A monthly in-house reading series with new guests each month, beginning with social time at 5:30 pm followed by the reading/music from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Guests will include writers of all genres and (frequently) musicians.

Thursday, August 17 features fiction writer Bob Ross and poet Steve Berry.

Bob Ross was born in Brown County, Nebraska, living first on a small ranch south of Long Pine, then in the village of Johnstown, then in Ainsworth. He grew up in town, working on the ranch in the summer and on weekends; he graduated, went to the University in Lincoln to study engineering, and entered the Air Force five years later. On receiving a medical retirement (suspected MS, false alarm) he returned to the University to take English courses, determined to become a writer of literary fiction. Following this questionable decision, he enrolled in the University of Arizona’s MA writing program, where he acquired a toxic mentor and fell in with feckless companions, most of whom he met while in group therapy. During the next two summers he drove to Seattle and sat in on Nelson Bentley’s summer poetry workshop. Then he returned to the family ranch south of Long Pine, to write poetry and try to salvage his scattered wits. By luck, he found a publisher in Harry Duncan, and published Solitary Confinement with Abattoir Editions. He also published In the Kingdom of Grass, a book of essays and photographs in collaboration with photographer Margaret MacKichan. Ross and Miller taught in Mission, South Dakota, then in Pocatello, Idaho, and finally settled in San Antonio, Texas, while keeping a small piece of property in Brown County. Since he quit teaching (retirement is too dignified) Ross has published Billy Above the Roofs and Karla or The Weight Liftress, two books of linked stories set mostly in the town of Turtle Lodge. He continues to write fiction and poetry and has not lost hope of becoming an accepted member of the Plains Literati.

Steve Berry was raised in Onawa, Iowa, when young he did field work, and heavy construction for his father’s lumberyard. He prepped at New Mexico Military Institute and competed in varsity sports in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Texas. He attended Stanford, where he was active in debate, theater, and writers’ workshops.  He attended Writers Workshop in Iowa City before  beginning Infantry Officers courses at Fort Benning, Georgia. He also spent a year as a student at University of Paris, Sorbonne and attended Northwestern University school of law, where he received his J.D. degree. He applied for active duty, Vietnam and attended JAG School. He served as chief defense counsel for the largest general court martial jurisdiction in Vietnam, 80,000 troops.  He served temporary duty with several units, including 1st Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 199th Light Infantry Brigade, 5th Special Forces. He received the Bronze Star, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm Device, Vietnamese Medal of Honor, and other decorations. After his time in the service, he practiced with Rothblatt Law Firm in New York City, representing members of the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and other celebrities. When he moved to Lincoln, he founded Berry Law with offices in Lincoln, Omaha, and Council Bluffs. For several years he hosted a popular drive-time call in talk show on KLIN in Lincoln. When he resigned, Governor Ben Nelson made it John Stevens Berry Day statewide, Mayor Mike Johanns did the same for the city of Lincoln. His prose Vietnam memoir was Book of the Month, Military Book Club, and was required reading at the Judge Advocate General school. His book, The Twelfth Victim, was bought up by SHOWTIME. He has been married to the artist Margaret Berry for 51 years. They have 4 adult children and 9 grandchildren.