Sunspot Lit’s open call: Supernova
2026-07-31 - 2026-08-31 | Online, NC
Sunspot Lit’s open call for very long fiction, CNF, poetry and graphic novels closes August 31. Accepting all genres and categories. See guidelines and submission form, along with the journal’s other open calls (including art), here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit.

Pat Cunningham Devoto has stories to share from her new book, “Bookin’ in the Big House”
2026-08-04 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Author Pat Cunningham Devoto joins us at The NewSouth Bookstore with a fine new work, Bookin’ in the Big House: What I Learned Leading a Women’s Prison Book Club. Rich in humanity and with stories to make you laugh and cry, the book chronicles her surprising experiences — hint: they’re anything but literary — over the seven years she led a book club for women in a Montgomery Women’s Correctional Facility. Devoto pulls back the curtain on this unfamiliar world for our bookstore audience and readers like you!

Lee Farrow leads discussion of Heart of a Dog for our annual group read
2026-08-06 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are thrilled to announce the return of Dr. Lee Farrow, who will lead discussion about our next group read, Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov. The novella is a hilarious, brilliantly inventive story, as timely today as it was when written — one of Farrow’s favorite books by a Russian author. Join us as she takes us into the book, telling us what makes it great.

Bards and Brews Open Mic
2026-08-07 18:00 - 20:30 | Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL, 35203, United States
Birmingham Public Library’s Bards and Brews will be back on Friday, August 7, at the downtown Birmingham Public Library for another unforgettable evening of poetry, creativity, and community!
Doors Open: 6:00 PM., Open Mic Begins: 6:30 PM
Central Library, 2100 Park Place
Hosted By: Thed Weller
Featured Poet: Ava Walker
Guests must be 18 or older to attend and participate, and 21 or older to enjoy complimentary beer samples. We look forward to seeing you in August!
Bards & Brews is sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Dr. Zanice Bond on The Supreme Court, Poetry, & Social Justice in Alabama
2026-08-08 10:00 - 14:00 | Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 902 Daphne Avenue, Daphne, AL, 36526, United States
Freedom School 2026: Daphne, a Higher Ground Society initiative, will take place Saturday, August 8, in Daphne at Macedonia Baptist Church, where Dr. Zanice Bond of Tuskegee University will reprise her presentation that explores poetry, visual art, and the Gomillion v. Lightfoot case which examines voting rights and gerrymandering in 1960 Alabama. You really don’t want to miss this interactive conclusion to this summer series—registration is free using the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/higher-ground-society-freedom-school-2026-daphne-free-tickets-1992416768188?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios&sg=9c38403fd11949e73b30bf46921f54f740c548713047459c35d797e1f4b447c48559efaefb3e9e119e565b823800b434b289387f3327c40e46554ba653db6f254a585618e182e788f92e487487&fbclid=IwY2xjawS-BtVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoSHhiYUF6dWhkSDVKQVZ1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpjEZVBllgcYgvLTjCvlXL4yM-T-PpsuuVl5-Z7xEnEsrzfPVFb9CybswWkR_aem_dqD8H_MzS4V42meYXWAfpQ

Denise Kiernan with Obstinate Daughters
2026-08-11 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
History has always celebrated our Founding Fathers. In an act of correction, we’re bringing Denise Kiernan to The NewSouth Bookstore for a talk about her new book, Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution. The work is a sweeping chronicle that challenges the traditional mythology of the nation’s beginnings, championing the unsung women behind it. Kiernan is an award‑winning author, journalist, and producer with three decades of storytelling experience, so you just know this is going to be a great event and her book a must to read. See you at the bookstore on Tuesday, August 11 at 5:30pm.

