Deadline for Nebraska Letters About Literature Writing Contest Approaches

Posted on December 2, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 2, 2025

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-4002
800-307-2665

Deadline for Nebraska Letters About Literature Writing Contest Approaches

Nebraska students have one month left to submit their letter in the state-wide Letters About Literature reading and writing contest. Readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Nebraska Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a state reading and writing promotion program. The letter can be to any author (living or dead) from any genre-fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic-explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s view of the world. Submissions must be completed online by the end of the day December 31, 2025. Nebraska Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Lincoln City Libraries, Francie & Finch Bookshop, and Humanities Nebraska.

The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select a winner and an honorable mention per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2026. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners and honorable mentions will receive state prizes.

Teachers, librarians, and parents can download the contest guidelines, free teaching materials, information on the online entry system, and past winning letters on the Nebraska Center for the Book website. An informational NCompass Live webinar aired on October 1st, discussing this year’s contest, the submission process, and judging criteria. For more information contact Nebraska Center for the Book.

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.”

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.

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Upcoming Events in December

Posted on December 1, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

Fill your winter days with some literary fun! If you’re looking for something to do in December, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

  • December 2, 2025 Allison Adelle Hedge Coke Poetry Reading & Discussion
    Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    Hedge Coke’ poems form a taxonomy of threatened lives — human, plant, and animal — in a century marked by climate emergency. Her ecopoetry insists upon a reckoning and resistance with and redress of America’s continuing violence toward Earth and its peoples.
  • December 4, 2025 Visiting Author: Susan Bruzas “Turning on the Light: My Mysterious Illness and the Year that Transformed Me”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Welcome Nebraskamemoirist Susan Bruzas to Francie & Finch Bookshop. She will be reading from her new book Turning on the Light: My Mysterious Illness and the Year that Transformed Me. “This powerful new memoir shines a light on the silent struggle of a life-threatening, unexplained illness—and the resilience it takes to reclaim your life when the odds are against you.” –Kirk House Publishers.
  • December 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.
  • December 5, 2025 First Friday Book Talk & Reading w/ Abby E. Murray
    Zoom, 12:00 pm
    Abby E. Murray is the editor of Collateral, a literary journal concerned with the impact of violent conflict and military service beyond the combat zone. They’ve spent their adult life writing and researching conflict, contradiction, and the necessity of voice. Their first book, Hail and Farewell, won the Perugia Press Poetry Prize and was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award, and their second book, Recovery Commands, won the Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Prize from Ex Ophidia Press and has been nominated for the National Book Award. Abby served as the 2019-2021 poet laureate for the city of Tacoma, Washington, and currently teaches writing to Army War College fellows at the University of Washington.
  • December 6, 2025 Writing Autobiographical Poetry with Todd Robinson
    Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
    Turn your life into art. In this workshop, we will explore how autobiographical poetry can honor both your magnificence and your messy humanity. You will leave with new ways to tell your story with beauty and depth.
  • December 6, 2025 25th Annual Teen Poetry Bash
    Omaha Public Library, Milton R. Abrahams Branch, 5111 N. 90th St.
    Omaha, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
    Whether you’re a poet or you just appreciate poetry, join us in celebrating this milestone! All Writes Reserved coaches from Nebraska Writers Collective will serve as the judges and host. Interested in competing for the prize? Contestants must be in grades 8-12 and be a resident of Douglas County, Nebraska, or its surrounding Metro area. Check out the official rules for complete details!
  • December 7, 2025 The Poet as Historian: John G. Neihardt and Gerard M. Hopkins
    The John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, 306 W. Elm St.
    Bancroft, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
    The last “Sunday at the Museum” of the year will features a popular Humanities Nebraska speaker and one of our favorite historians, Nancy Gillis, with The Poet as Historian: John G. Neihardt and Gerard M. Hopkins. This presentation provides a look at how a poet writes of an historical event differently than an academic historian by comparing the work of two contemporary poets, the American John G. Neihardt and the English Anglican Priest Gerard M. Hopkins, and how each relates a tragic historical event. Gillis believes “if you want to learn the facts, read the textbooks, but if you want to feel them, read the poets.” Admission is free. A light reception will follow.
  • December 10, 2025 Visiting Author: Tom Chorneau “Mrs. Cook and the Klan: Booze, Bloodshed, and Bigotry in America’s Heartland”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Tom Chorneau will discuss his book Mrs. Cook and the Klan, a true crime investigation that not only sheds new light on Myrtle Underwood Cook’s unsolved killing but also explores the confluence of the social, political, and economic forces that brought the Klan, lawless street gangs, a local mob boss, and the temperance movement together in a small American town.
  • December 12, 2025 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Stephen Buhler, Reading from Ted Kooser’s Poetry
    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 Steve Buhler reading for Ted Kooser will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
  • December 13, 2025 BookFest Omaha 2025
    IBEW Hall, 13306 Stevens St.
    Omaha, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
    Mark this event on your calendar! BookFest Omaha will host a variety of local authors and craft vendors. This is the perfect festival to complete your holiday shopping, with truly special products created by local writers and crafters: affordable gifts that can be personalized for your loved one.
  • December 17, 2025 Book Launch: Carole Levin “The Reign and Life of Queen Elizabeth I: Politics, Culture, and Society”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Join us as we celebrate the release of Carole Levin’s latest book The Reign and Life of Queen Elizabeth I: Politics, Culture, and Society! “A result of Levin’s nonpareil archival research and decades of her seminal scholarship on Queen Elizabeth I, this book situates meticulously researched facts about Elizabeth’s queenship within broader political, religious, social, and cultural issues, developments, and events. The Reign and Life of Queen Elizabeth I is both an encyclopedia and textbook, and it will serve as an invaluable asset for teachers, students, and scholars alike. This book is a treasury of new information that clarifies and illuminates the historical record and brings Elizabeth’s world to life like never before.” –Anna Riehl Bertolet, Auburn University, USA.

