2020

October | Virtual at sdbookfestival.com

CONTENTS 4 Mayor’s Welcome 6 SD Humanities Council Welcome 7 Exhibitors’ Hall 8 A Tribute to Children’s and Y.A. Literature Sponsored by Black Hills Reads, Children’s Museum of South Dakota, First Bank & Trust, Northern Hills Federal Credit Union

9 A Tribute to Fiction Sponsored by City of Brookings and Visit Brookings

10 A Tribute to Poetry Sponsored by Brass Family Foundation

11 A Tribute to Non-Fiction Sponsored by Brookings Register and South

12 A Tribute to Writers’ Support Sponsored by Robert E. Fishback & Patricia S. Fishback Foundation and South Dakota Arts Council

13 A Tribute to History and Tribal Writing Sponsored by South Dakota Public Broadcasting

14 Presenters

Cover image: The Fairytale by Mary Groth

The South Dakota Festival of Books Guide is proudly published by Stay Connected View the schedule, changes to the author roster and other news at SDBookFestival.com or on the SDHumanities Facebook and pages. Use #sdbookfest when commenting or to view others’ comments. 410 E. Third St. • Yankton, SD 57078 800-456-5117 • www.SouthDakotaMagazine.com

3 WELCOME... DEAR FESTIVAL OF BOOKS PARTICIPANTS, N BEHALF of my office, the Brookings City Council, Visit Brookings and Brookings residents, welcome to our Ocommunity. We are excited to host the 2020 South Dakota Festival of Books. As an education advocate and lifelong learner, I encourage you to explore our vibrant city. Brookings is a progressive and growing community with arts, cultural gems and hands-on activities that connect us to our past and our future. Historic Downtown Brookings offers visitors a boutique shopping experience with urban art in the alleys and savory bites. Brookings combines the best of small town and big city living, with an impressive quality of life that’s perfect for families, students, young professionals and retirees alike. I am confident you will agree that “Bring Your Dreams” isn’t just Brookings’ tagline, but a belief and a way of life.

Sincerely,

Keith W. Corbett Mayor of Brookings

ADVERTISING DIRECTORY Appaloosy Books...... 4 Siouxland Heritage Museums...... 18 Arts South Dakota...... 22 South Dakota Art Museum...... 17 Candlewick Press...... 14 South Dakota Historical Society Press...... 2 Center For Western Studies...... 20 South Dakota Magazine ...... 16, 18 Christopher Schmitz...... 16 South Dakota State Library...... 21 Delaine Shay...... 6 South Dakota State University...... 19 GWW Books...... 5 South Dakota State University, English....6 Kate Meadows Writing & Editing...... 4 TruCount CPA...... 21 McCrory Gardens...... 23 Western Writers of America...... 15 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute...... 15 4 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS 5 LOST IN STORY Finding refuge in reading

ELCOME TO THE South Dakota Festival of Books in Brookings. While 2020 has been memorable in ways we Wdidn’t expect, one tried and true measure has helped us come through this year’s events: reading. As we were settling into stay-at-home days, I spent time with Karen Blixen’s Winter’s Tales and Seven Gothic Tales. I found these in the Deadwood Public Library during last year’s Festival of Books.While waiting to share information with an author, I noticed a trolley cart of books the library was discarding. For a dollar a book, any title could be mine. When I saw the name “Karen Blixen,” it was no question: I hadn’t read anything by Blixen (pen name Isak Dinesen), and only knew her from the movie Out of Africa and by her stellar reputation as a writer shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once. All winter, I’d wend my way through the evening routine, looking forward to that moment when, finally, I could put the world’s concerns out of mind by falling into the cloth-bound books with soft yellow pages. There I was lost in Blixen’s characters and stories of Denmark and the North Sea. One gift of the Festival of Books is that it helps readers find and become immersed in new stories. We are happy to help you connect with many wonderful authors, all ready to share their talents with you. We hope you find a few tales to take you through daily events to new worlds of thought.

Ann Volin Ann B. Volin Executive Director South Dakota Humanities Council

Visit sdbookfestival.com for news about special events like virtual sessions with bestselling authors and a Sioux Falls appearance by Tommy Orange, author of There There, on November 16!

6 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS EXHIBITORS’ HALL WHERE’S Located in the foyer of the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center, 1601 University Blvd. in Brookings. Open from 1 to 5 pm on Friday and 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday. THE SCHEDULE? AUTHORS Ruby R. Wilson, Bruce, RubyRWilson. Phyllis Cole-Dai, Brookings, WordPress.com Due to all the uncertainties PhyllisColeDai.com of life in the age of the BOOKSELLERS & PUBLISHERS coronavirus, the South Betsey DeLoache, Red Bird Studio, Center for Western Studies, Sioux Falls, Dakota Humanities Council Edisto Island, SC, RedBirdStudioSD. Augie.edu/cws opted to remove the South com Children’s Museum of South Dakota, Dakota Festival of Books Rory Foresman, Rapid City, Brookings, PrairiePlay.org schedule from this year’s RoryForesman.com guide. We are strongly South Dakota Agricultural committed to holding this Jeff Gould, I Like That Story LLC, Heritage Museum Press, Brookings, Sioux Falls, ILikeThatStory.net AgMuseumStore.com year’s festival in Brookings as planned; however, if Mo Hurley, Sioux Falls South Dakota Historical Society Press, the pandemic makes this Pierre, SDHSPress.com impossible, know that we Bill Markley, Pierre, BillMarkley.com will bring the best in books Spoon River Poetry Press/Ellis Press/Plains A.C. Miller, Des Moines, IA, Press, Granite Falls, MN, EllisPress.com to South Dakota by whatever ACMillerAuthor.com means are open to us. St. Rita’s Amazing Traveling Bookstore, Keep up to date on Colin Mustful, Roseville, MN, Eureka, MT, SaintRitasBooks.com the schedule by visiting ColinMustful.com Usborne Books & More, Amanda Roth, SDBookFestival.com or Mattie Richardson, Appaloosy Books, Dell Rapids, WeReadTogether.com by calling (605) 688-6113. Lisbon, ND, AppaloosyBooks.com We will also post updates at Zandbroz Variety, Sioux Falls, SD & Fargo, twitter.com/sdhumanities Bruce Roseland, Seneca, ND, Zandbroz.com and facebook.com/ HeartOfThePrairie.net ORGANIZATIONS sdhumanities and through Christopher D. Schmitz, Kate Meadows Writing & Editing, Black the Festival Updates Bulletin, Redwood Falls, MN, Hawk, KateMeadows.com a handout available at the AuthorChristopherDSchmitz.com Exhibitors’ Hall information South Dakota Public Broadcasting, desk in the foyer of the Oscar Delaine Shay, Sioux Falls, SDPB.org DelaineShayAuthor.com Larson Performing Arts South Dakota State Poetry Society, Center, 1601 University Blvd., Holly Sortland, Rapid City SDPoetry.org Brookings.

Gary Wietgrefe, Sioux Falls, Western Writers of America, RelatingtoAncients.com WesternWriters.org

FESTIVAL GUIDELINES Please abide by the following guidelines to make this event enjoyable for all: no soliciting or distributing flyers, literature, etc., of any kind at any festival venue without prior consent. No videotaping or tape recording without prior consent. Turn cell phones and pagers off during presentations. The Festival of Books, its sponsors and venues are not responsible for lost or stolen items.

