Presenter David Guterson’s debut novel, Snow Falling on Cedars, was published in 1994, becoming an immediate bestseller and winner of the 1995 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. The novel, which seamlessly blended courtroom suspense with historical reckoning and emotional depth, was adapted to film in 1999 and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

A Q&A session with David Guterson will following the showing.

Literary Director Katie Boeckl walks attendees through highlights of the entire weekend program.

Gotta love a girl who knows how to use a pun in the kitchen! Even better if her recipes pack a PUNch, too! Grab your fork and get ready to dig in with more than 100 delectable salads. Whether upgrading her mom’s classic mayo infusions or reinventing dishes from her favorite sitcom, Greta keeps everything fresh, budget-friendly, surprising, and endlessly swappable and repeatable. Every Salad Ever is a cookbook for weeknights, cookouts, celebrations, or container lunches. Plus, you’ll learn to double your dressings from now on—any one of them is worth having on reserve in the fridge!

Presenter: Greta Podleski

Moderator: Maureen Abood

Beginning at 11:45, authors are introduced at 15-minute intervals to read selections from their featured works. This is a come-and-go session where attendees may simply sit and listen or enjoy their lunch.

Presenters:
Mark Braude (11:45)
Omar Hussain (12:00)
Isaac Fitzgerald (12:15)
William Kent Krueger (12:30)
Sara Maurer (12:45)
Kendra Langford Shaw (1:00)
Christine Kuehn (1:15)

Introductions: Trina Hayes

Employing distinctive narratives, our presenters examine past events to bring truth to unresolved accounts or find meaning in painful histories. In 1990, Earl journeyed the Appalachian Trail, emerging as an enthusiastic outdoorsman, though haunted by the murders of two fellow hikers. Decades later, he reprises his trek, discovering that we tiptoe near death more often than we realize. Virgil Wounded Horse, David’s likable antihero, has little choice but to acknowledge past injustices—from colonization to the legacy of Native boarding schools—to solve a recent homicide and to contend with his own violent tendencies. Both find answers, but not without some scars along the way.

Presenters: Earl Swift, David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Moderator: Max Boettger

Autonomy is independence. It implies freedom from outside influences. The concept is basic. We learn as toddlers to keep our hands to ourselves, then are immediately met with contradiction when an adult picks us up. True, sometimes we need help, but when does that stop? When should it stop? How can we ever learn to believe in our own instincts and care for ourselves if some other person or entity is always making the decisions for us? Our authors and characters must confront their parents, their children, governing bodies, and, most notably, themselves on their journeys toward trust and healing.

Presenters: Stefan Merrill Block, Laurie Frankel

Moderator: Julie Buntin

You know Lewis and Clark, the first American explorers to cross the Continental Divide. And Sacajawea, the young Shoshone woman who guided them for thousands of miles with an infant on her back. But do you know John Ordway, the heroic grizzly wrestler? Or Black Buffalo, the fierce Brulé Sioux politician? You know Teddy Roosevelt, the “Conservation President.” And Gary Snyder, the poet-environmentalist. But do you know Georgie White, Anne LaBastille, or Dolores LaChapelle, bold women who championed the outdoors in the mid-20th century? We wonder how history can still be told. This is how—writers give voice to those the textbooks overlooked.

Presenters: Craig Fehrman, Heather Hansman

Moderator: Wil Cwikiel

While everyone’s litmus for humor is as unique as the individual, we all recognize wit when we encounter it. From the writer’s pen to the character’s mouth to the reader’s brain, we understand when an author has an aptitude for dialogue, timing, and circumstance that hints at humor on the surface and a sharp intelligence underneath. Whether through a stylish sendup of the publishing industry (plus a Rabbit), a bantering satire of society’s elite (plus snails), or a black comedy for this exact moment in time (plus goats), these presenters utilize their playfulness to skewer us when we least expect it.

Presenters: Jenna Blum, Ryan Effgen, Jonathan Miles

Moderator: Lauren Hearit

We find ourselves in an era in human history during which it is all too easy to be apathetic, despairing, and resigned. This, more than ever, is when we need books, stories, and their chorus of voices that make us feel less alone. Isaac realizes the splendor of our country’s landscape and the fortitude and humility of its people as he seeks the truth in one of our great American mythologies. Katie draws inspiration from the belief that language matters, nature matters, and our imaginations just need “reforest[ing].” Open yourself to the possibility of wonder, hope, and the deep joy of discovery!

