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Published: 04 August 2021

MIdwest Book Review Offers High Praise for "The Haunting of Potter's Field"

   The Midwest Book Review just came out for Minnesota author Margaret Shaw Johnson's soon-to-be-released book, The Haunting of Potter's Field: Mostly True Stories, Unearthed from The Grave. It reads in part, "American history readers will relish The Haunting of Potter's Field: Mostly True Stories, Unearthed from The Grave, a gathering of life inspections of immigrants and pioneers buried in Woodlawn Cemetery's potter's field in Winona, Minnesota.

"These tales of late nineteenth and early twentieth century settlers and native peoples were originally written for the stage, intended as performance pieces. The rhyme scheme and succinct descriptions were preserved for this collection and are married to illustrations by Jared Tuttle for added impact in book format... As each vignette outlines how a person came to end up in the potter's field, readers receive a literary examination that encourages a translation to stage... The inclusion of musical scores at the end completes a unique gathering highly recommended for social history readers who like accounts of early American lives and experiences in a form other than staid prose, as well as drama students looking for literary works that can easily translate to stage productions."

Learn more about the book on the publisher's website: www.ravenspointpress.com.

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Published: 07 July 2021

Carol Dines' "This Distance We Call Love" Receives Strong Praise from Reviewers in August

      This Distance We Call Love by Minnesota author Carol Dines officially launched during a free, live-stream event on the Magers & Quinn Facebook Page or YouTube channel on August 4. 

   Blending humor and insight, the 13 stories in this collection explore interwoven themes of connection and disconnection in our most intimate relationships, a topic pertinent to our pandemic lives. Told through the voices of mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and friends, the loosely linked stories have been likened to Lorrie Moore and Alice Munroe in their narrative style.

   Set in Minnesota, Italy, and Mexico, the collection delves deep into our changing world, revealing how the internet, climate change, sexual violence, aging and work impact our families, marriages, and friendships. While some relationships fall apart, others remain entrenched in old patterns, grappling with notions of self and duty. Altogether, the stories probe our most meaningful relationships, asking how love survives our changing world.

   Mary Ann Grossman, Books Editor at The Pioneer Press, gave the short story collection a very strong review in the August 1st edition of the paper.  As did MIdwest Book Review in its August editon, saying about This Distance We Call Love "A truly memorable read with deftly crafted and thought-provoking stories that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf." The book also received a great review from the Rochester Post Bulletin in July.

   Carol Dines is the author of fiction for adults and young adults, and is a recipient of the Judy Blume award as well as a recipient of Minnesota and Wisconsin State Artist Fellowships. Dines received a BA from Stanford University and an MA in English from Colorado State University. She has taught writing to all ages at universities, colleges, and public schools in Colorado, Florida, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Jack Zipes, and their standard poodle.

   Learn more about Carol's work on her website: Caroldines.com.