Writer's Block

Starting outward in the same direction

April 13th, 2016

Last Tuesday, travel writer and English professor W. Scott Olsen presented his eleventh book, published by NDSU Press, to a sizeable audience at Zandbroz Variety. The book, “A Moment with Strangers,” is a collection of essays and photographs collected from his travels, all highlighting the central theme of brief yet significant chance encounters.

“This whole book is built on the premise of those very brief encounters that you have with someone when you’re traveling,” Olsen…

A MOMENT WITH W. SCOTT OLSON

March 24th, 2016

On Tuesday, Zandbroz Variety will host a book launch for local author, travel writer, photographer, and Concordia professor W. Scott Olsen. This event will promote his latest nonfiction book, “A Moment with Strangers: Photographs and Essays at Home and Abroad,” published by the North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies.

“Some of the stories are stories that I remember from years ago,” Olsen says. “In one sense it took 15 months to write, in another sense it took 15…

Ruth L. Schwartz: Writer, Shaman, Activist

February 27th, 2016

On March 1, Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Glasrud Distinguished Lecturer Series will host a panel with writer, shaman and activist Ruth L. Schwartz, with a lecture at MSUM’s Library Porch followed by a reading at the Red Raven Espresso Parlor. Both will be free and open to the public.

Her books of poetry include “Edgewater,” winner of the National Poetry Series; “Dear Good Naked Morning,” winner of the Autumn House Press Poetry Prize; “Singular Bodies,” winner of…

You’re cordially invited …

February 17th, 2016

In 1971, over 40 years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to legalize same-sex marriage throughout the U.S., Minnesotans Michael McConnell and Jack Baker became the first gay couple to officially marry in the U.S.

On Friday, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m., at Zandbroz Variety in downtown Fargo, McConnell and Baker will be giving a reading and signing of “The Wedding Heard ‘Round the World,” their autobiographical account of their milestone wedding.

“The Wedding Heard ‘Round the World” is…

Lloyd Willis: “Dog and Fox, and Other Musings”

January 24th, 2016

In September, local poet Lloyd Willis released his poetry collection “Dog and Fox, and Other Musings” through Amazon’s CreateSpace publishing platform and Kindle Direct Publishing.

The book is a collection of 90 haikus about subjects ranging from Midwest winters to the animal kingdom to the trials of human relationships. Each poem also has a photograph to go with it, providing a visual aid to complement the words.

“When I started thinking of putting the book together, I wanted to…

Red Weather seeking submissions

January 18th, 2016

This year, MSUM will be printing the 35th issue of its annual literary journal, Red Weather, an independent, student-run project that publishes poems, prose pieces and visual art. Though it has been open to only MSUM students, faculty, staff and alumni in the past, this year submissions are open to anyone residing within 10 miles of the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Red Weather will be accepting submissions until Feb. 15.

“There are no length requirements, but page space is at a premium, so…

Reader Submissions

December 28th, 2015

The HPR prints reader poetry once a month

Plutarch, the ancient Greek historian, essayist, and biographer once said, “Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks”. HPR sent out a call for reader submissions in November via social media and we were pleasantly surprised by the response. Would you like to have your work published for this once a month feature? email sabrina@hpr1.com

North Dakota

By Julie Goeller McLain 1952-2004

Your vast emptiness encompasses me

Your…

Remembering “The Goat that Can’t be Got” “Insurgent Democracy” event examines the Nonpartisan Leagu

November 28th, 2015

“Insurgent Democracy” event examines the Nonpartisan League

Michael J. Lansing, author and associate professor of history at Augsburg College, will host a reading event for his new book, “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics,” on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7:00 p.m. at Zandbroz Variety in downtown Fargo. Lansing will give a reading, lead a discussion and then sign copies of his book.

The Nonpartisan League (NPL) was a radical political organization that…

Insurgent Democracy author comes to Zandbroz

November 20th, 2015

On Thursday, Dec. 3, Zandbroz Variety will host author Michael Lansing in a reading and signing of his latest book, “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics,” published this year by the University of Chicago Press. This nonfiction book chronicles the rise and decline of the Nonpartisan League, which was formed by North Dakota farmers in 1915 in an attempt to give power back to workers and rise above corporate and political authority.

The League, led by…

Author to hold two readings

November 12th, 2015

Fargo-Moorhead has a new author in town. Maryland native and current MSUM professor Liz Kisacky Severn has two readings coming up for her debut novel, “Luce Women,” recently published by Forty Press.

The first reading is scheduled for Nov. 17 at the MSUM Library Porch, as part of the McGrath Writers Series. The next will be on Dec. 8 at Zandbroz Variety in downtown Fargo, where the book will be sold.

“I had pretty much thought ‘Luce Women’ would never find a publisher,” Severn…