Two-time winner to headline Michigan’s biggest book event of the year

Since 1991, the Michigan Week celebration in May has showcased books about Michigan or books by Michigan authors to promote the rich talents of Michigan writers and the state’s unique sense of place. 

In 2009, The Library of Michigan and the Library of Michigan Foundation began hosting an annual Night for Notables, a dedicated celebration honoring recently published, Michigan-related books selected as the best of the best by a panel of judges, including librarians and journalists. (Full disclosure: I serve on that panel.) 

This year, more than 15 of the award winners will be in attendance to talk with guests and sign books. Tickets are $50 and include light snacks and beverages. To reserve your seat, visit libraryofmichiganfoundation.com.

“The books and authors represent the diverse tapestry of subject matter that Michigan offers to inspire writers, and everyone will find something of interest that speaks to their experiences,” State Librarian Randy Riley said.

The event features speeches from the past year’s winners and a keynote speech from someone who previously won the award. Speakers have included everyone from former Gov. William G. Milliken to Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners, including Richard Ford, Jaimy Gordon and Wayne Kramer.

This year’s keynote speaker is two-time award winner Karen Dionne, whose book “The Marsh King’s Daughter” became an immediate bestseller when it was released in 2017. The gripping thriller is set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and involves a father and daughter who are on the hunt for each other. A film based on the book is set to be released this year, starring Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn and Garrett Hedlund.

“I watched a cut of it nine times,” Dionne said. “The scenery is gorgeous, and the acting is fabulous.”

Dionne said her keynote will touch on “my journey to publication, my love of the UP and the joy I find in writing. My message will be to not give up and to not be afraid to try something new.”

Dionne’s writing career began with two environmental thrillers that were the kind of edge-of-your-seat stories that are still popular. She then pivoted to writing more personal novels with the same hair-raising theme of survival. 

Her next book is set in Grand Marais and involves a previously unknown granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway who accidentally discovers she’s related to the famous author.