FOSSTON — Writing literature can be a daunting task. However, there are other writers out there willing to give advice from their experiences in the writing world.
That’s what Aurora Center for the Arts hopes to provide with the UpNorth LitFest on Sept. 25-26.
The center used to be called the Fosston Community Library and Arts Center until a couple of years ago. It’s an old church building that now houses a community theater, art class spaces, music rooms, a public library and an art gallery.
Bonnie Stewart — who was on the board of directors and served as executive director for the Aurora Center for the Arts — is part of the committee that created the UpNorth LitFest. The center has hosted writer workshops before, but this is its first two-day event.
UpNorth Lit Fest will host five Minnesota authors this year, thanks in part to a Northwest Minnesota Arts Council grant. Jeanne Cooney, Dawn Duncan, Kristin Eggerling, Sheila Packa and Will Weaver will lead workshops or give keynotes.
Dawn Duncan is from Detroit Lakes and will conduct two workshops. She has published the children’s book Seraphina the Ballerina. For her first workshop, she will talk about how to write children’s books.
“She's going to go through how to know what is going to engage children in a good story, and then how to market your book, and how to get a story that will engage young people,” Stewart said.
Duncan’s second workshop covers how to self-publish your book. She will talk through the process of putting together a book for publication and make sure it just doesn’t collect dust on the shelves.
Kristin Eggerling will host another workshop on Thursday. She is from Hallock and published a book called Breath of Wilderness: The Story of Sigurd Olson, which takes place at the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Eggerling is also a staff member of the Northwest Regional Arts Council and will discuss how the council can help authors on their journeys. She will share how to write an artist statement, how to get books into the media and what to bring to book signing events.
Sheila Packa is a poet and her workshop on Friday is called “Change, Change, Rearrange.” She has taught at Lake Superior College in Duluth and will teach writing exercises on creating poetry at the event.
“She captures the beauty of Northern Minnesota and from the mine pits to the waterways,” Stewart said about Packa’s poetry.
Jeanne Cooney is a murder mystery writer of the Hot Dish Heaven series. She will discuss how to put together a “whodunit” at her Friday workshop. She will also be the Thursday dinner keynote speaker. Each of her books has a recipe at the end, and the Aurora Center for the Arts has compiled a menu featuring recipes from the books.
Stewart said, “So imagine cowboy stew, wild rice hot dish, chicken crescent casserole and all kinds of good salads and bars. That'll be our dinner Thursday evening.”
The Friday luncheon keynote speaker is Will Weaver, who has written such books as 1986's Red Earth, White Earth, 2001's Memory Boy and his most recent, Power & Light. His speech is called “From Old World to New: Norway in Fiction, Photos, and Family.”
“And if you've seen Will Weaver speak, you know that he's a really engaging speaker, and he really brings you into what he writes about through his talk,” Stewart said.
Every author will bring copies of their books and there will be a bookstore in the Aurora Center.
The fee to attend the entire event is $95. However, if people want to just attend one or two classes, they can select to pay for those individually for $35 each. Tickets are available at the Aurora Center for the Arts website.
Stewart said, “I can't tell you how excited we are to bring Jeanne Cooney, Will Weaver, Dawn Duncan, Kristen Eggerling and Sheila Packa to Fosston, Minnesota, to inspire all of the avid writers and readers who are in our region to take in this wonderful workshop.”
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
