Laura Childs Courtesy photo)

MINNESOTA MYSTERY NIGHT: Laura Childs, prolific and bestselling cozy mystery author, is joined by humorist and author Lorna Landvik for what is sure to be a laugh-filled program featuring these Minnesotans. Childs is the author of 26 Tea Shop mysteries and is listed by Fantastic Fiction as one of the Most Popular Cozy Mystery Authors in the world. Landvik is a New York Times bestselling author of 13 novels as well as performing as a standup comic, playwright and producer.

Minnesota writer Lorna Landvik.

7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18, Axel’s Restaurant, 1318 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota. Reservations can be made at 651-686-1840 for the program and pre-show dining beginning at 5:30 p.m.

READINGS BY WRITERS: Ann Jenkins, wife of the late Minnesota poet Louis Jenkins, and Lars Jenkins, his son, celebrate “Louis Jenkins: Collected Poems” (2023). Guest readers will share memories of Jenkins and read from his work. They include Michael Dennis Browne, Phil Bryant, Walter Cannon, Phil Dentinger, Jean Jacobson, Jim Moore, Tim Nolan, Joyce Sutphen and Connie Wanek. Hosted by Tim Nolan. Jenkins, who died in 2019, was a master of the prose poem who lived near Duluth for more than 30 years.

Family and friends of the late Minnesota prose poet Loouis Jenkins will honor his life and work during a reading Tuesday, Dec. 19. (Poetry Foundation)

His poetry collections include “Where Your House is Now: New and Selected Prose Poems,” and “Before You Know It: Prose Poems, 1970-2005.” According to the Poetry Foundation, Jenkins’ “brief, accessible prose poems use humor, wry observation and hypothesis to tease out the absurdity of everyday situations.” Free. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, University Club. 420 Summit Ave., St. Paul.

What else is going on

Jess Lourey, who just keeps getting good news, posts that Thomas &  Mercer, publisher of her last five books, has purchased her 14-book backlist, which includes the Salem’s Cipher thrillers and the Murder by Month romcoms. The new editions will feature redesigned covers, some new content, and the ability to reach a wider audience. First up to go through what Lourey calls “the sparkle machine” are “Salem’s Cipher” and “Mercy’s Chase.” She also revealed the cover of her forthcoming novel in February, “A Whisper of Poison,” showing leafless branches, a road and the question “why escape paradise?” More good news for Lourey: “The Taken Ones” is listed among Top Reads of 2023 by Bolo Books blog.

University of Minnesota Press announces forthcoming publication of “Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Words” by Boel Westin. Jansson, who died in 2001, achieved fame as creator of the Moomins children’s picture books, but that was only part of the output of this Danish-Swedish writer and artist.

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