Re-Introducing The Sawdust City Writers: Creating a Community, One Writing Session At A Time

Whether you’re a private journaler or a published author, all are welcome to participate in the Sawdust City Writers — a writing collective established in 2017 by Kate Venit. Diana Peterson joined the group in the inaugural year, and now serves as its lead organizer. She also is the curator for the Chippewa Valley Museum and has her own website where she writes about classic television. Diana is passionate about the writing community in Eau Claire and hopes to fuel it by fostering new writers with the Sawdust City Writers. The group meets at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library once a month. From working on your next novel to writing out your grocery list, any level of writer is encouraged to come. I had the pleasure of interviewing Diana and she let me in on everything that makes The Sawdust City Writers special.

McKenna Dutton: Who created the Sawdust city writers?

Diana Peterson: Back when it was created it started in 2017 and Katie Vennit started that. At the time we were called “Writers Anonymous” and then during the pandemic we started meeting more online and Katie was actually the one who said we should have a different title cause people were getting a little confused about what kind of group they were coming to and then it became the Sawdust City Writers in 2017.

MD: How long have you been involved in The Sawdust City Writers and what’s your position?

DP: I’ve been involved with them for the entire six years. I started attending and then Katie decided her personal life was getting really busy so she had to step away from the group and so I took on the management role. Making sure we have a place to meet, reminders are being sent out on Facebook, and events are being set up. So that’s my role right now with the group.

MD: What do you think is the intention for The Sawdust City Writers?

DP: We want to be a welcoming and encouraging group for anyone who has just begun writing or for someone who’s been writing for decades. We have people who have been in all aspects of that, whether it’s journaling and they’ve never written anything else or they’ve written three books and they have been querying them but received no response or they’ve actually been published. We have representatives from all those areas and I think we like to share our joys and sorrows of going through publishing. We can commiserate with people who have been querying for forever who aren’t getting responses but then being really happy for anyone who gets published. One of the biggest things is that writing can be really solitary. This gives a chance for writers to come together. During a session, the group is writing most of the time but we don’t do critiques. We do talk about things and bounce questions off of each other but we don’t critique each other's work. We can still write and not be solitary and if you’re having a hard time finding time to fit writing in your schedule at least you get an hour to an hour and a half once a month to dedicate towards that.

MD: What advice would you give to anyone who is nervous to join?

DP: We’ve all been there. Don’t feel bad. I remember my first time going and I walked in thinking “what am I doing?” So everybody’s been a new person at times, but I think they will fit in quickly and after a couple times they’ll feel like they’ve been with us all along.

The upcoming Sawdust City Writers meeting is on April 19th at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library from 6-7:45. If you have any questions about details leading up to future meetings you can check out the Sawdust City Writers Facebook or contact Diana!

Turning a Lens on the Land: Michael Perry on Publishing, Promotion, and Writing Through Creative Blocks

Elizabeth de Cleyre

Every so often, I’ll come across a book that absolutely ruins reading for me, a book so good I can’t read anything else for months. On my first-ever trip to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, I bought and brought home a copy of Michael Perry’s memoir, Population 485. I read it a few months later, around the same time I was mulling over whether to relocate from Oregon to Wisconsin. After reading Perry’s essays, I didn’t pick up another book for three months. Nothing could live up to his prose, at once somber and sidesplitting. By the time I was ready to read again, I was already moved into a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Eau Claire. I’m not saying I moved to Wisconsin because of a Michael Perry book, but I’m not not saying that either. Like Didion writing about her native state of California and its subcultures, Perry has a particular way of writing about Wisconsin, about the land and the people of this particular time and place. Most of the nation knows this region as ‘flyover country,’ only seeing it through the porthole of a plane. Perry’s prose turns a lens onto the land and those who tend to it, mixing darkly serious subject matter with moments of unexpected yet necessary levity. His characters may represent archetypes, but they never feel one-dimensional.

When I read Population 485, I thought it was an impressive debut. But this wasn’t Perry’s first rodeo; he’d self-published a few titles prior to this traditionally-published release. In recent years, he’s returned to his DIY roots, choosing to publish certain projects under his own press, Sneezing Cow Publishing. His latest, Forty Acres Deep, is a short novella that winds up being a wild ride.

Michael Perry can be hard to pin down. He pens and publishes essays, columns, and books (and music, too, recording and touring as The Long Beds). There are speaking engagements. Stage plays. Sometimes it seems like Michael Perry puts out a new project quicker than I could clean the snow off my car. Thankfully, he made time in his busy schedule to generously answer questions via email about writing, publishing, and his latest book, the novella Forty Acres Deep.

Elizabeth de Cleyre: Your publishing track record is a mix of traditional and self-published works. You decided to publish Forty Acres Deep through your own press, Sneezing Cow Publishing. What goes into making that decision? Does it depend on the finished book, or do you start a project with a clear sense of where it will one day live (traditional press or your own)?

Michael Perry: It’s a situational thing. The publishing industry has evolved—or devolved—into a business that doesn’t do much for mild mid-listers like me. I’m not terribly distressed about it. Similar to the protagonist of Forty Acres Deep, for quite a while now I’ve been trying to remain pliable in the face of change. It’s so easy to grow brittle and bitter. Rather, I view it as an exciting opportunity to rev up the ol’ DIY machine—I self-published my first four books, and I used to sell my homemade humor cassettes at Kwik Trip, so I’ve been down this road before. Let’er rip.

Ever since Population 485, HarperCollins has treated me tremendously well. But certain projects—collections of regional newspaper columns, for instance, of which I have self-published several—just don’t fit their big machine. In the case of Forty Acres Deep, my agent—who is not known for blowing sunshine—told me it was the best writing I’d done in years, but in light of the content and novella form, the odds of it selling to one of the “bigs” were virtually nil. There was the option of smaller presses (I’ve had some wonderful experiences publishing with Wisconsin Historical Society Press), but—and I guess I’m risking coming off as crass here but business is part of the business—my youngest child just had her braces removed, so I’ll say it: This little novella recouped its expenses in about 48 hours. I can sell far fewer books for a far better return. I’m not gonna get rich off it, but neither am I waiting six months to a year for a check accompanied by an impenetrable royalty statement that is by definition partially fiction.

This is not some screed against traditional publishing. I have a book under contract with HarperCollins and another with Sourcebooks. The editors on each project are terrific. Both publishers have vast distribution channels and contacts that I can’t possibly match with my Toyota van and email list. So I’m very excited about those two projects. In fact I should be working on them right now. But for some projects, a return to my DIY roots just makes more sense.

It also allows me to work with local talent. I hired a local editor, copyeditor, and proofreader. I hired a local graphic artist—RT Vrieze of Knorth Studios—to design the cover. I hired a local audio engineer—Jaime Hansen—to produce the audiobook. We print all of our webstore and road merch books locally. Our distribution and fulfillment has long been handled locally, and still is. It’s nice to know when we sell one of those self-published books some modest amount of that money is cycling back into the local economy.

credit: Justin Patchin

EDC: You mentioned the inspiration for this book came in part from your own struggles to save a few pole barns (or sheds, to us commoners) on your property one winter, and wondering about farmers whose livelihoods are at risk when barns collapse, losing expensive and necessary equipment, or even livestock. Can you talk a little more about the inspiration for the book?

MP: Yah, there have been two winters out here when the snow got so heavy on my pole barns I feared they would collapse. The most recent time there were sheds and farm buildings going down all over the place. My brother lost one of his sheds. Farmers lost cattle and equipment. People died. So I was yanking torpedo heaters back and forth through the drifts one night, sweating and saying bad words and worrying, when it hit me that I was just a softhanded writer with two sheds mostly full of junk. Some valuables, but certainly nothing critical to my livelihood. Whereas there were farmers all around me with their entire livelihoods at stake. This got me to thinking how that would alter my perception of the struggle.

“This then spun into a yarnball of other thoughts: the loss of family farms, the mental health crisis, the effects of our struggles on those who struggle beside us, the sense of powerlessness, fear, and anger in the face of change and general social nastiness, and so on. And how sometimes we so desperately long to simply clean the slate. Start over. ”

— Michael Perry

This then spun into a yarnball of other thoughts: the loss of family farms, the mental health crisis, the effects of our struggles on those who struggle beside us, the sense of powerlessness, fear, and anger in the face of change and general social nastiness, and so on. And how sometimes we so desperately long to simply clean the slate. Start over. Also, the character is an amateur student of philosophy, and throughout the novella he wrestles with the conundrum of how this appreciation helps him cope and grow and navigate and find beauty in harshness…but is essentially powerless in the face of brute force change.

Tra-la-la, as my farmer father used to say!

EDC: Once you had the idea for this book, what did the writing process look like? How was that similar or different from previous books, and as a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, does your process change when you work in different genres?

MP: When I started, I thought it would be a short story. I had written a couple of winter-driven spoken word pieces already: “Old Guys Surrender the Jukebox,” which I cowrote with Geoffrey Keezer for a jazz festival performance, and “WinterSleeper,” which I performed with S. Carey and others at Eaux Hiver a couple years ago. I figured this story would be slightly longer than those. Once I started writing, I realized it was going to be longer than a short story, but shorter than a novel, i.e., a novella. This was exciting because the author Jim Harrison was one of the signal influences on my writing in the early days, and he was known for his novellas (the most popular of which was Legends of the Fall, thanks to the film featuring Brad Pitt). I’d always wanted to try my hand at the form.

Mainly I just had these scenes I so wanted to write. The feel of hoar frost mornings and what happens when the first breeze stirs. Deer as black holes in moonlit snow. Or yarded up under pines, on a mat of needles and poop marbles, just like I’ve found on our back forty. The fantasy of firing up a bulldozer to go all mondo Marie Kondo on every bit of trash cluttering your house and heart. The sound your ankle makes when it clicks in a quiet house. An underdog putting the run on a boss dog.

So I started with scenes. And lines. I did a lot of the writing and revising during the lockdown year. Once I had a rough draft I’d leave it for a month or two then sit down with a red pen and get real picky. That’s my favorite part. Revision. I love it so. Just dwelling in the line, toying with the words, listening for the beat, choosing the silences. It’s an affliction I picked up during my yearning poet days. I had such hair back then.

One thing I did do differently with this book was send it to outside readers. A farmer. A couple of people who work in ag-related mental health. An acquaintance whose life experience Venn diagram overlaps with mine in several respects and departs from it in significant others. An attorney who specializes in estate law. Each offered critically helpful comments and perspectives, and all encouraged me to go ahead at a time when I wasn’t sure I should.

EDC: The landscape features prominently and beautifully in this book. Can you tell us more about how living in rural Wisconsin impacts or influences your writing? And any thoughts on how living outside literary cities like New York might influence your perspective on publishing?

MP: Landscape is vernacular. The topography of Forty Acres Deep is pretty much what I see when I look out the window of my writing room. It didn’t have to be. But it fit the work. And it gives you this set, this structure, on which to present the play. The ravine in Forty Acres Deep? “Goldmine Gully” in The Scavengers? They’re the same place—and right out behind my pole barn.

“Regarding New York publishing, now and then I enjoy gently reminding those from the coasts that sometimes out here in the Midwest, we think things up all by ourselves. They’re terribly worried about us provincials and our cultural blind spots, but—like when I had to explain to them why Montaigne should be wearing a blaze orange ear-flapper cap on the cover of Montaigne in Barn Boots—they have blind spots of their own.”