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.

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The Antidote: A Novel Chosen as 2026 One Book One Nebraska

Posted on November 17, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 17, 2025

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

The Antidote: A Novel Chosen as 2026 One Book One Nebraska

People across Nebraska are encouraged to read the work set in Nebraska—and then talk about it with their friends and neighbors. The Antidote: A Novel (Knopf, 2025) by Karen Russell is the 2026 One Book One Nebraska selection.

The Antidote is a historical fiction novel during the dust bowl, set in a fictional town in rural Nebraska.

Karen Russell’s The Antidote is a haunting Dust Bowl epic that blends historical fiction with magical realism. Set in 1930s Nebraska, the novel follows Antonina Rossi—known as “the Antidote,” a prairie witch who stores memories—and the Oletsky family as they endure the devastation of Black Sunday’s dust storm and the catastrophic flooding of the Republican River. Through interwoven narratives, Russell explores themes of memory, resilience, and survival amid environmental collapse, crafting a lyrical meditation on how communities confront trauma and corruption while clinging to hope.

Karen Russell is the author of six books of fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove. She is a MacArthur Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She has received two National Magazine Awards for Fiction, the Shirley Jackson Award, the 2023 Bottari Lattes Grinzane Prize, and the 2024 Mary McCarthy Prize. The Antidote is a finalist for the National Book Award and a national bestseller. She serves on the board of Street Books, a mobile library for people living outdoors. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, son, and daughter.

Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events that will encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities will be available after January 1, 2026 at http://onebook.nebraska.gov. Updates and activity listings will be posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska.

2026 will mark the twenty-second year of the One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. The Nebraska Center for the Book invites recommendations for One Book One Nebraska book selection year-round at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp.

One Book One Nebraska is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Center for the Book 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 housed at and supported by 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.”

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.      

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Nebraska Center for the Book Honors 2025 Award Recipients at Literary Festival

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 7, 2025

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Bailee Juroshek
402-471-4002
800-307-2665

Nebraska Center for the Book Honors 2025 Award Recipients at Literary Festival

The Nebraska Center for the Book is proud to announce the recipients of its three distinguished literary honors: the Jane Geske Award, the Mildred Bennett Award, and the President’s Award, at the 2025 Nebraska Celebration of Books Literary Festival, held Saturday, November 15th, at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln City Campus Union and Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.

This year’s Jane Geske Award will be presented to Delivering Infinite Bookshelves, a transformative literacy initiative that sends a book home with students each night to foster reading habits and support school and public library efforts. The program has demonstrated remarkable success in schools where students have historically struggled and has expanded its reach across Nebraska beyond Omaha. The award, supported by the Center for the Book, honors organizations making long-term contributions to literacy, reading, and writing in Nebraska.

