Alabama Writers' Forum

Thursday, August 21 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Caleb Gayle to talk about Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State
2025-08-21 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Award-winning journalist Caleb Gayle is our special guest in August with his new book, Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State. In this paradigm-shifting work of American history, Gayle recounts the extraordinary tale of Edward McCabe, a Black man who championed the audacious idea to create a state within the Union governed by and for Black people — and the racism, politics, and greed that thwarted him. The book is a wild ride through American history, which Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life, calls “an unforgettable account of a forgotten hero.” Hope you can be with us at The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, August 21 at 5:30pm.

Thursday, August 19 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Scott Spillman with Making Sense of Slavery
2025-08-19 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are thrilled to host historian Scott Spillman with his new book, Making Sense of Slavery, on Thursday, August 19 at 5:30 pm, at The NewSouth Bookstore. Making Sense of Slavery is an essential history of the study of slavery in America, from the Revolutionary era to the 1619 Project, showing how these intellectual debates have shaped American public life. It’s a breathtaking survey of nearly two centuries of scholarship, rich in insights and surprises. The Washington Independent Review of Books calls the book “accessible, important, and engaging” — a much needed work to fill in the gaps of our understanding. Don’t miss this exciting program with Scott Spillman coming up soon!

3rd Friday at The NewSouth Bookstore!
2025-08-15 16:00 - 20:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Explore the downtown district after 4pm for special menus and drinks, special events and discounts. The NewSouth Bookstore will participate, of course. Sawyer White, a talented young guitarist with a rich repertoire, will be outside The NewSouth Bookstore, on our patio, playing for your pleasure. Relax to his music and join us inside for a complimentary glass of wine and to browse our store. All book purchases after 4pm on August 15 will be discounted 10%. Support your local downtown retailers and enjoy the offerings at The NewSouth Bookstore along with Lorraine’s Bake Shop, Plant Bae, Ravello, Red Bluff, Central, the Trilogy Hotel, and others. More than two dozen downtown hotels, restaurants, and retailers are participating in all.

Reading of BLESSINGS AND DISASTERS by Alexis Okeowo, 6:30 p.m. at Thank You Books
2025-08-14 18:30 - 19:30 | Thank You Books, 5502 Crestwood Blvd Unit B, Birmingham, AL, 35212, United States
Thank You Books presents author Alexis Okeowo, reading from her new book, Blessings and Disasters, Thursday 6:30 p.m.
5502B Crestwood Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35212
6:30PM CT – Event
Contact: Kristen Iskandrian, kristen@thankyoubookshop.com
Event linked here.

Thursday, August 14 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Announcing a group read of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy with Lee Farrow
2025-08-14 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Dr. Lee Farrow has led some of our most popular bookstore events to date. We look forward to hosting her again for an evening of discussion about Anna Karenina, a timeless and beloved classic of the nineteenth century by Leo Tolstoy, a giant of Russian literature. Join us for a talk about Anna Karenina on Thursday, August 14 at 5:30pm. Purchase a copy of the book at the bookstore and dive in. First published in 1878, the book is an engrossing story of love, betrayal, marriage, and family set against the backdrop of Imperial Russian society. When William Faulkner was asked to name his three favorite novels, he replied: “Anna Karenina, Anna Karenina, and Anna Karenina.” Come join us and discover the book’s enduring appeal.

Tuesday, August 12 at 5:30pm, at The NewSouth Bookstore: Alexis Okeowo joins us for a talk about Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama
2025-08-12 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
The book is called Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama. It’s a perspective-shifting work that is both an intimate memoir and a journalistic triumph by Alexis Okeowo, a New Yorker staff writer and PEN award winner. In the book, Okeowo investigates her life, other Alabamians’ lives, and the state’s lesser-known histories to understand why Alabama has been the stage for the most extreme results of the American experiment. A blend of memoir, history, and reportage which Yaa Gyasi calls “extraordinary,” the book is also timely and engrossing. It sheds light on the divided face of our nation even as it defines the complexities of this place many of us call home. We are so fortunate to host Alexis Okeowo at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, August 12 at 5:30pm. Don’t miss it.

