The April NorthWords includes:
Notes from the Board Room
A call for aid in a writing way …
I’m kind of a cozy mystery, fantasy speculative, horror gal. Not that I don’t enjoy other genres, but those are my go-to types for reading and, when I can, for fiction writing.
We at Lake Superior Writers are entering a new phase of “genres.” When I first joined LSW after returning to Duluth a couple decades back, the monthly sci-fi genre group was a great way to reconnect to local writers and spur my own writing.
In the recent weeks, Lake Superior Writers has established a few locales that can host monthly genre gatherings. One future gathering spot came as a pleasant, supportive surprise. One of the new owners of Ed Barbo’s Columbia Clothing downtown came to Lake Superior Writers with an offer to present the first-place winners of our Writing Contest with gift certificates to the store. But Kyle Dickinson went beyond that and showed me a wonderful side-room space with a large wooden table, where he’d love to host writers engaged in discussing their craft. That’s why when the winners of the 2025 Writing Contest are announced next month, the first-place winners will get their regular prize along with a gift certificate to the store … and soon a regular gathering will alight there for writing camaraderie.
Kyle is not the only supporter of writing and the storytelling craft. Our regional bookstores again are supporting us with discounts or deals for our LSW members. We’ll be doing mini-profiles of those stores and their discounts in the upcoming issues of NorthWords. Local coffee shops like Studio Café and Wussow’s Concert Café continue to provide spaces and partner for events like poetry readings and, one of my favorites, the last Friday of the month Type In at Studio Café.
Three winners of our Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards from last year gifted us with signed copies of their winning works for a give-away basket, drawn from members. (We’ll be drawing for that basket soon from those who are current members.)
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council supported us this year with approval of our operation grant, allowing us to expand programming as well as continue our operations, support of the NEMBA honors and … which was my original point … to reignite our “genre writers klatches.”
And this is where I’d like to ask for help within the writing community.
First, we plan to start genre groups in May. I will be leading a fantasy “support” group and I’m hoping those interesting in working with others who are writing memoir, mystery, non-fiction … you name it (and I hope you will) … can send me your name and area of interest so we can do some matches.
Second, we need readers for the Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards. We have five categories, with a nomination deadline of May 31, and would love to have at least four judges in each category:
- Nonfiction: nonfiction works such as history, biography, guidebooks, cookbooks, books about science and nature, scholarly works, and art/photography books.
- Fiction: novels, short stories, plays, and other works of narrative fiction.
- Poetry: collections of poetry or a single poem of book length.
- Children’s Literature: picture books and beginning readers, generally for ages 0-7.
- Middle Grade/Young Adult: chapter books and books for a teen audience, generally for ages 8-18.
- Memoir: books that examine some aspect of the world from a highly personal perspective.
If you’d like to apply to be a reader, please make this link for the application form. We hope to choose our readers by mid-May.
So, this is our call to action … I’m looking forward to seeing those genre start-ups and seeing you at our future Book Clubs for Writers and other upcoming events and workshops. Don’t forget the Virtual Writers Café on Apr. 12. We’ll be focusing on new ways to express old ideas … like one I stumbled across recently in a cozy mystery: “He’s two sandwiches shy of a picnic.” Bring along your creative “one brick shy of a load” idioms for some fast-paced writing fun.
– Konnie LeMay, chair on the Lake Superior Writers Board
Lake Superior Writers News & Events
Virtual Writers’ Cafe
April 12: Virtual Writers Café
Virtual Writers’ Café at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 12. Don’t forget to use the new registration form on the Virtual Writers’ Cafe page that sets you up for the Cafe through May 2025!
Poetry Month Member Poetry Reading
April 21 from 6pm-7:30pm at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Kathryn A. Martin Library, 416 Library Drive Duluth, MN
Celebrate National Poetry Month with us on April 21 from 6-7:30 at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Kathryn A. Martin Library. Lake Superior Writers members get first shot at the mic, but other regional poets are encouraged to sign up for a five minute reading slot to read their own original work or the work of a poet you love. Everyone is welcome to listen and celebrate poetry!
