The Cracked Walnut Literary Festival hosts a reading of LGBTQ+ writers, hosted by Stanley Kusunoki. Reading will be Michael Kiesow Moore, John Medieros, Venus De Mars, Morgan Grayce Willow, Anthony Ceballos, Kate Lynn Hibbard, LM Brimmer, andAmanda Bailey

Join us for “Autumn Leaves,” a program that brings together the muses of poetry and music on the same stage. Presenting will be Michael Kiesow Moore with cellist Lars Ortiz, Ardie Medina with the Asiginaak Women’s Handdrum Group, Diane Jarvenpa with guitar and Finnish harp, and Thomas R. Smith giving us poetry and song accompanied by his faithful guitar. The event begins at 4:30 pm in the Robbins Parlor at 732 Holly Ave, Saint Paul. Accessible parking lot and wheelchair entrance on East of the building off of Holly. Refreshments will be offered.

Performer bios:

Thomas R. Smith is a poet, essayist, teacher, and editor living in River Falls, Wisconsin. He’s the author of numerous books, most recently Medicine Year (poetry) and Poetry on the Side of Nature: Writing the Nature Poem as an Act of Survival (prose). He teaches poetry at the Loft Literary Center and posts poems and essays at www.thomasrsmithpoet.com. He is also a passionate songster and performs occasionally with the folk trio Catbird.

Ardie Medina with the Asiginaak Women’s Handdrum Group: Ardie Medina is an Anishinaabe poet and playwright from Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin. She became involved in the Twin Cities writing community soon after moving to the area in 1993. Her poems have been published in various anthologies—Loonfeather Press, Yellow Medicine Review, The Saint Paul Almanac, and two self-published anthologies, Gatherings and In the Company of Others, with fellow poets from the Loft Literary Center’s former Foreword Apprenticeship program. Two of her plays are included in Alexander Street Press’s American Indian Drama Collection. Ardie resides in Northeast Minneapolis with her husband Mike and their two Affenpinchers Chito and Sundae.

Michael Kiesow Moore is the author of the poetry collections What to Pray For and The Song Castle (Nodin Press). His work has appeared in many journals such as International Times, Poetry City, and Water~Stone Review, anthologies like Queer Voices, Among the Leaves: Queer Male Poets on the Midwestern Experience, and The Writer’s Almanac. Michael is the founder of the Birchbark Books Reading Series. When he is not drinking too much coffee, he can be found in Saint Paul dancing with The Braggarts Morris dancers.

Lars Ortiz (cello) began his career as an English teacher in Denver Public Schools. He later became principal cellist of the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis as well as a founding member of Lux String Quartet, where he worked with both Minnesota Public Radio and Schubert Club to promote music education. Although he has performed in both concert halls and coffee shops, he is most happy in his studio teaching budding cellists of all ages.

Diane Jarvenpa is the author of six books of poetry, her most recent Shy Lands published by Blue Light Press. She is a teaching artist with the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project MN and the East Side Arts Council. As a singer-songwriter she performs under the name Diane Jarvi.

The Cracked Walnut Literary festival launches a month of events at the Literary Bridges Reading Series where authors will read from the newly published anthology, “Rewilding Hope.”

Join us on Saturday, September 30th for a FREE Poetry & Music Series in collaboration with 100 Thousand Poets for Change. We have some fantastic Readers and Performers lined up.

Original works of poetry and prose read by their creators: Mary Moore Easter, David Grant, Paige Riehl and Michael Kiesow Moore. Michael will be accompanied by cellist Lars Ortiz.

Host: Diane Jarvenpa

Join us for the first annual “Night of Light in Darkness” reading as part of Root Words Poetry and Music Series. Joining me will be Ardie Medina, Joshua Davies, and Diane Jarvenpa.

I will be reading with members from the Cracked Walnut Writers Collective at Poets & Pints. Hosting is Bill Anderson, and readers include Alethea Turner, Jacob Robinson, and Alli Marie.

I will join 20 other artists at the Artblok Fall Market and sell copies of my books with local artisans. It is outdoors, free parking, and there will be a food truck!

Join me at the Rain Taxi Book Festival where I will sign my books at the Nodin Press table.

A recital of music and poetry with: Kathy Lee, soprano; Dan Chouinard, piano and accordian, and Michael Kiesow Moore, author and poet

I will be reading with other reading series hosts for this 4th anniversary reading celebrating Bridges.

IMPORTANT! This is a Zoom reading. To view the reading, please register at https://www.nextchapterbooksellers.com/event and scroll down to September 24 and click on the link.

I will lead a writing workshop where we will explore the connections between the practice of mindfulness meditation and the act of writing from the heart. Making use of writing exercises and guided meditations we will give attention to ourselves, our world, and everything the present moment offers us. All writing skill levels are welcome. You do not need experience with meditation beforehand. We’ll dive into an opportunity to put the principles of mindfulness into practice together. Students will come away from this workshop with new work begun, and tools to use for more mindful living and writing.

