Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

“I graduated in 1992 with a journalism major and political science minor, although several of us liked to say that we really majored in CM LIFE,” said author Colleen Newvine of her time at Central Michigan University.

In 2017 she was inducted into the CMU Media Hall of Fame, an institution that recognizes those who have made a difference in the world, who have remained true to the ethics and expectations modeled at Central Michigan University, and who have shown outstanding dedication to the communities they serve. “I was inducted into the CMU Journalism Hall of Fame because of my work as product manager for the AP Stylebook.” Colleen is the product manager of the AP Stylebook at The Associated Press. “I was just asked to be part of the selection committee for the reconstituted Media Hall of Fame.”

Now, in 2024, she has released her first book. “The title is "Your Mini Sabbatical", and it's both a how-to guide on taking a short break from your regular life and a pep talk to do it with an overview of why a change of venue can give you a transformative reboot,” explains Colleen. She and her husband have lived temporarily in New Orleans, San Francisco and three small beach towns on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, among other mini sabbatical locales. “I draw on my own experience of packing up with my husband, and sometimes our cats, to live in all these places, to then happily return to our life in Brooklyn, New York.”

Get all the benefits of travel and time away, simplified to help you to make your respite a reality. “Your Mini Sabbatical” is the compass that will guide you through the planning process and straight into new possibilities.

Colleen is not only sharing her decade of invaluable wisdom, but she’s rounded up a diverse mix of fellow sabbatical travelers who share their own experiences and insights. You’ll hear from people who:

• Worked remotely, traveled between jobs or took a formal sabbatical program.
• Stayed in one place or explored multiple locales.
• Visited domestic or international destinations.
• Traveled with their kids of various ages.
• Couch surfed, pet sat or won an artist residency to afford the experience.

You’ll get practical how-tos to help create a budget and get your boss and family on board, in addition to expert advice on how to give yourself permission to prioritize something besides productivity and responsibility.

Whether you crave adventure, relaxation or creative pursuits, this book will inspire you to stop daydreaming and start doing.

You don’t have to quit your life. You can take an intermission. Quit your life temporarily.

There's loads of information about the book, including a short video of Colleen talking about why she wrote it on her site. Colleen also wrote about mini sabbaticals for the Associated Press.