I am forwarding a lovely article the Monticello Times wrote up.

https://www.hometownsource.com/monticello_times/historically-speaking-opera-house-brought-entertainment-to-town/article_94808ecc-a9b9-11ee-afc9-37c398056f5b.html

Today, at Rejoice Lutheran Church of Clearwater as I started to present, the Internet went down.   I am posting a video of what you missed.   No sound, sorry, but pictures are included of historic Clearwater and a hat style show.

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Thank you so much, J’s Junction, for sharing the picture again. The desk and my books signify so much for me. In 3rd grade, during a Social Studies lesson, in Mrs. Oatman’s class at Clearwater Elementary School (or was it Clearwater Public School? Someone from Clearwater, let us know), I was inspired to become a teacher, writer, and journalist.

During a Social Studies lesson, our class opened brand-new textbooks with audio-visual aids for the teacher. I’ll never forget reading and watching a film on children/students worldwide learning to read, write, and learn about other people doing all sorts of work to make a living.

As I sat at that wooden desk, remarkably similar to the one below, the world of opportunities first opened to me. One British scene showed women teaching young children. Another showed a woman reporter, donning a hat that read “PRESS.” And because I was also reading one of my favorite authors, Laura Ingalls Wilder, I knew I wanted to write like her.

It was years before I realized it all came together for this once-country girl. First came marriage, then the baby carriage, followed by teaching high school English–literature and composition, journalism, and advising the school newspaper. I finally rounded out my career by accepting an English position teaching college transferrable classes.

All along, I had seriously taken up pen and finally laptop to complete what I had imagined when I was 8 or 9. I’ve written poetry, essays, histories, and now, I am on year 9, working on my Minnesota Main Street Women’s series, gladly, excitedly, and proudly promoting the latest book, “Where Two Rivers Meet.”

The trilogy focuses on one real woman per novel who lived in Clearwater, had a vision for her life, and faced challenges but always led by example to help others, men and women, make the most of those challenges they faced.

As I’ve said many times before, the women and most of the characters are true, and I’ve researched much about the history of the times, read many of the old newspapers that mention my protagonists and others in the area. Most details are true–but may not have happened exactly as written and may not have happened to a certain individual. As a fiction writer, I can do that.

Abigail Robinson Camp Porter fills the position of protagonist in “Where Two Rivers Meet,” a prequel to the other two novels in the Minnesota Main Street Women series. She, too, takes charge of her life after she is given an opportunity to make a change. She encounters many obstacles, and yes, even a giant or two or three. (Please email me if you have questions about this. My research proves this phenomenon.) Her position in the community broadens and deepens as she is honored as the First Woman of Clearwater.https://author.amazon.com/books

I had nearly forgotten that childhood dream of becoming a teacher, journalist, and writer, until I looked back down the path I’d walked. I really don’t know how it all happened—but I bet you have a similar story to tell.

Finally, the school desk is a hint toward my next woman protagonist. She was a contemporary of Jennie Phillips and Maude Porter. She, (bet you figured it out) became a teacher. Oh, the history she had before she was born and the history she made afterwards! I’ll keep you informed as I go along.

My August is packed with busy, exciting events.
Aug 3– Clearwater Heritage Days 10-2 https://www.facebook.com/events/498211524260628/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22bookmark_search%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D
Aug 10–Hackensack Art and Book Festival 9-3 https://www.northwoodsartscouncil.org/ (look at the advertising they’ve done for this event.)
Aug 15–Clearwater Rejoice Lutheran Church 11-2 Young @ Heart
Aug 17–Buffalo Chamber Arts and Crafts Festival 9-3:30 https://www.buffalochamber.org/event/arts-craft-festival (Son and artist Todd Stupnik is joining me ).
Aug 25–Millstream Arts Festival 11-5 https://www.millstreamartsfestival.org/

Soon, (THURSDAY, July 18, 2024) I’ll be setting up at the Munsinger/Clemens Gardens – for its yearly Art Fair in the Gardens. Such beautiful flowers, trees, shrubs, and many different water features are set up by the slow-moving Mississippi River, flowing south to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisianna.

I was raised near Old Man River. It has my heart and soul and is part of every book I’ve written except for “Steppes to Neu-Odessa,” about the first German Russians to come to the Midwest and settle in Yankton County, Dakota Territory. My second book was a college work, “Postcards from the Old Man,” a sort of memoir of living on Warner Lake and near the great river that I realized while I was away from my water routes, I still felt the Mississippi flowing in my veins. But I chuckle at others who read the title and snicker, thinking I am referring to my father–or worse–frown as I assume they think the title is showing disrespect to him. Of course, it isn’t. It’s more of a coming-of-age story.

“All Around Clearwater” and the Minnesota Main Street Women series, “Scruples & Drams, “Pins & Needles,” and my latest, hot off the press, “Where Two Rivers Meet,” exhibit the strength, courage, and wisdom each of my protagonists feels as they rely on the infamous river’s power to help them make life-changing decisions.

Daughter of the Middle Border – Cynthia Frank-Stupnik (cynthiafrankstupnik.com)

Don’t forget, July 18, 2024, Munsinger-The Munsinger/Clemens Gardens – The Jewel of St. Cloud, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  1515 Riverside Dr SE, Saint Cloud, MN 56304

I’ll leave you with this wonderful song from “Showboat,” “Ol’ Man River” https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=old%20man%20river%20videos&FORM=VDQVAP&mid=A6DE485C76DA5D8E30E3A6DE485C76DA5D8E30E3&view=detail&ru=%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dold%20man%20river&rvsmid=E4277E4DB06BEF6014C7E4277E4DB06BEF6014C7&ajaxhist=0

I wonder if you have enjoyed the spring like I have.  The weather, despite some rain–we needed it–has been so lovely.  I haven’t been writing much, but I’ve been doing lots of research–my happy and safe zone.  I feel so snug looking up information and reading manuscripts.   Of course, for 6 weeks, I was healing from fractured ribs, and sitting cozily and happily in my Lazy-boy.  Now, I begin the selling of my wares. My first event is this Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Sartell Community Center, hosted by Epic Events.  Doors open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 p.m.  Along with my other novels and histories, I’ll be presenting for the first time the third in my Minnesota Main Street Women’s series, Where Two Rivers Meet. which joins my other two novels, and to become a trilogy.  I’ve also written , , and .

