Tag Archives: Nebraska events

Fall into the school season with literary events through the state! If you’re looking for something to do in September, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• September 1, 2026 Mark Sanders Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Mark Sanders’ poetry explores the grit of the Great Plains with the tenderness of memory and the human heart. Join us for an evening of poems that reflect on home, time, and the ways we grow into our best selves.
• September 3, 2026 Visiting Author: Van Jensen “Godfall”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome back to Francie & Finch Bookshop author Van Jensen! We will be celebrating the hardcover publication of his novel Godfall, and will hear about the upcoming sequel, Godrise, set to release in January 2027!
• September 4, 2026 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Marjorie Saiser
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  Marjorie Saiser’s eighth book, The Track the Whales Make, deals with some ways love goes right and love goes wrong. Saiser earned her Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her work has received the WILLA Award and the High Plains Book Award.
• September 5, 2026 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Omaha Workshops Fall 2026
  Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Baldwin Center, Conference Room, 9777 M St.
  Omaha, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
  In partnership with the Nebraska Writing Project and the Veterans Administration, Humanities Nebraska launched a new writing program in 2014 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 Jen Stastny and Cindy Cronn, with guest speaker Rachel Bash.
• September 5, 2026 Nebraska Homegrown Series from Jewel Rodgers
  Chadron Open Art, 223 Main St.
  Chadron, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
  Organized by Nebraska State Poet Jewel Rodgers, Homegrown is a traveling community arts series where everyone is welcome to listen, connect, or share original work. Enjoy a popcorn-style community reading, performances by Jewel and other notable poets, and an open share featuring poetry, stories, music, visual art, and more. Prefer to just listen? Come as you are. Snacks and light refreshments provided. Free and open to all. Readings by: Jewel Rodgers, Stephanie E. Glass, Robert McEwen, and John L. Harmon. Hosted by Love is for All – Chadron, a chapter of Panhandle Equality.
• September 7, 2026 Sower Books 2nd Birthday Celebration
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
  Sower Books are turning 2 & cannot wait to celebrate with you! There will be an Author event at 1:00 pm, snacks, Sales, fairy gardens, giveaways, & more! We hope you come celebrate with us & thank you endlessly for your support!
• September 7, 2026 Author Event with Ryan T. Pozzi
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 1:00 – 2:20 pm
  Ryan brings a dynamic, engaging performance featuring smart humor, interactive crowd elements, and polished musical examples that elevate every moment. The Mess That Made Them: How History’s Greatest Artists Failed, Floundered, and Made Something Brilliant Anyway starts with a simple question: what happens when things fall apart, and what do we really mean when we talk about genius?
• September 11, 2026 Omaha Reads: Shelby Van Pelt Author Visit
  Omaha Central Library, 7205 Dodge St.
  Omaha, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
  Join us for a conversation with Shelby Van Pelt, author of the 2026 Omaha Reads book, Remarkably Bright Creatures, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Copies of Remarkably Bright Creatures, will be available for purchase and signing.
• September 12, 2026 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Lincoln Workshops Fall 2026
  Pius X High School, 6000 A St. (West entrance 8)
  Omaha, 9:00 – 11:00 am
  In partnership with the Nebraska Writing Project and the Veterans Administration, Humanities Nebraska launched a new writing program in 2014 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 Tom Seib and Stephen Swinehart, with guest speaker Liz Kay.
• September 12, 2026 Poetry Workshop: Paying Homage to Families
  Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Since the next day is Grandparents’ Day, we will be celebrating everything to do with families! Bring your gratitude, your funny stories, your tearful memories. Let’s get these down on paper, ready to share. Let’s discuss how to turn a story into a poem, a joke into verse. Bring a notebook and writing utensil. Led by Julie S. Paschold.
• September 12, 2026 Author Event with Hope Marie Baker
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
  420 Moms! A must read PTA Drama! We are bragging a bit because hope is one of us and many of you know her! Hope Marie Baker is an author, wife, mom, animal lover, and firm believer that iced coffee has no bedtime. She writes horror, thrillers, and comedy with plenty of dark humor and just the right amount of chaos.
• September 13, 2026 Weaving Your Story: Cecilia Vargas and Visiting Author Illustrator Gina Wei
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 12:00 – 3:00 pm
  Join us for this family fun event! Working with beloved organizations Echo Collective and Linked 2 Literacy, Francie and Finch Bookshop will be hosting special Welcoming Week activities. Create your own woven bookmark with Cecilia Vargas, all supplies will be provided. Joining the fun will be author and illustrator Gina Wei at 2:00 to talk about her new children’s book The Lion Dancer (available for purchase at the event).
• September 16, 2026 Writing in English: A Community Writing Group for Multilingual Adults
  Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
  Lincoln, 5:00 - 6:30 pm
  Writing in English is for adults whose first language is not English and who would like more opportunities to practice writing in English. Each session is led by an experienced facilitator and begins with a short reading that introduces a topic or theme. The facilitator then offers a series of writing prompts, ideas and suggestions to help you get started. We’ll spend a short time writing together, then we’ll share our thoughts about how each individual approached the writing experience. As we talk together, we’ll explore the different ways a single idea can be expressed in English. Those who wish to may read their work aloud, but sharing new writing is always your choice. This program is made possible by a grant from the Sherwood Foundation. Meets on the First and Third Wednesday of each month.
• September 16, 2026 Panel Discussion – “The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees: Tales of Migration, Hope, Grief, and Finding Home in Nebraska”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we hear stories from the new book from University of Nebraska Press, The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees: Tales of Migration, Hope, Grief, and Finding Home in Nebraska. The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees offers thirty-one essays by immigrants and refugees who now call Lincoln, Nebraska, home. These individuals have found support, belonging, and opportunity through the collaborative work of Lincoln’s New Americans Task Force members and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Welcoming and Belonging Strategic Plan. The stories in this book are brilliant, harrowing, poetic, and revelatory. They’re also stories of survival, resilience, creativity, and a staggering amount of work: learning a new language, navigating a challenging immigration system, being perceived as a foreigner, struggling to grasp strange new customs and traditions, working one’s way out of extreme poverty, working through trauma and grief. Those of us who have had the good fortune of not being displaced have much to learn by listening.
• September 17, 2026 Poetry Pause at Joslyn Castle
  Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 5:30 – 7:00 pm
  Close out the Poetry Pause season with four local poets: Kiara Nicole Letcher, Tyler Michael Jacobs, Anna Schmeer, and Nicole Stander. Join us during the Art Walk for a free evening of poems, conversation, and audience questions.
• September 17, 2026 Writers in Conversation – Third Thursday with Alison Pearce Stevens and Carla Ketner
  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 Alison Pearce Stevens and Carla Ketner.
• September 17, 2026 Poetry reading by Mike Stinson, Heidi Hermanson, and Greg Kosmicki at Postscript
  Postscript, 1439 Silver St.
  Ashland, 7:00 pm
  Kosmicki is the founder of The Backwaters Press, author of 15 books and chapbooks of poetry. Stinson is a retired psychotherapist, who has two published chapbooks, Extra Innings, as well as Much Needed Rain from WSC Press in 2026. Hermanson was a recipient of the Nebraska Individual Art Fellowship and her third book, Compass, is forthcoming.
