WAUSAU – For the fourth year running, the Central Wisconsin Book Festival has put together an expansive list of authors, poets, journalists and other writers to speak to attendees. This year, book lovers can enjoy the festival – which runs from Sept. 21 through Sept. 27 – from the comfort of home.
The lineup consists of nearly 20 events, all of which will be held virtually via the Zoom app. Scheduled events include:
Monday, Sept. 21 @ 6 p.m.: “Nature’s Best Hope” with Douglas Tallamy
Author Douglas W. Tallamy will explain how homeowners can turn their yards into mini, conservation-minded wildlife habitats! This event is held in collaboration with the Master Gardener Program of Marathon County. Free to attend. For more info, visit www.mcpl.us/events/10187.
Tuesday, Sept. 22 @ 7 p.m.: Women’s Suffragist Movement with Rebecca Roberts
Journalist Rebecca Roberts will share selections from her book Suffragists in Washington, DC: The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote, in commemoration with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. This event is held in collaboration with the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service. Free to attend. For more info, visit www.mcpl.us/events/10228.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 @ 8 p.m.: Book Fest After Dark with Dr. Gina Senarighi
Certified relationship counselor and therapist Dr. Gina Senarighi will discuss her work helping couples through her blog, podcast and new book Love More, Fight Less. Senarighi will also take questions from the audience about sex, intimacy and relationships. Note: this event is for adults only. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10188.
Thursday, Sept. 24 @ 7 p.m.: “Life is Funny” Panel with Tiffany Midge & Steve Hannah
Writers Tiffany Midge and Steve Hannah have made a living finding humor in the world around them, and have chronicled these stories in published works, both online and in print form. They’ll share their insights on turning their experiences into something funny on paper, and take audience questions. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10229.
Friday, Sept. 25 @ 3 p.m.: Understanding Homelessness in the Wausau Area
North Central Area Congregations Organized to Make an Impact (NAOMI) will lead a panel discussion with local leaders on understanding homelessness in Wausau. Part of the discussion will be spurred by the memoir Wild Counselor, by author Jim Finucan. Panelists include Finucan, Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg, Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven, and more. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10235.
Friday, Sept. 25 @ 7 p.m.: “A Pilgrimage to Eternity” with Timothy Egan
Award-winning author and New York Times contributing writer Timothy Egan will discuss his thousand-mile trek from England to Italy to trace Christianity’s past, present and future, and the religion’s place in his own life. He’s chronicled the journey in his latest book, A Pilgrimage to Eternity. A moderated Q&A to follow the talk. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10115.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 10 a.m.: A “Dairylandia” State of Mind with Steve Hannah
Author Steve Hannah will share tales from his new book Dairylandia, a collection of written works from his long-running syndicated column “State of Mind,” which documented life in Wisconsin from the perspective of a guy who grew up on the east coast. An audience Q&A will follow. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10214.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 11 a.m.: Short Stories with Chris Fink
Wisconsin author Chris Fink will read from his new short story collection Add This to the List of Things That You Are, discuss his approach to writing, and answer audience questions. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10189.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 1 p.m.: “Bad Axe” Mysteries with John Galligan
Acclaimed author John Galligan will read from Dead Man Dancing, the second book in a murder mystery/thriller series about the first female sheriff in the fictional Wisconsin county of Bad Axe. An audience Q&A to follow the reading. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10216.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 2 p.m.: WI Women in the KKK with John Kinville
Author John Kinville will give a multimedia presentation about a little-known all-female chapter of the Ku Klux Klan that operated in Chippewa Falls, WI, during the 1920s and ‘30s. Kinville’s presentation shares how the women sought to uphold Prohibition while simultaneously promoting the Klan’s hateful ideology. An audience Q&A to follow the presentation. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10219.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 3 p.m.: Understanding Homelessness in the Wausau Area
North Central Area Congregations Organized to Make an Impact (NAOMI) will lead a panel discussion with local leaders on understanding homelessness in Wausau. Part of the discussion will be spurred by the memoir Wild Counselor, by author Jim Finucan. Panelists include Finucan, Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg, Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven, and more. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10235.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 4 p.m.: Fiction Workshop with Kathie Giorgio
Kathie Giorgio, author of a dozen books and director of the All Writers’ Workshop in Waukesha, WI, will lead a workshop to help aspiring writers get past an initial burst of creativity to bring their projects to a successful finish. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10211.
Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 7 p.m.: An Evening with U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo
Joy Harjo is the 2019-2020 U.S. Poet Laureate and the first Native American writer to hold the position. Harjo is also the author of nine poetry books, several plays and a handful of children’s books. During this session, Harjo will share poems from her newest collection “An American Sunrise,” discuss the role of a laureate, and take questions. Free to attend. For more info, visit www.mcpl.us/events/10158.
Sunday, Sept. 27 @ 10 a.m.: Birdwatching in Wisconsin with Charles Hagner
Charles Hagner, director of Bird City Wisconsin and author of a field guide to Wisconsin birds, will discuss why the Badger State is great for birders, different ways to identify birds, and share tips and techniques from experienced birdwatchers! Free to attend. For more info, visit www.mcpl.us/events/10225.
Sunday, Sept. 27 @ 11 a.m.: Poetry Reading with Kathie Giorgio
Kathie Giorgio, who also is leading a CWBF fiction workshop, will share poetry from her just-published collection “No Matter Which Way You Look, There is More to See.” Giorgio will also discuss her writing methods and take audience questions! Free to attend. For more info, visit www.mcpl.us/events/10212.
Sunday, Sept. 27 @ 1 p.m.: Wisconsin’s Logging Heyday with Jerry Apps
Wisconsin author and historian Jerry Apps will discuss his new book When the White Pine Was King, which focuses on Wisconsin’s logging history, farming and restoration, and the legacy of the state’s lumber and wood products industry. An audience Q&A to follow the talk. Free to attend. For more info, visit www.mcpl.us/events/10190.
Sunday, Sept. 27 @ 3 p.m.: Stories, Poems and Questions with Tiffany Midge
Tiffany Midge, who lives in Idaho and is a citizen member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, will share stories from her newest book Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese’s, as well as poetry from her forthcoming collection Horns. Midge will also take audience questions. Free to attend. For more info, visit http://www.mcpl.us/events/10226.
All Central Wisconsin Book Festival events are free to virtually attend and no registration is required. More information will be available in mid-September regarding the exact details to join each event. For more information and further updates, visit www.mcpl.us/cwbf.
