Pamela Carter Joern
| Been There |
Image by Dawn Villella
Pamela Carter Joern enjoys her appearances
| Common Good Books St. Paul, MN September 12, 2008 |
Common Good Books hosted my book
launch in a lovely renovated building in St.
Paul. Thanks to Sheila O’Connor for the
fabulous introduction. Marsha Knittig
provided prairie cone flowers, the perfect
backdrop for these prairie stories. Thanks to
all my friends who showed up to cheer, and
to the few passersby who looked in, thanks
for giving me your attention.
launch in a lovely renovated building in St.
Paul. Thanks to Sheila O’Connor for the
fabulous introduction. Marsha Knittig
provided prairie cone flowers, the perfect
backdrop for these prairie stories. Thanks to
all my friends who showed up to cheer, and
to the few passersby who looked in, thanks
for giving me your attention.
The Beatrice Public Library is a thing of
beauty and would warm the heart of any
book lover. Librarian Laureen Riedesel gave
me a tour, introduced me to the Black Crow
Restaurant, and led a discussion with a
small but mighty group of women. Here,
Laureen and I share a bench with a
sculpture of a reading boy.
beauty and would warm the heart of any
book lover. Librarian Laureen Riedesel gave
me a tour, introduced me to the Black Crow
Restaurant, and led a discussion with a
small but mighty group of women. Here,
Laureen and I share a bench with a
sculpture of a reading boy.
| Beatrice Public Library Beatrice, NE September 16, 2008 |
| Drop by Visit Chapters Book Store Seward, NE September 17, 2008 |
Carla Ketner runs a terrific bookstore on
the town square in Seward, Nebraska. I
stopped to sign copies of my books and
bought a lovely children’s book titled C is
for Cornhusker.
the town square in Seward, Nebraska. I
stopped to sign copies of my books and
bought a lovely children’s book titled C is
for Cornhusker.
| Lee Booksellers Lincoln, NE September 17, 2008 |
| The Bookworm Omaha, NE September 18, 2008 |
Two years ago, The Bookworm in Omaha
hosted my first ever reading. It was fun to
be back, and here we all are: lots of family
and a few interested friends. Sitting on my
brother’s lap is my youngest fan to date, my
grandnephew Jacob who is one year old.
hosted my first ever reading. It was fun to
be back, and here we all are: lots of family
and a few interested friends. Sitting on my
brother’s lap is my youngest fan to date, my
grandnephew Jacob who is one year old.
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Trinity Village in Papillion is my mother-in-law’s
assisted living residence. Margaret Joern and her
friend Jean Gottsch gathered a group of their
friends to hear me read from these prairie
stories. This may be the sweetest invitation I will
ever receive. Margaret is sitting beside me,
wearing blue, my oldest fan at age 92.
Note: If you have used books, especially large-
print books, or cast off audio tapes, Trinity
Village could use them. If you don’t live near
Papillion, NE, consider checking with your local
assisted living complexes to see if they could
benefit.
assisted living residence. Margaret Joern and her
friend Jean Gottsch gathered a group of their
friends to hear me read from these prairie
stories. This may be the sweetest invitation I will
ever receive. Margaret is sitting beside me,
wearing blue, my oldest fan at age 92.
Note: If you have used books, especially large-
print books, or cast off audio tapes, Trinity
Village could use them. If you don’t live near
Papillion, NE, consider checking with your local
assisted living complexes to see if they could
benefit.
| Trinity Village Papillion, NE September 19, 2008 |
| Bookcase of Wayzata Wayzata, MN September 23, 2008 |
It started as a dark and stormy night, but
the weather cleared and I had a good time
with the venturous folks who showed up
at the Bookcase. Thanks to the staff for
providing the wine.
the weather cleared and I had a good time
with the venturous folks who showed up
at the Bookcase. Thanks to the staff for
providing the wine.
| Guest Appearance on Write-On Radio Fresh Air Community Radio KFAI Minneapolis/St. Paul, September 25, 2008 |
Lynette Reini-Grandell, poet Margaret Hasse, and I
spent a lively half hour on Write-On Radio. Margaret
Hasse grew up in South Dakota, about 120 miles from
my home town in the Nebraska panhandle. My stories
of the plains and Margaret’s new book of poems,
Milk and Tides, both explore themes of family and
primal connections to landscape. You can learn more
about Margaret’s work at www.margarethasse.com.
Thanks to Lynette for facilitating a great discussion.
spent a lively half hour on Write-On Radio. Margaret
Hasse grew up in South Dakota, about 120 miles from
my home town in the Nebraska panhandle. My stories
of the plains and Margaret’s new book of poems,
Milk and Tides, both explore themes of family and
primal connections to landscape. You can learn more
about Margaret’s work at www.margarethasse.com.
