Alabama Writers' Forum

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 (America/Chicago) | 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
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, 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

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.

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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.
