I’ve got that buzz again—that creative thrill that zings through me when I stumble on just the right idea for a column or dream up a fresh way to celebrate the launch of my latest book. My fingers twitch. My thoughts race. I feel lit up inside.

I imagine bestselling Midwest authors like William Kent Krueger, Michael Perry, or Stoughton’s Kathleen Ernst feel it too—that deep satisfaction that comes not from fame or sales, but from the simple joy of making something from scratch. Whether you’re writing a novel or baking a pie or designing a potting shed, there’s magic in the act of creating.

My husband got the buzz when he pulled out a sheet of graph paper and began sketching out our next backyard addition—a whimsical little potting shed. He calculated rooflines, the length and width of the sides, and carefully drew the door to scale. His whole face lights up when he talks about picking up the 2 x 4s and materials from the lumberyard. I recognize that look. It’s the buzz.

Creativity spans generations and takes many forms. I think of Ho-Chunk women from long ago, softening porcupine quills in their mouths to make them pliable enough to stitch into baskets or add beauty to deerskin clothing. It was slow, delicate work. Today, while hiking the North Country National Trail in upper Wisconsin, I saw evidence of children unable to resist smearing their hands in reddish mud and leaving interesting patterns on a rock wall, reminding me of cave dwellers from long ago.

That spark of making, of leaving your mark, still thrives today, not only in northern Wisconsin, but in our towns. You can feel the buzz in our community, too. Dells’ business owner Gaylene, from Made with Love, had a dream to open a store selling only locally made goods. She poured her heart into it, and now every shelf holds the handiwork of Wisconsin creators. That’s more than retail—that’s a celebration of creativity.

And then there’s Debbie Kinder, granddaughter of H.H. Bennett. She plants and maintains the flowers in the plot of soil at the center of the River Road roundabout. She doesn’t do it for attention. She does it because it brings beauty to the area she loves.

I saw that same spark in my grandson as he built a Lego missile launcher, tongue sticking out in concentration. “Stand back,” he warned. When the missile fired, he beamed with pride. I see it in children I get to meet at presentations—scribbling stories, making crafts, or sketching imaginary creatures—fueled by the thrill of Look what I made!

The buzz doesn’t demand perfection. It simply asks you to try—and feel joy in the trying.

The creative buzz hums through authors and artists, carpenters and gardeners, creatives and dreamers. It asks nothing in return but the chance to bring something new into the world—and maybe, if we’re lucky, to make this world a little more beautiful.

If you’d like to celebrate creativity with me, come join the book launch for my latest book, Snip and Bittersweet, a new adventure for readers ages 8 to 12. We’ll gather at the Dells library on Saturday, September 6, at 1:00 p.m. There’ll be many hands-on activities for the kids—and a tea and cookie station for the grownups. Mark your calendar—we’ll share stories, treats, and the creative spark that brings us all together.