PGCMLS Local Authors Expo Highlights

Last weekend's Local Author Expo event sponsored by the Prince Goerge's County Memorial Library System offered too much bookish goodness to list it all, but here's a sampling...

[collage of 7 images; 3 on the right & left and 1 down the center: Lofty Stories author Jamila Romero standing behind her display table, Prince George's County Memorial Library System Local Author Expo 2024 poster, Accountability in the Classroom Author Renee Carr next to her daughter behind their table, Fueled from the Heart: a collection of inspirational poems author Samuel R. Jackson holding a copy of his book while standing behind his table, Positive Vibes Kids author Preston Mitchum, Jr. holding one of his books while standing behind his table, Unseen Victories author Juliet Agocha holding 2 of her books while standing behind her table, I Love My People author Kim Singleton holding her book while standing in front of her table]

[collage of 5 images: Digital Assassins author Danielle Spencer seated behind her display table while talking to a reader, The Witching Hour author Jordan Owens standing behind his table, An Angel A Book A Secret spiritual memoir author Pauline Pilote Eby seated behind her table, A Fire at Romanticon author H.L. Brooks seated behind her table while chatting with a reader, Quarter Moon author Preston Ford and Glacial author Chelsea Henderson seated behind their adjacent tables while talking to readers]

H.L. Brooks and I are friends so after the expo we headed to her home for pizza, chocolate cake, and a charming Christmas movie while her husband was at work!

And because I have absolutely no self-restraint when it comes to browsing books at the library, the four on-hold books for me turned into my bringing home many, many more. Gift buying is complete, but not holiday baking. And I have no regrets (even though we haven't bought our tree yet and have barely decorated).

[a collage of 4 images: a supreme pizza in its box, a "New Books" sign next to a horizontal stack of 4 books - The Associated Press Stylebook, Pony Confidential, Foes Friends & Lovers, The Meriwell Legacy - supporting a vertical arrangement of 6 books - Wish I Were Here, If I Stopped Haunting You, Hot Earl Summer, Miranda in Retrograde, What Does It Feel Like?, Mr. Nice Spy; a horizontal stack of 9 books - A Real Body Manual, Fat Girls Dance, Murder in Berkley Square, Authentically Izzy, Deja Brew, My Vampire Plus-One, Karaoke Queen, Bad Seed; title screenshot of "This is CHristmas" official trailer from Sky Cinema]

Whether your winter holiday is Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Fatemiyeh, Festivus, something else or you're an abstainer/non-observant, my hope is that this season brings you more peace of mind, good health, and joy.

Comments

Hot Love in the Kitchen & Travelling Through Time

Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce contemporary romance Love Snacks Publishing 8 January 2019 Despite addressing heavy themes of domestic violence, incarceration, and grief, Redemption of the Heart is a charming and sweet spicy read in the tradition of a 21st-century interracial homage to Janet Dailey’s monthly romance era. Gemma’s open-hearted ingénue contrasts starkly with Alex’s jaded workaholic. They struggle with a variety of challenges, but ethnicity isn’t one of them—a spin that feels particularly modern. Once readers commit to their suspension of disbelief regarding the cascading impact of lacks in due diligence by several characters, it’s easy to settle in to enjoy this love story. The recent public debate about the pros and cons of Gillette’s “We believe the best man can be” campaign ties in with the contradictory messages in the story threads about toxic masculinity. There’s a scene in which Alex apologizes to someone who was openly bragging among cowork...

Authors Books Librarians Editors Agents Publishers... #USBookShow 2023

4 days of all hits no misses of keynotes, interviews, panels, book recs, advice... Highlights: Day 1 Monday 5/22 an insightful and terrifying and motivational discussion of book banning as an attack on liberty with advice on combating it via local focus and the fact that 30,000 school board seats in the U.S. are opening up this fall effective OverDrive/Libby strategies executed by savvy librarians Day 2 Tuesday 5/23 memorable quote from Chuck D's lunch keynote conversation with Kelefa Sannen: "People listen with their eyes." Plus his STEWdio boxed set and naphic grovel play on words with graphic novel and so much more. public relations, marketing, how not to get cancelled, redemption Day 3 Wednesday 5/24 book recs!!! Gloria Edim's (Well-Read Black Girl) conversation with Kim Coleman Foote about her fall release novel Coleman Hill from SJP Lit, including Sarah Jessica Parker Wade Hudson, Just Us Books co-found...

123123! Goodbye 2023! Hello 2024!

A Marquis to Protect the Governess by Parker J. Cole historical romance fiction Harlequin Historical, December 26, 2023 Sometimes scrolling through new releases available on Libby (even though there's a stack of physical books within arm's reach), leads to unexpected reading pleasure. That's what happened with me upon starting this gem of a tale. Like opening my first books by Ms. Bev(erly Jenkins), Gay G. Gunn, Vanessa Riley, Alyssa Cole, and Lisa Rayne, Isadora and Andre's rocky love story hooked me from the first page. Using a seamless integration of historical context, character evolution, and high stakes combined with emotional nuances, this author has crafted an engaging tale that organically includes people and places too often erased from historical romance fiction. Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray & Sylvie Stewart, authors & publisher contemporary romance fiction October 2023 Who knew that normalizing op...

Search This Blog