I will join Wendy Brown-Baez and Pamela Fletcher Bush to read from our recent books and speak to using writing for healing. This event will be online. Details to come.

The Loft is not providing in-classes for the time being because of COVID-19. Because this workshop is hands-on and requires in-person participation, it cannot be moved online and will be canceled. Hopefully we can present it again in the future

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I will present a workshop on how to give a great reading. We will have hands on time using a microphone, discuss many aspects that go into a successful reading, and we will have opportunities to experience giving an actual reading during the class. We will also touch on aspects of marketing and publicity.

After giving hundreds of readings myself and hosting various readings and reading series, there is much knowledge and expertise I wish to give so that readers and audiences both have the best experiences possible.

Due to concerns about the health risks of COVID-19, the bookstore has postponed this reading to another time to be determined.

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I will be reading from my new poetry collection, The Song Castle. Also joining me for the reading will be poet Carol Masters.

I will join Kris Bigalk as we read from our new books. Please join us as we celebrate. Reception starts at 5:30 pm, followed by readings from 6 to 7 pm. Cellist Lars Ortiz will join me for my set as I launch my new book, “The Song Castle.”

A writing group can give the otherwise lonely writer inspiration, perspective, new viewpoints, support, accountability, feedback, and collegiality. But finding a good match is hard! In this evening for creative writers, three authors will share the wide range of possibilities for forming writing community and offer advice on what makes groups or partnerships sustainable.

Participants will get to know one another in a series of small-group conversations, connecting around shared genres, levels of experience, interests, and location. We’ll end with social time so participants can exchange contact information and formalize plans.

You’re invited to bring a short (200 words or less) sample to share by way of introducing your writing, but this is not required.

Presented by  Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew, Lisa Marie Brimmer, and Michael Kiesow Moore

Join us for an afternoon of poetry and music with Thomas R. Smith, Ardie Medina and the Asiginaak Singers, and Michael Kiesow Moore with cellist Lars Krogstad Ortiz.

Suggested donation $10, but no one turned away

Following an exuberant celebration of the Birchbark Books Reading Series’ 10th anniversary last month, we now continue with our next readings. On November 6 we present Philip S. Bryant, Sharon Chmielarz, Brian Baumgart, and Mary Moore Easter. The reading will be at The Bockley Gallery, 2123 W 21st Street, Minneapolis, just a couple doors down from the bookstore.

The Birchbark Books Reading Series is celebrating its 10th year of readings on Saturday, October 5 at 7 pm.

Featured on our program will be writers who have appeared with us in the last 10 years. Think of this as a “reading sampler.” We hope you can join us for this special reading, reception, and book giveaway!

Reading will be James D. Autio, Deborah Keenan, Ed Bok Lee, Ronald P. Leith, Eric McKendry, Anna George Meek, Carter Meland, Susan Power, Sun Yung Shin, and Morgan Grayce Willow

I will lead a writing workshop where we will explore the connections between the practice of mindfulness meditation and the act of writing from the heart. Making use of writing exercises and guided meditations we will give attention to ourselves, our world, and everything the present moment offers us. All writing skill levels are welcome. You do not need experience with meditation beforehand. Donations will be collected for Peacemaker Minnesota, an anti-bullying program that helps schools be safer places.

Join me at the Nemeth Art Center Center in Park Rapids, MN for “Second Saturday Happening” as I join musicians and poets for an afternoon of words and music.

Join me at the East Side Freedom Library as we we celebrate the publication of Queer Voices, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. I and other readers will read our own work as well as our selections presented in the anthology.

Join us for Raymond Luczak’s book launch of Lovejets: Queer Male Poets on 200 years of Walt Whitman, a Walt Whitman-inspired poetry anthology. I will join other local poets to read our work selected for the anthology as well as present poetry by those who are out of town. Raymond will also read from his new novel. Free

We will explore the connections between the practice of mindfulness meditation and the act of writing from the heart. Making use of writing exercises and guided meditations we will give attention to ourselves, our world, and everything the present moment offers us. All writing skill levels are welcome. You do not need experience with meditation beforehand.

The spring season of readings at Birchbark Books continues on Wednesday, May 22. Reading will be Jim Bohen, Miriam Weinstein, Ken McCullough, and Lynette Reini-Grandell. Please join us!

Join me as poets selected to participate in the 18th annual Poet-Artist Collaboration at Crossings at Carnegie present their work as the artwork made to go with our poems are projected on the silver screen during the reading.

The Spring season of readings for the Birchbark Books Reading Series starts on April 24 at 7:00 pm at the Bockley Gallery (near Birchbark Books).

Reading will be Reading will be LeRoy N. Sorenson, Rosemary Davis, Carla Hagen, and Kate Lynn Hibbard.

Birchbark Books is located at 2115 West 21st Street, Minneapolis, MN 55405. (612) 374-4023