Fall into these Nebraska literary events! If you’re looking for something to do in September, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!
September 2, 2025 Jewel Rodgers Poetry Reading & Discussion Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm Rodgers spoken word poetry is electric and engaging. Her poetry inspires audiences to dig into the wells of our lives for beauty and connection.
September 4, 2025 Verse & Vibes Indigo Cottage Crafts, 2063 Creekside Dr. Papillion, 6:30 pm An open mic at an artsy space full of good vibes, and not just because of the coffee and liquor bar ;). Open to poets, authors, writers, musicians, anyone who has talent to share. Everyone is welcome. Free event. Jules Coral, MC.
September 5, 2025 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Sue William Silverman Zoom, 12:00 pm Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of eight works of nonfiction and poetry. Her new book, Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader, is a collection of flash essays.
September 6, 2025 Unleashing the Power of the Flash Essay: How to Craft Brief Prose into Publishable Art Zoom, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm The flash essay isn’t merely short; it’s a form unto itself. What makes flash, unable to rely on length for a lasting impression, still feel vast, deep, and memorable, rather than slight, anecdotal, or confined? Sue will discuss how, through structure, ellipsis, imagery, metaphor, and more, writers can transform universal themes such as loss, grief, and love into brief, illuminating work—“proseletts” with outsized abilities—to capture an editor’s notice. This event will include a prompt, time for questions-and-answers, and informal discussion. Each participant will receive a free copy of Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader by Sue William Silverman, which is a collection of flash essays. Instructed by Sue William Silverman.
September 6 & 20, 2025 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Omaha Workshops Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Baldwin Center Conference Room, 9777 M St. Omaha, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm 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.
September 8, 2025 The Last Edition of 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. Featuring Allen Stevenson. Sponsored by the Nebraska Poetry Society.
September 9, 2025 Author Event: Dr. Helen Fagan “Lead Like People Matter: What Emotional Intelligence and Neuroscience Reveal About Leadership” Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St. Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm Join as we welcome special guest, author Dr. Helen Fagan and celebrate the release of the newest edition of her book Lead Like People Matter. At the event we will also be welcoming Linked2Literacy, a beloved local non-profit with the mission of inspiring generations by providing inclusive books and literacy education through community partnerships. A portion of your purchase of Dr. Fagan’s new book will be given to the mission of Linked2Literacy.
September 9, 2025 Writing from the Fence Post ScatterJoy Acres, 4107 Waverly Rd. Murray, 5:30 – 7:30 pm A 5-week creative writing series on Tuesdays, starting September 9th thru October 7th. Week 1: “Marsupial Memoirs”: kick off with the Kangaroos & Wallabies! Enjoy sitting with all the marsupials & connect with nature while writing Memoir.
September 12, 2025 An Evening with Author Jeff Chu in Conversation with Pat Leach First Presbyterian Church, 840 S. 17th St. Lincoln, 7:00 pm Join award-winning author Jeff Chu in conversation with Pat Leach, Nebraska Center for the Book president and host of Nebraska Public Media’s All About Books, as they explore these powerful themes behind Jeff’s new book Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand. Reception to follow with an opportunity to meet the author and get your book signed! Make sure to reserve your seat!
September 13 & 27, 2025 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.
September 13, 2025 How to Sing in the Dark with Abby E. Murray Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am In this generative workshop, we’ll turn to poetry as a lifeline—reading powerful work born of upheaval, then writing our own. Come to discover how language can hold grief, spark resilience, and light the way forward. Leave with new drafts and a renewed sense of creative purpose.
September 13, 2025 Moonshell Storytelling Festival Mahoney State Park Open-Air Pavillion, 28500 W. Park Hwy. Ashland, 10:30 am – 9:30 pm A family-friendly daylong event filled with song, stories, and fun. See the event website for additional detail and updates. Free with Mahoney State Park admission; paid registration required for storytellers’ workshops at Peter Kiewit Lodge. The 2025 featured storytellers are Darrin Crow, Jeff Doyle, Carolina Quiroga, and Kim Weitkamp.
September 13, 2025 Poetry with Jewel Rodgers at The Florence Mill The Florence Mill, 9102 N 30th St. Omaha, 3:30 pm Nebraska’s New State Poet, Jewel Rogers, joins us for Poetry in the Mill at The Florence Mill. Her reading will wake you up to how lively and fun poetry can be.
September 13, 2025 Omaha Poetry Slam The Local Art Plug, 1722 St. Marys Ave, Suite 110, Omaha, 6:30 – 9:00 pm The Nebraska Writers Collective proudly presents the Omaha Poetry Slam, a monthly open mic and poetry slam, held on the second Saturday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. We will start at 7 p.m. with an open mic and then the competitive individual slam! Sign up at the event. (If you plan to compete in the slam, bring three poems.)