• September 17, 2026 Virtual Author Series: Richard Norton Smith
  Zoom, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
  We are honored to welcome renowned author and historian Richard Norton Smith for a conversation about Willa Cather, My Mortal Enemy, and Cather’s enduring place in American literature. You won’t want to miss this engaging discussion! Richard Norton Smith is an author, historian, biographer, and former director of five presidential libraries, including the Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and the Gerald R. Ford; the founding executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum; and founding director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas.
• September 18, 2026 Book Launch: Luis Othoniel Rosa “El Gato En El Remolino/Animal Spiral”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:00 – 6:00 pm
  Join us for a book launch you don’t want to miss! Author Luis Othoniel Rosa will be presenting his book El Gato En El Remolino, and the English language version, translated by Katie Marya, Animal Spiral.
• September 19, 2026 Ready for the Marvelous with Kemi Alabi
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Break from the expected and write toward the marvelous. Through surrealist poems and playful prompts, this generative workshop helps poets tap the unconscious, challenge repression, and unlock bolder, more imaginative work.
• September 19, 2026 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Omaha Workshops Fall 2026
  Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Baldwin Center, Conference Room, 9777 M St.
  Omaha, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
  In partnership with the Nebraska Writing Project and the Veterans Administration, Humanities Nebraska launched a new writing program in 2014 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 Jen Stastny and Cindy Cronn, with guest speaker Vanessa Kalil.
• September 22, 2026 One Author Kearney: Writers’ Workshop with Patti Callahan Henry
  Kearney Public Library, Platte Room, 2020 1st Ave.
  Kearney, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
  Join author Patti Callahan Henry for a writing workshop certain to grow your writing life. She is the author of seventeen novels, including her newest, The Story She Left Behind. Her books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have been recognized as a Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick, Amazon Editor Pick, Goodreads Book of the Year finalist, People Magazine Choice, and Book of the Month selection. Registration is $20.
• September 22, 2026 One Author Kearney: Writers’ Workshop with Patti Callahan Henry
  Kearney Public Library, Platte Room, 2020 1st Ave.
  Kearney, 7:00 pm
  The Kearney Public Library Foundation and the library proudly present an evening with Patti Callahan Henry! A book signing will follow the presentation. This is a free, ticketed event. Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author of seventeen novels, including her newest release, The Story She Left Behind. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages and have been recognized as a Barnes and Noble Book Club Pick, Amazon Editor Pick, Goodreads Book of the Year finalist, People Magazine Choice, and Book of the Month Selection.
• September 23, 2026 Kurt Andersen Author Visit
  Omaha Central Library, 7205 Dodge St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  Join Omaha native Kurt Andersen for a conversation with Jeff Koterba about his fifth novel, The Breakup. A bestselling author, journalist, screenwriter, and playwright, Andersen has contributed to The Atlantic and The New York Times, served as a staff writer and critic at The New Yorker and Time, hosted the Peabody Award-winning public radio show Studio 360, edited New York magazine, and co-founded the influential satirical publication Spy magazine. Jeff Koterba is a creativity coach, cartoonist, musician, and author. He was the editorial cartoonist for the Omaha World-Herald from 1989 until September 2020 and his work is syndicated nationwide to over 850 newspapers by Cagle Cartoons. Copies of Kurt’s books will be available for purchase and signing. This is a free event for adults.
• September 23, 2026 UNO Fall 2026 Writer’s Workshop Reading Series: Prageeta Sharma
  Samual Bak Museum, 2289 S 67th St.
  Omaha, 7:30 pm
  Prageeta Sharma is the author of six collections of poetry, most recently, Onement Won (Wave, 2025) and Grief Sequence (Wave, 2019), which was a finalist for the 2020 Four Quartets Prize. A visionary leader in the literary arts, she is the founder of “Thinking Its Presence: Race, Creative Writing, and Literary Studies,” an interdisciplinary national conference that reshaped institutional conversations around race and creative practice. Her debut collection, The Opening Question (2004), won the Fence Modern Poets Prize, and she is a recipient of a 2025 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Creative Writing Fellowship and a 2010 Howard Foundation Award. She is currently the Henry G. Lee ’37 professor of English at Pomona College, where she received the 2023 Wig Distinguished Professor Award for excellence in teaching and mentorship.
• September 25, 2026 Visiting Author: Chet Hardin “The Vampire’s Cult”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome journalist and author Chet Hardin. Published in August 2026, Hardin’s new book The Vampire’s Cult exposes the twisted world of Aubrey Trail, an aging con man who presented himself as an all-powerful being, and Bailey Boswell, the woman who called herself his “queen.” Henry J. Cordes, author of Pathological: The Murderous Rage of Dr. Anthony Garcia, tells Hardin’s readers, “If you thought the 2017 murder of Sydney Loofe was bizarre, you don’t know the half of it until you’ve read Chet Hardin’s amazing account of the disappearance and murder that captivated Nebraska. Deeply reported and well-written, it offers amazing jailhouse insight into how the minds of Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell became so strangely and tragically twisted. A great addition to the legacy of true crime on the Great Plains.”
• September 26, 2026 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Lincoln Workshops Fall 2026
  Pius X High School, 6000 A St. (West entrance 8)
  Omaha, 9:00 – 11:00 am
  In partnership with the Nebraska Writing Project and the Veterans Administration, Humanities Nebraska launched a new writing program in 2014 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 Tom Seib and Stephen Swinehart, with guest speaker Sarah McKinstry-Brown.
• September 26, 2026 Writing with Larksong: Bridging the Miles
  Zoom, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
  Writing with Larksong: Bridging the Miles is a live online writing series for people who would like to write in the company of others and get to know writers from communities across Nebraska and beyond. Each month, a different published writer will join us to read from their work and talk about some aspect of writing or the creative process. The guest writer will offer prompts and ideas, and we’ll spend time writing together. You’ll leave each session with new writing of your own. We’ll also make time for conversation, including small breakout groups where participants can meet and get to know other writers. This month’s session will be led by Nebraska author Karen Gettert Shoemaker, author of The Meaning of Names.
• September 30, 2026 UNO Fall 2026 Writer’s Workshop Reading Series: Tisa Bryant
  Criss Library, 6401 S University Dr Rd N.
  Omaha, 7:30 pm
  Tisa Bryant is the author of Residual, a nonfiction assemblage of the interiors of grief, the home as archive, and the mystery of mothers, published in 2026 from Nightboat Books. Her first book, Unexplained Presence, a collection of hybrid essays on the mythologies of Black presences in film, literature and visual art, was reissued by Wave Books in 2024. She is co-editor of the three-volume, cross-referenced literary journal, The Encyclopedia Project, and collaborated with Ernest Hardy on The Black Book, a series of visual mixtapes and love letters to Black people and Black culture, presented at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, is an editor of hybrid writing for Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, and editor for The Deep West Assembly, a monograph of recent works by filmmaker Cauleen Smith. Her writing has appeared in exhibition catalogs for the Studio Museum in Harlem, for artists Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Laylah Ali, Suné Woods and Jaime Cortez, and in various anthologies and publications. She is Associate Professor of English in the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa.

