Birmingham Noir at the Bar, 6 p.m. at the Red Cat Coffee House
2025-06-07 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | The Red Cat Coffee House, 2901 2nd Ave S. Suite 120, Birmingham, AL, 35233, United States
Event: Birmingham Noir at the Bar
Date: Saturday, June 7th
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: The Red Cat Coffee House @ Pepper Place, Birmingham, AL
Admission: FREE and open to the public
This lively literary evening will feature ten crime fiction authors, each reading a short excerpt from their work. The event includes live jazz by Robert Carr, book signings, raffles, and local news personality Valerie Bell (ABC 33/40) as our emcee.
Featured Authors:
Chris Swann, Brandon Massey, Georgina Cross, James Markert, Hayley M. Moon, Jack Sharman, Brandi Bradley, Bobby Mathews, William Webster, and Randy Moon.

Sunday, June 8, at 3pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Jennifer Horne returns for a talk about Letters to Little Rock: Poems
2025-06-08 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Jennifer Horne continues to surprise us with her published work and writing gifts! Her newest collection of poems brings Alabama’s twelfth poet laureate back to The NewSouth Bookstore on Sunday, June 8, at 3pm for readings and a talk about this special volume, an unsentimental document of grief that doubles as a celebration of her father. Says award-winning poet Rodney Jones, “Do not think somber. Poem after poem strikes a match that reveals a life lived well. Horne’s particular brilliance is to set a tone and hold to it step by step, with both wit and wisdom, and in various modes that surprise and delight. My happiness depends on finding, rarely, such marvelous books.” We are lucky to bring Jennifer Horne back to Montgomery for this event. Please join us.

Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop for High School Students
2025-06-09 09:00 - 2025-06-27 15:00 | UAB’s Spencer Honors House, 1190 10th Ave. S., Birmingham, AL, 35205, United States
Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop for high school students
This rewarding day camp is for high school students interested in creative writing. With the guidance of nationally recognized authors, they will draft, edit and publish their work while exploring Birmingham’s rich culture and history. College credit and scholarships available.
Telephone: (205) 934-8573
Address: Spencer Honors House, 1190 10th Ave. S., Birmingham, AL
Email: tmharris@uab.edu
Website: uab.edu/cas/english/events/ada-long-workshop
Ages: Grades 9-12 (rising)
Dates: June 9-June 27

IMPACT BOOK FESTIVAL in Fultondale
2025-06-14 10:00 - 16:00 | Fultondale Event Center, 1210 Old Walker Chapel Road, Fultondale, AL, 35068, United States
Join local and regional authors and booksellers at the first IMPACT BOOK FESTIVAL hosted by the new Impact Arts Council of North Jefferson County, Alabama! The event is scheduled for June 14, 10AM – 4PM, at the Fultondale Event Center in Fultondale, Alabama (first exit north of Birmingham).
Romance! Fantasy! Mystery! History! Adventure! Crime! Horror! Humor! All in BOOKS!
Registration is now open for authors at $50 per book vendor, which includes a 6′ table and chair. This is a rain-or-shine indoor event.
If you’re an author interested in a speaking engagement or interested in participating on a panel at the festival, email your inquiry to ehteditor@gmail.com.
Please spread the word to all of your reader and writer friends!