This year’s Mildred Bennett Award will be presented to Ashley Olson, Executive Director of the Willa Cather Foundation, for her outstanding contributions to Nebraska’s literary tradition. Olson’s leadership has elevated the Foundation’s national profile, including her role in placing Littleton Alston’s statue of Willa Cather in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. Her work has drawn acclaimed authors to Red Cloud, spearheaded successful capital campaigns, and expanded the Foundation’s digital reach – creating a lasting literary landmark that enriches both scholarship and community.

This year, the Nebraska Center for the Book honors Christine Walsh and Tessa Timperley with the President’s Award for their exceptional service to the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska’s literary community.

Christine Walsh served multiple terms as president of the Nebraska Center for the Book, offering steady leadership and innovative direction, especially during the challenges of the pandemic. Her participation in the 2024 National Center for the Book strategic planning process ensured that Nebraska’s voice was heard at the national level. Her work reflects a deep commitment to collaboration, kindness, and literary excellence.

Tessa Timperley has provided the Nebraska Center for the Book invaluable behind-the-scenes support for years, enabling volunteers to carry out their work with efficiency and confidence. Her competence, humor, and collaborative spirit have made her an essential part of the Center’s success and a respected figure in Nebraska’s literary landscape.

The Celebration of Books will also feature readings by 2025 Nebraska Book Award winners, author panels, book vendors, and appearances by State Poets Jewel Rodgers and Matt Mason, along with Tosca Lee, author of the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection. The 2026 One Book One Nebraska title will be revealed during the event.

For more information, visit bookfestival.nebraska.gov.

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.

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Upcoming Events in November

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

Cozy up and enjoy these autumn festivities! If you’re looking for something to do in November, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