7 CHILDREN’S/Y.A.

SPINNING A GOOD STORY During a stint writing chapters and sidebars for history textbooks, Steve Sheinkin collected hundreds of stories that didn’t make it into the published versions. In 2008, he left the textbook world to Creating Bink and Gollie write King George: What Was His Problem?, a book filled with funny LISON MCGHEE and Kate to think about the books, which anecdotes that help explain the DiCamillo were both be- was really hard when we American Revolution. Sheinkin has tween projects when a novel weren’t with each other.” since written about Jim Thorpe and idea struck: Why not collabo- That meant the plots of Arate on a children’s book? The thought each story arose organi- the Carlisle Indian School, Daniel Ellsburg and the Pentagon Papers was both exhilarating and slightly un- cally. McGhee describes and Benedict Arnold. His subjects are nerving. “We’re both very disciplined herself and DiCamillo diverse, but there’s one constant. “I writers in terms of process and neither as “state fair freaks,” so think the whole key is telling a good of us had ever worked on a book with one story follows Bink and story,” Sheinkin says. “I find a good another writer,” McGhee says. “It’s a Gollie to the state fair. When hook, something that grabs the very strange thing to do. We were both ideas were few and far be- readers’ attention, and then keep used to writing in our own ways, in our tween, they turned to props. the plot moving quickly forward. own silent rooms and never talking “It was at a stage in my life when I was No different from what a novelist or about a book that was in process until addicted to this pair of brightly striped screenwriter would do, except that we had finished a draft. This was just socks,” McGhee says. “I wore them I can’t make anything up. But that’s upending everything for both of us.” every day. At one point, we were at a the great thing about history — you Those doubts have long been swept loss for ideas, so I took off one of my don’t have to. True stories have all the away, considering the success of the socks and said, ‘Here, we’re going to drama and high stakes a writer could pair’s Bink and Gollie books. A spe- use this as a prop. Let’s just see where ever want.” cial collection, Bink & Gollie: Three it goes.’” It blossomed into a story But if a writer (or reader) did want for One, was selected as the 2020 called, “Don’t You Need a New Pair more, Sheinkin has the answer in his Young Readers One Book South Da- of Socks?” kota. About 7,000 copies of the book With such close collaboration, there

Time Twisters series, which imagines MA. Somerville, Press, Candlewick publisher, the of permission by Fucile. Reproduced Tony by 2013 © copyright Illustrations FOREVER. BEST FRIENDS GOLLIE: AND BINK Abraham Lincoln as a professional will be distributed to South Dakota is an obvious question: Are Bink and wrestler and Abigail Adams as a third graders this fall, and McGhee Gollie really Kate and Alison? Mc- pirate. “The idea is to take interesting will speak to more than 3,000 of them Ghee says no, although illustrator people from history and let them in Brookings, Sioux Falls and Rapid Tony Fucile may have helped plant escape from their boring textbook City in conjunction with her appear- that idea. “Without our knowledge, and go on adventures,” he says. “So ance at the Festival of Books. he got childhood photos of each of us I have these wacky plots, but along Bink and Gollie were developed and based the look of the girls on Kate the way you actually get to know a within strict parameters. The authors and me. People assume that one is her lot about the historical figures. For knew they wanted the characters to be and one is me. It’s not that way, but instance, Abe best friends, to exist in a world with- I can certainly understand why they Lincoln really did out adults and to live in a tree. “We would think that.” love wrestling. only worked on the books in each Despite the silliness that ensues in These books are other’s physical presence,” Bink and Gollie’s world, there are im- just another way McGhee says. “Kate would portant lessons that the authors hope to make history come to my house from 10 to impart. “Kids seem to like their come alive for to 12 Monday, Wednesday independence and their ability to fig- young readers.” and Friday. We vowed not ure out a way to resolve the ongoing to talk about the books on tensions in their friendship, which is the phone, not to email each a great skill to have in life,” McGhee other about the books, not says. 8 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS FICTION

INSIDE A Leave Room for Imagination SECRET SOCIETY

ELANIE BENJAMIN was arc, then I imagine the things between To help research his Pulitzer a struggling author when a these events — the thoughts of people, Prize-winning 2012 novel, The chance encounter changed the actual conversations, the inner nar- Orphan Master’s Son, Adam the direction of her writ- rative. Why did these people do the Johnson traveled to one of the most secretive nations in the Ming career. Her first two Deborah Feingold things we know they novels of contemporary did? What were they world — North Korea. There fiction weren’t selling, going through — was just one problem. “It’s so to take her mind off what inner turmoil — illegal for a citizen of the DPRK her troubles, she vis- when they did them? [Democratic People’s Republic ited a Chicago art mu- That’s the fiction.” of Korea] to interact with a seum that was hosting Research is a key foreigner,” he says. “North an exhibition of Lewis part of Benjamin’s Korea is the one place in the Carroll’s photography. writing process, but world you can’t talk to a North An image of Alice Lid- while getting the de- Korean.” dell, the little girl who tails right is impor- Instead, Johnson sought inspired Alice in Won- tant, it’s crucial to out expatriates in South Korea, derland, intrigued Ben- know when to stop. Australia, New Zealand and jamin, and that curiosity “I do know novelists California and used their led to her first work of who just get stuck accounts to gain insight into this historical fiction, Alice in the research to mysterious society. One of these I Have Been. “I have a the point where they sources was Kenji Fujimoto, a passion for history, I’m a museum never begin to write. Japanese sushi chef who cooked junkie and I always have imagined And it’s seductive, delicacies for the country’s myself in other times, living other I get it; you learn “Supreme Leader,” Kim Jong-il, lives. So when I found this story, I something and then and flew kites with young Kim found what I should have been do- you want to learn Jong-un. Fujimoto provided ing all along,” she says. something more a wealth of details about life In her bestselling books The and pretty soon, at the top in the East Asian Aviator’s Wife and The Swans of you’re just sucked dictatorship. Fifth Avenue, Benjamin delved into in,” she says. “I’ve North Korea stands in the lives of well-known figures like found that’s my sharp contrast to Johnson’s Anne Morrow Lindbergh and Tru- strength; to not over-research, to birthplace of Yankton, which he man Capote, and her most recent nov- leave room for my imagination.” remembers as a land of stories. el, Mistress of the Ritz, is set at Paris’ Benjamin does not always write “When I was young, I would go iconic luxury hotel during the Nazi oc- about the rich and famous. The Chil- to South Dakota in the summers, cupation. The aim of her fiction is not dren’s Blizzard, which is scheduled for where people exchanged stories to recreate the historical record, but to release in January 2021, centers around all the time, in the coffee shops, let that history inspire her creativity as the deadly storm that struck southern at pancake breakfasts, at supper she crafts a fascinating story. “I look at Dakota on January 12, 1888. “I found clubs,” he says. “I came from a a life, or an event, and I decide what the plight of very young schoolteachers family of great particular story I want to tell,” Benja- having to make life and death decisions storytellers min says. “Once I decide on the actual extremely compelling,” she says. — and the events that are going to make up the landscapes, South Dakota farms and the Missouri View the schedule, changes to the author roster and other Stay River fed my news at SDBookFestival.com or on the SDHumanities imagination.” Connected Facebook and Twitter pages. Use #sdbookfest when commenting or to view others’ comments.

