Paul Dimond — author

Paul Dimond grew up in Ann Arbor with one foot between Town and Gown and the other in Glen Arbor exploring northern Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes. At Amherst College he majored in history researching original sources. He returned to Michigan Law School where he began his study of the Civil War Amendments. 

In the 1970s Paul helped try several cases to secure the right to education for all kids no matter how disabled and four landmark race cases that challenged a divided Supreme Court. In the 1980s he continued to study the Fourteenth Amendment, the proper role of judicial review and the dynamics of metropolitan areas. All culminated in his service as Special Assistant to President Clinton for Economic Policy in the 1990s. Safely back in his two Arbors, he chaired a national real estate firm, practiced law and now serves as a trustee or advisor for many organizations to help Michigan reclaim its destiny as the heart of the Great Lakes and a thriving home for fresh water and fresh ideas. 

Paul is the author of numerous articles and three books on policy, law and history, including Beyond Busing, winner of the Ralph J. Bunche Book of the Year Award (1986), with a new afterword for a 20th anniversary reprinting in paperback. Dissatisfied with any of the endings, he turned to fiction. His first novel, North Coast Almanac for “tweeners” was published in 2012. Upcoming works include a political thriller, Succession at the White House, and a journey love story, Widower’s Song.

After nearly a decade of research and drafting, his historical novel, The Belle of Two Arbors, 1913-1953, will be published in March 2017 for all to read.

Martha Buhr Grimes — poet

Martha (Marty) Buhr Grimes, a lifelong resident of Ann Arbor, graduated with a BA and MA in English from the University of Michigan. Thereafter, she taught English, creative writing and poetry at secondary schools in the Ann Arbor area including her final 17 years at the Greenhills School, summered at her family cottage up north near Lake Michigan, and shared many poems with her poetry group, Paper Kite. With her husband she shares four children and eight grandchildren. Marty quilts, co-authored language arts skills review workbooks, participates in book clubs, yoga and golf.  She also serves as chair or trustee for several non-profit groups, including a fund she co-founded with Paul Dimond to improve teaching and learning at their Ann Arbor high school alma mater.

In 2010 Paul approached Marty to write poems for the title character in this historical novel, The Belle of Two Arbors. Since her youth Marty has composed poetry but like Belle never published, until now.  Together, Marty and Paul shared views about Belle’s poems, experiences and voice.  Each had to become Belle, and the close collaboration became a dynamic enterprise, with prose being rewritten to accommodate different poetic insights and vice versa. Now, Belle’s poetic and narrative voice will be published for all to hear.