Quick Update on Poet Laureate readings and workshops in the next 30 days

May 18 2025 - Reading at Chateau Davell Boutique Winery with Bridey Thelen Heidel 

May 10 2025 - Wildflower Ridge hike and workshop 10-12 pm, Bear Yuba Land Trust, Grass Valley, Ca

• Join Bear Yuba Land Trust on a guided walk through the spring blooms at Wildflower Ridge Preserve. Poetry reading and interactive workshop with Karen Terrey and Ingrid Keriotis.

 May 2 2025 - Moments in Memoir/Time @ Truckee Library 10:30-noon 

April 27, 2025 - Reading at Artisan's Coffeehouse, Janesville, CA 4-6 pm

April 26 2025 - Poetry in the Parks reading at Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley, CA

• Join me with host Kirsten Casey, Poet Laureate Emerita of Nevada County, for our fourth annual Poetry in Parks event. Listen to poetry under the trees, on the grounds of the historic Empire Mine State Park, from 1:00 - 3:00 on Saturday, April 26th 

April 22 2025 - Wildflower Ridge Poetry Event, Bear Yuba Land Trust, Grass Valley, CA 5-6:30 pm

• Celebrate Earth Day with an interactive outdoor poetry reading featuring Nevada County Poet Laureate Karen Terrey and poet Ingrid Keriotis.

April 17 2025 - Reading at Mountain Music Parlor, Reno NV 6:30 pm

 

 

Monday Night Creative Writing Workshop series runs through May 12th 6:30-8 pm each Monday night in person and online 

 

 

Truckee Literary Crawl and Open Mic: our theme is protecting and admiring the night skies above Truckee

 

Get ready for an afternoon of storytelling, poetry, and creative expression. The Truckee Literary Crawl returns on April 5, featuring incredible writers across multiple venues in downtown Truckee. From fiction to memoir, poetry to children's books, don't miss this free community event celebrating the literary arts. 

 

Check out the full schedule and plan your day!

 

The day begins at:

1-1:50 p.m. Kickoff & Welcome 

Truckee Artist Lofts
Gallery Corner of 9848 Donner Pass Road Extension

 

This link contains a detailed list of over 45 literary artists reading and the various venues throughout downtown Truckee. Meet at 1 pm for the kick off!

 

The fabulous venues include: Gallery 5830, Alibi Ale House, Truckee Artist Lofts,  Craft & Logic Taproom, Piper J Gallery, Liberty Bell Capitol Theater, and Uncorked.

 

After an afternoon of readings, join us from 6-8 pm at Alibi Ale House for a community open mic. I'll be MC. Our theme, loosely interpreted, is The Dark Skies, in celebration of Truckee's project to protect its natural and beautiful night skies from light pollution and as a dark sky destination. 

 

The event is produced by Priya Hutner and Katherine Hill of the Tahoe Literary Festival and is sponsored by Nevada County Arts Council, Truckee Cultural District, Truckee Core Values Fund, The Seasoned Sage and Tahoe Guide.

 

 

 

Mountain Music Parlor and Reno's April poetry reading series team up for Thursday night readings

 

Thanks to Lindsay Wilson, the annual celebration of poetry during the month of April that had previously been hosted at Sundance Books continues with live readings. 

Mountain Music Parlor, Reno’s most unique Folk music house, is a new venue for this poetry reading series. This venue believes music is life changing, life revealing and worth experiencing on so many levels. Supporting musical journeys is what they exist for. Come check out this rich heritage filled with history, lore and melodies of America’s roots from the dusty Cowboy, nostalgic Old-time,  feisty Bluegrass, a bit of Blues, to the Avant-garde Folksy music of today. 

I love the fresh energy that is generated by mixing the sounds of poetry with this community of music. Join us every Thursday night in April at 6:30 pm! 

Details below:

Where:  Mountain Music Parlor, 735 South Center Street, Reno, NV

Dates:  Every Thursday in April – see list of poets below; April 3, 10, 17, 24

Time:  6:30pm – for about an hour

April 3 Michael Jones, Steve Gehrke, Gailmarie Pahmeier

April 10 Melanie Perish, Courtney Cliften, Joanne Mallari

April 17 Amy Smith, Karen Terrey, Kathy Nelson

April 24 Marina Leigh, Max Stone, Dani Putney

See you there : ) Kat

 

A new role for me: Poet Laureate of Nevada County!

 

Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, Karen Terrey was selected by a committee of literary and arts professionals, along with Nevada County Library staff. Her deep-rooted commitment to the region’s literary scene, her published works, and her vision for community engagement made her the ideal candidate. You can read the complete press release here.

 A poet laureate is someone chosen, by their communities, to represent a region. They actively engage and support others to develop a love of poetry and its potential, and inspire literary initiatives of meaning to residents.

The transition will be marked by two celebratory "Passing of the Laurels" events—one at each end of the county—honoring both outgoing Poet Laureate Kirsten Casey and welcoming Terrey into her new role.

 

“This is such an honor, especially following in the footsteps of Kirsten Casey,” shares Terrey. “I’m

excited to connect, spark, and catalyze the work and magic of poetry in our many communities. As an artist, being a literary citizen and fostering a sense of belonging is what drives me. My goal is to bring poetry’s power of voice and inspiration into daily life.

