Nebraska Center for the Book

Love and literature is in the air! If you’re looking for something to do in February, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• February 1, 2025 Visiting Writers Series: Writing Workshop with Huascar Medina
  University of Nebraska-Kearney, Thomas Hall Atrium, 2404 11th Ave.
  Kearney, 1:00 – 2:30 pm
  Kansas Poet Laureate Emeritus Huascar Medina leads this free, all-ages writing workshop. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, all are welcome (Recommended for ages 16+). Space is limited to 30 participants, register to secure your spot.
• February 1, 2025 Author Robert A Rieck Jr. at Barnes & Noble
  Barnes & Noble, 2910 Pine Lake Rd.
  Lincoln, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
  Come meet and support local author Robert A Rieck Jr as he reveals to the world his autobiography SPOKEN: A Memoir Sprinkled with a Little Quadriplegia (paperback, hardback and ebook)! The book signing/meet & greet will have individual vegan snacks courtesy of Natural Grocers. , all of what would be the author’s profits from book sales goes directly to the nonprofit “Twenty-One January: A Farm Rescued” animal sanctuary.
• February 2, 2025 Salon Reading Series: “The Body”
  Turbine Flats, 2124 Y St.
  Lincoln, 2:00 - 5:00 pm
  Each Salon Reading Series event features a reading of a play followed by a moderated discussion of the play’s themes and how these themes apply to the community. The theme for 2024-25 is “Hold On.” This theme will explore concepts of holding on and letting go. This month is The Body by Steve Moulds. Part domestic drama, part surreal thriller, The Body lives in that space between reality and dreams, where the things that haunt us most come from within.
• February 4, 2025 Lisa Fay Coutley Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Host explores parasitic relationships — between men and women, sons and mothers, and humans and the earth — and considers their consequences. How much control do we have over our lives? To what extent are we being controlled?
• February 4-8, 2025 Kearney Area Storytelling Festival: Winter Tales
  Kearney
  Come see the Kearney Area Storytelling Festival, where you’re invited to come hear professional storytellers—along with area tellers—present the art of storytelling in many area venues. Featured speakers will be Don White and Geraldine Buckley. See the full event schedule with times and locations here.
• February 5, 2025 Salon Reading Series: “The Body”
  Eastmont Living Performing Arts Center, 6315 O St.
  Lincoln, 6:30 - 9:00 pm
  Each Salon Reading Series event features a reading of a play followed by a moderated discussion of the play’s themes and how these themes apply to the community. The theme for 2024-25 is “Hold On.” This theme will explore concepts of holding on and letting go. This month is The Body by Steve Moulds. Part domestic drama, part surreal thriller, The Body lives in that space between reality and dreams, where the things that haunt us most come from within.
• February 6, 2025 Verse & Vibes Open Mic Night
  Indigo Cottage Crafts, 2063 Creekside Dr.
  Papillion, 6:30 pm
  The first Thursday of every month we open the mic at an artsy space full of good vibes, and not just because of the coffee and liquor bar! Event is open to poets, authors, writers, musicians, anyone who has talent to share. Free event.
• February 7, 2025 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Susan Aizenberg
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  Susan Aizenberg is the author of three full-length poetry collections: A Walk with Frank O’Hara: Poems, Quiet City, and Muse. Her awards include a Crab Orchard Poetry Series Award, the VCU Levis Reading Prize, a Distinguished Artist Fellowship and two Individual Artist Fellowships from the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Book Award in Poetry, and the Mari Sandoz Award from the Nebraska Library Association.
• February 13, 2025 Resonance Beat Poetry Jam
  Razor Wire Productions Art Gallery & Tattoo, 1808 Vinton St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  Wanna try your hand at pairing your writing with music? Or maybe you’ve just never had the sublime experience of hearing the fusion? Either way, we would like to invite you! Named The Resonance for the beautiful ways these artforms play off one another. Sponsored by the Nebraska Poetry Society.