  • November 2, 2025 Visiting Publication: Meet the Flatwater Free Press
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
    Join us at Francie & Finch Bookshop as we welcome our friends from the Flatwater Free Press! Lincoln reporter Emily Wolf and Managing Editor Ryan Hoffman will be here to let us know what they’ve been working on, listen to guests share what stories they think FFP should work on next, and to hand out their 2025 Commemorative Edition newspaper!
  • November 4, 2025 Charles Fort Poetry Reading & Discussion
    Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    Fort’s poetry demonstrates, unequivocally, that he is a master of his craft. By turns surreal, tender, terrifying, absurd, and soulful, Fort’s work churns with passionate, forceful expression.
  • November 5, 2025 UNO Writer’s Workshop Fall 2025 Reading Series with Jonathan Lethem
    University of Nebraska Omaha, Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom, 6203 S University Dr Rd N.
    Omaha, 7:30 pm
    Jonathan is a novelist, essayist, and short story writer. The “bard of Brooklyn” (LitHub) is the author of more than a dozen books—including the much-lauded novels The Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn, which was adapted into a full-length film. He is the winner of a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2021, Lethem was named a Library Lion by the New York Public Library, an honor that recognizes individuals who make significant cultural and educational contributions. He holds an honorary doctorate by the Pratt Institute and is the second-ever Roy E. Disney Chair in Creative Writing at Pomona College, succeeding David Foster Wallace. Lethem’s writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, Rolling Stone, Esquire, New York Times, TheParis Review, The Believer, Granta, and McSweeney’s. He also served as a guest director at the 45th Telluride Film Festival.
  • November 6, 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.
  • November 7, 2025 First Friday Book Talk & Reading w/ Theodore Wheeler
    Zoom, 12:00 pm
    Theodore Wheeler is the award-winning author of four books of fiction, notably the USA Today bestseller The War Begins in Paris and the Amazon bestseller Kings of Broken Things, both of which won Nebraska Book Awards. He has won fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Nebraska Arts Council, and Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany. For fourteen years Wheeler worked as a journalist and he now teaches creative writing in the English Department at Creighton University.
  • November 7, 2025 Youth Laureate Poetry Party
    Sozo Coffeehouse, 1314 Jones St
    Omaha, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
    This event features a writing workshop on connecting the abstract and the concrete as well as readings by current and former Youth Poets Laureate and finalists. Free food and drinks, all youth poets (ages 13-19) and parents are welcome.
  • November 8, 2025 Pop Culture Poems with Courtney LeBlanc
    Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
    What can your favorite band, movie, or childhood toy reveal about your inner world? Join poet Courtney LeBlanc to explore pop culture as a poetic lens in this fun, generative workshop.
  • November 10, 2025 Visiting Author: John Stevens Berry “Second Comings, Final Tour”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Join Berry Law founder and Pulitzer nominated poet, John Stevens Berry as he presents his newest book of poetry Second Comings, Final Tour. Berry is a decorated Vietnam Veteran, Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, and a Baker Street Irregular. His poetry reflects on service, justice, and the human condition — a powerful commentary on a life of meaning and impact.
  • November 12, 2025 Visiting Author: Ilana Masad “Beings: A Novel”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Join Max Perry Mueller in conversation with Gabriel Bruguier of the Yankton Sioux Tribe about Mueller’s new book Wakara’s America: The Life and Legacy of a Native Founder of the American West. The book discusses the forgotten life and complex legacies of Wakara, the mighty, once-notorious Native leader whose battles and conquests shaped the American West.
  • November 13, 2025 Visiting Author: Max Perry Mueller in conversation with Gabriel Bruguier “Wakara’s America”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    From the celebrated author of All My Mother’s Lovers, comes a new novel based on true events asks whether extraterrestrial life might be what ties us to one another, to history, and to reality itself. Join author Ilana Masad as she presents her new novel Beings!
  • November 14, 2025 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Tyler Michael Jacobs and Kiara Letcher
    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 Tyler Michael Jacobs and Kiara Letcher will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
  • November 14, 2025 Literary Trivia Night
    White Elm Brewing’s Tap Room, 720 Van Dorn St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 pm
    Join us for a pre-festival event for the Nebraska Celebration of Books. This event will feature Nebraska themed book, author, and literary trivia and $4 pints for triva participants.
  • ONovember 14, 2025 Author Event with Kailee Pedersen and “Sacrificial Animals”
    Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
    Lincoln, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
    Join Nebraska Book Award Winner Kailee Pedersen at Sower Books to discuss her brand novel, Sacrificial Animals.
  • November 15, 2025 Nebraska Celebration of Books
    UNL Union and Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, 1400 R St.
    Lincoln, 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
    The Nebraska Celebration of Books (N.COB) aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors, the festival will honor the 2025 Nebraska Book Award authors, and will feature the State Poet Jewel Rodgers and past State Poet Matt Mason, 2025 One Book One Nebraska author Tosca Lee, writing workshops, book vendors, publishers, independent authors, presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award and Jane Geske Award, and announcement of the 2026 One Book One Nebraska selection.
  • November 15, 2025 Poetry Writing Workshop: To Verse or Not to Verse?
    Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
    Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
    When do you know whether to keep a freeform poem all together or to break it up into verses or stanzas? When to add shape, or a tab or two? Explore final touches of freeform poetry with Julie S. Paschold in this poetry writing workshop. Bring a poem you are currently working on, or choose to write from one of our prompts. Pre-registration is required. Cost: $20 | Garden members: $15.
  • November 17, 2025 Poetry Writing Workshop: The Ekphrastic Poem?
    Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
    Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
    Beat the winter blues with Julie S. Paschold, by diving into ekphrastic poetry, a form of poetry where the topic is based off of a work of art. Have your favorite piece in mind, or find inspiration from one of the artworks we bring and get ready to write! Pre-registration is required. Cost: $20 | Garden members: $15.
  • Novemberv 17, 2025 Tosca Lee at Seward Memorial Library
    Seward Memorial Library, 233 S 5th St.
    Seward, 6:30 pm
    Join Tosca Lee at the library for a discussion of the research and writing of The Long March Home, 2025’s One Book One Nebraska! Books will be available for sale from Chapters Books & Gifts.
  • November 19, 2025 UNO Writer’s Workshop Fall 2025 Reading Series with Nebraska Film Initiative
    Benson Theatre, 6054 Maple St.
    Omaha, 7:30 pm
    Short films by MJ Atyai and Sam Dubas, produced by the Nebraska Film Initiative with support by BeWildReWild.org. MJ, also known as Kamari, is a screenwriter currently residing in Omaha. They graduated from UNO with a degree in Journalism, Creative Media concentration, and minored in screenwriting and Black Studies. They have worked on two film sets and are excited to continue working in the film industry and explore different roles. Outside of screenwriting, they are a photographer and dungeon master for a wonderful D&D party. Born and raised in Bellevue, Sam is currently pursuing a Bachelors Degree at UNO. He has recently begun pursuing writing as a more defined role for his career, and is actively working toward a minor in screenwriting.
  • November 20, 2025 Vocal Fry
    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. Tonight Featuring Nathan B. Wise, with Sam Nichols and Allen Stevenson as MCs.
  • November 22, 2025 Visiting Author: John T. Price “Goethe’s Oak: A Holocaust Story”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
    Join as author John T. Price reads from his newest work of non-fiction, Goethe’s Oak: A Holocaust Story. Writing from the perspective of the legendary Goethe’s Oak, John T. Price reimagines and honors the life of an extraordinary tree. Drawing on centuries of human remembrances, from the tree’s namesake, writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, to prisoners at Buchenwald in the 1940s, Price intertwines their stories with recent scientific research into the underground communication networks of trees.
  • November 23, 2025 Larksong’s 5th Birthday Celebration
    Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
    Lincoln, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
    Larksong Writers Place is turning five years old, and we want to celebrate with the community that made it all possible! Join us for an afternoon of bubbly, sweet treats, and great conversation as we raise a glass to five wonderful years of writing, creativity, and connection. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or you’re just discovering Larksong, we’d love to see you.
  • November 27, 2025 NEWISH Poetry Slam
    North Omaha Music and Arts – NOMA, 2510 N 24th St.
    Omaha, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
    NEWISH is presented by the Nebraska Writers Collective and hosted by Zedeka Poindexter at NOMA. 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.

