Our Hometown Four years ago RDR Books moved from California to the midwest. Now based in Muskegon, Michigan, on the Lake Michigan shoreline about three hours from Chicago and Detroit and just two hours by ferry from Milwaukee, our town is hardly a household word. In the popular imagination Michigan is far better known for its Motown heritage, places like Ann Arbor, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and the legendary Diego Rivera Murals at the Detroit Institute of Art. Our gifts to the world, Aretha Franklin, Little Stevie Wonder, Yusef Lateef, Jim Harrison, Madonna and Michael Moore (both University of Michigan dropouts) and perhaps our best known college graduate, Papa Doc Duvalier, only hint at the diversity of our swing state that will play a critical role in the upcoming presidential election. Unlike our friends in places like New York or California, we know that the outcome of national presidential elections in our state is hardly a sure thing. Eagerly courted by both major parties we get to watch the political commercials for Obama and McCain that never show up in sure thing states.

The midwest has been good to RDR Books and from our present vantage point as the largest publisher in Muskegon, Michigan, we have attracted many outstanding employees and interns who love to read. We are particularly proud of our association with Grand Valley State University which has sent many outstanding interns who are determined to join the publishing business and make their own contribution to the world of books. Every day they put down their ipods and their cellphones to make sure that our new books continue to demonstrate the strength of independent book publishing. Yes we rely heavily on people like our managing editor Richard Harris, who telecommutes from Santa Fe. But the heart and soul of our operation, not to mention our warehouse, are right here in this county of 170,000.

We have returned the favor to our friends by publishing Muskegon 365. Although certainly not as well known as the subjects of our previous guidebooks, Agatha Christie's England, the American Southwest, California, Colorado and the John Muir Trail, Muskegon is blessed with many hidden gems. If you like to fish, ski or swim, if you are in to the fine arts, great libraries, symphony orchestras, theater or just like riding your bike along the lakeshore, Muskegon is a year around best bet. Unlike a lot of resort destinations, we don't fold our tent on Labor Day. Our restaurants constantly surprise newcomers. A city that prides itself on accessibility, the Muskegon area is big on ramped access to its best beaches and fishing spots. You can fish year around here and the bird watching attracts visitors from around the country. Kayaking is terrific.

We are delighted to know that the audience for this Muskegon 365, now the number one bestseller in our area, extends far beyond our own community and we have been happily shipping to customers as far away as California. Home to the only luge track in the country that is open to the public, Muskegon also has 27 miles of virtually unobstructed Lake Michigan frontage. If you love to sail or camp, if you enjoy dune walks or exploring a historic submarine, if you have never seen the world's largest singing Christmas tree, please stop on by for a visit. Or at least give us a High Five as you fly above our 400 miles of rivers and 11,400 acres of inland lakes on a transcontinental flight. That's "Mus Kee Gun", the flyover place RDR Books is proud to call home.