BookEnds

BookEnds is a monthly literary event that brings together readers and writers passionate about local history. Now in its sixth season, BookEnds Online Edition has welcomed over 30 regional authors to share their work with people who want to more deeply understand the history of their community.


BookEnds is hosted by the Wadena County Historical Society and Travelin’ Storyseller in collaboration with the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center.


Finding My Voice - BookEnds Online
Dec
9

Finding My Voice - BookEnds Online

Join the Session: Zoom ID 867 0338 5655

Marie Myung-Ok Lee’s debut novel “Finding my Voice” was initially released in 1992 as one of the first Asian American young adult novels. It centers on Ellen Sung, a Korean American high school senior in rural Minnesota. Two years ago, it received new attention after it was included on a BuzzFeed list of young adult novels that have stood the test of time. With the release of a new edition this month by SoHo Teen, Lee's debut novel is finding a new generation of American readers.

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Gichigami Hearts - BookEnds Online
Nov
11

Gichigami Hearts - BookEnds Online

Join the Session: Zoom ID 867 0338 5655

Linda LeGarde Grover interweaves family and Ojibwe history with stories from Misaabekong (the place of the giants) on Lake Superior. Long before there was a Duluth, Minnesota, the massive outcropping that divides the city emerged from the ridge of gabbro rock running along the westward shore of Lake Superior. Against this backdrop—Misaabekong, the place of the giants—the lives chronicled in this book unfold, all with a deep and tenacious bond to the land, one another, and the Ojibwe culture.

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Where the Dead Sleep - BookEnds Online
Oct
14

Where the Dead Sleep - BookEnds Online

Join the Session: Zoom ID 867 0338 5655

Joshua Moehling’s “Where the Dead Sleep” is a razor-sharp encore to “And There He Kept Her”. Acting Deputy Sheriff Ben Packard is a compelling, methodical investigator and a gay man in rural Minnesota. He’s riding high on the heels of a successful case but is quickly learning that Sandy Lake, the safe, clean small town he’s made home, is crawling and subtly vicious underneath.

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Oldest Twin Cities - BookEnds Online
Sep
9

Oldest Twin Cities - BookEnds Online

Julie Jo Severson, author of "Oldest Twin Cities: A Guide to Historic Treasures,” is a freelance journalist, editor, and personal historian helping individuals record their life stories. A fourth-generation, lifelong Minnesotan, she’s still constantly adding to her local bucket list and sneaks in mini-excursions throughout the metro whenever she can. She and her husband are parents of three.

From an old-school magic shop tracing back to 1899 to a sacred cave tucked below 450-million-year-old bluffs, "Oldest Twin Cities" pays homage to the enduring treasures and natural wonders throughout Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs.

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Strike! - Bookends Online
Aug
12

Strike! - Bookends Online

Join the Session: Zoom ID 867 0338 5655

William D. Green was the M. Anita Gaye Hawthorne Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies and Professor of History at Augsburg University until 2022. Devoting his career to writing, he has published four books about race and Minnesota. His book “Strike” is about the complex and dramatic history of an illegal teachers’ strike that forever altered labor relations and Minnesota politics. September 9,

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Paradise Cove - BookEnds In-Person
Jul
8

Paradise Cove - BookEnds In-Person

On the laid-back island of Bonaire, every day is paradise until a seaweed-entangled human leg washes ashore. Combing the beach, retired cop Roscoe Conklin examines the scene and quickly determines that the leg belongs to the nephew of a close friend.

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The Old Crocodile Man - BookEnds In-Person
Jun
10

The Old Crocodile Man - BookEnds In-Person

Phillip Hunsicker is a Minnesota author based in Brainerd. His book, "The Old Crocodile Man Theory" was published by River Place press and released in May 2021. It is a humorous tale of murder, mystery and monkey business that takes place largely in the Central African Republic where he lived and worked for six years. He is particularly interested in meeting readers in person.

