Lanesboro – Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Thomas Maltman

Join us for an engaging evening with Thomas Maltman and his newest novel, Ashes to Ashes, winner of the 2026 Minnesota Book Award for Novel/Short Story. Unfolding over the course of Lent, and against a background of rural ministry and ancient mythology, the novel tells the story of three teenagers in small town Minnesota, each dealing with their own personal trials. Maltman will be joined in conversation by fellow writer and Minnesota Book Award winner Mubanga Kalimamukwento, on what about Minnesota inspires authors, and in particular how Vikings, magical realism, and mysticism make for gripping storytelling. Following the discussion, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A session and have further informal conversation with the featured speakers. Light refreshments will be provided, copies of Ashes to Ashes will be available for purchase, and the evening will finish with a book signing.

Thomas Maltman’s first novel, The Night Birds, won an Alex Award, a Spur Award, and the Friends of American Writers Literary Award. In 2009, the American Library Association chose The Night Birds as an “Outstanding Book for the College Bound.” Little Wolves, his second novel, won the All Iowa Reads selection in 2014. His third novel, The Land, was published in 2020. In July of 2025, Soho Press published his fourth novel, Ashes to Ashes, which was the winner of the 2026 MN Book Awards for Novel/Short Story. He teaches at Normandale Community College and lives in the Twin Cities area with his wife, a Lutheran pastor, and his three daughters.

Mubanga Kalimamukwento was born in Lusaka, Zambia. Her creative work has appeared or is forthcoming in adda, Aster(ix), Contemporary Verse 2, Kweli, Overland, The Ex-Puritan, Menelique, on Netflix, and elsewhere, and her editorial work can be found or is forthcoming in Shenandoah, the Water~Stone Review, Doek! Literary Magazine, and Safundi. Her book, Obligations to the Wounded, was the winner of the 2025 Minnesota Book Awards for Novel/Short Story, amongst other honors. She founded Ubwali Literary Magazine and co-founded the Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing or editing, Mubanga serves as a Mentor at the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop. She is a PhD student in the Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at the University of Minnesota (Twin-Cities), where she is also an Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC) Scholar. Mubanga lives in Minnesota with her husband and their two children.

This event is part of the Minnesota Writers Off the Page series, bringing the inspirational voices of Minnesota’s authors directly to readers.

Registration

This event is free, however registration is required.

Registration Questions: registrations@mnhum.org

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