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.