The October NorthWords includes:
Notes from the Board Room
As a reporter and as editor of Lake Superior Magazine, I’ve been privileged to receive an award or two over a long career. LSM even won magazine of the year from the Minnesota Magazine & Publishing Association and made the Chicago Tribune’s list of the 50 Best Magazines in the country one year. OK, it was at No. 50, but it did make the list.
Awards can be tricky things – nice to receive, but it shouldn’t be the only goal of your creative work, whatever your chosen medium.
A fella I knew from college expressed one of my favorite quotes about awards. Chris Ison spoke it, as I recall, when he found out that he and another Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter had just won the Pulitzer Prize.
“I’ve always said awards were not important,” he quipped, “but I was wrong.”
Awards – and other forms of acknowledgement – are important. They call attention to great works as well as to the creative medium they honor.
Admittedly, the Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards are not the internationally famed Pulitzer Prizes, but there are important. One of the many reasons that Lake Superior Writers – and thus, all of you who are members and support this organization – took up NEMBA when it was to be sunsetted is because writers and poets of this region should to be recognized for great work … and the region itself should enjoy that same recognition through writing centered in our northern tier.
That’s why we want to make this year’s announcement of the 2026 NEMBA winners on Saturday, Nov. 21, into a full-blown celebration of the written word.
The NEMBA Celebration will be from 1-4 p.m. in the Great Hall of The Depot. There will be catered snacks and a guest speaker and presentation of the awards. There will also be table space for published LSW members and our sponsoring booksellers to offer nice collections of words for you to adopt and take home. We hope, of course, that most of the NEMBA nominees will be able to come with their books for signings.
Details will be following shortly this month, along with formal announcement of the nominees in the four categories – Non-Fiction/Memoir, Fiction, Poetry and Children’s Literature/Middle Grade. Please mark your calendar now for that Saturday in November when the written word gets its own northern celebration … with snacks and books to boot.
– Konnie LeMay, chair on the Lake Superior Writers Board
Lake Superior Writers News & Events
Virtual Writers’ Café
October 10, 2026 from 9:30am-11am over Zoom
Pour a cup of coffee or tea and join us at 9:30 am – 11:00 am for a meetup with fellow writers the second Saturday of each month. We’ll chat about our current writing projects, learn about upcoming events and opportunities for writers, and share the ups and downs of our writing lives. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a newbie, we’d love to have you join us.
Literary Events
Sports Journalist, Dimity McDowell shares The 27th Mile
October 1, 2026 at 7pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Please join Zenith Bookstore as we welcome sports journalist and runner, Dimity McDowell on Thursday, October 1st at 7 PM. Dimity will talk about her book, The 27th Mile: How to Smooth the Rough Transition Out of Your Running Years. She has a remarkable story to share and will answer questions from the audience. Bring a friend!
On January 18, 2020, Dimity McDowell unknowingly went on her last run. The deceleration of her running career began three years before that, following a medical visit which ended in the assessment that she should not run anymore. She should have quit then and there. But running is not like other hobbies; the sport anchored major parts of her identity, including her career, self-image, and mental health. This is true for so many runners (who are legion: about 50 million Americans participate in some form of running or jogging). And many of them will have to grudgingly hang up their sneakers at some point.
Before focusing her career on running, Dimity McDowell was a sports journalist, holding staff positions at Self, ESPN: The Magazine, and Sports Illustrated for Women. She co-authored three running books and co-founded Another Mother Runner, an inclusive community for all female runners, with Sarah Bowen Shea. She has finished countless races, including Ironman Coeur d’Alene and the Pike’s Peak Half Marathon. Dimity is the mother of two adult children, and lives in Denver with her husband and two dogs.
https://zenithbookstore.com/events/6370920261001
Meet & Greet Author & Educator – Brian Duren: Day Brings Back the Night
October 3, 2026 from 1pm-3pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Please join Zenith Bookstore as we welcome Brian Duren in for a Meet and Greet/Signing on Saturday, October 3rd 1-3 PM. He will share one-on-one with readers his newest book, Day Brings Back the Night. You are invited to come and bring a friend to chat with Brian. He will personally sign his book for you.