9 POETRY

A GIFT OF WORDS Sicangu Lakota poet and author Lydia Whirlwind Soldier spent 30 years teaching elementary school and Indian studies to Todd County students. Even in retirement, her words continue to educate — no surprise for a woman who is a founding member of the Oak Lake Tribal Writers Society and received the South Dakota Living Indian Poets of Merit Treasure Award in 2015. INDA HASSELSTROM was more poetic than that of Native Ameri- Whirlwind Soldier was inspired 9 when she moved to the Her- can people,” she says. “As poet and to use her poetry to help support mosa ranch that is her home orator, Zitkála-Šá excelled. ‘Ameri- education about Native culture, today. “I was intensely aware canize the first Americans,’ she in- so she donated her second book, Lthat my life had changed dramatical- sisted, even after the American Indian Survival Songs, to the Center ly,” she says, “and that’s when I began Citizenship Act became law, because for American Indian Research writing.” the act did not guarantee full voting and Native Studies (CAIRNS), a Now the author of 17 books, she rights. Those were not granted by all nonprofit located on the Pine Ridge ranks among rural America’s most im- states until 1962, long after she died.” Reservation near Martin. CAIRNS portant writers and poets. Her newest Wilson says Zitkála-Šá was perhaps board member, SDSU professor book is Write Now: Insight Into Six the first author to use a mosaic to rep- emeritus Charles Woodard, helped Decades of Writing; her newest honor resent the human family. In her essay her prepare the work for publication, is Poet of Merit, an award just begun titled “Why I Am a Pagan,” she wrote, and the book was released this year. by the South Dakota State Poetry So- “I seem to see clearly again that all are CAIRNS director Dr. Craig Howe ciety. akin. The racial lines, which once were says Whirlwind Soldier is a leader in Bruce Roseland of Seneca, presi- bitterly real, now serve nothing more Lakota culture-based teachings and dent of the society, says Hasselstrom than marking out a living mosaic of writings. “We were blessed that she epitomizes the impetus for the award human beings.” gifted us with this manuscript, and because she has excelled at communi- Zitkála-Šá wrote poetry, essays we are proud to have it available cating the beauties and challenges of and music, including The Sun Dance for people to read and learn about West River ranch life. “Each year we Opera, based on her Sioux roots. history from her viewpoint,” he says. intend to honor one living poet and She co-founded the National Coun- In Survival Songs, Whirlwind one posthumously,” he says. “Our idea cil of American Indians in 1926 and Soldier weaves English and Lakota is to recognize our poets while they are ranks among the most important Na- into poems that give voice to still active, and then to also look back- tive American writers and activists of whispers in the wind and a land that wards in history at our earlier writers.” the past century. She died in 1938 in resonates The posthumous award recognizes Washington, D.C. with Zitkála-Šá (Red Bird), who was born Like Zitkála-Šá, Linda Hasselstrom memory, on the Yankton Sioux Reservation and also lived in the city for awhile, but the pain of educated by Quakers in an Indiana she says her inspiration comes from assimilation boarding school, an alien environment the land. “I would definitely not be and the for an 8-year-old girl. In 1916 she the same writer if I had lived all my comfort of wrote, life in a city,” she says. “Living on a tradition, I’ve lost my long hair, my eagle ranch has made me intensely grate- brave hearts and a grandmother’s plumes too, ful for joys that might seem small to soft hands. The book’s cover itself From you my own people I’ve someone else. I love not only the easy pays tribute to the past — Whirlwind gone astray beauty, but the hard loveliness of the Soldier drew the pattern based A wanderer now with no place clean patterns of birth, life and death.” on a parfleche design her great- to stay The Poet of Merit awards ceremony grandmother described to her long Vermillion poet Norma Wilson nom- will be a part of this year’s South Da- ago. inated Zitkála-Šá. “There is no oratory kota Festival of Books. 10 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS NON-FICTION

DREAMS AND Coming Full Circle CHIMPANZEES Everything good begins with a N HER YOUTH, Megan Phelps- in the news, or when their communi- dream, so it’s our nature to encourage Roper helped spread a virulent ties are targeted for protests,” Phelps- dreamers — even when we suspect version of God’s love as a member Roper says. Most international readers the dream may be too big. When of the Westboro Baptist Church, are familiar with the Kansas church Dick Haskin imagined a zoo in his Iwhich was founded by her grandfather, through a series of BBC documen- hometown of Royal, Nebraska Fred Phelps. After taries by British film- (population way under 100), perhaps she cut ties with the maker Louis Theroux, friends and neighbors should have church and her fam- which show members been less encouraging. ily in 2012, Phelps- in a more sympathetic Nebraska writer Carson Vaughan Roper had to reex- light — as people who learned about the zoo in 2010 when it amine everything she had been indoctrinated was being liquidated after a disastrous knew about people into Westboro’s hate- finale that involved the deaths of three and about life, a pro- ful ideology since they chimpanzees. “I decided to make the cess she describes in were children. “Because story of the zoo my honors thesis, and Unfollow: A Memoir international audiences that’s how I fell in the rabbit hole,” of Loving and Leav- have quite a buffer from he laughs. Ever since, Vaughan has ing the Westboro direct Westboro protests sought to understand the story of Baptist Church. — and because they what went wrong in Royal. In 2019, The book, which have the benefit of see- after finally persuading Haskin to sit debuted at the 2019 ing the church primar- for an interview, he published Zoo South Dakota Fes- ily through Theroux’s Nebraska: The Dismantling of the tival of Books in personal relationships American Dream. Deadwood, was chosen as with its members — At the South Dakota Festival of the South Dakota Humanities they seemed more Books, Vaughan will talk of both the Council’s One Book South Da- likely to feel sorry zoo’s 20-year story and his own 10- kota selection for 2020. Phelps- for and compassion- year odyssey to write the book, which Roper, who lives in Clark with ate towards Westboro explores the universal theme of a big her husband, Chad, and daugh- members, rather than idea gone awry. “We all love the rags ter, Sølvi, was “blown away” by condemning them,” to riches narrative that if we work hard the honor. “I first came to know she says. enough, we can make our dreams and love this place through the Phelps-Roper’s come true,” he says. “Dick’s story fell eyes of my husband, a lifelong world tour started short of that; it’s a sadder story but South Dakotan who has a bound- with her festival appearance in Dead- one that is much more realistic and less curiosity and appreciation of its wood, a town that played a special role one we can relate to.” history, and being part of that history in in her life. “It was the place I found Vaughan says many people, this way feels like such a gift,” she says. refuge after leaving Westboro, the first including Haskin, probably should Between September and January, place I felt safe,” she says. “My daugh- have realized that the idea of a zoo Phelps-Roper traveled to almost 40 ter turned one year old on the first day in Royal was a stretch. “But nobody cities around the United States as well of the festival, and it was this beauti- wants to be the person to step on as the United Kingdom, Norway, Aus- ful moment of coming full circle. I was somebody else’s dream,” he says, tralia and New Zealand to promote on the cusp of spending months get- especially the nice her book. (Due to the coronavirus, her ting lost in these memories of the most people who live One Book South Dakota tour is being traumatic time of my life, and having in America’s small held virtually.) Along the way, she no- my husband and little Sølvi with me in towns. ticed differences in the way domestic that beautiful place was an anchor to They are more and international readers react to Un- the present — a reminder that so much likely to say, “Sure, follow. “In the U.S., people generally good had already come from that pain- I’ll feed the chimps learn of Westboro Baptist Church from ful decision to leave and lose the people on Tuesdays.” How seeing its horribly offensive messages I loved most.” hard can that be?