— Michael Perry

Regarding New York publishing, now and then I enjoy gently reminding those from the coasts that sometimes out here in the Midwest, we think things up all by ourselves. They’re terribly worried about us provincials and our cultural blind spots, but—like when I had to explain to them why Montaigne should be wearing a blaze orange ear-flapper cap on the cover of Montaigne in Barn Boots—they have blind spots of their own.

So yah, I have a whole bunch of fun stories like how they try to book my flights out of Milwaukee “because you’re from Wisconsin,” or how they tell me they don’t think volunteer firefighters will buy books or go to plays (so I just sell them books and play tickets myself—DIY!), or how when I had RT Vrieze send the Manhattan-based book jacket designer the Pantone code for blaze orange and the designer went with a pale substitute because “we don’t think folks will notice the difference.” (RT and me, we set him STRAIGHT, just check the glowing orange hardcover spine on that one!)

So. We yank their chain a tad. But there is more than enough silly tribalism in the world, and I am equally pleased to say the folks in the East Coast publishing world changed my life forever. When allowed by the machine employing them, they do tremendous work. My first-ever Manhattan publicist—a former dancer from Canada—still buys my books, including the self-published ones. A Harper sales rep I had never met decided she loved Population 485 and brought it to the attention of half the bookstores in California. I have had four Harper editors, and every one of them has raised my writing far beyond what I brung’em. So I enjoy poking fun now and then, but these folks are pros and have my everlasting thanks and respect.

One other aside: Thanks to my agent—who is still based in New York and actively representing names you’d recognize in the New York Times book reviews or bestseller lists—I know that life in the upper echelons of the literary scene is increasingly desperate. I don’t say that with any joy. I have a vested interest in a vibrant, thriving literary world. But it does lead me to count my blessings in that I’ve got recourse to self-publishing and boots-on-the-ground hustling to make up the difference. And it all starts with me sitting down at the keyboard in a room over my garage in rural Wisconsin. Lucky me, and I don’t ever forget it.

EDC: In the past, writers relied on traditional publishing, or legacy publishers, to get their work out into the world. Now, there are more options, including self-publishing and “hybrid publishers,” which some view as “vanity publishing” in disguise. Any thoughts or advice for folks who are trying to navigate this changing industry and figure out a way forward?

MP: There’s no question that a deal with a “legacy” publisher is still a big deal. I’d be a dumb-faced disingenuous liar if I said being able to say I’m published by HarperCollins isn’t thrilling for a dude who grew up cleaning calf pens in Chippewa County. And yes, self-publishing is full of pitfalls—I’ve run into folks who’ve paid thousands—in one case tens of thousands—of dollars to get a book “published” when in fact someone was just robbing them by leveraging their dreams. And yep, some self-published books only reinforce why the professionals are the professionals. But when I self-published those first four books, I wasn’t thinking about cachet, I was thinking about how to get started. How to learn the business. The basics, like ISBNs and shelf space and distribution and 60/40 splits and on and on. My first two self-pubbed books were pretty bad. I was learning in public. But they were essential steps in the process. They got me here. And now that I’m here, I find there are times when self-publishing just makes more sense—financially, logistically, realistically.

“The bottom line is, it’s not about traditional publishing versus self-publishing. It’s about ears and eyeballs. And hearts. ”

— Michael Perry

The bottom line is, it’s not about traditional publishing versus self-publishing. It’s about ears and eyeballs. And hearts. And the way to ears and eyeballs and hearts is to go to the keyboard, to the notebook, to whatever it is you use to turn your spirit and your visions into words, and put those words in a line. And then make another line. And another, and another. When you have a bunch of those lines, re-read them. Read them aloud. Listen to see if you hear your heart. Your voice. If not, get out that red pen. Literally, in my case, figuratively if you prefer otherwise. The writing. The revision. That’s what I love. That’s what makes my heart jump. The nature of the publisher is secondary.

EDC: When you choose to publish a work through your own press or outlets, what does that process look like? After the book is done, what are the next steps?

MP: Oh shnikies, that’s a four-day workshop. OK super-short version of the self-publishing process: Write, revise, etc. Get manuscript print-ready. Obtain and assign ISBN. Record audiobook (in my garage—yay!). Finalize cover art (another salute to Knorth Studios). Order print copies for web and event sales. Upload print-on-demand and ebook files to KDP (Amazon and Kindle, basically). Upload print-on-demand and ebook files (for all non-Kindle platforms) to IngramSpark (they distribute to independent bookstores who—quite understandably—ain’t gonna order your self-published book from the monster that is squashing them). Upload audio files to ACX (Audible, basically) and Findaway Voices (indie audiobook distribution…although recently purchased by Spotify). Go through several maddening cycles of files being rejected for arcane reasons. Get a bunch of social media posts ready. Get your email blast ready (we use MailChimp…don’t really like ‘em but kinda locked in and nothing else we’ve found is any better). Add book to webstore. Do a “soft release” with a quiet post here and there (a good way to make sure all the links are working before a ton of orders come rolling in and you’re up to your eyeballs in customer service mayhem). Send out that email blast. See if anybody bites.

That’s super-abbreviated and there are a multitude of variables and micro-promoting I’m not addressing. Like I said, a workshop. My manager Ben Shaw has become an expert at the self-publishing process and does take on some freelance clients. I don’t know his rates, but should you wish, inquire within.

EDC: Do you approach the marketing any differently when you’re releasing your own book versus going through a traditional publisher?

MP: Unless you’re an established star or irritating influencer or political flame-tosser, traditional publishers are surprisingly ham-fisted at marketing books. Montaigne in Barn Boots was a real turning point for me. When it was finished, I went to New York on my own dime and met with the marketing and publicity team. This was—I think—my seventh book with them. I had a multi-page compilation detailing the geographic coverage of my mailing list, charts of which bookstore events had been particularly successful in the past, page after page of media contacts who actually sought out my work, etc., and so forth. They raved about it. Said how useful it was gonna be. And then sent me on the same ineffective book tour to essentially the same handful of bookstores they’d sent me to for the previous book.

I’ve long understood that even with a major publisher you’re going to do most of your own promotion, and I’m fine with that, but to have presented them with all this actionable, proven intel only to see it ignored reinforced my commitment to spending my time and pinning my hopes elsewhere. Again, in defense of these folks, they have done great things for me and are working under the constraints of the industry. I ain’t mad, I’m just gonna get busy elsewhere.

EDC: In the announcement for the book launch, you mentioned feeling “nervous” and unsure if you should publish it. That sounds like a common creative impulse, to doubt one’s work or its place in the world. Can you tell us what about this particular book made you nervous to release it?

MP: The sources of my nerves were various. The subject matter—suicide, death of spouse, death of a child—is heavy. I’ve written about all of those things in my nonfiction, but I didn’t want to appear to be exploiting tragedy in the name of fiction. There is also the idea that I was—through the characters—bumping up against political and social issues that might draw some fire. The worry that I might be unintentionally insulting or condescending or misrepresenting the issues and persons portrayed. The fact that there were some heavy duty swears (I did get a note regarding this from my mother, but she has earned the right and otherwise liked the book).

“Separately, it seems nearly everyone who releases creative work—and I’ve talked at length about this with both writers and musicians, including some who have been wildly successful—goes through a form of postpartum depression and anxiety. ”

— Michael Perry

Separately, it seems nearly everyone who releases creative work—and I’ve talked at length about this with both writers and musicians, including some who have been wildly successful—goes through a form of postpartum depression and anxiety. In my case, I just assume everyone’s going to find something problematic or offensive or reportable to the IRS or who knows what, but there is always this point where I feel bare naked and windburned and want to gather up all the books and take them back and burn them in my room. I’ve been doing this for I guess around 30 years and one negative comment will knock me off my stride for two days, no matter how many glowing reviews preceded it. But here’s the cool thing, and perhaps the cure: the itch to write never completely subsides, and in short order you’re back at it. It’s like love, in other words.

EDC: When you come up against creative blocks in your work, how do you move through them?

I have two answers, neither of them artful. The first is a call-back to what I said earlier about paying for the offspring’s orthodontia. The last time I had a predictable paycheck—every two weeks, withholding and social security and all that—was 1992. So if I stop creating I stop earning. I generally just push through. Write cruddy stuff until something good comes of it. I also always have more than one project in process. If one goes comatose, I just switch saddles. And I’m fortunate to work in a variety of formats.

credit: Justin Patchin

The second answer is a product of the first: I am a shy, intensely private person by nature. And yet here I am, making a living by telling stories on myself in public. So, as noted above, when I encounter a creative block I am putting our family income in jeopardy. This leads to feelings of fear and dread. This renders me vulnerable. Which puts a quake in my soul. Which releases thoughts and feelings I’d prefer to keep to myself but tend to connect with folks. So I go ahead and write ‘em up, and before you know it that block is in the rearview mirror.

EDC: What are your hypotheses for the future of publishing? Any future plans for Sneezing Cow Press you can share?

MP: I don’t have any grand thoughts about it. My only response is to—as long as I am physically and mentally able—keep writing and finding a place for that writing, whether with a traditional publisher or keeping it local. For all my yip-yap about the state of the industry, the book world is a wonderful world. Daily I receive uplifting, meaningful correspondence from readers. People who love books and want more books. Today I emailed back and forth with one of my favorite independent booksellers. This triggered a truckload of lovely book tour memories, but also reminded me of all the groovy little stores out there that have survived clear into these Tik-Tok times. They are welcoming spaces filled with words and the people who seek them.

“I do sometimes wish I was writing in an age when books were central to society. When a novel might actually drive a national—rather than niche—conversation. Then I realize I am living in an age when books are filled with a richer array of voices than any time in our history… and I’ve been allowed to join that chorus. That’s low-key glorious. Let’s go write some more.”

— Michael Perry

I do sometimes wish I was writing in an age when books were central to society. When a novel might actually drive a national—rather than niche—conversation. Then I realize I am living in an age when books are filled with a richer array of voices than any time in our history… and I’ve been allowed to join that chorus. That’s low-key glorious. Let’s go write some more.

For more information about Mike's writings, recordings, and live events, please visit: SneezingCow.com. For more information about the weekly audio Substack, "Michael Perry's Voice Mail," please visit: https://michaelperry.substack.com/

Also, click here to learn more about PBS Wisconsin’s newly released show “Michael Perry: On The Road.”

Elizabeth de Cleyre is a writer and editor. She founded the forthcoming interview series Yesterday Quarterly, and is the current prose editor for Barstow & Grand (open for submissions March 1 - April 30).

A Voice for the Upper Midwest: Barstow and Grand Submissions Now Open

Atalissa Wells

Within the Upper Midwest, there are many opportunities to share stories about the region we call home. From the bluffs to dairy farms, to large cities and unincorporated ones, to each cheese curd and local distillery, this region has much to offer to inspire local writers. These lived experiences describe the people, places, and pride that exists here, and Barstow & Grand, a literary journal based in Eau Claire, is looking for those stories to share.

“The hope was that B&G ‘felt like the bigger national publications, but was a little more approachable.’ ”

— Eric Rasmussen

Barstow & Grand was started about eight years ago, following the inspiration of BJ Hollars and the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. The literary journal was created by Eric Rasmussen, a high school English teacher and Eau Claire native. He used his experience as a submitter and editor for other literary journals to build B&G into something unique. Rasmussen recognizes that learning the processes of submitting creative writing can be difficult. The hope was that B&G “felt like the bigger national publications, but was a little more approachable,” he says. Rasmussen wants the journal to be beneficial towards the Guild’s mission of education and support.