Bookstore Romance Day 2025 at the Haunted Book Shop
2025-08-09 11:00 - 20:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Enjoy Bookstore Romance Day like never before with a Romance Shop-cation at The Haunted Book Shop! On August 9, 2025, guests will enjoy a romance author signing by Aurelia Yates, giveaways, an in-store This or That activity, festive décor, in-store promos, and a romance trope-themed cocktail menu for afternoon and evening shoppers from our friends-in-love at Alchemy Tavern!
Bookstore Romance Day celebrates the readers and writers who love love. From all the happily ever afters to the slow burns and spice, The Haunted Book Shop has all the romance novels you need. Romance titles will be 10% off all day, and, while supplies last, each romance purchase comes with a free gift!
Festivities start at 11am. Aurelia Yates joins the fun with her novel What Should Have Been from 1-3PM. After 3pm, enhance your shop-cation with a to-go cocktail from Alchemy Tavern. Make sure to blow your favorite feline, Mr. Bingley, a kiss, as he loves love as much as we do.
Join the celebration on August 9th and give yourself the gift of romance during your much deserved Romance Shop-cation!

August Artwalk with Chris Abernathy at The Haunted Book Shop
2025-08-08 18:00 - 20:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us during the August 8th Artwalk with author Chris Abernathy at The Haunted Book Shop. Dive into NCIS: National Cat Investigative Society, an exciting tale that spins the whimsical narrative of the world-renowned, enigmatic graffiti artist Barksy. Set against the backdrop of the quirky Parrot Eyes Inn, the plot thickens with the gripping discovery of two dead bodies—adding elements of danger and suspense to Barksy’s latest masterpiece.
About NCIS: National Cat Investigative Society: The world-famous but anonymous graffiti artist Barksy creates a new piece of art at the Parrot Eyes Inn but the excitement is dampened by the discovery of two dead bodies — one in the parking lot and one alone inside a locked hotel room. As if that’s not enough, Detective Whiskers is being stalked by a strange orange tabby cat who seems to know something about the deaths. Throw in a sexy Scotsman with an eye for Sheila and things in Paradise Cove have never been wilder. This book includes a cameo appearance from Mr. Bingley.
What?! A book featuring a cameo appearance by our famous book shop cat, Mr. Bingley? Count us in! Mr. Bingley definitely approves! See you at August Artwalk!

Thursday, August 7 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Salaam Green on "The Other Revival: Poems & Reckonings"
2025-08-07 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are fortunate to welcome Salaam Green to The NewSouth Bookstore. Her new book, The Other Revival: Poems & Reckonings, is an extraordinary collection of poems — deeply personal and historically rooted — which revolve around a house built in Harpersville, Alabama in 1841. Thirty-nine people enslaved by Samuel Wallace, owner of the property, constructed the house and worked the land. Green interviewed descendants of those enslaved people and descendants of their slave owners and takes us on a journey in verse, offering a glimpse into generational memory and sparking the possibility of new racial healing. Meet Salaam Green, in conversation with Jacqueline Allen Trimble, on Thursday, August 7 at 5:30pm. It’ll be a very special evening, indeed.

Tuesday, August 5 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: One Hour/One Poem, Discover the verse of Emerson with Dr. Susie Paul
2025-08-05 17:30 - 18:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Make a date with a poem and Dr. Susie Paul. In an exciting new program hosted by The NewSouth Bookstore, titled One Hour/One Poem, Dr. Paul will teach one great nineteenth-century poem in each of four monthly sessions of an hour or less. The program will be a deep dive into the work of four significant American writers, all giants of the poetic form: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson. Paul, a poet herself, is a master educator with a deep love of poetry, who is thrilled to have an opportunity to teach these works. Dr. Paul has selected “The Snow-Storm” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, written in 1835, as the subject of her first session.

Open Call
2025-07-31 - 2025-08-31 | Online, NC
Sunspot Lit’s open calls for very longform fiction, CNF, poetry and graphic novels close this month. Accepting all genres and categories; seeking exceptional craft from every voice. Guidelines and deadlines here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit.

