Alabama Writers' Forum

Randal Jelks talk about My America: Langston Hughes on Democracy
2026-05-07 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Rosa, 252 Montgomery St, Montgomery, AL, 36104, United States
We are offsite at the Rosa Parks Museum for a truly special program featuring award-winning author and documentary producer Randal M. Jelks on Thursday, May 7 starting at 5:30pm. We are pleased to bring him to Montgomery for a talk about My America: Langston Hughes on Democracy, a new book in which he delivers a revelatory portrait of the celebrated poet, essayist, playwright, and American artist. Jelks will be in conversation with poet Jaqueline Allen Trimble. Event co-sponsors include the Rosa Parks Museum, League of Women Voters of Alabama, and Read Freely Alabama.

One Hour/One Poem: Discover the verse of Langston Hughes
2026-05-05 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. Off the success in 2025 of One Hour/One Poem, Paul returns to The NewSouth Bookstore to teach one great nineteenth- or early twentieth-century poem in each of four sessions of an hour or less. The program is a deep dive into the work of four significant American writers, all giants of the poetic form: Edgar Allan Poe, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes. Paul is a master educator with a deep love of poetry, who is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach these works. “The Weary Blues” by Langston Hughes, written in 1926, is the subject of her fourth session, scheduled for Tuesday, May 5 at 5:30pm. Hope you can join us.

Elaine Weiss with Spell Freedom at the Civil Rights Memorial Center
2026-04-28 17:30 - 19:00 | Civil Rights Memorial Center, 400 Washington Ave, AL, 36104, United States
We are proud to host a talk with award-winning journalist Elaine Weiss, author of the much-praised The Women’s Hour. In her new book, Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools that Built the Civil Rights Movement, Weiss returns with the remarkable story — masterfully told — of four activists whose audacious plan to restore voting rights to Black Americans laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement. Co-hosted by the SPLC Civil Rights Memorial Center.

Alabama State Poetry Society Online Open Mic
2026-04-27 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-03-23 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

Two literary talents! A reading with Honorée Fanonne Jeffers and Kwoya Fagin
2026-04-26 15:30 - 17:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Two literary talents gather at The NewSouth Bookstore to celebrate the release of Long Eye, a new collection of poems by Kwoya Fagin Maples, with a reading by recent works and/or works in progress by one of the South’s most significant voices, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. We’re tremendously excited to welcome them both. Sunday afternoons don’t get better than this!

Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with Seth Panitch & Mollie Smith Waters
2026-04-25 11:00 - 20:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day in style at The Haunted Book Shop! On Saturday, April 25th, join us for exclusive merchandise, in-store activities, and all the books that haunt you!
We will have giveaways with purchase (while supplies last), exclusive merchandise for sale only available at indie bookstores (while supplies last), author signings, storytime for the littles, and Mr. Bingley will be on hand for head scratches and treats. Also, get here early as the hunt for the Libro.fm GOLDEN TICKET starts at 11am. Be the lucky ONE customer to find it, and you win 12 free audiobooks. That’s a year’s supply of audiobooks!
Here’s the full lineup for this jam-packed celebration:
11am: Libro.fm Golden Ticket hunt begins!
11:30am: Storytime with actor and author Jodie Cain Smith
1:30 – 3:30pm: Book signing with Mollie Smith Waters and her nonfiction book, Historical Resting Places of Alabama
4:00pm: In-conversation with author Seth Panitch with signing to follow of his novel, Antique
Whether you’re browsing, listening to a children’s book reading or lively author conversation, chatting up an author in the signing line, or hunting for that Golden Ticket, you’re sure to have a blast at IBD 2026!
All Independent Bookstore Day merchandise & giveaways are available while supplies last.
See you at your favorite indie on April 25th!

Join us for our Fourth Annual Poetry Read-Aloud!
2026-04-21 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Our poetry read-aloud is a spring ritual — held annually in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Friends and customers gather, seated in a circle, to share favorite poems which are read aloud. The sound of the words, the lilt of the human voice — these are joyful music. It is wonderful to give an hour to thoughtful listening. Come be part of the fun. Bring two poems of your selection (can be two you’ve personally written or not) and find your way to The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, April 21 at 5:30pm.

"Peter and the Star Catcher" at Bean-Brown Theatre, Tuscaloosa
2026-04-19 14:00 - 16:30, 2026-04-18 19:30 - 22:00, 2026-04-17 19:30 - 22:00, 2026-04-16 19:30 - 22:00, 2026-04-15 19:30 - 22:00 | Bean- Brown Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35405, United States
Embark on a magical journey that explores the longing for adventure and the discovery of one’s true home. This imaginative tale reminds us that home can be found in the most unexpected places, within ourselves and in the bonds we create. The play provides a backstory for the characters of Peter Pan, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell and Hook. It serves as a prequel to J. M. Barrie’s, Peter and Wendy.

