Spring into action and get involved! If you’re looking for something to do in February, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!
March 1, 2026 Salon Reading Series: “Shakespeare’s Skull” Turbine Flats, Resonator Gallery, 2124 Y 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 2025-26 is “Find Your Place.” This month’s feature is Shakespeare’s Skull by Rich Rubin, aa comedy based on a legend – a legend that may be closer to truth than to fiction.
March 3, 2026 Book Launch: Carolyn Zeisset “Caught in the Middle” Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St. Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm Join us as we welcome back author and historian Carolyn Zeisset as she presents her newest novel for kids and adults, Caught in the Middle, a story about twelve-year-old Alice who is caught between childhood and adulthood, changing women’s roles, and World War I America and a German-speaking, peace-church heritage. The novel follows Alice as she must decide who she is.
March 3, 2026 Kim McNealy Sosin Poetry Reading & Discussion Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm Kim McNealy Sosin’s poems evoke small-town Nebraska in the ’40s and ’50s—childhood joys, family ties, and the bittersweet truths of growing up.
March 4, 2026 Visiting Writer Series – Tyler Jacobs Northeast Community College, Union 73 Coffee Shop, 801 E Benjamin Ave. Norfolk, 4:00 pm Tyler Michael Jacobs is the author of The Weight of Drought and Building Brownville. His words have appeared in Passages North, Variant Literature, Plainsongs, Pidgeonholes, Sierra Nevada Review, and elsewhere. His poems have also been featured on Nebraska Public Media’s Friday LIVE. He received his MFA from Bowling Green State University.
March 5, 2026 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.
March 6, 2026 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Katherine Wela Bogen Zoom, 12:00 pm Join Katherine Wela Bogen, who in her own words says she is “first, a storyteller; second, a scholar-activist; and third, a joyful little freak.” In her propulsive debut novel, Queering Him, Bogen chronicles the scalding-hot story of millennial enemies turned lovers Avra and Kieran.
March 8, 2026 Nebraska Poet Project Exhibit Grand Opening The John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, 306 W. Elm St. Bancroft, 2:00 – 4:00 pm Featuring Jewel Rogers, Nebraska State Poet; Matt Mason, Nebraska State Poet 2019-2024; and Zedeka Poindexter, performance poet and co-executive director of the Nebraska Writers Collective; at the grand opening of the Nebraska Poet Project exhibit by artist Stephanie Meisterling.
March 11 – April 15, 2026 What’s Your American Story? A Writing Workshop with Matt Mason La Vista Public Library, 9110 Giles Rd. La Vista, Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:30 pm Participants will examine their connections with the founding of the United States through an exploration of the written word. With the help of the instructor, participants will put pen to paper using their personal stories to create poems and other written works. At the end of the seven weeks, a public reception and reading will be held. Enrolling commits you to attending the full seven week course. Workshop is for ages 55+, registration is free. Enroll by March 7.
March 13, 2026 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Rasaq Malik St Mark’s on the Campus, 1309 R St. Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm Guests may study, write, read, relax, sit, talk, and generally socialize with friends over coffee, tea, and other beverages from opening at 5:30 pm until 6:00 pm when Rasaq Malik will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
March 14, 2026 Poetry Writing Workshop: Spring Into Nature Through Verse Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am Joining the natural world with the written word is the focus of this workshop, which is a perfect time to wake up with the spring season. We will ease the greening of the world with the greening of our poetry. Bring your green thumbs, or just an appreciation of Mother Nature and all that she provides us with! Led by Julie Paschold. Pre-registration is required.
March 14, 2026 In Good Company: A Community Renga and Paper Art Workshop Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd. Lincoln, 1:00 – 4:00 pm Renga is a classical Japanese form of poetry from which the beloved and well-known haiku was derived. In the first half of this workshop, Henry Zander will introduce participants to this fascinating type of poetry and provide an experience in writing one. It’s half-game, half-poetry, and all very good community fun. We’ll cover the basics via Hiroaki Sato’s One-Hundred Frogs, get into the weeds, back out of them, and end with a paper art project to display our mutual efforts. In the second half of the workshop, Sally Cox will share techniques of folding, cutting, and glueing paper to create fun pop-up structures. Participants will make several different projects to take home, and to contribute to a community project.
March 14, 2026 Book Launch: Alison Pearce Stevens – “When Beavers Move In” Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St. Lincoln, 4:30 – 6:00 pm Join us as we welcome back beloved children’s author Alison Pearce Stevens as she brings hands on demonstrations to dive us into the world of her newest book When Beavers Move In!
