<![CDATA[Read Minnesota Books]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!G9Hd!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb811c45a-8b3c-40b8-83f3-368e0aa4919b_256x256.pngRead Minnesota Bookshttps://www.readminnesotabooks.comSubstackMon, 04 May 2026 16:04:13 GMT<![CDATA[Mark Nowak and . . . AGAIN]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/mark-nowak-and-againhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/mark-nowak-and-againFri, 01 May 2026 12:03:38 GMTMark Nowak joins us to talk about his new collection . . . AGAIN, whether he finds forms or forms find him, and poetry trailers.

Mark has a book release event at Moon Palace Books, Tuesday, May 12, at 7:00pm.

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!

]]><![CDATA[Jordan Sundberg and Northwoods Lullaby]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/jordan-sundberg-and-northwoods-lullabyhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/jordan-sundberg-and-northwoods-lullabyFri, 24 Apr 2026 12:20:51 GMTJordan Sundberg speaks with us about how restricted supplies and playfulness inspire her artwork, her path to becoming a picture book illustrator, and the hands-off brilliance of University of Minnesota Press editor Erik Anderson. We also discuss Millions of Cats by Minnesota author Wanda Gag: weird or wonderful?

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!

]]><![CDATA[Mary Casanova and Northwoods Lullaby]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/mary-casanova-and-northwoods-lullabyhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/mary-casanova-and-northwoods-lullabyFri, 24 Apr 2026 12:02:05 GMTProlific author Mary Casanova joins us to talk about her new book Northwoods Lullaby, writing groups, and the animals that make great picture book subjects.

Northwoods Lullaby from University of Minnesota Press

marycasanova.com

Northwoods Young Writers: A Teen Writing Retreat

2026 Author + Illustrator events for Northwoods Lullaby

Duluth: May 2, 11am Zenith Bookstore and 3pm at Fitgers Bookstore

Minneapolis: May 9th, 10:00am at Strib Unbound, Theodore Wirth Park

St. Paul: May 23, 10:30am, Red Balloon bookstore

Roseville: June 9, 6:30pm, Roseville Nature Center / Picture Book Salon

Ely: July 3, 10:30am, Piragis Bookstore

Recommendation

Make your northwoods camping reservations now!

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books

]]><![CDATA[Gaelynn Lea and It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/gaelynn-lea-and-it-wasnt-meant-tohttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/gaelynn-lea-and-it-wasnt-meant-toFri, 17 Apr 2026 12:00:58 GMTDuluth musician speaks with us about her new music memoir, her advocacy for accessibility, and song writing vs. prose writing.

Catch Gaelynn’s Book Launch & Concert on Thursday, April 30, at Open Eye Theater in Minneapolis!

If you’re enjoying Read Minnesota Books, please give us a 5-star rating and quick review on your podcast app.

]]><![CDATA[Angela Pelster and The Evolution of Fire]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/angela-pelster-and-the-evolutionhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/angela-pelster-and-the-evolutionFri, 10 Apr 2026 12:03:21 GMTAngela Pelster, director of Hamline University’s creative writing programs and author of The Evolution of Fire: Essays on Crisis and Becoming discusses her Canadian roots, braided essays (yay or nay?), and the Twin Cities’ amazing creative nonfiction community.

The book launch for The Evolution of Fire takes place next week, Thursday, April 16, at The Hive Collaborative in St. Paul and it looks super fun, with music, a film, poetry, reading, and a book discussion.

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!

]]><![CDATA[Read Minnesota Books in New York City]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/read-minnesota-books-in-new-yorkhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/read-minnesota-books-in-new-yorkMon, 06 Apr 2026 16:01:25 GMTHello and happy spring! And welcome to the first Read Minnesota Books newsletter! I’m back from a spring break trip to New York City where my family and I visited several bookstores and came back with as many new books as our carry-on backpacks would allow. More on that below, but first:

Some local updates

I wrote an essay for The Loft Literary Center’s blog about how rejection motivated me to start Read Minnesota Books. I’m teaching a class called Podcasting for Writers at the Loft on Saturday, April 18, from 10:00am - 2:00pm. If you’re interested in starting a podcast or expanding your writer platform through podcasts, this is a great, one-time workshop! Register soon because spots are filling up fast.