Grace Schutte

B&G models after many other literary journals, ensuring that writers’ experiences and stories vary, while also supporting local authors.  The local emphasis is a significant aspect of what makes B&G special. As Grace Schutte, current intern for the journal, says, “the Midwest in one of the cornerstones of Barstow & Grand– it’s an identity we all share, it’s what unites us as a publication.”

If you’re a seasoned submitter or brand new to the process, don’t worry! Eric Rasmussen and Grace Schutte put their heads together to come up with some excellent advice for the submission process in general as well as tailored to B&G. Rasmussen acknowledges that submitting is hard. “Rejections are inevitable and dealing with discouragement is definitely the most challenging part of the process,” he says. “If you keep at it, if you keep working, the publications will come.”

“We’re looking for the voices of the Midwest, so come tell the stories of our home,” she says. “The honest, funny, uffda-inducing ones, and everything in between.”

— Grace Schutte

As for Schutte, she looks more towards the submission guidelines of B&G, honing in on the aspect that makes this literary journal unique to the Upper Midwest. “We’re looking for the voices of the Midwest, so come tell the stories of our home,” she says. “The honest, funny, uffda-inducing ones, and everything in between.”

B&G, Fall 2020

Between now and May 1st , Barstow & Grand is accepting fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and hybrid texts that contain any sort of connection to the Upper Midwest. Barstow & Grand is looking for work that showcases engaging stories skillfully told, regardless of type or genre.

To submit, head to the Barstow & Grand website and sign in/create a Submittable account. Take care to read submission guidelines, such as prose pieces with up to 4,000 words and only 3-5 poems in a single document. Once you’ve submitted, trusted Barstow & Grand readers will select the pieces for Issue No. 7. If you have any writing related to the Upper Midwest and you’d like to try your hand at submitting, head to the Barstow & Grand website and submit.

If you’d like to support B&G but have creative talents outside of writing, get in touch! There are social media, marketing, design, and visual art opportunities, so reach out to support this local literary journal. You can also support the journal and its contributors by purchasing a copy. “Nothing validates the work of writers and artists as much as finding new audiences and making connections with new communities,” Rasmussen says.

Whether you submit, purchase a copy, or get involved another way, Barstow & Grand appreciates you supporting their local literary journal and voices for the Upper Midwest.

A Home Beyond the Pages: How Young Adult Fiction Helps Audience Find a Home in the World

Atalissa Wells

One of the many incredible abilities of books is how readers can find a home among the pages. Worlds that only exist in paper and ink, characters that validate personal experiences, and that sense of escapism that many readers treasure whenever they pick up a book. However, there is also the importance of using literature to show readers how to find their place in the world we live in. This is especially prevalent in Young Adult (YA) fiction.

 On Thursday, March 16th from 7 pm – 8 pm, YA authors Ellen O’Clover and Nicole Kronzer will be virtually conversing about the concept of using YA fiction to teach teen readers how to find a home in the world during their book talk Finding a Home in the World. They’ll also cover topics like what it takes from a writing standpoint to focus on the genuine lives of teenagers in their current climate.

““[R]eading has the unique magic of transporting you somewhere else. Introducing you to new ideas that you might resonate with in ways that curb your loneliness or assure you that you do belong.””

— Ellen O'Clover

 For Ellen O’Clover, a large part of the power of literature, or art of any kind, is its ability to relate a situation, feeling, or person to something else, diminishing the sense of isolation that is prevalent in anyone’s life, but especially those of teenagers. “Any feeling you’ve ever had–even the ones you might think are ugly–has been felt by someone else too,” O’Clover says. “There’s a lot of power and peace in that.”

 Through writing YA fiction, O’Clover hopes to connect readers, understanding the feeling of being young and having limited information on the big world surrounding teenagers. She finds that the importance of YA fiction comes from the fact that “reading has the unique magic of transporting you somewhere else. Introducing you to new ideas that you might resonate with in ways that curb your loneliness or assure you that you do belong.”

 Nicole Kronzer, an Eau Claire native, was born in the city, moved around for a couple of years, and then lived here through high school graduation. She credits the city and how her home shaped who she is. “Eau Claire is a big reason I ended up as a confident person who believed she could do anything she set her mind to,” Kronzer says.

 Utilizing her experience as both a part-time high school English teacher and part-time YA author, she can witness and understand the lives of teenagers. She spends time surrounded by her high school seniors and her own teenage children, allowing her to be “tapped into the universal feelings of that exciting, difficult time.”

 Both authors have recently published a YA novel. Ellen O’Clover’s Seven Percent of Ro Devereux is about a girl who dreams of working in tech, but also depicts the fear of what it means to be eighteen. Ro creates an app that predicts the future, causing more problems than anticipated.  O’Clover hopes readers will remember that “we don’t need to have all the answers–or even a solid plan–to be worthy or to find joy. That we can give ourselves the grace to make mistakes and trust ourselves to figure it all out as we go.”

 Nicole Kronzer’s novel, aptly named The Roof Over Our Heads, follows a seventeen-year-old boy who is trying to figure out who he is within a theatrical family and how to earn his place among them. She admits that sometimes the protagonist can be their very own antagonist, a commonplace thing in the world of teenagers when your worst enemy can be yourself. Kronzer says, “Ellen and I both wrote books about kids feeling like they have to do specific things in order to be loved,” and she looks forward to discussing both books with Ellen as they comment on the differences and similarities.

Join Ellen O’Clover and Nicole Kronzer on March 16th from 7 pm– 8 pm. This is a virtual event and registration is required. Registration is open now, so head to the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library website to sign up.

Regional Writers Converge to Connect with Life Stories

McKenna Dutton

Come one, come all to “Life Makes Art: Three Writers on How Life Experiences Shape Writing”—a panel discussion featuring three Wisconsin writers coming together to talk about, you guessed it, how their life experiences have shaped their work. Join in on the excitement on April 13th at 6:30 PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library!

Eau Claire writer-in-residence Ken Szymanski is excited to moderate this event.

“We have three diverse authors, a panel discussion, and there'll be some readings as well,” Syzmanski says, “so I think it’ll really give people the idea of how the authors write about their personal experiences and we get to hear examples of that.”

The “Life Makes Art” discussion is an attempt to connect community members with local writers. It’s also a way for people in the community’s budding writers to learn from experienced writers about their process. It’s a change from the usual one-presenter craft talk model.

““It’s different from a [craft talk and Q&A] with one author because hopefully you’re getting three different perspectives that can challenge each other and play off of each other.””

— Ken Szymanski

“It's different from a [craft talk and Q&A] with one author because hopefully you’re getting three different perspectives that can challenge each other and play off of each other,” Szymanski says. “As the moderator, I’ll throw myself into the mix and hopefully we’ll get a lively discussion rather than a lecture.”

One of the three panelists is Cathy Sultan. She is the author of seven books ranging from fiction to nonfiction. Some of her work includes: An Ambassador to Syria, The Syrian and Damascus Street. Sultan expresses that being able to collaborate with her fellow Eau Claire writers is an exciting opportunity.

“Just being able to talk with fellow writers I find that very energizing and intellectually stimulating,” Sultan says, “I think my fellow authors at the event feel the same way...”

The two other panelists are Patti See and Bruce Taylor. Patti is the author of Here on Lake Hallie: In Praise of the Barflies, The Fix-it Guys, and Other Folks in Our Hometown.  See is also an academic advisor and teaches an honors class in creative nonfiction at UWEC. Bruce Taylor is a poet, an emeritus English professor at UWEC, the city’s former poet laureate, and has published several collections of poetry, including Pity the World  and The Longest You’ve Lived Anywhere.

And so, we invite you again: come one, come all, to this lively exchange on writing life experiences featuring Cathy Sultan, Patti See, and Bruce Taylor. Mark your calendars for April 13th at 6:30 at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library!

Step Right Up For Some “Death-Defying Acts!”: A Sneak Preview!

McKenna Dutton

The Sound & Stories “Death-Defying Acts” show is coming to Eau Claire! It’s an event for stories and music that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Storytellers Sheng Elizabeth Lor, Kaia Simon, Billy Felz, and Garrett Denney, plus musician Jerrika Mighelle, are stepping onto the stage to share their talents.

CVWG founder and director B.J. Hollars is excited about the latest installment of this popular series.

“The Sound and Stories series has been a hallmark of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild for the past five years,” Hollars said. “We selected the theme ‘Death-Defying Acts’ to showcase a few of the more harrowing stories from our region’s residence.” He’s particularly thrilled by the thematic collaboration between storytellers and musician Jerrika Mighelle. “It is such a pleasure to watch how the music weaves alongside the stories,” Hollars said.

Jerrika Mighelle is a musician from the Eau Claire area. She has two albums: Like the Sea and Brightest Star. Both albums were outlets for the singer. In 2016 Mighelle’s mother passed away and as a way to cope, Mighelle’s turned to music. The 2017 release of her album Brightest Star was an ode to her grief and loss from her mother’s death the year before. Volume One’s Eric Christenson wrote in his 2021 article about the emotional strength behind Mighelle’s second album, “…she found a way to channel that anger, that regret, that anguish into something real and tangible.” With her raw connection between emotion and music Jerrika Mighelle will be able to let the authenticity of the other “Death-Defying Act'' stories come through.

Another creative showing emotional strength on the stage is storyteller Sheng Elizabeth Lor.  

Lor has a podcast called the Social X Change. It’s a platform where creatives and underrepresented voices in the community can speak out. Lor especially takes pride in representing her Hmong culture on her show. Lor’s other passions involve helping people of creative backgrounds find opportunities to display their craft. Lor explained how bringing the community of Eau Claire together through art can serve as a form of activism. This will be Lor’s first time stepping into the storytelling spotlight.

“I’m a consumer and a producer not a performer,” Lor said.  “This is a moment for me to be vulnerable.”

Lor plans to share a story that captures the experience of people who face every day trauma. She hopes that sharing this will be a way for the audience to “...connect to the families and victims who face trauma in any form. To remind everyone that anyone struggling deserves to feel seen and loved,” Lor said.

Her story centers on mental health, and how though it may not seem like someone is struggling, there is often something going on behind the scenes unknown to others. It’s a story of empathy that she hopes the community can relate to.

 “It's about being a warrior,” Lor said.  “And the ability we have to normalize these stories.”

Sounds and Stories presents, “Death-Defying Acts” on February 21 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Riverside Room at the Pablo Center! Tickets for the show are $10 (fees included) and are available here. Please join us in welcoming Sheng Elizabeth Lor, Jerrika Mighelle, and the other artists take the stage!

"Writing OUT”: A Conversation With Charles Payseur

Atalissa Wells

When we read books or watch movies, we often find ourselves searching for someone who can represent us, someone we can look at, and feel as if we fit in their shoes, their story. However, this is not the case for everyone, including members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Charles Payseur, an Eau Claire resident who has written a plethora of stories and poems, has experienced the difficulty of lacking representation for the queer community.  However, his short fiction pieces contain queer characters, providing him experience as both a receiver and influencer of LGBTQ+ representation in media.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Charles, addressing questions about the event, as well as information about his journey in writing out.

Atalissa Wells: The title of the event is “Writing OUT.”  What does writing out mean to you?