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.

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Friday Reads: One Book One Nebraska Shortlist Books

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

I’m breaking with tradition and using my Friday Reads post to talk about the three books on the short list for the 2026 One Book One Nebraska selection. We wanted to give a short overview of each book, some author information, and include comments by the readers on the selection committee. The winner will be announced Saturday, November 15th at the Nebraska Celebration of Books literary festival’s awards ceremony. Let us know which book you would pick to be the next One Book One Nebraska read, or nominate a book to be considered for 2027.

Our Souls at Night, Kent Haruf. Vintage Books/Penguin Random House, 2015. Genre: Fiction

Set in contemporary Colorado, Haruf has crafted a love story between a widow and her widower neighbor. Life has given them a second chance to find happiness despite the nosiness of the townsfolk and a lack of support from family members.  Readers found it consistent with Haruf’s previous novels. One evaluator described this love story as “genuine.”

Haruf authored six novels. He previously lived in Lincoln while teaching at Nebraska Wesleyan. He was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the New Yorker Book Award. He died in 2014. The book was published posthumously and was adapted into a film.

Lisa Kelly previously reviewed this title for Friday Reads, and you can read that review here.

The Antidote, Karen Russell. Knopf, 2025. Genre: Fiction

Set in western Nebraska in the 1930’s, Russell’s novel includes two actual events—the Black Sunday dust storm and the flooding of the Republican River.  The main character is the Antidote who magically handles memories. The novel includes a variety of interesting characters whose lives intersect in dramatic ways. One evaluator noted that the book “has lots of good topics for discussion.”

Russell has authored six books of fiction. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for her novel Swamplandia!  She also received the Shirley Jackson Award and the 2024 Mary McCarthy Prize.  The Antidote is on the long list for the 2025 National Book Award for Fiction. Russell lives in Portland, Oregon.

Rod Wagner previously reviewed this title for Friday Reads, and you can read that review here.

Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky, Joel Sartore. Nebraska Book Publishing, 1999. Genre: Photography/Nonfiction

This is Joel Sartore’s second book. It contains photographs of Nebraska from every section of the state. Compiled early in his career, it was prompted by his desire to show others the full range of his home state. Photos range from Sandhill cranes to the Sower to small town sports to rodeos to Carhenge to Memorial Stadium–to mention just a few.  One  committee member liked both the photos and Sartore’s humor, adding “I think there could be some good discussions about living in Nebraska.”

Joel Sartore lives in Lincoln, Nebraska and has been a contributor to National Geographic as well Audubon Magazine, Time, Lif

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2025 Celebration of Nebraska Books Literary Festival

Posted on October 27, 2025 by Tessa Timperley

Nebraskans should bookmark their calendars for the 2025 Nebraska Celebration of Books (N.COB) Literary Festival. Held on Saturday, November 15th, from 10:00am-5:30pm, this literary event will be on the second floor of the UNL City Campus Union and Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center in downtown Lincoln. The event aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors, the festival will honor the 2025 Nebraska Book Award authors, and will feature the State Poet Jewel Rodgers and past State Poet Matt Mason, 2025 One Book One Nebraska author Tosca Lee, writing workshops, book vendors, publishers, independent authors, presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award and Jane Geske Award, and announcement of the 2026 One Book One Nebraska selection.

