Lovers of libraries and books gather for Friends of the Willmar Library's Wisdom and Wine (2024)

WILLMAR — If there is one thing everyone in the grand ballroom of the Willmar Conference Center had in common on June 13, it was their love of books and libraries.

The sold-out crowd was on hand for the fourth annual Friends of the Willmar Library Wisdom and Wine fundraiser, which raises money for programming and collection development at the Willmar Public Library .

"You are helping your library become a better library," said Jeni Ritz, president of the Friends of the Willmar Library.

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Every year, in addition to the wine, cheese, desserts and silent auction, the group invites three authors to speak at the event. It is a chance for book lovers to hear from actual authors about how they became writers and the importance of literacy and libraries.

"To put on an event like this, and for such an important cause, is humbling," said Jess Lourey, one of the three authors invited to speak.

Lourey was joined by fellow authors J. Ryan Stradal and Cary Griffith. Griffith was a last-minute addition to the program after Mona Susan Powers was unable to attend due to illness.

"Luckily, due to a website and a cellphone for an author who answered his phone, we are lucky and excited to have Cary Griffith as one of the authors," said Gwen Krebsbach, the master of ceremonies for the event.

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Lourey is an award-winning author of young adult, magical realism, crime fiction, nonfiction and children's books, and has sold more than 1 million books. She is also a retired writing and sociology professor.

She grew up in Paynesville and her first job was at the Spicer Dairy Queen. Today, she lives in Minneapolis.

Stradal grew up in Minnesota but now lives in Los Angeles, where he has worked on some of the biggest reality television shows including "The Bachelorette," "Deadliest Catch" and "Storage Wars."

He wrote his first book in 2015, and his latest novel was released in April 2023. He is the winner of several book awards.

Currently, Stradal is the Writer in Residence on the podcast "The Book Case" produced by ABC Studios.

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Griffith, too, is an award-winning author. He grew up in Iowa and now lives in Minnesota.

He writes both fiction and nonfiction books, which usually take place in or deal with themes relating to wild places. He has written eight different books, including his most recent publications — "Gunflint Falling" and "Dead Catch."

All three of the authors spoke of their love for books and the inspiration they gained from them as children and adults.

Lourey remembered bookshelves built by her father in her childhood home filled with books purchased from garage sales.

Stradal recalled his mother reading her college English assignments to him and his sibling while she juggled being a student, mother and wife all at once.

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"I don't think anything made a bigger impact on my life than her decision to do that," Stradal said.

In addition to their families, the authors were inspired by their schools and libraries. Stradal still remembers the books his elementary teachers and librarians shared with him, not to mention the validation they gave when he started writing as a child.

Each of the authors is a huge supporter of libraries, librarians and the work they do.

"I love libraries," Griffith said. "I've always loved libraries. Libraries do the communities they serve an inestimable service."

The journeys the authors took when writing their books, whether it was the first or most recent, illustrated how personal and emotional writing can be.

"From a very young age I realized books are important, stories matter," Lourey said.

Stradal said he dreamed of writing a book since he was a kid, not only because he loved to read and write himself, but because he believed it would make his mother proud of him.

She dreamed of writing a book, but sadly would never get the opportunity. She died of cancer at the age of 55.

When Stradal published his first book, "Kitchens of the Great Midwest," he did it in honor of his mother. Family has played a role in his other books as well, through the characters that are featured.

Writing also gave Stradal the chance to finally grieve his mother's passing, something he said he didn't do at first.

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"This is for you, Mom," Stradal said. "I am going to write this book to keep you alive."

Writing also helped Lourey get through a traumatic time in her life. In 2001, her husband committed suicide and at the same time, she was two months pregnant.

In the emergency room at a time when she thought she was going to lose the baby, a doctor made her promise two things: to start talking to a therapist and to begin writing. She kept those promises.

"The poison goes out or it goes in," Lourey said. "You need it to go out."

Her son survived and is in his early 20s. And instead of starting a journal, Lourey began writing what would become her first published book, "May Day."

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"It was the first time I realized the power of story. It was the first time I realized stories connect us, they heal us, they show us paths out of terrible things, they show us how to walk out of those together," Lourey said.

Stories are also a great way to show the good in people and how they can band together in times of hardship.

In his book "Gunflint Falling," which is about the horrible wind storm that blew through the Gunflint Trail in 1999, Griffith tells the stories of several parties who were trapped in the Boundary Waters during and after the storm.

"In all of the stories I tell, people really rose to the occasion," Griffith said. "Like I think we all do."

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Organizations like Friends of the Willmar Library, along with bibliophiles of all sorts, play a major role in making sure stories continue their important work. That support was on full display at the conference center.

"That is what you are here supporting. You are here supporting stories, you are supporting librarians who make sure we all have access, no matter our background, regardless of our financial state," Lourey said. "We all have access to the stories that are so important to our lives."