Presenters: Isaac Fitzgerald, Katie Holten

Moderator: Kate McCune

So often we think of journeys as movement from one place to another, whether as pilgrimage, migration, quest, or travel. This change in location contains more than just geography, as it’s defined by borders, culture, memory, and the emotional value we ascribe to it. Journeys also bridge time. They move people from the present to unknown futures. They offer reflections on the past. With slight speculative elements, provocative questions about life and death, and distinctive crafts perfectly suited to each of their works, these presenters invite us to look inward, outward, and to the metaphysical as we voyage with them.

Presenters: Kazim Ali, Lily Brooks-Dalton, David Guterson

Moderator: Sam Krowchenko

Inheritance can encompass so much—property we can hold in our hands or cultural traditions passed through generations. It can be seen in our physical traits and felt in our emotional scars. It also encompasses things less tangible, like expectation, self-discovery, adversity, and determination. It seems that a heritage with deep roots cannot be disrupted, but this is how we evolve—how our stories change. Only by stepping into the framework and acknowledging the history of those who have come before, do the figures at the center of these written works come to find their own truths.

Presenters: Byron Graves, Lillian Li, Shara McCallum

Moderator: Sophfronia Scott

This year, we are honored to welcome celebrated and iconic cartoonist Roz Chast as our 2026 keynote speaker. Immediately recognizable from the fidgety handlettering to the palpable anxiety of her characters, Roz’s cartoons have graced the pages of The New Yorker since 1978. And they’ve been making us groan and guffaw with an uncanny observational acuity ever since. From her blissfully unaware free-range chickens to her entirely self-aware role as caregiver to elderly parents, Roz’s subjects hold universal appeal in a universe of people increasingly staring into the void. Come on . . . what isn’t funny about that?

Presenter: Roz Chast

Introduction: Katie Boeckl

Publishers love to promote a book as “perfect for book clubs!” Celebrities have been branding books since Oprah started it all 30 years ago. Bookstores have dedicated shelf space featuring local book club selections. So what exactly makes a book so well suited to a (let’s be honest, predominantly women’s) book club? Timeless themes centered around a well-paced plot. Check. Enough moral ambiguity to keep the discussion animated. Check. Relatable or sympathetic characters. Check. Manageable page count. Check. Pairs well with wine. Okay, not exactly a deal breaker, but it doesn’t hurt. Pull up a chair—your next book club pick has arrived!

Presenters: Laurie Frankel, Charleen Hurtubise, Christine Kuehn

Moderator: Jenna Blum

Evelyn Bednarz is as down-to-earth as her Midwestern roots. Clear in her convictions, she is also enviably tolerant and curious about ways of life outside of her own. These qualities serve Evelyn well when a trio of Buddhist monks proclaims her five-year-old son the latest reincarnation of their high lama. In Omar’s novel, Dash is a reporter who uncovers a cult peddling pills that erase traumatic memories—precisely the kind that Dash has been desperate to forget. With the pacing of a literary thriller, the emotional depth is found in the author’s meditations on grief, loss, and love. Here are two experiences for open minds.

Pesenters: David Guterson, Omar Hussain

Moderator: Gabe Habash

As the annual count of traditionally published children’s books in the US steadily climbs, one might question how writers manage to maintain their originality. How do they keep their styles, voices, and plots unique? Part of their creative alchemy relies not only on making something new, but also in finding inspiration in the rich storytelling traditions that have preceded them. By retelling mythology, embracing cultural roots, playing with ancient language, and ultimately taking risks (as all artists do), it’s not really so surprising that millions of books come to be and await discovery by millions of different young readers.

