The Whipping Post Book 2 in the Idlewild SeriesShe said, “I’m not sure of any of this, but I’m tired of hating you. I’m tired of being afraid, so . . . I’ll be there at church. Can’t say I’m forgiving you because I just don’t know. We’ll have to see about that part.” The Whipping Post is a work of fiction based on historical fact. The Idlewild Resort is real. It began in 1915 and was the nation’s biggest African American resort, providing a safe place to play for thousands until 1964 when the Civil Rights Act made it unnecessary. Idlewild, in Lake County, Michigan, boasts lakes, rivers and forests, a nature lover’s dream. In the twenties, it planted seeds of integration, and Black families found peace in this small-town nest of tranquility surrounded to the north and south by horrific, discriminatory activities. Irish Abby shoves headlong into trouble trying to do the right thing. Unfortunately, she isn’t sure what right is, only what it should be or could be. She tries to unite the community through Chautauqua music and integrated church services, but she riles up the residents and finds her path blocked at every turn. The cousins, two ladies of the evening, defend their friend Abby, but most people think it might be better if they didn’t. Cassandra, the town’s necromancer, guides her, tends to her spiritual wounds, and heals her friends’ physical wounds. She wants a family and children, friends and serenity, and can’t figure out how. She dreams integrity will prevail where oppression is common and insists enlightenment and redemption can recreate a world built on justice. She can’t stop stepping into quicksand but finds strength in principles and friendships. I live in Central Michigan but spent many years a stone's throw from Idlewild, the setting for The Whipping Post. While I'd like to think I knew it well, I didn't; however, I am learning and will continue the quest. As a retired college dean, you might expect education to be a continuous pursuit, and it is.