Meet Minneapolis author Jeannine Ouellette who will sign copies of her recent book The Part that Burns.

Named a "Best Indie Book of 2021" by Kirkus Reviews, The Part That Burns is a fiercely beautiful memoir. Caught between the landscapes of Lake Superior and Casper Mountain, between her stepfather’s groping and her mother’s erratic behavior, Ouellette lives for the day she can become a mother herself and create her own sheltering family. But she cannot know how the visceral reality of both birth and babies will pull her back into the body she long ago abandoned, revealing new layers of pain and desire, and forcing her to choose between her idealistic vision of perfect marriage and motherhood, and the birthright of her own awakening flesh, unruly and alive. The Part That Burns is a story about the tenacity of family roots, the formidable undertow of trauma, and the rebellious and persistent yearning of human beings for love from each other.

"Vital, full of energy and wisdom, Jeannine Ouellette’s memoir crackles with excitement. From the shores of Lake Superior to the mountains of Wyoming to the banks of the Mississippi River, this is a story of American migration — not just of families but of spirits." — Rene Denfeld, author of The Child Finder and The Butterfly Girl

Jeannine Ouellette teaches creative writing with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, and is the founder and director of Elephant Rock, an independent creative writing program in Minneapolis. She earned her MFA in fiction from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is working on her first novel.

Zenith Bookstore, Duluth, MN

Oct. 28th 11am-1pm