Rosemount Area Arts Council
Meet the Author - Fall 2026
"Meet The Author" is held at the Robert Trail Library, 14395 S. Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068. This program is co-sponsored by RAAC and the Library. (Some events will be at the Steeple Center when the library is busy).
Each event runs from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. The program begins with an author presentation about their self, their book and writing style, followed by Q&A and book selling and autographing by the author.
Cookies and water are furnished. FREE Event!
AUTHOR:
Michael David MacBride
BOOK:
"At the Wake"
September 17, 2026
Michael David MacBride
Originally from Michigan, Michael now calls Minnesota home. He has delivered newspapers, worked for UPS, delivered pizzas, done collections at a bank, was a roadie for a country band, was a grant-writer and funder-researcher for non-profits, taught English, Literature, and Humanities courses at universities and colleges in Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Illinois, and held a few other jobs in between. Now, he writes; helps others publish their books with Salty Books Publishing; host, edits, and produces the "Veritas Views" podcast; and has a "regular" job, too. He thoroughly enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife and their two boys.
SYNOPSIS:
"At The Wake" is an unflinching exploration of family, legacy, and the long shadow cast by one man's life. Achiel Van Slyck was a man of contradictions-a war hero who took pride in his service, but also a vindictive neighbor, a volatile father, and a man whose actions shattered lives, including his own. When he murdered Clifford Ellis in 1975, the crime sent shockwaves through his family and community, leaving scars and secrets that would ripple across generations.
Through a kaleidoscope of perspectives-his wife, children, siblings, and even his victims-Achiel's story unfolds in fragments, revealing a complex portrait of a man shaped by trauma, war, and a simmering rage. As each family member recounts their experiences, they grapple with the truths of their shared past, the weight of Achiel's legacy, and their own struggles to reconcile love, anger, and loss.
Set against the backdrop of small-town dynamics and spanning decades, "At The Wake" delves into the messy, often painful process of confronting one's history. It's a tale of resilience, reflection, and the ways in which families try to move forward while bearing the imprint of the past. Michael David MacBride weaves a haunting and evocative narrative that challenges readers to ask: can we ever truly escape the shadows of our ancestors?
AUTHOR:
Bonnie Bley
BOOK:
"Stolen Voices: Missing and Murdered in Big Horn County"
October 15, 2026
Bonnie Bley
Bonnie is an award-winning author whose work explores the intersections of identity, place, and justice in the American West. A native of Wyoming and raised in the border reservation town of Hardin, Montana, Bley brings a deep personal lens to the stories she tells—often rooted in the overlooked and underrepresented communities of her youth.
Her educational journey took her through South Dakota and Minnesota, where she honed her skills as both a writer and a researcher. Since the late 1980s, she has made Minnesota her home, yet her creative and emotional connections to Montana and Wyoming continue to deeply influence her work.
Beyond her writing, Bley is passionately dedicated to advocacy and community service. She volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters, offering mentorship and guidance to youth; supports The Wildcat Sanctuary by helping care for rescued big cats; and contributes to Feed My Starving Children by actively participating in meal packaging to fight global hunger. Additionally, she writes letters to elderly individuals through Letters Against Isolation, bringing connection and comfort.
SYNOPSIS:
"Stolen Voices: Missing and Murdered in Big Horn County," offers a powerful and deeply personal account of the missing and murdered Indigenous people in the region where she grew up. Through this work, Bley sheds light on a national crisis while honoring the lives, voices, and resilience of a community too often left in the shadows.
The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Big Horn County is not just a statistic; it’s a human tragedy. Behind every number is a life, a family, and a community struggling for answers. Bonnie’s mission was clear: to shed light on these stories, amplify voices that have been ignored, and spark conversations that lead to action. This book isn’t just a narrative; it’s a call for awareness and accountability.
AUTHOR:
Mary Seifert
BOOK:
Maverick, Movies & Murder
November 19, 2026
Mary Seifert
Mary Seifert is the IMPACT award-winning author of the Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries, must-reads for cozy fans with curious minds and a love for uncovering the truth. When she's not penning her next mystery, you’ll find her with a book in one hand, a glass of wine in the other, and a bite of chocolate never too far away. She enjoys walking her energetic dog and humorously claims to delete all references to crime from her browser history while awaiting a scrumptious dinner prepared by her live-in husband-chef, John.
SYNOPSIS:
Maverick, Movies, & Murder
After losing everything, recently widowed Katie Wilk is starting life over in Columbia, Minnesota, with a new career—giving up cryptanalysis in favor of teaching school—and a canine companion, Maverick, a black Labrador retriever. But on one of their first outings, Katie and Maverick discover a dead body in a nearby marshland. Doctor Pete Erickson enters her life. As the county coroner, he’s one of the first on the scene; as the doctor that day in the ER, he’s the one who stitches up Katie’s head; as the son of the police chief, Pete is also in on the investigation. Katie finds herself in the midst of it all, and doesn’t know anyone in town well enough to know who she can trust.