It's Local Authors Day!
2026-08-15 12:00 - 16:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Our Local Authors Day has become a much anticipated annual bookstore event — and for good reason. People enjoy meeting authors working locally and talking to them about their work. And authors love the opportunity to meet potential readers! Saturday, August 15, starting at noon, we welcome another sixteen authors to the bookstore for this enjoyable program. Authors, register now with Jessala White at jessala.white@newsouthbookstore.com or 334-834-3556. Y’all, mark your calendars to be with us!

Book Bedazzling for Bookstore Romance Day
2026-08-15 16:00 - 18:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
You bring the book. We’ve got the BLING!
Join us for a sparkly afternoon at The Haunted Book Shop as we celebrate Bookstore Romance Day on August 15th, 4-6pm, with BOOK BEDAZZLING! Whether you are new to book bedazzling or a sparkling pro, we’ve got you covered. So, to celebrate the genre we love that’s all about love, you are invited to join your fellow book and crafting enthusiasts, especially romance fans, to cover your favorite book cover with rhinestones. Yes, for one special afternoon, we are turning our shop at 9 S Joachim St. into an art studio and you the artist!
Advance ticket purchase is required for this event. Your ticket gets you a deluxe bedazzling kit including gems, wax pencil, scoop, tweezers, tray, and glue, all organized for ease of use. Worried that you may not finish your book cover masterpiece during the event? Don’t! The kit is yours to keep so that you can take your work-in-progress home to finish with all the supplies and tools you need.
This event is all about friendship – old and new – the books we love, and sparkling creativity. Bring the book you wish to bedazzle and cozy up for an afternoon of crafting and sparkles.
Not a romance reader? No worries! We’d love to bedazzle with you, too. Bring your favorite fantasy, mystery, thriller, literary…any genre, any book cover!
See you and your favorite book on August 15th at 4pm.

Mark Tenhundfeld is our guest with State of Segregation: America’s Freedom Rights Struggles As Told by Alabama
2026-08-18 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
It’s going to be a rich talk — eye-opening, for sure — when Mark J. Tenhundfeld comes to visit. Our distinguished guest will talk about his new book, State of Segregation, a revealing legal journey through Alabama’s civil rights battles, exposing systemic discrimination and the enduring fight for justice via landmark Supreme Court cases. The work uniquely blends legal analysis, historical narrative, and social commentary to expose the deep-rooted systems of racial, gender, and class-based discrimination in our state. Come be with us for this special program on Tuesday, August 18 at 5:30pm.

Frye Gaillard and Cynthia Tucker join us for a talk about their stunning new book, “A Republic If You Can Keep It”
2026-08-23 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Join us for a launch event at The NewSouth Bookstore on Sunday, August 23 at 3pm for A Republic If You Can Keep It by two significant Southern journalists, Frye Gaillard and Cynthia Tucker. The book powerfully critiques where our country is in the age of Trump. Gaillard and Tucker — who came of age during the civil rights years — pause to take a hard look at the ways in which our country falls short, even as it has aspired since its founding to “a more perfect Union,” looking at the explosive and potentially quite damaging variable represented by our current president.

Alabama State Poetry Society Online Open Mic
2026-08-24 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-09-28 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

Books of the Living Dead
2026-08-24 19:00 - 22:00 | True Story Brewing, 5510 Crestwood Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35212, Birmingham, Alabama, 35212
Do you like scary stories?
Then mark your calendar for August 24 at True Story Brewing Co.!
Horror! Mystery! Crime capers, sci-fi, and suspense!Live readings that’ll knock you dead, presented by local and regional authors of dark fiction!
Free admission! All ages! Tell your friends!

Books of the Living Dead
2026-08-24 19:00 - 22:00 | True Story Brewing, 5510 Crestwood Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35212, Birmingham, Alabama, 35212
You’re invited to a soiree. A little shindig. A bash for book lovers who want it darker. If you enjoy tales of murder with your cocktails and can never get enough mayhem on the page, then creep on down to True Story Brewing Company in Birmingham, Al, on August 24 and test your courage at Books of the Living Dead… We’ve assembled a rogue’s gallery of Alabama’s most talented authors for a spine-tingling night of live readings designed to shock, scare and delight you.

