Autumn Events

September was an amazing month: the Pretend the World art exhibit received great fanfare with articles in Knight Foundation website, Minnesota Public Radio, Minneapolis Star and Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, ABC Newspapers, the Fridley Patch (photos), ABC Newspapers(again), and many other places. My deepest thanks to Philip Noyed, Jan Elftmann, David Malcolm Scott, Jes Lee, and Peter L. Johnson for making the most stunning artwork in response to my poems, and my gratitude to Lia Rivamonte at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts for hosting the show. I was honored to read at Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais, Magers and Quinn with Jim Moore, and Birch Bark Books with Denise Low in Minneapolis.

The collaborative synergy continues. Jes Lee has created videos of my poems "Japanese Garden" and "Hand Sister," He Shuman has composed a song to "Holding Her," and I will be recording poems with jazz clarinetist Sean Egan. I also look forward to teaching a one week poetry workshop for Madeline Island School of the Arts next July.

Here are my upcoming events:

• Jes Lee and I will be appearing at the Co-Kisser Poetry Film Festival at Minneapolis College of Art and Design on Saturday, October 8.
• On Saturday, October 15, I will be signing books at the Holy Cow! Press table at the Twin Cities Book Festival Saturday, October 15 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
• I'll be leading a book club discussion at the Hennepin County Southdale Library on The White Tiger on Monday, November 14.
• On Tuesday, November 15, I'll join Poets for Peace for a reading at the St. Paul Athletic Club for Carol Connelly's Readings By Writers at 7:00 p.m.
• Ellen Lanskey and Morgan Grayce Willow will read with me at the Blue Moon in Minneapolis on Friday, November 18.

Wild and Wonderful Events in September

Pretend the World continues to be blessed with wonderful press, including Susannah Schouweller's review on the Knight Foundation website, which you can find in the Read area here.

The Pretend the World art exhibit is up through the month at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts. It is open daily from 11:00-4:00 p.m. at 6666 East River Road in Fridley, Minnesota.

Here is a quick listing of all of the September Pretend the World events:

On September 11th, I will be discussing the collaboration process with several Pretend the World artists at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts in Fridley at 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.

On Wednesday, September 14th at Birch Bark Books in Minneapolis, I have the honor of reading with Denise Low, President of AWP and ex-Poet Laureate of Kansas, who is the author of over twenty books. She will be reading from her new book Ghost Stories of the New West. A delicious and optional dinner will be served at 6:00 at the Kenwood Cafe; the reading starts at 7:00.

On Sunday, September 18 at Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis, I will be reading with Jim Moore, whose new book Invisible Strings is receiving national attention. The reading is at 4:00 p.m.

On Saturday, September 24th, I'll be reading at 5:00 p.m. at Drury Lane books in Grand Marais on the shores of Lake Superior.

And on Friday, September 30th, we will celebrate the closing of the Pretend the World art exhibit with a reading at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. The program will include videos by Jes Lee, music by jazz clarinetist Sean Egan, and an original song by Chinese composer He Shuman to be sung by Kris Bigalk.

Hope to see you at one of these events.

Pretend the World August Events

Five fabulous Twin Cities artists have been working all summer to create art in response to Pretend the World. The first event is the opening, which is listed below. Lots more readings coming up in the Midwest this fall. The excitement continues!

Saturday, August 20^th

5:00-8:00 p.m.

Opening for the Pretend the World Art Exhibit

Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts

6666 East River Road

Fridley, MN 55432

763-502-6946

This event celebrates the Pretend the World Art Exhibit, featuring photos, installations, paintings, videos, and photographs by artists Jan Elftmann, Peter L. Johnson, Jes Lee, Philip Noyed, and David Malcolm Scott. Refreshments will be served.

Sunday, August 28^th

4:30-7:00 p.m.

Sunday Classic Dinner and Fine Arts Series--Reading with LouAnn Muhm

The Y-Steak House

9143 U.S. 71

Park Rapids, MN 56470-3230

(218) 732-4565

Cocktails start at 4:30, dinner is served at 5:00, and the reading follows dinner. $30 per ticket, available in person at Beagle Books in Park Rapids or by calling the Y Steak House at 218-732-4565. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Pretend the World Takes a Short Summer Vacation

What a marvelous spring! From the amazing launch party at the Loft Literary Center to this week's reading at Prairie Lights, Pretend the World has been doing wonderfully. Thanks to Birch Bark Books, Micawber's Books, Hamline Branch Public Library, Valley Books, The Bookcase, Watermark Books, Raven Books, and Bookin' It for hosting recent readings.

Other recent news: Pretend the World made the Poetry Foundation's bestseller list in May. In addition, I've had poems recently published in two anthologies: "Escape from Paradise, Iowa"is in the new Garrison Keillor anthology Good Poems, American Places, and"The Day Ten People Died at Red Lake" was included in Poetry City, USA, volume 1, from Lowbrow Press.

I'll be taking a short summer vacation from doing events, but exciting things are planned for this fall: the Pretend the World art exhibit will feature the work of four artists--Jes Lee, Jan Elftmann, Philip Noyed, and David Malcolm Scott--will open on Saturday, August 15 at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts in Fridley. I'll also be doing readings in Park Rapids, Grand Marais, Des Moines, and Minneapolis. Come back here for more details later in the summer.

June 2011

Welcome!

This month's news: My poem "Escape from Paradise, Iowa," has been included in the new Garrison Keillor anthology Good Poems, American Places. "The Day Ten People Died at Red Lake" was included in Poetry City, USA, volume 1, from Lowbrow Press. Pretend the World has received some nice reviews, which you can read in the Look area.

I want to thank Birch Bark Books, Micawber's, Hamline Branch Public Library, Valley Books, The Bookcase, Watermark Books, Raven Books, and the Loft Literary Center for hosting my first readings for Pretend the World. Here are my upcoming readings for the next month:

Saturday, June 4 Quaker House, Duluth, Minnesota, with Catherine Holm

Saturday, June 11 Bookin' It, Little Falls, Minnesota

Thursday, June 16 Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa, with Denise Low

Last Urban MSP Reading of the Spring!

I am honored to be reading at the bookstore of my heart, Birch Bark Books, on Thursday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. My special guests will be Heid Erdrich and Beth Mayer. Come early for a dinner of spring soup, salad, and bread at the Isles Deli or shop for books, earrings, and indigenous art. Chocolate worlds for anyone who buys a book and gets it signed!

Other news: My poem "Escape from Paradise, Iowa," has been included in the new Garrison Keillor anthology Good Poems, American Places. I've also had several recent radio interviews. You can find these in the Listen area.

Here are my upcoming readings for the next two months:

May:

Saturday, May 7 at Valley Books in Stillwater, Minnesota, with Sarah Stonich

Thursday, May 19 at the Wichita Library Association, Wichita, Kansas

Thursday, May 19 Big Tent Reading in Lawrence, Kansas

Friday, May 20 Watermark Books, Wichita, Kansas, with Denise Low

June:

Saturday, June 4 Quaker House, Duluth, Minnesota, with Catherine Holm

Saturday, June 11 Bookin' It, Little Falls, Minnesota

Thursday, June 16 Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa, with Denise Low

Opening Night

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Pretend the World book release party at The Loft. I have three readings for the book coming up in April. Please see the "Events" tab for details. I would love to see you there!