By Laurie Hertzel

It opens with a charming and wise essay by Kate DiCamillo and closes with a thoughtful look back at the Loft's beginnings. In between, "Views From the Loft: A Portable Writer's Workshop" is packed with inspirational, useful and thought-provoking essays on the craft of writing by some of the best writers around.

Michael Dennis Browne writes about how important it is to infuse poetry with hard-won richness of meaning. Faith Sullivan interviews Lorna Landvik on persevering through rejection, with delightful results. ("I remember crying once, when an editor whose taste I admired rejected 'Patty Jane.' I cried, then I let it go and went on.")

Pete Hautman talks about why he writes for young adults, and Shannon Olson writes a hilarious tale about the glamour (not) of being on book tour. ("My escort was late picking me up, she explained, because there was a rattlesnake in her home that morning and she was afraid it would eat her cats.")

The book was published by Milkweed Editions and edited by Milkweed publisher Daniel Slager. It will be launched at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at Open Book, 1011 Washington Av. S., Mpls., with events following at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at Hamline University in St. Paul and at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Edina Library, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina.

Also ...

•Phyllis Root has a picture book coming out this fall, with illustrations by Betsy Bowen of Grand Marais, Minn. "Big Belching Bog" will be published in October by the University of Minnesota Press. The launch party will be at 2 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Av., St. Paul.

•The Schroeder Area Historical Society has published an illustrated history of Schroeder, Minn., edited by Barbara Smith Livdahl. Livdahl researched oral histories and old photographs and conducted personal interviews; the book includes Schroeder and Taconite Harbor, Sugar Loaf Point and other areas along the North Shore. It was published with the help of a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society and is available at the Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder.

•Kurtis Scaletta's new book for middle-school readers, "Mamba Point," is out this week with Alfred A. Knopf. The book is about a boy named Luke whose family moves to Liberia, where he has repeated encounters with the deadly black mamba snake. The book received a starred review in Kirkus and has been praised by the New York Times' Helene Cooper, who was born in Liberia. Scaletta will read and sign copies at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Red Balloon, 891 Grand Av., St. Paul, and at 2 p.m. July 31 at Wild Rumpus, 2720 W. 43rd St., Mpls.