Dana Williams to talk about "Toni at Random: The Iconic Writer’s Legendary Editorship"
2025-07-31 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Toni Morrison will be well remembered and her spirit keenly felt on the evening of Thursday, July 31 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore. That’s when we welcome Dana Williams, biographer and Professor of African American Literature at Howard University, for a talk about her new book, Toni at Random: The Iconic Writer’s Legendary Editorship. The book recounts in inspiring detail how Morrison, the first Black woman senior editor at Random House, forever transformed the publishing landscape by championing Black writers’ work. Morrison published some of the brightest Black minds — and they got to work making a revolution one book at a time. Toni at Random conjures a new, richer understanding of the life and legacy of Toni Morrison. Join us for this special program at The NewSouth Bookstore.

Miranda James - Something Whiskered @ Alabama Booksmith
2025-07-31 16:00 - 17:00 | AL
Come meet Miranda James (Dean James) as he signs delightful new book, SOMETHING WHISKERED.

You may purchase signed first editions to pick up at the event, pick up at the store later, or carefully wrapped and mailed worldwide by Clicking Here.

Staycation Book Club at Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers, July 29, 6:00 p.m.
2025-07-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Staycation Book Club: Your Summer, Your Way!
Ready to dive into three amazing beach reads over the next three months? With our Staycation Book Club, you’re in control.
Traveling one month and can’t make it? No problem! You can purchase tickets one book at a time—no need to commit to all three. Whether you’re staycationing with us or VA-cationing elsewhere, we’ve got your summer reading covered!
To join a book club discussion and reserve your spot, simply purchase the book by clicking the link!

Join us on Monday, June 16th @ 6:00 pm to discuss Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack
Join us on Tuesday, July 8th @ 6:00 pm to discuss It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Join us on Tuesday, July 29th @ 6:00 pm to discuss One Italian Summer by Rebecca Seale (Tickets below)

Staycation Book Club | July 29

Alabama State Poetry Society Online Open Mic
2025-07-28 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

Anastasia: The New Broadway Musical
2025-07-27 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-26 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-24 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-19 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-18 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-17 19:30 - 21:30 | Bean- Brown Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35405, United States
Based on the 1997 animated film of the same name, Anastasia premiered on Broadway in 2016. From the same writing team that brought you Ragtime, this magical show transports audiences from the twilight of the Russian Empire and the end of the Romanov dynasty, to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. Anya, a brave young woman with amnesia, sets out to solve the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to discover whether she might truly be the Grand Duchess Anastasia. Book by Terrence McNally; Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

Thursday, July 24 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Honorée Fanonne Jeffers with Misbehaving at the Crossroads
2025-07-24 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We’ve only waited years to welcome Honorée Fanonne Jeffers at The NewSouth Bookstore. On Thursday, July 24 at 5:30pm she visits with her new book, Misbehaving at the Crossroads. Ms. Jeffers will be in conversation with Montgomery’s own Dr. Jacqueline Allen Trimble. The New York Times-bestselling, National Book Award-nominated author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois and The Age of Phillis makes her nonfiction debut with this personal and thought-provoking collection of essays that explores the journeys and possibilities of Black women throughout American history and in contemporary times. Necessary and sharply observed, and full of the insight and brilliance that has characterized her poetry and fiction, Misbehaving at the Crossroads illustrates the life of one extraordinary Black woman—and her extraordinary foremothers. Come be with us for this special event.

Tim Lupinacci, Everybody Leads @ Alabama Booksmith
2025-07-22 16:00 - 17:00 | Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Pl S Homewood, AL, 35209, 2626 19th Pl S, Homewood, AL, 35209, United States
Come meet Tim Lupinacci as he signs copies of his brilliant approach to leadership on every level.
You may purchase signed first editions of EVERYBODY LEADS (29.95) to pick up at the event, at the store later, or have them carefully wrapped and mailed worldwide by Clicking Here.

