Thursday, March 20 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Alexis Pauline Gumbs with Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde
2025-03-20 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Alexis Pauline Gumbs is our special guest at The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, March 20 at 5:30pm. She visits with her extraordinary new biography on Audre Lorde, iconic poet/writer and teacher, feminist and activist, titled Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lord. In the book, Gumbs probes how Lorde’s life was animated by awareness of her place in the cosmos and a desire to be one with the earth in her life, writing, and politics. Come meet Gumbs and learn more about the enduring legacy of Audre Lorde.

Third Thursday Poetry Series featuring Julia Phillips & Rodney Leonard
2025-03-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, 101 S. Debardeleben St., Auburn, AL, 36849-5637, United States
Third Thursday Poetry SeriesThursday, March 20, 2025, 6 – 7:30pm

Location:Pebble Hill, 101 S. Debardeleben St.
Audience:Public
Cost:FREE
Event Type:Lectures & Seminars
Contact person:Maiben Beard
Contact Phone Number:334-844-4903
Contact Email:maiben@auburn.edu
Department:Center for the Arts & Humanities, English

Southern Humanities Review Spring Sessions
Featuring Julia Phillips and Rodney Leonard
Refreshments and book sales will be available at 6 PM; the reading will begin at 6:30 PM.
Julia Phillips is the author of the bestselling novels Bear and Disappearing Earth, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year. A 2024 Guggenheim fellow, she lives with her family in Brooklyn.
Rodney Terich Leonard was born in Nixburg, Alabama. An Air Force veteran who served during the Gulf War, his society profiles and poems have appeared in Southern Humanities Review, RedRiver Review, The Huffington Post, BOMB Magazine, The Cortland Review, Indolent Books-What Rough Beast, Four Way Review, The New York Times, The Amsterdam News, The Village Voice, and other publications.

Alabama State Poetry Society Online Open Mic
2025-03-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
Join us for online poetry open mics the 4th Monday of each month!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85693609367
Meeting ID: 856 9360 9367

Thursday, March 27 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Chris La Tray with Becoming Little Shell
2025-03-27 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
A powerful new work — part memoir, part history — brings author Chris La Tray to The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, March 27 at 5:30pm. Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian’s Journey Home describes the author’s journey back to his indigenous roots, and in the telling weaves a compelling narrative of personal, family, community, tribal, and national histories. In the words of one critic, Becoming Little Shell is “a beautiful, big-hearted book.” Join us in welcoming gifted storyteller Chris La Tray in March.

Saturday, March 29 at 5pm at The NewSouth Bookstore in partnership with Map360:Join us for a talk by W.J. Lofton about his exciting new poetry collection, boy maybe
2025-03-29 17:00 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
W.J. Lofton is our guest for National Poetry Month in a program co-sponsored by Map360. Lofton is Chicago-born poet and multimodal artist. He writes vivid, accessible poems that channel the energy, urgency, ambitions, joys, and sorrows of a young Black queer artist. They are about love and flirtation, sweet tea and hot sauce, God and family. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown calls his poetry “enchanting and provocative.” Join us for a reception and festive event celebrating the release of boy maybe on Saturday, March 29 at 5pm.

Magic City Poetry Festival to Feature Jacqueline Trimble, Jeanie Thompson, Laura Secord, Sanovia Muhammad, and Maria Vargas
2025-04-03 19:00 - 21:00 | O’Neal Public Library, 50 Oak St., Mountain Brook, AL, 35213, United States
A Magic City Poetry Festival presentation featuring poets and authors: Jeanie Thompson, Jacqueline Trimble, Laura Secord, Sanovia Muhammad, and Maria Vargas

