Michele King Hellstern is a historic homeowner, writer, and preservationist based in Lebanon, Illinois. Alongside her husband, Frank, she serves as a steward of the Riggin-Pesold House, a 19th-century home whose layered history inspired her first book. With a background as a paramedic and trauma nurse, Michele brings a unique sensitivity to the ways places hold memory, presence, and human experience. Her work blends historical research with lyrical narrative, giving voice not only to the people who lived within the house, but to the house itself.