The February NorthWords includes:
Notes from the Board Room
Going Over That Competitive Edge
The first real competition I was ever in probably set the stage for my complete indifference to tests of physical prowess.
I was 4. It was a hot summer day (or a dark and stormy night, if you prefer that opening).
The company picnic for Pettibone, where Dad was a heavy equipment mechanic, featured food and fun in a local Duluth park. Before the food got set out, the employees’ children joined in games and a bit of competitive spirit raising – which is to say, a foot race.
My age category must have been 2 to 4, which gave me the necessary advantage to actually lead the pack after the gun sounded. Stretching my little legs (seriously, they aren’t that much longer now), I came within a couple of strides of winning it all … when I saw Mom over on the side. I took a sharp turn and ran straight to her, well ahead of anyone else who might have been running in her direction … which, of course, they were not. To my defense, no one told me we were trying to outpace each other. I thought we were running for the pure joy of it.
Later in life, of course, I would meet folks who blended those goals – competing to challenge their abilities while running, skiing, biking, skating … and yes, writing … for the pure joy of it. I’ve even entered a few magazine competitions myself – but never another physical contest.
OK – this admittedly might not be the smoothest lead-in to what I’m about to suggest next, but here goes. I want you all to take on the challenge of our 2026 Lake Superior Writing Contest. Yup, that’s right. The good news … even if you run over to your mom on the sidelines, you could still be a winner. After all, this year’s theme is “North of Normal.”
“North of Normal” can describe loads of funny – and not so funny – happenstances. It certainly applies to these days and these times.
We’d like you to put that concept into a poem (up to 3 of them) or a flash fiction piece (500 words or fewer) or a short story (500-2,500 words) or a non-fiction short (up to 2,500 words). The details will soon be found at LakeSuperiorWriters.org. The contest is for members – and if you are not yet a member, you can join at the same time you enter. It’s $40 for most everyone, and $20 for students. Entries must be submitted by March 30. Winners in each category get $200, publication on the LSW website and bragging – and reading – rights at the annual Lake Superior Writers meeting in May, where we will announce them.
If you’d rather judge than enter, feel free to send an email offering your aid to lakesuperiorwritersmn.gmail.com
The month of February is a full one for LSW events and I hope you’ll brave whatever cold we encounter to join us at them – either virtually or in-person.
Lake Superior Writers will have a table 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, as part of the Rose Warner Reading Series featuring poet Carolyn Forché in the Mitchell Auditorium on the campus of The College of St. Scholastica. The reading should be great; drop by our table to say “hi”. Bonus: LSW board member Kevin Quarmby is organizing the event.
On Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m., we will host a FREE Book Club for Writers at the Dubh Linn Pub, 109 W Superior St. in Duluth. The featured author, publisher and intriguing guy is Mark Munger. Mark has plenty of insights to bring writers, from his widely varied genre choices (murder mystery to Finnish-American history) to his publishing journey (he founded his own publishing house) to his passion and practices for getting words on the pages. We will try to add a virtual option for this one, and thanks to our co-sponsor, the Dubh Linn Pub.
On Saturday, Feb. 14, our monthly Virtual Writers Café will offer a rare guest speaker and you are all invited to learning about a cutting-edge topic. John Teschner, who teaches writing at UMD, will bring his insights on AI and writing. “I think about AI as a creative writer, a writing teacher, and as a professional grant writer, so I imagine there will be a lot to discuss,” says John. This one is, as the name implies, all virtual, but all are welcome!
Then on Saturday, Feb. 21, we will feature the first of our FREE 2026 “Meet the Publisher” series with special guest Lily Coyle of Beaver’s Pond Press at the Fitger’s Complex, 600 E. Superior St., in Duluth. The 11 a.m. session will be in the back room of the Boat Club Restaurant and the Bookstore at Fitger’s, a co-sponsor of the event, will be on hand with some of Beaver’s Pond Press books for sale. (We hope some local authors published by the press will also join us.) Lily will talk about Beaver’s Pond Press and also about choosing and soliciting a hybrid publisher for your work. Again, we’ll try to make this available virtually, too.
Watch for more on all of these on our LSW Facebook page (really, like us there!) and on our website. All of these special events – and the other activities we do – have been thanks to operating support made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant to LSW from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. And speaking of the ARAC, you can join a virtual discussion of the upcoming Art Project Grant applications open in February. The session will be 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4. You can register here. The grants are for both individuals and organizations.
Keep warm, keep moving and we’ll see you at LSW events or somewhere North of Normal.
