Join us for an afternoon of poetry and music with Thomas R. Smith, Ardie Medina and the Asiginaak Singers, and Michael Kiesow Moore with cellist Lars Krogstad Ortiz.
Suggested donation $10, but no one turned away
Reading: An Autumnal Reading
Book Fair: Anoka County Library Local Author Fair
Meet and greet local authors! Buy their books!
Workshop: Popup Writing Workshop at the Paranormal Art Project
Artist Brandon Kuehn will give an artist talk on his solo exhibition, The Paranormal Art Project, then the Twin Cities Paranormal Society will lead a ghost hunt in the haunted Soap Factory building, all of which can provide grist for writing. We will write in this space, and end the evening with an impromptu reading.
All genres and writing levels welcome.
Author Book Signing: Twin Cities Book Festival 2016
I will be signing books at the iconic Twin Cities Book Festival sponsored by Rain Taxi. Look for me at the Nodin Press table at 2:00 pm.
Quatrefoil’s 30th Anniversary Party and Book Fair
All are invited to a free anniversary party on Thursday, Oct. 13, 6-9 p.m., at Open Book (1011 South Washington Avenue, Minneapolis) that will feature drinks, appetizers, presentations, guest speakers, dessert and coffee – all to celebrate 30 years of being the Twin Cities GLBT community library!
The evening will include a book fair with author signings.
Birchbark Books Reading Series – October 12
The Birchbark Books Reading returns Wednesday, October 12 at 7:00 pm to begin our 8th season of readings. Reading will be James Bettendorf, Leslie Matton-Flynn, Venessa Fuentes, and Linda LeGarde Grover.
Curated by Michael Kiesow Moore and Ardie Medina, the Birchbark Books Reading Series features new, emerging, and established writers quarterly September through June.
For more, see http://www.michaelkiesowmoore.org/birchbark-books-reading-series/
Workshop: Writing Peace Into Your Life
When we say we want peace in the world—peace in our own lives—what do we mean? In this workshop we will use writing to explore these questions. The workshop will include short readings, opportunities for writing, and discussion to consciously explore the nature of peace and how we can bring it into our lives. There will be something here for writers of all levels. We will use writing to make peace not just a noun, but a verb.
Reading: Queer Voices Special Pride Reading
The longest running series of its kind in the nation, Intermedia Arts’ Queer Voices reading series has been creating a safe space for LGBT writers and audiences to explore the day-to-day material of life without internal or external censorship for nearly a decade. Curated by Andrea Jenkins and John Medeiros.
Birchbark Books Reading Series
The Birchbark Books Reading Series concludes it’s seventh season of readings on Wednesday, June 1 at 7:00 p.m. Readers will be James D. Autio, Sharon Chmielarz, Kasey Payette, and Lynette Reini-Grandell
Curated by Michael Kiesow Moore and Ardie Medina, the Birchbark Books Reading Series features new, emerging, and established writers quarterly September through June.
For more, see http://www.michaelkiesowmoore.org/birchbark-books-reading-series/
Poetry Workshop: Unlocking Your Creativity with Image and Metaphor
Some of the most creative aspects of poetry writing is making good use of images and metaphor. These can be the keys to unlocking your own imagination, as well as that of your reader. We will look at how a few master poets used images and metaphor such as Pablo Neruda, Tomas Tranströmer, and Jim Moore. And then we’ll give it a try ourselves with opportunities to write. The workshop is for all levels of poetry makers.
This is an hour long workshop. Exact time TBD. To register, go to http://www.banfill-locke.org/classes/take-a-class/
Birchbark Books Reading Series
The Birchbark Books Reading Series will continue its 7th season on April 20. To celebrate National Poetry Month we will feature poets Julia Klatt Singer, Norita Dittberner-Jax, Dara Syrkin, and Greg Watson.
Curated by Michael Kiesow Moore and Ardie Medina, the Birchbark Books Reading Series features new, emerging, and established writers quarterly September through May.
Julia Klatt Singer writes poems, is the poet in residence at Grace Nursery School, and a rostered artist for Compas. She’s author of three books of poetry, her most recent, Untranslatable, and co-author of Twelve Branches: Stories from St. Paul. She’s co-written over a dozen songs with composers Tim Takach and Jocelyn Hagen.
Norita Dittberner-Jax is an award-winning poet whose work has been widely published in small press. Her collections of poetry include, Stopping For Breath, (Nodin Press); The Watch (Whistling Shade Press); Longing For Home (Pudding House Press; and What They Always Were (New Rivers Press). She is one of the poets in the anthology, 33 Minnesota Poets as well as To Sing Along the Way, Minnesota Women Poets from Pre-territorial Days to the Present. She is one of the poetry editors for Red Bird Chapbooks.
Dara Syrkin counts her lucky stars every day. One piece of great good fortune is to have work included in the Nodin Poetry Anthology. Dara’s poetry revolves around ancestors, blue roads, encounters with strangers, and her respect for seeds.
Greg Watson’s work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, and has been featured on Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac. His most recent collections are What Music Remains, and All the World at Once: New and Selected Poems, both published by Nodin Press.
Reading: Eat My Words Bookstore
Celebrate National Poetry Month at Eat My Words! I will be reading from my book, What to Pray For. New work, too!
Reading: Common Good Books
An evening of poetry with MaryAnn Corbett (Mid Evil) and Anna George Meek (The Genome Rhapsodies). For more, see http://www.commongoodbooks.com/event/evening-poetry-maryann-corbett-reads-mid-evil-anna-george-meek-reads-genome-rhapsodies-and
Reading: Banfill-Locke Arts Center
This reading launches the 2016 season Banfill-Locke readings. I will be reading poetry with Michael Dennis Browne.