Presenters: Robert Mgrdich Apelian, Christopher Roubique, Philip C. Stead

Moderator: Lisa Blanchard & Bennett Chambers

Janet Flanner was The New Yorker’s Paris correspondent for 50 years. She cultivated relationships with the intelligentsia of the Left Bank. She profiled Hitler during his occupation of the Rhineland and the Berlin Olympics. All this from a woman who was sent to France to write a lifestyle column. Earl Swift examines his own evolution from his first through-hike of the Appalachian Trail to his second, decades later. Not only has time altered the environment, but it has also transformed his physical stamina and his memory of a crime that refuses to be forgotten. Events unfold. Time passes. It changes us all.

Presenters: Mark Braude, Earl Swift

Moderator: Craig Fehrman

Readers both young and old will delight in hearing our acclaimed picture book author-illustrators present their latest stories aloud. Q&A and signing to follow all three readings.

Presenters: X. Fang, Alice Feagan, Steven Weinberg

Introductions: Mike Frampus

Lily’s novel weaves strands of eco-fiction, global conflict, and professional ambition into a pursuit of a lost civilization. Jonathan views the environmental crisis as a pendulum between natural selection and human greed, from the perspective of a man in mourning on a desert island. And Kendra sets her tale in the rapidly melting Glacial Font, where settlers abandon their sea crops for the more lucrative trade in salvaged pianos. These writers prove that one of the most effective ways to shine a light on the matters that plague humanity in our world today is to create a slightly alternate version of this world. 

Presenters: Lily Brooks-Dalton, Jonathan Miles, Kendra Langford Shaw

Moderator: Dave Mallmann

It’s a magical moment when a young reader picks a book to read. The littlest of bibliophiles can find a cover they love or a topic they are obsessed with, and share their books with the older readers in their lives. This is special (and important)—don’t get me wrong! But it is something else to behold when readers find their independence in those middle-grade years, comb the bookshelves, and finally decide, THIS IS IT! This is the book that understands me, reflects me, encourages me, challenges me. It’s a special writer, too, who makes this happen.

Presenters: Kalyn Josephson, Julian Randall, Emma Steinkellner

Moderator: Andrea Donahoe

We are all works in progress. It’s part of being human. Like anything that adapts and evolves, we change in response to circumstances and situations we encounter. Typically, our greatest periods of growth are in our younger years. We “come of age,” but what does that really mean? For Stefan, it’s a reckoning with his unconventional childhood. For Harriet’s protagonist, growing up is trying to understand the two most important women in her life. And for K.L.’s teenage Audrey, maturity means abandoning perfection. For all three, growth is about making a choice—and hoping it’s the right one.

Presenters: Stefan Merrill Block, Harriet Clark, K.L. Walther

Moderator: Bess Bleyaert

Julie and Lillian have been with this Festival since the early days—Julie’s debut novel released in 2017 and Lillian’s in 2018. They first joined us as presenters, though it was apparent that their enthusiasm for this September weekend foreshadowed their continued involvement as beloved moderators. Our staff, volunteers, and presenters have followed their careers and welcomed their growing families. They join us now, both with sophomore novels landing just this year. We seek their perspective on this past near-decade in the industry, the role of young writers, the work-life balance, finding a creative support system, and how they write themselves into their stories.

Presenters: Julie Buntin, Lillian Li

Moderator: Angie Kim

Readers both young and old will delight in hearing our acclaimed picture book author-illustrators present their latest stories aloud. Q&A and signing to follow all three readings.

Presenters: Lars Kenseth, Deborah Marcero, Erin E. Stead/Philip C. Stead

Introductions: Mike Frampus

Beginning at 11:45, authors are introduced at 15-minute intervals to read selections from their featured works. This is a come-and-go session where attendees may simply sit and listen or enjoy their lunch.

Presenters:
David Heska Wanbli Weiden (11:45)
Heather Hansman (12:00)
Christopher Roubique (12:15)
Emily Lloyd-Jones (12:30)
Laurie Frankel (12:45)
Byron Graves (1:00)
Ryan Effgen (1:15)

Introductions: Trina Hayes

Learn the art of painting your catch (or someone else’s!) with the artist and author/illustrator of The Fly Fishing Book: An Artful Guide to Angling. Steven Weinberg's art has been featured everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to the Smithsonian to fishing lodges around the world. He comes to Northern Michigan excited to meet the artists, anglers, and readers who call these lakes and rivers home. Watercolor tubes, disposable palettes, brushes, and watercolor paper will be provided, though participants are encouraged to bring their own kit of favorite supplies! Advanced registration required. Open to attendees age 16 and older.

