The Twin Cities felt like the center of the literary universe earlier this week when two high-profile authors with Minnesota connections headlined events drawing hordes of book lovers. Norwegian author Per Petterson, whose publisher, Graywolf, is headquartered in Minneapolis, was the headliner before an audience of more than 700 at that city’s Guthrie Theatre Monday evening, followed 24 hours later by Jonathan Franzen--whose parents grew up in Minnesota--kicking off the 11th season of the Talking Volumes regional book club series before a sold-out audience of more than 1,000 at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul.

The two events were more than a celebration of the written word: both were multimedia experiences that also provided audiences on both sides of the Mississippi River with provocative glimpses into two authors’ psyches – including Franzen’s response to his recent release, Freedom having been selected four days previously as Oprah Winfrey’s next book club read.

As a violinist and a guitarist on stage provided plaintive and atmospheric background music throughout, Graywolf publisher Fiona McCrae conducted a Q&A with Petterson, the author of six novels, including the International 2007 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award-winner Out Stealing Horses, and his newest, I Curse the River of Time.

The conversation between McCrae and Petterson focused upon his writing process, creative vision, and the importance of paying attention to one’s life so as to “not get lost.” Petterson explained that he does not map out his work beforehand: the plot of each novel slowly unfolds for him with each sentence, though Out Stealing Horses was inspired by a story his father once told him and I Curse the River of Time by his mother’s experiences during World War II. And despite Petterson not considering themes or metaphors while he writes, but rather focusing on channeling his characters, he explained that he makes few revisions after completing first drafts.

While a professional actor, Terry Hempleman, performed dramatic readings from Out Stealing Horses and from I Curse the River of Time, the highlight for many in attendance was Petterson wrapping up the evening by taking a turn reading excerpts from I Curse the River of Time both in Norwegian and in English.

Following a set of indie rock songs by two young local musicians, Franzen and Minnesota Public Radio host Kerri Miller came on stage Tuesday evening for a wide-ranging hour-long Q&A, that, at times, seemed more like a public therapy session, an oppprtunity for the author to vent about his parents’ peculiarities, explore his feeelings towards his characters, discuss his recurring dreams about his father and even to express his existential angst.

Franzen addressed the firestorm that erupted in 2001 after he’d voiced concerns when his novel, The Corrections, was selected for Winfrey’s book club. Winfrey ended up disinviting Franzen from appearing on her show that fall, though he told Miller, he’d already done the “hard part,” by “shooting b-roll footage.”

And, he insisted, he wasn’t the only author selected by Winfrey who’d harbored reservations about the process, which, at the time, included book covers being re-designed by publishers to include the book club logo. Now, he explained, with obvious approval, peel-off stickers are simply added to the covers, a change for which he refused to accept responsibility.

“I don’t hate that woman,” Franzen insisted, “She’s done some great things for books.”

Describing the incident as “one of the lies being peddled in 2001 for political gain,” Franzen explained that his comments about Oprah’s book club were taken out of context by those who were “looking for liberal elitists” to vilify in the wake of 9/11.

Franzen related that earlier this year, he’d sent Oprah a galley copy of Freedom with a note, though he declined to disclose the contents of that note. Confessing that he’d been unhappy with how events had transpired in 2001, Franzen explained that he’d wanted another opportunity to “go through with it and have it turn out okay.” During a brief exchange with PW earlier Tuesday, Franzen disclosed that he’s not yet scheduled the first sit-down interview with Oprah, and that the show featuring a discussion of Freedom is scheduled to air in late October or early November.

While, due to their travel schedules, Petterson and Franzen were not able to attend each other’s events, the two authors did briefly cross paths Tuesday afternoon, at Magers & Quinn bookstore in Minneapolis. Franzen, Petterson, and Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story, who was scheduled to read that evening at Magers & Quinn, spent 15 minutes together, sitting at a single table, signing inventory for the store and for the lucky customers who happened to be in the right place at the right time.