Day Brings Back the Night narrates a family story in the first person from the points of view of five characters as it explores the effects of intergenerational trauma and the power of intergenerational love. The novel begins in St. Paul, in 1989, with Part I, narrated from the point of view of Helen, a wife and mother, sorting through her papers and photographs, preparing for the move she and her family will make to their new home. In Part II, set in 2006 and narrated from Tom, her husband’s point of view, his daughter, Amanda, traps him in his car during their drive from St. Paul to a cabin in the Boundary Waters, so she can confront him with the questions that haunt her about her mother’s disappearance fifteen years earlier. Part III, set in that cabin in 2023, is narrated from the points of view of Tom, his second wife, Grace, Amanda, and her brother, Nicholas. Plagued by a past that has fractured them, the family struggles to understand, forgive, and remain a family. But can they?
https://zenithbookstore.com/events/6388620261003
Author Talk with Boxed Lunch
October 5, 2026 at noon at Fitger’s in the Harborview Room (go in through the Boathouse Restaurant)
Join The Bookstore at Fitger’s at noon Thursday, Nov. 5, for lunch and an Author Talk featuring Jill D. Swenson, author of The Land of Everlasting Sky, and Naomi Yaeger, author of Blooming Hollyhocks.
In her braided memoir, Jill returns to her mother’s hometown and uncovers difficult truths about her family’s connection to land within the Red Lake Nation. Blending personal loss with carefully researched history, she explores land, identity, inherited stories and the importance of reckoning with the past. Jill was also Naomi’s developmental editor and mentor for Blooming Hollyhocks: Tales of Joy During Hard Times.
Cost: $22
Songs of our Heritage: To Finland, With Love
October 5, 2026 at 6pm at the UMD Kathryn A. Martin Library in the Ranta Rotunda Reading Room, 416 Library Dr., Duluth, MN
A Poetry-Cello Collaboration
Susan Perala Dewey & Lindsay Schlemmer
October 5, 2026, 6pm, at the Martin Library Ranta Rotunda Reading Room at UMD
Poet Susan Perala-Dewey and her daughter, cellist Lindsay Schlemmer, will present a collaboration inspired by their Finnish heritage. As part of the program, Schlemmer will perform Jean Sibelius’ Theme and Variations for Solo Cello, 1887.
Families are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Book Launch Party – New York Times Author, Brian Freeman in conversation with Alex Messenger
October 6, 2026 at 7pm at Ursa Minor 2415 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN
Join Zenith Bookstore for a very special evening at Ursa Minor Brewing on Tuesday, October 6th at 7 PM. We will have a Book Launch Party for New York Times best-selling author, Brian Freeman and his new book Where the Road Ends (Blackstone Publishing). Brian will be in conversation with beloved Duluth author Alex Messenger. Come early for food and drinks! Plus, we’ll have a few extra surprises. Where the Road Ends is released the day of the event, so preorder your book on our website and pick it up that evening. Books will also be available for purchase that night and Brian will personally sign them for you and all your mystery-loving family and friends! (Think early holiday shopping!)
The murder of a judge and his wife turns Duluth detective Jonathan Stride’s world upside down and leaves him facing a shocking crossroad in this electrifying mystery – Where the Road Ends. Jonathan Stride’s partner, Maggie Bei, is driving home after midnight when a call comes in: shots fired at the home of a Duluth judge. Moments later, she finds Gordon and Tracy Hartwick murdered in their bed. But someone is hiding in the judge’s house, and as Maggie lays chase, she’s forced to make a split-second decision that leaves the intruder dead. When Stride arrives at the scene, he has to give Maggie devastating news. The intruder had no gun. He wasn’t the killer. She shot an innocent man.
https://zenithbookstore.com/events/6134020261006
Book Reading: Dead Moose on Isle Royale – Off Trail with the Citizen Scientists of the Wolf-Moose Project
October 7, 2026 at 5:30pm at Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N Main St, Ishpeming, MI
A one-hour Presentation/Book Reading includes:
- A high-level discussion of Isle Royale and its history.
- The history of the Wolf-Moose Study, how it got started.
- The Winter Study – what it entails and how it sets the stage for the Summer Study.
- The Summer Study – how the Project depends upon the volunteers to find dead moose year-in and year out.
- Science of the study – some examples of findings.
- Moose and Wolf bone show-and-tell.
Author Talk & Writing Workshop with Brian Malloy
October 8, 2026 at 6pm at the Silver Bay Public Library, 9 Davis Dr, Silver Bay, MN
Award-winning novelist Brian Malloy will give a sneak peak of his next novel, Into the Boundary Waters, with a reading of the book’s opening. While a work of fiction, Into the Boundary Waters is inspired by an actual 2007 incident, in which dozens of campers were terrorized by six drunken men from Ely, Please note: This program is not appropriate for children because of language and violence. Following the reading, Brian will offer a free writing workshop on “Writing the North Shore.” Come with pen, paper, or laptop to generate ideas and respond to prompts. No experience necessary – beginners are most welcome!