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The Roof Over Our Heads - BookEnds In-Person
May
13

The Roof Over Our Heads - BookEnds In-Person

Nicole Kronzer is a former professional actor. She is also a high school English teacher. She loves to knit and run (usually not at the same time). She lives with her family in Minneapolis.

The Roof Over Our Heads is a charming Young Adult novel about a family who puts on an immersive, interactive play to save their historical home.

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Duet in the Little Blue Church - BookEnds Online
Apr
8

Duet in the Little Blue Church - BookEnds Online

Sharon Chmielarz has had seven books of poetry published including "Calling", a finalist for the Indie Book Awards, 2011. She was named a South Dakota Poet of Merit in 2021. Her newest book, "Duet in the Little Blue Church" is an engaging poetry collection but also an autobiographical record of one mid-western woman and her writing life. It will be available in Spring 2023.

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Carolina Moonset - BookEnds Online
Mar
11

Carolina Moonset - BookEnds Online

Matt Goldman is a New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award winning television writer. He has been nominated for the Shamus Award and Nero Award. His recent books include “Carolina Moonset” and “A Good Family”.

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Sinister Graves
Feb
11

Sinister Graves

Set in 1970s Minnesota on the White Earth Reservation, Marcie Rendon’s gripping new mystery follows Cash Blackbear, a young Ojibwe woman, as she attempts to discover the truth about the disappearances of Native girls and their newborns. This is the third in the authentically Native crime series created by Marcie Rendon.

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Finding Grace
Jan
14

Finding Grace

“Emotionally charged and written exceptionally well, author Maren Cooper has created a perfect atmosphere and a solid plot. This novel is recommended to anyone who loves emotionally charged stories with substance!” –Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

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Winter’s Children: A Celebration of Nordic Skiing
Dec
10

Winter’s Children: A Celebration of Nordic Skiing

Hear author Ryan Rodgers discuss his new book Winter’s Children: A Celebration of Nordic Skiing in this month’s BookEnds Online Edition.

Rodgers shares the rich history of skiing in the Midwest, from its earliest days of making wooden skis to the snowmaking loops and large races of today.

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The Haunting of Potter’s Fields
Oct
8

The Haunting of Potter’s Fields

Early settlers of Winona, Minnesota faced extensive hardship and difficulty while pursuing a new life. They worked hard to achieve the American Dream but the obstacles they faced proved to be too much. They failed, dying poor and often alone, ending up buried in Potter’s Fields.

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Olav Audunssøn: III. Crossroads
Sep
10

Olav Audunssøn: III. Crossroads

Laura Michelle Diener will present the book Olav Audunssøn: III. Crossroads, an epic story of Medieval Norway written by Nobel-prizewinning author, Sigrid Undset.

In this new translation by Tiina Nunnally, the characters of the fjords and villages of medieval Norway come to life. Read it, and spend time in the thirteenth century as it really was.

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Loon in Late November Water
Aug
13

Loon in Late November Water

Poet, Freya Manfred, has published nine books of poetry including Loon in Late November Water. Her work has appeared in hundreds of reviews and magazines and over 40 anthologies. Her memoir about her father, Frederick Manfred, was nominated for a Minnesota Book Award.

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100 Things to Do in Minnesota Northwoods Before You Die
Jul
9

100 Things to Do in Minnesota Northwoods Before You Die

Local author Julie Jo Larson’s own wanderlust led her to share her penchant for her region with the world. She lives in rural Brainerd with her husband, family pets, and a flock of chickens. When not advising college students, Julie Jo can be found on the trail with a walking stick in hand and worn mukluks on her feet.

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The Last Bookseller: A Life in the Rare Book Trade
Jun
11

The Last Bookseller: A Life in the Rare Book Trade

When Gary Goodman wandered into a run-down, used book shop that was going out of business in East St. Paul in 1982, he had no idea the visit would change his life. He walked in as a psychiatric counselor and walked out as the store’s new owner. In this book, Goodman describes his sometimes desperate, sometimes hilarious career as a used and rare book dealer in Minnesota.