11 Robert E. Fishback & Patricia S. Fishback Foundation WRITERS’ SUPPORT

PLAN, THEN PUBLISH Divine Intervention and a Lot of Work Book publicist Mickey Mikkelson OBERT DUGONI loves to what you know.” It’s become a cliché, says authors should think about interact with readers of his but you won’t hear it from him. “If all marketing even before they finish award-winning mysteries and writers did this, we would have missed the first chapter of their manuscript. thrillers, but the Seattle nov- out on so many wonderful books writ- Mikkelson, a veteran of the book Relist also enjoys helping other writ- ten by people who never served in the publishing world and the founder ers learn the craft that world wars, never went of Creative Edge in Lloydminster, he admits was a long through the holocaust, Saskatchewan, will offer advice at struggle to “overnight never personally expe- the South Dakota Festival of Books. success.” rienced racism, never “Many self-published authors put “No one told me flew a blimp or a plane out high quality work and do not about the books on the or raced a car,” he says. get the recognition for doing so,” craft or writing secrets,” “I think the better adage he says. he says. “It wasn’t un- is, ‘write what you are He recommends that all writers til a friend encouraged interested in.’” — whether they are self-publishing me to get involved in His Tracy Cross- or working with a publisher — the writing community white detective series, should think about selling the book that I found the skills featuring a Washington from the very beginning of the that taught me how to woman seeking justice project. “Who is the audience? write a novel.” for her murdered sister, What will attract that audience to Dugoni could always has sold more than 5 buy their book, whether it be the write well. The native million copies. The story or the look of the cover or Californian discovered his passion as a seventh book in the series, A Cold Trail, even the title?” seventh grader when he wrote a story was released early this year. He says the Internet has become about slavery. He studied journalism Dugoni has also written two shorter a valuable tool for authors and and creative writing at Stanford Uni- series — the David Sloane books and a book publishers. “I would say that versity and worked as a journalist for Charles Jenkins series. A recent stand- book marketing is easier today than The Los Angeles Times in San Gabriel alone novel, The Extraordinary Life of it was 15 or 20 years ago due to before going to law school and joining Sam Hell, is a departure from his crime social media. It is much easier to get a firm in San Francisco. novels. Sam Hell is a boy who grows the word out through a variety of After 13 years as an attorney, he had up with discrimination because he has tactics. The trick is to find the ones an epiphany. He felt compelled to write a sight disorder called ocular albinism. that are effective and to understand novels. Fortunately, his wife Cristina Because his pupils are pinkish red, he that not everything will work.” supported him through the ups and endures a tormented childhood. Mikkelson will share a downs. At one point, he found an agent One of Dugoni’s nine siblings was presentation at the festival with who told him, “Don’t call me, I’ll call born with Down syndrome. He be- science fiction author Kathrin you.” After months of silence, Dugoni lieves it would be very difficult to write Hutson, who has worked with his discovered the agent had died. Rejec- a story about that. “I am just too close company. “It’s going to be fun and tion letters and dead ends mounted. to it,” he says. But his awareness of his hopefully very informative,” he Slowly — with the help of others — brother’s challenges helped him devel- says. “The banter alone between he mastered the art of writing fiction. op the Sam Hell character. me and Kathrin will be worth the “I learned how to make characters three Dugoni wrote a first draft of the book price of admission, I promise you!” dimensional. It’s hard. It’s complicated. a decade ago, after reading a news re- It requires both an artistic side and a port of an Australian boy who was technician side, as do most arts.” ostracized because he had ocular albi- Because of Dugoni’s long struggles, nism. He reworked the manuscript for he developed his own ways of teaching years before finally completing it. Now others, and he’ll share them at the festi- he credits the story to divine interven- val in Brookings. His ideas are unique; tion. Perhaps humility is a byproduct for example, many writing coaches and of the long struggle to becoming a suc- teachers recommend that you “write cessful novelist.

12 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS HISTORY/TRIBAL WRITING

The Dust Bowl’s Dark Cloud THE SOUND OF THE STORY Brenda Child has written extensively about Native American life. Her books include studies of boarding schools, Ojibwe women and her 2004 work My Grandfather’s Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation, which won the American Indian Book Award and the Best Book in Midwestern History. Her newest title is Bowwow Powwow, a bilingual picture book that

Miguel Branas Miguel represents a transition from writing scholarly works to writing for RANKLIN DELANO ROOS- don’t believe they ever got over it. They children. EVELT was elected president lived in fear that that kind of cataclysm The idea came from her in a landslide in 1932. Dust could return.” research into the history of Ojibwe storms were on the rise; 14 Readers almost feel Margaret’s pain, women. “I kept running across Fwere reported across the country, and as she writes short notes — 50 words documents that referred to a the number would double in the follow- a day at most — about tensions with dance Ojibwe people performed ing year. World War I veterans marched her husband and children, health prob- before important diplomatic events on Washington, D.C., demanding back lems, the ever-present yearning for rain that was about reciprocity,” says pay and pensions to help survive the to help a bare-bones garden and too- Child, the Northrop Professor of growing Depression. Forces under frequent visits from the “bankman.” It American Studies at the University Gen. Douglas MacArthur eventually spills out in short bursts of exaspera- of Minnesota. “The lyrics to the tear gassed the Bonus Army from their tion. From January 22: “I hate Hoover. song were, ‘We are like dogs, we tents. And on a farm near Howard and Who doesn’t?” And from the end of are like dogs.’ This got me thinking a small house on Mitchell’s main street, June: “The Lord provides. He better.” about dogs and powwows, and the Margaret Spader Neises jotted daily The Dust Bowl era has long been a importance of human relationships notes in a diary no bigger than a deck subject of interest for Volk, an associ- with dogs.” of cards that shines a light on her life, ate professor of Film and Television at Though her audience is her growing family and how South Da- the University of Colorado-Denver. He much younger, Child finds that kotans endured the Great Depression. grew up hearing the stories from his conducting good research is still Craig Volk inherited his grandmoth- parents, aunts and uncles and wrote a essential. “The writing is also just as er’s diaries, and along with memoirs screenplay set in the 1930s. The cre- important, but the sound of words and reminiscences from his mother, ation of this narrative allowed him is more critical in a children’s book,” Joan, and other family members, au- an opportunity to reconnect with the she says. “Books for children are thored A Dust Bowl Book of Days, grandmother who died when he was usually read aloud.” 1932. The book reads as a day-to-day just 3 years old and to try to place the Child was born on the Red Lake account of Margaret’s life, though it family’s experiences into the broader Ojibwe Reservation in northern is actually synthesized from several context of the Great Depression. Minnesota, where she is part of diaries she kept throughout the 1930s. “I think of this as a biodrama,” he a committee developing a new Volk viewed 1932 as the most interest- says. “It is about developing survivor constitution ing year in the saga that was just be- mentalities not only in an apocalyptic for the ginning to play out, and which stuck time but also within a growing family. 12,000- with his family for a long time to come. I think of it as being every bit a story member “They talked more about the Dirty Thir- as it is a history. Moreover, I believe nation. ties than they did about World War II,” all good storytelling is character driven. Volk says. “It just had that dark cloud And Grandmother Margaret was a rich impact on them for an entire decade. I and complex character.” 13 PRESENTERS Born and raised in Da- high school level, NCAA All-Americans at cluding her 2019 title for teens and adults, mascus, Syria, SANAA the collegiate level and an Olympian at the Viral: The Fight Against AIDS in America. ABOUREZK came to the professional level of the sport. Her latest release is a picture book, Moon- United States to get her beams: A Lullaby Through the Phases of the master’s in food and nutri- JEANINE D. BASINGER is founder of the Moon. In 2017, the Children’s Book Guild tion from California State Department of Film Studies at Wesleyan of Washington, D.C., honored the body of Polytechnic University, Pomona. After mov- University in Middletown, Connecticut, and Bausum’s work with its venerable Nonfic- ing to Sioux Falls with her husband, she curator of the cinema archives there. She tion Award. opened Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean, has written 12 books on film, including Si- which was named one of the nation’s top lent Stars, winner of the William K. Everson JERRI BELL retired from the Navy in 2008; vegetarian restaurants by Food Network Film History Award, and American Cinema: her assignments included antisubmarine Magazine. Abourezk was featured on the One Hundred Years of Film- warfare in the Azores Islands, sea duty on 2016 season finale of Food Network’s Beat making, the companion the USS Mount Whitney Bobby Flay. She has published several cook- book for a 10-part PBS se- and the HMS Sheffield and books, most recently Vegetarian Mediterra- ries. Basinger lives part-time attaché duty at the U.S. Em- nean Cookbook. in Brookings, where she bassy in Moscow. An in- earned bachelor’s and mas- structor and editor for the DENNIS BARKER is a writer and coach Fishback Jay ter’s degrees from South Veterans Writing Project, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of Dakota State University. Her most recent she publishes widely, and The River Road, which was nominated for book is The Movie Musical! her fiction has been nominated for a Push- the 2017 Track & Field Writers of America cart Prize. She and former Marine Tracy Book of the Year. Amby Burfoot of Runner’s From her home in southern Wiscon- Crow are the co-authors of It’s My Coun- World wrote that the novel “explores how sin, ANN BAUSUM writes about history, try Too: Women’s Military Stories from the running can add insight, character, growth bringing the past to life for readers of all American Revolution to Afghanistan. and self-knowledge to a teenager’s life.” ages. Her books frequently explore issues Barker has coached All-State runners at the of social justice from American history, in- MELANIE BENJAMIN is the author of

