Library and book lovers gather at Friends of the Willmar Library’s Wisdom and Wine – West Central Tribune

WILLMAR — If there was one thing everyone in the grand ballroom of the Willmar Conference Center had in common June 13, it was their love of books and libraries.

The sell-out crowd was in attendance for the Friends of the Willmar Library’s fourth annual Wisdom and Wine fundraiser, which raises money for programming and collection expansion at the Willmar Public Library.

“You are helping your library become a better library,” said Jeni Ritz, president of the Friends of the Willmar Library.

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Each year, in addition to wine, cheese, desserts and a silent auction, the group invites three authors to speak at the event. It’s an opportunity for book lovers to hear from real authors about how they became writers and the importance of literacy and libraries.

“It is an honor to organize an event like this, especially for such an important cause,” said Jess Lourey, one of the three authors invited to speak.

Lourey was joined by fellow writers J. Ryan Stradal and Cary Griffith. Griffith was added to the program at the last minute after Mona Susan Powers was unable to attend due to illness.

“Thanks to a website and an author who answered the phone, we are happy and excited to welcome Cary Griffith as one of the authors,” said Gwen Krebsbach, the event’s master of ceremonies.

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Lourey is an award-winning author of young adult fiction, magical realism, crime, nonfiction, and children’s books, and has sold more than 1 million books. She is also a professor emerita of writing and sociology.

She grew up in Paynesville and initially worked at Spicer Dairy Queen. She now lives in Minneapolis.

Stradal grew up in Minnesota but now lives in Los Angeles, where he has appeared on some of the biggest reality TV shows, including “The Bachelorette,” “Deadliest Catch” and “Storage Wars.”

He wrote his first book in 2015, his latest novel was published in April 2023. He is the winner of several book prizes.

Stradal is currently writer in residence for the ABC Studios podcast “The Book Case.”

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Griffith is also an award-winning author. He grew up in Iowa and now lives in Minnesota.

He writes both fiction and nonfiction, mostly set in the wilderness or dealing with topics related to that area. He has written eight different books, including his most recent releases – Gunflint Falling and Dead Catch.

All three authors spoke about their love of books and the inspiration they drew from them as children and adults.

Lourey remembered the bookshelves her father had built in her parents’ house, filled with books she had bought at flea markets.

Stradal remembered his mother reading him and his siblings their English homework for college while juggling her job as a student, mother and wife.

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“I don’t think anything has had a greater impact on my life than her decision to do that,” Stradal said.

In addition to their families, the authors were also inspired by their schools and libraries. Stradal still remembers the books his elementary school teachers and librarians shared with him, not to mention the recognition they gave him when he started writing as a child.

Each of the authors is a great supporter of libraries, librarians and their work.

“I love libraries,” Griffith said. “I have always loved libraries. Libraries provide an invaluable service to the communities they serve.”

The journeys the authors took while writing their books, whether their first or their latest, showed how personal and emotional writing can be.

“From a very young age, I realized that books are important, that stories mean something,” Lourey said.

Stradal said he had dreamed of writing a book since he was a child, not only because he loved reading and writing, but also because he thought his mother would be proud of him.

She dreamed of writing a book, but unfortunately never got the chance. She died of cancer at the age of 55.

When Stradal published his first book, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, he did so in honor of his mother. Family also played a role in his other books through the characters they feature.

Writing also gave Stradal the opportunity to finally grieve over his mother’s death, something he says he had not done at first.

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“This is for you, Mom,” Stradal said. “I’m going to write this book so you can stay alive.”

Writing also helped Lourey get through a traumatic time in her life. In 2001, her husband committed suicide and she was two months pregnant at the time.

In the emergency room, when she thought she was going to lose the baby, a doctor made her promise two things: she would talk to a therapist and start writing. She kept those promises.

“The poison either goes out or it goes in,” Lourey said. “It has to come out.”

Her son survived and is now in his early 20s. And instead of keeping a diary, Lourey began writing her first published book, May Day.

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“For the first time, I realized the power of a story. For the first time, I realized that stories connect us, that they heal us, that they show us ways out of terrible situations and how we can get out of them together,” Lourey said.

Stories are also a great way to show the good in people and how they can stick together during difficult times.

In his book Gunflint Falling, about the terrible storm that swept through the Gunflint Trail in 1999, Griffith tells the stories of several groups who were trapped in the Boundary Waters during and after the storm.

“In all the stories I tell, people have really done their job,” Griffith said. “As I think we all do.”

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Organizations like Friends of the Willmar Library and bibliophiles of all kinds play an important role in ensuring the histories continue their important work, and that support was evident in the conference center.

“That’s what you’re here supporting. You’re here supporting stories, you’re here supporting librarians who are making sure we all have access, no matter our background, no matter our financial situation,” Lourey said. “We all have access to the stories that are so important to our lives.”