March 19, 2026 Writers in Conversation – Third Thursday with Shyla Ann Shehan and Julie McCabe-Johanning Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd. Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:30 pm Each month Writers in Conversation invites two writers at differing stages of their writing career to share their work and engage one another in conversation about the craft of creative writing. The conversation is then opened to the entire audience for a lively discussion of all things literary. Join for discussion between writers Shyla Ann Shehan and Julie McCabe-Johanning.
March 19, 2026 Virtual Author Series: Garrett Peck – “The Bright Edges of the World: Willa Cather and Her Archbishop” Zoom, 7:00 – 8:00 pm Deepen your understanding of one of Willa Cather’s most celebrated novels! In The Bright Edges of the World, Garrett Peck explores how Cather’s travels to the Southwest inspired her writing. She visited the Southwest six times between 1912 and 1926, and from these journeys came three novels, the last of which was Death Comes for the Archbishop. Through Cather’s letters, postcards, articles, and interviews, Peck traces how integral travel was to Cather’s imagination while highlighting the vital contribution that Cather’s longtime partner, Edith Lewis, made to the story.
March 19, 2026 Writes of Passage UNO’s Criss Library, 6401 S University Dr Rd N. Omaha, 7:00 – 9:00 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. Hosted in the intimate and immersive setting where every performance feels personal. Whether you’re a longtime lover of spoken word or a curious newcomer, this event guarantees an unforgettable night of connection and creativity. Featuring Sam Nichols and Allen Stevenson as MCs.
March 20, 2026 Spoken Word, Featured Reading and Open Mic The Ellery, 1247 S 11th St. Lincoln, 7:00 pm A spoken word featured reading and open mic hosted by Esman Rodas Calderon. After the event, you’re invited to join Write After, a writing group that meets around the conclusion of this event, around 8:30 or 9:00. This month’s theme is “Beginner’s Luck: Poetry slam”.
March 23-26, 2026 All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival Preliminary Bouts UNL City Campus, Swanson Auditorium, 1400 R St. Lincoln, 5:30 & 7:30 All Writes Reserved empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. At the end of each school year, the Nebraska Writers Collective hosts our spoken word poetry festival where students share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. These events run March 23-April 28 with high schools and middle schools competing in a team poetry slam competition.
March 30-31, 2026 All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival Preliminary Bouts Revive Center, 2402 Lizzie Robinson Ave. Omaha, 5:30 & 7:30 All Writes Reserved empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. At the end of each school year, the Nebraska Writers Collective hosts our spoken word poetry festival where students share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. These preliminary bout events run March 23-April 28 with high schools and middle schools competing in a team poetry slam competition.
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.
Where Nebraska Center for the Book board members share their thoughts about the books they are reading. This month’s review is by Richard Miller.
Review of Slow Horses by Mick Herron.
Slow Horses, by Mick Herron is a British fiction spy thriller about MI5 and Slough House, the agency’s dumping ground for agents who have failed in some way in their operations for the agency. The story begins with what appears to be a major blunder on the part of River Cartwright which resulted in damage done by a suicide bomber – millions in destruction, hundreds of train commuters killed, and transportation disrupted. Turns out that the explosion never occurred – it was an exercise. Nevertheless, River is blamed for the failure and is demoted to working with the other “slow horses” at Slough House.
This title is a fast read and packed with characters such as River’s grandfather known as O.B. (Old Bastard) who once was a super spy with MI5; and Jackson Lamb, the flatulent and disgusting head of Slough House. The main plot centers around a Pakistani hostage taken by a right-wing group threatening to cut off his head while online.
A fast read indeed, gifted to me by my daughter. Apparently there is a TV movie of the book starring Gary Oldman as the disgusting Jackson Lamb. Highly recommended.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Bailee Juroshek 402-471-4002 800-307-2665
Nominations Open for the 2026 Nebraska Book Awards
The 2026 Nebraska Book Awards program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book (NCB) and Nebraska Library Commission, will recognize and honor books that are written by Nebraska authors and illustrators, published by Nebraska publishers, set in Nebraska, or relate to Nebraska.
Books published in 2025, as indicated by the copyright date, are eligible for nomination. They must be professionally published, have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and be bound. Books may be entered in one or more of the following categories: Nonfiction, Fiction, Children/Young Adult, Cover/Design/Illustration, and Poetry. Winners in each category will be honored at the Fall 2026 Nebraska Celebration of Book Literary Festival in Lincoln on October 24th.
Books may be entered in one of two ways, either complete the Online Entry Form and submit payment through PayPal, then mail three copies of the book to the below address. Or, mail the Entry Form [pdf], three copies of the book, and the entry fee via a check made out to the Nebraska Center for the Book to the below address.
NCB Book Awards Competition c/o Nebraska Library Commission The Atrium 1200 N Street, Suite 120 Lincoln, NE 68508-2023
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.”