Charles Payseur: So the title was meant to pull double duty, being both about writing out—writing and publishing while being an out LGBTQ+ person—and writing out—using writing as a tool to educate about, advocate for, and feature LGBTQ+ characters and themes in stories and books. Both things are important, and LGBTQ+ writers have to navigate the complexities of both, from how out to be personally and as an author (online and in business spaces) to how to portray LGBTQ+ themes and characters in their works. To me, writing out is a messy but interesting idea that I really want to talk about and examine.

AW: Can you tell me a little more about the panel's authors and publishers (J.M. Lee, Catherine Lundoff, and Kat Weaver)?

CP: All three are amazing writers, and all three are in rather different points in their careers and do a bit different things. I’m a big fan of all of them and I’ll allow them to sort of introduce themselves:

J.M. Lee spent his formative years searching for talking animals and believing he could control the weather. After pursuing nerdy interests in comparative film studies, screenwriting, and Shakespeare, he graduated with a much nerdier degree in linguistics. In addition to writing novels, he enjoys teaching his dog new vocabulary words and updating his snooty coffee blog.

Catherine Lundoff is an award-winning writer, editor, and publisher. Her books include Silver Moon, Blood Moon, Out of This World and Unfinished Business and, as editor, Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space). Her short stories and essays have appeared in such venues as Queer Weird Western Stories, Divergent Terror, Sherlock Holmes and the Occult Detectives, Fireside Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, the SFWA Blog, and several World of Darkness anthologies and games. She is the publisher at Queen of Swords Press and teaches writing and publishing classes at the Loft Literary Center, the Rambo Academy and Clarion West Online. Websites: www.catherinelundoff.net and www.queenofswordspress.com

Kat Weaver is a writer and illustrator whose short fiction has been published in Apex Magazine, Timeworn Literary Journal, Lackington’s, and elsewhere. Currently, she is one of the senior fiction editors at Strange Horizons, a Hugo-nominated speculative fiction magazine. Neon Hemlock Press recently published her debut novella Uncommon Charm, co-written with her wife, Emily Bergslien. The two of them live in Saint Paul, Minnesota. You can find her on Twitter @anoteinpink.

AW: As the moderator, what do you hope to bring to your role in the discussion?

CP: A lot of my work as a critic, writer, and editor focuses on LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ authored works. And in my work as a part of the Chippewa Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center, I’m constantly thinking about ways both to help LGBTQ+ people find safety and success and ways to educate people about the complicated ways that LGBTQ+ media and LGBTQ+ themes and characters in media are related, and how things have changed over time, both for the better and, well, not so much. I hope to be able to guide the conversation through these rather thorny topics and give the panelists room to dig into what they do and how it’s amazing.

AW: What is one aspect of the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in media that you are most looking forward to the panel discussing?

CP: I am eager to get a bit more into the idea that LGBTQ+ representation goes beyond the characters that exist in stories and their identities. While that’s a hugely important thing, I also think when talking about representation we have to discuss presence outside the fiction, and how LGBTQ+ representation without LGBTQ+ presence (in the various creative and technical levels of publishing and media) can and has worked historically, and what progress might be getting made to work toward a wider and more diverse vision of what representation is and can be.

AW: Who is someone in the media (fictitious or real) that has impacted or inspired your own life and understanding of representation for the LGBTQ+ community?

CP: The works of LGBTQ+ creators have been incredibly impactful in my life. The short works of Sam J. Miller and R.B. Lemberg not only showed me what was possible to write about and portray, but also gave me characters and language that helped me to better understand myself. And they opened a door that had been largely closed to me because of the suppression of LGBTQ+ works, revealing histories and communities I hadn’t known I was a part of.

AW: How has the idea of representation in media influenced your own writing and the queer characters in your stories?

“It’s such a complex thing, because on the one hand there are stories you want to write to speak your truth, to really show something about yourself that doesn’t ever really get portrayed. On the other hand, those stories often have very difficult roads to publication, and can face resistance from editors and even readers who either aren’t comfortable with those stories, or feel they might lose business or revenue by publishing them.”

— Charles Payseur

CP: It’s such a complex thing, because on the one hand there are stories you want to write to speak your truth, to really show something about yourself that doesn’t ever really get portrayed. On the other hand, those stories often have very difficult roads to publication, and can face resistance from editors and even readers who either aren’t comfortable with those stories, or feel they might lose business or revenue by publishing them. There can be a kind of pressure to tone things down, or write trying to appease an assumed “general reader” whose opinions on LGBTQ+ issues might not be compassionate or informed. And sometimes you write precisely out of anger and frustration about that assumed “general reader,” refusing to hide or take fewer risks. And sometimes that really pays off, and sometimes you end up with a story that never gets published.

AW: What is something you’d want people to know about the event before they arrive?

CP: That the panelists are amazing and that we’re all very lucky to have them here to speak! Beyond that, if people aren’t familiar with the panelists yet, I think there will be a chance not only to ask questions, but to purchase some of their work or get something signed. It’s going to be wonderful!

Join Charles, J.M., Catherine, and Kat in the Riverview Room at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library on February 25, 2023 from 11 am-1 pm to discuss the important topic of LGBTQ+ representation in media at the event Writing OUT.

Ron Davis Revs Up on Book Two: Rubber Side Down

Thomas DeLapp

When Ron Davis mounts up on one of his motorcycles, he’s not just there to have a good time and burn some rubber: he’s ready to rev up and write. His new book, Rubber Side Down: The Improbable Implication to Travel on Two Wheels, comprised of columns, memoirs, and other essays, takes readers on the road with him.

Why is it so improbable to ride a motorcycle, you might well ask.

“It really expresses the way I feel about it,” Davis shared. “When you look at motorcycling, there’s really no good reason to ride a motorcycle. I mean, you’re exposing yourself to the elements, it’s incredibly dangerous, it's not the greatest form of transportation. It’s improbable that so many people would be drawn to it. But, on the other side, there are some very special things about it that I think attract people to motorcycling, to keep them in the saddle, to keep them riding.”

 Riders: read! But Davis assures those who haven’t chugged down highways on two wheels of their own that there’s still plenty to love and relate to.

“I feel like, in my own small way, I’m writing about what makes us human, and using motorcycling as — I hate to say this — as a vehicle. Excuse the pun. That’s what I enjoy the most. Writing about motorcycles has given me the chance to write about my family, it's given me the chance to write about my father, it's given me the chance to write about girlfriends.”

Over the years, Davis has made plenty of contributions to various motorcycle magazines and Wisconsin Public Radio, as well as a column for BMW Owners News.

“I got hooked into writing for motorcycle magazines, basically because I started writing reviews, and I ended up with a lot of free stuff,” Davis said.

After the reviews and free stuff, Davis had to get used to writing a regular column. Most everything you can say about motorcycles has been written, he said — so where could he innovate?

“I ran across a book by Peter Egan, who’s a motorcycle rider — and I’m by no means an expert motorcyclist, I haven’t ridden around the world or anything like that — but reading his book was kind of a revelation because he’s one of the preeminent writers when it comes to writing about motorcycles. The thing that struck me was that most of his stories are about the human side.”

Rubber Side Down, and its predecessor, Shiny Side Up, carry a lot of heart in their saddlebags.

Davis, a rider and a writer, knows there’s plenty out there on the road to see — but there’s even more when you ride back home.

“I just gave a copy of the book to my grandson, he’s only nine years old, but I feel like someday, he may look at that and want to know what his grandpa was like. That book reveals a lot of what I’m like and not so much about motorcycling.”

Ron’s new book, Rubber Side Down: The Improbably Inclination to Travel on Two Wheels, is available at The Local Store and wherever books are sold in print, Kindle, and Nook formats.

A Creative Life: Thomas King on Taking the Time to Create Every Day

Thomas King

By Gracie Schutte

Thomas Wayne King leads a creative life, one that manifests itself from novels to textbooks and songs to family stories. He’s been in the creating business since he was young and has no intention of slowing down the creative cogs in his head anytime soon.

“Almost everyone has creative ideas or thoughts, but they don’t act on them. My rule is … create every day.”

— Thomas King

“I think everyone creates,” King said. “Almost everyone has creative ideas or thoughts, but they don’t act on them. My rule is … create every day. The corollary to that is make it tangible. … Create all you can, but in order to get to that, make whatever pops through your head tangible, get up and work on it.”

That’s exactly what King has done. Since retiring as a professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at UW-Eau Claire back in 2005, King has spent his time putting those creative juices to work—he’s even applied them in academia.

As a Speech Language Pathologist, King specialized in two areas of study in the field: professional and performative voice disorders and assistive technology. Back in the day, King’s work was some of the first of its kind, leading him to publish a textbook on assistive technology and human factors. Since then, he’s gone on to write more textbooks and revise others, and is considered an expert in the field.

“That requires a lot of creativity,” King said, “to come up with creative solutions. My work now is applying what I know from science, from clinical research and scientific experience in creative and innovative ways, then writing about it. That’s one side of my life.”

The other side, though, looks much different: it’s full of stories of the north, the environment, and vocal and instrumental songs. In his multiple series, King explores fiction and nonfiction, life and science in ways that are new, different, and local.

All of King’s books can be found and purchased on Amazon, including his Redpump Chronicles, Tales of the Northland, and my personal favorite Oh My Gosh…. Have We Got Squash! But be sure to keep an eye out, because King has more stories percolating.

“I’ve got so many more book ideas, I’m just trying to live long enough to get them all out,” King said.

The life of a creative, folks.  

A Celebration of Chinese Poetry and Music at Artisan Forge Studios

By Carlee Shimek

For poet enthusiasts, Chinese cultural enthusiasts, and enthusiastic people in general, come and experience the magnificence that is Chinese poetry at “A Celebration of Chinese Poetry and Music.” This Sunday, December 18 from 2-3:30pm at Artisan Forge Studios, a culmination of Chinese poetry, local poetry writers, and an accompanying Chinese musical group will be hosted by local tea (and of course poetry) enthusiast Xin Obaid.

“I want to show the difference between Chinese poetry reading and American poetry reading,” Obaid said. “For myself, I feel Chinese poetry is more musically than English. It’s really a performance.”

Xin Obaid, event organizer

Obaid owns a tea shop—MingXin Chinese Cultural Exchange—in Artisan Forge Studios, teaches a Chinese language class at Artisan Forge, and is herself a popular poet and writer published in China. The event is also an early celebratory exchange for the upcoming Chinese New Year on January 23. Obaid said that every time Chinese New Year comes around, she has wanted to do something with the Eau Claire community in celebrating it. Now, her opportunity has arrived.

““I just want to let Eau Claire people know more about the Chinese culture.””

— Xin Obaid

“I just want to let Eau Claire people know more about the Chinese culture,” Obaid said.

Two long-distance travelers, friends of Obaid, will be coming to Eau Claire, purely for this event: Fan Xiaoming all the way from China and Dr. Li Xiaohong from New York. They love poetry that much and are excited to showcase it with Obaid.

Local writers, Karen Loeb, Yvette Flaten, Sara Bryan, SZ Putnam, and BJ Hollars will all be reading some of their own work along with their favorite Chinese poem.

In addition to poetry, a Chinese musical group from Minneapolis will be performing. Music and Chinese poetry are often intermingled, Obaid shared with me over a delicious cup of tea made from her family’s tea farm back in the Hunan province of China.  This tradition will be continued during Sunday’s show.

Xin Obaid

In addition to contemporary poems, readers will also feature Chinese poetry from the Tang and Song Dynasties. This event truly has it all: local poetry, ancient Chinese poetry, and music—a culturally rich way to spend a Sunday in Eau Claire.