Robert Sandel Book Signing at Barnes & Noble, Tuscaloosa, June 14, 12-4 p.m.
2025-06-14 12:00 - 16:00 | Barnes & Noble/Tuscaloosa, Midtown Shopping Ctr 1800 McFarland Road East, 1800 McFarland Blvd E Suite 200,, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35404, United States
Author Robert Sandel will be available for a book signing, featuring his first book, Bobby: Please Come Inside, on Saturday, June 14, from 12-4 p.m., at Barnes & Noble in Tuscaloosa. Please come by, purchase a copy, and have your book signed by the author.
In 1938 at the age of four, Bobby and his brother were taken to an orphanage called the Good Shepherd Home. At the time, he had two parents who both took him to the Home to live for ten years. After, he moved to live with his aunt and uncle.
Writing about his life story has helped him understand immensely the dynamics of how family functions. To this day, when he sees a four-year-old, he wonders how parents can leave a child in an orphanage without showing their love and compassion. He takes you through his life where, despite not having loving parents, he still succeeded. He shows you his family relationship and how, in the end, it was through Christian love that he was successful in giving his family (that he always dreamed of having) care and love.
About the Author
Robert L. Sandel’s life and career began when he left the Good Shepherd Home and was told by his oldest brother, whom he never lived with, that he must graduate from high school and go on to college. The rest was left up to him to make his own decisions. In 1948, he said to himself that he would start a new life. The dynamics were never easy, however, he went to college and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Math and Physics. With sheer determination, he became a salesman for Pfizer Pharmaceutical Co. In 1984, he succeeded in winning the Salesman of the Year Award and was listed in their Hall of Fame.
In 1956, Robert was married and eventually had three wonderful children, one of whom was adopted. He now has six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. All of his family are doing well. His wife became a family therapist, and has a Master’s in Social Work. His son has traveled all over the world as a professor in Communications and written a book. His three children are doing very well. His two oldest graduated from the University of Oklahoma. One has a Master’s Degree and the youngest is still in college. Robert’s daughter is an accomplished artist and has her own studio. His oldest granddaughter also became a famous artist for a new modern family. His adopted daughter is the peacemaker in the family and is an accomplished Tae Kwon Do black belt leader.
Shortly after college, Robert became a Boy Scout leader. He loved community sports such as softball, basketball, golf, and running. He served as Treasurer for his local church in Canandaigua, New York, and when he moved to Alabama he also served as Treasurer for Tuscaloosa International Friends and Tuscaloosa Emmaus Cluster. He is an avid reader and loves to read books both political and non-fiction.

Staycation Book Club at Auburn Oil Booksellers, June 16, 6:00 p.m.
2025-06-16 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 (Tickets below)
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

See link below to purchase tickets:

Staycation Book Club | June 16

Thursday, June 19 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Peter Kuper with Insectopolis: A Natural History
2025-06-19 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Bill Nye, the Science Guy, says, “If insects weren’t everywhere on Earth, you and I wouldn’t be here either,” which inspired us to invite Peter Kuper, author of the newly published Insectopolis: A Natural History, to The NewSouth Bookstore for a talk on Thursday, June 19 at 5:30pm. In his wildly inventive and informative work, award-winning cartoonist Peter Kuper transports readers through the 400 million-year history of insects and the remarkable entomologists who have studied them. The result is eye-popping, a visually stunning book that will transport you to a better understanding of why insects in our ecosystem are meaningful. Come be educated and inspired.

Saturday, June 21 at 3pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Ruth Franklin talks about "The Many Lives of Anne Frank"
2025-06-21 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are thrilled to welcome Ruth Franklin to The NewSouth Bookstore on Saturday, June 21 at 3pm. She will talk about her new biography, The Many Lives of Anne Frank. In this work Franklin explores the transformation of Anne Frank from ordinary teenager to icon, shedding new light on the young woman whose diary of her years in hiding, now translated into more than seventy languages, is the most widely read work of literature to arise from the Holocaust. Comprehensively researched but experimental in spirit, this book chronicles and interprets Anne’s life as a Jew in Amsterdam during World War II while also telling the story of the diary—its multiple drafts, its discovery, its reception, and its message for today’s world. It’s an amazing book. And we have every expectation that Franklin’s presentation about her subject will be every bit as fine.

Appearance by Billie L Rowland with Special Guest Carrie Dalby at the Haunted Book Shop, 4 p.m.
2025-06-22 16:00 - 17:30 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us for an afternoon of storytelling and historical insight at The Haunted Book Shop on June 22, 4pm, as we host MPD Capt. Billie L. Rowland and his debut book, Unbroken Service: A History of the Mobile Police Department. This event brings together two accomplished writers as Rowland will be joined in-conversation by southern gothic author Carrie Dalby with her release of Betrayal: Washington Square Secrets 4.
This is an in-conversation not to be missed, as these two authors discuss how their collective research informed their writing and helped bring these two works to life–one in nonfiction and one in fiction. Whether you’re a fan of gripping historical fiction or interested in the rich tapestry of Mobile’s law enforcement history, this afternoon event promises a memorable experience. Join us at The Haunted Book Shop for an evening that celebrates local literature and the stories that shape our community.
A book signing will follow the author talk. To enter the signing line, at least one book must be purchased from The Haunted Book Shop. Mr. Bingley, resident bookstore cat, thinks you should reserve your copy and seat today via Eventbrite!