Charles Ghigna Book Launch for "Southern Bred" at Snail on the Wall Bookstore, 6 p.m.
2025-07-17 18:00 - 19:30 | The Snail on the Wall Bookstore, 816 Wellman Ave NE, Huntsville, AL, 35801, United States
Alabama poet Charles Ghigna has published hundreds of books, and, whether you’re a longtime fan or he’s new to you, we want you to come experience his newest collection, Southern Bred. Ghigna will take us through the heart and soul of the Deep South as he discusses this book’s poetic glimpse at Southern beauty and mystery.
The event will be at The Snail on the Wall bookstore. The event is free, but reservations are required.
Books will be available for purchase at the event or order a copy below.
About Southern Bred:
Southern Bred is a haunting, powerful collection of gothic poems that captivate and transport the reader into the heart and soul of the Deep South. Each poem offers a glimpse into its mystery and enchantment, drawing you in with a blend of beauty and darkness. In the style of a memoir in verse, it showcases Ghigna’s southern soul and his tender, yet piercing language, and affirms his place as one of the finest poets of our time.
About Charles Ghigna:
Charles Ghigna is a poet and author of over 100 books and has written for The New Yorker, Harper’s, Rolling Stone, and The Wall Street Journal. He served as poet-in-residence at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, instructor of creative writing at Samford University, and nationally syndicated feature writer for Tribune Media Services, Ghigna has read his poems at the Library of Congress, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, American Library in Paris, and the International Schools of South America.

Date: Thu, 7/17/2025
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Place:

The Snail on the Wall
816 Wellman Avenue
Huntsville, AL 35801

Tuesday, July 15 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Richard Tillinghast with Night Train to Memphis
2025-07-15 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
It’s always a wonderful program when author Richard Tillinghast is our bookstore guest. His new collection of poetry, Night Train to Memphis, brings him to The NewSouth Bookstore again, on Tuesday, July 15 at 5:30pm. “All of us are in transit,” says Tillinghast in one line of this beautiful, luminous volume. “His poems roam and wander and find homes for us everywhere,” observes
another poet, Joe Wilkins. Now in his eighties, Tillinghast is writing the best poetry of his life. Come meet the author and enjoy his reading and talk with your friends and fellow poetry-lovers at The NewSouth Bookstore.

Charles Ghigna @ Alabama Booksmith for SOUTHERN BRED
2025-07-15 16:00 - 17:00 | Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Pl S Homewood, AL, 35209, 2626 19th Pl S, Homewood, AL, 35209, United States
Come meet internationally acclaimed poet Charles Ghigna as he reads from and signs his powerful new
book, SOUTHERN BRED at his launch party. If you’re coming from out-of-town, you may check out the special rate the beautiful Valley Hotel offers
Alabama Booksmith customers (they’re just a short walk away) by clicking here.
You may purchase signed first editions to pick up at the event, pick up at the store later, or carefully
wrapped and mailed worldwide by Clicking Here.
Southern Bred is a haunting, powerful collection of gothic poems that captivate and transport the reader into the heart and soul of the Deep South. Each poem offers a glimpse into its mystery and enchantment, drawing you in with a blend of beauty and darkness. In the style of a memoir in verse, it showcases Ghigna’s southern soul and his tender, yet piercing language, and affirms his place as one of
the finest poets of our time.

July Artwalk with Lissa Sharpe & Michael Rands at the Haunted Book Shop
2025-07-11 18:00 - 20:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
July Artwalk is heating up with two great authors at The Haunted Book Shop. Join us at The Haunted Book Shop on July 11, 6-8pm. for a book signing with Lissa Sharpe and Michael Rands. Lissa will be signing her latest rom-com, Nun the Wiser, while Michael will sign his dark and humorous When the Witch Visits.

Wednesday, July 9 from 4:30pm-6:00pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: A “Voice Your Views” postcard-writing event led by Dr. Lee Farrow
2025-07-09 16:30 - 18:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Make your voice heard! Join us for a community postcard-writing event led by Dr. Lee Farrow. Let’s speak up about the issues that matter most. We’ll provide the postcards. You bring your passion and perspective. Write to your local, state, and federal representatives and take a stand for the policies you care about. Let’s write for change, together. Join us Wednesday, July 9 at 4:30pm.

Open Call for Novella-length Fiction and Nonfiction
2025-07-08 - 2025-07-31 | Online, NC
Since January of 2019, Sunspot Lit has accepted long-form fiction, nonfiction and graphic novel manuscripts as well as epic poetry. Submit single works of fiction or nonfiction from 29,001 to 49,000 words, graphic novels should between 51 and 120 pages, or a single poem between 86 and 105 single-spaced pages between July 1 and July 31 here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit.
