Meet the Storykeepers
Becky H. — An avid hiker and backpacker with over 2500 miles logged, Becky is the General Manager of Muskrat Distilling and the Lit with Literature book club host. She has extensive hospitality management experience, cohosts the Lit with Literature podcast on Spotify, and is impressively crafty when it comes to creating events, cocktails, and décor.
Her favorite book is: Fourth Wing or All The Colors of The Dark or A Farewell to Arms
Dustin H. — A social media manager, Dustin owns Helix Creations and works with clients around Northern Michigan to help grow their followings and promote their businesses with engaging marketing plans. One part of the acrobatic comedy duo Twisted Style Freerunning, Dustin performs all around Michigan and beyond and is Vice President of the Boyne City Pirate Festival and President of the Up North Busker Festival.
His favorite book series is: Fourth Wing or Red Rising
Jasmine M. — An experienced barista with plans to open her own tiny trailer coffee shop—The Whimsy Cup—Jasmine is a talented textile artist who can crochet just about anything and attended an arts-based school. She also assists Dustin (her fiance) as the social media manager assistant at Helix Creations, where she helps with strategy, graphic design, and content creation (Psst! Jasmine designed the Storykeepers Ball logo—isn’t it great?!).
Her favorite book is: Kingdom of Ash or House in the Cerulean Sea
Alex D. — A freelance writer and editor, Alex owns Writing Dailey and works with a wide array of local businesses and organizations, including Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, C.S. Lewis Festival, Harbor House Publishers, Harbor Springs Festival of the Book, and Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation. Alex has over a decade of experience writing human interest pieces, op-eds, community highlights, and local history pieces while covering arts, culture, and entertainment for Northern Michigan publications. When she’s not writing for other people, she can be found working on her own novel or reading.
Her favorite book is: The Hobbit or Dealing with Dragons or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Once upon a time, each of us storykeepers—Becky, Dustin, Jasmine & Alex—fell head over heels in love with books, stories, and reading. For three of us, it’s been a lifelong love affair; for one of us (Dustin), reading for fun is a recent endeavor.
Over the course of almost two years, the four of us have developed a friendship, bonding over books, cocktails, and all things fantasy, which has led us to an exciting endeavor. Allow us to explain…
In 2023, Becky started Lit with Literature, a boozy book club at Muskrat Distilling in Boyne City. A monthly event of discussion and fun (plus tasty drinks), the book club drew us deeper into the realm of reading and connecting with other readers from the Northern Michigan community and beyond.
Then, in the summer of 2024, the four of us and three other book club attendees participated in Rain & Revelry’s inaugural Dragon Gauntlet at Boyne Mountain Resort. A test of dragon lore, physical prowess, and riddles, our team survived (finishing first, although not taking first place overall) and went on to dance the night away at the celebratory ball in our finery.
When all was said and done, we were exhausted but exhilarated, and a few months later, inspiration struck—why not throw a bookish ball on a smaller but equally fantastical scale as an entry-level soiree? One that’s perfect for readers and story-lovers of all budgets!
As a quartet of storykeepers, we’ve devised a one-night event to celebrate the stories we know and love with other readers through camaraderie and festivities while also promoting small and local businesses, area nonprofits, community, and literacy—which is vital and in need of nurturing!
We hope you’ll join us for an evening of good food and drink, dancing, and general merrymaking, all in the name of books, stories, and the ever-inspiring power of the written word!