Minnesota author to visit Worthington library on Monday
Mar. 15—WORTHINGTON — Mary Casanova, who has authored more than 40 books ranging from picture books for children to historical fiction for adult readers, will speak at the Nobles County Library in Worthington at 10 a.m. Monday.
A native of the Twin Cities, she and her husband reside on 60 acres near the Canadian border, near Minnesota's Rainy Lake and Voyageurs National Park. It's an area rich with wildlife — and inspiration — for her stories.
"A lot of my program is very nature-driven," shared Casanova via phone on Thursday. "Not only do we have some farm critters — horses and chickens — but we also have wolves visit our property and, on occasion, we witness a wolf."
Casanova will tailor her program to her audience during Monday's visit, and hopes to see homeschoolers and adults in attendance. Having worked with the book publishing industry for over 30 years, she said she can talk about writing tips and developing story ideas to speaking about her books and using puppets to tell a story.
"Sometimes I get grandparents that come and they enjoy some of the historical fiction that I talk about as well," Casanova said, adding that she will use a PowerPoint to help present her information.
"I keep it very visual," she said. "I was a restless reader as a young kid. I'm always presenting for the kid I used to be."
Casanova's repertoire of published books includes numerous picture books, chapter books, books for American Girl (some that have been turned into movies), and then books for young adult and adult readers.
Some of her most recently published picture books were illustrated by Nick Wroblewski, who creates intricate wood cut illustrations. The artwork can be found in her books, Wake Up, Island and Hush Hush, Forest.
She has penned mysteries and adventure novels for children, such as Dog Watch, set in a northern village, and Wolf Shadows, which puts readers in the middle of the north woods.
Casanova will visit the Worthington library as part of a tour through the Plum Creek Library System of libraries in southwest Minnesota.
"I'll be doing library and school visits, and expect to have a good time meeting people through that part of the state," she said. "I always love to see aspiring writers show up.
"I think my journey is one that can be inspiring — working against the odds of rejection and not giving up," she added.
Casanova will have several of her books available for purchase during her stop in Worthington, and will sign newly purchased copies, as well as books of hers that people have previously purchased.
For more information about Casanova and the books she's written, visit