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.

Looking to get out and explore your community? If you’re looking for something to do in August, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• August 1, 2026 Writing the Poem of Grief through Food with Preeti Vangani
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Explore how food can help you write more vivid, emotionally layered poems of grief, memory, and longing. In this generative workshop, writers will use meals, cooking, and shared rituals to open new pathways into elegy, deepen personal memory, and draft new work in a supportive space.
• August 2, 2026 61st Annual Neihardt Day: Poetry Picnic
  John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, 306 W Elm St.
  Bancroft, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
  A Poetry Picnic, featuring State Poet Emeritus Matt Mason, JV Brummels, and 2025-26 Youth Poet Laureate Victoria Bogatz. Bring your own picnic food and blanket, and join us for an afternoon celebrating poetry. In fact, bring your own poetry to readas the event includes an Open Mic for 2-3 poems if you like. Free and open to all.
• August 4, 2026 Brad Aaron Modlin Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Brad Aaron Modlin’s poetry moves between humor and heartbreak, loneliness and hope. Join us for an evening of poems that are poignant, quirky, and unexpectedly warm.
• August 5, 2026 Jewel Rodgers Residency – Listening Session
  Oto HiFi Lounge, 1917 S 67th St, Suite 140,
  Omaha, 6:00 – 8:30 pm
  Be the first to hear the fresh new sounds from Nebraska State Poet Jewel Rodgers recording residency with Swedish producer Fredrik Serholt at this one-of-a-kind listening session following Rodger’s and Serholt’s multi-day recording residency at the 2026 Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival.
• August 6, 2026 “Smolder” Book Launch – Winner of the Ex Ophidia Press Poetry Contest
  Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth,
  Omaha, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
  Join us for a poetry reading celebrating the launch of Smolder by Colleen Morton Busch. Busch is the 2025 winner of the Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Prize, an annual poetry book contest by Ex Ophidia Press, an Omaha-based independent poetry press. Doors open at 5:30 PM and the reading and Q&A will take place at 6:30 PM. A book signing will end the evening. Books will be available for purchase at the event. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is required.
• August 6, 2026 Humanities Nebraska: A Visit With the Nebraska State Poet, Jewel Rodgers
  Morton James Public Library, 923 1st Corso,
  Nebraska City, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
  Jewel Rodgers, 2025 – 2029 State Poet of Nebraska, performs work on resilience, emotional intelligence, and community. As a spoken word poet, she shares techniques to bring emotion into readings. She often leads workshops and writing exercises, inspiring others to embrace their creativity, authenticity, and multifaceted passions through self-expression. This program is free and open to the public.
• August 7, 2026 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Lisa Knopp
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  Lisa Knopp is the author of eight books of creative nonfiction. Ravelings: Essays on Love, Loss, and Wonder, was published by the University of Nebraska Press in March of 2026. Subjects of some of the essays include: finding equilibrium in her professional life by observing the exquisitely balanced rock cairns created by a wildly unbalanced former admirer; being awakened to the common magic around her through two chance encounters with a magician in training; gaining humility and empowerment as an unpartnered, 60-year old woman in a ball room dance class filled with young couples; finding the key to momentarily slowing the passage of time while delighting in showers of confetti; exploring hunger and fullness through stories about different types of eating (ethical, disordered, mindful); comprehending her experiences with more nuance and precision through her investigations into words — those we possess; those we’ve lost; those we need but don’t have; those she created to fill the gaps.
• August 7, 2026 Visiting Author:Colleen Morton Busch in conversation with Judy Lorenzen “Smolder”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome Ex Ophidia’s 2025 winner for the Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Prize, Colleen Morton Busch, as she presents her book of poetry Smolder. Colleen will be joined in conversation by writer Judy Lorenzen.
• August 7, 2026 Local Author Series: Victoria Bogatz
  Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  Join us in celebrating the work of local author and Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate Victoria Bogatz on her debut chapbook This Is Not the End with readings by guest poets including Nebraska State Poet Jewel Rodgers, former Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason, Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate Mentor Angélica Perez and Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate Stephany Orellana Gomez.
• August 8, 2026 Poetry Workshop: Wonder in the Garden
  Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  We experience wonder spontaneously in the presence of grandeur or mystery—think of a total solar eclipse or a starling murmuration. But wonder can also be intentionally cultivated. In this workshop we’ll explore how to grow astonishment by listening to, and even conversing with, the many non-human voices in a garden. Led by author Colleen Morton Busch. Students will receive a signed copy of Smolder during the workshop. Pre-registration required. Led by Julie S. Paschold.