– Konnie LeMay, chair on the Lake Superior Writers Board
Lake Superior Writers News & Events
Book Club for Writers
Tuesday, February 10 at 6pm at Dubh Linn Pub, 109 W Superior St., Duluth, MN
The featured author, publisher and intriguing guy is Mark Munger. Mark has plenty of insights to bring writers, from his widely varied genre choices (murder mystery to Finnish-American history) to his publishing journey (he founded his own publishing house) to his passion and practices for getting words on the pages. We will try to add a virtual option for this one, and thanks to our co-sponsor, the Dubh Linn Pub.
Virtual Writers’ Cafe
Saturday, February 14 at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom
Join a group of local writers to connect about current writing projects, upcoming events, and general discussion.our monthly Virtual Writers Café will offer a rare guest speaker and you are all invited to learning about a cutting-edge topic. John Teschner, who teaches writing at UMD, will bring his insights on AI and writing. “I think about AI as a creative writer, a writing teacher, and as a professional grant writer, so I imagine there will be a lot to discuss,” says John. This one is, as the name implies, all virtual, but all are welcome!
Meet the Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press
Saturday, February 21 at 11am at Fitger’s, 600 E. Superior St., Duluth, MN
we will feature the first of our FREE 2026 “Meet the Publisher” series with special guest Lily Coyle of Beaver’s Pond Press at the Fitger’s Complex, 600 E. Superior St., in Duluth. The 11 a.m. session will be in the back room of the Boat Club Restaurant and the Bookstore at Fitger’s, a co-sponsor of the event, will be on hand with some of Beaver’s Pond Press books for sale. (We hope some local authors published by the press will also join us.) Lily will talk about Beaver’s Pond Press and also about choosing and soliciting a hybrid publisher for your work. Again, we’ll try to make this available virtually, too.
Writing Circles
Writing Circles are where writers of a particular genre like general fiction, memoir, fantasy, mystery and more can gather together to talk about writing and get feedback on their works-in-progress! We will be announcing new Writing Circles as volunteer leaders organize their groups. If you are interested in starting a Writing Circle — either online or in person in the region — please email writers@lakesuperiorwriters.org.
Coming soon: Lake Superior Writers Annual Writing Contest
Check back for more information regarding the Lake Superior Writers Annual Writing Contest! This year’s theme is North of Normal.
Literary Events
Valentine’s Storytime
February 8, 2026 at 11am at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Join retired schoolteacher Kathy Levine and Sheri Olson on Sunday, February 8th @11 AM as we celebrate Valentine’s Day! We’ll read several Valentine’s books, make a fun (edible) craft to eat and sing some songs. This story time is free and open to the public. It is geared toward 1st grade and under, but all are welcome.
https://zenithbookstore.com/events/4452520260208
Award-winning Author Allen Eskens: The Quiet Librarian
February 12, 2026 from 7pm-8:30pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Join us for an intriguing discussion with retired attorney and award-winning author Allen Eskens on Thursday, February 12th 7 PM. Allen will share his book The Quiet Librarian (Hachette Book Group) just released in paperback. He’ll also talk about his other books, his background, awards, answer questions from the audience, and sign copies of his book. We will have wine, cheese, and crackers to enjoy for a relaxing evening. This event is free and open to the public so bring your friends, family, and book club for this literary winter night!
Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared.
Allen Eskens is the bestselling author of ten novels including The Life We Bury. He is the recipient of the Barry Award, Minnesota Book Award, Left Coast Crime Award, and Silver Falchion Award and has been a finalist for the Edgar® Award, Thriller Award, Nero Award, and Anthony Award. His books have been translated into 23 languages. Allen has a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from Hamline University. After law school, he studied creative writing in the M.F.A. program at Minnesota State University-Mankato, as well as the Loft Literary Center and the Iowa Summer Writer’s Festival. He now lives with his wife, Joely, in greater Minnesota where he recently retired after practicing criminal law for 25 years.
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David Hakensen Presents: Her Place in the Woods
February 26, 2026 from 7pm-8:30pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Have you ever dreamed of living off the grid? Escaping city life and moving north into the woods? Then you will enjoy David Hakensen’s presentation on Thursday, February 26th 7 PM at Zenith Bookstore. He will discuss his biography Her Place in the Woods: The Life of Helen Hoover (University of Minnesota Press), answer questions, and personally sign books. We will have wine, cheese, and crackers to enjoy for a relaxing evening. This is a wonderful event for all nature lovers, so invite a few friends!