Winners of the 2025 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the celebration which will include author roundtables, book signings, and a reception, with the awards ceremony directly after at 4:30. The ceremony will feature short acceptance speeches and readings by the winning authors and illustrators. Book award categories include fiction, nonfiction, children/young adult, poetry, and cover/design/illustration, all winning books have a Nebraska connection and were published in 2024. The ceremony will also feature the presentation of the Mildred Bennett and Jane Geske Awards. For more information about the festival and to stay up to date on the featured authors and speakers visit bookfestival.nebraska.gov

The festival will have a kickoff event Friday evening at White Elm Brewing, 720 Van Dorn Street in Lincoln. This event begins at 5:30 and will feature literary trivia, drinks, and good conversations.

The Nebraska Celebration of Books (NCOB) sponsors include Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln City Libraries, Omaha Public Library, Francie and Finch Bookshop, Flatwater Free Press, and Great Plains Audiobooks. Humanities Nebraska provides support for One Book One Nebraska program.

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Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors

Posted on October 1, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 1, 2025

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors

Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Nebraska Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a state reading and writing promotion program. The letter can be to any author (living or dead) from any genre: fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic – explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s view of the world. Submissions must be completed online October 1 – December 31, 2025. Nebraska Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Lincoln City Libraries, Francie & Finch Bookshop, and Humanities Nebraska.

The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select a winner and an honorable mention per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2026. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners and honorable mentions will receive state prizes.

Teachers, librarians, and parents can download the contest guidelines, free teaching materials, information on the online entry system, and past winning letters on the Nebraska Center for the Book website. An informational NCompass Live webinar aired on October 1st, discussing this year’s contest, the submission process, and judging criteria, with a recorded session soon available. For more information contact Nebraska Center for the Book.

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.”

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases .

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Upcoming Events in October

Posted on September 30, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

Don’t be scared, go and check out these Nebraska events! If you’re looking for something to do in October, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