Thanks to Lynette for facilitating a great discussion.
| Guest Author University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE September 15, 2008 |
It was a treat to revisit my alma mater, the
University of Nebraska, and be a guest author
in Timothy Schaffert’s fiction writing class.
The students were smart and polite, and I
suspect many will one day be published
authors. The campus looks terrific. Here’s the
refurbished Temple Building (thanks to an
endowment from Johnny Carson) and the Love
Memorial Library, both buildings where I spent
a lot of time as a student.
University of Nebraska, and be a guest author
in Timothy Schaffert’s fiction writing class.
The students were smart and polite, and I
suspect many will one day be published
authors. The campus looks terrific. Here’s the
refurbished Temple Building (thanks to an
endowment from Johnny Carson) and the Love
Memorial Library, both buildings where I spent
a lot of time as a student.
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| Omaha Lit Fest Omaha, NE September 20, 2008 |
The Omaha Lit Fest is a fun-packed,
book-loving day (plus a couple of
evenings), the brain-child of Timothy
Schaffert. Here I am on a panel talking
about research as it relates to fiction and
non-fiction. The whole day was devoted to
discussions about plagiarism and
boundaries between truth and lies.
Needless to say, the name James Frey
surfaced often.
book-loving day (plus a couple of
evenings), the brain-child of Timothy
Schaffert. Here I am on a panel talking
about research as it relates to fiction and
non-fiction. The whole day was devoted to
discussions about plagiarism and
boundaries between truth and lies.
Needless to say, the name James Frey
surfaced often.
Lee Booksellers in Lincoln, Nebraska is a
flourishing independent bookstore with a
grand reputation. I had a great time here,
thanks to a few family members, staff
from UNL Press, and some old college
friends. Thanks to Dana and Lynn Roper
for lunch and to Judy and Gary Heaston for
hosting me.
flourishing independent bookstore with a
grand reputation. I had a great time here,
thanks to a few family members, staff
from UNL Press, and some old college
friends. Thanks to Dana and Lynn Roper
for lunch and to Judy and Gary Heaston for
hosting me.
| Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show St. Paul, MN September 26, 2008 |
The Plain Sense of Things is a Midwest Booksellers
Association Connections Pick, and I was privileged to
participate in the author’s lunch at the MBA Trade
Show. Thanks to Susan Walker for organizing a fun
way for writers to meet other writers and booksellers
from independent bookstores. Three cheers for
independent booksellers—those champions of reading
who make it possible for us to buy books and
participate in our local communities.
Association Connections Pick, and I was privileged to
participate in the author’s lunch at the MBA Trade
Show. Thanks to Susan Walker for organizing a fun
way for writers to meet other writers and booksellers
from independent bookstores. Three cheers for
independent booksellers—those champions of reading
who make it possible for us to buy books and
participate in our local communities.
This gathering was a lot of fun. Not every
writer gets to travel with her own band. Here’s
my daughter, Shannon, as lead singer, backed
up by Brad (my husband), Matt Youngblood
(Shannon’s husband), and our good friends,
Randy Baker and Doug Weatherhead. David
Unowski from Magers & Quinn staffed the
book table. Thanks to Jane Ann Nelson,
Church Moderator, and Pastor Diane Hooge
for coordinating, and kudos to the kitchen
helpers and all those who provided cookies and
bars.
writer gets to travel with her own band. Here’s
my daughter, Shannon, as lead singer, backed
up by Brad (my husband), Matt Youngblood
(Shannon’s husband), and our good friends,
Randy Baker and Doug Weatherhead. David
Unowski from Magers & Quinn staffed the
book table. Thanks to Jane Ann Nelson,
Church Moderator, and Pastor Diane Hooge
for coordinating, and kudos to the kitchen
helpers and all those who provided cookies and
bars.
| Judson Memorial Baptist Church (in cooperation with Magers and Quinn Bookstore) Minneapolis, MN September 28, 2008 |
Boulder, Colorado was a gorgeous setting for
this conference on western literature. I
attended sessions of Cormackians (experts on
Cormac McCarthy) and Catherites (Willa
Cather scholars) and one wild and funny
melodrama about the first person convicted
of cannibalism. I signed a few books, and
with me are Terra Chapek and Heather
Lundine from University of Nebraska Press.
this conference on western literature. I
attended sessions of Cormackians (experts on
Cormac McCarthy) and Catherites (Willa
Cather scholars) and one wild and funny
melodrama about the first person convicted
of cannibalism. I signed a few books, and
with me are Terra Chapek and Heather
Lundine from University of Nebraska Press.