“If you want to learn or know Chinese culture, or special Chinese poetry, you need to come here, it’s totally different [from] American culture and American poetry reading,” Obaid said. With 5,000 years of history residing in the vastness of Chinese culture, it is certainly worth it to promote and showcase it to the world. Obaid is bringing her Chinese home to her second home of Eau Claire.

As far back as the Song Dynasty, a saying has persisted throughout Chinese history: “firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea”. It is the Seven Necessities, where if you have these seven things when you wake up, you will have a decent day. Obaid would like to add one more thing to the list: poetry. 

“[When] I moved here from China, some people told me Eau Claire is a diverse city, that make me love Eau Claire more. So then I thought if it’s that way, then we shall share every kind of culture.””

— Xin Obaid

“I feel honored to share my motherland culture,” Obaid said. “[When] I moved here from China, some people told me Eau Claire is a diverse city, that make me love Eau Claire more. So then I thought if it’s that way, then we shall share every kind of culture.”

To learn more about the event, go to Chippewa Valley Writers Guild.

A Record Of Life: Leader-Telegram All-Star Journalist Eric Lindquist Retires After 40 Years

Gracie Schutte

When it comes to journalism, there are only a few things Eric Lindquist wrinkles his nose at, deadlines being the first: the constant race against the clock, the movie-worthy, sweat-inducing countdown with the reverb clock ticking away in the background, as the journalist’s hands fly across the keys with the deftness of the Bomb Squad with the deadline fast approaching.

““Sometimes you have minutes, or hours to tell a story, and you know it deserves more.” ”

— Eric Lindquist

“Sometimes you have minutes, or hours to tell a story,” Lindquist said, “and you know it deserves more.”

With 40 years in the journalism industry under his belt, Lindquist is no stranger to crunch time, but besides the stress of getting quality stories in on time, Lindquist took to the eat, sleep journalism, repeat cycle like a fish to water.

“I started [at the Leader-Telegram] as a 20-year-old college student,” Lindquist said. “They said, ‘Hey, we’d like you to take this job a week after you graduate,’ and I said, ‘Okay.’ I’ve been there ever since.”

 Whether he knew it then or not, Lindquist soon discovered the whole journalism gig isn’t your typical nine-to-five; journalism is a lifestyle.

 “You eat and sleep it — it becomes part of you,” Lindquist said. “Not only are you always thinking about it, but you care. It’s the same with those big issue stories.  You think ‘Oh, this is really important. I don’t mind working five twelve-hour days this week to make sure I get this one right, because this is big.’”

 Lindquist’s passion for journalism started at UW-Eau Claire, some 40 years ago, at the university’s student-run newspaper, The Spectator. There Lindquist did it all, from writing and editing stories to slaving over photos in the dark room (Remember those?). The late nights spent in the office laying out pages for print were exhausting at times — sometimes keeping students there until 2 a.m. — but The Spectator prepared Lindquist for the tireless work ahead of him.

But it doesn’t feel like a chore when it’s something you’re passionate about, and Lindquist has a knack for the deep dives, the weeks-long investigative research pieces, and the features that reveal the profound and personal happening in our very valley.

““I want to tell the first rough draft of history, but I don’t want it to be so rough.”

— Eric Lindquist

“I want to tell the first rough draft of history,” Lindquist said, “but I don't want it to be so rough. I want to make something somebody in 50 years is going to be researching old newspaper archives, and when they’re reading something I wrote in 1990, or 2000, it’s going to be accurate of what was happening in the Chippewa Valley at that time. This is a record of life in the Chippewa Valley.”

 And record he has. Having written 10,000 stories, Lindquist has covered Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley from the closing of Uniroyal to housing discrimination, from homelessness to the drug epidemic, prison interviews to personal features, and Hmong culture, too.

 “It’s been good to be able to chronicle all the little pieces and then sometimes do the big pieces that start to tie all the ends in and explain to people how that happened — and that it happened.”

 But now, Lindquist is passing on the torch to the next generation, leaving behind gargantuan boots to fill. He plans to continue writing — contributing here and there and maybe even taking on new, fiction-related projects.

 So, dry your eyes and blow your nose — Lindquist isn’t going anywhere. You’ll just have to look up from your morning paper to find him.

A “Joy to the Word” Sneak Preview: Love, Belonging, and Community for the Holidays

Thomas DeLapp

Wintertime in Eau Claire came hard and fast last week, tossing new snow and cold temperatures at us just two days after it was a balmy 65 degrees. Luckily for us, this signals that the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild’s favorite holiday event: Sound & Stories: Joy to the Word is less than a month away!

Combining spoken word stories with festive music from the Eau Claire UKE Klub, Joy to the Word is a cozy holiday get-together. Bundle up and trundle down to the Pablo Center on December 15 to share some cheer with the CVWG. This year’s readers are Allyson Loomis, Nicole Kronzer, Justin Patchin, and Ken Syzmanski — all ready to deliver some stellar seasonal stories.

Syzmanski, Eau Claire Writer-in-Residence, and Joy to the Word veteran will share a family story set to live music by Derick Black. Szymanski’s 81-year-old uncle, he explained, still owns and runs a Christmas tree farm. Customers pick out trees, and he will deliver them straight to their living rooms.

Kronzer, an Eau Claire native who now lives in Minneapolis, is returning to share a story about her love of historic homes.

“My best friend and I love going to historic homes whenever we visit a city,” Kronzer said. “She lives in Milwaukee, and I live in Minneapolis, which is way too far away. So sometimes we’ll meet in the middle, in some small town and then we’ll just have a long weekend in a town we’ve never been to.”

Historic home exploration ties in deeply to Kronzer’s forthcoming second novel, The Roof Over Our Heads, whose main character’s family lives in and takes care of a historic home (based on the James J. Hill house in St. Paul).

One of the reasons historic homes so engage Kronzer is the importance of understanding history itself, especially the overlooked roles of women during now-romanticized times like the Victorian era and the Gilded Age.

In comparison to Europe, Kronzer said, “where an Aldi could actually be a two-thousand-year-old castle,” American architecture and history are much more recent and quickly forgotten. Historic homes are one of our few places to connect with that history.

“These largely female spaces are some of the only actual [historical sites] we have in America, but because they are female spaces, we discount them,” Kronzer said. “But they’re vitally important.”

Maybe a trip through historic homes doesn’t sound particularly holiday-centric, but it’s all about connection and love — perfect for Joy to the Word.

“I can’t even begin to explain how happy making this is, coming back to Eau Claire and being involved in the CVWG. It has filled this hole in my heart that I didn’t know was there. They say you can’t go home again, but I’m coming home in a new way. ”

— Nicole Kronzer

“I can’t even begin to explain how happy making this is, coming back to Eau Claire and being involved in the CVWG,” Kronzer said. “It has filled this hole in my heart that I didn’t know was there. They say you can’t go home again, but I’m coming home in a new way. This isn’t who I was when I left Eau Claire. Everyone has been so accepting and loving and generous. You look at Roof, you look at Unscripted [Kronzer’s first novel]: love and belonging are really the backbone of everything I write. It's just so special, being accepted and loved by your hometown.”

As Syzmanski sagely put it, there’s just something about the holidays that makes people crave stories. New ones, old ones, and even the same stories year after year. It’s being together and celebrating that makes the season.

“I just love the combination of music and the spoken word, “Syzmanski said. “They just elevate each other. As the universal language that music is, they’re just a natural fit together. If it’s all music, it can be one-dimensional. If it’s all story, it can be one-dimensional. Together, it’s magic.”

The CVWG Sound & Stories: Joy to the Word is at 7 pm on December 15th at the Pablo Center. Buy tickets online at the Pablo Center website.

S.Z. Putnam's Poetry Book "Loose Change: Picking up the Pieces" Available Now

By Carlee Shimek

A fresh and brand new voice comes to life here in Eau Claire with the release of Loose Change: Picking up the Pieces by S.Z. Putnam. Putnam’s debut poetry book was released in June of 2022 from Read or Green Books in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fear not, though, you don’t have to go all the way there for a copy. The book is available through Putnam’s website and at Dotters Books right here in Eau Claire. I had the opportunity to sit down (virtually) with Putnam to discuss her book’s content, how it came about, and her journey back into writing after a ten-year hiatus.

Following a mainly linear pattern with free-verse poems telling the story (some rhyming, some not), Loose Change encompasses Putnam’s discovery of her husband’s substance abuse addiction, her trauma and process with that knowledge, and her and her family’s recovery from the ordeal. Powerfully spoken with passionate poetry, Putnam reveals the inner workings of her mind in connection with addiction’s painful effect on its victims and their families.

“For me, it just felt really good and cathartic to write it out and just release these energies so that I wasn’t holding onto them,” Putnam said about the emotional journey through writing her book. “It was just a really good and healthy way to let it go. And it really helped me to heal and reach out for other sources of help. I just want that for everybody else. Just so that they know that they can do it as well.”

A braided combination of many writing styles is found within this creative storyteller’s debut book. It entails Putnam’s discovery of her husband’s substance addiction, the events and aftermath of the journey out of the situation, and her emotions and thoughts. The beginning does include some love poetry about how Putnam and her husband first met and fell in love, as well as prose sections placed throughout the book. The prose pieces act as anchor points when shifting to the next phase of the story told within the poems.

“[The book’s] more or less highlighting how to get back into a place where you no longer feel alone, like you’re connected again to the community and people you love,” Putnam said.

Putnam was always a writer at heart, writing personal prose pieces for years. She took a break from writing during her career in marketing, after which she suddenly decided to start writing again around May of 2021, this time as a poet. Without prior poetry experience, and with some assistance from her younger relatives, Putnam set up an Instagram account and started posting mini-poems on the site. With a wide range of content, she soon earned over 1,500 followers.

While getting back into writing, she became acquainted with a publisher and managed to become one of their debut authors in 2022. Though she mentioned wanting her debut book to be about her parents’ journey from Vietnam, she found herself just writing and going through her emotions with that writing regarding her husband’s substance addiction and how she and her family worked through that part of their lives.

Putnam writes about not just interesting or entertaining topics, but ones that can be triggering, difficult, and serious. And that’s important.

“I hope that what [readers] get out of this book is that this is something that happens a lot. And that there is no shame in feeling the way they feel or wanting to get out of it.”

— S.Z. Putnam

“I hope that what [readers] get out of this book is that this is something that happens a lot. And that there is no shame in feeling the way they feel or wanting to get out of it,” Putnam said. “That’s really what I hope, because if they can free themselves from an addictive state whether they are the person with the substance abuse issue or if they are the family member, I think that is the number one thing. I find that addiction itself takes not just the person but the entire family and for generations. It’s not a one time thing, this is a disease that can affect multiple generations down the road.”

Available through Putnam’s website for $20 (each book is autographed!) or Dotters Books for $15, Loose Change: Picking up the Pieces is available to anyone interested in Putnam’s storytelling through poetry or anyone who may have the desire to deal with trauma and find courage like Putnam does in her book.

Hopefully, through Putnam being so open, honest, and creative with her perspective, she will shine a light on such a heavy topic in a manner that can help someone affected by their loved one’s struggle with addiction or the individual themself.

“[It] may trigger [readers] to feel certain emotions, but at the same point it’s good to release emotions,” Putnam said. “And if they’re able to read my book and find the pieces that really resonate with them and will help make them feel stronger and less alone, I think that is really important.”