Type In at Studio Café
April 30 starting at 5pm at Studio Café, 102 W Superior St., Duluth, MN
Join Lake Superior Writers and Studio Café for a BYOT (bring your own manual typewriter) Type In on the last day of the month starting at 5pm! Don’t have a typewriter? Studio Café will have some available to try out.
Literary Events
Politics & Prose Book Club
April 9, 2025 from 7pm-8:30pm at Honest Dog Books, 40 S. Second St., Bayfield, WI
Join Charly Ray in a monthly book discussion on politics and democracy. Everyone is welcome. RSVP to help us plan (but not required). While we’d love to have you purchase the books from us, mostly we want you there. If you do purchase the book from us, we’ll include a drink at our discussion.
April – On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, Timothy Snyder
More information is available at Honest Dog Books
Book Club with Erin: The Power
April 14, 2025 from 6pm-7pm at Honest Dog Books, 40 S. Second St., Bayfield, WI
Upon her first read of The Power, Erin awoke in the night dreaming she was free of the male gaze. Ha! Julie is a bit more conflicted about the underlying message. Maggie read it in high school (!) so is currently re-reading. In short, this promises to be a spirited discussion.
April: The Power by Naomi Alderman
More information is available at Honest Dog Books
Poetry Reading and Discussion: Of Cows and Crows (Nodin Press 2024)
April 15, 2025 at 3pm at Back Forty Books, 625 7th Ave, Two Harbors, MN
Join Shelley Getten at the spacious and inviting Back Forty Books for a reading and discussion of her new poetry book, Of Cows and Crows (Nodin Press 2024). Questions are welcome and insights into the writing process are freely offered.
I Need More Boundaries! An 8 minute Art documentary and book discussion with Sarah Seidelmann
April 17, 2025 from 7pm-8:30pm at Honest Dog Books, 40 S. Second St., Bayfield, WI
Honest Dog Books and Ghost Ship Gallery are excited to present, “I Need More Boundaries! An 8 minute Art documentary and book discussion with Sarah Seidelmann”.
Come meet Sarah, an accomplished author, fourth-generation physician, artist, and shamanic healer as she discusses her new book, Boundaries Make Love Possible. This beautifully illustrated workbook provides insights and a roadmap for fostering healthy relationships while staying true to oneself.
More information, including ticket information, is available at Honest Dog Books
Writers’ Monthly Get Together
April 19, 2025 from 10am-11am at Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers 1401 Tower Ave. Superior, WI
Looking for a place to talk about writing, share writerly advice, and hang out with other writers? Join fellow writers at Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 10-11 a.m. in a spacious conference room, located at the back of the bookstore. Refreshments aren’t available onsite, but feel free to bring in your own beverages and snacks if you wish. All writers are welcome. There is no fee or requirement to join anything, just a chance to be part of a writing community.
One Book Northland: Author Talk with Kao Kalia Yang
April 23, 2025 from 6:30pm-8pm at University of Minnesota-Duluth, Bohannon Hall Room 90
Come to the UMD campus and meet this year’s One Book Northland author, Kao Kalia Yang. Kalia is a Hmong American teacher, speaker, and writer with works that appeal to all ages and audiences. She will be sharing about her book Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life, then will be signing books after the lecture. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at this event.
Poetry Reading and Discussion
April 24, 2025 at 6pm at the Gorecki Center, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN
Shelley Getten will read from and discuss process of writing poems in Of Cows and Crows (Nodin Press 2024).
Everyone Has a Story—Come Tell Yours: Free Workshop Explores the Art of Storytelling
April 26, 2025 from 12pm-4pm at Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, 305 Harbor View Parkway, Superior, WI
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is thrilled to partner with the Heartbeat Center for Writing, Literacy and the Arts, to host a storytelling workshop on Saturday, April 26th, from noon-4pm supported by WI Humanities.
Each one of us is made up of a million moments. Our everyday stories use those moments to tell a story. Join this free workshop to gain skills to craft your story. Participants will learn how to find, shape, and tell stories by discussing and discovering the five main elements of storytelling. By the end of our time together, participants will have an opportunity to share a story. This workshop is open to people from all walks of life.
