Courtesy Photo Bow hunter and author Judy Black takes a selfie in her hunting blind.

ALPENA — A lifelong native of Northern Michigan and a 1976 graduate of Alpena High School, Judy Black has always loved the thrill of hunting, the beauty of nature, and the joys of camp life. You will find all of these in Judy’s first non-fiction book titled “Follow Your Arrow.”

Raised in Alpena, Judy spent weekends at the family camp in Ossineke. There, she learned to appreciate and love the outdoors, hunting with her father and enjoying camp life with her family. Later marrying and having two sons of her own, Judy passed on her love of the outdoors to her sons, and they too enjoy many outdoor sports.

In 2003, Judy was gifted with her first compound bow and it was then that she discovered her true passion for bow hunting. Judy and her husband Scott have been blessed enough to travel extensively to follow their love of bow hunting. Michigan, Texas, New Zealand, Africa, and the provinces of Canada are just a few of the places that Judy has hunted and written about.

“Follow Your Arrow” is not just a book about hunting — it is about so much more. It is about travel, beauty along the way, pushing yourself farther than you ever thought possible, and feeling the presence of those since gone as they lift her up and give Judy the strength to push on.

Judy journaled her hunts, starting from the moment they pulled out of the driveway. Then, once back home, she would write the stories. Many have been published in magazines such as Bear Hunting Magazine, Mountain Hunter, and several online sites. It was only at the constant encouragement of a friend that Judy put her stories into her book “Follow Your Arrow.” It is a great read for both young and old, and Judy will make you laugh and cry as she takes you on the adventures of a lifetime.

Judy will be doing a book signing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 at Parallel 45 Books and Gifts in downtown Alpena. Stop in and pick up your copy of “Follow Your Arrow” and shop the bookstore as well.