Loren Niemi began storytelling as a child fibber but soon decided that he was less interested in telling lies than in improving the truth. He is an innovative storyteller, creating, coaching, directing, performing, producing, teaching, and writing about stories that matter for audiences of all ages in urban and rural settings for over 40 years. He has participated in over 200 poetry and story slams since 1995 and has won 73 first, second, or third places and 2 grand slams, as well as being a member of the Minnesota team for the 1998 National Poetry Slam. He has also done 33 Fringe Festivals in eight cities as solo or ensemble storytelling performances since 1996. Howard Lieberman has been his performing partner for 17 of them, proving as Paul Burchill said in the LA Times: "These two are fascinating performers who manage to whip up a theatrical experience from little more than their mouths and imaginations." Loren published What Haunts Us (MoonFire Publishing), a collection of non-traditional ghost stories which won a 2020 Midwest Book Award for "Sci-Fi / Horror / Fantasy / Paranormal."