| Western Literature Association Boulder, CO October 1-4, 2008 |
Here I am with Geoff Herbach at the
Morning Mixer of the Twin Cities Book
Festival featuring Minnesota authors who’
ve published books with out-of-state
presses. Geoff’s new novel is The Miracle
Letters of T. Rimberg
Morning Mixer of the Twin Cities Book
Festival featuring Minnesota authors who’
ve published books with out-of-state
presses. Geoff’s new novel is The Miracle
Letters of T. Rimberg
| Twin Cities Book Festival Minneapolis, MN October 11, 2008 |
Excelsior Bay Books and Café 318 in Excelsior, MN
collaborate to offer the Fireside Writers Series, an
evening of reading and book talk, plus a beverage,
appetizer, and dessert for those attending. I was
honored to be the presenting writer in October. My
friend Sally Hill posed with me, and here I am again
with my husband Brad and more friends, Dave and
Marjory Adams and Cheri and Paul Hansen. Thanks
to Ann Woodbeck for inviting me, and to the staff of
both Excelsior Bay Books and Café 318 for providing
such a fun way for book lovers to gather.
collaborate to offer the Fireside Writers Series, an
evening of reading and book talk, plus a beverage,
appetizer, and dessert for those attending. I was
honored to be the presenting writer in October. My
friend Sally Hill posed with me, and here I am again
with my husband Brad and more friends, Dave and
Marjory Adams and Cheri and Paul Hansen. Thanks
to Ann Woodbeck for inviting me, and to the staff of
both Excelsior Bay Books and Café 318 for providing
such a fun way for book lovers to gather.
| Excelsior Bay Books Café 318 Excelsior, MN October 20, 2008 |
I had a great time at the Montana Book
Festival, soaking up the mountain views of
Missoula and listening to western writers
read and talk about their passions. Thanks
to Rhonda Winchell and Tom Swanson
from the University of Nebraska Press for
befriending me.
Festival, soaking up the mountain views of
Missoula and listening to western writers
read and talk about their passions. Thanks
to Rhonda Winchell and Tom Swanson
from the University of Nebraska Press for
befriending me.
| Montana Book Festival Missoula, MT October 23 -26, 2008 |
| Magers and Quinn Bookstore Minneapolis, MN November 10, 2008 |
Magers & Quinn is the largest independent
bookstore in the Twin Cities and a great
supporter of local writers. Thanks to everybody
who came out on a cold November evening.
bookstore in the Twin Cities and a great
supporter of local writers. Thanks to everybody
who came out on a cold November evening.
| Loft Literary Center Minneapolis, MN November 18, 2008 |
Thanks to Jerod Santek for organizing this reading of Career
Initiative grant recipients. This photo is a shot of the sign for my
parking space, the first time I’ve ever had a spot reserved in my
name. It was also great to meet the other readers: Patricia Cumbie
(Where People Like Us Live, a young adult novel about sexual
abuse); John Rosengren (Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty,
and the Say Hey Kid, a look at the 1973 season of baseball); Kao
Kalia Yang (The Latehomecomer, a Hmong family memoir).
Initiative grant recipients. This photo is a shot of the sign for my
parking space, the first time I’ve ever had a spot reserved in my
name. It was also great to meet the other readers: Patricia Cumbie
(Where People Like Us Live, a young adult novel about sexual
abuse); John Rosengren (Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty,
and the Say Hey Kid, a look at the 1973 season of baseball); Kao
Kalia Yang (The Latehomecomer, a Hmong family memoir).
| Book Brunch Seattle, WA December 6, 2008 |
Thanks to my friend, Mae Bell (in the
sweater with red flowers on it), who hosted
a lovely brunch for her reading friends and a
few of mine. We laughed and told stories, ate
delicious food and enjoyed the view. You’ll
note the glass snack trays in these pictures,
vintage 1950’s, each one complete with a
cigarette groove and ash tray.
sweater with red flowers on it), who hosted
a lovely brunch for her reading friends and a
few of mine. We laughed and told stories, ate
delicious food and enjoyed the view. You’ll
note the glass snack trays in these pictures,
vintage 1950’s, each one complete with a
cigarette groove and ash tray.
| Drop By Visit Elliott Bay Books Seattle, WA December 5, 2008 |
While in Seattle, I dropped into Elliott Bay Books
to sign copies. This is a terrific independent
bookstore with a smart and friendly staff and a
recently remodeled café in the basement. You
could easily spend a few happy hours here.
to sign copies. This is a terrific independent
bookstore with a smart and friendly staff and a
recently remodeled café in the basement. You
could easily spend a few happy hours here.