Join writers, Jacqueline Trimble, Jeanie Thompson, Laura Secord, Sanovia Muhammad, and Maria Vargas, as they discuss poetry, creativity, and aging and their contributions to Old Enough: Southern Women Artists and Writers on Creativity and Aging.
In Old Enough, twenty-one women artists and writers write about the experience of aging. Gay, straight, unmarried, partnered, widowed, Black, white, Latinx, retired, and working, these women are not squeamish about the challenges of growing older, including ageism, health concerns, and loss. And they are frank about how received notions of female aging can be restrictive and diminishing. But in lyrical, sometimes wry, often inspiring essays they explore what growing older can offer: self-knowledge, insight, and acceptance. Striking portraits by award-winning photographer Carolyn Sherer, who is also a contributor to the volume, accompany each essay.
At the heart of this invigorating collection is the bold championing of creative practice. Some contributors look back to their girlhood to recall their first powerful connections to art, while others show how they have refreshed their commitment to maintaining a practice. However, all are still driven to create and to investigate, to stay committed to the processes that work while finding new ways to stay creatively alive. Old Enough aims to honor the limitless variety, depth, and scope of being “old enough” and will resonate with readers who want to understand and find purpose, meaning, and comradery in their creative journey.
This book is a gift! It confronts clichéd thinking about ‘women of a certain age’ with grace, humor, and candor. The idea that our creative pursuits can continue to nurture the best in ourselves and others, especially as we age, is inspirational. As a working journalist, mother, wife, and daughter (and Southerner) who has just rounded sixty, I want to thank these remarkable women for sharing their beautiful stories and encouraging us to embrace the now, and beyond. — Debbie Elliott, national correspondent, NPR News

AGE GROUP: | Adults (Ages 21+) | Adults (Ages 18+) |
EVENT TYPE: | Author Event | Adult Events |
TAGS: | poetry | national poetry month | magic city poetry festival | creativity | creative writing |

Brandi Clark appearance at Mobile Literary Festival
2025-04-05 09:00 - 16:30 | Ben May Main Library, 701 Government St., Mobile, AL, 36602, United States
Dr. Brandi Clark (Jessahme Wren) will be a guest panelist at the Mobile Literary Festival on a panel discussing plotting.
Jessahme Wren is a writer of captivating stories and evocative poetry. With a passion for storytelling, she has published multiple works that explore the depth of human emotion and the complexities of life.

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Max Monroe In-conversation & Book Signing at the Haunted Book Shop
2025-04-06 17:30 - 19:30 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us at The Haunted Book Shop for a steamy evening of romance with New York Times bestselling writing partners Max Monroe. They will be in-conversation, spilling the tea about their upcoming release, “What I Should’ve Said.” Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with them during a Q&A session. This dynamic duo will stick around after the chat to sign books and meet fans. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to their work, this event is an excellent opportunity to connect with the acclaimed authors and gain deeper understanding of how they create their unforgettable stories.
In “What I Should’ve Said,” readers meet Bennett Bishop, a grumpy yet intriguing artist with a knack for discomforting honesty, and Norah Ellis, a runaway bride who embarks on a journey that dismantles her preconceived notions of a perfect life. The storyline unfurls in the quaint setting of a small Vermont town, where summer brings revelations, relationships, and realizations that forever change the lives of its inhabitants. Max Monroe masterfully crafts a story that explores themes of self-discovery, courage, and the unpredictable nature of love.
What better way to start your week than with a themed cocktail from Alchemy Tavern next door, sharing laughs with fellow romance fans, and meeting this long-time romance favorite. Yes, Max Monroe is coming to Mobile!
Ticket purchase required to attend. Your ticket includes one copy of “What I Should’ve Said.”

Magic City Poetry Festival Featuring Poet Adam Vines, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing Co.
2025-04-06 19:00 - 20:00 | True Story Brewing, 5510 Crestwood Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35212, Birmingham, Alabama, 35212
Poets, be a part of this year’s Magic City Poetry Festival by signing up for The Quorum Poets’ open mic this Sunday, April 6, at True Story Brewing Company! The open mic follows featured poet Adam Vines’ reading at 7 PM. True Story is at 5510 Crestwood Boulevard in Birmingham. Share your words and voice!

#mcpf #magiccitypoetryfestival #quorumpoets #truestorybrewing #openmicpoetry
#birminghampoetry #alabamapoetry

Our Third Annual Poetry Read-Aloud, 5:30 p.m. at NewSouth Bookstore!
2025-04-08 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Back by popular demand, The NewSouth Bookstore is hosting its third annual poetry read-aloud in celebration of National Poetry Month. National Poetry Month gives us an excuse to gather and celebrate, to rediscover the pleasure of reading aloud, to rediscover the music and power of poetry. Find two favorite poems — can be those you’ve written — for carrying to The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, April 8 at 5:30pm. We’ll sit and listen, chairs in a circle, to a read-aloud of verses we love. Need inspiration for the selecting of your poems? Browse our recently expanded poetry section. We have some wonderful new books in stock.

