The Kelly Culhane essay competition, sponsored by Savage Press of Superior, Wis., is accepting entries through the end of January.

Culhane, the niece of publisher Mike Savage, died at age 41 of breast cancer, leaving behind a husband and two young children. Essays are limited to 1,200 words and should be focused on the topic "Upon Arrival of Illness: Coming to Terms With the Dark Companion." There is a $25 fee, with net proceeds to go to the American Cancer Society, Caring Bridge and other nonprofits.

Prizes include a week in a writing cottage in Ireland, a cruise on Lake Superior, an e-reader and publication. Details are at savpress.com/KellyCulhaneEssay.asp.

Meanwhile, the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing also carries a deadline of Jan. 31. Two prizes of $5,000 each will be given for works of fiction and nonfiction that were published between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2011. There is a $50 fee. Details are on the Stanford University website here: library.stanford.edu/saroyan.

Also ...

• "From Fields to Fairways: Classic Golf Clubs of Minnesota," by former St. Paul Pioneer Press reporter Rick Shefchik, will be published in April by the University of Minnesota Press.

• "Bloodrose," the last in the bestselling Nightshade trilogy by Minnesota writer Andrea Cremer, will be published this week. Cremer will launch the book at 7 p.m. Friday at the Red Balloon, 891 Grand Av., St. Paul. The first volume of the series, "Nightshade," made the New York Times bestseller list, and the second volume, "Wolfsbane," debuted at No. 5 on the list. Cremer teaches history at Macalester College in St. Paul.

• "Minnesota's Best Breweries and Brewpubs: Searching for the Perfect Pint," by Robin Shepard, has been published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

• "Overwatch," poems by Allen Gray, has been published by Gray Sparrow Press of St. Paul. Gray, a soldier and poet, lives in Texas. "Overwatch" is about war from a soldier's point of view.

• "Puck Heaven: Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament Trivia," by Jim Hoey, has been published by Nodin Press. Hoey is the author of "Minnesota Twins Trivia."

• McKenna, The American Girl's 2012 Girl of the Year doll, will be revealed today, with special events at the Mall of America store beginning at 10 a.m. The two books that accompany the doll were written by Ranier, Minn., author Mary Casanova. Casanova, who grew up in St. Paul, is the author of 26 books for children.