  • October 1, 2025 Visiting Author: River Selby in conversation with Timothy Schaffert “Hotshot: A Life on Fire”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    You don’t want to miss this visit from author River Selby. River will be in conversation with Timothy Schaffert presenting Hotshot: A Life on Fire! Learn more about this fascinating memoir about high stakes adventure, personal growth, and humanity below.
  • October 1, 2025 Omaha Reads: Bilingual Poetry Workshop
    Willa Cather Branch Library, 1905 S. 44th St.
    Omaha, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
    Join Angelica Perez of the Nebraska Writers Collective for a bilingual poetry workshop inspired by Solito by Javier Zamora. Angelica is bilingual and brings experience helping poets express their voices in the language that feels most authentic. This is a free event. Online registration is required.
  • October 2, 2025 The Crescent Moon Writers’ Night: Open Mic
    Carhenge, 2151 Co Rd 59.
    Alliance, 6:00 pm
    Matt Mason, Nebraska’s State Poet from 2019-2024, reads at Carhenge. Sponsored by the Alliance Creative District. This is a BYO-Chair event.
  • October 2, 2025 Vocal Fry
    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.
  • October 3, 2025 Visiting Writers: Teo Shannon, Saddiq Dzukogi, and Alina Nguyen
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Join and welcome talented writers Teo Shannon, Saddiq Dzukogi, and Alina Nguyen! Teo will be in conversation with Saddiq and Alina about his new book of poetry A Chronology of Blood: Poems. This debut collection of poetry casts an unflinching eye on the issues in the author’s life which includes themes of sexual abuse, gun violence, and conversion therapy. The poems in A Chronology of Blood embrace trauma survivors, the LGBTQ+ community, and lovers of poetry.
  • October 3, 2025 An Evening of Great Irish Writers: with Neil O’Shea
    Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Blvd.
    Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
    This event features a stand up performance of extracts from the works of some of the great writers to come out of Ireland, including Swift, Wilde, Shaw, Yeats, Synge, Joyce and more. Neil O’Shea is an actor from Dublin who has appeared in theaters across Ireland and toured with the Irish Actors Theatre Company in Europe and the USA and has performed throughout Ireland, in Germany, Sweden, London, as well as in the USA. This event is FREE and open to the public.
  • October 3, 2025 First Friday Book Talk & Reading w/ Terena Elizabeth Bell
    Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    Terena Elizabeth Bell is a fiction writer. Her debut short story collection, Tell Me What You See: Ten Stories, was named one of the “best books of the century (so far)” by New York Society Library and a Ms Magazine must-read.
  • October 5, 2025 Poetry Porch at Porchfest
    Gifford Park Porch Fest, 3511 Webster St.
    Omaha, 12:00 – 6:00 pm
    Porchfest OMA is a free community music festival held annually in the Gifford Park neighborhood. Join host Zedeka Poindexter for Poetry Porch.
  • October 7, 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 5: Open Mic Night: Share your works on our stage, cheer on your fellow writers, sit back while enjoying snacks and drinks.
  • October 7, 2025 Mary K. Stillwell Poetry Reading & Discussion
    Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
    One of Stillwell’s poetry collections explores the murder of two women, another celebrates the power of imagination. Her work covers a broad range of topics, from lyrical to narrative, and always captivating.
  • October 8, 2025 UNO Writer’s Workshop Fall 2025 Reading Series with Eileen Myles
    University of Nebraska Omaha,Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom, 6203 S University Dr Rd N.
    Omaha, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
    Eileen is a poet, novelist and art journalist as well as teacher whose practice of vernacular first-person writing across genres has literally changed the game. They are the author of 25 books, including Chelsea Girls and a selected poems, I Must Be Living Twice. Myles has shown their photographs at Bridget Donahue in New York and in Provincetown, MA at Schoolhouse Gallery and in various international public installations. In 2019 Myles wrote and directed a super-8 puppet road film, The Trip and their most recent books are Pathetic Literature, and a Working Life, poems. They live in New York and Marfa, Texas.
  • October 10, 2025 Vocal Fry
    St Mark’s on the Campus, 1309 R St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 8:00 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 video/audio recordings of John G. Neihardt will feature for the annual October “Dead Poet’s Reading”. Nancy Gillis, longtime Executive Director of the Neihardt Center, design the presentation and provide context and answer questions. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
  • October 12, 2025 Visiting Author: Rebecca Lexa “The Everyday Naturalist: How to Identify Animals, Plants, and Fungi Wherever You Go”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 3:00 – 4:30 pm
    Fellow nature lovers, book lovers, and all of those who love to pick up new hobbies, come meet author and naturalist Rebecca Lexa as she talks about “Five Reasons to Be an Everyday Naturalist”, highlighting some great benefits of learning to identify the living beings around you. We will have copies of her book for you to purchase and she will sign when the talk is over.
  • October 14, 2025 One Author Kearney: Writers’ Workshop with Karen Russell
    Kearney Public Library, Platte Room, 2020 1st Ave.
    Kearney, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
    Join author Karen Russell for a writing workshop certain to grow your writing life. She is the author of six books of fiction, including The Antidote, as well as NYT bestsellers Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Swamplandia!, one of the NYT’s ten best books of the year and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She has taught literature and creative writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the University of California-Irvine, Williams College, Columbia University, and Bryn Mawr College, and was the Endowed Chair of Texas State’s MFA program.
  • October 14, 2025 One Author Kearney: Karen Russell
    The World Theatre, 2318 Central Ave.
    Kearney, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