Jennifer Croft to Read at the Stokes Center for Creative Writing
2025-04-10 17:00 - 18:00 | University of South Alabama, Student Center Terrace Room
Jennifer Croft will give a reading, sponsored by the Stokes Center for Creative Writing, on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. in the University of South Alabama’s Student Center Terrace Room. Croft won a 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship for her novel The Extinction of Irena Rey, the 2020 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing for her illustrated memoir Homesick, and the 2018 International Booker Prize for her translation from Polish of Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk’s Flights. She is also the translator of Federico Falco’s A Perfect Cemetery, Romina Paula’s August, Pedro Mairal’s The Woman from Uruguay, and Olga Tokarczuk’s The Books of Jacob (a finalist for the Kirkus Prize). In 2023, she received an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her husband and twins. Following the reading, there will be a book-signing and reception.

An Evening with Author Caleb Tankersley
2025-04-10 17:30 - 19:00 | AUM, 7400 East Drive, Montgomery, AL, United States
Please join us Thursday, April 10, as we welcome award winning fiction writer Caleb Tankersley to the Auburn University at Montgomery campus. Dr. Tankersley will give a public reading at 5:30 (in Taylor Center 221), where he will also discuss his writing process, the craft of creative writing, and his work in the publishing industry. Dr. Tankersley holds a Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi in creative writing. He is an assistant professor of English and creative writing at St. John’s University and the managing director of Split/Lip Press. He is the author of two collections of short fiction: Sin Eaters (University of Alaska Press, 2023) and Jesus Works the Night Shift (Cities of the Straits, 2014). His work has appeared in The Cimarron Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, The Tuskegee Review, and many other journals, including AUM’s own Thirteen Bridges Review. He is the winner of the Permafrost Fiction Prize, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Magic City Poetry Festival: Poetry Salon (Free, Registration Required)
2025-04-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Home of Charlotte Donlon
Magic City Poetry Festival: Poetry Salon (Free, Registration Required)

Join Magic City Poetry Festival for an intimate evening of poetry in a salon-style environment.
Thursday, April 10, 2024
6:30-8 p.m.
This salon, hosted at the home of Charlotte Donlon, will provide space and time for poets, musicians, all artists to share work in an open-mic style.
Beverages and snacks will be provided by Church Street Coffee & Books.
Registration is required, as space is limited. Location and parking instructions will be sent directly to registrants 24 hours before the event. Please contact Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you have any questions.
Learn more about Magic City Poetry Festival.

A Poetic April Artwalk with Hannah Warren
2025-04-11 18:00 - 20:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us for a Poetic April Artwalk with Hannah Warren. We are celebrating National Poetry Month with one of Alabama’s hottest poets and her latest release of “Slaughter House for Old Wives Tales.” This is a can’t-miss Artwalk at 9 S. Joachim St. Make sure to say hi to Mr. Bingley and browse all the books that haunt you. See you then!

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers Features Author Chris Garner and his book, Whistles & Wisdom: Lessons on Life & Leadership from an SEC Official
2025-04-11 18:30 - 19:30 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join us on April 11th at 6:30pm as Chris Garner discusses his book, Whistles & Wisdom: Lessons on Life & Leadership from an SEC Official with his friend and fellow officiant, Chris Conway.
Part memoir, part leadership playbook, Whistles and Wisdom offers readers a unique perspective on performance under pressure, decision-making, and earning respect in any arena. Whether you’re closing deals or calling plays, Garner’s insights will forever change how you view success, leadership, and the beautiful complexity of football.

In Conversation with Chris Garner

Magic City Poetry Festival: Poetry at the Museum Featuring poets Al Elliott, Arlo Pate, and Erika E. Wade
2025-04-12 13:00 - 16:00 | Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr., Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35203, United States
Each year, Magic City Poetry Festival brings poetry alive in unlikely places. Poetry at the Museum, presented in partnership with the BMA, will feature local poets Al Elliott, Arlo Pate, and Erika E. Wade who will share work related to visual art. Guests can arrive at 1pm, 2pm, or 3pm to experience these pop-up poems in the galleries.