• February 13, 2025 On Writing Presents: Kim Louise
  Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
  Omaha, 7:30 - 9:30 pm
  Every second Tuesday of the month, join us in the lobby, alongside our partner The Book Nook, and participate in an engaging live reading with a local or nationally recognized writer, playwright, or poet. Peruse the curated offerings from the Book Nook, have a drink, and stay for the Q and A. This month join us in conversation with local playwright and author, Kim Louise! A native Omahan, Kim has penned over eleven novels and five novellas, writing for Kensington Press (BET Books), Genesis Press, and Harlequin Enterprises and earned a spot on Amazon’s bestseller’s list for mass market fiction. Her poetry has been published by the Cathartic Literary Journal and Third World Press.
• February 14, 2025 Poetry Readings at The Lion: Poetry Feature and Open Mic with John Philip Johnson
  St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Campus, 1309 R St.
  Lincoln, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
  Poet John Philip Johnson studied at University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he was the first editor of the UNL undergraduate literary magazine, The Laurus. His poems have appeared in many journals and magazines. He lives in Nebraska, and has work in or forthcoming from Southern Poetry Review, Image, Rattle, Strange Horizons, Pedestal, Rust & Moth, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, the newspaper column, “American Life in Poetry,” and many other places. He has two comic books of graphic poetry, Stairs Appear in a Hole Outside of Town and The Book of Fly, the latter which won an Elgin Award.
• February 15, 2025 VeRBal GuMBo presents “Just Getting Our Desserts!”
  North Omaha Music Academy (KVNO), 2510 N 24th St.
  Omaha, 8:00 - 11:30 pm
  Join us as we celebrate, Foxy Troxy and WithloveFelicia’s, John Heatson Cultural Stewadship Award from the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards through a night of spoken word poetry, music, and good vibes! Get ready to indulge in some sweet treats for your ears as local poets share their stories and talents on stage. Whether you’re a poetry enthusiast or just looking for a fun night out, this event is sure to satisfy your cravings for creativity. For ages 21+.
• February 20, 2025 Vocal Fry
  Shirley Tyree Theater, 2401 N 24th St.
  Omaha, 6:00 pm
  Vocal Fry is normally on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Jewel Rodgers and Nathan Lachner, MCs. Special Feature: Allen Stevenson. Vocal Fry is presented in collaboration with The Nebraska Poetry Society.
• February 22, 2025 Hybridity: Poems that Cross the Line with MK Chavez
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  By engaging with the fluid and transformative nature of hybrid forms, we’ll delve into how our identities can be authentically reflected in our writing. Participants will create works that capture the richness of their experiences, exploring themes of identity, place, and the self in all its dimensons. Led by MK Chavez.
• February 22, 2025 Visiting Authors: Poetry Reading with Carolina Hotchandani and Maria Zoccola
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome poets Carolina Hotchandani and Maria Zoccola! Carolina will be pulling from her award-winning anthology of poetry from the last few years, and Maria will be reading from her debut poetry collection Helen of Troy, 1993: Poems.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

Is your New Year’s resolution to experience more literary events? If you’re looking for something to do in January, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• January 2, 2025 Verse & Vibes Open Mic Night
  Indigo Cottage Crafts, 2063 Creekside Dr.
  Papillion, 6:30 pm
  The first Thursday of every month we open the mic at an artsy space full of good vibes, and not just because of the coffee and liquor bar! Event is open to poets, authors, writers, musicians, anyone who has talent to share. Free event.
• January 6, 2025 Carolina Hotchandani Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Hotchandani’s poems interrogate what it means to be full or empty (of words, of the past, of another human being). She examines shifts in identity due to Partition, immigration, illness, and birth.
• January 9, 2025 Resonance Beat Poetry Jam
  Razor Wire Productions Art Gallery & Tattoo, 1808 Vinton St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  Wanna try your hand at pairing your writing with music? Or maybe you’ve just never had the sublime experience of hearing the fusion? Either way, we would like to invite you! Named The Resonance for the beautiful ways these artforms play off one another. Sponsored by the Nebraska Poetry Society.