An Evening with Adam Cesare at The Haunted Book Shop
2026-08-25 17:30 - 20:30 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Why dread the horror of back-to-school when you could celebrate with us and ADAM CESARE at The Haunted Book Shop on August 25th? Yes, you read that correctly. Adam Cesare is coming to Mobile as part of his national tour for book four in the series, “Lights! Camera! Frendo!”
This is your chance to meet Adam, author of the wildly popular horror series CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD, and have him sign your copy of Lights! Camera! Frendo! After the signing, Adam and select ticket holders will head down the street to the Crescent Theater for a special screening of the slasher film Clown in a Cornfield, followed by a Q&A with Adam. Only 95 screening tickets are available, so if you snooze on this invitation you will face the horror of a “sold out” banner.
The fun officially starts at 5:30PM at The Haunted Book Shop, but Alchemy Tavern will start slinging their Adam Cesare-themed cocktails earlier that afternoon to get you in a festive mood. There’s nothing scary about an Alchemy cocktail.
So, horror fans, who’s with me? Ready for all the jump scares and suspense of Adam Cesare and Clown in a Cornfield? Grab your ticket today. A paid, advance ticket is required for entry to the event. In the ticket ordering section, you will have your choice of ticket level for this event.
There will be three ticket types for this event:
1st tier – Book & Signing Line only (Includes book)
2nd tier – Movie & Q&A only (does not include book)
3rd tier – Book, Signing Line, & Movie & Q&A (includes book)

It's a Celebration! Presented by the River Region Rainbow Chorus
2026-08-25 18:00 - 19:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Our world is rich in different voices. Come enjoy the music of many in our greater Montgomery area. The River Region Rainbow Chorus is a radiant group, beautiful and with songs to be heard. At The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, August 25 at 6pm.

Patricia Smith with The Intentions of Thunder
2026-08-27 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are honored to host Patricia Smith for a program at The NewSouth Bookstore, a talk about and reading from her 2025 National Book Award-winning book, The Intentions of Thunder. Smith is a poet, spoken-word performer, playwright, author, and writing teacher, whose work has been called life-changing — “abundant, brilliant, and unprecedented.” Don’t miss her Montgomery appearance on Thursday, August 27 at 5:30pm!

Writing/Illustrating Day
2026-08-29 09:00 - 17:00
The North Alabama chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is hosting a Writing/Illustrating Day at St. Bernard Prep School’s Heidrich Library on Saturday, August 29th. This event, described as a day of writing/illustrating, plus critiques, is free and open to anyone 18 or older, whether you’ve been writing/drawing for years or just started! All genres and age groups are welcome (PB, MG, YA, ADULT, ETC.)
The event is on Saturday, August 29th, in Cullman, AL at St. Bernard Prep School’s Heidrich Library. We’ll also tour the Ave Maria Grotto, which is on campus (separate admission required, $10 plus lunch costs). Registration is required, and is limited to 40 participants. Please contact Hallie Christensen at Authorhalliechristensen@gmail.com, the North Alabama Local Liaison to the SCBWI.

Susan Eva O’Donovan talk about Moving Toward Freedom: The Political Education of Enslaved Americans
2026-09-03 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Our guest on Thursday, September 3 at 5:30pm is historian Susan Eva O’Donovan. She brings to us a magisterial, groundbreaking new study of the lives of enslaved Americans on the cusp of the Civil War that places them—and their hard-won political knowledge—rightly at the center of the fight for freedom. The book is titled Moving Toward Freedom: The Political Education of Enslaved Americans. Join us for her talk and gain new understanding about how those enslaved in our country in the mid-nineteenth century moved toward full emancipation and citizenship. It’ll be a great program.