Magic City Poetry Festival: Poetry and Process with Michelle Ortega
2025-04-13 15:00 - 15:40 | Via Zoom
Magic City Poetry Festival: Poetry & Process with Michelle Ortega (Free, ONLINE, Registration Required)

Join Magic City Poetry Festival for a thoughtful conversation with Michelle Ortega and Charlotte Donlon.
Sunday April 13, 2024
3-3:40 p.m. CT
Join us for a Zoom gathering with poet Michelle Ortega as she unveils the creative journey behind her forthcoming collection of Paris-inspired poems, set to release this summer. During this reading and conversation, we’ll explore how she weaves place and memory into her poetry, capturing the essence of the City of Light while reflecting on the personal experiences that shaped her artistic vision.
Registration is required. Zoom link will be sent directly to registrants 24 hours before the event. Please contact Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you have any questions.
Learn more about Magic City Poetry Festival.
Purchase Michelle’s book of poems, When You Ask Me, “Why Paris?”

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers Features Poet Dan Albergotti
2025-04-14 18:30 - 19:30 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Mark your calendars for an unforgettable literary evening! Join us on April 14th, 2025, at 6:30 PM as we welcome renowned poet Dan Albergotti!
Dan Albergotti, a celebrated voice in contemporary poetry, is the author of three acclaimed collections: The Boatloads, Millennial Teeth, and most recently, CANDY (LSU Press). He’s also the author of the chapbooks Of Air and Earth and Circa MMXX. His powerful and evocative work has appeared in esteemed journals, including 32 Poems, The Cincinnati Review, Copper Nickel, Ecotone, The Southern Review, and The Virginia Quarterly Review. He’s been featured in The Best American Poetry, The Pushcart Prize, and other prestigious anthologies.
Previously a professor at Coastal Carolina University, Dan now teaches at the University of Tampa, where he continues to inspire the next generation of poets.
Don’t miss this chance to enjoy Dan Albergotti’s incredible poetry and join in on a great conversation!

In Conversation with Dan Albergotti

Nate DiMeo joins us for a talk about The Memory Place: True Short Stories of the Past at the NewSouth Bookstore
2025-04-15 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Nate DiMeo, creator and host of the award-winning podcast The Memory Palace, travels to Montgomery to talk about his new book of the same name, a book which is a brilliant tapestry of history and storytelling. In The Memory Palace DiMeo gives us small stories about very big things, stories that “conjure the enchantments that reside in the subtle and unseen” (Kirkus). Adds Ken Burns about the work, “DiMeo asks each of us to engage in an act of empathetic imagination, to see in the stories of others something inherently human, something that transcends time and which often provokes a feeling of joy.” Come discover more about Nate DiMeo’s literary magic at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, April 15, at 5:30pm.

Launch Event for We Did It First: Poems from Poets of Mobile, Alabama
2025-04-17 08:00 - 17:30 | Mobile Arts Council Gallery, 6 S. Joachim Street, Mobile, AL, 36602, United States
Fifty local writers are featured in an anthology of poems, catalogued by Charlotte Pence, director of the Stokes Center for Creative Writing at the University of South Alabama and Mobile’s Inaugural Poet Laureate.

Join us for the launch event on April 17, showcasing authors in the anthology, including University of South Alabama’s Caleb Johnson, Richard Hillyer, Deborah Ferguson, Heather Dail, Adam Prince, and Charlotte Pence.

The event is happening at the Mobile Arts Council Gallery on April 17th at 5:30pm in Room 1927.

Frye Gaillard joins us for talk about Heroes and Other Mortals: Stories of Our Better Angels at NewSouth Bookstore
2025-04-17 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Our friend Frye Gaillard, as fine a journalist and author as they come, returns to The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, April 17 at 5:30pm for a talk about Heroes and Other Mortals: Stories of Our Better Angels. His latest book is a collection of essays about a rich selection of subjects, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jane Goodall, Mikhail Gorbachov, Rabbi Abraham Heschel, Kathy Mattea, Sidney Poitier and others. Collectively, these tell a powerful story of those standing against social injustice or exploring the pain and ambiguity of our human condition. Come visit with Frye Gaillard and listen in as he talks about Heroes and Other Mortals and his lifetime of writing about such inspirational figures.

