By Dirk Ebener - May 1, 2026 Indie Bookstore in Ellijay, Georgia The Author’s Progress: The Resurgence of the Indie Bookstore As an author, I’m excited to see independent bookstores coming back, proving the predictions about their end wrong. The street corner feels alive again with these shops—the creak of a wooden sign, the smell of coffee, and a real sense of belonging. Not long ago, this sidewalk seemed quiet because of online shopping, but now it feels like the center of

By Dirk Ebener – April 24, 2026 Cappuccino at an outdoor cafe on the Italian sidewalk in Florence, Italy. My travel journal is open, but I am not just here to collect sights. Sitting at a round table outside a Florentine café in the summer of 2024, I look back at what I wrote yesterday and think about what I still want to capture before leaving Italy. Every few days in a new city is a balance between my urge to explore and my commitment to writing. Enjoy reading " The Autho