Poetry Reading featuring WFOP calendar poets
October 11, 2026 at 2pm at the Drummond Public Library, 14990 Superior Street Drummond, WI
There will be an open mic prior to the featured poets (one or two short poems please). The 2027 Wisconsin Poets Calendar, poetry books and poetry note cards will be available for purchase. Refreshments will be served.
Animal Storytime with Sarah’s Serpentarium
October 11, 2026 at 11am at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Join Zenith Bookstore as we partner with Sarah’s Serpentarium in Superior for a very fun animal story time! On Sunday, October 11th at 11 AM, Sarah will bring some of her animal friends to help read a story from a book. You will be able to meet these friendly critters up close. This will be a fun and educational time for all ages. Invite a couple of friends! This is a FREE event.
https://zenithbookstore.com/events/6392720261011
New York Times Author – Matt Goldman: The Prohibited
October 13, 2026 at 7pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Emmy Award-Winning Television Writer and New York Times Bestselling Author, Matt Goldman will be at Zenith Bookstore on Tuesday, October 13th at 7 PM to share his latest novel, The Prohibited. He will read from his book, tell stories, and share history. We’ll also celebrate the non-prohibition era that we have right now with some treats. Invite a friend for this fun, retro event!
Letters Across the World
October 20, 2026 from 5pm-6pm at Spies Public Library, 940 1st St., Menominee, MI
Spies Public Library, Menominee, MI invites community members of all ages to make connections across the country through one handwritten letter at a time. The library’s Pen Pal Club, first introduced in May, is expanding to include monthly letter-writing gatherings at the library. The first gathering will be held Monday, October 20, from 5–6 p.m. in the Fireplace Room at Spies Public Library. Spies Public Library is one of approximately 90 libraries across the country participating in a coordinated pen pal exchange. The expansion of the Pen Pal Club is made possible through funding from the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association.
Award-winning Artist & Author – Sam Zimmerman: Walking My Ancestors’ Path
October 23, 2026 at 7pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Please join us as we welcome award-winning Indigenous artist and author Sam Zimmerman. He will share his bilingual new book Walking My Ancestors’ Path: A Collection of Stories and Paintings.
This compilation commemorates animal spirits ranging from bees to rainbow trout, from hummingbirds to wolves, and is illuminated with the vibrant flora and vivid hues of Minnesota’s beloved northland.
Arranged seasonally, these paintings in Zimmerman’s distinctive style evoke characteristic North Shore scenes, capture skyscapes and landscapes, and highlight creatures whose spirits have connected with his own. The accompanying stories, many also retold in Ojibwemowin by Manidoo Ma’iingan, reflect on points of inspiration, emotional resonances, and everyday events in the artist’s life.
Write Across Generations: A Prose & Poetry Workshop Rooted in Memory with Ellen Lord & Helen Raica-Klotz
October 24, 2026 from 10am-3pm at Hessel School House, 3206 W. Cedar St., Hessel, MI
Set in the quiet beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, this workshop invites writers to explore how memory shapes our creative lives. Join Helen Raica-Klotz and Ellen Lord for a day of prose and poetry inspired by the stories we inherit, the places that hold us, and the moments that stay.
Helen will guide participants through prose exercises that transform lived experience into vivid narrative. Ellen will lead a poetry session focused on emotional truth, sensory recall, and the deep-rooted landscapes of personal history.
This generational workshop welcomes writers of all ages and experience levels. Come ready to remember, reflect, and write.
Cost: $60 includes lunch and materials
A Spirited Evening at Zenith Bookstore
October 29, 2026 at 7pm at Zenith Bookstore, 318 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN
Now we approach the liminal time when borders between worlds and words thin and merge, when otherness shimmers. Gather with authors Emily August, Julie Gard, and Michelle Matthees, in poetic conversation with Su Love for a spirited evening at Zenith Bookstore on Oct. 29. On offer are yummy refreshments, mingling, a poetry reading, and books for sale.
Opportunities
Creative Industries Summit
October 6, 2026 from 10:30am to 4pm at 1401 Tower Ave., Superior WI
Superior Council for the Arts is hosting a Creative Industries Summit for creatives in Northwestern Wisconsin. This event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 10:30 AM – 4 PM at 1401 Tower Ave, Superior WI 54880. All are invited! Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5SQ6Oby1FDwDzxzXehBMJuXsQ1G4I7pkFaRD7x6W70g5DvA/viewform Thank you!
