All Across the Plains: Creative Writing
By Twyla Hansen
The presenter, a published author, will read selections from her and others’ poetry and discuss how the landscape of the Great Plains has inspired, influenced and shaped her writing. She follows in the footsteps of earlier Great Plains writers, using their sense of place toward a greater understanding of truth that transcends the individual. This presentation may also be requested to include audience participation with short creative writing exercises. It is suitable for ages middle school through adult.

Feathers and Verses
By William A. Clemente
This program is an exciting multi-media, multi-disciplined program specifically created to incite the imagination and enhance the writing skills of children, especially (but not limited to) 4th to 6th graders. This program combines slides and discussion of common Nebraska backyard birds, their songs, photographs and coloring-book pictures with a variety of creative-writing exercises.

Ghosts, Goblins and Ghouls!
By Dorothy Rieke
This discussion about what makes a story scary includes plenty of terrifying examples. There are age-appropriate stories to thrill and chill any audience.

Hell on Women and Horses
By Lyn Messersmith
Lyn Messersmith's poetry mixes with historical and cultural insight to form a program that is personal as well as collective. Messersmith's views on the landscape and loneliness, as well as the joyful and humorous events that spark ranch life, lead the audience on a journey that follows the quest of Western women for identity, spirituality and a sense of place. 

The Journey of Spoken Word

By Wordsmiths

The Wordsmiths present the history and nuances of Spoken Word, that part of the Great African Oral Tradition by which familial stories, history, traditions, morals and values, hopes and dreams, pain and tragedy are all relayed through cleverly woven poems and stories. It is the dramatic delivery of the soul through clever wordplay, tonal semantics, metaphor, odd syntax and characterization. It has grown, expanded and evolved. It is powerful, as words often are—when delivered with fervor, soul and spirit of African American people.

The Music of Poetry/The Poetry of Music

By John Walker and William Kloefkorn

Music and poetry are separate genres, yes; but they nonetheless have a lot in common. Song lyrics often invite thought; poetry often sings. John Walker (acoustic guitar) and Bill Kloefkorn (acoustic baritone) have put these genres together to illustrate how closely related they can be. John and Bill write their own songs and poems. It's an enlightening experience - or so they say. And it's fun.

Nebraska Folklore, Folk-lies and Fakelore
By Winfield Delle
In this presentation a variety of visuals are used to illustrate a wide range of popular Nebraska folklore and show how folklore has been utilized for people's benefit—and sometimes to their detriment. Included are stories and songs about weather, fertility, animals and people, as well as a 19th-century stock scandal that began as a rumor and grew to monstrous proportions.

Playing Around With Words: Reading, Writing and the Creative Process
By Twyla Hansen, Karen Gettert Shoemaker and Kelly Madigan Erlandson
This presentation focuses on the process of writing creatively, including poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Using both readings and writing exercises, the presenters invite interaction and participation by the audience in ways that generate multiple possibilities. This program is available with one or more writers. For ages middle school to adult.