UPPAA

Market Your Book without Social Media – yes, you can!
2025-11-03 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Detroit)
Market Your Book without Social Media – yes, you can!
Contact president@uppaa.org for your zoom invite
If you’ve been wondering how to market your book without social media, this class is for you.
There’s a new trend brewing – authors quitting social media in favor of more creative ways to market their books and spending more time writing new books. But can you really quit social media? You bet. You just must get creative in other ways and this class will show you how. Here are some of the things we’ll cover in this class:
• Social media: Do you keep any or punt them all?
• Two things you *must* have if you’re going to stop playing in the social media sandbox
• Creative things you can do to get yourself out there and why you want to.
• Reaching influencers locally – yes, you can and it’s easier than you think!
• How to make your website your focal point (and why you need to)
• Can you still pitch influencers, bloggers and bookstagrammers even if you aren’t on social media? Yes, and I’ll show you how.
• A few great places to list yourself and your book, to get more attention!
This class is jam-packed with ideas and whether you want to abandon social media entirely, you’ve never been on social media, or just go social media-lite, you’ll benefit from the great many ideas and tips you’ll learn in this session!
Penny C. Sansevieri, is a powerhouse in the publishing industry. As the Founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., she has revolutionized book marketing, shaping the careers of authors and guiding them to bestseller status. Penny’s influence is undeniable—named one of New York Metropolitan Magazine’s Top Influencers of 2019, she’s known for her cutting-edge Amazon campaigns and innovative strategies that catapult exceptional books onto bestseller lists. She is also the author of 24 books.

UP Notable Book Club with Larry Jorgensen and the History of Snowmobiles
2025-12-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
UP Notable Book Club presents a Q&A session about Make It Go In the Snow: People and Ideas in the History of Snowmobiles with Larry Jorgensen
UP Notable Book Club: The Crystal Falls Community District Library in partnership with the U.P. Publishers & Authors Association (UPPAA) has scheduled author events with winners of the UP Notable Book List. The 53rd event features Larry Jorgensen, author of Make it Go in the Snow: People and Ideas in the History of Snowmobiles. Through the years, the challenge of powered transportation in the snow has been met with ideas from explorers, creative inventors and small companies, all with new ideas – often unique and sometimes successful. The name “snowmobile” was trademarked in 1917, but there were snow travel ideas before that date and certainly thousands more since. As a pioneer in the field, Larry brings us his unique perspective on people and their machines and some historic rides throughout the U.P. and even abroad.
When: Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 7 pm Eastern / 6 pm Central
Where: on the Zoom platform — please contact Evelyn Gathu in advance at egathu@crystalfallslibrary.org, or by phone at (906) 875-3344. We recommend you borrow a copy of these books from your local library or purchase them from your local bookseller in advance to get the most out of these events.
LARRY JORGENSEN first became addicted to the sport and business of snowmobiling after buying his first sled, an Arctic Cat, in 1967. He purchased that Cat from the first Arctic Cat dealer in Green Bay, a local shoe repair shop which had a total available inventory of two machines. Jorgensen was fortunate to become a riding member of the pioneer cross-country snowmobile group, the Peninsula Pathfinders of Upper Michigan. He participated in the club’s first three long-distance rides, including the 1970 trip across the giant Mackinac Bridge which connects lower Michigan to the Upper Peninsula. Although he owned the Arctic Cat, he had been convinced to ride an Eskimo snowmobileand it may have been the only time an Eskimo sled crossed the Big Mac.
“I will blend in this review of Make It Go In the Snow ideas and effects that I have come across in my general reading on surrealism among the modern French poets in order to capture the skill and overall effects in Jorgensen because I think his work is a fine addition to the detail and to the mood of talking about the culture of the UP. He does not tell his history in a systematic way with footnotes and large bibliography like an academic. Instead, he uses many old photographs and rather rambles through his story in a leisurely way like a Parisian flâneur or gentleman expert on the feature of being a Yooper man of the North. It reminds me of my own immersion when my wife and I began our discovery of the region; and even though it was usually summer
I was fascinated with the exploration of the Antarctic, of “Going South” across rough seas from New Zealand with the sad and heroic Captain Scott and his brave men and dogs. A news reporter for a TV station in Green Bay, Jorgensen first became addicted to the sport and business of snowmobiling when he bought his first sled, an Arctic Cat in 1967. Pictured at right is Admiral Byrd’s ill-fated Snow Cruiser trekking across the USA toward it’s launch from the east coast.” — Mack Hassler, UP Book Review
More information about the U.P. Notable Book list, U.P. Book Review, and UPPAA can be found on www.UPNotable.com
About the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA)
Established in 1998 to support authors and publishers who live in or write about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, UPPAA is a Michigan nonprofit association with over 180 members, many of whose books are featured on the organization’s website at www.uppaa.org. UPPAA welcomes membership and participation from anyone with a UP connection who is interested in writing.
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UP Notable Books List 2026 Announced
2026-01-02 13:00
Tune in to UPPAA.org as we announce the UP Notable Books List on January 2, 2026

