J. Ryan Stradal reads from his acclaimed new novel The Lager Queen of Minnesota, and is joined by stellar writers Susan Straight and Lou Mathews, and singer-songwriter Darryl Holter.

Born and raised in Minnesota, J. Ryan Stradal now lives in Los Angeles, where he is a contributing editor at TASTE, advisory board member at 826LA, and co-producer & host of the literary/culinary series Hot Dish.

Susan Straight was born in Riverside and still lives there with her family. She has published seven novels and one middle-grade reader. Highwire Moon was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2001; A Million Nightingales was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in 2006. Her short stories have appeared in Zoetrope, The Ontario Review, The Oxford American, The Sun, Black Clock, and other magazines.

Lou Mathews is an American writer, novelist, journalist, playwright and short story writer based in Los Angeles. He was born in Glendale, California, earned his B.A. degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1973, and his M.F.A. from Vermont College in 1987. His stories have been published in ZZZYVYA, New England Review, Tin House, Black Clock, and ten fiction anthologies including the 2016 California Prose Directory. A novelist (LA Breakdown) and journalist, he has received a Pushcart Prize, a Katherine Anne Porter Prize, and an NEA Fiction Fellowship.

Darryl Holter is a historian, entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, and co-owner of the oldest indie bookstore in Los Angeles. His latest book is Woody Guthrie in LA, 1937-1941 (Angel City Press) and most recent album is Roots and Branches (213 Music, BMI). He was born in Minneapolis.