Library Writers Group meeting at the Chanhassen Library

 By Kathy Perschmann

The Library Writers Group will be meeting on the third Saturday of every month, from 10-11:30 a.m.

Professor Laurel Means will be speaking this Saturday, April 16, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Chanhassen Library. She is a well-published local Chaska writer with a wide range of titles and awards to her credit, including most recently the Joanna Catherine Scott and Carolyn A. Clark awards for adult fiction and the Stepping Stones prize for children’s short fiction. Her fascination with early Minnesota history and prairie imagery shapes her most recent novels, “The Long Journey Home” (Academy Chicago, 2008), and the young adult “Wagon Trail to Nowhere” and “Runes beyond the Edge” (North Star, 2010). “Whispers Through the House,” a sequel to Journey will come out this June, and “Ghost Trail,” a sequel to Wagon, in September.

A former editor and teacher of writing techniques, she is keenly interested in encouraging local writers, whom she considers “that enormous pool of creative energy and talent.” She’ll be on hand to discuss such questions as: “How do I begin a chapter? End it?” “Is it all in the title?” “Converting description / flashbacks into lively dialogue,” “Those nasty, creeping grammatical bugs: dangling participles, its/it’s, I/me/she/her/he/him, and more…” Bring a writing sample for discussion! There will also be a brief discussion of the possibility of a web site for the group.

 

Chanhassen Library Events

Cambodia Photographs – During the months of April and May, photographs of Cambodia by Chanhassen artist Rebecca Ryskamp will be featured at the library. She will be speaking about her work at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at the library.

 

The Homefront – 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 16. Come learn all about Minnesota’s Homefront during WW II. Meet Rosie the Riveter, a wife and mother who went to work in a factory to support her family while her husband was off at war. Learn how to use a ration book and make your own. Learn about Victory gardens and create your own seed packet. Make your own decoder and practice decoding top-secret messages. See propaganda posters and much more. Also, listen to Minnesota’s Greatest Generation tell their stories in their own words with a series of documentary videos. This is a multi-generational event for grandparents, parents and children. Light refreshments will be served. Sponsored by Chanhassen and Carver County historical societies and the Carver County Library. Supported by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the Minnesota Historical Society.

 

Master Gardener Talks: Pruning – 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21. Come and learn about proper tools, techniques, and the ideal times to prune.

 

Great Decisions Discussions – The third of four talks this spring, sponsored by the Friends of the Chanhassen Library, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 23. The topic is “National Security.” U.S. national security priorities were expanded after the terrorist attacks of Sept.11, 2001, to include waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan, tightening border security, pursuing cyberthreats, halting nuclear proliferation and attempting to snuff out homegrown terrorism. How has the U.S. national security agenda evolved since 9/11? In what ways will this agenda shape the American way of life in the future? Speaker: John Radsan. Besides his work as a corporate lawyer and as a consultant, Professor Radsan served for over eight years in the federal government. He is an expert on legal issues related to national security. His combination of law enforcement experience, intelligence community experience, and Middle Eastern origins makes him unique within the legal academy.

There will be a total of eight talks in 2011. We have copies of the Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions booklet for check out.

 

Toddler Storytime – Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. For children ages 2 and 3.Toddlers and their caregivers are welcome to join us for 20 minutes of action-packed fun with stories, rhymes, fingerplays, and musical movement for this busy age group. Come shake your sillies out with us! No registration required.

Family Storytime – Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. For all ages, with a focus on children age 2 and up. Children, parents and their caregivers are invited to come and share 30 minutes of stories, music and movement that encourages the development of early literacy skills. No registration required.

Lapsit Storytime – Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. March 10 to May 12 For children from birth to18 months. Babies and their caregivers share quality time in a 20-minute session designed to encourage language development through sharing board books and movement activities, followed by time for visiting and play. Call to register at (952) 227-1500.

 

Area events

Library Day – There will be a special Carver County Library day at the Eden Prairie Barnes & Noble from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Vouchers can be picked up at any Carver County Library or printed off our website. A percentage of your purchase will be donated to the library.

 

Weave for Japan – Chaska resident Chiaki O’Brien has come up with an interesting way to weave and help the children of Japan from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Chiaki says, “I am Japanese. Fortunately, members of my family back in Japan are all safe as they live far from the affected region. Through SAORI Weaving I envision children helping children. In place of money for a chance to weave, I’m asking that children bring school supplies to donate to children returning to school in the affected areas of Japan. I want to send the actual school supplies to Japanese children so I am organizing some weaving workshops for children at libraries in Chanhassen and Chaska to gather the supplies. SAORI weaving is a style that allows children to use their natural creativity. They can learn to weave and take an item home with them! Children are using SAORI original floor looms. All supplies will be provided by SAORI Studio FUN from Chaska (www.saoristudiofun.com). Since school supplies in the U.S. and Japan are different, the children of Japan will see that they came from outside of Japan. That’s children helping children. We will also be taking donations to help cover the shipping costs. Any left-over money will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross via the American Red Cross. Thank you for your help!”

 

 

Reviews

“Port Mortuary,” by Patricia Cornwell.

This long book takes place over the course of several days … with some of the most intense mental investigations ever and a very unusual cause of death. Dr. Scarpetta is back working with her niece Lucy, and Pete Marino, in a new position in Boston and dealing with some extremely troubling occurrences in her office. She returns from an extended period working at Dover AFB, to find her assistant Jack Fielding missing, and her staff in disarray. The body of young man has been brought in; he collapsed in a park and it was thought he had experienced some sort of heart attack or seizure. There are many strange aspects. He has no ID, but he is carrying a gun, and wearing a headphone with a video camera. Most disturbing, he began bleeding hours after “death,” when he was in the morgue cooler. What on earth could have caused this unusual reaction? Who is he? Why are his gloves missing? Where is his dog?

“Minding Frankie,” by Maeve Binchy.

Binchy has done it again – created a wonderful story featuring characters from some of her past tales. Set in Dublin, the story centers on the Lynch family: Josie, Charles, and their son Noel. Much to their surprise, they hear from an American niece, daughter of Charles’ dead brother who had emigrated to American years before. Emily is coming for an extended visit. Emily changes everything, organizing a thrift shop, inspiring people to spruce up their gardens, finding a job for Charles when he is laid off, and giving Noel the courage to step up to the plate when an old girlfriend he barely remembers contacts him with some shocking news.

 

The Chanhassen Library is located at 7711 Kerber Blvd. in Chanhassen. For more information, call (952) 227-1500 or go online at www.carverlib.org.

 

 

 

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