Writer's Block

Venturia ND Native Pens New Book

April 22nd, 2021

By Michael M. Miller

michael.miller@ndsu.edu; or go to library.ndsu.edu/grhc.

18 March 2021

Florence Dockter Scherbenske has authored a new book, “My Impossible Dream: You Can Do It Too, Germans from Russia Immigrant Grandparents Ethnic Lifestyle.” Florence grew up on a farm near Venturia, McIntosh County, south central North Dakota. She vividly shares the story of her German-Russian family.

In her Dedication, Florence writes, “I give tribute to my maternal grandmother, Katherine…

Read more...


HPR: 52nd Annual UND Writers Conference Issue

April 22nd, 2021

18 March 2021

Spring is almost here, and we might even be venturing outdoors to experience the warmth of the sun. After 2020, which feels like it will never end, 2019 seems like a whole other world, but it is thought of by some as "the year of Greta Thunberg." After traveling by boat to North America, the 16-year-old delivered an impassioned speech at the UN Climate Action Summit and became the face of climate change.

And, while some may think of it as a far-off time in the future (is it…

Read more...


For the Love of Logophiles: Moorhead Friends Supports Local Writers

April 22nd, 2021

By Annie Prafcke

annieprafcke@gmail.com

Moorhead Friends Writing Group gathers virtually to administer advice, brainstorm blueprints, and constructively critique. A welcoming bunch, Moorhead Friends provides encouragement for anyone striving to meet their writing goals or simply hoping to acquire motivation to put fingers to keyboard.

Setting

Moorhead Friends meets every other Tuesday from 7-9 pm via Zoom. Those who are interested can message the group via Facebook:

Read more...


Between Exile and Memory: Women Writers and NDSU Press

April 22nd, 2021

By Suzzanne Kelley, Editor-in-Chief 

https://www.ndsupress.org

When four gentleman scholars came together seventy-one years ago to establish the North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, they might have been hard-pressed to imagine that in the 21st century, a slate of women authors and their lady publisher would take the lead in delivering—as designated by the mission of the press—scholarly knowledge and…

Read more...


Lajimodiere releases book of poetry

November 14th, 2020

North Dakota State University Press has recently announced the release of its latest poetry collection, “His Feathers Were Chains” by Denise K Lajimodiere. This book is currently available from NDSU Press, Amazon, Baker & Taylor, and local independent bookstores. The title was inspired by a welded statue of a Native American warrior riding a horse, which is featured on the cover.

“Feathers” is divided into five sections: “Broken Glass Dreams,” “Identity,” “His Feathers…

Read more...


On the Ephemerality of Things: Thoughts on the Demise of a Small Literary Press

May 5th, 2020

by Debra Marquart
marquart@iastate.edu 

A few years ago, I was giving a talk at the Fargo Public Library about researching and writing my book, The Horizontal World, which is a memoir about growing up a rebellious farmer’s daughter on a North Dakota wheat farm. In the 1970s, I was a college student at Moorhead State University and then later a Fargo-based road musician. I wanted to come back to the library to express my gratitude for their services, which kept me alive during a period…

Read more...


Local Writer Explores the Sinister Side of Snowmen

December 23rd, 2019

Darrin Albert holding a copy of Snowcrow. photo courtesy of John Showalter

Winter has once again set in and Fargo is covered in an all too familiar blanket of snow. While the white stuff is considered the bane of drivers and businesses, it does come with some simple pleasures. There’s a stark beauty to seeing blankets of white cover the ground and hearing it crunch underfoot. And of course, there are snowball fights and building snowmen. They’re innocent enough pastimes, or are they? In local writer, Darrin Albert’s new novel “Snowcrow,” Frosty…

Read more...


​A spoon full of sugar: New poetry from Sarah Kobrinsky

November 20th, 2019

Sarah Kobrinsky

Former Fargo-Moorhead resident Sarah Kobrinsky has recently released her first full collection of poetry, Nighttime on the Other Side of Everything, published by New Rivers Press. The book is divided into three sections, each with a different theme and flavor.

“I tend to write things that are superficially funny but there’s always something darker going on,” Kobrinsky says. “You know the saying, ‘A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down’? That’s the first section. The…

Read more...


Literary scholar retraces route of famous author

October 30th, 2019

Henry Gurr at Coleman Museum Ellendale

By Ken Smith
kelandsmith@gmail.com

“There it is! Ellendale!”

“A water tower, groves of trees and buildings among them in the morning sunlight. I’ve just given in to the shivering which has been almost continuous the whole trip. The watch says seven-fifteen. A few minutes later we park by some old brick buildings. I turn to John and Sylvia who have pulled up behind us. ‘That was cold!’ I say. They just stare at me fish-eyed.”

“The town is clean and fresh and unlike the one…

Read more...


​The Price is right

October 16th, 2019

Victoria Price with her father Vincent Price

Vincent Price was a man of many hats. Known to many for his film and television career best known for portraying an array of villains. Along with that, he was an art collector and advocate, a gourmet chef and most importantly a father. His daughter Victoria Price has followed in his footsteps as a woman of many talents, she’s a speaker, lover of the roads less travelled, an interior designer, and writer, and part of her mission is to share her father’s legacy with both HPR and…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry Aquarium Tracker Pixel for Entry Blackbird Tracker Pixel for Entry MidwestRoadTripAdventures Tracker Pixel for Entry EmpireAUG2021 Tracker Pixel for Entry TheatreB Tracker Pixel for Entry Bismarck1

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.com The business of Indian Hating is a lucrative one. It’s historically been designed to dehumanize Native people so that it’s easier to take their land. ‘Kill the Indian, save the man,”…

SHSND delves into their ornament collectionBy Jenny Yearoushistory@nd.govIn 2017 we received Christmas ornaments from the North Dakota Former Governors’ Residence. The ornaments were gifts from local chapters of the Germans from…

Saturday, December 21, 7 p.m.Drekker Brewing, 1666 1st Avenue N, FargoEmbrace the naughty and celebrate the dark side of the solstice. From 7-close, Drekker’s mavens of mischief transform their taproom. There’s a photo booth,…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com I’m really sick of the “Nobody wants to work anymore” narrative. Like, really sick. I can’t hide the eye rolls and I don’t even try to hide them anymore. In fact, I feel like they’ll…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comA new type of Civil War: “smash-and grab” capitalism and healthcare The Divided States of America has the greatest economic inequality among wealthy nations on Planet Earth and has birthed a…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com In this land of hotdish and ham, the knoephla soup of German-Russian heritage seems to reign supreme. In my opinion though, the French have the superior soup. With a cheesy top layer, toasted baguette…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Local band Zero Place has been making quite a name for itself locally and regionally in the last few years. Despite getting its start during a time it seemed the whole world was coming to…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer-director Nicole Riegel’s sophomore feature “Dandelion” is now playing in theaters following a world premiere at South by Southwest in March. The movie stars KiKi Layne as the…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comIn 1974, the Jamestown Arts Center started as a small space above a downtown drugstore. It has grown to host multiple classrooms, a gallery, performance studio, ceramic studio and outdoor art park.…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…

By Curtis W. Stofferahn, Ph.D.Curtis.stofferahn@email.und.edu In June, two events markedly contrasted the difference between two different visions of agriculture: precision agriculture and regenerative agriculture. The dedication…