UWEC Center for Writing Excellence Tutors (and Chippewa Valley Writers Guild Interns!) Take On Vancouver Conference!

By Grace Schutte, Carlee Shimek, and Thomas DeLapp

The International Writing Center Association (IWCA) conference began Oct. 26 and ran through the 29th with Writing Center Directors and students — both graduates on the road to director-hood and passionate undergrads — gathering from around the world to join us in rainy Vancouver for three days of discussion, reflection, and overall nerdy goodness. 

“While attending the multitude of presentations scheduled at the conference was important to us as participants and fellow presenters, immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of our host city, Vancouver, was quite an experience as well.”

While attending the multitude of presentations scheduled at the conference was important to us as participants and fellow presenters, immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of our host city, Vancouver, was quite an experience as well. It was the perfect city for the first IWCA conference held outside the United States.

Vancouver of British Columbia, Canada, regardless of its fancy, modern skyscrapers, possessed a calming air, probably thanks to being a seaport city. We managed to stroll along one of its proudest features, the longest waterfront path in the world, The Seawall. We didn’t have the time (nor the quads) to traverse all 17.5 miles, but we enjoyed the miles, with many beaches and ships in the water, along Stanley Park, a wonderful public park that’s larger than Central Park.

Though not directly along the ocean shore, Vancouver is a marvelous water city with the English Bay, Vancouver Harbor, and Burrard Inlet surrounding it. For some reason, the neighborhood around our conference’s hotel was quite fond of water decor too. We saw at least 6 beautifully structured waterfall architectures while walking to different attractions and locales for lunch.

Speaking of lunch, many delicious, diverse eateries were abundant throughout the city. From Thai chicken to Mexican burritos to Canadian poutine, there was no lack of options for tastebuds. The city prides itself on being one of the most diverse in Canada.

 Another alluring attraction we visited was Granville Island. It’s a misnomer as the location is a peninsula attached to the southern part of Vancouver. The northern peninsula of the city (where our conference was) is separated from Granville by an inlet, False Creek. You can take a teeny ferry to the location (though you literally could swim, it’s that close) where we visited a farmers market, some artists’ galleries, and many local shops.

It felt like the Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market, just on a larger scale. The view of the city from Granville Island, with its lights twinkling in the darkening sky was very relaxing after days of hard, philosophical thinking on the ethics and innovations of writing centers.

With a progressive and inclusive style, Vancouver is perfect as a weekend getaway for an anniversary or serene family vacation. It has something for everyone, and all with manageable distance from each other (by foot and car). Perhaps we may one day be able to visit again (for another conference, let’s hope!) and experience the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden or the Pacific Arts Market and more.

Within the glass castle-like hotel where the conference took place, many astounding discussions and innovative ideas relating to writing centers were enjoyed.

Those in attendance wore their best button ups, comfortable presenting shoes, and super-dooper official IWCA issued lanyards — an academic sea of smart blazers and slacks. With the schedule posted online, people could choose which sessions they wished to attend. But with twelve different presentations to select from each hour, it was nearly impossible to decide with so many exceptional options.

Sessions began every day at 9 a.m. in the various ballrooms and meeting halls found throughout the conference's hotel. While scurrying from one room to the next, folks would grab a cup of coffee and maybe a little snack between sessions — sometimes a fruit kabob, a semi-gelatinous chia seed yogurt, or a classic peanut-butter cookie. The Wall Center took good care of us.

The last round kicked off at 4:30 p.m., giving us Writing Center folk many opportunities to sit in on various presentations and roundtables — shorter presentations followed by an open discussion between the presenters and audience members (as is our Writing Center nature).

A de facto theme we noticed throughout was the colonial nature of writing: How academia has implemented rigid expectations and standards that invalidate multilingual students, those who don’t fit into the white-sounding “American”-English standard, and who may find sitting down and writing at a desk for extended periods to be inaccessible. 

Throughout the conference, directors and students alike advocated for the decolonizing of writing, spoke on the shifting of societal perceptions of “perfect English” and grammar, and how to ensure Writing Centers can be harborers of this change in not only our spaces and departments but in the world.

It was also brought to our attention how strongly our pedagogy and manner of speech are strongly United States-oriented. On several occasions, directors from Canada and Mexico commented on the U.S.-centered nature of the literature. There is work to be done, not only in how we tutor student writers but in how we continue and grow our scholarship.

“By happy coincidence, we three CVWG interns this semester are colleagues in the university Center for Writing Excellence. Together with our director (and Guild board member), Dr. Jonathan Rylander, we presented a roundtable: “Invisibly Here: The Future of Life Writing in Writing Centers.””

 We, too, wanted to talk about these big issues in our own Eau Claire ways. By happy coincidence, we three CVWG interns this semester are colleagues in the university Center for Writing Excellence. Together with our director (and Guild board member), Dr. Jonathan Rylander, we presented a roundtable: “Invisibly Here: The Future of Life Writing in Writing Centers.”

 One of the reasons we wanted to write to you all today is because each member of the CVWG is doing life writing in their own way, every day. But what is life writing?  That’s precisely what we talked about. Though it’s been used in various contexts for a couple of decades, the term “life writing” doesn’t have a particularly good definition.  And we struggled to come up with one, too.

 Basically, we decided that life writing means any writing involving the writer's life. We typically think about it in academic contexts, where students are writing critical essays, rhetorical analyses, and generally not having any fun at all. We know that students thrive and learn more from meaningful writing projects. Meaningfulness is calculated by the student's engagement with the project, the lasting transfer (will I be able to use this in my life?), and whether or not they feel personally connected to it.

Personal connection to a piece can be most easily accomplished by including some aspects of the writer’s life. Surprise! That can be hard, though. Without getting too into the details, our presentation argued that writing centers have a unique opportunity to be places where students can engage more with themselves, with the person and voice inside their writing. And, we argue, writing centers have already been doing this kind of life writing work all along, without realizing it.

 But life writing isn’t purely in academic contexts. It’s for every writer. How do your identities, insecurities, and personality affect your writing process? How do they affect your writing? No matter how hard you might try to make a piece as dry and ineffectual as you can, spoiler alert: you are still writing it. You are still going to be there.

“Writing matters only because you matter.  ”

 What can we learn if we embrace ourselves in our writing instead of running away?  How will our writing and writing process change? The three of us think these are questions every writer should ask themselves. From historical fiction to journalism, to fantasy, sci-fi, and memoir, you, the author, should be present and comfortable in that text. Your writing is important because of the life that writes it.  Writing matters only because you matter. 

Writing, Fishing, and Cartoons: A Chat with Author Victoria Houston

Fishing and murder aren’t two things you often hear next to each other.  Unless, of course, you are Victoria Houston, avid fisher and author of the Loon Lake Mystery Series.  Then, you hear a lot about fishing, murder, and mystery in the Wisconsin Northwoods.

Houston’s Loon Lake series took place over 19 novels.  Last year, she released Wolf Hollow, the first of the Lew Ferris Mysteries, which shares Loon Lake’s characters and location. But Lew Ferris, the former secondary protagonist, is now the main character. The forthcoming Hidden in the Pines will be the second Lew Ferris mystery.

Houston will be reeling audiences in with her know-how at the Chippewa Falls Public Library at 7PM on November 10th, giving a talk: “The Three Major Life Mistakes I’ve Made that Force Me to Write Fishing Mysteries.” 

The Chippewa Valley Writers Guild sat down for a conversation with Houston about mystery, murder, and being a Wisconsin writer.

This conversation has been edited for clarity.

Thomas DeLapp: There are plenty of authors with long series, but only a few from around here. What’s it been like sticking around with these same characters across 21 books?

Victoria Houston: Well, I love it.  Almost 25 years ago I made a decision, and it was based on my experience with some famous cartoonists — I had worked in publishing with people like Gary Trudeau, who does Doonesbury, Gary Larson, who does The Far Side, and Bill Watterson, with Calvin and Hobbes.  I made a decision not to age my characters. I watched those cartoonists, and the ones who made that decision, it just freed up their work. So my characters, in all these years, have aged maybe two and a half years.  And that works for me, because I’m very comfortable with who they are.  I’m aware of other mystery writers who have written themselves into a corner because all of a sudden, their character is, you know, 90. 

TD: So for 25 years you’ve been writing this series with a pretty regular output.  Has fishing always been a part of your writing routine?  What does your ideal writing day look like?

VH: Well I would say fishing is just a real escape. That’s always been an escape. I mean I've been fishing since I was three years old.  When I was a little kid growing up in Rhinelander, we had a kiddie fish pond.  I was the oldest of eight kids born in 10 years, and trust me, my mother just opened the door in the morning, said “here's your tackle box, get out, go.” My ideal work day is to tackle work first thing in the morning, after a full pot of coffee. Spend several hours on that and then that's enough for the day. If I have an opportunity to go out fishing with friends, I do get out on the water quite a bit.

TD: A constant plague for writers is that big scary word, ‘revision’.  How do you approach revision, how do you see it in your work?

VH: Revision is critical.  I'm not a plot driven writer, so I am not a writer who motors through a first draft, and then goes back to revise. I have a synopsis, what I think the story is, and who I think the first victim will be, and then I get started.  But every day, I go back and rewrite work from a day, or two. or three before. By the time I finish the book, I have already revised consistently, six, seven, eight times. I don't move forward with the story until I'm happy with what has been written.

TD: This is a cliché question, but what is your favorite piece of advice to other writers?  Maybe, to make it less cliché, what is your favorite advice specifically for Wisconsin writers?

VH: I mean I think the advice is always the same, and it's a horrible cliché, and it doesn't matter where the hell you live in the world: you just gotta keep your butt in the chair.  I can tell you; I know people who are better writers than I am, people who are much more talented than I am, but do they sit down and get the work done? No. Because it takes time, it takes a year to write a book.  I mean, I'm not exaggerating. There are people who are very talented, but they just resist putting in the time.  Keep your butt in the chair.

TD: Your website lists some of your favorite literature and film.  What are you reading and watching right now?

VH: Right now I'm rereading a Scandinavian series called the Martin Beck series. There are ten books in the series, and it's written by a couple, (Maj) Sjöwall and (Per) Wahlöö. Both of them have since died, but they really set the standard for Scandinavian mysteries. My other really go-to writer, for just sheer enjoyment, is Ross Thomas. Very, very good writer. Great characters, just a pleasure to read. Right now, because I'm working on a book, I won't read any contemporary mysteries. I don't want to have something accidentally in my head.

I just finished a great series called Bad Sisters on Apple, that was fun. I'm watching an excellent sci-fi show, For All Mankind.  I have a son who is an Emmy award-winning comedy writer, he recommended it and said the second and third seasons are the best. Well, the first season is great; I don't know how it will get any better. I watch Borgen on Netflix, that's a Danish government drama.

TD: Any last pieces of advice?

VH: Okay, so here's my advice for anyone who is interested in entering the world of mystery fiction.  Get out there and do some magazine, newspaper, or online writing.  Investigative work.  Also consider seriously work in public relations and advertising.  The reason I say public relations and advertising is that they teach you how to put a lot of information in very few words.  Being concise is key.

Victoria Houston will present at the Chippewa Falls Public Library on November 10th at 7 pm.  For more information, visit the library website.

A Fond Farewell To The Priory Writers Retreat, and Reflecting on the Good Times

By Grace Schutte

This past June, writers from across Wisconsin gathered at UW-Eau Claire’s Priory Hall for three days of writing, bookish camaraderie, and creative inspiration. Nobody knew it would be their last retreat at the property. But sadly, that has become the reality as the property will no longer be available for rental. In its place, the Guild is excited to begin hosting an array of new retreat models, starting with the 12-Hour Writers Retreat (with sign-ups opening November 1).