Intermedia Arts “Queer Voices” reading
I will be reading with Rachel Gold, Christine Marie, and William Reichard
Survivor of Suicide Loss Day at SubText Books
SubText books is hosting “Survivor of Suicide Loss Day” sponsored by Canvas Health. I will be reading my poetry on bullying and teen suicide from my new book “What To Pray For”. Also reading will be poet Matt Rasmussen.
Saint Paul Almanac Reading
The Saint Paul Almanac celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special edition of the 2016 Saint Paul Almanac.
The Amsterdam Bar and Hall made for a great venue for a reading!
Birchbark Books Reading Series
The Birchbark Books Reading Series continues its 7th season on November 18. Reading will be Paula Cisewski, Brian Baumgart, Anna Meek, and Colleen Casey.
Curated by Michael Kiesow Moore and Ardie Medina, the Birchbark Books Reading Series features new, emerging, and established writers quarterly September through May.
For more, see http://www.michaelkiesowmoore.org/birchbark-books-reading-series/
Quatrefoil Library Author Series
Minnesota’s LGBT library hosts local authors to read from their recently published books and chat with the audience.
Author Book Signing: Twin Cities Book Festival
I will be signing books at the iconic Twin Cities Book Festival sponsored by Rain Taxi. Exact time TBD.
Standing with Morgan Grayce Willow and our publisher Norton Stillman.
Birchbark Books Reading Series
The Birchbark Books Reading Series begins its 7th season on October 14 at 7:00 p.m. Reading will be Cheryl K. Minnema, Eric McKendry, Maryam Marne Zafar, and Thomas R. Smith.
Curated by Michael Kiesow Moore and Ardie Medina, the Birchbark Books Reading Series features new, emerging, and established writers quarterly September through May.
Standing with art in the Bockley Gallery.
SubText Bookstore Reading
I will read with poet Greg Watson from our new books.
Always fun to see your name on the board!
Peace Site Dedication and Reading
To honor Open Book’s place in the global community and its promotion of intercultural understanding, and in recognition of the connecting power of literature, Open Book will be dedicated as an International Peace Site at a ceremony Sunday, September 20, 2–4 p.m.
Organized by the Loft’s Peace and Social Justice Writers Group, along with Open Book’s member organizations, The Loft Literary Center, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, and Milkweed Editions, the ceremony will celebrate and link the forces of peace and literature. Worldwide observance of International Day of Peace is Monday, September 21.
The designation as an International Peace Site grants unique status to Open Book and pays tribute to the writers, book artists, and publishers that are active in the community, and on the world scene. Sponsored by World Citizen, and shared by over 700 other places in the world, this designation strengthens Open Book’s commitment to a peaceful learning and working environment. World Citizen will provide online and onsite resources for Peace Education as a basis for classroom discussions around cultural understanding, human rights, conflict resolution, peace, and social justice. The Loft Literary Center, at Open Book, believes that “dialogue among readers and writers enriches our lives, our society, and our world.”
Besides showcasing the work underway at Open Book, the event includes the dedication ceremony and an open house. The writing groups Equilibrium, TGI Frybread Native American Writers Group, and the Peace and Social Justice Writers Group will offer readings. Multimedia works by A Peace of My Mindand “the f word,” a program of The Forgiveness Project, will be on display. Twin Cities-based, American singer, songwriter, and activist Larry Long will be the musical guest. Matchbook and bookmark making are among activities suitable for families, offered by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. Please join all those committed to world peace and to the transforming power of literature for this exciting celebration on Sunday, at 2 p.m. The exhibits will open at 1 p.m.
The Peace and Social Justice Writers Group has actively promoted peace-making at Open Book since 2006. In the words of Jocelyn Hale, The Loft Literary Center’s current Executive Director, “Literary and artistic expression lead to empathy.” Empathy leads to a caring, connected, and conscious community. Open Book fosters that sense of community.
Please join us for the celebration on Sunday, September 20 at Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, in the Performance Hall.
For more information about the Open Book dedication event or about the Peace and Social Justice Writers Group, please contact Philip Lund at 612-819-1890 or at loftpeacewriters@gmail.com.
Har Mar Barnes & Noble reading
Nodin Press authors read at the Har Mar Barnes & Noble, with Michael Kiesow Moore, Bart Sutter, and Greg Watson.
Lowertown Reading Jams – ArTransForms
As we strive to make a better world, be it in our personal journeys or to make a more equitable society, art-making plays a crucial—even transformative—role. This reading will ask, How does art transform our lives? Can writing a poem or making a painting act as an agent of social change? Does the process of making art transform what we are given?
Midstream Reading Series
Reading will be Michael Kiesow Moore, Ash Cardona, Brad Liening, and Roslye Ultan
Nodin Press reading at the Loft
Book publication party for Nodin Press authors, with Michael Kiesow Moore, Bart Sutter, and Greg Watson.
Birchbark Books Reading Series
The next Birchbark Books Reading Series takes place on May 27 with readers Linda LeGarde Grover, Tom Hennen, Ilze Klavina Mueller, and Greg Watson.
Bring a friend!
“Voices we Ignore”: A reading of the Cracked Walnut Literary Festival 2015
A reading of the Cracked Walnut Literary Festival 2015 featuring Aundria Morgan, Deborah Keenan, Jennifer Bowen Hicks, Louis Murphy, Ethna Mckiernan, and Michael Kiesow Moore.
Carol Connolly’s Readings by Writers Series
The April event celebrates the new Nodin Poetry Anthology. A cavalcade of talented readers will be there. Also in the mix will be Michael Kiesow Moore reading from his new book published by Nodin, “What to Pray For.”
We had a raucous night celebrating National Poetry Month. A night to remember for the literary history books! A big thank you to Carol Connolly, the crew behind the scenes, and Norton Stillman, publisher!