• August 8, 2026 Meet Nebraska Historian Ed Zimmer – Nebraska Telephone Company History and Beyond
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Francie & Finch Bookshop is celebrating 10 years in the historic Telephone Building! Join us on August 8th as beloved local historian and author Ed Zimmer takes us on an in-depth journey through the history of our home, the Lincoln Telephone Building and the Nebraska Telephone Company! Following the talk, Ed’s publications, including all 3 volumes of Walking the Near South, will be available for purchase and signing!
• August 10, 2026 Book Launch: David Moscovich “Premieres: A Memoir in Verse”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Francie and Finch Bookshop is pleased to welcome back author David Moscovich! Join us as we celebrate Premieres: A Memoir in Verse! Books available for purchase at the event with author signing to follow talk.
• August 11, 2026 History Unveiled: “Journey to Freedom” – Researching and Writing the Grayson Sisters’ Escape
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
  Award-winning historian and author Gail Shaffer Blankenau shares the remarkable story behind her book, Journey to Freedom: Uncovering the Grayson Sisters’ Escape from Nebraska Territory, while taking you behind the scenes of historical research and writing. Join us at the Nebraska History Museum to learn how court records, newspapers, family histories, and archival discoveries came together to reconstruct the lives of Celia and Eliza Grayson and illuminate the history of slavery and freedom seeking in Nebraska Territory. This event is free and open to the public thanks to the support of the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation.
• August 11, 2026 Writing Club at Vis Major Brewing
  Vis Major Brewing Company, 3501 Center St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 8:30 pm
  Join us for a welcoming, in-person gathering for people who want to read, reflect, and write in community. We will begin with a poem and a short fiction or nonfiction selection, followed by conversation about what the writing is doing and how it works on the page. Together, we’ll explore craft elements such as imagery, diction, metaphor, structure, and line or sentence movement in a way that is inviting and accessible to all.
• August 14, 2026 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Kelly Madigan
  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 Kelly Madigan will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
• August 14, 2026 Author Event with Michael Bettendorf
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
  Join us to chat with Michael Bettendorf about his Book Midwestern Chrome!
• August 15, 2026 Poetry Workshop: Gathering Words
  Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  We experience wonder spontaneously in the presence of grandeur or mystery—think of a total solar eclipse or a starling murmuration. But wonder can also be intentionally cultivated. In this workshop we’ll explore how to grow astonishment by listening to, and even conversing with, the many non-human voices in a garden. Led by author Colleen Morton Busch. Students will receive a signed copy of Smolder during the workshop. Pre-registration required. Led by Julie S. Paschold.
• August 15, 2026 Author Event with Malia Emary
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
  It’s bookstore romance day and we are going to celebrate with one of our favorite local romance authors, Malia Emary! Join us for a reading, talk, & signing for Malia’s newest book The Future is Bright, a cozy, post-apocalyptic, slow-burn romance about love after loss, finding community, and choosing to embrace life. There will also be Bookstore Romance Day activities throught the day!
• August 15, 2026 Book Launch: Matt Schur “Even This is Holy Ground: Poetry”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome back Nebraska poet Matt Schur! He will be reading from his new book of poetry Even This is Holy Ground, a poetry collection rooted in Christian faith and unafraid of the world as it actually is.
• August 18, 2026 Visiting Author: Marlene Zuk “Outsider Animals: How the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Have the Most to Teach Us”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome author and evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk to Francie & Finch Bookshop to sign copies of her book Outsider Animals: How the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Have the Most to Teach Us!
• August 20, 2026 Poetry Pause at Joslyn Castle
  Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
  August Poetry Pause features Tyler Michael Jacobs, author of “The Weight of Drought” and “Building Brownville,” and Nicole Stander, an Omaha poet and MFA candidate. This free Art Walk event offers an easygoing hour of poems, conversation, and audience questions.
• August 20, 2026 Writers in Conversation – Third Thursday with Matt Mason and Sarah McKinstry-Brown
  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 Matt Mason and Sarah McKinstry-Brown.
• August 29, 2026 Visiting Author: Alexandra Hayne “What Ruth Learned”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome Omaha author Alexandra Hayne as she presents her debut novel What Ruth Learned, a novel of “secrets, reinvention, and the stories we inherit”!