While we’ll miss the good times at The Priory, there’s much to celebrate, too. Just ask last year’s attendees.

“I always learn something new about myself and my own writing.” ”

— Scout Roux

“I’ve attended Priory twice,” Scout Roux said. “I always learn something new about craft, thanks to the wide variety of writers-in-residence who have attended over the years. I always meet a bunch of new people I instantly love, whose work I’ll anticipate and support for years to come. I always learn something new about myself and my own writing.”

The second year of the Priory Retreat featured four authors — or writers-in-residence as we dubbed them — one swanky, published professional for each of the four genres covered during the retreat: Nickolas Butler was on for fiction, Nicole Kronzer for young adult, Angela Trudell-Vazquez for poetry, and Barrett Swanson for nonfiction and memoir.

Daily, one of the writers-in-residence would fill an hour by reading excerpts from their works, discussing craft, and fielding questions from attentive retreat-goers. On top of that, attendees could meet one-on-one with the writers-in-residence for a close and personal look at their work, sometimes looking at fresh content written during the retreat itself.

“The writers-in-residence opportunity to interact was awesome,” Nancy Kolb said. “Nicole Kronzer reviewed my writing and I really enjoyed her comments. I learned lots from her.”

Priory Hall is tucked in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of Eau Claire and writers had a wealth of serene nooks where they could write undisturbed for as long as their pen ink and computer batteries would allow. Looking back on those four days of dedicated writing time nearly five months later, writers long for that committed writing time once again.

2022 Crew

As it stands, most Priory Retreat folk are passionate writers by night and pass their days at office jobs, shepherding their children and grandkids from school to soccer practice and by attending university. Despite the hodgepodge group, all were united by their shared passion for the written word.

““Writing can feel very lonely at times, having a place to meet like this was very helpful for me. Especially so since the pandemic began.” ”

— Melissa Bergum

“Writing can feel very lonely at times,” Melissa Bergum said, “having a place to meet like this was very helpful for me. Especially so since the pandemic began.”

In light of the isolated nature of writing, it was important to host open mics at the end of the day for those who wished to share their works — either pieces from before or what they’d been scribbling away at out on the veranda.

Roux’s favorite memory from the retreat came from one of the open mics. It was June 24, when the Supreme Court declared the overturning of Roe v. Wade. They described a certain shadow hovering over the Priory after the news broke.

However, a kind of light pierced through during that night’s open mic when one of us shared a poem she had written earlier that day, a product of the news.

“It was heartfelt and sad and true,” Roux said. “The poet (and several of us in the audience) cried when she read it. When she went, still trembling, to sit back down, she was immediately surrounded by outstretched hands and kind words and ‘thank you’s. That’s my favorite memory.”

Roux said the moment encapsulated the function of art: How we, as creatives, use art to make sense of the world, to communicate the incommunicable, and to feel less alone.

Even when not in the face of serious national news, writing, and the community, the Priory Retreat fosters more than bringing people together for three brief days.

““I learned there are so many creative people like me out there who love to write. I also learned to Keep on Keeping On!” ”

— Nancy Kolb

“I learned there are so many creative people like me out there who love to write,” Kolb said. “I also learned to Keep on Keeping On!”

While lasting friendships were made at the retreat, for some, the Priory Retreat became a great place to network, with phone numbers and emails being exchanged alongside offers to read future drafts.

“It was at the retreat that a fellow writer put the Hamline MFA program on my radar,” Hastings said. “I was not considering a Graduate Program in writing as anything I was interested in at all but I looked further into the program and applied this Fall and have been accepted to attend starting in January.”

But, regardless of whether writers left with a pipin’ hot manuscript ready for submission, or ideas for where to take the next chapter — the goal of the Priory Retreat was to grow as writers and grant those in the Wisconsin area the chance to do so alongside friends.

“I think the main way Priory has helped me grow as a writer is to give me the permission — the confidence — to prioritize writing in my life when I leave the retreat,” Roux said. “It has taught me, too, time and again, the importance of engaging with the work of those in my community — especially the unpublished, the part-timers, the old-timers, the just-getting-starteds. It taught me that anyone can be a writer so long as they keep writing (and maybe me, too!) I will always, always be grateful for that.”

As am I. Helping out around the Priory Retreat was one of my first official projects as an intern for the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. It was a wonderful way to kick off my time at an organization that prioritizes this kind of community — one that is so earnest and committed to its residents.

CVWG intern and Priory assistant Gracie Schutte

I met many friends, heard many wonderful stories, and grew as a writer, too—despite that my main duty there was to ensure everyone’s room keys were working, and that the daily schedule was updated, and to answer any questions along the way.

This retreat was a first for me. Never had I immersed myself in a community such as this for so long — I can feel its magic working away inside me still, even five months later.

“[The Priory Retreat] taught (and continues to teach) me that community is an essential part of being the writer I want to be,” Roux said.

For more CVWG related events, check out our website.

Write. Retreat. Repeat: Chippewa Valley Writers Guild Offers New 12-Hour Writers Retreat for Local Literary Enthusiasts

Hold on to your pens, papers, and keyboards—the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild is preparing an exciting, brand-new event for the writers of all levels in the Chippewa Valley and beyond! Come one, come all to the 12-Hour Writers Retreat! Join the Writers Guild at Forage, an event venue in downtown Eau Claire, from 9 am-9 pm on Saturday, Jan. 14, for a day filled with fun, food, fellowship, and of course, writing.

“The event offers the chance to network and connect with fellow writers, ample time to chip away on a long festering writing project,  or the chance to start something new! ”

Registration, available here, opens on Nov. 1 for one of the 20 spots available. The event offers the chance to network and connect with fellow writers, ample time to chip away on a long festering writing project,  or the chance to start something new!  Those who need some help getting started are welcome to follow the writing prompts provided by the event’s host. For the finale, writers will be given the opportunity to present their writing to the public in a fun-filled performance. It will be a day for any and all kinds of writing. Lunch, snacks, and dinner will also be provided!

“The purpose is to create the conditions for writers of all levels to thrive,” said Professor BJ Hollars, director of the Writers Guild and host for the event. “Our daily life provides so many distractions; a writers' retreat is the chance for us to push those distractions to the back-burner so that our creative work can receive the time and attention it deserves.”

In tandem with the Writers Guild and Forage, the Wisconsin Writers Association is also sponsoring the 12-hour retreat. The idea for the retreat began when the Writers Guild, unfortunately, had to say goodbye to their annual 3-day writers retreat at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s the Priory.

“While we loved our three-day retreats (and are certainly envisioning future retreats of that length), it occurred to us that we could use this as an opportunity to better support those writers who can't sneak away for quite so long,” said Hollars. “We decided to experiment with a one-day ‘12-hour retreat’. It's enough time to do some real work, but it's not so long that it will take up a full weekend or break the bank. We hope it'll appeal to locals and people within a three-hour radius.”

The 12-Hour Writers Retreat is especially exciting for the venue it will be taking place at, Forage on 403 S Barstow St. in Eau Claire, WI. The business offers private and public rentals for its space for birthdays, baby showers, wine tastings, holiday parties, open-mic nights, and now writers retreats! An event venue for anything and everything for local community members, Forage is the perfect place to host a literary gathering.

Lydia Park, Event Manager for Forage, described the community venue as “a welcoming and inclusive space, that’s nonjudgmental, very open minded, willing to work with you if you have a dream event that you want to make happen, and provides fun, enjoyable experience for whoever wants to come.” You can contact Park at events@forageeauclaire.com to learn about booking the space for your event.

Park is excited to be working with the Writers Guild by providing a space to create a community for neighborly writers in the surrounding Chippewa Valley. “It’s a very versatile space that offers so many different price points and so many different opportunities to experience what we have here as a community,” she said. “[And] a writers retreat seems to be very specified. So [it’s] geared toward people who want to improve their writing or get something out of that retreat related to writing, or even just build that community, finding folks that are like-minded and wanting to take their writing to the next level.”

To participate in this new and innovative event, a registration fee of $65 is required. Included in this price is delicious coffee from SHIFT Cyclery and Coffee Bar, lunch from the French Press, and dinner from Chef Michelle Thiede. Click here for the daily schedule.

“Some participants will surely be well-published; others may be preparing for their first public reading ever. We’ve got room for both, and in fact, prefer both. Everyone has something to offer. We hope that we, too, have something to offer everyone.”

— BJ Hollars

“The CVWG is somewhat unique in that you needn't be the ‘best’ writer to feel at home here,” said Hollars. “We pride ourselves in creating a supportive and inclusive space for all writers of all levels and genres. Some participants will surely be well-published; others may be preparing for their first public reading ever. We've got room for both, and in fact, prefer both. Everyone has something to offer. We hope that we, too, have something to offer everyone.”

This is the place for a writer to feel connected to their community and get some hard work done in an enjoyable, comfortable environment.

“I hope people leave our retreat feeling rejuvenated, inspired, and proud of their work,” said Hollars. “Writing isn't easy, but it's a little easier with 20 of your new best friends.”

To learn more about the 12-Hour Writers Retreat and registration, click here.

Carlee’s Top 5 Hangout Spaces at The L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library

Carlee Shimek

If the steady influx of folks entering the newly renovated L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library at 9am on a Saturday is any indication, Eau Claire’s residents are ecstatic to have the library back up and running for business. After an extensive sixteen-month renovation, the downtown community space officially re-opened to the public at the end of September. We thought it’d be fun to share some of the cozy spots for reading (or even napping!) that I investigated throughout the building’s upgraded layout. Read on for Carlee’s Top 5 Hangout spaces!

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#1 Atkins and Shea Teen Lounge

Teens and tweens, this one’s just for you! This neat little rectangular space on the first floor provides privacy on cool cushions to study, hang with friends, or peruse the latest YA bestseller. The soft blue color tones exude a sense of tranquility.

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#2: Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation Tween Lounge

This open-air spot, nicknamed “The Lookout”, is on the first floor right next to the children’s play area. This space is available to adults who are accompanying minors, with a combination of tables for laptop work or uniquely structured chairs for lounging, as the space’s title encourages one to do so. It also has computers available for those who may need a better bandwidth than what the house offers. The view of outside will look glorious in all seasons, from the spring buds to winter snow.

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#3: Front Door Lounge Space

To the very right of the front door lies a not-hidden gem. This is the perfect spot for groups of people who want to hang in an environment quieter than say a cafe. The view of the front of the building from the windows and the rest of the first floor allows for casual people-watching, if you enjoy such a hobby. It has a multitude of seating, from singular chairs to tabletops to elongated benches.

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#4: Second Floor Viewing Lounge

This space didn’t have a name, so I made one up. The view comes from the lovely site of its windows that catch a glance of the river cutting underneath the streets of Barstow, Farwell, and Dewey. This space is certainly quieter and possesses a vibe of independence, being on the second floor. It lies nestled behind the Large Print and Graphic Novels sections of the second floor.

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#5: Children’s Cave

Okay, yes, by its name and the fact that it’s right next to the children’s books, this was built for the kiddos to enjoy. But I couldn’t help putting it on this list, it looks too comfortable. I could curl up here for hours and forget about my problems easy-peasy. So if you want to crawl into that cave and not care if youngsters look on indignantly, you do you. If you have a bad back, however, I would refrain for safety reasons. The grass-green bench attached to the cave looks just as cool. We should petition the library to incorporate more of these so there’s more of them to share.