Presented by the Founder and Director of Education of the Heartbeat Center, Scott and Dee Schultz. Their mission is to use writing and the arts to help people find place on the land. One of the Heartbeat’s major programs is its “Veterans Expressing Themselves” project, in which veterans are helped to find their voices, heal, and realize identity by telling their stories. Saturday’s program welcomes people from all walks of life, including but not limited to veterans.
Indie Bookstore Day Celebration
April 26, 2025 from 10am-7pm at Honest Dog Books, 40 S. Second St., Bayfield, WI
This national one-day party held the last Saturday in April celebrates independent bookstores across the country online and in-store. Join us for a day of fun, surprises, and treats.
Used books will be 10% off starting Friday at 10 a.m. and ending Sunday at 4 p.m. Purchases of $100 or more will receive a free tote bag while supplies last. View the full schedule of events at Honest Dog Books
An Afternoon with Ron Schara
June 14, 2025 at 1pm at the Hackensack Community Center, 110 3rd St. S, Hackensack, MN
The Northwoods Arts Council (NAC) continues its mission of “Bringing the Arts to Life” in Hackensack. It will host another exciting lineup of summer events in 2025, including An Afternoon with Ron Schara on June 14 @ 1:00 pm in the Community Center.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet Minnesota Bound TV personality Ron Schara in person. He is a writer and Emmy-winning television producer and is also known for his storytelling skills. He brings to life the joys of living the outdoors through nature watching, fishing, hunting, and camping. This NAC event is free, but pre-registration is required at northwoodsartscouncil.org
Opportunities
Gentle Yoga and Writing at Svälja Whole-Being
Gentle Yoga and Writing at Svälja Whole-Being from 5pm to 6:30pm (90 Minutes) the first Thursday of each month. This guided yoga and writing session will be offered on the first Thursday of each month at Svälja Whole-Being’s Rose Studio at 5pm. The class will begin with Gentle Yoga where postures are practiced gently and slowly with a combination of moving and stillness accompanied by ambient music. In the second portion of the class, your guide will offer grounding exercises, short readings, and writing prompts followed by a time for free writing (approximately thirty minutes). At the end of the session, there will be time for a check-in and option to share an excerpt of your writing. Please bring a journal and pen or other materials for the writing portion of the session. Mats and props are available for you to use. Please register at https://www.svalja.yoga/.
Elements of Poetry Workshop with Shelley Getten
April 9-May 28 at the Duluth Folk School, 1917 W Superior St, Duluth, MN
Want to cultivate a habit for writing and editing your poetry? Over the course of this eight week class, we will hone in on our habits and practices around poetry and learn “Elements of Poetry” that can sharpen our awareness of the devices and style we adopt in our work. We will meet Wednesday evenings (6:00-8:00) at the Duluth Folk School April 9 – May 28.
Each class will begin with a new lesson followed by a prompt and writing time. Students may share their prompt results but the majority of time afterwards will be spent on critiquing poems brought by students. This is a Folk School Course so you can register on their class page: https://duluthfolkschool.com/events/elements-of-poetry/
Call for Submissions: Making Peace: Ways the Light Breaks Through
A call for submissions for Making Peace: Ways the Light Breaks Through, a collection of diverse perspectives of what it takes to be at peace and to live together in peace. Editors Victor Klimoski and Ann Glumac invite submissions of poems (40 lines or less) and brief essays (300 words or less) that reflect some aspect of peacemaking, both the challenge and the hope. Our goal is to provide readers with ideas that stir within them a belief that peace is not some unattainable ideal but a force that energizes individual growth and communal action. Writers as artists are in a unique position to reflect on peace-making in all its variability.
Due by May 1, 2025, entries must be submitted electronically as an attachment to: editor2265@yahoo.com . Please use 12-point Times New Roman font and do not include illustrations.
Selected contributors will receive two copies of the book and maintain copyright over their submissions.
No Book? No Problem – You Can Still Be a Published Author!
May 9, 2025 at 6:30pm at Foxes & Fireflies Bookstore, 1401 Tower Ave., Superior, WI
Presented by Kim Suhr and Victoria Lynn Smith
When writers think of publishing, they often think book, but there are many ways to be published. Participants will learn about various ways to see their stories, essays, and poems in print, both online and in journals. Plus, they will get an overview of how to find readers who will enjoy their work.