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.

The sun is shining and summer is here! If you’re looking for something to do in June, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• June 4-6, 2026 71st Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference
  The National Willa Cather Center, 413 N Webster St.
  Red Cloud, All Day
  The Willa Cather Spring Conference returns with the theme “Memory, Myth, and Meaning: Cather in Dialogue with America 250.” This event invites readers, scholars, and artists to explore the enduring relevance of Willa Cather’s work. Centered on the publication centenary of her novella My Mortal Enemy, the program features keynote speaker Rebecca Romney, scholarly plenaries, and a mixed media exhibit by Susan Hart. Other highlights include the opening of All Aboard: West-Bound Trains in American Culture at the historic Burlington Depot and a special performance of The Bohemian by Harbor Stage Company. Set in Cather’s hometown of Red Cloud, the conference offers a rich blend of scholarship, art, and place. Please join us for a celebration of Cather’s literature in dialogue with America’s past and present.
• June 6, 2026 “Roxie In Color” Book Release & Author Signing
  Sower Books, 914 N 70th St.
  Lincoln, 2:00 pm
  Meet the authors Diane Debrovner & Stacy Cervenka and snag their brand-new book Roxie in Color! Written for ages 9–12, but packed with things everyone will love! Roxie wants to blend in at a new school, which is hard to do when your parents are blind, in this remarkable novel about friendship, misperceptions, and family—plus a dog’s view of the world.
• June 6, 2026 Shake Night Double Feature with Old School Shakespeare Omaha
  Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 S 6th St.
  Council Bluffs, IA 7:00 pm
  Opera Omaha and Old School Shakespeare Omaha come together for a unique evening of words and art. First, experience Opera Omaha’s one-act opera, UnShakeable: Three years after a mysterious epidemic has left its survivors plagued by memory loss, two actors reunite in a desolate theater using the only common language they can find: Shakespeare. As they search for sparks of their forgotten past, they’ll need the audience’s help to connect them to memories and emotions that linger just out of reach. Next, grab a drink at the bar and enjoy an immersive performance of Hamlet, presented by Old School Shakespeare Omaha. Step into a world of grief, ghosts, madness, mirrors, and the dangerous (and beautiful) duality of the human mind.
• June 8, 2026 Judy Lorenzen Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Judy Lorenzen’s poetry holds both joy and sorrow—family, forgiveness, and the quiet wonders of nature. Honest and tender, her work has been praised for the way love threads through even life’s struggles.
• June 9, 2026 Visiting Author: Visiting Author – Garrett Peck “The Bright Edges of the World: Willa Cather and Her Archbishop”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome author and historian Garrett Peck, from New Mexico, to Francie & Finch Bookshop! He will be presenting his book, The Bright Edges of the World: Willa Cather and Her Archbishop. The book explores Cather’s travels to the Southwest that inspired her to write her “best book” (her words), Death Comes for the Archbishop.
• June 9, 2026 History Unveiled: “Disparate Regimes in the United States, 1865-1965” Presented by Author Brendan Shanahan
  Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall N.
  Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
  Who decides the rights of immigrants? Historian Brendan A. Shanahan arrives at the Nebraska History Museum to discuss his award-winning book Disparate Regimes: Nativist Politics, Alienage Law, and Citizenship Rights in the United States, 1865–1965. This event is free and open to the public thanks to the support of the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation. This lecture is the first presentation during the museum’s summer History Unveiled program series, each month from June to August.
• June 10, 2026 The No Gatekeepers Poetry Night
  Joslyn Castle Music Room, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
  Run by Castle and Cathedral Creative District Artist in Residence Matt Mason, Bring 2 poems: one of your own, one by another poet (friend, favorite song lyrics, etc.). Both poems should make us feel and/or understand some kind of experience, story, etc. You have 5 minutes, after which a horn will sound. All of us have poems that reach us, though often we don’t call them just poems, we call them song lyrics, rap lyrics, cowboy poetry, slam poetry, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein. Tonight, we give the gatekeeper the night off and welcome you to entertain us. It’s just us.
• May 12, 2026 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Aliyah American Horse
  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 Aliyah American Horse will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
• June 13, 2026 Visiting Author: Visiting Author – Lisa Knopp “Ravelings: Essays on Love, Loss, and Wonder (American Lives)”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome author Lisa Knopp! She will read from her recent book of essays, Ravelings, published by the University of Nebraska Press. In Ravelings, Lisa Knopp takes up an older, opposing meaning of the verb “ravel” — “to entangle” — as she explores the deaths and departures of loved ones and the rituals by which we mourn and honor them, while contemplating her relationships with writing, spirituality, sense of home, aging, desire, and the relationship between body and mind.
• June 17, 2026 Once Upon a Time at the Castle
  Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
  Once Upon a Time at the Castle is a storytime adventure featuring a youth librarian who will transport you to a world of imaginary characters. After story time, we will learn about the real creatures we read about with live wildlife interactions and activities. Each month will be a new way to engage with storytelling and nature! This is a free series for the community, best suited for children ages 2-8. Wear good shoes and BOYB (bring your own blanket) and snacks! In the case of inclement weather or heat advisories, we will move inside the Castle or Carriage House.
• June 18, 2026 Art Walk and Poetry Pause
  Joslyn Castle Carriage House, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  During the Castle and Cathedral Creative District’s Art Walk, the Nebraska Poetry Society features two local poets at different points in their writing lives who share their work, discuss poetry and the creative process, and answer questions. Featured June poets are Shyla Ann Shehan and Leta Iris.
• June 18, 2026 Writers in Conversation – Third Thursday with Margaret Lukas and Claudia J. Severin
  Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
  Lincoln, 6:00 - 6:30 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 Margaret Lukas and Claudia J. Severin.
• June 20, 2026 Imagery and Imagination: For the Love of Objects with Hadara Bar-Nadav
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  What do your cherished objects reveal? Join us to explore imagery and imagination as we write about the objects that carry memory, meaning, and mystery in our lives.
• June 25, 2026 What’s Your American Story Writing Workshop with Matt Mason
  St. Cecilia Cathedral Cultural Center, 3900 Webster St.
  Omaha, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
  Castle and Cathedral Creative District Artist in Residence Matt Mason teaches a writing workshop. Mason reprises his first What’s Your American Story workshop with writing about what brings you/your family to Omaha/Nebraska/USA.
• June 27, 2026 Poetry Workshop: That Bloomin’ Poetry
  Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Ever really looked at a flower as it blooms—noticed the petals, wondered what each part is called, and how the bloom plays a role in the life of the plant? What does that have to do with poetry? In this outdoor workshop, we’ll explore the many ways things “bloom,” both in nature and in our lives, using observation as a starting point for creative writing. Bring a notebook, something to write with, and come prepared to spend time outside as you find fresh inspiration in the garden. Dress for the weather, bring water, and use sun protection, if needed! Led by Julie S. Paschold.
• June 27, 2026 Poetry Office Hours with Matt Mason
  Joslyn Castle’s Carriage House, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
  Drop in to talk with Castle and Cathedral Creative District Artist in Residence Matt Mason about poetry, ask a question, or bring your laptop and submit poems to literary magazines. Mason hopes to hold these on the 2nd Saturday of the month through September.
• June 27, 2026 Book Launch Party: “Wheel Man” by Marcia Calhoun Forecki
  Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Blvd.
  Lincoln, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
  Join for a book launch celebration for Marcia Calhoun Forecki, author of Wheel Man. Readings and conversation will take place and snacks will be provided. Francie & Finch Bookstore will be on premises with books to sell!
• June 30, 2026 Book of Poetry Launch: Nicole Lachat in Conversation with Ber Anena “The Red We Silk”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us welcoming poet Nicole Lachat as she presents her new book of poetry The Red We Silk. Nicole will be joined in a special conversation with fellow writer, Ber Anena. The Red We Silk collects inherited migrations and the weight of familial journeys into a lyric investigation of displacement and longing. Memory abides in the body and the body in memory, propelling the speaker through geographical and spiritual landscapes, desires, and griefs toward the transformative work of discovery. Tender, attentive, and multivocal, these are poems of belonging beyond borders.

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.