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Permanent Record
Apr
9

Permanent Record

From childhood to elegies and curmudgeonly rants, the poems in PERMANENT RECORD seek to explore what has remained memorable in Mark Vinz’s life. Poet, teacher, and publisher Mark Vinz is the author many collections of poetry including LONG DISTANCE and THE WORK IS ALL In 2014, he was honored with the Kay Sexton Award. He lives Moorhead, Minnesota.

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The Unchosen Ones
Mar
12

The Unchosen Ones

The Unchosen Ones is a new book by award-winning Minneapolis-based photographer R.J. Kern that features portraits of Minnesota 4-H members posing with their farm animals. Each one spent a year raising an animal, which they then entered into a 4-H competition. Although none succeeded in winning an award, despite the obvious care they had given to their animals, the photographs reveal the self-directed dedication of America’s future farmers.

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Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate
Jan
8

Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate

In early 1943, Marcel Heuzé was one of hundreds of thousands of ordinary French citizens deported to Germany. As German men vacated jobs in factories, farms and mines to fight on the eastern and western fronts, thousands of positions needed to be filled. And those positions were filled by men like Marcel.

Graphic Designer Carolyn Porter discovered Marcel’s Letters while looking for historic fonts. What she discovered was his story.

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Blood on the Bridal Wreath
Dec
11

Blood on the Bridal Wreath

Blood on the Bridal Wreath is the first of a 4-book series called Filthy Dirty Garden Gloves. From its great title to its delicious ending, this delightfully clever cozy mystery is a remarkable romp with a devoted cat owner and expert gardener who seems to attract both danger and devotion.

M. E. Fuller is a fiscal year 2021 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

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Cabin Fever
Nov
13

Cabin Fever

Mike Lein is known across the north country for his many published stories of cabin life with dogs, boats, relatives, and friends. His award winning books include “Firewood Happens”, “Down at the Dock”, and “The Crooked Lake Chronicles”. “Cabin Fever” continues this series with more lightly embellished tales of the things that happen, the people you meet, and the struggles with Mother Nature that occur when you step out and enjoy the simple life in the Great Outdoors.

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Conversation with author Geoff Herbach
Oct
9

Conversation with author Geoff Herbach

Geoff Herbach is the author of the award winning Stupid Fast YA series as well as Fat Boy vs the Cheerleaders. His books have been given the 2011 Cybils Award for best YA novel, the Minnesota Book Award, selected for the Junior Library Guild, and listed among the year’s best by the American Library Association. When he’s not writing books, he teaches writing at Minnesota State, Mankato. His most recent book is “Cracking the Bell”.

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Conversation with Traci Lambrecht of PJ Tracy
Sep
11

Conversation with Traci Lambrecht of PJ Tracy

Traci Lambrecht is the author of the psychological thriller, “Deep into the Dark”. She was part of a mother-daughter writing duo under the pseudonym PJ Tracy. They were winners of the Minnesota Book Awards and produced books that were national and international best sellers.

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A Conversation with poet Ross Gay
Aug
14

A Conversation with poet Ross Gay

Ross Gay is a nationally known poet and essayist whose roots include family in Wadena County. His new poem, “Be Holding”, was released in September 2020 from the University of Pittsburgh Press. His collection of essays, “The Book of Delights”, was released by Algonquin Books in 2019.

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Choas on CatNet
Jul
10

Choas on CatNet

Naomi Kritzer’s newest book, Chaos on CatNet, is a young adult novel featuring the AI character from “Cat Pictures Please” and a group of teenagers who have found friendship and community online, never realizing that one of their online friends is actually an artificial intelligence.

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The Whitsun Daughters
Jun
12

The Whitsun Daughters

Carrie Mesrobian is the acclaimed author of “Sex & Violence” and “Cut Both Ways”, two books that set fire to the unfair stereotypes and contradictions that persist even today. Her most recent book, “The Whitsun Daughters”, was named as a 2021 Minnesota Book Awards finalist in the Young People’s Literature category.

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This activity is made possible, in part, by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.