Author Jim Reese will be presenting on his new book, Coming to a Neighborhood Near You: Repercussions of Crime and Punishment. In the long search to process his grief over the murder of a teenage friend by a fellow classmate, Reese became entangled in prisons—both physically and psychologically. Coming to a Neighborhood Near You is the result: a deeply personal and unflinching exploration of crime, trauma, and the American justice system. Book sales and signings will follow the author talk.

On Tuesday, November 4, at 6:30pm, Reese will return to lead a workshop on Writing for Wellness. He emphasizes the importance for victims, secondary victims, families, and communities to speak and write about the repercussions of crime. Writing for Wellness is essential for maintaining well-being and is a proactive approach for first responders, medical practitioners, high-performers, and anyone interested in the greater good.

Both programs will be held at the Norfolk Public Library. No registration is required. The programs are for an adult audience.

Jim Reese is an associate professor of English and director of the Great Plains Writers’ Tour at Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota. He spent fourteen years in residency for the National Endowment for the Arts’ interagency initiative with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he established Yankton Federal Prison Camp’s first creative writing and publishing workshop. He is the author of eight books, including the nonfiction collection Bone Chalk, and has received several awards for his writing and public service.