Impact Book Festival 2026
2026-04-18 10:00 - 15:00 | Fultondale Event Center, 1210 Old Walker Chapel Road, Fultondale, AL, 35068, United States
The 2026 IMPACT BOOK FESTIVAL will be held April 18 at the Fultondale Event Center (first I-65 exit north of Birmingham). The festival will be hosted by the Impact Arts Council headquartered in northern Jefferson County, and more information will follow at www.impactartscouncil.org.
Tables will be available for reservation on a first-come-first-served basis due to the space limitations of the venue. Approximately 50 authors exhibited last year.
Based on the interests and engagement of last year’s attendees, we will prioritize authors of fiction.

One Hour/One Poem: Discover the verse of Robert Frost
2026-04-14 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. Off the success in 2025 of One Hour/One Poem, Paul returns to The NewSouth Bookstore to teach one great nineteenth- or early twentieth-century poem in each of four sessions of an hour or less. The program is a deep dive into the work of four significant American writers, all giants of the poetic form: Edgar Allan Poe, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes. Paul is a master educator with a deep love of poetry, who is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach these works. “Birches” by Robert Frost, written in 1915, is the subject of her third session, scheduled for Tuesday, April 14 at 5:30pm. Hope you can join us.

Regina Harbour stars in Norman McMillan's FIREBALL
2026-04-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Greensboro Opera House, 1217 Main St, Greensboro, AL, 36744, United States
Norman McMillan’s FIREBALL is a one-woman show based on a memoir by Hazel Lindsey and Julia Walker titled Fireball: The True Story of a Tennessee Plow Girl Who Survived Poverty, Abuse, and Eleven Husbands with Wit, Wisdom, and Tenacity. The play will be staged on Sunday, April 12th at The Greensboro Opera House. Show starts at 3pm.

Regina Harbour stars in Norman McMillan's "FIREBALL"
2026-04-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Trinity Episcopal Church, 401 N Main Ave, Demopolis, AL, 36732, United States
Norman McMillan’s FIREBALL is a one-woman show based on a memoir by Hazel Lindsey and Julia Walker titled Fireball: The True Story of a Tenessee Plow Girl Who Survived Poverty, Abuse, and Eleven Husbands with Wit, Wisdom, and Tenacity. The play will be staged Friday, April 10th at Trinity Episcopal Church in Demopolis. Show starts at 6pm.

Kate Brown with Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present, and the Future of the Self-Provisioning City
2026-04-07 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
From distinguished MIT professor of the history of science Kate Brown comes a new book, Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, the Present, and the Future of the Self-Provisioning City. Join us for her talk about it at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, April 7 at 5:30pm. Tiny Gardens Everywhere is a tribute to small-scale gardens that is something more — an inspiring vision of the transformative potential of gardening and urban life from the eighteenth century to the twenty-first. As fellow author/gardener Novella Carpenter describes it, “this vibrant secret history validates our work and guides future gardeners toward better composting, radical use of common spaces, and plenty of zucchini.” Green thumbs and brown thumbs, this will be a program you won’t want to miss.

Novella-length Fiction and Nonfiction
2026-03-31 - 2026-04-30 | Online, NC
For a limited time, Sunspot Lit is calling for single works of novella-length fiction or nonfiction in any category, including memoir, literary, genre, and historical. Open April 1 through April 30. See guidelines and submission form, along with the journal’s other open calls (including art), here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit.

W. Caleb McDaniel with Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America
2026-03-31 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We are proud to have as our special guest W. Caleb McDaniel for a talk about his book, Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America. An epic tale of a Black woman who survived bondage twice and won reparations against impossible odds, it’s breathtaking work, beautifully written, which won the Pulitzer Prize for History. Join us at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, March 31 at 5:30pm.

Gregory O'Malley with The Escapes of David George
2026-03-31 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
From a prize-winning historian comes a dramatic story about a Black man’s relentless search for freedom in Revolutionary-era America. Piecing together archival records and David George’s own brief account of his life―the earliest written testimony by a fugitive enslaved person in North America―Gregory O’Malley presents a thrilling narrative and unique perspective on our nation’s origins, principles, and contradictions.

Michael Brownstein with Somebody Should Do Something
2026-03-29 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
In his new book, Somebody Should Do Something, Michael Brownstein delivers a novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. His is a book for these times! Follow the critics to The NewSouth Bookstore for an empowering discussion about social change that will inspire us all: Sunday, March 29 at 3pm.