SOLD OUT

Introduction: Rose Brickley

A hallmark of any mystery or thriller novel is to imbue the plot with myriad well-placed twists and turns. With components of noir, procedurals, high stakes, and law and order, these presenters utilize all the tools of the craft to keep us on our toes. Characters face with moral dilemmas that force them to choose the lesser of two evils. Hints are dropped, but it’s up to the reader to determine which carry import. Unexpected events create obstacles that delay the mission or investigation. Secrets are revealed that make us second-guess our intuition. What sounds frustrating actually makes for great reading!

Presenters: Omar Hussain, William Kent Krueger, David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Moderator: Kent Case

Here we have three stories that could not have unfolded anywhere but in this country. Marked by travels across swaths of unspoiled wilderness, reliance on the wisdom and generosity of strangers, and a keen sense of adventure, these expeditions prove that the indomitable American spirit exists across the centuries. Whether forging into territories unknown, roving in search of answers to questions that lie within, or conquering a trek attempted by only a few thousand each year, we adventure alongside these wanderers from the comfort of our favorite reading spots. By the end, however, it is impossible to ignore the siren call of discovery.

Presenters: Craig Fehrman, Isaac Fitzgerald, Earl Swift

Moderator: Chris Fitzgerald

The “back-to-the-land” initiatives, when anyone could ostensibly begin an agrarian lifestyle, may now be a halcyon dream. The current “return-to-nature” movement of the zeitgeist encompasses everything from global conservation efforts to public policy funding. But individuals have been turning to nature forever. The women of Fierce Country were rafting, skiing, and advocating before it was hip to do so. In The Language of Trees, these majestic plants have influenced thinkers and artists from Plato to Radiohead. And, as any angler knows, casting a streamer can be a religious experience. Whatever keeps us coming back, let’s hope nature is always there to welcome us.

Presenters: Heather Hansman, Katie Holten, Steven Weinberg

Moderator: Katherine Rapin

Take Capote and his homemade fruitcakes. Or Proust’s symbolic madeleine. Mangoes in The God of Small Things. Avocados in The Bell Jar. The list goes on, and each of us could add to it. Sensory memory is powerful magic. A bite can send us back in time, recalling moments and people and rituals otherwise faded. These recollections become as important as the simple nourishment of the meal itself. Our presenters rely on these powerful associations when sharing their stories of foods that hold meaning for them. While we may not remember the same flavors, we can all appreciate the stories behind them.

Presenters: Robert Mgrdich Apelian, Ham El-Waylly, Greta Podleski

Moderator: Maureen Abood

Rozzum Unit 7134 (just call her Roz). 

Fish? Boy? Fishboy! Sashimi!

Amos McGee, the zookeeper we all wish was our grandpa.

These are the stars of some of today’s greatest works in children’s literature. Roz, Sashimi, and Amos are so beloved,tn in fact, that they have their own series! How do our presenters even begin to imagine their fictional beings? How do they imbue their protagonists with the humor and heart to which readers want to return? How do they allow their creations to grow? It’s clearly an act of love. We’re all just lucky to be a part of it.

Presenters: Peter Brown, Dan Santat, Erin E. Stead

Moderator: Amanda Rzicznek

In Kazim’s latest collection, a signature lack of punctuation and tension in the form provides an ideal vehicle for subjects of grief, loss, migration, and morality. The conversational experiment that unfolds in Shara’s collection allows the reader space for contemplation just as the poet herself ponders works of contemporary art. Though initially disparate, both works rely on concepts of the body and interior visualization. They pay homage to personal and collective histories and, as all great verse does, invite more questions for those with the patience to seek the answers. Q&A and signing to follow both readings.

Presenters: Kazim Ali, Shara McCallum

Introductions: Skip Renker

The title character of Charleen’s novel makes an impulsive decision to escape a traumatic upbringing, only to find that secrets have found her across a lifetime and an ocean. Christine thought she knew her family’s history until an inquiry from a complete stranger connected her to some of the most devastating events of the last century. Emily’s hacker-turned-government-agent thought she had made amends for the murder she committed as a teen, but when she gets a glimpse of her former life, all bets are off. The past tends to catch up with us, no matter how we try to outrun it. 

