Writer's Block

​A Renaissance Mallman Breaks into Writing

October 9th, 2019

Mark Mallman press photograph 2019

Minneapolis-based musician Mark Mallman is extremely prolific. Since his stint with short-lived band The Odd in 1998, he has released eight full-length studio albums, with the most recent being 2016’s “The End is Not the End.” He has a well-earned reputation as being one of the Twin Cities’ must-see live acts and his own star on the wall outside First Avenue, and for good reason.

As well as prolifically recording albums since his debut almost two decades ago, there are points…

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​‘The necessary business of writing’

July 31st, 2019

Emily Vieweg - photograph by TwinFlame Visuals

During the next few months, local poet Emily Vieweg will be hard at work on her first full-length book of poetry. With two published chapbooks, a Master of Fine Arts in writing, and an endorsement from our local arts community, it’s safe to say Vieweg is heading towards a promising writing career.

“Over the past several months I have pulled together poems, done some editing and formatting, all the necessary business of writing,” Vieweg says. “Luckily I have connected with a…

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​The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves: James Han Mattson’s First Novel

July 7th, 2019

James Han Mattson

After spending his high school years in Grand Forks, James Han Mattson is now a published author of the novel “The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves.” He will be in North Dakota July 10-11 for book readings in Fargo and Grand Forks, and is also is conducting a young writers' workshop.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Mattson moved to Grand Forks from central Wisconsin when he was ten and graduated from Grand Forks’ Central High School.

His first novel, “The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves,” tells…

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Doing it the ‘write’ way

June 19th, 2019

Next month, aspiring writers in grades 7 to 12, regardless of skill level, will get to take part in the 1st Annual Teens Creative Writing Summer Camp, courtesy of North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the Red River Valley Writing Project (RRVWP).

The camp will take place on NDSU’s campus from Monday, July 8th to Thursday, July 11th. Each session will run from 9 AM to 4 PM, taught by professors from NDSU, North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), and the University of North…

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​Malcolm Strand’s ‘The Seven Acts’

June 12th, 2019

Malcolm Strand - photograph provided by Michael Strand

“As he crossed the high school graduation stage, he reached his Kickstarter goal to publish his book,” Michael Strand, father of Malcolm Strand, asserts with pride. Malcolm reached his initial goal in 48 hours.

Malcolm Strand’s first novel, “The Seven Acts: A Novel” will be published by locally based Silver Goat Media. He wrote it when he was 14 years old on his IPhone. He is 18 years old. The son of Michelle and Michael Strand and 2019 graduate of Fargo South High School,…

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​More than gunfighter ballads

May 22nd, 2019

Miles City Bucking Horse Sale 2016 - photograph by Sabrina Hornung

With the Dakota Cowboy Gathering in Medora starting up in full swing next weekend we decided to reach out to Meg Glaser, the Artistic Director of the Western Folklife Center in Elko Nevada. The Western Folklife Center is a cultural center that is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the American west. It is also home to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering which recently celebrated its 34th year. After attending the first National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Sentinel Butte…

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B​ill Lowman: Renaissance man of the badlands

May 22nd, 2019

Bill Lowman at Taylor Horsefest with bloch - photograph by Sabrina Hornung

“My dad always sung cowboy ballads as we were out riding and pitching hay and we grew up with that sort of thing. I started writing songs but didn’t know nothin’ about music so they came out as poems --which is the same thing--that’s the tradition.” Says Bill Lowman, cowboy poet, artist, rancher, entertainer, banquet speaker and charter member of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko Nevada. 

A gifted storyteller, he’s “sired” and illustrated six books of poetry…

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Two North Dakotans receive IBPA 2019 National Gold Medal

May 15th, 2019

The Powerful You book cover

Just last week, the Independent Book Publisher Association (IBPA) announced the winners of the 2019 National Gold Medal—and it turns out one of them is from North Dakota.

Author Patrick Atkinson and his son, illustrator Ernesto Atkinson, received the award in the Gift, Specialty, and Journal division for their 2018 book, “The Powerful You!,” published by Beavers Pond Press. This self-help book is geared towards a young audience, and offers guidance on coming-of-age transitional…

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​Best of Both Worlds: Connecting Nature and Literature with Kevin Zepper

April 3rd, 2019

Regional author and Minnesota State University English professor Kevin Zepper will host the Nature Poetry Workshop this Sunday, April 7th in Rochert, Minnesota. Zepper’s latest event will focus on techniques for creative, nature-inspired poetry by exploring the Tamarac Wildlife Refuge and taking in the natural beauty that the 44,000-acre landscape has to offer.

In addition to his ever-growing list of publications, Zepper has hosted a string of creative events in the area including…

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​Concordia Hosts ‘National Book Awards: Evening with the Authors’

March 6th, 2019

Left to right - Sigrid Nunez and Johnson Victoria

By Nataly Routledge
natalyroutledge@googlemail.com

MOORHEAD, MN —Authors Sigrid Nunez and Victoria Johnson have been invited to Concordia College for an evening of discussion on their latest two novels. Nunez’s “The Friend” won the 2018 National Book Award for Fiction, and Johnson’s “American Eden” was a finalist for the 2018 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

Concordia College is a founding partner in the National Book Foundation, a program dedicated to bringing National Book…

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