Fun Minnesota Author Events This Month

by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian


Our libraries in Meeker County have some exciting events coming up in the next week. All of them are brought to us by Pioneerland Library System with funding from Minnesota’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

The first is a Minnesota author event in Dassel on Thursday, June 14. Mystery writer William Kent Krueger will be speaking at 2 p.m. at the Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum at 901 1st St N. Krueger is a four-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award. His novel Vermillion Drift was a New York Times bestseller. Krueger’s books are set in the north woods of Minnesota and feature the character Cork O’Connor, a former sheriff of Ojibwe and Irish descent. The latest in the series is Northwest Angle. The next one, Trickster’s Point, is coming out in August. I’ve heard Krueger speak at a conference, and he is an insightful, interesting man who is good at speaking to a full room or to an individual person. If you’re a fan (and I know there are many of you out there), I’d recommend this as a good opportunity to meet him.

The next is another Minnesota author, Mary Casanova. She will be speaking at the Grove City Library in the community room on Thursday, June 21, at 3 p.m. Casanova is a children’s author who writes novels and picture books. She has won two Minnesota Book Awards, a spot on the American Library Association Notable Books for Children list, and a Parents’ Choice Gold Award. She has written several American Girl books, including those featuring Chrissa, Jess, and McKenna. She has also written books that have no connection to American Girl, such as One-Dog Canoe, Stealing Thunder, and Utterly Otterly Day. Bring the family and meet an author who can help inspire your children to write and to have a life-long love of reading.

Finally, our third event will take place on Friday, June 22. Meteorologist Mike Lynch will be presenting a Starwatch program at the Forest City Thresher’s Building from 9 - 11 p.m. The building is across the road from the Forest City Stockade. The presentation will begin with a half-hour orientation to the night sky with maps, before looking up at the stars to locate constellations. Mike will also have large telescopes set up for everyone to look through. Bring chairs or blankets and bug spray.

For all of these events, there is no need to register or to pay for admission. Everyone is welcome to come and learn from some of the authors who live here in Minnesota.