The Roaring Muse is accepting submissions for their 2026 issue!
Submissions due: October 8
Genre guidelines:
Fiction/Memoir: less than 5000 words.
Poetry: 5 poems or fewer (5 page limit).
Drama: one-act plays (15 pages).
Visual art: please submit a brief artist statement (150-300 words) that notes the title of your work, methods and materials used, and year of creation. The statement should also briefly describe the work’s central themes, tensions, and/or explorations. Please send in images 300 DPI or greater.
Multimedia: Musical Recordings should have melody transcriptions and/or lyrics sheets. Please include a brief statement (150-300 words) that notes the title of your work, and any other information you wish to include.
Email submissions to umdroaringmuse@gmail.com with subject line “Submission, {Your Name}, {Genre of Work}.” Please make sure your name does NOT appear in your submission file. Include a contact sheet with your name, email, phone, and affiliated institution (if applicable) as a separate attachment.
Lakes Area Writer’s Conference
October 9 & 10, 2026 at Madden’s Resort in Brainerd, MN
All are invited to join us at our annual writer’s conference. This year our event will again be held at Madden’s Resort in Brainerd MN.
$60 conference fee tickets are now available on Eventbrite.
Hotel rooms can be booked direct through Madden’s, please DO mention the LAWA conference when you book a room.
Call for Submissions from The Nemadji Review
Submissions due by October 20
The Nemadji Review is currently accepting submissions of original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, hybrid work, and visual art. Our fall submissions window is shorter this year to allow more time for editing and printing the journal, so please send us your essays, stories, poems, and art by Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The theme for the 16th edition is “Attic of the Mind, and we are happy to consider work on or off the theme. For complete submissions guidelines, go to https://thenemadjireview.com/submissions/
2026-27 Minnesota Book Awards || Call For Submissions + Judges!
The MN Book Awards call for submissions opens on August 10. Refer here for full submission details.
Preliminary Round judges in all categories will begin receiving books in October and convene virtually on Saturday, January 23 to pick finalists. Each will receive a $750 stipend. Final Round judges will have until March 13 to read their four finalist titles, with judging occurring that Saturday. Stipend for this round is $500. The winner announcement will be embargoed until the spring ceremony (likely April 27). Compensated panel facilitator roles are also available. Applications for all of the above are open now through September 11. Click here for more information – or here to jump straight to the application form.
U.P. Reader #11 Submissions Now Open
Deadline: November 10, 2026
Share Your U.P. Story in U.P. Reader 2027
Writers, poets, historians, and storytellers: U.P. Reader 2027 is now seeking submissions! Since 2017, this annual anthology has celebrated the remarkable voices and stories of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—from its people, places, history, and natural beauty to the unique spirit of life “Up North.”
We welcome fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, humor, memoir, essays, history, and other engaging work that captures some aspect of the U.P. Whether your story is rooted in the past, reflects life today, or imagines the future, we want to hear from you.
Help us continue bringing Upper Michigan literature to readers throughout the region and beyond.
Submission guidelines, deadlines, and complete details are available at upreader.org.
Your voice belongs in the U.P. Reader. Share your story with us!
KUDOS – News about our members
Marion Agnew recently helped Thunder Bay independent bookstore Entershine Bookshop host two Canadian authors on tour. August brought John Degen, author of Seldom Seen Road, a new murder mystery series set on the north shore of Lake Huron. In September Fay Martin, author of Dementia Widow, arrived to discuss her frank memoir about caring for her late husband. The experience was an interesting challenge–imagining what questions wouldn’t give away too much yet entice potential readers.
Sandra Hisakuni’s children’s poetry and picture book, “Letters from Lucy Loon” released on September 15th!
Denise Lindquist received an honorable mention for entering a Twenty-Four Hours challenge from Vocal Media for her BWCA story. https://vocal.media/wander/boundary-waters-canoe-area
Liz Minette has two poems published in the anthology Feet in the Waves – Poems of Lake Superior, edited by Raymond Luczak.
In Volume 35 of Jackpine Writers’ Bloc “The Talking Stick”, Ruth M. Schmidt-Baeumler‘s poem “Did I Ever Tell You” received Honorable Mention and will be published.
Her poem “Empty Pail” will be published in the League of MN Poets book “Agates”.
Are you a Lake Superior Writer member? Share your good news with us!
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 “How can I have a poem be dynamic and alive, and a little unwieldy, and maybe even a little bit strange and absurd?” – An Interview with Rebecca Boyle by Lucas Powell