J.D. Austin at North Wind Books - Hancock
2026-01-10 12:00 - 14:00 | North Wind Books, 437 Quincy Street, Hancock, 49930, United States
J.D. Austin of the 2024 U.P. Notable Book The Last Huck and a new story collection What You Find in the Woods will be appearing at North Wind Books on the former Finlandia campus from 12 – 2:00pm on Saturday January 10, 2026.
437 Quincy St, Hancock, MI 49930 * https://shop.finlandiafoundation.org/pages/location-hours
(906) 487-7217 * shop@finlandiafoundation.org

UPPAA Online Seminar Series – Ask the Book Coach: Q & A Session with Julie Covert
2026-01-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
As an extension of UPPAA’s Online Seminar Series, we are featuring an additional session “Ask the Book Coach: Q & A Session with Julie Covert” coming to Zoom on January 15, 2026 at 7:00PM Eastern / 6:00PM Central time.

Attendance is free of charge and preregistration is not required for UPPAA members to participate. Others are welcome to participate if they contact Julie at the email address below.
Ask the Book Coach: A Q & A Session
What’s a book coach do?
Great question! A book coach can help you form and test your book ideas, create a solid structure, help you get through tough spots, and guide you to getting published.

Do you have a book in the works, but are stuck and have questions about how to proceed?
Have a great idea, but can’t seem to make the structure work?
Not sure where to begin or how to end?
Whose help do I need – an editor, beta reader, or book coach?

During this Q & A session, Julie Covert, book coach and editor at H J Words, will answer your questions about how you can benefit from working with a book coach. We’ll discuss these topics and more to get you excited and motivated to achieve your dream of turning your ideas from your notebooks into a publishable manuscript.
Questions can also be submitted in advance by email or phone shown below
Contact Julie at words@hjwords.com or at 906-430-5854.

Telling the Hard Stuff: A Confessional Poetry Workshop with Ellen Lord
2026-01-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Hessel School House, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hesssel, MI, 49745, United States
Telling the Hard Stuff: A Confessional Poetry Workshop with Ellen Lord
When: Saturday, January 17, 2026, 1:00 -3:00 PM
Where: at the Hessel School House 3206 W Cedar Street, Hessel, MI, United States, Michigan 49745
Confessional poetry asks us to speak the truths we often keep hidden. In this two‑hour workshop, we’ll explore how vulnerability becomes art, how the “hard stuff” transforms into language that resonates, and how craft supports courage. Together, we’ll create a safe, supportive space to write the poems that demand to be written. This class includes an autographed copy of Ellen Lord’s latest book VIGIL.
Whether you write poems on the page or songs for the stage, this workshop welcomes artists who turn lived experience into works of written art. Poets and songwriters alike will find tools for shaping raw emotion into work that connects and endures.
Class Fee: $40.00. Includes a signed copy of Ellen Lord’s latest book VIGIL.
To Register: Call 906-484-1333 or register online at HesselSchoolHouse.org
Facebook event page
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Ellen Lord began writing as a kid, first stirred to poetry by Edgar Allen Poe’s raven and various morbid nursery rhymes. She is inspired by forays in nature, along with feasts and foibles of the human condition. She was raised in the wilds of the Upper Peninsula and often returns to her ancestral home. She is a behavioral health therapist, specializing in addiction and trauma.
NOTE: Scholarship discounts are available. Call 906-484-1333 for details if finances are impeding you from attending this workshop. A limited number of discount tickets are available for teens and low-income participants.

Frederick Stonehouse – The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Join us on zoom for Frederick Stonehouse – The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
To get Zoom invitations for each event, please contact egathu@crystalfallslibrary.org or by phone (906) 875-3344

UP History Book Club - Bloodstoppers & Bearwalkers: Folk Traditions of the Upper Peninsula by Richard Dorson
2026-02-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St, Marquette, MI, 49855, United States
February 18 – Bloodstoppers & Bearwalkers: Folk Traditions of the Upper Peninsula by Richard Dorson
All meetings are on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. We meet in person at the Marquette Regional History Center (145 W. Spring St., Marquette) and online via Zoom (link available the day of the meeting at www.marquettehistory.org/uphbc). You can also join our mailing list on that webpage to get periodic reminders. All book club titles will be available for purchase at the museum gift store in the new year, and museum members receive 10% off.

