May 15, 2007 - It's a rare novel that opens with instructions on how it should be read. But that's exactly how Heather McElhatton's "Pretty Little Mistakes" begins.
May 8, 2007 - Author Sherman Alexie isn't shy about sharing. He's a prolific writer whose novels and short stories often describe the paradoxes of life as a Native American in the 21st century. Alexie told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr that he's been thinking lately about violence. What resulted is a book of gritty fantasy called "Flight" which is about a young man named "Zits.'
May 1, 2007 - Wang Ping has an intimidating resume. She teaches creative writing at Macalester College in St Paul. She's published fiction, poetry, and an acclaimed book on the Chinese tradition of footbinding. She's just come out with a new collection of short stories. She's an accomplished photographer too.
May 1, 2007 - MPR’s Euan Kerr interviews author and teacher Wang Ping, who says her Chinese history is the result of some curious twists of fate.
January 11, 2007 - A capacity crowd is expected for a special reading at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis tonight. Writer Neil Gaiman and artist Dave McKean are one of the hottest teams in the comic book world. McKean combines painting, drawing, photography, and collage to create disturbing off-kilter images that complement Gaiman's brand of fantasy fiction. In a collaboration that's lasted 20 years so far, they have worked on the award-winning Sandman comic book series, several graphic novels, and four children's books. They have also made a film, "Mirrormask," which Gaiman wrote and McKean designed and directed. Both men are English, but Gaiman lives in the US and McKean in Britain.
October 13, 2006 - The new movie "Sweet Land," tells the story of immigrant farmers struggling for survival in southwestern Minnesota just after World War One. The film, made by St. Paul film director Ali Selim, follows what happens when a Norwegian farmer called Olaf sends for a bride from the old country. She causes outrage among Olaf's neighbors when it turns out she is German. The film goes on limited release this weekend after drawing large audiences at a series of film festivals. Two of the film's stars, Ned Beatty and Tim Guinee who plays Olaf, came into the MPR studios to talk about the launch. Beatty told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr there is a simple reason for the film's success.
October 5, 2006 - Hundreds of people are expected at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis tonight. The main attraction will not be a film, although one will be showing. They're going to see fantasy writer Neil Gaiman. He burst onto the international scene two decades ago with his "Sandman" comic. Since then he's written novels, plays, film scripts, and children's books. Tonight, before a showing of his screenplay "MirrorMask," Gaiman will read from his new short story collection "Fragile Things." The book will enter the New York Times best sellers list this week at number 14. Many of the stories in the collection are quite horrifying.
September 29, 2006 - A new movie called "Aurora Borealis" peers into some of the quirky scenes of life in Minneapolis, such as a conversation you might overhear in a bar about music.
September 14, 2006 - When Joe Helgerson talks about the Mississippi, he talks stories. They are stories about the power and the mystery of the river. The Minneapolis-based writer's new children's novel " Horns and Wrinkles" dwells on the Mississippi's magic.
April 28, 2006 - Ask St Paul film director Ali Selim what he's learned about while making his first feature film and he says "stamina." His film "Sweet Land" will be presented as the gala finale to this year's Minneapolis St Paul International film Festival Sunday evening. The film, which was shot in southwestern Minnesota is an immigrant love story set in 1919. Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr reports.