14 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS PRESENTERS the New York Times and USA Today best- Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center selling historical novels The Swans of Fifth for Strategy and Security and the Modern Avenue and The Aviator’s Wife. Her latest, War Institute at West Point and has contrib- Mistress of the Ritz, is set in one of the uted to two books explaining military con- world’s most glamorous hotels during flict through pop culture —Strategy Strikes the Nazi occupation of Paris. An Indiana Back and Winning Westeros. native, Benjamin lives in Chicago and puts her theatrical training to good use at literary SHERROD BROWN, Ohio’s senior U.S. events around the country. When she isn’t Senator, has dedicated his writing or speaking, she’s reading. And al- life in public service to fight- ways looking for new stories to tell. ing for what he calls “the dignity of work” — the belief AXTON BETZ-HAMILTON is an expert that hard work should pay in identity theft, having personal experi- off for everyone. His book, ence that she’s turned into a career. She Desk 88, tells the story of eight men who frequently speaks on the sat in his mahogany Senate desk before topic and has won multi- him. Brown resides in Cleveland with his ple awards for her research, wife, Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize-win- teaching and service. Betz- ning columnist and author. Their growing Hamilton has a master’s de- family includes three daughters, a son and gree in consumer sciences seven grandchildren. and retailing and a doctorate in human development and family studies, focusing ANGELICA SHIRLEY CARPENTER, Cu- on child identity theft and elder financial rator Emerita of the Arne Nixon Center for exploitation perpetrated by family mem- the Study of Children’s Literature at Califor- bers. She teaches at South Dakota State nia State University, Fresno, has published University. four middle-grade biographies of classic children’s authors and a Y.A. ELIZA BLUE is a South Dakota shepherd, biography, Born Criminal: writer and folk singer. In addition to her Matilda Joslyn Gage, Radi- weekly column “Little Pasture on the Prai- cal Suffragist. Her picture rie,” carried by 11 different print publica- book The Voice of Liberty, tions, she contributes to South Dakota Pub- illustrated by Edwin Fother- lic Radio and Prairie Public Radio with her ingham, comes out in September 2020. A monthly series “Postcards from the Prairie.” past president of the International Wizard Her byline has appeared in many regional of Oz Club, Carpenter is an advisory board and national publications, including the member for the Lewis Carroll Society of New York Times, and her first book, Acci- North America, among other professional dental Rancher, a collection of essays about affiliations. her transition from urbanite to ranch wife and mother, came out this year. MICHAEL M. CASLER is an independent historical researcher from Williston, North MAX BROOKS is an actor and author of Dakota. A former park ranger with the novels including World War Z, which was National Park Service and retired EMT/fire- made into a major motion fighter, he is also a U.S. Navy veteran. Casler picture starring Brad Pitt, studied anthropology and U.S. History at and 2020’s Devolution: A North Dakota State University in Fargo. He Firsthand Account of the has published multiple articles on the Upper Rainier Sasquatch Massa- Missouri fur trade, and his books include cre. He has also written sev- Steamboats of the Fort Union Fur Trade, eral graphic novels, like The Harlem Hell- Fort Tecumseh and Fort Pierre Chouteau: fighters. Brooks holds fellowships at the Journal and Letter Books, 1830–1850, and