• January 10, 2025 Poetry at the Lion: Matt Mason
  St. Mark’s on the Campus Episcopal Church, 1309 R St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 7:45 pm
  Each month, a featured poet will read from their works and shape the evening’s experience. Poetry lovers can stop on their way to eat out or bring a brown bag meal and stay for the whole evening. Light refreshments will be provided. The featured poet for January is Matt Mason. As of 2025, he stepped away from being Nebraska State Poet Laureate for five years. Mason has written about fatherhood, relationships, religion and the Bible, and themes of Midwest and Great Plains life.
• January 14, 2025 Ready, Set, Go: The Art of Better Writing with Brenda Jackson
  Zoom, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  This 90-minute interactive workshop, facilitated by the renowned New York Times and USA Today Award winning romance author Brenda Jackson, is designed to help aspiring writers tap into their creativity and begin crafting their own love stories. Whether you’re interested in writing fiction or non-fiction, this workshop will guide you through the process of turning your ideas into compelling narratives.
• January 16, 2025 Vocal Fry
  Shirley Tyree Theater, 2401 N 24th St.
  Omaha, 6:00 pm
  Vocal Fry is normally on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Jewel Rodgers and Nathan Lachner, MCs. Vocal Fry is presented in collaboration with The Nebraska Poetry Society.
• January 25, 2025 The Poem’s Interior Landscape
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Discover how the landscapes you’ve lived in shape your thoughts and creativity. In this workshop, we’ll explore the connection between the physical world and your inner life, and learn to transform your experiences into poetry. Let your surroundings inspire your words! Led by Jessica Poli.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

Make sure to check out these literary events as we enter the holiday season! If you’re looking for something to do in December, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• December 1, 2024 Salon Reading Series: “Midwinter”
  Turbine Flats Resonator Gallery, 2124 Y St.
  Lincoln, 2:00 – 3:30 pm
  Each Salon Reading Series event features a reading of a play followed by a moderated discussion of the play’s themes and how these themes apply to the community. The theme for 2024-25 is “Hold On.” This theme will explore concepts of holding on and letting go. This month is “Midwinter” by Matt Smart, directed by Bob Hall – An ice-cold riff on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by a former Antarctic janitor.
• December 3, 2024 Julie S. Paschold Poetry Reading and Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Julie’s inaugural poetry book is a collection of eco-poetry with deep roots in Nebraska soil. She’s an award-winning poet who’s ready to share her journey to success with you.
• December 4, 2024 Salon Reading Series: “Midwinter”
  Eastmont Living Performing Arts Center, 6315 O St.
  Lincoln, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
  Each Salon Reading Series event features a reading of a play followed by a moderated discussion of the play’s themes and how these themes apply to the community. The theme for 2024-25 is “Hold On.” This theme will explore concepts of holding on and letting go. This month is “Midwinter” by Matt Smart, directed by Bob Hall – An ice-cold riff on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by a former Antarctic janitor.
• December 5, 2024 Verse & Vibes Open Mic Night
  Indigo Cottage Crafts, 2063 Creekside Dr.
  Papillion, 6:30 pm
  The first Thursday of every month we open the mic at an artsy space full of good vibes, and not just because of the coffee and liquor bar! Event is open to poets, authors, writers, musicians, anyone who has talent to share. Free event.
• December 7, 2024 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Lincoln Workshops
  Pius X High School Conference Room, 6000 A St. (West Entrance 11)
  Lincoln, 9:00 – 11:00 am
  A workshop designed to help veterans and active duty military personnel express their thoughts and feelings in words. Participants need only be interested in writing in any form – they do not need to have any previous writing experience to benefit from the workshops. Facilitated by professional writing instructors, the workshops consist of six to eight biweekly sessions focused on developing strategies and skills. Facilitated by Tom Seib.