During the late 1950s through the early 1970s, Helen Hoover’s stories and essays of life in the wilderness on northern Minnesota’s Gunflint Lake were published in popular magazines and several bestselling books (including The Gift of the Deer in 1966 and A Place in the Woods in 1969). They found millions of fans and earned her accolades alongside nature writers like Sigurd Olson, Rachel Carson, Sally Carrighar, and Calvin Rutstrum. Hoover’s own unlikely history of leaving a corporate career in Chicago for a small cabin without electricity or running water—with no interest in hunting or fishing—is just one chapter of the remarkable life that David Hakensen describes in Her Place in the Woods. This first complete biography illuminates how Helen Hoover (1910–1984) made a place for herself and for countless readers in, as she put it, the world of her time.
David Hakensen is an award-winning public relations executive with more than forty years of experience. He has served on several nonprofit boards and was board president of the Minnesota Historical Society.
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Children’s Book Launch – Deborah Marcero’s The Great Escape!
February 28, 2026 at 11:30am at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N Central Ave., Duluth, MN
It’s time to celebrate! Zenith Bookstore is excited to help launch Deborah Marcero’s new children’s book The Great Escape on Saturday, February 28th 11:30-12:30 PM. Deborah will read her book, share a little about the process of illustrating and how she created the magic realm, and do a fun activity. Please invite your family and friends to help celebrate this wonderful book!
The Great Escape by Deborah Marcero is a richly illustrated picture book that follows an older sister and her pack of wild, noisy, can’t-sit-still younger siblings on a grand and wondrous adventure. Evie believes in all things magic, but her always-pestering, always-following younger siblings make her life seem a little less magical sometimes. So, Evie makes her escape to the snowy world outside, hoping for a bit of peace and solitude, only to discover her siblings trailing behind her, once again.
Luckily, with the help of a wand and a few magic words, Evie turns a snowbank into a portal to an upside-down world full of stars, dolphins, and seahorses to ride. Even the reader is invited to rotate the book and follow the siblings along on their adventure! But when the siblings are faced with danger—and someone who needs their help—can they come together to save the day?
Deborah Marcero is the author-illustrator of fifteen books for young people including the #1 Indie Bestselling In a Jar and Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Year, Out of a Jar. She is also the illustrator of an additional seven titles for children including The Boy Whose Head was Filled with Stars and If You Get Lost. Her author-illustrator titles have been translated into twenty languages, Out of a Jar and Haylee and Comet: Over the Moon were named as American Library Association Notable Books, and Haylee and Comet: A Tale of Cosmic Friendship received the Gold Star Selection Award from the Junior Library Guild. Her books have been on the Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of the Year, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, BookPage Best Book of the Year, and Bank Street College Education Best Book of the Year lists. Deborah has a BFA from the University of Michigan in drawing, photography and printmaking and an MFA in poetry from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Deborah calls Duluth, Minnesota home.
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Writing North Winter Book Festival
Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 12 noon to 9pm and Sunday March 1, 2026 from 10am to 2pm at The Mill Public Market, Manistique, Michigan
The Writing North Winter Book Fest—the first literary festival of its kind in Manistique, just off of Highway 2 in the heart of the U.P.—will gather together readers and authors for a celebration of stories hailed from the North. This event leans into the season’s coziness by offering warm spaces, close conversations, and fresh inspiration in a festival that’s rooted in place. Join us for panels and presentations, a half-day Writers Conference, and the Fireside Literary Salon with an outstanding lineup of regional authors including Karen Dionne, Lane (Illiana) Regan, Dave Dempsey, Mikel Classen and more. Visit WritingNorth.com
Cost varies with free events and ticketed events for both readers and writers.
Opportunities
Writers’ Monthly Get Together
February 21, 2026 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.
Lake Superior Summit on the Teaching of Writing & ESL
February 27, 2026 from 9am-3pm at the University of Wisconsin Superior, Yellowjacket Union, 2nd floor
The Lake Superior Summit on the Teaching of Writing & ESL brings together teachers of writing and literacy from the Twin Ports (Duluth, MN and Superior, WI) and the surrounding region.
Our annual summit is a place to exchange ideas, share best practices and common challenges, and celebrate innovations in the teaching of writing in both informal and formal ways.
https://www.lakesuperiorsummit.org/
KUDOS – News about our members
Consilience, a literary journal exploring the spaces where the sciences and the arts meet, published Marion Agnew‘s prose poem, “Questions of Cohesion,” in its December issue (theme: tension). For the next issue, they’re accepting artwork and poetry on the theme “infinity.” Marion’s poem is at this link: https://www.consilience-journal.com/issue-23-questions-of-cohesion
Lynn Watson is first place winner for the 2025 Creative Nonfiction in the Wisconsin Writers Association Jade Ring Contest.
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 Lessons in Writing and Life from Lynn Wohlwend by Cassie Zortman
Lake Superior Writers 