Fragments Observed Launch Party with Author Carrie Dalby
2026-03-28 15:00 - 17:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us for a launch party at The Haunted Book Shop on March 28, celebrating Fragments Observed: Lessons Learned on Patrol by Carrie Dalby. The party will feature an in-conversation with MPD’s CPT Billie Rowland, a signing line, and photo op.
In Fragments Observed, Carrie Dalby reveals her transformation from a nonconfrontational introvert to a keen observer of police work in Mobile, Alabama. Through her extensive 150-hour experience riding along with the MPD, Carrie not only aimed to craft believable characters for her novels set in Mobile but also uncovered the complexities of law enforcement and community dynamics. Her book details the touching human stories and the critical social interactions that occur beyond the public eye, offering readers a rare glimpse into the day-to-day challenges and victories encountered by those on the front lines of public safety. Get ready to be inspired by a literary journey that bridges the gap between fiction and the very real stories unfolding on the streets of Mobile every day.
To enter the signing line, attendees must purchase a copy of Fragments Observed from The Haunted Book Shop. Due to limited space, reservations are highly recommended.

2026 Alabama Writing Workshop
2026-03-27 09:30 - 17:00 | Embassy Suites Birmingham, 2300 Woodcrest Place, Birmingham, AL, 35206, United States
Pitch Agents and Learn from Published Authors at the 2026 Alabama Writing Workshop
ALL WRITERS WELECOME
This is our 7th Annual Alabama Writing Workshop in Birmingham, presented by Writing Day Workshops. We have many, many success stories of attendees who have found their agent or editor at our events. You could be next – so come join us!
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, March 27, 2026
WHERE: Embassy Suites Birmingham, 2300 Woodcrest Place, Birmingham, AL 35206.
REGISTRATION COST: $169
https://alabamawritingworkshop.com
Attending Agents Include:
• literary agent Danielle Marshall (Jane Rotrosen Agency)
• literary agent Vicky Weber (Creative Media Agency)
• literary agent Trinica Sampson-Vera (New Leaf Literary & Media)
• literary agent Elizabeth Guthrie (P.S. Literary)
Class Schedule:
9:30 – 10:30: Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2026.
10:30 – 11:45: 15 Tips on How to Write Like the Pros.
(11:45 – 1:15: Lunch on your own)
1:15 – 2:30: “Writers’ Got Talent: A First Page Critique-Fest.”
2:45 – 3:45: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Authors.
4:00 – 5:00: Marketing Without the Meltdown: A Practical, Pick-Your-Path Guide for Authors

Dennis McCarthy, author and literary executor for Cormac McCarthy
2026-03-26 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Join us for an evening with Dennis McCarthy, author of The Gospel According to Billy the Kid, winner of the 2021 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award for Historical Fiction. Steward of his late brother Cormac McCarthy’s literary estate, Dennis brings a rare and intimate understanding of Cormac’s body of work and native talents to his own remarkable writing debut. Our bookstore evening will give you an introduction to both. Mark your calendars to join us on Thursday, March 26 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore.

Beronda Montgomery with When Trees Testify
2026-03-24 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We’re excited to announce a bookstore talk by Beronda L. Montgomery in connection with her new book, When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy. This stunning cultural and personal reclamation of Black history and Black botanical mastery offers up lessons from the natural world shared through the stories of long-lived trees. Montgomery is an award-winning plant biologist, her book a journey through science and the sacred. Don’t miss this special event on Tuesday, March 24 at 5:30pm.

Gin Phillips with her new novel, Ruby Falls
2026-03-19 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Her new historical thriller brings the talented Gin Phillips to The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, March 19 at 5:30pm. Set in and around Chattanooga during the Great Depression, Phillips weaves a captivating tale of intrigue with a race for survival in a clever story that is hard to put down.

Peter Brannen with “The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything”
2026-03-17 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
We welcome Peter Brannen to The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, March 17 at 5:30pm with his new book, The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything. A contributing writer at The Atlantic, Brannen is an esteemed scribe in the field of Earth Science. The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything describes how carbon dioxide made planet Earth, shaped our human history, and now holds our future in the balance. Ambitious and absorbing, it brings to life the story of CO2 and its importance to all life forms. Come meet the author of this fascinating new work.

An evening of folk music with guitarist Kray Van kirk
2026-03-12 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Join us for an evening of folk Americana at The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, March 12 at 5:30pm. We are pleased to host Kray Van Kirk who comes to us all the way from Alaska. A fine finger-style guitarist with a sonorous baritone voice, Van Kirk will delight you with his soulful storytelling and music magic.

Kathryn Beasley talk about "The Proof Is in the Dough"
2026-03-10 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
For Women’s History Month, the perfect guest! Kathryn Beasley joins us with her new book The Proof Is in the Dough, which examines how rural Southern women, White and Black, used the extension system during the Progressive Era (1920s and ’30s) to make ends meet. This work is a fascinating slice of our Southern history celebrating the resiliency of women and their rural extension partners. Come learn about it on Tuesday, March 10 at 5:30pm.