• December 7, 2024 24th Annual Teen Poetry Bash
  Milton R. Abrahams Branch, 5111 N. 90th St.
  Omaha, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
  Omaha Public Library presents the 24th Annual Teen Poetry Bash! This is a free event for teens in grades 8-12, though all are welcome to come cheer them on. Contestants must prepare two original poems to perform as slam poetry or read aloud. Registration is required.
• December 12, 2024 Resonance Beat Poetry Jam
  Razor Wire Productions Art Gallery & Tattoo, 1808 Vinton St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  Wanna try your hand at pairing your writing with music? Or maybe you’ve just never had the sublime experience of hearing the fusion? Either way, we would like to invite you! Named The Resonance for the beautiful ways these artforms play off one another. Sponsored by the Nebraska Poetry Society.
• December 14, 2024 Mapping Our Poems
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  In this generative writing class, we will begin with a word or phrase, line or lines from another book of poetry. After mapping out ideas, feelings, rhythms, syntaxes and words we associate with the line or lines we have brought in, we will start work on our own poems. Led by Julia Guez.
• December 14, 2024 Visiting Author: “Inside Nebraska Courthouses” by Dean Settle
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Local art collector, historian, and former gallery owner, Dean Settle, discusses his new book! “Inside Nebraska Courthouses” explores the cultural and architectural legacy of Nebraska’s 93 courthouses. This book is more than just a history — it’s a celebration of Nebraska’s cultural and architectural legacy. Through short narratives, photographs, and illustrations specific to the state’s 93 counties, it offers a unique window into the landmarks that define the state.
• December 14, 2024 Speed Writing & Reading Holiday Party
  Zoom, 10:00 am – 12:00 (Noon) pm
  Let’s kick off the Holiday Season with some fast-paced writing and short but powerful reading sessions! This year we’re kicking it up a notch by expanding the genres of both readings and workshops to include performance poetry and romance writing, as well as fiction, memoir, and poetry! Our readers and workshop leaders this year include well-known poets and prose writers, including Jewel Rogers, Riley Westerholt, Terese Svoboda, Steve Edwards, Bianca Swift, Sonya Huber, Cassie Premo Steele, Esman Rodas, and Brittany Brauer.
• December 19, 2024 Vocal Fry
  Shirley Tyree Theater, 2401 N 24th St.
  Omaha, 6:00 pm
  Vocal Fry is normally on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Jewel Rodgers and Nathan Lachner, MCs. Vocal Fry is presented in collaboration with The Nebraska Poetry Society.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

Turn over a new leaf and check out some new literary events! If you’re looking for something to do in November, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• November 1, 2024 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with William Trowbridge
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  William Trowbridge holds a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.A. in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a PH.D. in English from Vanderbilt University. He served as Poet Laureate of the State of Missouri from 2012-2016. He is a Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at Northwest Missouri State University, where he was an editor of The Laurel Review/GreenTower Press from 1986 to 2004. Now living in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, he teaches in the University of Nebraska Omaha MFA in Writing Program.
• November 1, 2024 Book Launch Event with Katie Anania – “Print/Draw: An Experiment on Paper”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
  Join us to celebrate the release of Out of Paper: Drawing, Environment, and the Body in 1960s America, as art historian Katie Anania and artist Sophie Isaak present a durational performance that combines drawing, printmaking, and ecological thinking. Visitors are welcome to participate!
• November 2, 2024 Glorious Dailiness with Erica Reid
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  As poet Mary Ruefle says, “I did not always know authors were ordinary people living ordinary lives.” What do we lose when we fail to celebrate — or worse, ignore! — the wondrous details of ordinary life? This generative workshop makes space for that celebration through conversation, example poems, and dedicated writing time with prompts to help capture the details of our own glorious dailiness.