 

Tuesday, March 4 | 5:30 PM | Alibi Truckee

Featuring a conversation and poetry reading by Karen Terrey and Poet Laureate emerita Kirsten

Casey, followed by an open mic hosted by Terrey.

 

Saturday, March 29 | 6:30 PM | The Stone House, Nevada City

The Western Nevada County Passing of the Laurels Ceremony will serve as the culminating event of the Sierra Poetry Festival Pub Crawl, blending literary revelry with poetic inspiration.

Poets are active listeners, bearing witness to our deepest truths, shaping culture, reflecting humanity, and inspiring change.

Reflecting on the significance of the Poet Laureate role, Nick Wilczek, Nevada County Librarian,

shares:

 

"We are thrilled to celebrate our partnership with the Nevada County Arts Council and welcome

Karen Terrey as our new Poet Laureate. Poetry has the power to connect, inspire, and enrich our

community, and we look forward to the creativity and passion Karen brings to the position.”

 

 

 

Interview in GVNC Culture Connection Feb 2025

 

Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District's newsletter features the events, stories, and people of our community. You can read the full interview here. Below is an excerpt of my conversation:

GVNC: What do you love best about our creative community?

Terrey: I love how our creative community supports each other. In a gathering of artists, one can feel welcomed simply as they are. In some way Muriel Rukeyser captures this sense for me here: “this is your land, take this road into your own country.” 

GVNC: What are you most proud of?  

Terrey: I’m incredibly honored to be the next Poet Laureate of Nevada County. I’ve been reading, among other poets, Gwendolyn Brooks, as this is Black History Month. She wrote, “I am interested in telling my particular truth as I have seen it.” I am trying to speak my truth on the page and to live by a truth that makes other people’s lives better. This seems like a life-long practice. If I can bring the power of poetry to the lives of others here in Nevada County, in a manner that brings them closer to their own truths, I’ll feel good.

GVNC: What’s coming up for you?

Terrey: On March 4th at Alibi in Truckee is the Passing of the Laurels event, where Kirsten Casey and I will share some poems and have a conversation about the role of Poet Laureate. Immediately following is a community open mic for anyone who has a poem to share.

I’m also really looking forward to the Truckee Literary Crawl on April 5th and the Sierra Poetry Festival on April 12th!

 

 

Four Seasons in the Truckee Cultural District: a feature article in Muse Magazine

photo: Scott Thompson, Scott Shots Photography

If you have friends and family coming to visit Truckee this year, what can you tell them about the fun inspiring cultural events happening year-round? I tried to answer this question in this feature article in Muse Magazine, our county-wide guide to arts and culture. 

People are drawn to Truckee for our historic downtown, unique locally crafted artisan shops, beautiful mountain setting and funky vibe. Whether you are a longtime resident or visiting Truckee for the first time, there are many seasonal adventures awaiting. Here is an insider's guide. 

"Stroll the historic district and wander into Mountain Arts Collective, Gallery 5830 and Riverside Studios featuring local artisans. For the warmest view of the tree lighting, head upstairs to the rustic Truckee Tavern for craft cocktails. Gin lovers favor the Bee’s Knees.

For a quieter morning in nature, rent some cross country skis or snowshoes and find groomed and ungroomed trails winding through the forest and along the snowy beaches of Donner Memorial State Park. If you want more groomed trails, Tahoe Donner Cross Country spans more than 2,800 acres. The Adventure Center fire pits are a local favorite, lining the back porch and surrounded by Adirondack chairs.

You can warm up back in town at The Carriage House in the magical patio behind RMU. This is a gathering spot for locals to play board games inside or circle the fire pits under strings of lights outside. Sundays feature exceptional Bloody Marys. Order hearty meals at the bar such as sauteed Brussel sprouts with maple syrup or tomato soup with grilled cheese. 

Afterward, walk just a few storefronts down the street to Piper J Gallery, where you can find world-class mountain modern art in a quaint old-house setting."

You can read the insider's guide to cultural events in Spring, Summer and Fall here.

 

 

A shining expanse of stars over Truckee: the Dark Skies initiative and Muse Magazine

 I'm happy to share a featured story I wrote for Muse Magazine, Nevada County's art magazine. 

"Shining Light on Dark Skies Above Nevada County: A New Initiative"

When I lived in the Rocky Mountains high on the Western slope of Colorado, I was thirty years younger than I am now. Many nights I would venture out to walk for miles in the dark with my Border Collie beneath a shining expanse of stars. One could get dizzy looking up at the white froth of the milky way spilling out above. 

Now when I walk my dog at nighttime along the streets of Truckee, I look up to seek the Big Dipper, and in December, my birthday month, Orion’s bright belt hanging above our downtown lit up for the holidays. Occasionally, I’ll see a bear wandering beneath the stars alongside me. While time and geography create change in our lives, the night sky is a record of both familiar certainty and the vast unknown, of seasonal change and astronomical phenomena.

Why is our view of the night sky—stars and planets and moons—so moving? What is significant about access, nightly, to our relevance within this solar system, this galaxy? And what would we be missing if, when we walked in the quiet dark of our neighborhoods, we could view above only a pale unmarked screen reflecting back the electric lights of human development?

You can read the rest of the article here. Muse is a guide to local art and culture in Nevada County. Look for a copy of this glossy beautiful magazine in galleries, at the airport, and in theaters and many artsy venues around our county.