New Member, Dining on a Budget, Travel Ideas, & an Invitation

...and a dose of humor, personal essays, and music

Apr 08, 2026

Welcome, Patresa Hartman

Patresa Hartman is a writer, singer-songwriter, mother, and school psychologist with Des Moines Public Schools. Not originally from Iowa, she gathered bits of place and personality from Missouri, North Carolina, and southeastern Kansas before arriving in Cedar Rapids in the 1990s. Today, she calls Beaverdale home—alongside a lively household that includes one dog, one cat, one turtle, three chickens, and a teenage son.

Hartman writes at Girl with a Book, where readers will find thoughtful observations, curious wonderings, book reflections, hopes for public education, and the occasional piece of fiction.

Curious to learn more about her voice and story? Check out the profile written by Chip Albright — Read more.

Road Trip?

Travel the state vicariously through the stories of Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members—or let them spark your next stay-in-Iowa getaway. Jeff Morrison has a gift for uncovering the overlooked gems tucked along Iowa’s “blue highways,” the kinds of places you didn’t know you wanted to visit until suddenly, you do.

Meanwhile, Wini Moranville serves up practical, news-you-can-use guidance in Dining in Des Moines. Think of her as your trusted concierge, steering you toward where to eat in the metro and beyond—whether you’re chasing a weeknight craving or planning a special night out.

And then there’s Christie Vilsack: journalist, international traveler, and keen observer of people and places. She’s as comfortable chatting with small-town Iowa librarians as she is mingling with members of the U.S. Cabinet. Her perspective is shaped by a life that has bridged Iowa and the wider world, including years alongside her husband, Tom Vilsack, who served as Iowa governor and later as U.S. secretary of agriculture under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

There’s a lot to savor in this Flipside edition of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. On Sunday, we’ll return to the churn of public affairs. But on Wednesdays, we invite you to wander a little—to discover a place, try a table, catch some music, and see something new in Iowa and in one another.

Your Turn?

Do you have a unique perspective to share with Iowa Writers’ Collaborative readers? Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:

Letters From Iowans FORM

Thanks to Jeff Morrison for handling these submissions. If you become a paid subscriber to the Letters column, you are supporting his efforts. Read more.

Psst. Tell a friend?