• November 3, 2024 Meet the (Flatwater Free) Press with Matthew Hansen
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
  Matthew Hansen, editor of the Flatwater Free Press will talk journalism, hear story ideas, and also to hand out an actual physical newspaper, their annual FFP Commemorative Edition. Matthew has selected a couple of his favorite Nebraska books, by FFP correspondents and FFP-connected authors like Carson Vaughan, Joe Starita, Ted Genoways, and more. 10% of the proceeds go to Flatwater Free Press!
• November 5, 2024 Kassandra Montag Poetry Reading and Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Kassandra’s poetry is equal parts meditation, lamentation, and celebration with an unflinching look at how, for many women, our deepest desires are almost always at odds with the lives we’ve chosen or been given.
• November 7, 2024 Verse & Vibes Open Mic Night
  Indigo Cottage Crafts, 2063 Creekside Dr.
  Papillion, 6:30 pm
  The first Thursday of every month we open the mic at an artsy space full of good vibes, and not just because of the coffee and liquor bar! Event is open to poets, authors, writers, musicians, anyone who has talent to share. Free event.
• November 9 & 16, 2024 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Omaha Workshops
  Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Baldwin Conference Room, 9777 M St.
  Omaha, 10:00 am – 12:00 Noon
  A workshop designed to help veterans and active duty military personnel express their thoughts and feelings in words. Participants need only be interested in writing in any form – they do not need to have any previous writing experience to benefit from the workshops. Facilitated by professional writing instructors, the workshops consist of six to eight biweekly sessions focused on developing strategies and skills. Facilitated by Jen Stastny and Cindy Cronn.
• November 9 & 16, 2024 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Lincoln Workshops
  Pius X High School Conference Room, 6000 A St. (West Entrance 11)
  Lincoln, 9:00 – 11:00 am
  A workshop designed to help veterans and active duty military personnel express their thoughts and feelings in words. Participants need only be interested in writing in any form – they do not need to have any previous writing experience to benefit from the workshops. Facilitated by professional writing instructors, the workshops consist of six to eight biweekly sessions focused on developing strategies and skills. Facilitated by Tom Seib.
• November 9, 2024 Visiting Contributors – Patricia Miller, Michael M. Bartels, and James J. Reisdorff – “Train Photos from Nebraska: The Vernacular Rail Images of Fred Ritter Jr.”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome contributors, Patricia Miller, Michael Bartels, and James Reisdorff, of the book Train Photos from Nebraska! Fred Ritter Jr. was a Swiss immigrant farmer living near Tilden, Neb., in the early 20th century, who was also a railroad enthusiast who took snapshot-quality images of trains. The story tells of time and place as interpreted by Fred Ritter, Jr. through photography. It also tells of Fred’s love for both trains and family, and how the two intertwined.
• November 10, 2024 Annual Harvest of Words Poetry Open Mic
  St. Cecilia’s Parish Center, 39th and Burt St.
  Omaha, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
  Open mic poetry event with refreshments! Our year end event, bring a poem by your favorite author or your own original poems.
• November 10, 2024 25th Annual Laureate’s Feast Gala
  Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St.
  Omaha, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
  Join us for the 25th Annual Laureate’s Feast Gala, the John G. Neihardt Foundation’s only fundraiser of the year, honoring Walt and Linda Duda as Word Senders! Spend the evening dining on a mouth-watering meal prepared by Native American Chef Anthony Warrior, drinking a selection of fine wines, bidding on enviable auction items, and enjoying a short program emceed by Mike Kelly (author and retired Omaha World Herald columnist). Best of all, you’ll be supporting the work of the Neihardt Foundation! Please purchase tickets by October 31, 2024.
• November 12, 2024 On Writing Presents: Charlene Donaghy
  Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
  Omaha, 6:00 pm
  Every second Tuesday of the month, join us in the BT lobby for an intimate conversation and reading with local authors of all disciplines from poetry to plays and more. This month we welcome playwright Charlene Donaghy for a special reading of her newest work. Charlene writes stories which transport her audiences and readers into the magic embraces… and beyond.
