this heartfelt dispatch explores the transformative magic of showing up on the page—and learning to love who we are, right now.
👉 Read here
Carol Montag
A Song of Observations
👉 Read here
Chip Albright
Small talk and learning about others are inherently good for us. I’m grateful I experienced so much of it recently traveling from Glenwood to Keosauqua.
👉 Read here
🍽️ Food & Dining
Wini Moranville
Wini Moranville tells us about a terrific Turkish restaurant that serves beautiful food that explodes with flavor—served by affable pros in a polished atmosphere.
👉 Read here
Julie Gammack
Katy Gammack stirs up a liver pâté memory—and a new recipe twist—even Jerry Crawford says might outshine the original, all in support of scholarships to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat.
👉 Read here
Personal
Matt Russell
This is
In this moving reflection on Pope Francis's death, Matt Russell shares a deeply personal journey through faith, justice, climate action, and the tension between moral leadership and political power, culminating in a call to put down the apple and pick up the cause. Read here
🏛️ Around Iowa
Sarah Scull
On a quiet Easter morning, Sarah finds herself at a stranger’s family brunch, where she gets to know Doris — through her daughters, their stories, and letters left behind.
👉 Read here
Julie Gammack
From workshops at the historic Hotel Manning to a documentary night with Art Cullen in Winterset, the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative keeps building bonds, boosting brilliance, and exploring Iowa—one unforgettable gathering at a time.
👉 Read here
😄 Humor
Daniel P. Finney
Finney's 5: What to get planet Earth for Earth Day?
👉 Read here
Vicki Minor
Just Another Day at the Zoo
👉 Read here
📰 National Politics
Rachelle Chase
This week, at Reading with Rachelle, Rachelle Chase edited Trump's executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" to state what he really meant.
👉 Read here
Phoebe Wall Howard
A Michigan congresswoman who predicted Hillary Clinton's loss in 2016 is now hearing from diehard supporters of President Trump—who fear ICE actions and loss of freedom.
👉 Read here
🌍 World Affairs
Pat Kinney
April 29–30 marks the 50th anniversary of the evacuation of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. Some Waterloo-Cedar Falls sailors reflect on those days, what followed, and their service.
👉 Read here
🌦️ Weather and Environment
Mary Swander (Buggy Land)
On the west coast of Ireland in 1927, fishing villages lost 45 men to the sea in one night. What does this incident tell us about community, survival, and emigration?
👉 Read here
📚 Human Interest (Interviews)
Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha
Joe interviews Fern about her latest novel.
👉 Read here
📖 Poetry
Kelsey Bigelow
Early morning airports can bring deep reflections and simple joys while people watching before the flight. One moment reminded Kelsey of how people show up in life—and what that means.
👉 Read here
🚗 Travel / Car Culture
Phoebe Wall Howard
You're invited: In honor of Route 66's 100th anniversary, a cross-country drive from Los Angeles to Chicago—then over to the Motor City to kick off the 2026 Detroit Auto Show—is planned for January.
👉 Read here
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Office Lounge - Monthly Zoom Chat for Paid Subscribers
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Thanks, Julie, for all these great reads, including those by Jane Burns and Pat Kinney. Such stories are really appreciated in these unsettling times.
Cannot tell you how wonderful seeing Katie’s story is. She, her teammates and coaches all made themselves available to us following every game, win or loss. They gave the most valuable gift available. Their precious time. That’s true character and generosity. This doesn’t go unnoticed , unrecognized or unappreciated. When you look up the definition of student athlete, you’ll see pictures of them. Winning the game of life is more important than any trophy, and the world needs great doctors and people more than professional athletes.