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These were my admittedly biased top picks, but that doesn’t mean the library has no other hidden gems for all folks, if these five don’t pique your interest. The library’s third floor includes a beautiful art gallery with benches and even an outdoor patio, though it probably won’t get much use until spring comes next year. Right outside the front doors of the building are more outdoor tables to soak in the skin-tanning rays while reading, at least for when the sun comes back full-throttle. The basement also has its own hangout chairs and coffee tables, for those who enjoy the groundhog-feeling of being underground.

Along with relaxing spaces for lounging, as an individual or a group, the library has wonderful, additional amenities. They have printing services, computer-access areas, children recreational activities and rooms, private meeting/study rooms, conference rooms for events, and even a “Library of Things” where you can rent out objects like tools, sporting equipment, and cooking utensils just like you would a book.

There’s truly something for everyone at this innovative, updated community space. Come explore the maze of books and more at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library.

Barstow & Grand Comes Of Age: Celebrating 6 Issues!

Thomas DeLapp

Fresh-faced from a day of teaching and the latest round of journal-proofreading, Eric Rasmussen dropped into a chair at SHIFT with a kombucha and a smile.  The editor and founder of Barstow & Grand, now six years deep into publication, is looking forward to the release of the sixth edition this November.  This year, things have gotten a little bit easier.

“It’s the passage of time, you know,” Rasmussen said. “Hey, we’ve been doing this for a while.  It feels like there’s a little less pressure than in the past.” 

Founded in 2016 to establish a local, community journal for Chippewa Valley writers, Barstow & Grand has had to change with the time — expanding to a more general “upper Midwest” audience in 2020 — but still maintains its hometown roots and support. 

This year, the book release will again be at Lazy Monk Brewery on November 16th.  Mark your calendars! As always, the release will feature time for contributors to read their piece, talk about their process, or just use the open floor.  Literature and camaraderie will abound.

2016, Rasmussen said, was a sort of watershed moment for the Valley’s writing community.  The founding of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild and Barstow & Grand brought together Eau Claire’s writers in ways they hadn’t been connected before.

“Eau Claire has always been a rich literary place, but now we are all more aware of each other and more comfortable interacting,” Rasmussen said. 

Barstow & Grand has held a unique position as a hometown journal that allows it to be both personal and accessible.  The expansion to the “upper Midwest” was born out of necessity, Rasmussen said, but has worked out excellently. 

“The writing world is ultimately pretty small, so there’s usually those six degrees of separation back to Eau Claire,” he said.
That expansion helped to bring many new voices into the Chippewa Valley alongside those already established community writers — which Rasmussen said has both perks and drawbacks.

“My goal has always been to support this writing community, give them those stepping stones. On the other side of the coin, it’s kinda terrifying to be the person that says yes and no to friends, contacts, former professors of mine.  But it’s a responsibility I take very seriously. ”

— Eric Rasmussen

“My goal has always been to support this writing community, give them those stepping stones,” he said.  “On the other side of the coin, it’s kinda terrifying to be the person that says yes and no to friends, contacts, former professors of mine.  But it’s a responsibility I take very seriously.” 

Elizabeth de Cleyre

credit: Alexandra Mae

Luckily, Rasmussen isn’t the only one on the Barstow & Grand team — and they are welcoming some new members this issue: new prose editor, Elizabeth de Cleyre, and prose reader, Scout Roux.

de Cleyre, besides being a well-established writer and editor, is also the co-founder of Dotter’s Books in Eau Claire.  Roux is Barstow & Grand’s first non-local staffer ­— a Madison based writer who is fiction editor for Nightingale and Sparrow Magazine.

“Elizabeth is a writer and editor at a level that’s just way above us, so that she is willing to work with us is just great,” Rasmussen said. “She’s infused the journal with such an energy.  And we are so happy to have Scout on board — they’re helping us spread out a little bit, fulfilling that ‘upper Midwest’ coverage instead of just local people.”

For her first issue, de Cleyre also contributed the issue’s editor’s note, which reflected on the newly remodeled of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Library and the vitality of such spaces.  She and Rasmussen agree: the library has long been a cornerstone of Eau Claire’s literary community and character.  The remodeling gives them hope for a future full of writing, literature, and conversation.

The library is also, directly, a supporter of Barstow & Grand, and will contribute sound equipment for the book release event on November 16th. 

The Chippewa Valley literary community is largely made up of those whose first profession isn’t writing.  Balancing writing, then, with other responsibilities isn’t the easiest thing to do — which Rasmussen knows well.  However, there are some parallels between teaching high school English and running a literary journal.

A significant percentage of high school teaching is trying to get kids excited about the process, he said.  Until they have investment in the material and process, nothing will get done — which is similar to interest in literary journals.  It’s hard to keep writing, keep submitting, keep reading.

So how does Rasmussen: teacher, writer, and double editor (he is also fiction editor at Sundog Lit) keep everything balanced?

“People ask that question a lot, and I’ve tried a lot of different answers,” he said.  “Bottom line, the people who have a passion just figure it out.  Someone who loves to garden, they just figure out how to garden, they don’t sit around and lament that they don’t have time for gardening.  You do what you love, and you figure out how to do it.  My formula wouldn’t work for anyone else anyways.”

One thing that keeps him going, year after year, is being able to spend extra time with the pieces in the journal.  Often, he said, the initial read through of literature isn’t where you find what is impressive.  It’s in rereading and reflection that the meaning and value of pieces are revealed. 

On the other side, Rasmussen knows the struggles of submitting — he is a writer too, after all.  Part of the process is getting pieces accepted, but most of the time: rejection.  He even wrote a blog post about his 100th rejection in 2016.  So even when writers are rejected from Barstow & Grand, Rasmussen wants them to keep submitting even more. 

““If I could visit each local author to say, ‘thanks for your submission, please submit again,’ I would do it.””

— Eric Rasmussen

“If I could visit each local author to say, ‘thanks for your submission, please submit again,’ I would do it,” he said. “I don’t want anyone in the community to stop submitting because we didn’t take a piece or because we’re not the right home for them. I want to remain as welcoming as possible, and make sure to avoid any illusion that we are too good for you or your writing, or not welcoming of writers that write what you write.”

So, writers: keep writing and submitting.  Eric Rasmussen said you have to.  After six years of Barstow & Grand, one of the biggest things he’s learned was just how important the personality and connection the Chippewa Valley literary community are.

“I have learned, lately, that anything impressive takes a long time to get established,” Rasmussen said. “I’m confident there will always be literary folks around town trying different projects and doing what excites them.  If this was a business, and I needed to feed my family, I’d be worried about how we evolve.  But that’s not what we are.  This is a passion project, and we’ll do it this way until it doesn’t make sense.”

The 6th issue of Barstow & Grand will be released on November 16th at Lazy Monk Brewery.  For more information, visit the Barstow & Grand website. 

Get Ready for Five Days of Literary Events with the Chippewa Valley Book Festival!

Grace Schutte

When asked about the staples of fall and autumn’s most iconic characteristics, the general population resorts to the usual: the changing leaves, the shorter days, the air’s crisp stinging of toes (and biting of noses); however, folks in the Chippewa Valley know that list is incomplete without the Chippewa Valley Book Festival.

That’s right, folks, the Book Festival is back for their 23rd year with events slated to start up Oct. 20. Get your pumpkin spice lattes ready and sit back for five days of literary goodness.

The festival will host several authors—both regional and from across the nation—to read their works, chat about their craft and the importance of their works, all in the autumnal glory of Eau Claire and Chippewa Valley.

A Mini-Interview with Madison Poet Laureate Angie Trudell Vasquez

Angie Trudell Vasquez, the City of Madison Poet Laureate, is one of those authors who will be presenting at the festival, alongside Dorothy Chan, a fellow poet and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Trudell Vasquez has been writing poetry since she was seven years old and has since then earned an MFA in poetry at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her works have gone on to be published in several journals and a number of them are even listed on the Poetry Foundation’s website.  

“Poetry helped me define myself on the page when I was a young person growing up...”

— Angie Trudell Vasquez

“Poetry helped me define myself on the page when I was a young person growing up in Iowa,” Trudell Vasquez said. “As an adult it has made my life so rich and full. I am fortunate to have had these experiences I have had as a writer and to make connections across the United States.”

Her latest poetry collection, My People Redux, came out earlier this year and covers topics she has yet to share with the world. As a proud activist and long-time environmentalist, Trudell Vasquez discusses our human connection with nature, and how she is concerned about the earth and all its inhabitants.

“There’s a line in the poem, ‘My People Redux,’ ‘My people, forgot they rose from the earth,’” Trudell Vasquez said. “I am not just talking about my family, I am trying to say something about those of us who live in the world right now and do not realize we too are nature.”

She hopes audience members will leave the event feeling lighter, connected, and more aware of how precious their life and time on earth is, that they should do the best they can with the time they have left.

Through conversations like these and events like the Book Festival, Trudell Vasquez believes we can become better connected with not only each other, but with the world, too. Reading, writing, and conversations about them help close the distances between people and aid us in understanding the world around us.

“I am most happy when discussing poetry with poets,” Trudell Vasquez said.

The same goes for us! Join in on Chan and Trudell Vasquez’s poetry exchange and conversation from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 at the Unitarian Universalist. No pre-registration required.

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Grace’s Top Three Book Fest Events Picks

While all the events are going to be a most wonderful and educational time, there are a few that have piqued my interest, ones where you’ll be able to find me scribbling down notes madly in my notebook.

Should you come to any of these, find me after and we can discuss—that’s what these things are all about, after all.

Reclaiming Our Stories with Nadia Owusu

The virtual event will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20 and audience members must register before the event to attend.

Owusu will be presenting on her memoir Aftershocks, a genre-bending piece that explores identity and trauma through cultural history, according to the omnipotent Goodreads.

Those in attendance can expect to learn we harbor more stories in ourselves than we thought, and that power can be claimed when we acknowledge and tell them. Register here for the event.

America’s Narrative Breakdown with Barrett Swanson

Join us in the new Riverview Room at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, for a journey on how the last ten years have affected communities around the United States in their hunt for life’s meaning in the rumerroll that was—and is—the 2010s.

Swanson is no stranger to the literary escapades happening in and around Eau Claire, having served as one of our Writers in Residence at the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild’s very own Priory Retreat.

There I met the Lost in Summerland essayist and heard all his wisdom and swanky jargon on the obligation we, as writers, have to readers, and how we are not so different as these titles may lead us to believe.  

A writer wise beyond his years, get ready for sage wisdom and a breakdown of the political, emotional, and psychological state of our nation.

Better than Paradise with Kawai Strong Washburn

From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, Kawai Strong Washburn will take us into the topsy turvy realm that can be magical realism and the world of fiction.

Sharks in the Time of Saviors is a national favorite (if The New York Times and former President Barack Obama liked it, it’s got to be good, right?), having risen to national stardom since its release in 2020.

I am particularly excited for this event because of both the craft element—exploring this next level of fiction writing—but also to hear Washburn transform history, the history of Hawaii, in a way that shapes the way we understand it.

I would be remiss to say fall in Eau Claire is my favorite season solely because of the chai tea lattes, sweaters, and good views—the Chippewa Valley Book Festival is a must. Bring your notebooks, a pen, an open mind, and get ready for a wonderful bookish time.