The season is in full bloom with fun literary events around the state! If you’re looking for something to do in May, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• May 1, 2026 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Terese Svoboda
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  Native of Ogallala, Terese Svoboda published her second memoir and 24th book, Hitler and My Mother-in-Law in December of 2025. Publishers Weekly gave it a star, and the New York Times Book Review gave Roxy and Coco, her eighth novel, and The Long Swim, her third story collection a full page in 2024. Theatrix: Poetry Plays, her eighth book of poetry, appeared in 2021.
• May 2, 2026 Bethany in Bloom
  Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
  Lincoln, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
  Bethany in Bloom returns bringing vendors, music, poetry, local businesses, and community organizations back to N. Cotner Blvd from Holdrege to Aylesworth. With 20 vendors already signed up, this year’s festival continues to grow into a full day of neighborhood activity. Events include a Write-a-Thon, Book Sale, Slam Poetry Showcase featuring Jess Badousek, Esman R.C., Alia Hurst and Alex Hamric, and Donor Recognition.
• May 2, 2026 Visiting Author: Michael Clair “We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball: How the Czech Republic’s Amateur Underdogs Became World Baseball Classic Heroes”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome Michael Clair an author and reporter at MLB.com specializing in international baseball and the World Baseball Classic. His new book We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball dives into the remarkable story of the Czech Republic’s national baseball team, moving from underdogs to a team on the world stage.
• May 7, 2026 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Barbara Schmitz
  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 Barbara Schmitz will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
• May 8, 2026 Bethany in Bloom
  Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N Cotner Blvd.
  Lincoln, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
  Bethany in Bloom returns bringing vendors, music, poetry, local businesses, and community organizations back to N. Cotner Blvd from Holdrege to Aylesworth. With 20 vendors already signed up, this year’s festival continues to grow into a full day of neighborhood activity. Events include a Write-a-Thon, Book Sale, Slam Poetry Showcase featuring Jess Badousek, Esman R.C., Alia Hurst and Alex Hamric, and Donor Recognition.
• May 9, 2026 Poetry Office Hours with Castle and Cathedral Creative District Artist in Residence Matt Mason
  Cali Commons, 7023 Cass St.
  Omaha, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
  Drop in to talk poetry, ask a question, or bring your laptop and submit poems to literary magazines. Mason hopes to hold these on the 2nd Saturday of the month through September.
• May 9, 2026 The Opera Omaha Poetry & Music Project Concert
  Omaha Conservatory of Music, 518 N 40th St.
  Omaha, 1:00 pm
  Now in its 9th year, the Poetry & Music Project connects student poets and their words with composers to create original music and explore the connections between poetry and music. The Poetry & Music Project is a statewide program run in partnership with the Nebraska Writers Collective to amplify the voices of youth poets across Nebraska and Iowa. The project connects student poets and their words with composers to create original music and explore the connections between poetry and music.
• May 12, 2026 Local Author Series: Danilo John Thomas
  Joslyn Castle Carriage House, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  Join us in celebrating the work of local author Danilo John Thomas. The author will be mining his debut short story collection Ore Vein with the company of banjoist Robert Schmidt. Ore Vein explores the thin spaces between hardship and heroism prevalent in small-town America. Thomas captures what it feels like to come of age among the urban decay and cracked pastoral landscapes of Southwestern Montana and a fictionalized version of the town where he was raised.
• May 12, 2026 What’s Your American Story Writing Workshop with Matt Mason
  St. Cecilia Cathedral Cultural Center, 3900 Webster St.
  Omaha, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
  Castle and Cathedral Creative District Artist in Residence Matt Mason teaches a writing workshop. Mason reprises his first What’s Your American Story workshop with writing about what brings you/your family to Omaha/Nebraska/USA.
• May 13, 2026 The No Gatekeepers Poetry Night
  Joslyn Castle Music Room, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
  Run by Castle and Cathedral Creative District Artist in Residence Matt Mason, Bring 2 poems: one of your own, one by another poet (friend, favorite song lyrics, etc.). Both poems should make us feel and/or understand some kind of experience, story, etc. You have 5 minutes, after which a horn will sound. All of us have poems that reach us, though often we don’t call them just poems, we call them song lyrics, rap lyrics, cowboy poetry, slam poetry, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein. Tonight, we give the gatekeeper the night off and welcome you to entertain us. It’s just us.
• May 15, 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 “Voices and Versos: En celebración”.
• May 17, 2026 Salon Reading Series: “Diamond and Bone”
  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 Diamond and Bone by Jordan Morille, a talented but tormented ballplayer fighting for his last shot at the majors while battling ghosts of family, faith, and failure. Blurring memory, dream, and reality, the play explores guilt and redemption in America’s pastime with dark humor, lyrical grit, and raw emotion.
• May 21, 2026 Writers in Conversation – Third Thursday with Maria Nazos and Saddiq Dzukogi
  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 Maria Nazos and Saddiq Dzukogi.
• May 28, 2026 Stories & Verse: A Spoken Word Competition
  Bellevue Public Library, 2206 Longo Dr.
  Bellevue, 5:30 - 7:00 pm
  Participants will perform original work solo with a three-minute time limit. Judges will score each performance, and one winner will be selected. Ages 18+, registration is required.
• May 30, 2026 Musicality and the Long Poem with Allison Adele Hedge Coke
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Let sound guide your pen. In this workshop, explore rhythm, tone, and improvisation to create long-form poems that sing—expanding your sense of structure, continuity, and flow.
• May 30, 2026 Poetry Workshop: Blackout Poetry
  Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Join instructor Julie S. Paschold for a morning creating blackout poetry, a form of found poetry where a poet selects words from existing text and “blacks out” part of the page to reveal a new poem. Review examples and discuss the meaning behind this art crossing into literature. Supplies will be provided, but bring your favorite markers or Sharpie, if desired, and your imaginative mind! Pre-registration is required.

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.