Julie Buchholtz to feature "Mama's Song" at Hessel School House
2026-02-28 | Hessel School House, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hesssel, MI, 49745, United States
Julie Buchholtz to feature “Mama’s Song” at Hessel School House for a book reading and signing event at Hessel School House on February 28, 2026 (time to be announced later)
See https://hesselschoolhouse.org/ for details

Writing North - Winter Book Fest
2026-02-28 08:00 - 2026-03-01 17:00
From tipster Sara Maurer:
An amazing literary event is coming soon to Manistique. Meagan Francis, author of The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read and owner of Paper Mill Books in Manistique, is planning the first Writing North Book Fest! It will take place Saturday, Feb. 28 – Sunday, March 1 in Manistique with free community events as well as author panels and an exciting literary salon event.
Participating authors will include

Ellen Airgood
Steve Amick
T. Marie Bertineau
Mikel Classen
Karen Dionne (The Marsh King’s Daughter, The Wicked Sister)
Carol Dunbar
Megan Francis
Ann-Marie Ooman

Here is a quick description of the festival:
In the heart of winter, when the Upper Peninsula is at its quietest and most beautiful, Writing North Winter Book Fest – the first literary festival of its kind in Manistique, just off of Highway 2 in the heart of the U.P. – will gather together readers and authors for a celebration of stories and storytellers shaped by northern places, with authors who hail from the northern Great Lakes region and/or craft their work around landscapes like ours. The event will lean into the season’s beauty and coziness by offering warm spaces, close conversations, and fresh inspiration in an intimate, welcoming festival that’s rooted in place. Tickets, itinerary, and details at writingnorth.com.

You can also follow writingnorthup on Instagram for updates.

Diane Windsor Seminar on "How U.P. Writers Can Effectively Sell Books Directly to Readers"
2026-03-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Diane Windsor Seminar on “How U.P. Writers Can Effectively Sell Books Directly to Readers”
Marquette, MI — The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA) is proud to announce the first of the 2026 Online Seminar Series—engaging and educational events designed to tackle timely issues in writing, publishing, and marketing. Offered completely free via Zoom, these evening sessions are open to all UPPAA members seeking to strengthen their skills and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving literary landscape. The first session will be on March 19, 2026 with Diane J. Windsor, an author, publisher, and book marketing specialist Membership details can be found at www.uppaa.org/join-or-renew.
U.P. Writers Can Bypass the Bookstore and Build Their Author Platforms
Did you know that by selling your books directly to your reader, you not only earn higher royalties, but you also have valuable reader contact information? And you don’t need to store boxes of books in your garage! Diane Windsor, of Motina Books Publishing, will explain how to set up a print-on-demand store from your website.
Diane Windsor is the founder of Motina Books Publishing. She is a lifelong reader, and at one point her dream was to become a published author. She realized she’s better at publishing wonderful books by authors, than writing her own. Diane is also passionate about helping all authors with book marketing, and hosts a monthly Zoom call that’s open to all authors, to brainstorm creative marketing ideas.
WHEN: Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 7:00PM Eastern
WHERE: Contact president@uppaa.org to obtain the Zoom link
Join UPPAA and Grow Year-Round!
UPPAA offers far more than just these Fall seminars. Member benefits include:

The annual Spring Conference, featuring expert panels and networking opportunities
Participation in the U.P. Reader literary anthology
The U.P. Notable Books Club, anyone can join this monthly online meeting with authors of the U.P.’s most significant books.
Youth writing initiatives, including the Dandelion Cottage Short Story Award and the Young Writers Storytelling Workshop to encourage U.P. students in grades 5 to 12.

UPPAA welcomes writers of all levels and genres—from aspiring authors to seasoned professionals. Membership helps fund programming and ensures a thriving literary community throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
To learn more about the 2026 seminars, visit www.UPPAA.org.

About the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA)
Established in 1998 to support authors and publishers who live in or write about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, UPPAA is a Michigan nonprofit association with over 180 members, many of whose books are featured on the organization’s website at www.uppaa.org. UPPAA welcomes membership and participation from anyone with a UP connection who is interested in writing.

