Duluth musician Gaelynn Lea speaks with us about her new music memoir, her advocacy for accessibility, and song writing vs. prose writing.

It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect (Algonquin Books)

Gaelynn's memoir recommendations

Waking by Matthew Sanford

Patriot by Alexei Navalny

The Autobiography of Ben Franklin

Follow Gaelynn

https://violinscratches.com/

Creative Living for Every Body with Gaelynn Lea

@gaelynnlea on Instagram

@gaelynnlea on YouTube

Angela Pelster, director of Hamline University's creative writing programs and author of The Evolution of Fire: Essays on Crisis and Becoming discusses her Canadian roots, braided essays (yay or nay?), and the Twin Cities' amazing creative nonfiction community.

Links and recommendations:

The Evolution of Fire (Milkweed Press)

Angela Pelster on Facebook

@angelapelsterwiebe on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/angelapelsterwiebe/

Jennifer Eli Bowen's The Book of Kin

Deborah's 2025 round-up of MN book recommendations, including Kathryn Nuernberger's Held

The Artist's Way

University of Minnesota's Esther Freier Lecture

Courtney Kocak, a Jackson, MN-born and Los Angeles-based podcaster, comedian, screenwriter, and author talks with us about the southwestern Minnesota prairie, the business of writing, and how she prioritizes her art above everything else. Kocak's debut memoir Girl Gone Wild is out on April 1 (no foolin') from Trio House Press.

Girl Gone Wild

courtneykocak.com

Deborah's recommendation:

Courtney's podcast The Bleeders

Paul Gruchow's essay "What the Prairie Teaches Us"

Christopher Johnston, author of Where You Come from Is Gone, speaks with us about deciding to start his novel with action, Tim O'Brien's influence on his work, and stinky mink.

Where You Come From Is Gone

@cjtravelr on Instagram

Christopher Johnston on Facebook

Christopher Johnson on Substack

Website: https://www.christopherjohnstonbooks.com/

Recommendations:

Writing Excuses podcast

Deborah's podcast workshop at The Loft Literary Center on April 18

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!

Economist Misty Heggeness joins us to discuss her book Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy, the economic consequences of Operation Metro Surge, and the long road to gender equity.

Swiftynomics

Misty Heggeness at Magers & Quinn Booksellers on April 9, 2026

We speak with Christian historical romance author Tracie Peterson about the long history of Minneapolis charity and how the first hospital in Minnesota inspired Faithful of Heart, the first book in her generational series set in Minnesota. Peterson tells us about her fascinating location-based research process and how she crafts three(!) page-turning books per year.

A Minnesota Legacy book series from Bethany House

@traciepetersonauthor on Facebook

traciepetersonbooks.com

Nobles County Historical Society

Romance author Dana Hawkins joins us to talk about Minnesota bakeries and her new book, I Will Always Love You (Maybe) from Storm Publishing.

I Will Always Love You (Maybe)

Cold Spring Bakery

@d.hawkinsauthor on Instagram

Dana Hawkins website

Tropes and Trifles, a Twin Cities Romance-Specialist Bookshop

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!

Is it a Minnesota podcast without a 1991 Halloween Blizzard story? Professor Andrew Elfenbein speaks with us about his first year in Minnesota, his work and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, and his humorous MM romantasy The Quyre (Tales of the Pine Rapids Fairies Book 1) from Dreamspinner Press.

The Quyre

Andrew's Substack

Andrew Elfenbein on Facebook

Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

Immigrant Defense Network trainings

Thanks for listening to Read Minnesota Books!