September 16, 2025 Writing from the Fence Post ScatterJoy Acres, 4107 Waverly Rd. Murray, 5:30 – 7:30 pm A 5-week creative writing series on Tuesdays, starting September 9th thru October 7th. Week 2: “Haikus with Cows”: Get your vibes Mooo-ving & explore your Poetic Rhymes. Create your own Haiku, Ghazal, Pantoum, and free verse.
September 18, 2025 The Poetry Pause at Joslyn Castle Art Walk Joslyn Castle & Gardens, Carriage House, 3902 Davenport St. Omaha, 5:00 – 8:00 pm Two local poets will be reading their work, talking about their creative process, and chatting with each other-and with you. Featuring Lisa Fay Coutley and Rosine Selemani.
September 18, 2025 Marcus Brotherton & Tosca Lee: “The Long March Home” Zoom, 7:00 pm Delve into World War II history with the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection! Join authors Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee as they share excerpts from The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific and discuss their approach to writing historical fiction with the National Willa Cather Foundation.
September 18, 2025 Vocal Fry Shirley Tyree Theater, 2401 N 24th St. Omaha, 7:00 pm Prepare to be moved, inspired, and electrified at the only spoken word event in Nebraska dedicated solely to the art of expression. This isn’t just another open mic night—it’s a celebration of storytelling and raw emotion, where voices from all walks of life take center stage. Nathan Lachner and State Poet Jewel Rodgers, MCs.
September 19, 2025 Book Launch Event: Alison Pearce Stevens “Detective Dogs: How Working Dogs Sniff Out Invasive Species (Books for a Better Earth)” Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St. Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm Friends of all ages, join us as we welcome back beloved Science Writer & Award-winning Children’s Author, Alison Pearce Stevens! She will be presenting and signing copies of her new book Detective Dogs: How Working Dogs Sniff Out Invasive Species (Books for a Better Earth), a lively introduction to some of North America’s most troublesome invasive species—and to the industrious dogs and handlers working to stop their spread!
September 19, 2025 Palabras Con Pan Shirley Tyree Theater, 2401 N 24th St. Omaha, 7:00 pm Palabras Con Pan or ‘Words with Bread’ is part of a themed open mic series occurring on the 3rd Friday of every month. Featuring Joanna Calel, Maritza N. Estrada, Andres DB and Angelica Perez. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, hosted by Esman Rodas Calderon with coffee and sweet bread provided by Crescent Moon Coffee and Pan Dulce Bakery.
September 23, 2025 Writing from the Fence Post ScatterJoy Acres, 4107 Waverly Rd. Murray, 5:30 – 7:30 pm A 5-week creative writing series on Tuesdays, starting September 9th thru October 7th. Week 3: “Llama tell you, life’s too short for drama!”: Stubbornness aside, strategize a short story with Pixie the Llama.
September 25, 2025 Arapahoe Library Visit with Tosca Lee Arapahoe Public Library, 306 Nebraska Ave. Arapahoe, 10:30 am Join Tosca Lee at the library in Arapahoe, where she will be talking about the research behind 2025’s One Book One Nebraska pick, and how she and co-author Marcus Brotherton teamed up to write this novel about one of the darkest chapters in WWII history inspired by real-life stories of brotherhood, hope, and sacrifice. Books will be available for purchase.
September 25, 2025 Jensen Memorial Library with Tosca Lee Jensen Memorial Library, 443 N. Kearney Ave. Minden, 2:00 pm Join Tosca Lee in Minden at Jensen Memorial Library for a One Book One Nebraska talk about the writing, research, and history behind The Long March Home! Books will be available for purchase.
September 25, 2025 Holdrege Area Public Library Visit with Tosca Lee Holdrege Area Public Library, 604 East Ave. Holdrege, 6:00 pm Join Tosca Lee in Holdredge at the library, where she will be discussing the writing, research, and impact of The Long March Home – 2025’s One Book One Nebraska! Books will be available for purchase.
September 25, 2025 The Poetry Pause Carriage House at Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport St. Omaha, 5:00 – 8:00 pm Hear two local poets, one seasoned and one just starting to make waves, read their work and chat about why they write. It’s a great place to sit down, cool off, and enjoy something a little different. The poetry is thoughtful, fun, and totally family-friendly, and you’ll even have the chance to ask the poets questions. Stop by and see what poetry sounds like when it’s shared out loud. This month’s poets are Lisa Fay Coutley and Rosine Selemani. Lisa Fay is an award-winning author of multiple poetry collections and essays, and an Associate Professor at UNO’s Writer’s Workshop. Rosine is a passionate young writer focused on telling empowering, honest stories of African and Congolese girlhood and identity.
