Articles by Amy Shankland

Growing up, I loved summer. Just like most kids, I enjoyed having three months off to (mostly) do whatever I wanted. This was back when kiddos had three months of…

Once upon a time, there was an eight-year-old girl growing up in Northern Indiana who dreamed of being an author. She happily plunked out stories on her K-Mart “Snappy Blue”…

Has anyone ever said something to you that changed your life for the better? I bet family members and friends certainly have. But what about a stranger? The situation may…

Many readers may be familiar with Gary Chapman’s excellent 1992 book, The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. While I had heard of the book, I didn’t…

Long time readers may recall my husband John and I opened an Airbnb apartment above our garage last spring. Despite its rocky start, we’ve been pleased to work together running…

When I wrote my Joy to you and Me (at Work!) series years ago, one column talked about the importance of making your work surroundings as uplifting as possible. I…

Our state’s August 2026 natural disasters are a nightmare none of us will forget. I not only witnessed the flooding here in Central Indiana, but the damage in Northwest Indiana…

I was thrilled a few weeks ago to spend an entire Sunday afternoon typing away for my next book. Long blocks of uninterrupted writing time are precious – and rare…

One of my good friends is currently job hunting. Her company treats her well and she likes her co-workers, but she’s unfortunately quite bored most of the time. Last month,…