Laurel Osterkamp to Read from "Favorite Daughters" on September 8th

On the second Thursday of each month, the North Suburban Center for the Arts in Fridley, Minnesota invites two authors to read a selection of their recent work as part of its ongoing Reading Series. On Thursday, September 8th, beginning at 6:40 p.m., Minneapolis author Laurel Osterkamp will be reading from her latest release there.

Favorite Daughters, which was just released by Black Rose Writing in August 2022, is about three women who became friends while attending Columbia University, and as adults find themselves in competition to be a heartbeat away from the White House. The story begins with Aubrey Adam Drake and her friend, Marina Hunt, discussing a plan to take town a professor at the college who has sexually harrassed several students. When the protagonist, Elyse Gibbons, and student body president Finneas Beck come upon them, they get pulled into the plot.

Gibbons is a journalism student, and excited by the chance to tell the story of her young career. Never in a million years did she expect to be talking to, much less working with campus royalty. Drake is the granddaughter of the 42nd President of the United States, and Hunt is a reality TV star. As the story progresses, the unlikely friends graduate from college. Elyse moves away from journalism and enters the world of politics herself. Just when she thinks she is making progress in both her career and personal life, however, another scandal strikes, and this one hits close to home.

Also participating in the reading event is Stanley Kusunoki, the author of three collections of poetry; 180 Days, Reflections and Observations of a Teacher, Items in the News, both published by North Star Press of St. Cloud, and Shelter in Place—Poems in a Time of COVID-19, (Polaris Press, an imprint of North Star Press).

He has taught creative writing to young people through programs at The Loft, Asian American Renaissance, Intermedia Arts, and S.A.S.E., The Write Place. He was the recipient of a Loft "Asian Inroads" mentorship, and was awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Cultural Collaboration grant to create, write and perform "Beringia-The Land Bridge Project" with Ojibwe performance poet Jamison Mahto at Intermedia Arts. He is the co-host/curator of the Literary Bridges reading series at Next Chapter Booksellers in St. Paul.

Kusunoki most recently was the High Potential Coordinator at Red Oak Elementary School in Shakopee. He lives in St. Paul with his wife, Claudia Daly.

Learn more about the event here. Laurel Osterkamp's author website is Laurellit.com.