• November 13, 2024 UNO Writer’s Workshop with Michael Hofarce
  Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  Michael Hofacre is a film editor living in Los Angeles. He has been part of the editing team on over 50 film, television, and documentary projects, working alongside directors such as Danny DeVito, Jodie Foster, Milos Forman, Michael Mann, Tran Anh Hung, Judd Apatow and Adam McKay. Independent films include The Performance, Winter in the Blood, Frankie Go Boom, and Shelter. Documentaries include Oceania, Soros, Political Animals, and Walking Man. He also directs theatre for the Central Coast Shakespeare Festival and his writing has been rejected by The Paris Review, The New Yorker, and Cahiers du Cinema. He studied theatre at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
• November 14, 2024 Resonance Beat Poetry Jam
  Razor Wire Productions Art Gallery & Tattoo, 1808 Vinton St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  Wanna try your hand at pairing your writing with music? Or maybe you’ve just never had the sublime experience of hearing the fusion? Either way, we would like to invite you! Named The Resonance for the beautiful ways these artforms play off one another. Sponsored by the Nebraska Poetry Society.
• November 20, 2024 Vocal Fry
  Shirley Tyree Theater, 2401 N 24th St.
  Omaha, 6:00 pm
  Vocal Fry is normally on the 3rd Thursday of every month, we had to move the date for November. Jewel Rodgers and Nathan Lachner, MCs with special feature: Johnny KnoGood. Vocal Fry is presented in collaboration with The Nebraska Poetry Society.
• November 21, 2024 Slam Made Simple: A Practical Approach to Competitive Poetry
  Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Blvd.
  Lincoln, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
  This workshop aims to provide insight into slam poetry. From the page to the stage, this includes writing, performance, and strategies for competitive success at a poetry slam. This workshop offers a comprehensive overview to all levels of poets. From inexperienced performers to the seasoned slammers, we will provide key takeaways for spoken word performance that can be utilized beyond this workshop. Instructed by Esman Rodas Calderon, a slam poet based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee. Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.

There’s so many upcoming literary events that it’s almost spooky! If you’re looking for something to do in October, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• October 1, 2024 Jon Volkmer Poetry Reading and Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Jon Volkmer is a prolific writer spanning genres of fiction, non-fiction, and YA. Listen as he discusses his poetry and then talk with Jon about his literary career.
• October 2, 2024 UNO Fall 2024 Writer’s Workshop Reading Series presents Lisa Fay Coutley
  University of Nebraska – Omaha, Criss Library, 6401 S University Dr Rd N.
  Omaha, 7:30 pm
  Join for UNO’s Fall 2024 Reading Series, free and open to the public! Lisa Fay Coutley is an Associate Professor of Poetry & CNF in the Writer’s Workshop at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is the author of HOST, tether, Errata, and winner of the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry Open Competition, In the Carnival of Breathing, winner of the Black River Chapbook Competition, and Small Girl: Micromemoirs. She is also the editor of the grief anthology In the Tempered Dark: Contemporary Poets Transcending Elegy.
• October 3, 2024 Virtual Book Launch Event – Pascha Sotolongo in Conversation with Timothy Schaffert: “The Only Sound is the Wind: Stories”
  Zoom, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
  Join as author Pascha Sotolongo joins in conversation with Timothy Schaffert as they celebrate her new book of stories “The Only Sound is the Wind”, which is a captivating debut collection exploring longing, loneliness, and connection, in stories that feature Cuban American characters and uncanny, speculative twists.
• October 4, 2024 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Terese Svoboda
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  First Friday book talk with Terese Svoboda, who is the author of 21 books of poetry, fiction, stories, memoir, biography, and translation. This year she is publishing two books: “The Long Swim”, winner of the Juniper Prize, and the speculative novel “Roxy and Coco”.
• October 4, 2024 Book Launch Celebration: Allison L. Bitz in Conversation with Joan F. Smith & Laura Taylor Namey: “Three Things About Emmy Crawford”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13th St.