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15 PRESENTERS Fort Union and Fort William: Letter Book Hope from a Heartland Newspaper. and Journal, 1833-1835. PHILIP J. DELORIA is the Leverett Salton- Lieutenant Colonel ML CAVANAUGH is a stall Professor of History at Harvard Univer- nonresident fellow at the Modern War In- sity, where his research and teaching focus stitute at West Point and a U.S. Army strat- on the social, cultural and political histories egist with experience in 11 countries and of the relations among assignments ranging from Iraq to the Penta- American Indian peoples gon and Korea to New Zealand. His writing and the United States. His has appeared in the New York Times, the books include Playing Indi- Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal an, Indians in Unexpected and USA Today, and he has edited and con- Places and Becoming Mary tributed to two books explaining military Sully. Deloria received his Ph.D. in American conflict through pop culture — Strategy Studies from Yale University and has taught Strikes Back and Winning Westeros. at the University of Colorado and the Uni- versity of Michigan. He chairs the Repatri- BRENDA J. CHILD is Northrop Professor of ation Committee of the Smithsonian Insti- American Studies at the University of Min- tution’s National Museum of the American nesota. She has written several award-win- Indian. ning books of American Indian history, in- cluding Boarding School Seasons and My THOMAS DOBBS is Pro- Grandfather’s Knocking Sticks. Child’s book fessor Emeritus of Eco- for children, Bowwow Powwow, won the nomics at South Dakota American Indian Youth Literature Award State University, where for for best picture book. Born on the Red 29 years he taught and Lake Ojibwe Reservation, she served on the conducted research deal- board of trustees of the Smithsonian Institu- ing with public policy and tion’s National Museum of the American In- worked with international programs and dian and was president of the Native Ameri- adult extension. Dobbs received his bach- can & Indigenous Studies Association. elor’s degree from South Dakota State and his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, PHYLLIS COLE-DAI began pecking away conducting research for his dissertation in on a manual typewriter in childhood and India. He served as a Foreign Service Officer never stopped. In her work, she seeks to with the U.S. Agency for International De- “write across what divides us.” Her most re- velopment for four years, stationed in Paki- cent book is For the Sake of One We Love stan and in Washington, D.C. and Are Losing: A Meditative Poem & Jour- nal. Other titles include the historical novel Born and raised on the Rosebud Reserva- Beneath the Same Stars and the anthology tion, VIRGINIA DRIVING HAWK SNEVE Poetry of Presence (edited with Ruby Wil- has published 27 books for all ages, as well son). Originally from Ohio, Cole-Dai now as numerous short stories, articles and po- resides with her scientist-husband, teenage ems. A retired K–12 and college educator, son and two cats in a 130-year-old house she received the National Humanities Medal in Brookings. in 2000 and an Honorary Doctorate of Let- In Accidental Rancher, Eliza ters from South Dakota State University in ART CULLEN is the editor and co-owner of Blue brings a musician’s grace 2008. Sneve’s recent work includes a reissue The Storm Lake (Iowa) Times and the winner to her observations of daily of her children’s classic, The Christmas Coat, of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writ- life on a Perkins County ranch and a biography of her brother, Too Strong ing. He earned the Pulitzer for a series of ed- to Be Broken. and finds an appreciation for itorials addressing a local controversy about the simple beauty of the high the pollution of drinking water and the in- ROBERT DUGONI is the critically ac- plains. $14.95 + s/h tersection of government claimed author of the Tracy Crosswhite po- and agricultural interests. lice detective series, which has sold more In addition to his 38-plus than 5 million books worldwide. His work years of journalism experi- includes the Charles Jenkins espionage se- ence, Cullen is the author ries, the David Sloane legal thriller series, SouthDakotaMagazine.com of Storm Lake: A Chronicle several stand-alones and the nonfiction ex- 800-456-5117 of Change, Resilience and posé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington 16 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS Post Best Book of the Year. Dugoni’s numer- ice?, in 2008. Since then, Fotheringham has nals. His book, American ous honors include the Nancy Pearl Award addressed subjects and markets as varied as Carnage: Wounded Knee, for Fiction and, twice, the Friends of Mys- punk rock and Neiman Marcus, The New 1890, received the Spur tery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set Yorker and Ladies Home Journal, a Visa Award for Best Western His- in the Pacific Northwest. credit card campaign and an elementary torical Nonfiction from the school auction. His most recent book is The Western Writers of America. CODY DODGE EWERT is an associate ed- Voice of Liberty. Greene’s newest books are January Moon: itor at the South Dakota Historical Society The Northern Cheyenne Breakout from Fort Press and a historian of culture and politics Born in Brookings, HELEN FROST has al- Robinson, 1878-1879, and “All Guns Fired in the Progressive-Era United States. Raised ways loved poetry, and she especially loves at Once”: Native Voices of Wounded Knee, near Power, Montana, he earned B.A. and sharing poetry with children through writ- 1890. M.A. degrees at the University of Montana ing and teaching. She taught elementary and a Ph.D. in American history from New school in Massachusetts, Vermont, Alaska PATRICK HICKS is the author of In the York University. A contributor to Equality and Scotland, and now lives Shadow of Dora, Library of the Mind and at the Ballot Box: Votes for Women on the and writes in Fort Wayne, In- The Collector of Names, among others. Northern Great Plains, Ewert has published diana. Frost is the author of His work has appeared on NPR, The PBS several articles on the history of education nine novels-in-poems and NewsHour and American Life in Poetry, and in America and is revising a manuscript six picture books, including his first novel,The Commandant of Lubizec, based on his dissertation. 2020’s Blue Daisy and All He was selected for National Reading Group Knew. She loves to travel and has been to Month. Hicks is the Writer-in-Residence at EDWIN FOTHERINGHAM spent his for- 48 states and 13 countries. and a faculty member mative years in Sydney, Australia, and was in the M.F.A. program at Sierra Nevada Uni- educated at the University JEROME A. GREENE is a retired histori- versity. He lives in South Dakota and hosts of Washington’s School of an, curator and manager with the Nation- the popular radio show, Poetry from Studio Art in Seattle, where he still al Park Service and author of 23 books. A 47. lives with his family. He illus- U.S. Army veteran, he taught at Haskell In- trated his first book for chil- dian Nations University and served on the PAUL HIGBEE is a historian, author and re- dren, What to Do About Al- editorial boards of several historical jour- tired educator, but may be best known as

17 PRESENTERS

a South Dakota Magazine feature writer ten features a strain of absurdity, explores and columnist. His most recent book, The the isolated lives of characters at the edge First Strike, explores the life and World War of society and the sinister effects of the lan- II heroics of Doolittle Raider Don Smith. guage of propaganda. A recipient of the 2000 South Dakota Au- thor of the Year designation and the 2001 RUTH PAGE JONES holds an M.A. in Governor’s Award for History, Higbee holds History from the University of Wisconsin- degrees from Black Hills State University Milwaukee, as well as two and the University of Notre Dame. He and bachelor’s degrees. Fol- his wife, Janet, live in Spearfish. lowing careers in com- puter technology, political An award-winning journalist, SUZANNE advocacy and charitable HOVIK FULLER worked as a staff writer, nonprofit work, she is pur- women’s page editor and investigative re- suing her interest in local histories and porter for The Minneapo- woman suffrage on the Northern Great lis Star newspaper, then Plains. Jones contributed the chapter on taught journalism at Ken- school suffrage to the 2019 book Equal- tucky Wesleyan College, ity at the Ballot Box. She also serves as a the University of Sioux Falls scholar with the South Dakota Humanities and the University of South Council Speakers Bureau. Dakota. Hovik Fuller now volunteers for nonprofit organizations serving children, STACEY MARGARET JONES is an Ar- families and the arts in South Dakota and kansas writer and researcher whose debut Hawaii, and she has just published her first novel, Mr. Catherine, was a finalist for the children’s book. She and her husband, Larry, Eric Hoffer New Horizon Award in 2020. live in Sioux Falls. She writes fiction, nonfiction and poetry, and her poem “Pale” was nominated for International bestselling author KATHRIN a Pushcart Prize. She is currently at work HUTSON has been writ- on her second novel. A native of De Smet, ing dark fantasy, sci-fi and Jones has earned degrees from Northern LGBTQ speculative fiction State University, Syracuse University and the since 2000. Her work cen- University of Central Arkansas. She is mar- ters around wildly messed- ried to novelist and medieval scholar Jay up heroes, excruciating cir- Ruud. cumstances, impossible decisions, Happily Never Afters and a thread of hope. Her sev- ALPHONSE KEASLEY is an academ- enth novel, Sleepwater Static, came out in ic trailblazer with a passion for education, May. Hutson also ghostwrites fiction and the arts, theatre, documentary and more. serves as fiction co-editor for Burlington’s His cultural milieu, the primarily matriar- Mud Season Review and director of Top- chal Nawlins working class community Shelf interviews for TopShelf Magazine. She and Christian values, built the framework lives in Colorado with her husband, their for his activism during the Experience our state’s young daughter and two dogs, Sadie and modern civil rights move- beautiful farmlands, rivers, Brucewillis. ment and led him to plural- mountains and prairies ity and consciousness build- from a fresh vantage point in ADAM JOHNSON won the Pulitzer Prize ing with young adults. He Sky High South Dakota, for his 2012 novel, The Orphan Master’s made the University of Colo- a new book by aerial Son, and the National Book Award for his rado Boulder his home and founded many 2015 story collection, Fortune Smiles. Born avenues — domestically and internation- photographer Dave Tunge in South Dakota and raised in Arizona, he ally — for young people to examine their and the staff of South Dakota teaches creative writing at Stanford Univer- habitus, widen their scope and explore their Magazine. $39.95 + s/h sity, where he founded the Stanford Graph- potential. ic Novel Project. Johnson’s work, which of-

