Mankato — Twin Rivers Council for the Arts will welcome award-winning journalist and author Laurie Hertzel as the featured guest for its next Writers Series event on Tuesday, August 18, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Shared Spaces at Emy Frentz, 523 S. Second Street in Mankato.

Hertzel brings more than four decades of experience as a journalist, editor, memoirist and literary critic. Throughout her distinguished career, she has served as a columnist, reporter, feature writer, editor of special projects and magazine editor. She spent 15 years as Books Editor for the Star Tribune, where she became one of the region’s most respected voices in literature and publishing.

Her writing has earned numerous honors, including the Minnesota Book Award for her memoir News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist and the prestigious Kerlan Award, presented annually by the University of Minnesota in recognition of outstanding contributions to children’s literature. Hertzel has also received fellowships from Duke University and the James Thurber House, along with national awards from the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors and the Society for Features Journalism.

During the evening, Hertzel will discuss her newest memoir, Ghosts of Fourth Street, published this spring by the University of Minnesota Press, while sharing stories from a career that has taken her from reporting in the former Soviet Union and Cuba to reviewing books for the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and numerous other publications.

“Laurie Hertzel has spent a lifetime celebrating stories and the people who tell them,” said  Kaaren Grabianowski, Twin Rivers Executive Director. “We’re excited to welcome an author whose career has shaped journalism and literature throughout Minnesota and beyond. This promises to be an engaging evening for readers, writers and anyone who appreciates the power of storytelling.”

The Writers Series connects audiences with accomplished authors from across the region while fostering meaningful conversations about literature, creativity and the writing process.

The event is open to the public. Additional information is available at www.twinriversarts.org/writers-series or www.lauriehertzel.net.

The 2026 Twin Rivers Writers Series and this event are generously underwritten by the Bryan and Tami Paulsen Charitable Fund and the Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation.

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About Twin Rivers Council for the Arts

Twin Rivers Council for the Arts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through the arts by supporting artists, fostering creative connections and developing programs that enhance the cultural vitality of Greater Mankato and southern Minnesota. Through initiatives including CityArt Mankato, Twin Rivers Writers Series, Creative Connections, public art projects, exhibitions and educational programming, Twin Rivers works to make the arts accessible and meaningful for everyone.