March Memoir Writing Course
2026-03-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Story Spring Course—Write a Memoir

Memoir Writing Course

Memoir Writing Course
Begins Wednesday, March 25
Wednesdays at 7 pm Eastern Time
March 25, April 1, 8, 15, & 22
Details
This five-week Memoir Writing Course is designed for writers who are in the beginning or middle of a memoir project. It will help you focus on the most important aspects of crafting a memoir and manuscript. In the first week, we will hone in on your theme and purpose so you can identify the most important stories to share. In the following weeks, you will learn how to use vivid, honest details to introduce the people and places in your life onto the page. Finally, we will focus on structure. Learning to organize scenes and chapters well will help you sustain your reader’s interest from beginning to end. These classes will help you build strong writing habits and avoid common pitfalls. The journaling handbook (free with the course) will serve as a workbook throughout the five weeks. Many of the exercises will be explained in depth and practiced together in class. In addition, you will receive more resources, and there will be plenty of time for questions and discussions.
For more information: ​https://www.storyspringwriting.com/memoir-writing​
Find the right package for you!

Course with handbook: $150
Course with coaching: $249
Scholarships are available.

Contact with questions: Rehema@StorySpringWriting.com or Rehema.Clarken@Outlook.com

Sara Maurer to feature "A Good Animal" at Hessel School House
2026-03-28 | Hessel School House, 3206 W. Cedar Road, Hesssel, MI, 49745, United States
Sara Maurer to feature “A Good Animal” at Hessel School House for a book reading and signing event at Hessel School House on March 28, 2026 (time to be announced later)
See https://hesselschoolhouse.org/ for details

U.P. History Book Club with Schoolcraft's Indian Legends and Ojibwa Narratives of Charles and Charlotte Kawbawgam and Jacques Lepique, 1893-1895
2026-04-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St, Marquette, MI, 49855, United States
Schoolcraft’s Indian Legends ed. by Mentor L. Williams and/or Ojibwa Narratives of Charles and Charlotte Kawbawgam and Jacques Lepique, 1893-1895 ed. by Homer Kidder

Bards of Northern Michigan: Live Poetry Reading
2026-04-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Charlevoix Public Library, 220 West Clinton St, Charlevoix, MI, 49720, United States
Charlevoix Public Library
For more information, please feel free to contact the Charlevoix Public Library at 231-237-7340 or email us at reference@charlevoixlibrary.org and visit our website at www.charlevoixlibrary.org.
Celebrate National Poetry Month April 1 – 30, 2026

Join us for one of our programs to celebrate National Poetry Month. Our afternoon workshop instructor and emcee for our evening event is author John Mauk. His stories have appeared in a range of publications. He has two full story collections, Field Notes for the Earthbound and Where All Things Flatten. He has also published several textbooks and essays. He hosts Prose from the Underground, a free YouTube video series for working writers.
Poetry Across Genres: Why Writers of All Stripes Should Keep Poets Close
Tuesday, April 21 • 2:00 pm • Registration Required
Community Room
In this workshop, author John Mauk will focus on a crucial poetic element: the unstated or what is sometimes called subtext. We’ll explore the power of ideas that lurk just below the linguistic surface and try some strategies for intensifying that delicate dimension of both prose and poetry. The first twenty people to register will receive a free copy of his latest book, Where All Things Flatten.
Bards of Northern Michigan: Live Poetry Reading
Tuesday, April 21 • 6:00 pm
Community Room (No Registration Required)
Join us for our third annual event celebrating the spoken word. Our emcee and keynote, author John Mauk, will be speaking on “The Poetry of Fiction, Memoir, Essay, and Everything Else.” He will share a few of his favorite poems and explain why all writers should make poems part of their daily study. Some of our talented regional poets will read from their published works. We will have light refreshments to enjoy. All poets will be available to chat, sell, and sign books.

Spring Pre-Conference Events
2026-05-15 13:00 - 21:00
There are several Pre-Conference Events that members can participate in on May 15, 2026
Each of these is an optional “add-on” to your basic free membership for the Spring Conference on May 16, 2026

Pre-Conference Workshops (attendance is limited!)

Developing Your Poetic Voice, with Kathleen Carlton Johnson (2:00 pm to 5:00 pm)
Create Your Writing Mini-Trail Guide, with Julie Covert (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm)
Know Your Writing-Style Color and Make It Help You Write Better with Julie Covert (4:15 pm to 5:15 pm)

Friday Night Live – Pre-Conference Networking & Social Mixer, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Spring Conference 2026
2026-05-16 09:00 - 16:00 | Peter White Public Library, 217 N Front St, Marquette, MI, 49855, United States
UPPAA members can attend Spring Conference 2026 for free!