    The Kearney Public Library Foundation and the library proudly present an evening of conversation and readings with Karen Russell! A book signing will follow the presentation. This is a free, ticketed event. She is the author of six books of fiction, including The Antidote, as well as NYT bestsellers Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Swamplandia!, one of the NYT’s ten best books of the year and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. She’s received both MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships, the NYPL’s Young Lions Award, the Bard Fiction Prize, the National Book Foundation’s “5 under 35” award, and was selected for Granta’s Best Young American Novelists and The New Yorker’s “20 under 40” list (she is now decisively over 40). She’s also won two National Magazine Awards for Fiction, the Shirley Jackson Award, the 2023 Bottari Lattes Grinzane prize, and the 2024 Mary McCarthy Award, among other honors. She taught literature and creative writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, UC-Irvine, Williams College, Columbia University, and Bryn Mawr College. She serves on the board of Street Books.
  • October 16, 2025 Writers in Conversation: Third Thursdays @ Larksong with Ava Winter and Alina Nguyen
    Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Blvd.
    Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:00 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. The evening is sure to both please and educate, not to mention inspire!
  • October 16, 2025 Virtual Author Series: Joanna Biggs, Richard Scott Larson, and Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum
    Zoom, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
    Help us welcome three writers from our first Willa Cather Residency for Writers cohort as they share recent publications! Joanna Biggs, Richard Scott Larson, and Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum will all read excerpts from their books as they reflect on their unique writers in residence experiences. This event is free with online registration.
  • October 16, 2025 Vocal Fry
    Flatiron Building, 1722 St Marys Ave.
    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. Tonight Featuring Nathan B. Wise, with Sam Nichols and Allen Stevenson as MCs.
  • October 18, 2025 Humor in Poetry with Melissa Fite Johnson
    Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
    Think poetry has to be serious all the time? Think again. In this workshop, we’ll laugh, play, and explore how humor can crack open truth, deepen emotion, and spark joy—even in the heaviest topics. Come write poems that might just make someone snort-laugh.
  • October 23, 2025 Writers’ Workshop with Tyler Michael Jacobs
    Kearney Public Library, Platte Room, 2020 1st Ave.
    Kearney, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
    Join poet Tyler Michael Jacobs for a poetry writing workshop. He is the author of The Weight of Drought forthcoming from Stephen F. Austin State University Press and Building Brownville. His words have appeared or are forthcoming 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. There is a $15 fee for this workshop with lunch included.
  • October 23, 2025 Tosca Lee at Tecumseh Public Library
    Tecumseh Public Library, 170 Branch St.
    Tecumseh, 6:00 pm
    Join Tosca Lee in Tecumseh at the library where ahe will be dishing on One Book One Nebraska 2025 pick The Long March Home, writing, and writing life in Nebraska! Open to the public, books will be available.
  • October 23, 2025 Poetry Reading with Tyler Michael Jacobs
    Kearney Public Library, Platte Room, 2020 1st Ave.
    Kearney, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
    Enjoy an evening of poetry with Tyler Michael Jacobs. He is the author of The Weight of Drought forthcoming from Stephen F. Austin State University Press and Building Brownville. His words have appeared or are forthcoming 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.
  • October 24, 2025 Lydia Kang in conversation with Tosca Lee: “K-JANE”
    Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
    Lincoln, 6:00 pm
    Join and watch Lydia Kang in conversation with Tosca Lee at Sower Books to discuss her brand new release, K-JANE, a new young adult novel all about growing up Korean in Nebraska! Join for what will be a fun evening talking about the book and about the Korean-Nebraskan experience!
  • October 26, 2025 The Halloween Mischief Poetry Reading/Harvest of Words
    Saint Cecilia’s Cathedral Parish Center, 39th and Burt St.
    Omaha, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
    This open mic invites you to bring poems on the theme of Halloween or any other to finish the year. Poets welcome, listeners welcome. Open mic with refreshments and some music.
  • October 29, 2025 Visiting Author: Corinna Barrett Lain in conversation with Professor Eric Berger “Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection”
    Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
    Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
    Join us to hear about Corinna Barrett Lain’s new book Secrets of the Killing State. She will be in conversation with UNL Professor of Law Eric Berger. You don’t want to miss the conversation, we’ll see you there!
  • October 30, 2025 NEWISH Poetry Slam
    North Omaha Music and Arts – NOMA, 2510 N 24th St.
    Omaha, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
    NEWISH is presented by the Nebraska Writers Collective and hosted by Zedeka Poindexter at NOMA. 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.

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.

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NCompass Live: Letters About Literature 2025

Posted on September 29, 2025 by Bailee Juroshek

Learn about Nebraska’s state reading and writing contest for youth, Letters About Literature, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, October 1 at 10am CT.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is a statewide organization dedicated to the promotion of reading in all its forms. Its annual Nebraska Letters About Literature contest allows students in 4th through 12th grade to write to authors (living or deceased) about their favorite book or poem about how his or her book affected their lives.

This session will provide helpful information for teachers and librarians interested in the competition. It will also cover the submission process and be an excellent opportunity to ask questions about the entire competition process. Teachers will be interested in this program that will help enhance and extend their classroom instruction.

Presenters: Tessa Timperley, Communications Coordinator, and Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • Oct. 8 – The Do’s and Don’ts of D&D
  • Oct. 22 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY NLA!
  • Oct. 29 – Nebraska Celebration of Books 2025
  • Nov. 19 – Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
  • Nov. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.

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