Presenters: Charleen Hurtubise, Christine Kuehn, Emily Lloyd-Jones

Moderator: Kim Block

We have all read a book where the main character shows no growth—emotional, spiritual, or intellectual. It’s a disappointing experience and largely unrealistic (though, we also probably all know someone who refuses to grow up!). Transformation is a natural part of moving through life, and that process goes hand-in-hand with the resolve to change. As much as it may comfort us to believe at times that we are merely flotsam riding the waves, we make choices every moment of every day that influence our trajectories. How we end up where we end up is what makes the getting there—and these stories—so rewarding. 

Presenters: Stefan Merrill Block, Ryan Effgen, David Guterson

Moderator: Lillian Li

Raise your hand if your parents disappeared that one book from your childhood that you begged to be read on repeat. Every night. You know the one. They would try to skip a line here or there and you’d call them on it. Maybe even throw a fit and refuse to go to sleep. Now, raise your hand if you’re the adult who has done the disappearing. Yep. Thought so. How happy would it make you to learn that not one of these featured picture books will turn you into that person? Let’s share a moment of gratitude for creators who understand kids and adults!

Presenters: X. Fang, Alice Feagan, Lars Kenseth

Moderator: Rose Brickley

If any literary form were to be the kissing cousin of song, it is inarguably poetry. The distinctive lyrical style, the repetition of sound and rhythm, and even the emotional intensity are as commonplace to poets as they are to songwriters. It is then a natural progression from written verse to performance. Relying on gesture, movement, and voice—even incorporating the improvised elements of slam poetry—our presenters possess an energy in their delivery that flows from the reader directly to the core of the audience. Q&A and signing to follow both readings.

Presenters: Scott Beal, Julian Randall

Introductions: Skip Renker

Cork O’Connor belongs firmly in the environs of Northern Minnesota. With his mixed Ojibwe and Irish ancestry, he straddles two cultures and two communities, like many Midwesterners who have complicated lineages. The young couple in Sara’s Sault Ste. Marie could be pulled from a John Mellencamp song—Everett wants to stay and overcome endemic poverty, while Mary knows the only way is out. The Spahr family goes back generations to their Arctic fjord’s original settlers, casting the current descendants in a sort of blind optimism about their future. In small towns, where everyone knows everyone’s business, how does one choose how to live?

Presenters: William Kent Krueger, Sara Maurer, Kendra Langford Shaw

Moderator: Kent Case

Deadlines. Writer’s block. Making the pitch. Journalistic integrity. Artistic license. Taking risks. Selling out. The boys’ club. Commodification of creativity. Our idols and their demons. All a part of the literary life, right? For our fictional protagonists and the characters in their orbits—even for the larger-than-life Janet Flanner—writing as a career is not the stardom that many people perceive it to be. There are compromises for often little reward. It’s competitive and cutthroat and rife with existential quandaries. In the end, however, most writers just hope their work will reach someone—to educate, inform, encourage, or entertain. Now, fit all that in a book!

Presenters: Jenna Blum, Mark Braude, Julie Buntin

Moderator: Sarah R. Baughman

Enjoy a beverage as you visit with presenters signing and personalizing their works. All presenters’ featured books, along with select backlist titles and additional merchandise, will be available for sale at the pop-up bookstore, presented by Between the Covers. (Please note that Roz Chast & Scott Simon will not be available for signing at this event.)

Presenters: Kazim Ali, Robert Mgrdich Apelian, Lily Brooks-Dalton, Harriet Clark, Ham El-Waylly, Craig Fehrman, Isaac Fitzgerald, Laurie Frankel, Heather Hansman, Katie Holten, Charleen Hurtubise, Omar Hussain, Kalyn Josephson, Christine Kuehn, Emily Lloyd-Jones, Deborah Marcero, Shara McCallum, Jonathan Miles, Greta Podleski, Dan Santat, Erin E. Stead, Philip C. Stead, Emma Steinkellner

Enjoy a beverage as you visit with presenters signing and personalizing their works. All presenters’ featured books, along with select backlist titles and additional merchandise, will be available for sale at the pop-up bookstore, presented by Between the Covers. (Please note that Roz Chast & Scott Simon will not be available for signing at this event.)