September 25, 2025 NEWISH – Monthly Poetry Slam NOMA, 2510 N 24th St. Omaha, 7:00 – 10:00 pm We invite you to take risks, say what hasn’t been said. This is a curated space & environment for you to express yourself and grow amongst your community. Enjoy the poetry slam with live music! Registration is $10 and the grand prize is $100. Presented by the Nebraska Writers Collective and hosted by Zedeka Poindexter.
September 28, 2025 Bouteloua LitART FEST Glacier Creek Preserve, 14810 State St. Bennington, 2:00 – 6:00 pm A Celebration of Prose, Poetry, and Pottery featuring Ross Gay, Daniel Gathman, Jen Stastny, Jeff Lacey, and Nebraska State Poet Jewel Rodgers. See link for the schedule.
September 30, 2025 Writing from the Fence Post ScatterJoy Acres, 4107 Waverly Rd. Murray, 5:30 – 7:30 pm A 5-week creative writing series on Tuesdays, starting September 9th thru October 7th. Week 4: “Goats: the original kings and queens of the hill”: Chill in the Goat Yard & focus on fantasy or fables.
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.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tessa Timperley 402-471-3434 800-307-2665
Nebraska’s 2025 Book Award Winners Announced
Celebrate Nebraska’s 2025 Book Award winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Celebration of Book’s (NCOB) literary festival. Held at the UNL City Campus Union on November 15th, winners of the 2025 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the celebration which will include author roundtables during the festival and an awards ceremony. The ceremony will feature readings by some of the winning authors, designers, and illustrators of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2024. And the winners are:
Teen Novel: Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better by Mylisa Larsen. Publisher: Clarion Books.
Cover/Illustration: Animal Climate Heroesby Alison Pearce Stevens, illustrated by Jason Ford. Publisher: Godwin Books.
Cover/Illustration Honor: Do You Know the Value of You? by Isabelle Hall, illustrated by Megan Earley. Publisher: Joyful Page Press.
Design: Creative Genius: The Art of the Nebraska Capitol by Susanne Shore, Kevin Moser, and Drew Davies. Publisher: Bison Books.
Fiction: Isamu’s American Dream by D. D. Davenport. Publisher: Donald D Davenport.
Fiction Honor: Sacrificial Animals: A Novel by Kailee Pedersen. Publisher: St. Martin’s Press.
Nonfiction Biography:Most Honorable Son: A Forgotten Hero’s Fight Against Fascism and Hate During World War II by Gregg Jones. Publisher: Citadel Press.
Nonfiction Conservation:Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes by Michael Forsberg. Publisher: Michael Forsberg Photography.
Nonfiction History: Journey to Freedom: Uncovering the Grayson Sisters’ Escape from Nebraska Territory by Gail Shaffer. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.
Nonfiction Memoir:Running Naked: Surviving the Legacy of Family in Rural Nebraska by Colby Coash. Publisher: Cahoy & Crook.
Nonfiction Nebraska as Place: The Nebraska Sandhills edited by Monica M. Norby, Judy Diamond, Aaron Sutherlen, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Kim Hachiya, Douglas A. Norby, and Michael Forsberg. Publisher: Bison Books.
Poetry: The Watching Sky by Judy Brackett Crowe. Publisher: Cornerstone Press.
Poetry Honor: Those We Can No Longer See: New and Selected Poems by Bob Ross. Publisher: Stephen F. Austin University Press.
This year’s Book Awards winners will be honored at the Nebraska Celebration of Books, which aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors. Held, Saturday, November 15th, from 10:00am-4:30pm, on the second floor of the UNL City Campus Union and Jackie Gaughn Multicultural Center. The event will feature 2025 One Book One Nebraska author Tosca Lee, past and present State Poets Matt Mason and Jewel Rodgers, book vendors, publishers, and presentation of the Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award and Jane Geske Award, and the 2026 One Book One Nebraska announcement.
The 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection, The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee (Revell, 2023) will be featured with an author talk by Nebraska Author Tosca Lee.
The Nebraska Book Awards are sponsored and facilitated by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission.
The Nebraska Celebration of Books (NCOB) host sponsors include Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln City Libraries, and Francie and Finch Bookshop. Humanities Nebraska provides support for One Book One Nebraska program.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