Get out and about and enjoy these literary events! If you’re looking for something to do in April, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• April 1-2, 2026 All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival Preliminary Bouts
  The Dock at Millwork Commons, 1229 Millwork Ave.
  Omaha, 5:30 & 7:30 pm
  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 2 with high schools and middle schools competing in a team poetry slam competition.
• April 2, 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.
• April 2, 2026 Local Author Series: Amy Haddad
  Joslyn Castle Carriage House, 3902 Davenport St.
  Omaha, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  Join us as we celebrate local Omaha poet, Amy Haddad, and her chapbook, The Most Potent Weapon. The poems in Haddad’s The Most Potent Weapon read like “enlightenments from life on the road,” to borrow from Paul Theroux, for those who journey with end-stage or chronic illness. With a rare insider’s view of the world of health care from the dual perspective of nurse and patient, Haddad reveals courage, frailty, grace, and humor in poems grounded in clinical authenticity. Following a reading of selected poems from The Most Potent Weapon there will be time for discussion/questions and a chapbook signing. Chapbooks will be available for purchase that evening.
• April 3, 2026 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Jim Peterson
  Zoom, 12:00 pm
  Jim Peterson’s poems have won the Benjamin Saltman Award from Red Hen Press, an Academy of American Poets Award, and a Fellowship in Poetry from the Virginia Arts Commission. His newest poetry collection is Towheaded Stone Thrower, his tenth book overall, including eight collections of poetry, a novel, and a collection of short stories.
• April 7, 2026 Todd Robinson Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Todd Robinson’s work moves between tenderness and wit, exploring love, loss, and the beauty of the Midwest. His poems draw on pop culture, memory, and faith, revealing both humor and heart in the ordinary and extraordinary.
• April 11, 2026 Writing About the Dead and the Dying with M. Mick Powell
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  This workshop invites writers to consider how we grieve, honor, and remember, and how we celebrate life and legacy even as violence shapes our world.
• April 11, 2026 HOMEGROWN
  Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, 801 Third Corso
  Nebraska City, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
  Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts proudly presents HOMEGROWN with Jewel Rodgers, State Poet of Nebraska. “HOMEGROWN is a series of intimate art shares across the state of Nebraska, bringing together poets, sculptors, painters -everyone. “Open to the public and free to attend. Light refreshments will be provided by Whispering Pines.
• April 12, 2026 Salon Reading Series: “Always a Bridesmaid”
  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 Always a Bridesmaid by Regina Hinkley, where Aris, a young college graduate, plans a surprise engagement party for her best friend.
• April 14, 2026 All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival Semi-Final Bouts
  The Venue at Highlander, 2120 N 30th St.
  Omaha, 5:30 & 7:30 pm
  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 April 14 & 16 with high schools and middle schools competing in a team poetry slam competition.
• April 16, 2026 All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival Semi-Final Bouts
  The Venue at Highlander, 2120 N 30th St.
  Omaha, 5:30 & 7:30 pm
  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 April 14 & 16 with high schools and middle schools competing in a team poetry slam competition.
• April 17, 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”.
• April 18, 2026 A Morning with Matt Mason
  Morton-James Public Library, 923 1st Corso
  Nebraska City, 10:00 – 11:00 am
  An engaging and fun poetry workshop with former Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason. Adults and teens age 15 and up, free, no registration. Open to beginning and seasoned poets and writers.
• April 18, 2026 Visiting Author: Elizabeth Zaleski “The Trouble with Loving Poets and Other Essays on Failure”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us for a visit from author Elizabeth Zaleski! She will be presenting her new book of personal essays, The Trouble with Loving Poets and Other Essays on Failure and writes about the book, “If you’ll bear with me, we’re going to get a bit technical. And then, I promise, it will all start to matter.”
• April 23, 2026 Virtual Author Series: Tyler Jacobs and Samuel Burt
  Zoom, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
  Commemorate National Poetry Month and meet two emerging poets of the Great Plains! Join Tyler Jacobs and Samuel Burt for readings of their latest work, including poems from Jacobs’ new book The Weight of Drought, and engage in a discussion with the authors about place-based poetry, their creative processes, and building careers as writers in the 21st century. You won’t want to miss a night of beautiful and thought-provoking poetry! This event is free with registration.
• April 25, 2026 National Youth Poet Laureate Commencement Ceremony
  Omaha Central Library, 7205 Dodge St.
  Omaha, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
  The Nebraska Writers Collective, in partnership with Urban Word, is hosts this event, marking the first time this celebration has been held in our state. Join us for an evening celebrating youth voice, literary excellence, and the announcement of the 10th National Youth Poet Laureate. The evening will feature performances from four national finalists, alongside a reading from the 2025 Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate Victoria Bogatz. The program will be hosted by Nebraska State Poet Jewel Rodgers and accompanied by DJ Errik Ejike. Seating is limited. Please register in advance.
• April 28, 2026 All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival Finals
  Scott Hall at the Holland Center, 1200 Douglas St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  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.

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.

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 28, 2026 The Poets’ “Little Song”: 800 Years of Sonnets from Medieval Sicily to the American Midwest with Alison Lubar
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Travel through 800 years of sonnets in this lively history-meets-poetry workshop! From Petrarch to Terrance Hayes, explore how poets have reinvented the “little song” across centuries—and discover fresh ways to write your own sonnets that sing to today’s world.
• 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.

