RACHEL GOLD >> Minnesota author, teacher at the Loft Literary Center, former reporter for a regional LGBTQ newspaper and corporate marketing specialist introduces her new novel, “Curious Minds,” about a group of LGBTQ college students who get in trouble as they search for a retired professor’s hidden, valuable coin collection. Clues come from decoding classic lesbian and sapphic books but in six years nobody has found the treasure. Gold’s debut novel, “Being Emily,” was the first young adult novel to tell the story of a transgender girl from her perspective. In conversation with La Gr. 6 p.m. Thursday, April 20, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S Snelling Ave., St. Paul.
MYSTERY NIGHT >> Tom Combs, former emergency physician at level one trauma hospitals and a helicopter rescue flight physician, discusses “write what you know” in regard to his series of medical mystery/thriller novels, including “Insurrection,” at the monthly Minnesota Mystery Night. In conversation with Douglas Dorow, author of FBI novels, several novellas and short stories that have appeared in anthologies. 7 p.m. Monday, April 17, Axel’s Restaurant, 1318 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota. Free. Attendees are invited to have a pre-program dinner beginning after 5:30 p.m. Call 651-686-4840 for reservations.
JUNAUDA PETRUS >> Reads from her debut picture book “Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers,” which envisions a peaceful future. Petrus wrote and performed the story in 2014 after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. With each police shooting, culminating in the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, her vision of a society in which the police are not in charge took on a new urgency. 4 p.m. Sunday, April 23, Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul.
SOLASTALGIA >> This is a concept from the Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht, who describes it as “the homesickness we feel while still at home,” the feeling we get when we realize everything around us is changing. It is the title of a new anthology, edited by Paul Bogard, associate professor of English at Hamline University, made up of writing by 34 contributors who share their emotions in the face of environmental crises. Bogard is joined by Roopali Phadke, Angela Pelster and Kathryn Nuernberger in conversation about the book. 6 p.m. Monday, April 17, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul.
What else is going on
Nirmala Rajasekar, performer, composer, educator, presenter and leader in the arts in Minnesota has received the A. P. Anderson Award presented by the Anderson Center at Tower View, Red Wing. Rajasekar was born in India and moved to Minnesota in 1995. She is one of the top Saraswathi veena players and Carnatic musicians in the world and has made it her life’s mission to propagate this cultural art form worldwide. She will be honored at a public ceremony June 8 at Anderson Center during a gala combining the Award presentation with a fundraising benefit for the nonprofit arts institution featuring a silent auction, live music, and a gourmet dinner. For information go to andersoncenter.org.
Dolly Parton and a dog. What could be more fun? Everybody’s favorite actress, singer and composer is also an author whose new picture book, “Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes It Big,” will be published April 25. Written by Parton with Erica S. Perl, illustrated by MacKenzie Haley, it’s about a dog who loves barking to the best of country music and sets out to make it big as a country music star in Nashville. Kirkus Reviews says: “Music takes center stage and bullies get properly pun-ished in this hearty and wholesome howl.”
— Mary Ann Grossmann
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