FREE! But registration required https://redoakwriting.wildapricot.org/event-6074860
Kim Suhr is the author of the story collections Nothing to Lose and Close Call, published by Cornerstone Press at the UW-Stevens Point. Her work has appeared in various journals and won awards, most recently the Jade Ring from Wisconsin Writers Association.
Victoria Lynn Smith has been published in journals. She is a Hal Prize fiction winner. Her first story collection will be published in February 2027 by Cornerstone Press.
KUDOS – News about our members
Marion Agnew‘s post appeared on the Brockton Writers Series Blog, and clips from the March 12 reading are up on their YouTube Channel (available for a short time). Blog post: https://brocktonwritersseries.wordpress.com/2025/02/12/brockton-writers-series-12-03-25-marion-agnew/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@brocktonwritersseries
Marion was interviewed for Women Writing, with Liisa Kovala on YouTube (also available as a podcast wherever you listen to them)–lots of great writer interviews here! https://www.youtube.com/@LiisaKovala
Marion’s novel, Making Up the Gods, received a most generous and gratifying review from Shawn Mooney at Shawn Breathes Books on YouTube. https://youtu.be/G23t8e9ZhJc?si=lIvfVKLVUmnr7k0G
First Thursday Poets, which includes LSW member Jan Chronister, has published “Thursday’s Poems: A Collection” written by the group’s nine members. Copies are available on Amazon and will be in local bookstores in May. Stay tuned for news about a release party.
Joyce Peresoff’s review of Rebecca Foust‘s new book, You Are Leaving the American Sector: Love Poems, was published in the March/April edition of On the Seawall, https://www.ronslate.com/on-you-are-leaving-the-american-sector-love-poems-a-poetry-chapbook-by-rebecca-foust/ and another review by Rebecca Foster was published on Bookish Beck, https://bookishbeck.com/2025/03/02/readindies-wrap-up-february-releases-jukes-spence-review-catch-up-buttery-foust/
Rebecca Foust’s poems were recently featured on Poetry Daily, “The Stone,” 2/20/25, ,” https://poems.com/poem/the-stone/
and on Verse Daily, “The Golden Country,” 3/14/25 https://www.versedaily.org/2025/thegoldencountry.shtml?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Shelley Getten‘s poems will appear in forthcoming issues of California Quarterly and San Diego Review.
Dr. Thomas Wayne King, author and UW-Eau Claire professor emeritus of communication sciences and disorders, moderated the North Woods & Waters “NWW LIVE!” Zoom presentation, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Featured speaker, Dallas Eggers, president of the Prescott, WI Area Historical Society, presented “Steamboat Comin” covering steamboat history on the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, among other world locations. Steamboats have provided essential communication and transportation capabilities since the early 1800s. Viewers signed in from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Maine. NWW is working for the St. Croix River Watersheds of MN and WI to be designated by the U.S. National Park System as a National Heritage Area. Thomas Wayne King lives and writes in Solon Springs, WI USA, with author wife, Debra Raye King. Respectively, Tom and Mr. Eggers represented the northern-most and southern-most boundaries of the Wisconsin side of the watershed.
Liz Minette‘s poem, “Waiting for the Shuttle”, has been published in the issue of Earth’s Daughters, #99, Take Turns.
Deborah Rasmussen’s chapbook, Always Room for Interpretation, will be released by Finishing Line Press on July 11, 2025. She has previously published poems in various journals including The Thunderbird Review, The Talking Stick, and Barstow & Grand. Her work has also appeared on Rattle Poets Respond®, on Lake Superior Writers’ website as poetry winner of the annual writing contest in 2021 and in the anthology Bringing Joy: a Local Literary Welcome published by Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, 2021. This is her first chapbook. It is available to pre-order now through May 16 by visiting:
https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/always-room-for-interpretation-by-deborah-rasmussen/
Victoria Lynn Smith‘s short story “Dog Down the Stairs” was published by Pink Panther Magazine, March 8, 2025. https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3026440
Lake Superior Writers Blog
Lake Superior Writers invites members to submit guest posts for possible inclusion on our blog. Please visit our blog information page for more details.
Our blog currently features Minnesota Writers Spotlight on Kelly Florence by Rachel Carroll
Lake Superior Writers 