Tag Archives: Jess Lourey

Local author and SCTCC professor gives Tedx talk

Jessica LoureyJessica Lourey is a successful local author and professor of creative writing and sociology at St. Cloud Community and Technical College. She has a new book coming out next May, titled Rewrite Your Life: Discover Your Truth Through the Healing Power of FictionThe book is nonfiction and aimed at helping people work through difficulties in their lives by fiction writing. The book was inspired by Lourey’s discovery of the therapeutic ability of writing fiction while  working through an extremely traumatic event in her life.

She recently gave a TEDx talk about the experience, which you can watch below. TEDx “is designed to help communities, organizations and individuals to spark conversation and connection through local TED-like experiences.” Learn more by visiting their site.

Interested in learning more about Lourey? Read about her in our Author Spotlight post, or check out our review of Lourey’s first book in her Murder by Month series, Mayday. She even gave an engaging presentation during a CMLE event last year.

Featured Book: May Day

May DayThis post is part of an original series created by librarians/media specialists across Central Minnesota featuring books.

Title: May Day by Jess Lourey
Review by: Angie Gentile-Jordan, Office Administrator at CMLE

Our event on May 5th featured a talk from author and professor Jess Lourey. Before the event, in an attempt to familiarize myself with her work, I began reading May Day, the first in her popular Murder-by-Month series.

The book is about assistant librarian Mira James, who moves to the small town of Battle Lake, MN from the big city of Minneapolis as a way to get a fresh start on her post-grad life. As she settles in, she encounters many characters that will be familiar to readers that have spent any amount of time in small-town Minnesota.

All seems to be going well for Mira. She even begins casually dating an archaeologist visiting the town on business. But when his lifeless body shows up (she stumbles across it in the library, no less!) Mira decides to find some answers.

I enjoyed reading this book for several reasons: the tone was light and clever, and I could picture many of the scenes playing out in northern Minnesota. I liked the way Mira bluffed her way through conversations about fishing to gain trust with the locals, throwing out words like “pan fish” not having any idea what it meant.

I’ve already purchased the next in the series, June Bug, and am looking forward to reading it from the boat while doing a little pan fishing of my own!

Registration now closed

Colorful lightsRegistration is now closed for our New Library Celebration and Jess Lourey Author Talk event. 

Don’t miss this great event on May 5th at the St. Cloud Community and Technical College! Come and check out their new library digs, enjoy author Jess Lourey, hear about eBooks MN, and enjoy Cinco de Mayo themed food and drink!

Get more information here, and make sure to register! Deadline is close of business Friday, April 29, 2016. We look forward to seeing you there!

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/n66vvn2, licensed under CC BY 2.0

Come to the "new library" celebration & author talk event

Jessica Lourey
Author Jess Lourey

CMLE staff think May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) is a perfect day to celebrate!  Come join us  at the St. Cloud Technical and Community College (SCTCC) for a fun and affordable program. We are pleased to partner with Vi Bergquist, SCTCC Library Director and the SCTCC library staff in offering this event. The layout of the day includes:

— Author talk by Jess Lourey
— A Minitex trainer will do a Show n Tell of the newly unveiled eBooks MN
— Tours of the new library
— Tasty food and drink prepared by the school’s culinary program in honor of Cinco de Mayo!

Who: All academic, K-12, public, and special library staff are welcome

What: Library tours, author talk by Jess Lourey, eBooks Minnesota Show n Tell, and of course festive food and drink to celebrate the bright future of this new Central MN Library.

When: Thursday, May 5, 2016 from 4 – 6:30 pm (event starts with author talk)

Where: SCTCC Library (this is the Green & White Building, formerly the CentraCare Heartland Clinic), which is slightly separate from the main campus building – 1520 Whitney Court, St. Cloud MN 56303.

Parking: Free in surface lots right outside the door, but download this parking pass for inside your car.

Cost: $5

Register Now!  Attendance will be capped at 32; please register early. Update: Jess Lourey’s publisher is giving a free book to each attendee.

We hope to see you there!