Thanks for reading Read Minnesota Books! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

I also wrote a review for Minnesota Monthly of Laurie Hertzel’s new memoir Ghosts of Fourth Street: My Family, A Death, and the Hills of Duluth. She has an event at Magers & Quinn with Read Minnesota Books guest Kao Kalia Yang, tonight, Monday, April 6, at 7:00pm.

Read Minnesota Books guest Misty Heggeness will present her book Swiftynomics at Magers & Quinn this Thursday, April 9, at 7:00pm.

Read Minnesota Books is sponsoring Rain Taxi’s 2026 Twin Cities Independent Bookstore Passport, which takes place April 22 - 26.

My Bookstore Tour of NYC Starts at MSP

Every time I fly (which is not often) I get to the Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport early so I can browse at Open Book, which is an amazing little bookstore in Terminal 1’s main shopping area.

Open Book specializes in fun merch, like this Read Local shirt, and great recommended reading displays, like a shelf full of books by immigrant writers.

Shirt for sale at Open Book at MSP
Books about neighbors at Open Book at MSP

On my family’s first full day in Manhattan, we happened upon a McNally Jackson branch near the South Street Seaport Museum. I enjoyed browsing the store’s selection of literary magazines and this display of books by immigrant women authors. I didn’t buy anything for myself because I spent the day’s book budget on the novels my kids picked out (don’t feel sorry for me; I have a huge and well-stocked to-read list).

In Brooklyn, we visited the Central Library and took in the Printing Black America: Du Bois’s Data Portraits in the 21st Century exhibit. Here’s one of the prints. As a Minnesota bookstacker and podcaster, I must point out the sparse landscape of Black bookstores in the Upper Midwest, with that lone open faced book near the top of the Mississippi River representing Black Garnet Books in St. Paul.

Print at Brooklyn’s Central Library

At the end of the day we visited one of ’s Books Are Magic bookstores, the location on Smith Street. Here I bought a paperback copy of Stag Dance by Torrey Peters for myself, more books for my kids, and some Books Are Magic merch. Brilliant store name.

Books Are Magic sign

On another day of the trip, back in Manhattan, I stumbled on a bookstore located in the Chelsea Market building, but it was so crowded and full of gimmicky gifts, I didn’t stay long and left empty-handed.

Posman Books in Chelsea Market

The Strand! My family visited New York City on a trip a few years ago, and this was a very memorable stop for one of my kids, so we made a repeat trip. Here, I bought more books for my kids, a t-shirt, a sticker, and a special little item from the rare books room.

Outside The Strand
Outside The Strand

I definitely recommend planning a trip around a city’s best book stores. Last year I was quoted in a Minnesota Star Tribune article about how to make reading a bigger part of your life, and my advice was to “buy books when you travel; they make great souvenirs.” Just be sure to leave enough room in your carry-on.

Thanks for reading Read Minnesota Books! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

]]><![CDATA[Courtney Kocak and Girl Gone Wild]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/courtney-kocak-and-girl-gone-wildhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/courtney-kocak-and-girl-gone-wildFri, 27 Mar 2026 12:02:21 GMTI am SO EXCITED for you to hear this episode, where I interview about her meaty memoir Girl Gone Wild. The book comes out next week from .

I devoured my advanced copy of the book. As a southwestern Minnesota prairie-raised person with a starry-eyed creative side myself, I completely related to Kocak’s desire to leave the plains for a sparkling show business career. I loved and appreciated her vulnerable and inspirational stories about hustling to make it in Hollywood, witnessing skeeve on the Joe Francis party bus, and carving her own uncompromising artistic path.

Enjoy our conversation, then pre-order Courtney’s book! Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books.