Presenters: Scott Beal, Stefan Merrill Block, Jenna Blum, Mark Braude, Peter Brown, Julie Buntin, Ryan Effgen, X. Fang, Alice Feagan, Byron Graves, David Guterson, Lars Kenseth, William Kent Krueger, Lillian Li, Sara Maurer, Julian Randall, Christopher Roubique, Kendra Langford Shaw, Earl Swift, K.L. Walther, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Steven Weinberg

Join longtime host of NPR’s Weekend Edition, Scott Simon, as he takes the seat as interviewee. This dinnertime conversation features true tales of the beasts and pets that have made lasting impressions on Scott’s life. From Bagel, the hamster Houdini; to a cadre of fish with a shared namesake; to dogs who have adapted to life in war zones; to the Scottish Fold of the book’s title; these creatures mark stages in Scott’s illustrious career in journalism as notably as they have taken up residence in his heart. They will do the same for any reader who has ever known that singular devotion to an animal—furred, feathered, or otherwise.

Presenter: Scott Simon

Moderator: Austin Rowlader

By definition, the craft of memoir centers the narrator. The narrator happens to be the author, who relies on his or her own recollection of events to weave the story. It’s a genre inherently designed for self-indulgence, yet here we have three writers who overcome the form itself to share deeply personal stories by stepping to the periphery in order to spotlight others. Isaac introduces us to fellow citizens of this land. Christine reveals the strangers in her own family. Scott finds humanity in non-human companions. All share a storytelling style that invites a chorus of voices, instead of just one.

Presenters: Isaac Fitzgerald, Christine Kuehn, Scott Simon

Moderator: Mardi Link

Scott’s poems ricochet from the beauty of the natural world to his encounters with music and movies. By meeting pop culture with biomimicry and everything in between, these compositions provide art and poetry with a pleasing accessibility. In Katie’s tree alphabet, the artist has created a visual representation of trees—from seed to canopy. In concert with contributors from across time periods and genres, Katie merges a love of nature and art with stunning results. And for Charleen’s heroine, painting becomes a veil to hide the life from which she once fled and offers readers a glimpse into Saoirse’s motivations, committing us more fully to her story.

Presenters: Scott Beal, Katie Holten, Charleen Hurtubise

Moderator: Scott Hill

oin Deborah Marcero for a hands-on ink and watercolor workshop where she'll walk participants through her illustration process for her newest picture book, The Great Escape—from sketch to ink to watercolor; from integrating James Webb Space Telescope images to layering in Photoshop. Begin with a short presentation on inspiration and process, then create your own sketch, ink, and watercolor samples as Deborah models and instructs alongside!

Watercolors, brushes, pencils, ink pens, and sketch and tracing paper will be provided, though participants are encouraged to bring their own kit of favorite supplies as well! Advanced registration required. Open to attendees age 16 and older.

SOLD OUT

Presenter: Deborah Marcero

Introduction: Rose Brickley

If we think of love as the greatest emotional attachment one human can have for another, its shapes and sizes are limitless. The characters in these novels exemplify love in familiar ways. That of a child for a parent, but also for the other relations who step in to raise her. The love of a mother for her children—those who have gained their independence and those who have yet to exist. And finally, a resonant and paralyzing first love that enters and exits life with all the destruction of a storm. Love makes the world go ‘round, but it can also knock us flat.

Presenters: Harriet Clark, Laurie Frankel, Sara Maurer

Moderator: Claire Tobin

What do you get when you combine Qatar, Bolivia, enough energy to operate a restaurant, soul food, Egypt, and one sweet sense of style? Ham! El-Waylly, that is! Managing to capture all the facets of our guest chef in a single cookbook seems like a tall order, and while Hello, Home Cooking brings all the quirk, charm, and flavor that we love about Ham, it’s even better to welcome him here in person for a culinary end to the weekend. By mixing and matching ingredients and techniques from around the globe, Ham hones in on what brings people to the table and what keeps them coming back!

Presenter: Ham El-Waylly

Moderator: Maureen Abood