Historian Joseph Kelly with The Biggest Lie: The Prehistory of American Fascism, 1818-1915
2026-09-10 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We look forward to welcoming Joseph Kelly for a talk about his new book, The Biggest Lie: The Prehistory of American Fascism, 1818-1915. It’s an eye-opening work of history tracing American Fascism back to the Antebellum South. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the deep historical currents shaping the United States today. Come meet Kelly at The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, September 10 at 5:30pm.

Joyce Cauthen and The Whistlebees at Birmingham Public Library
2026-09-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL, 35203, United States
Joyce Cauthen will read from her newly released book, The Ballad of Fiddling Tom Freeman and The Whistlebees will perform.

The Ballad of Fiddling Tom Freeman is a riveting portrait of a forgotten America, drawn from the handwritten memoirs of a bootlegger, fiddler, and chronicler of life in Bug Tussle, Alabama, in the first half of the twentieth century. Today, rural voices are often drowned out by polished narratives, but this book resurrects the unfiltered perspective of a man who lived through—and candidly documented—the chaos and violence in his home place as he shared stories of the large close-knit families who lived there.
Joyce H. Cauthen served as director of the Alabama Folklife Association from 2000 to 2010. An expert on folk music traditions in Alabama, she is the author of With Fiddle and Well-Rosined Bow: A History of Old-Time Fiddling In Alabama, Out of Whole Cloth: The Life of Bettye Kimbrell, and Benjamin Lloyd’s Hymn Book.
Be sure also to check out the Fiddling Tom Freeman Collection in the Southern Music Research Center’s online archive for more about this unforgettable character and his music. The collection was developed in collaboration with Cauthen as a supplement to the book and can be viewed here: https://www.southernmusicresearch.org/collections/show/63
This program will feature readings from the book, music by The Whistlebees, and refreshments.

Charlotte Donlon introduces new book, Spiritual Direction for Writers — in conversation with Jacqueline Allen Trimble
2026-09-15 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
What if the writing life isn’t about word counts but about daily attention to your whole self? Author/spiritual director Charlotte Donlon dives into that idea in her new book, Spiritual Direction for Writers: Everday Rituals for Your Writing Life, offering a holistic approach to developing one’s voice through the written word. Come be inspired when Donlon visits The NewSouth Bookstore for a talk about her approach, in conversation with a favorite writer, Alabama Poet Laureate Jacqueline Allen Trimble. Tuesday, September 15 at 5:30pm.

Emily Yellin talk about Nonviolent, book she coauthored for Rev. James Lawson Jr.
2026-09-22 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Join us for a talk by Emily Yellin, New York Times contributor and coauthor of the posthumous memoir of Rev. James Lawson Jr., peer of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., mentor to Congressman John Lewis and the Freedom Riders, and a principal architect of a nonviolent resistance movement that changed the world. Nonviolent delivers an intimate self-portrait of Lawson as a man who recognized the inherent dignity of everyone, and challenged all forms of violence, Of the work historian Jonathan Eig, author of King: A Life, says, “This book is a gift to be treasured, from a man who has already given so much.” Tuesday, September 22 at 5:30pm. Co-sponsored by the Freedom Rides Museum, SPLC Alabama, Civil Rights Memorial Center, and SPLC Learning for Justice.

Detria Austin Everson talk on Serving Is a Superpower
2026-09-27 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
A leading leadership expert visits The NewSouth Bookstore for a talk about how ordinary moments of intentional service can transform careers, strengthen relationships, inspire organizations, and change communities — this in connection with her inspirational and practical book titled Serving Is a Superpower. Detria Austin Everson is our esteemed guest. She joins us in the company of Doris Crenshaw as her conversation partner. Together they will remind us why the greatest power you’ll ever possess isn’t money, influence, intelligence, or talent but rather the simple choice to serve. Join us for this special event on Sunday, September 27 at 3pm.

Joyce Cauthen at Birmingham Historical Society
2026-10-04 15:00 - 17:00 | Birmingham Historical Society, 2827 Highland Avenue, Birmingham, AL, United States
Joyce will talk about Tom Freeman and the politicians he fiddled for.

