Minnesota

WRITERS

DIRECTORY

Featured Writers

Debra J. Stone

Debra J. Stone is a Jerome Hill Arts Fellow in Literature 2023-25, a Minnesota State Arts Board grant recipient, and The Loft Mirrors and Windows Fellow 2023. The University of Minnesota Press has published her debut novel, The House on Rondo. Stone resides in Minneapolis with her husband and dog…

David Hakensen

David Hakensen is the author of the biography Her Place in the Woods: The Life of Helen Hoover. He is a strategic communications consultant and served as president of the Minnesota Historical Society from 2017-2023. He currently serves on the board of the Norwegian American Historical Association and served previously…

Amy Green

Amy Lynn Green is a lifelong lover of books, history, and library cards. She worked in publishing for six years before writing her first historical fiction novel. Green loves teaching virtual classes on marketing at writer’s conferences, engaging with book clubs, and regularly encouraging established and aspiring authors in their…

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Betty Brandt Passick

Betty Brandt Passick is a multi-award-winning author of a gangster series, which began with the story of Louie La Cava, a Chicago mobster who came to her hometown of Fairbank, Iowa (called ‘Oxbow’ in the novels) in the early 1920s, where he remained on and off for the next 60 years. Gangster in Our Midst,…

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Yahya Frederickson

Despite being a Peace Corps Volunteer in Yemen and a Fulbright Scholar in Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Kyrgyzstan, Yahya Frederickson has lived most of his life in Moorhead, MN where he is an English professor at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He has received grants and awards from McKnight Foundation, The Loft, Lakes Region Art Council,…

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John Rust

John Rust is a Minnesota wilderness writer, photographer, conservation advocate, and author of Exploring Wilderness: From Heart-Racing Adventure to Tranquility. Drawing on decades of travel through the Boundary Waters, Yellowstone, Alaska, and India, he writes about wilderness, wildlife, ecology, and the human connection to nature. A former president of the Minnesota Division of the Izaak…

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Nancy Meyer

Nancy Meyer, M.A., is an entrenovation mentor, author, podcaster, and founder of WeMentor, inc., where she has spent more than three decades guiding entrepreneurs and creative leaders in developing the self-leadership, clarity, and resilience required to bring meaningful ideas to life. Her work blends strategic thinking with mindful practice, helping clients evolve themselves as they…

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Derek Francis

Derek Francis is a lifelong Twin Cities resident and educator with more than 15 years of experience. He began as a high school counselor, supporting graduation success for historically marginalized students. He later served as Manager of Counseling and Executive Director of Equity and School Climate for Minneapolis Public Schools, leading district-wide initiatives including expanding…

Poet James Cihlar. Photo by Brad Stauffer

James Cihlar

James Cihlar is the author of The Shadowgraph, Rancho Nostalgia, and Undoing. His poetry chapbooks are A Conversation with My Imaginary Daughter, What My Family Used, and Metaphysical Bailout. His writing has appeared in The American Poetry Review, The Threepenny Review, Lambda Literary Review, The Gay and Lesbian Review, Nimrod, Painted Bride Quarterly, and Smartish…

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Lindsay Stuart Hill

Lindsay Stuart Hill is a poet, educator, and freelance writer. Her first full-length poetry collection, World of Dew, won the Brittingham Prize in Poetry and was a finalist for the National Poetry Series. Her poems explore loss, impermanence, Buddhism, and travel. Raised in New Hampshire, she earned her MFA from the University of Virginia, where…

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Jennifer Gasperini

Jennifer Kimball Gasperini is a current Sun Country Airlines flight attendant and freelance writer. A South Minneapolis resident, Gasperini brings both continuity and fresh perspective to her recently published book, Minnesota’s Phoenix. Gasperini has long been captivated by the adventurous spirit of Minnesotans, having worked with many explorers to develop educational programming. Through her collaboration…

The Minnesota Writers Directory is a project of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library as the Minnesota Center for the Book. The Library of Congress designated The Friends as Minnesota’s Center in 2012, and in that role The Friends promotes reading, literacy, and libraries throughout Minnesota. Learn more >>

How To Get Listed on the Directory

Thanks for your interest! If you live in Minnesota and you meet the Directory Eligibility Criteria, you can apply to be listed. (Before applying, read the Eligibility Criteria.) We will contact you after we’ve reviewed your application.

All applicants:

  • You must live and work in Minnesota. If you live in Minnesota for part of the year, outline your availability in your application.
  • You must provide an email address for your profile. (This will not be listed on the website, but it will be used to create a unique contact form linked to your email address.)
  • Your county will be listed in the directory. (Street addresses will not be listed.)
  • You must meet the Eligibility Criteria. Before applying, read the Eligibility Criteria to see if you are eligible for listing. You will be accepted at the discretion of the Minnesota Center for the Book.