Fall in love with these literary events! If you’re looking for something to do in February, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• February 1, 2025 Salon Reading Series: “I’m Saving You a Seat”
  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 I’m Saving You a Seat by Sarah Elizabeth Grace, a heartfelt, slice of life play that answers the question “what happens next after someone gets sober?” with searing vulnerability and many David Bowie references.
• February 3, 2025 Maria Nazos Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Nazos writes toward the pulse beneath grief and joy, tracing love, loss, resilience, and the strange humor of being alive. Her poems travel widely, but always return to the body and what keeps it moving.
• February 3-7, 2025 Kearney Area Storytelling Festival: Winter Tales
  Kearney
  Come see the Kearney Area Storytelling Festival, where you’re invited to come hear professional storytellers—along with area tellers—present the art of storytelling in many area venues. Featured speakers will be Lyn Ford and Paul Strickland. See the full event schedule with times and locations here.
• February 5, 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.
• February 6, 2025 First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Lee Horikoshi Roripaugh
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Join Lee Horikoshi Roripaugh, author of five volumes of poetry – most recently tsunami vs. the fukushima 50 as they read and discuss “unMothered, unTongued”, a collection of lyric essays written from the liminal space of the in-between.
• February 7, 2025 The Language of Desire: Poetry and the Human Need to Be Known with Aly Acevedo
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  What does it mean to be known? In this workshop, explore how poetry expresses our need for connection and belonging through guided discussion and writing that help transform personal experience into art.
• February 7, 14, & 28, 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.
• February 7 & 21, 2025 Nebraska Warrior Writers – Omaha Workshops
  Nebraska Wildlife Rehab’s Baldwin 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.
• February 10, 2025 Book Launch Celebration: Kristen Hoerl – “The Impossible Woman: Television, Feminism, and the Future”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
  Join us as we celebrate the book launch of Kristen Hoerl’s new book The Impossible Woman: Television, Feminism, and the Future! The Impossible Woman examines a variety of scripted US television series across multiple genres to show how the cultural value of television’s extraordinarily talented female characters often rests upon their ability to endure—but not overcome—sexism.
• February 13, 2025 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Alina Nguyên and Caroliena Cabada
  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 Alina Nguyên and Caroliena Cabada will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
• February 19, 2025 Beyond Adventure Speaker Series with Kevin Fedarko
  Swanson Auditorium, Nebraska Union, 1400 R St.
  Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
  Hear author and adventurer Kevin Fedarko give his account of one of the toughest hikes in the world and ask him your questions about his book A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon! He will be presenting for the Beyond Adventure Speaker Series and signing books.
• February 13, 2025 V-day the 13th Variety Show
  Maravillas, 2910 K St. Suite G
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  A night of variety with comedy, music, poetry, a mentalist act, and more as the Vaudeville Maniacs present “V-Day the 13th!” hosted by Chicken Boy and Joe Riss. There is also a “Best Jason” Costume Contest with the winner taking home a prestigious gold spray painted Hockey Mask. Poetry from Nikki J and Matt Mason. Doors open at 7, show at 8. Preshow admission: $10. $15 at the door.
• February 14, 2025 Valentine’s Day Oracle Reading with Watercolor Haiku
  Raygun, 1108 Jackson St.
  Omaha, 7:00 pm
  Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a playful, meaningful experience designed for connection. Couples and individuals are invited to receive a short intuitive oracle card reading paired with a custom watercolor haiku, created in the moment as a keepsake. This experience offers insight, reflection, and a gentle pause capturing what’s present or possible in your relationship right now. Tina BE will invite you to with a beautiful card for inspiration, compose an inspired haiku, then paint with your overall color vibe. This is not therapy or fortune-telling; just a playful, creative way to listen, reflect, and share a moment together.
• February 19, 2025 Virtual Author Series: Brad Bigelow – “Virginia Faulkner: A Life in Two Acts”
  Zoom, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
  Delve into the life and work of an important Willa Cather scholar with the return of our virtual author series! Brad Bigelow will share passages from his new book, Virginia Faulkner: A Life in Two Acts, a biography that chronicles Virginia Faulkner’s career as a promising writer once compared to Dorothy Parker, who eventually returns to her hometown of Lincoln and becomes an editor who is free to nurture what author Timothy Schaffert calls “mad devotion to Willa Cather.” Spend an evening with Bigelow as he discusses his research, his expertise about Faulkner’s life, and how she contributed to Cather’s enduring legacy as an American author. This event is free with registration.
• February 19, 2025 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. Featured set by Sultry Tha Poet.
• February 20, 2025 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 “Love and Heartbreak: Romance”.
• February 21, 2025 Poetry Workshop: Writing Pain Into Your Poetry
  Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Sometimes we write because it hurts, whatever “it” is. Bring your hurt, your pain, your sorrow. We will turn it into healing words. We will discuss why sometimes we turn to the pen when things seem down or hopeless, and what that brings us when we write the pain on paper. Led by Julie Paschold.
• February 21, 2025 Visiting Authors: Lexi Rodriguez and Kelsi Kautz – “The Big Little Dream”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
  Join author and volleyball player Lexi Rodriguez and her co-author Kelsi Kautz as they present their new children’s book, The Big Little Dream. The story dives into the life of Little Mia and her big dream – to find her sense of belonging through sport.
• February 22, 2025 Poetry Gathering at St. Cecilia Cathedral’s Parish Center
  St. Cecilia Cathedral’s Parish Center, 701 N 40th St.
  Omaha, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
  Readers are invited to bring original poems or work by a favorite author on themes of Black History or Valentines Day (Or any other favorite). Refreshments and live music at intermission.

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.

Ring in the new year with some literary events! If you’re looking for something to do in January, here are some upcoming literary events* that may pique your interest!

• January 1, 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.
• January 6, 2025 Gene Fendt Poetry Reading & Discussion
  Zoom, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
  Gene Fendt’s poetry wrestles with the physical world while reaching for the divine. Join us for an evening of reading and conversation with a poet whose work celebrates heritage, questions mortality, and seeks grace in the everyday.
• January 9, 2025 Poetry Readings at The Lion: a Poetry Feature and Open Mic with Greg Kosmicki
  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 Greg Kosmicki will feature. If time remains, Open Mic will will follow until closing.
• January 15, 2025 Third Thursday Artist Talk at the KHN Center for the Arts
  Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, 801 Third Corso
  Nebraska City, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
  Meet KHN resident artists and get a glimpse of their creative work. We begin in the KHN Gallery dining room with light refreshments followed by presentations. Resident artists present for eight minutes each with additional time for questions.
• January 15, 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. Featuring Sam Nichols and Allen Stevenson as MCs.
• January 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.
• January 17, 2025 Book Launch: Carole Levin & Marguerite A. Tassi “Creatively Expanding the Premodern: Historical and Literary Afterlives”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  Join us as we celebrate the release of Creatively Expanding the Premodern: Historical and Literary Afterlives by Carole Levin, Marguerite A.Tassi, Christine Stewart-Nuñez and Julia Griffin. Co-authors Carole Levin and Marguerite A.Tassi will read from the book with Q&A and booksigning to follow. Their book highlights the stories of women from premodern history and literature through models of adaptations, retellings, and criticism such as poems, plays, and essays. In reviving these voices from the background, it widens the appeal and accessibility of scholarship in the humanities.
• January 19, 2025 8th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” Original Social Justice Spoken Word, Music, Dance and Art Competition
  Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.
  Omaha, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Sponsored by the City of Omaha Human Rights and Relations Department. There will be cash prizes and trophies awarded to winners from the Omaha metro area in grades 7-12.
• January 24, 2025 Visiting Author: Brad Bigelow “Virginia Faulkner: A Life in Two Acts”
  Francie & Finch Bookshop, 130 S. 13th St.
  Lincoln, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
  Join us as we welcome writer Brad Bigelow to Lincoln! He will be presenting his upcoming book Virginia Faulkner: A Life in Two Acts. Published by the University of Nebraska Press, this new book tells the story of writer and editor Virginia Falkner. You don’t want to miss this fascinating history!
• January 31, 2025 Excavating the Self: Poetics and Memory with Tatiana Johnson-Boria
  Zoom, 10:00 – 11:30 am
  Unearth the stories that live beneath the surface. In this generative workshop, writers will explore memory, emotion, and truth through guided exercises that help transform buried experiences into powerful new poems.

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

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

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

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.

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.