  Lincoln, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
  Join for an evening with award-winning author Allison L. Bitz! We will be celebrating Allison’s new book “Three Things About Emmy Crawford”! Allison will be in conversation about the book and its themes with guests Joan F. Smith and Laura Taylor Namey.
• October 5 & 19, 2024 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Omaha Workshops
  Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Baldwin Conference Room, 9777 M St.
  Omaha, 10:00 am – 12:00 Noon
  A workshop designed to help veterans and active duty military personnel express their thoughts and feelings in words. Participants need only be interested in writing in any form – they do not need to have any previous writing experience to benefit from the workshops. Facilitated by professional writing instructors, the workshops consist of six to eight biweekly sessions focused on developing strategies and skills. Facilitated by Jen Stastny and Cindy Cronn.
• October 8, 2024 Visiting Author: Dr. Simon A. Wood in Conversation with Dr. Abla Hasan: “The Caliphate or Supreme Imamate”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join as the UNL Institute for Ethnic Studies welcomes Dr. Simon Wood and Dr. Abla Hasan to Francie & Finch Bookshop. Simon’s most recent work of translation brings the 1923 work “The Caliphate or Supreme Imamate” by Muhammad Rashid Rida to English-speaking professors and students for the first time.
• October 8, 2024 On Writing Presents: Zedeka Poindexter
  Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
  Every second Tuesday of the month, join us in the Benson Theatre lobby for an intimate conversation and reading with local authors of all disciplines from poetry to plays and more. This month we welcome local poetic legend and Co-Director of Nebraska Writers Collective, Zedeka Poindexter to get us in the mood for spooky season with her Stranger Things Character Poetry Book!
• October 10, 2024 Visiting Author: DeMisty D. Bellinger – “All Daughters Are Awesome Everywhere: Stories”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13th St.
  Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
  Join as DeMisty D. Bellinge, winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction, discusses her novel “All Daughters Are Awesome Everywhere: Stories”. Fantastical, sensual, and as beguilingly strange as they are insightful and real, the stories of “All Daughters Are Awesome Everywhere” are centered around intimate familial or romantic relationships, featuring protagonists who make awesome discoveries—from the beautiful to the horrible—in seemingly mundane situations. The protagonists in each story come from marginalized communities, which sometimes exacerbates their problems but always allows for unique perspectives and epiphanies.
• October 10, 2024 CUMULATE Art Installation Reveal
  Calvin T. Ryan Library, 2508 11th Ave.
  Kearney, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  The University of Nebraska at Kearney will present its newly renovated Calvin T. Ryan Library and will reveal itss newest permanent public art installation, CUMULATE, made possible through Nebraska’s 1% for Art program. CUMULATE’S visual language highlights the beauty and role of clouds in the Nebraska landscape interlacing it visually, audibly, and tangibly with the work of Nebraska poets, evoking the beauty of the Nebraska landscape and its people.
• October 11, 2024 Nebraska Celebration of Books: Literary Trivia Night
  White Elm Brewing Company, 720 Van Dorn St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 pm
  Join us for a pre-festival event at White Elm Brewing’s Tap Room. This event will feature Nebraska themed book, author, and literary trivia and $4 pints for trivia participants.
• October 12, 2024 The Nebraska Celebration of Books
  University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 1400 R St.
  Lincoln, 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
  This year’s Book Awards Celebration will be a combined event with the Nebraska Book Festival, called “The Nebraska Celebration of Books.” The event is free and open to the public, and will feature several Nebraska authors, and presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award and Jane Geske Award, as well as the announcement of the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection.
• October 12 & 26, 2024 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Lincoln Workshops
  Pius X High School Conference Room, 6000 A St. (West Entrance 11)
  Lincoln, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
  A workshop designed to help veterans and active duty military personnel express their thoughts and feelings in words. Participants need only be interested in writing in any form – they do not need to have any previous writing experience to benefit from the workshops. Facilitated by professional writing instructors, the workshops consist of six to eight biweekly sessions focused on developing strategies and skills. Facilitated by Tom Seib.