Alabama State Poetry Society Online Open Mic
2025-06-23 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

Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Barbara McQuade with Attack from Within
2025-06-24 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
This talk should interest everyone. Seriously. Join us to listen to and learn from MSNBC legal analyst Barbara McQuade, author of Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, now in paperback. The book is an urgent, comprehensive explanation of the ways disinformation is impacting democracy, and practical solutions that can be pursued to strengthen the public, media, and truth-based politics. In the book, McQuade breaks down the ways disinformation has become a tool to drive voters to extremes, disempower our legal structures, and consolidate power in the hands of the few. Eric Holder calls McQuade “a great public servant and one of the most acute observers of our time.” We are excited to host Barbara McQuade at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30pm.

Pride Month Book Swap at The Haunted Book Shop
2025-06-28 13:00 - 15:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Celebrate Pride at The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile!
Find your reading companions this Pride month! Join fellow book lovers on June 28th, 1-3PM, for a book swap and bookish conversation. Meet other readers, learn of the latest LGBTQ-IA+ titles, and share reviews of soon-to-be classics.
Our book world is full of LGTBQ-IA+ authors, and we want to celebrate them all with you!
Reservations are encouraged.

Find Waldo 2025
2025-07-01 - 2025-07-31 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Find Waldo 2025 starts July 1st at The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile!
Where’s Waldo? In Mobile, of course! Celebrating its thirteenth anniversary in July 2025, Find Waldo Local begins at The Haunted Book Shop July 1st and ends on July 31st. Can you find all the places where Waldo is hanging out this year?
To join in the hide-and-seek fun, simply pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Mobile!” stamp card at The Haunted Book Shop located at 9 S Joachim St then search for Waldo at participating businesses around downtown Mobile. With each miniature Waldo they spot, searchers get their card stamped or signed by the participating shop. Eagle-eyed hunters can also look for Waldo’s special 2025 magnifying glass hidden inside The Haunted Book Shop!
Seekers must turn in stamp cards to The Haunted Book Shop by July 31st. When you’ve collected at least ten different store stamps/signatures, take them to The Haunted Book Shop to claim a Waldo sticker and a coupon for $1 off (limited to the first 125 Waldo-spotters). Those that collect store stamps or signatures at twenty or more businesses will earn entry into a grand-prize drawing for Waldo books and other prizes on August 2nd at 5pm.
All participants are welcome to attend the party on August 2nd and to celebrate the icon known simply as WALDO. Pick up your stamp card today and HAPPY HUNTING!

Author Daco S. Auffenorde Appearance & Signing at The Haunted Book Shop
2025-07-03 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 July 3rd, as we host “An Evening with Daco S. Auffenorde,” celebrating her latest novel, The Medici Curse. Dive into the depths of a chilling Gothic thriller where legacy, art, and intrigue intertwine against the lush backdrop of Tuscany.
The Medici Curse spins a tale of Anna de’ Medici Rossi, a descendant of the illustrious Italian dynasty, who is haunted by her fragmented memories and a feared family legend. After inheriting a grand villa that is as opulent as it is ominous, Anna finds herself grappling with past traumas and a local community that views her with suspicion and veiled hostility.
The evening will provide attendees an opportunity to hear Daco discuss her inspirations for crafting this suspense-filled narrative that melds psychological depth with supernatural mystery.
Engage in a Q&A session, meet the author in the signing line, and enjoy an evening with other thriller-loving fans. Whether you’re a fan of Gothic thrillers, art, or intricate family sagas, “An Evening with Daco S. Auffenorde” will offer insights and intrigue in equal measure. Immerse yourself in the mystery of The Medici Curse and perhaps unravel a piece of the puzzle with Anna.
Book purchase through The Haunted Book Shop is required to enter signing line. Purchase your book and reserve your seat today!

Staycation Book Club at Auburn Oil Booksellers, July 8, 6:00 p.m.
2025-07-08 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 (Tickets below)
Join us on Tuesday, July 29th @ 6:00 pm to discuss One Italian Summer by Rebecca Seale

See link below to purchase tickets.

Staycation Book Club | July 8

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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

Anastasia: The New Broadway Musical
2025-07-17 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-18 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-19 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-24 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-07-26 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-27 14:00 - 16:00 | 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.

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.

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.