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18 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER, New York vised show called Party in the Rec Room. and CNN Opinion. Martin’s reporting has Times bestselling author, has logged tim- also been published by The Washington ber, worked construction, done freelance KARL MARLANTES grad- Post and Gawker Media. journalism and researched child develop- uated from Yale University ment. He now makes his living as a full- and was a Rhodes Scholar ALISON MCGHEE is the co-author (with time author of the award-winning Cork at Oxford University before Kate DiCamillo) of the 2020 Young Read- O’Connor mystery series, set in the north serving as a Marine in Viet- ers One Book South Dakota, Bink & Gollie: woods of Minnesota. Krueger’s 2013 nam, where he was awarded Three for One. Her wildly diverse books in- stand-alone novel, Ordinary Grace, re- the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy clude the bestselling novel Shadow Baby, ceived the Edgar Award and was named Commendation Medals for valor, two Pur- a Today Show Book Club pick, and Some- the 2015 One Book South Dakota. The ple Hearts and 10 air medals. He is the best- day, the #1 New York Times bestselling companion novel, This Tender Land, was selling author of Matterhorn, What It Is Like picture book for adults. This year, McGhee published in September 2019. Krueger to Go to War and Deep River. Marlantes published The Opposite of Fate, a novel for lives with his wife in St. Paul, Minnesota, a lives in rural Washington. adults, and World So Wide, a picture book city he dearly loves. for all ages. She lives in Minneapolis and A member of the Sappony Southern California. Tribe, LORNA LANDVIK is the author of 12 nov- NICK MARTIN is a els, including the best-selling Patty Jane’s staff writer at The New Re- MICKEY MIKKELSON is the founder and House of Curl, Angry Housewives Eating public, where he covers In- creator of Creative Edge Publicity, an ag- Bon Bons, and Oh My Stars, dian Country, with a focus gressive boutique publicity firm that advo- which has been made into on tribal sovereignty and cates for both the traditional and indepen- a short “proof of concept” the United States’ legal duty to uphold its dent artist. Prior to forming Creative Edge, film. Her latest book, Chron- treaty and trust responsibilities. He is also a he spent 10 years as special events manager icles of a Radical Hag (with writer represented by Fletcher & Co., with for Chapters/Indigo, Canada’s largest book- Recipes) has just been re- a forthcoming novel in the works, and has store chain. Mikkelson has signed some of leased in paperback. Also an actor, Landvik published reviews and essays on Native-au- the top talents in the literary industry, in- regularly performs a one-woman, all-impro- thored literature at TNR, Poetry Foundation cluding multiple award-winning authors,

19 PRESENTERS

New York Times bestselling authors, and a poet, and Anne, a painter — making their Omaha, Nebraska native successful indie authors, many of whom way as spinsters living in genteel poverty in MARCELLA REMUND have become international bestsellers while Edwardian London. teaches at the University of working with Creative Edge. South Dakota. Her poems MEGAN PHELPS-ROPER is a writer and have appeared in journals In her debut, Sioux Code Talkers of World activist. Formerly a member of the West- including Pacific Review, War II, ANDREA PAGE boro Baptist Church, she left the church in Switchgrass Review, The Briar Cliff Review, shares the military service of November 2012, a process she examines in Amethyst Arsenic and Pasque Petals, and seven Native American Code her book, Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving have received prizes from the National As- Talkers in the Pacific Theater, and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. sociation of State Poetry Societies, among as well as details about the An educator on topics related to overcom- others. Her newest collection is The Book of buffalo, Lakota values, First ing ideological extremism and improving Common Prayer. Remund and her husband Cavalry Division and pursuit of a Congres- communication across religious and politi- live in Vermillion in a multi-generational, sional Gold Medal. Of German and Hunk- cal divides, Phelps-Roper lives in South Da- multi-species home. papa Lakota (Standing Rock) descent, Page kota with her husband, Chad, and daugh- is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired ter, Sølvi. BRUCE ROSELAND is president of the sixth grade teacher. She lives with her hus- South Dakota State Poetry Society and a band in Rochester, New York, where she JIM REESE is Associate Professor of English fourth-generation cattleman. His formal is co-president of the Rochester Area Chil- at and National En- education ended when he earned a mas- dren’s Writers and Illustrators group. dowment for the Arts Writer-in-Residence ter’s in sociology from the at Federal Prison Camp Yankton. His book University of North Dakota PEN PEARSON is a professor of creative of nonfiction, Bone Chalk, was published and decided to return to writing at Northern State University in Ab- by Stephen F. Austin State University Press the land, a place that made erdeen. She has published two books of po- in December of 2019. A fourth collection sense to him in a world that etry, and her first novel,Bloomsbury’s Late of poetry, Dancing Room Only: New and frequently did not. He has Rose, came out last year. The novel tells the Selected, is forthcoming by New York Quar- published six volumes of poetry, most re- story of the artistic Mew sisters — Charlotte, terly Books in 2021. cently Cowman, and has won a National