Charles Ghigna talk and reading from The Lost Book of Life
2026-10-06 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We have wanted to host the wonderful poet Charles Ghigna for so very long. Situation remedied! Ghigna joins us at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, October 6 at 5:30pm with his newly released collection, The Lost Book of Life: New and Selected Poems. Ghigna is the poet with the mostest, author of dozens of books of verse for adults and children. He writes with imagination, insight, wit and wisdom, beguiling us with even the slightest work. Come discover his gifts!

Kevin Morris talk on An American Problem
2026-10-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Rosa Parks Musuem at Troy University, 252 Montgomery St, Montgomery, AL, 36104, United States
Kevin T. Morris is senior research fellow and voting policy scholar at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. On Tuesday, October 13 at 5:30pm, he’ll be our special guest for a talk about An American Problem: How the Country Built — and the Supreme Court Broke — the Voting Rights Act. His new book, coauthored with Michael G. Miller, is a tour-de-force of investigative reporting and storytelling. Importantly, the book traces the rise and fall of the Voting Rights Act, from the triumph of its passage in 1965 to its evisceration by the Supreme Court in their 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder. Morris will be in conversation with the Legal Director of the ACLU of Alabama, Alison Mollman. Don’t miss his talk which will offer insights and answers to your questions about where we go from here. Make note: We are offsite for this program at the Rosa Parks Museum Children’s Wing 2nd floor. See you there!

A Celebration of Art & Creative Writing with A. Van Jordan
2026-10-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University, 901 S. College St., Auburn, AL, 36849, United States
Featuring readings by and conversation with poet-in-residence A. Van Jordan and recipients of The Jule Museum Award for Creative Writing and the Auburn Witness Poetry Prize Honoring Jake Adam York

Celebrate Arts & Humanities Month through an evening of poetry, storytelling and creative discovery. A. Van Jordan, The Jule’s poet-in-residence, will read alongside the recipient of the Auburn Witness Poetry Prize honoring Jake Adam York and the inaugural recipient of The Jule Museum Award for Creative Writing. This new student award recognizes an undergraduate whose original work responds to an object in the museum’s collection.

Jordan is the author of five acclaimed poetry collections and the recipient of numerous honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Writers’ Award, a Pushcart Prize, an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, and the 2024 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Poetry. His work explores history, memory, race, film, music and popular culture, demonstrating poetry’s unique ability to connect personal stories with larger cultural conversations. He currently serves as a professor of English at Stanford University.

Bringing together these voices in conversation highlights how poetry and visual art inspire new ways of seeing and understanding the world. Join The Jule to experience how the arts and humanities foster curiosity, empathy and meaningful dialogue across generations and disciplines.

Support for The Jule Museum Award for Creative Writing is provided by Michael and Pat Williams and John and Michelle Mason.

The NewSouth Bookstore Harvest Festival
2026-10-17 15:00 - 18:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We join again this year with the City of Montgomery, participating in its downtown day of Halloween activities with our own bookstore Harvest Festival. This will be great fun for families, with our store decorated to the max and ghouls on the premises. Come for the trick-or-treat candy, the games, the books, and more. Saturday, October 17 at The NewSouth Bookstore from 3 to 6pm.

Data Centers: Understanding the Issues: A Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) Presentation
2026-10-20 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
You are invited to a special program hosted by The NewSouth Bookstore in cooperation with the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). SELC, the largest environmental advocacy and legal organization in the Southeast, will address the complex issues represented by the presence of data centers in our communities and their explosive growth. You’ll learn more about data center issues including transparency concerns, rising power bills, extraordinary water use, air pollution, and other environmental, health and safety impacts. SELC will unpack the issues in a panel discussion at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, October 20 at 5:30pm. Don’t miss it. They’re a matter for us all.
