2018 was my year of adoring local writers! Writing in three very different genres, these Minnesota-based writers all brought beauty and depth to their stories and made me proud to hail from MN!
A LADY’S GUIDE TO SELLING OUT by Sally Franson
In her debut novel, Franson’s voice is unrelentingly witty. Her protagonist, Casey Pendergast, is endearing and oh so human. The book is hilarious and heartbreaking. My laughter turned to tears as I was reading and I thought, “How did she do that?”
THE RENDING AND THE NEST by Kaethe Schwehn
95% of the world’s population disappears without explanation. Women start giving birth to objects. It is a gorgeous piece of apocalyptic fiction that gets at the core of what it means to be human and alive. Plus, crazy stuff goes down at the Minnesota Zoo.
THINGS I’M SEEING WITHOUT YOU by Peter Bognanni
This is a YA novel at its best: an online relationship, a suicide, an estranged father. Bognanni pulls it all off (including writing a complex female lead) impressively without making it seem trite or dramatic. The story gets at the difficulty of authentic relationship online and in the world.