20 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum cent book, Born to Fly. He is the recipient of Wrangler Award and a Will Rogers Medal- the 2020 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and lion Award. his books have received a Newbery Hon- or and three National Book Award finalist ROSEMARIE ROSS is a pseudonym of honors. He lives with his family in Saratoga multi-genre author Rose Ross Zediker. She Springs, New York. writes cozy mystery novels, contemporary and historical inspirational romance novels, AMY STEWART is the New York Times and has hundreds of publishing credits in best-selling author of the Kopp Sisters se- the Christian magazine genre for children ries, based on the true sto- and adults. Her titles have ry of one of America’s first appeared on Evangelical female deputy sheriffs and Christian Publishers Associa- her two rambunctious sis- tion bestseller lists and been ters. The books are in de- finalists for the RITA, Nation- velopment for television al Reader’s Choice, Booksell- with Elizabeth Banks’ production company, ers Best and Book Buyers Best award con- Brownstone. Stewart’s popular nonfiction tests. Her new mystery series, featuring chef titles include The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Courtney Archer, launched last year with Plants and Flower Confidential. She lives in Cobblered to Death. Portland with her husband Scott Brown, a rare book dealer who can usually be found MOLLY P. ROZUM is co-editor of Equality at his shop, Downtown Brown Books. at the Ballot Box: Votes for Women on the Northern Plains and author of Grasslands CHRISTINE STEWART-NUÑEZ is the Grown, a history of sense of place and re- author of Postcard on Parchment (2008), gional identity on the Northern Great Plains. Keeping Them Alive (2010), Untrussed As associate professor and Ronald R. Nelson (2016) and Bluewords Greening (2016), Chair of Great Plains and South Dakota His- winner of the 2018 Whirling Prize. She tory at the University of South Dakota, she is a professor in the English department teaches general U.S. history, as well as spe- at South Dakota State University and the cialized courses on South Dakota, the Great South Dakota Poet Laureate. Stewart- Plains, the American West and modern Nunez’s latest project is South Dakota in Po- women’s movements. ems: An Anthology, a collection of poems about the people, landscapes and cultural JAY RUUD is a retired English professor life of the state. whose six-volume Merlin Mysteries series, which retells the King Arthur legend, cul- FAITH SULLIVAN is the author of minated this summer with To the Great many novels, including Gardenias, The Deep. Ruud has a Ph.D. in Medieval Litera- Cape Ann, What a Woman Must Do, and, ture from the University of Wisconsin-Mil- most recently, Ruby & Roland. A “demon waukee and has written scholarly books on gardener, flea marketer and feeder of birds,” Chaucer, Dante and Tolkien. she is also an indefatigable champion of He is married to poet and literary culture and her fellow writers and novelist Stacey Margaret has visited with hundreds of book clubs. Jones, has as many spectac- Born and raised in southern Minnesota, she ular dogs as grandchildren spent more than 20 years in New York and (four), and will fight you un- Los Angeles, but now lives in Minneapolis less you admit that modern literature begins with her husband, Dan. in 1485. CARSON VAUGHAN is a freelance jour- STEVE SHEINKIN is a former textbook nalist who writes frequently about the writer who is making amends by writing Great Plains and has a weird history books that kids and teens might obsession with cowboy po- actually want to read. Nonfiction titles etry. His work has appeared include The Notorious Benedict Arnold, in the New Yorker, The New Bomb, Lincoln’s Grave Robbers, The Port York Times, , Chicago 50, Undefeated and his most re- The Paris Review Daily, Out-

21 PRESENTERS side, The Atlantic and more. Zoo Nebraska: dramas have been selected three times for SAM WASSON studied film at Wesley- The Dismantling of an American Dream is the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights an University in Middletown, Connecticut, his first book. A native of Broken Bow, Ne- Conference and won the 2007 PEN-USA and the USC School of Cinematic Arts in braska, he now lives with his wife and dog award for best drama. He teaches in the his native Los Angeles be- in Chicago. University of Colorado Denver’s Film and fore publishing his first book, Television program. A Dust Bowl Book of A Splurch in the Kisser: The JAY D. VOGT of Pierre has been with the Days, 1932 is his first work of historical Movies of Blake Edwards. South Dakota State Historical Society since biodrama. Since then, he has written five 1987 and now serves as its director and bestselling works of cultural State Historic Preservation Officer. He is the SALLY ROESCH WAGNER is founder criticism, most recently The Big Goodbye: regional chair for the American Associa- and executive director of the Matilda Jos- Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood. tion for State and Local His- lyn Gage Center for Social Justice Dialogue Wasson has served as a visiting film profes- tory and the immediate past in Fayetteville, New York. She earned one sor, an international speaker and a consul- president of the National of the nation’s first doctorates in women’s tant for The National Comedy Center and Conference of State Historic studies, founded one of the first college- The Film Society of Lincoln Center. Preservation Officers. Origi- level women’s studies programs and has nally from Mitchell, Vogt is a taught women’s studies for 50 years. Wag- DAVID HESKA WANBLI WEIDEN, Sican- graduate of Augustana University in Sioux ner wrote the faculty guide to Not for Our- gu Lakota, is the author of the novel Winter Falls. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three selves Alone, Ken Burns’ Counts and the children’s biography Spot- sons. documentary on Elizabeth ted Tail, winner of the 2020 Spur Award for Cady Stanton and Susan B. Juvenile Nonfiction from the Western Writ- Dramatist and poet CRAIG VOLK received Anthony, and appeared in ers of America. His work appears in Shenan- bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the that film and many others. doah, Yellow Medicine Review, Trans- University of South Dakota and an M.F.A. Her most recent book is the motion and other magazines. Weiden has in playwriting/screenwriting from the Yale intersectional anthology The Women’s Suf- received a MacDowell Colony Fellowship, a School of Drama, where he twice won the frage Movement. Ragdale Foundation Residency and the PEN Molly Kazan Award for best play. His stage America Writing for Justice Fellowship. He

22 • SOUTH DAKOTA FESTIVAL OF BOOKS has an M.F.A. from the In- ness and industry that drives gle Boy), was born in Faith and grew up stitute of American Indian desperate workers north. learning Mnincoju Lakota beliefs by listen- Arts and teaches Native Wilson taught college lit- ing to the elders of his medicine family. He American studies at Met- erature and writing before and his brother Robin have been asked to ropolitan State University serving as managing editor become storytellers of their tradition and of Denver. of South Dakota Magazine. culture, and they worked together to write He lives with his poet wife Norma in south- Warrior Is, the story of their great-grandfa- LYDIA WHIRLWIND SOLDIER is a found- east South Dakota, the setting of his two ther, Mato Niyanpi (Saved by Bear). Zephier ing member of the Oak Lake Tribal Writers eco-memoirs. has spent many decades in search of under- Society. A graduate of Sinte Gleska Univer- standing through participation in male pas- sity and Pennsylvania State University, she NORMA WILSON is author of four poetry sage ceremonies, including the sweat lodge, is best known for her poetry, but is also a books — Frog Creek Road; Rivers, Wings & vision quest and sun dance. non-fiction writer, teacher, business owner Sky with visual artist Nancy Losacker; Un- and craftswoman, having won first place at der the Rainbow: Poems from Mojácar; ROBIN L. ZEPHIER, Sungila Sapa (Black the Northern Plains Tribal Arts Exposition for and Wild Iris. She also wrote The Nature of Fox), is a Mnincoju Lakota and a child of a traditional cradle board. She received the Native American Poetry, edited the poetry Creator. He works as an attorney and lives 2015 South Dakota Living Indian Treasure anthology Memory, Echo, Words, and co- with his wife Patti and their little JoJo in Award in recognition of her preservation of edited One Room Country School: South the sacred He Sapa (Black Hills) in Rapid traditional art forms. Dakota Stories. Wilson, a City. Zephier enjoys writing, hiking, reading, University of South Dakota sightseeing, drawing, sports and activism JERRY WILSON’s novel, Eden to Orizaba, Professor Emerita, received for indigenous causes, Unci Maka (Grand- takes readers from Mexico to a contract a Merit Award for her poem mother Earth) protection and Lakota rights. prison in Eden, Texas, and to the Smithfield “Ms. 2020” featured in Proj- Warrior Is, written with his brother Harley, slaughter line in Sioux Falls amidst the 2009 ect Ms: Assembled Reforma- tells the story of their great-grandfather, swine flu pandemic, a precursor to the cata- tion in March at USD’s John A. Day Gallery. Mato Niyanpi (Saved by Bear). He is work- clysm of 2020. It illuminates the devastating ing on a screenplay and a sequel. consequences of poorly-regulated agribusi- HARLEY L. ZEPHIER, Wanbli Hoksila (Ea-

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