FREYA MANFRED: Poet introduces her first children’s book, “Fumious Rex: The Outcast Cat,” with her sons Bly and Rowan Pope, professional artists who illustrated the story of a different-looking cat’s adventures. 2 p.m. Saturday, Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul. Courtesy of Third State Books MARLENE M. JOHNSON: Minnesota’s first female lieutenant governor discusses “Rise to the Challenge: Memoir of Politics, Leadership, and Love” in conversation with former Minnesota state Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls. MINDS ON FIRE LIVE: Conduit journal presents readers Claire Wahmanholm, LM Brimmer and Haley Lasche. Free. 7 p.m. Wednesday, The White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul. PALLAVI SHARMA DIXIT: Minnesotan reads from her novel “Edison,” about young immigrant men from India making their way in the United States by living together and working at low-paying jobs in the real-life city of Edison, N.J., home to the nation’s largest community of Indians, and one man’s love of a woman through the years, In Friends of the St. Paul Public Library’s Fireside Readings series. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Rondo Community Library, 461 N. Dale St., St. Paul.  In-person or Zoom. Go to thefriends.org. THREE POETS: Margaret Hasse (“Belongings: New & Selected Poems”), Jim Lenfestey (“Time Remaining”) and JP White (“Rough Sea”) read from their newest work. 6 p.m. Wednesday, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. What else is going on John Camp (Courtesy of the author) Congratulations to former Minnesotan John Camp, who writes the bestselling Prey series as John Sandford, for being named a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, the highest award in the crime/mystery genre. He shares the 2025 award with equally popular writer Laura Lippman. Camp, a former St. Paul Pioneer Press writer and Pulitzer Prize winner, is the author of 35 books in the Prey series featuring Lucas Davenport, Virgil Flowers and Letty Davenport. He and his wife, Michelle Cook, also a former Pioneer Press reporter, have written three young adult novels together and live in Santa Fe, N.M.  The awards will be presented May 1 at the 79th annual Edgar Awards ceremony in New York City. Related Articles Books | Readers and writers: Crime, paranormal romance, a revenge tale and more Books | 2025 Minnesota Book Awards finalists announced Books | Book Review: Kyle Paoletta’s ‘American Oasis’ offers lessons for a hotter, drier world Books | Literary calendar for week of Jan. 19 Books | Readers and writers: Books to reflect on and celebrate aging