Author Archives: Michelle McGill-Vargas

About Michelle McGill-Vargas

I hail from Gary, Indiana where I enjoy writing historical fiction, flash fiction, and short stories. My writings have appeared in "Lutheran Witness", "Splickety Magazine", "The Copperfield Review", "Typehouse Literary Magazine," and was a contributing writer to Concordia Publishing House's "Portals of Prayer" (October 2016). I've served as vice-president of the Indiana Writers' Consortium and am currently a board member of Midwest Writers. I am currently represented by Melissa Danaczko of Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, Inc. I pay the bills as a teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing. Visit my blog at www.michellemcgillvargas.wordpress.com

This is Gary

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

Read how one Gary native is using her influence and resources to revitalize Gary, Indiana in a massive vision called This is Gary, Continue reading →

Posted in Goal Setting, history, Interview, Social Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Gary, Indiana Preservation Tour

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

I’ve always been interested in the history of my hometown. Even as a lifelong resident, I enjoy hearing the juicy factoids about the city’s past, and still feel the stories would make an historical tour not only possible, but interesting. … Continue reading →

Posted in Goal Setting, history | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rugs and ADHD

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

Originally posted on Bob Moulesong — Author & Writer:
On occasion, I have been asked why I chose to write about a squirrel that bounces in place, runs in circles, can’t stand still, and occasionally yells “run for your life!”…

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Is Historical Tourism in Northwest Indiana Possible?

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

In researching my work-in-progress– an historical tale about Prohibition in Gary, Indiana– I came across the Rum Runners Tour in Windsor, Ontario. The tour probed the area’s connection to the Prohibition Era in the United States. On the tour, we drove … Continue reading →

Posted in genre writing, history, Writing Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Steel Mills and Tommy Guns: Gary, Indiana and the Prohibition Era

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

Gary, Indiana doesn’t quickly come to mind when one thinks of the Prohibition Era in the Midwest. Chicago, Al Capone and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre are more obvious choices. I’ve heard stories that Gary’s close proximity to Chicago gave those … Continue reading →

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Suicide Squirrels and the Writing Retreat

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

  After a writing friend mentioned how she would use the winnings of a recent contest she’d entered to attend a writer’s retreat and reading about writing retreats in an issue of Writer’s Digest, I wrote about creating my own … Continue reading →

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The Integration Situation: The 1927 Emerson School Boycott

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

As a special education teacher, I said I would never write a story about teaching or schools. But in researching the history of my hometown of Gary, Indiana, I discovered rich–and sometimes infamous–stories about not only the city itself, but … Continue reading →

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Before Pressing the Send Button…

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

I am a dog lover. For me, my poodle and Corgi are my children. When the time came to find a place to board them for a couple of days, I took my time looking for the right place. I … Continue reading →

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Working with a Freelance Editor: An Interview with Tiffany Cole

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

Today’s post is an interview with Tiffany T. Cole, a freelance editor and a copy editor for Limitless Publishing and the Purdue University Chronicle. She has edited and critiqued dozens of newspaper articles and dozens of books, fiction and nonfiction … Continue reading →

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How I Wrote My Poem: Guest Post by Tom Spencer

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Michelle McGill-Vargas

I am reblogging this previous guest post in memory of my friend, Tom Spencer, who passed away June 30, 2015. How does one create poetry? I have no idea. I’ve tried it a few times and have only read one in my … Continue reading →

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