Featured Writers
Liz Heinecke
Liz Heinecke thrives at the intersection of science and the arts. With an undergraduate degree in art, a master’s degree in bacteriology, and 10 years of laboratory research, Heinecke shares her love of science regularly on television, on social media, and in print. Her book, Ecology for Kids: Science Experiments…
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Nate Patrin
Nate Patrin is a St. Paul resident and cultural critic specializing in popular music. Since the late 1990s, his work has appeared in sites and publications including Pitchfork, Stereogum, Spin, Red Bull Music Academy, The Shfl, and City Pages. He is the author of two books: Bring That Beat Back:…
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John Rosengren
John Rosengren is a freelance journalist and Pulitzer nominee who’s written for The Atlantic, GQ, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, and The Washington Post Magazine, among others. He’s authored 10 books, including Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes, the definitive biography of the Jewish Hall of Famer, and the novel…
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Beth Dooley
Beth Dooley has been writing about the Northern Heartland for over 20 years. She is the author of six books, including Minnesota Book Award finalist In Winter’s Kitchen. Her column, “Seasonal Kitchen,” appears weekly in the Star Tribune, and she contributes regularly to Minnesota Public Radio’s “Appetites.” Dooley is the co-author with Sean Sherman of…
Rachel L. Coyne
Rachel Coyne, a novelist and poet, is a graduate of the Perpich Center for Arts in Minnesota and Macalester College. She is a devotee of Pablo Neruda, a lover of Don Williams songs, and collects vintage editions of Jane Eyre. Her published works include the novels The Patron Saint of Lost Comfort Lake and Whiskey…
Kurtis Scaletta
Kurtis Scaletta is the author of several novels for young readers including Mudville, Mamba Point, The Tanglewood Terror, The Winter of the Robots, and Rooting for Rafael Rosales. He also wrote the Topps League series. Scaletta was born in Louisiana, but moved a lot as a kid. He lived in five states and three foreign…
Swati Avasthi
Swati Avasthi (SWA-thee Of-US-thee) started writing when she was five, but she took a serpentine career path (working as domestic violence legal coordinator, law student, theater director, and stage manager) before she returned to writing. Her first book, Split, received the International Reading Association Award, Cybils Award, and has been translated into four languages. Her…
Caitlin Bailey
Caitlin Bailey received an MFA from Hamline University. Her first book, Solve for Desire, won the 2017 Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry and was a finalist for the 2017 Minnesota Book Awards. Her poems have appeared in Hayden’s Ferry Review, Sugar House Review, Bateau, Carolina Quarterly, and elsewhere. She lives in Saint Paul.
A. Rafael Johnson
A. Rafael Johnson writes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His first novel, The Through, was a 2018 finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. His second book, Creative Evaluation & Engagement: Essentials, demonstrates how to create sustainable change. Johnson is a fellow at Kimbilio Fiction, an organization supporting African American writers. His writing has appeared in Callaloo, African…
Todd Boss
Todd Boss is a poet, librettist, public artist, and film producer. His diverse career is the result of his passion for collaboration. He is the author of three books of poetry, Yellowrocket, Pitch, and Tough Luck. His poems have appeared in Poetry, The London Times, The New Yorker, and Best American Poetry. Boss says he…
Thomas Maltman
Thomas Maltman’s essays, poetry, and fiction have been published in many literary journals. He has an MFA from Minnesota State University, Mankato. His first novel, The Night Birds, won an Alex Award, a Spur Award, and the Friends of American Writers Literary Award. In 2009 the American Library Association chose The Night Birds as an…
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.
Criteria for 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.