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Theresa L. Goodrich

Theresa L. Goodrich is an Emmy-winning author and content creator with a penchant for storytelling and a keen eye. As the force behind The Local Tourist, she’s dedicated to telling in-depth stories of magnificent, quirky, and unique places. She’s slightly obsessed with travel and history and has turned these passions into multiple books, including the Two Lane Gems series, *Living Landmarks of Chicago*, *Planning Your Perfect Road Trip*, and *Show Me Shipshewana*. **Theresa is the publisher of *Midwest Road Trip Adventures, 2nd Edition* and *Midwest State Park Adventures.* Under the pen name of Theresa L. Carter, she's the author of the Alex Paige cozy mystery series, featuring a travel writer and breast cancer survivor who unwillingly becomes an amateur sleuth.A cancer survivor herself, Theresa is a firm believer that storytelling is life changing. She speaks across the country about travel and road trips and teaches both writing and self-publishing. She’s driven, often literally, to inspire you to get off the interstates and explore the towns and communities that make this country a constant and welcome surprise.

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Peril on the Peninsula Cover with coffee and phone
Featured Post

New! Free Books Friday (and discounted, too)

Welcome to Free Books Friday! I've been including free books, book fairs, and discounted book each week on Diary of a Cockeyed Optimist, but there are so many it means I have no room to blather on - which is why I started Diary in the first place. Solution: I'll email these promotions separately! Most Tuesdays, I'll send you behind-the-scenes emails and stories from my life as a creative entrepreneur. FYI: if you don't want those, you can unsubscribe and you'll still get these freebie emails....

3 days ago • 1 min read
Torn wrapping on cover of Betrayed at the Beach, revealing the word "beach"

Hi Reader! Hoo boy. I am way overdue for an update. I didn't realize I hadn't updated you at all about Betrayed at the Beach. Whoops. Fortunately, I've got good news. The book's practically writing itself and I am having SO MUCH FUN. I think you're going to love this one, especially some new characters that I have a major crush on. (I've got an excerpt below, but don't skip to it just yet.) The official launch date is July 15. Yes, that's coming up fast, but that's the beauty of being an...

over 1 year ago • 3 min read

Hello Reader! And hello June! This is going to be one busy month. Tomorrow, Mr. TLT and I are heading to Galena, Illinois, for a quick overnight. Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, a.k.a. our happy place (or one of them), recently renovated their spa and we've been invited to check it out. Tough job, I know, but the timing's great because I ended up in urgent care last weekend due to a muscle spasm. Lemme tell you, THOSE are no fun. I'm ready for a massage, some farm-to-table dining, and a nice walk...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader! The subject line says it all. Friday was National Road Trip Day, so to celebrate, I'm practically giving away Planning Your Perfect Road Trip. Today through Monday, you can get this step-by-step guide to hittin' the road for only $5. It comes complete with 35+ printable planning pages, to help make planning your next adventure a breeze. If you're thinking of taking a road trip, get this book! I mean, it's less than a movie ticket, a cup of coffee, a fast-food sandwich, or a pint...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader! The subject line says it all. It's National Road Trip Day, so to celebrate, I'm practically giving away Planning Your Perfect Road Trip. Today through Monday, you can get this step-by-step guide to hittin' the road for only $5. It comes complete with 35+ printable planning pages, to help make planning your next adventure a breeze. If you're thinking of taking a road trip, get this book! I mean, it's less than a movie ticket, a cup of coffee, a fast-food sandwich, or a pint of...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader, Welcome to summer in Chicago, when the city really comes to life. While Chicago's great during these months, sometimes you want to get out of town and spend some time with Mother Nature. Fortunately, there are TONS of places to enjoy your outdoor adventures in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and all the other Midwestern state. Proof? Midwest State Park Adventures. This NEW anthology, written by 15 Midwestern authors and published by yours truly, features 171 parks. We've also...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader! Who's ready for a road trip? I know I am! Lucky for me, I'll be hittin' the road a week from Monday. A pair of my travel writing buddies are traveling with me to Kansas City, KS, for the Midwest Travel Network Annual Conference. (I'm a booth sponsor and will be speaking about self-publishing.) Our plan is to take Route 66 out--yes, it's a bit of a detour--and the CKC back. Our husbands are all a little, ahem, concerned and have warned us they don't have bail money. (We'll be...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader, Summer's coming! And just in time, here's a big Chicago in Summer guide. This is one of those posts that could have kept going, and going, and going. Every time I look at it, I think, "I need to add {insert something awesome}." But, I know these massive posts can get to be so unwieldy they're not useful. I've also added summer festivals and the schedule for the Millennium Park Summer Music Series. I'm also plugging away on Betrayed at the Beach, my next Alex Paige mystery. AND...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader! Summer's nearly here! I'm not one to say I "can't wait" for something, because I don't want to wish my life away, but I do so enjoy being outside. Since I also get numb digits when the temps are below 40 and I live in northern Illinois, that makes Summer a Big Deal. If you're new here, you wouldn't know that I started The Local Tourist as a guide to a downtown Chicago neighborhood in 2002. I covered the city almost exclusively until 2016. While now I'm focused more on writing...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader, Are you ready to plan your summer adventures? I want to help! Midwest State Park Adventures is now live, out in the world, and ready to help you plan your summer fun. Featuring 170+ state parks, and listing all of them with select amenities, it's a unique guide that will help you get outdoors. It's available in paperback, e-book, and hardback, and I've also got a special Midwest Adventures Bundle. If you've pre-ordered, your book will be shipped the week of May 22. Yay! I've...

over 1 year ago • 1 min read