Here is the event information: Cindy Stupnik – I’ll be set up, selling, and signing my books this… | Facebook

I’ll keep you up to date as each event comes to the forefront.

HaPPY SPRING/SUMMER!

^{“A change of seasons begins in the heart.”} Cindy Stupnik

Changing is a constant if one is a writer. Change of topic, change of thought, change of address–even if it is only related to the thought process.

I said after I finished my last book, “Where Two Rivers Meet,” the third in my Minnesota Main Street Women’s series, I wanted to write some poetry and research my family again. I published my first book, “Steppes to Neu-Odessa,” back in 1996, as a love link to my dad, the late great Harold Frank, grandson of Germans who lived in Russia for a few generations before coming to America in the latter 19th century. I revised the first book and re-published it a few years later with updates my sister and I accessed via the Internet. Over the years and while delving into other writing projects, I kept wanting to get back to researching my dearly departed. In addition, I knew what I wanted to say about my fourth novel and who I wanted to write about. All of this takes research. It is what I love the most. For me, it is like taking a journey into lands I may or may not have previously traveled.

Change–when–researching my ancestry is difficult–my brain has not spread its wings so broadly for a long time. Keeping dates and people straight (How many ways can one spell John? Johan, Johann, Johannes–as if the name stood alone without adding on Christian, George or Peter, and sometimes, the only way to know you might be close to the right ancestor is by looking at birth, baptism, marriage, or death dates, if they exist) is not as easy as it used to be. My brain isn’t as elastic as it used to be.

But I love the search for the prize–a hint, or if I am really lucky a black and white picture of that person whose curly hair I might have inherited or a weirdly squeezed together toenail that resembles an avian phalange that hasn’t quite evolved into a human toe yet. (I also have weird thumbs. One deceased relative actually drew hers on her letter to me to see how we compared.)

I’ve taken my challenge to write a poem, need to pen more, and have started researching my next gal for the Minnesota Main Street Women series. Here I will travel back for a while to the east coast–specifically to Connecticut and Massachusetts before working in the Minnesota area in the 1920s, 30s, or ?????

As I said before, change!!!! My books are showing up in the nicest places. I know that Buffalo Books & Coffee in Buffalo, Minnesota, is selling them —because I dropped off a number of copies. I will do a reading, selling, and signing there sometime soon. I am signing another contract with Paramount Center for the Arts in St Cloud on St. Germain where the gift store has been carrying my books for a few years. Clear Water Outfitting, downtown Clearwater, Minnesota, is carrying “Around Clearwater.” In January, I was told by the Stowe Historical Society in Vermont that they asked the Bear Paw Bookstore to carry my books because my “Where Two Rivers Meet,” included many people who moved from Vermont to Minnesota. And NOW, J’s Junction in Becker, Minnesota, at 14087 Bank Street will be carrying my Minnesota Main Street Women series. In fact, next Thursday, May 2nd, from 3-5:30, I will be selling and signing at their event “Wine & Sign.” Come see me, buy books and anything else they have in their wonderful shop.

More changes….
I have a few new events I’ll be showing up at in order to “SELL & SIGN” throughout the summer and year. A couple events I have decided not to attend.

One new event is Saturday, May 18, in Sartell, MN, at the new community center–more to come on that. So, I ‘ll announce my events before they happen with dates and times before they happen.

I’ve included a short biography, a listing of my books available for sale, a summary of each book, and the price.   Please contact me if you’d like to buy one.   I can send you prices for the book, the shipping, taxes, and final cost.  cynthiafrankstupnik.com, cstupnik@outlook.com, and or through Facebook.  

Cynthia’s Book Bio

Locals around Clearwater will be able to read the paper copy of the lovely article Penny Leuthard wrote about my latest novel, Where Two Rivers Meet.  Many thanks, Penny.  I appreciate all the coverage the press has given me, from Annandale Advocate, Monticello Times, to Kelly Cordes from WJON, to The Patriot News article that was just released.https://patriotnewsmn.com/news/3rd-novel-about-historical-clearwater-woman-is-released

I also want to remind everyone that I’ll be speaking at the Civil War Roundtable at the Stearns History Museum.  https://www.stearnshistorymuseum.org/  The title of my presentation is (Oh, I know it is a mouthful!)  Minnesota Main Street Women: The Civil War and Dakota Conflict Through the Eyes of the Protagonists and Characters.  The directors assure me that the event is free and “guests are welcome.”  I will also have my books with me to sign and sell.

JUST A REMINDER: In 5 short days, I’ll be talking to the Civil War Roundtable at the Stearns History Museum. I think it starts at 3:30, but I’d make sure to be there a few minutes before. Also, the title of my presentation is “Cynthia Frank-Stupnik’s Main Street Women: The Civil War and Dakota Conflict Through the Eyes of her Protagonists and Characters.”

I know that is a mouthful. The event starts at 3:15 on Tues, February 13.

Hope to see a few of you there!

I am forwarding an article the Monticello Times wrote up:

https://www.hometownsource.com/monticello_times/historically-speaking-opera-house-brought-entertainment-to-town/article_94808ecc-a9b9-11ee-afc9-37c398056f5b.html