• October 13, 2024 Sunday Outside the Museum: Matt Mason and Aliyah American Horse Poetry Readings
  Purple Dragon Paper Co., 512 N. Main St.
  Fremont, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
  We’re taking Neihardt on the road! The John G. Neihardt Foundation and Paper Dragon Paper Co. will partner to host an in-store poetry reading and book signing by Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason and Regional Youth Poet Aliyah American Horse. This event is free and open to the public.
• October 16, 2024 UNO Fall 2024 Writer’s Workshop Reading Series presents Anna Monardo
  University of Nebraska – Omaha, UNO Art Gallery, 6505 University Dr S.
  Omaha, 7:30 pm
  Join for UNO’s Fall 2024 Reading Series, free and open to the public! Anna Monardo is an recipient of fellowships from Yaddo, the Djerassi Foundation, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, as well as three fellowships from the Nebraska Arts Council, she is Professor Emeritus in the Writer’s Workshop at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She grew up in Pittsburgh, with strong ties to her Calabrian family; her memoir, “After Italy: A Family Memoir of Arranged Marriage” is the story of her family’s immigration to the U.S. Her second novel, “Falling In Love with Natassia”, included excerpts first published in Prairie Schooner and nominated for Pushcart Prizes.
• October 17, 2024 How to Fall Down into the Grass: Nature Journaling Workshop by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
  Nebraska East Union, Prairie Suite, 1705 Arbor Dr.
  Lincoln, 3:30 pm
  Part of UNL’s E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues with help from the Nebraska Writers Collective and Lincoln Parks and Recreation. Poet, professor and author of “World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments”, Aimee Nezhukumatathil presents this workshop.
• October 18, 2024 How to Fall Down into the Grass: Nature Journaling Workshop by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
  Pioneers Park Nature Center, 3201 South Coddington
  Lincoln, 3:30 pm
  Part of UNL’s E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues with help from the Nebraska Writers Collective and Lincoln Parks and Recreation. Poet, professor and author of “World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments”, Aimee Nezhukumatathil presents this workshop.
• October 25, 2024 Visiting Author: Artist Edgar Jerins – “Edgar Jerins Life in Charcoal”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join Nebraska artist Edgar Jerins to celebrate his book of art, “Edgar Jerins Life in Charcoal”! This beautiful book exhibits Edgar’s talent for portraiture and capturing the human spirit in the hardest of times.
• October 26, 2024 Infecting the Text: Letting Trauma Take its Necessary Shape with Lisa Fay Coutley
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  By now you’ve heard writers—especially poets and lyric essayists—suggest that you should let your content inform your form as often as you’ve heard them say show don’t tell, though as it is with most things, both are easier said than done. The former requires us to write from the body while letting go—a feat not easily mastered by any writer and complicated even more by difficult content. Often what we need most is permission and imaginative examples. This workshop will provide you with both.
• October 16, 2024 UNO Fall 2024 Writer’s Workshop Reading Series presents Liz Kay
  University of Nebraska – Omaha, UNO Art Gallery, 6505 University Dr S.
  Omaha, 7:30 pm
  Join for UNO’s Fall 2024 Reading Series, free and open to the public! Liz Kay holds an MFA from the University of Nebraska, where she was the recipient of both an Academy of American Poets Prize and the Wendy Fort Foundation Prize for exemplary work in poetry. Her poems have appeared in such journals as Beloit Poetry Journal, RHINO, Nimrod, Willow Springs, The New York Quarterly, Iron Horse Literary Review, Redactions, and Sugar House Review. She is the author of Something to Help Me Sleep, The Witch Tells The Story And Makes It True, and Monsters: A Love Story.

Check out the NCB Calendar to stay up to date on upcoming literary events happening near you!

*The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change.
Some of this month’s events, workshops, or conferences may require registration or charge a fee. Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured.