Professional bio



After earning my degree in English/Journalism from Michigan State University, I landed my first publishing job at Gale Research Company in Detroit. 
I commuted downtown for five years before taking a chance on freelance writing. Working next to the laundry room in our basement, I assembled a portfolio of clips from several local newspapers, including The Daily Tribune of Royal Oak and the Detroit Free Press Sunday Magazine. I pitched ideas to national magazines and was thrilled when I sold my first essay to Country Gardens, one of my favorite shelter publications. 


Regular assignments opened the door to my Sunday "Life Lines" in The Daily Tribune -- a personal column that ran biweekly, then weekly, for 14 years. "Life Lines" won First Place in Best Local Columns from the Michigan Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest -- a first for our daily newspaper at that time. 

I also worked as editor-in-chief of
Innsider, a national travel magazine focusing on historic country inns and B&Bs. In addition to assigning stories for the magazine, I traveled throughout the U.S. to review small inns, restaurants, and historic sites. 

About my book

Writing Home earned several awards, including one from Writer's Digest and another from Midwest Independent Publishers Association. The late Detroit News columnist and author, George Cantor, wrote a piece about the book after spending a day visiting my favorite hometown haunts with me. Cantor described Writing Home as "a love letter to home and family life." The collection includes 93 pieces that were previously published in national magazines and regional newspapers. 

Features, essays, and columns 

My regional feature and personal essay credits include 
Cleveland Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine, The Oakland Press, Detroit Free Press Sunday Magazine, The Detroit News, Detroit Public TV's Signal magazine, Metro Times, Michigan BLUEObserver & Eccentric newspapers, Vitality, and Metro Parent magazine
From 2012 through 2017, I wrote a monthly column on midlife and aging topics for Michigan Prime, a supplement to the Sunday Detroit Free Press.  


My national publication credits include The Christian SciencMonitor, Newsweek, Better Homes & Gardens' Country Gardens, Victoria, Literary Mama, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Guideposts, Literary Mama, Ideals, Tea Time, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Reader's Digest, Writer's Digest, Bella Grace, and several literary anthologies. An essay I wrote about visiting Henry David Thoreau's Walden Pond (for The Christian Science Monitor) is included in a McDougal Littell American Literature textbook for high school students. 

Writing workshops

I enjoy coaching creative writing and memoir workshops at writers' conferences, libraries, and community centers. 
I believe everyone has important stories to share, and consider it a privilege to help new writers discover their own voices and writing skills. As the first Writer-in-Residence for the Royal Oak Public Library, I helped organize local author programs and conducted a variety of writing workshops for my community. 

About my photography

My photo images have appeared in Country Gardens, Innsider, Michigan BLUE, Michigan Living, The Detroit News Homestyle Magazine, The Detroit Free Press, The Daily Tribune, Your Home & Lifestyle magazine, Observer and Eccentric, and Rust Belt Rising.
Professional memberships

I'm a longtime member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Detroit Working Writers, and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.



Contact me: cindy@laferle.com



2 comments:

  1. Hi Cindy, Happy Saturday to you. I've been out with my dogs this morning and it's another beautiful day in the neighborhood. I wanted to share with you a story about my friend who is a spry ninety-one years young. She sure has had a lot of nonsense happening in her life lately, little setbacks and such. I visit her regularly and she's full of laughs most of the time. She likes to write letters, the actual art of handwriting hasn't gone out of style. She keeps a small scrapbook and there among the pages of her scrapbook is one of your articles from the Tribune. She tells me she she really enjoyed reading your column back in the day. When I told her I knew you, she said, "Wonderful, a great writer." Hope all is well and looking forward to any new workshops and hoping I'm available. Hugs, Theresa Nielsen

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  2. Hi Theresa,
    I just found this comment -- sorry I am so late in approving and responding to it. Sometimes I don't get the notifications of messages. Thanks so very much for your comment and kind words. I am honored that someone would keep one of my pieces in a scrapbook. That is lovely! xo

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