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers Pop-Up Book Signing with Author Mary Dansak
2025-04-19 13:00 - 14:30 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join us on Saturday, April 19, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. for a pop-up book signing with Mary Dansak: a writer, equestrian, and naturalist living right here in Auburn, Alabama!
Mary is the author of Box Turtles, Hooligans, and Love, Sweet Love, a collection of her columns, as well as the co-author of several anthologies. After serving the children of Alabama through a 30-year career in science education, Mary writes and works on a horse and cattle ranch in her semi-retirement.
Mary will be in the store ready to chat and sign books from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.!

Author Pop-Up with Mary Dansak

Graceland and Asleep on the Wind at Shelton State Community College
2025-04-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Shelton State Community College, 9500 Old Greensboro Rd, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35405, United States
In Graceland, Rootie faces off with Bev, a fellow Elvis fan, in a poignant and humorous rivalry to be the first to tour the King’s mansion. Audiences are then transported back in time for Asleep on the Wind, in which a young Rootie shares a heartfelt moment with her brother, Beau. His wisdom and stories help shape her future. Together, these complementary, one-act plays explore love, loss, and the surprising bonds that tie us together.

Tuesday, April 22 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Behind the scenes with the amazing talent of "We Shall Someday," opening April 24, at ASF
2025-04-22 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are thrilled to host a program tied to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival production titled We Shall Someday, opening on Thursday, April 24. The work is a bold new jazz-infused musical that traces three generations of a Southern Black family as it encounters and confronts acts of racial injustice. Amazing storytelling and voices like you’ve never heard before make the play a powerful experience. Join us for a bookstore program featuring playwright /creator Harrison David Rivers (book and lyrics) and Danyel Fulton, one of the cast members. Fulton will perform several segments from We Shall Someday. Rivers will speak about his influences and the genesis of the project. Come meet the team and be inspired. At The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, April 22 at 5:30pm.

A Manda Collins Launch Party at The Haunted Book Shop
2025-04-22 17:30 - 19:30 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us at The Haunted Book Shop on April 22nd for the launch party of Manda Collins’ latest regency romance, A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice. Guests will be treated to an iced tea bar and the opportunity to make their own Wallflower-themed, beaded bookmark or bracelet. We’ll supply the bevs and beads, you bring your fantastic self!
Manda Collins, known for her blend of wit, intrigue, and romance, invites readers into the world of Lucy Penhallow, a wealthy heiress with a penchant for detective stories, and Viscount Gilford, a charming yet financially embattled nobleman. Together, amidst the glittering backdrop of society balls and scandalous headlines, they unravel a murder mystery while navigating the complexities of a burgeoning love affair that promises to be as perilous as it is passionate.
Get to know Manda a little better while crafting away inside The Haunted Book Shop, a space that ignites creativity, good conversation, and bookish haunts.
Whether you are a long-time admirer of Collins’ work or new to her stories, this evening promises plenty of laughs and chats over all of our romance genre obsession in the company of fellow book lovers celebrating this new edition to the series.
The celebration starts at 5:30pm at 9 S. Joachim St. As your copy of A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice purchased from The Haunted Book Shop serves as your ticket to the party, Mr. Bingley (beloved shop cat) advises you to reserve your book now!

Magic City Poetry Festival: Ekphrastic Poetry Writing Workshop with Tina Mozelle Braziel
2025-04-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Paperworkers Local, 2717 7th Ave S #203, Birmingham, AL, 35233, United States
When: Tuesday, April 22, 6-8 pm
Fee: $25
Ekphrastic Poetry Writing Workshop: Take inspiration from the artwork in the exhibit of PaperWorkers Local members to write an original poem. Whether you are new to writing poetry or an established poet, you will enjoy this guided writing exercise led by Poet Tina Mozelle Braziel. Light refreshments provided.
Here’s how the Poetry Foundation describes ekphrasis: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/ekphrasis
BIO: Tina Mozelle Braziel won the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry for Known by Salt (Anhinga Press), and her book Glass Cabin (Pulley Press), co-authored by her husband James Braziel, was named Southern Literary Review’s 2024 Poetry Book of the Year. She has been awarded a fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, an artist residency at Hot Springs National Park, the first Eco-Poetry Fellowship for Magic City Poetry Festival, and the 2022 Alabama Author Award from the Alabama Library Association. She directs the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop for high school students at UAB.
Tuesday, April 22, 6-8 pm. $25
If this is your first workshop, please submit the workshop participant form.