]]><![CDATA[Christopher Johnston and Where You Come from Is Gone]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/christopher-johnston-and-where-youhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/christopher-johnston-and-where-youFri, 20 Mar 2026 12:03:36 GMTChristopher Johnston, author of Where You Come from Is Gone, speaks with us about deciding to start his novel with action, Tim O’Brien’s influence on his work, and stinky mink.

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!

]]><![CDATA[Misty Heggeness and Swiftynomics]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/misty-heggeness-and-swiftynomicshttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/misty-heggeness-and-swiftynomicsFri, 13 Mar 2026 12:03:32 GMTEconomist Misty Heggeness joins us to discuss her book Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy, the economic consequences of Operation Metro Surge, and the long road to gender equity.

Swiftynomics

Misty Heggeness at Magers & Quinn Booksellers on April 9, 2026

Thanks for reading Read Minnesota Books! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

]]><![CDATA[Tracie Peterson and Faithful of Heart]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/tracie-peterson-and-faithful-of-hearthttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/tracie-peterson-and-faithful-of-heartFri, 06 Mar 2026 13:03:20 GMTWe speak with Christian historical romance author Tracie Peterson about the long history of Minneapolis charity and how the first hospital in Minnesota inspired Faithful of Heart, the first book in her generational series set in Minnesota. Peterson tells us about her fascinating location-based research process and how she crafts three(!) page-turning books per year.

A Minnesota Legacy book series from Bethany House

@traciepetersonauthor on Facebook

traciepetersonbooks.com

Nobles County Historical Society

]]><![CDATA[Dana Hawkins and I Will Always Love You (Maybe)]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/dana-hawkins-and-i-will-always-lovehttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/dana-hawkins-and-i-will-always-loveFri, 27 Feb 2026 13:02:23 GMTRomance author Dana Hawkins joins us to talk about Minnesota bakeries and her new book, I Will Always Love You (Maybe) from Storm Publishing.

]]><![CDATA[Andrew Elfenbein and The Quyre (Tales of the Pine Rapids Fairies Book 1) ]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/andrew-elfenbein-and-the-quyre-taleshttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/andrew-elfenbein-and-the-quyre-talesFri, 20 Feb 2026 19:37:55 GMTIs it a Minnesota podcast without a 1991 Halloween Blizzard story? Professor Andrew Elfenbein speaks with us about his first year in Minnesota, his work and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, and his humorous MM romantasy The Quyre (Tales of the Pine Rapids Fairies Book 1) from Dreamspinner Press.

Subscribe to Read Minnesota Books on Substack or your favorite podcast app.

]]><![CDATA[Kao Kalia Yang and The Blue House I Loved]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/interview-with-kao-kalia-yang-abouthttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/interview-with-kao-kalia-yang-aboutSat, 14 Feb 2026 13:43:48 GMTIn Episode 1 of Read Minnesota Books, host Deborah Copperud speaks with Kao Kalia Yang about her new picture book, the federal occupation of Minnesota, writing, bookstores, and more.

]]><![CDATA[Read Minnesota Books Podcast Trailer]]>https://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/read-minnesota-books-podcast-trailerhttps://www.readminnesotabooks.com/p/read-minnesota-books-podcast-trailerSat, 14 Feb 2026 13:34:07 GMTWhen you think of Minnesota, do you think 10,000 lakes? Or 10,000 books?

If you like to read, you should totally subscribe to Read Minnesota Books, a brand-new podcast and newsletter from the North Star State. You can listen to author interviews, reading recommendations, and publishing news.

Why books? Why now? Because book coverage is disappearing. Jeff Bezos just dumped The Washington Post’s robust books section. The Minnesota Star Tribune used to publish pages of book reviews. But they stopped hiring freelancers in December and shrunk their book section down to just one page, once a week. At a time when we need books more than ever to counteract the Big Tech executives who want to sell us out to artificially intelligent robot overlords.

Subscribe to Read Minnesota Books on Substack or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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