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers to Feature author Patti Callahan Henry for Books over Drinks
2025-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Come join us for Books over Drinks with author Patti Callahan Henry as we discuss her recent release, The Story She Left Behind. Join us for a conversation with Patti, a glass of wine, and a chance to celebrate her recent novel, April 22, 7-9 p.m.
Your ticket provides you with a pre-order copy of The Story She Left Behind. Patti will be available to sign copies of her books and answer questions.
ABOUT THE BOOK: The Story She Left Behind
Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.
“Brilliant, riveting, so beautifully written, impossible to put down.” —Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Books Over Drinks with Patti Callahan Henry

Thursday, April 24 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Tara Roberts joins us for talk about Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging
2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Join us for a great program featuring Tara Roberts, author of the newly released Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging. Roberts will be in conversation with journalist and Black Joy founder Jonece Starr Dunigan. For fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Jesmyn Ward’s Men We Reaped, this searing memoir by a National Geographic explorer recounts one woman’s epic journey to trace the global slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean—and find her place in the world. Written in the Waters is revelatory and deeply moving. Critics call Roberts a pioneer and an inspiration. Roberts joins us at The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, April 24 at 5:30pm.

Magic City Poetry Festival Presents: Be Empowered Poetry Contest Award Night
2025-04-24 18:00 - 20:00 | ArtPlay, 1006 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL, 35205, United States
Thursday, April 24

Be Empowered Poetry Contest Award Night

Ages 13+

Be Empowered Poetry Contest finalists will read their poetry aloud and the top 3 winners will be announced!

By GirlSpring

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2.7k attendees hosted 📈

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Date and time

Thursday, April 24 · 6 – 8pm CDT. Doors at 12pm

Location

ArtPlay
1006 19th Street South Birmingham, AL 35205
Show map

About this event

Event lasts 2 hours
Ages 13+
Free venue parking

Be Empowered Poetry Contest Award Ceremony
Finalists from the Be Empowered Poetry Contest will read their poems aloud and the 3 top winners will be announced! All are invited to attend, but space is limited, so please RSVP!
We are thrilled to offer this as one of the many events happening during the Magic City Poetry Festival!
See below for more information of the Be Empowered Poetry Contest!
Be Empowered Poetry Contest, open to girls aged 13-18.
BE EMPOWERED POETRY CONTEST – ENTER BY APRIL 1 at https://girlspring.com/ending-april-1-be-empowered-poetry-contest/
First, second, and third place contest winners will receive cash prizes, framed prints of their poems, will be highlighted on GirlSpring’s website and social media, and finalists will be invited to the closing ceremony in April.
Be Empowered Poetry Contest is a collaboration between Girl Spring and See Jane Write, LLC. Javacia Harris Bowser. Javacia is a writer, journalist, and poet, and the founder and CEO of See Jane Write, LLC. She is a frequent contributor to local and national publications including Style Blueprint, Birmingham Times, Good Grit and more. This project is made possible from a grant from the City of Birmingham, with additional support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers to Feature author Emily Carpenter
2025-04-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join Us on Thursday April 24 at 6:30pm for an Exclusive Conversation with Author Emily Carpenter!
We’re thrilled to welcome acclaimed author Emily Carpenter as we celebrate the release of her highly anticipated novel, Gothictown! An Auburn University alum and a prolific writer, Emily’s latest work is garnering rave reviews—including right here at AOCB!
Our resident horror aficionado, Bookseller Robin, shares their excitement:
Emily Carpenter is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors. Her distinctly Southern Gothic voice evokes the greats like Michael McDowell and Shirley Jackson. I’m flying through her backlist and can’t wait for Gothictown to hit shelves so I can share it with our customers!
Adding to the excitement, Gothictown is currently in development for a TV adaptation with AMC, helmed by showrunner Abby Ajayi.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Emily in person, get your copy signed, and discover your next favorite read—before it comes to life on screen!

In Conversation with Emily Carpenter
