Alabama Writers' Forum

A Manda Collins Launch Party at The Haunted Book Shop
2025-04-22 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us at The Haunted Book Shop on April 22nd for the launch party of Manda Collins’ latest regency romance, A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice. Guests will be treated to an iced tea bar and the opportunity to make their own Wallflower-themed, beaded bookmark or bracelet. We’ll supply the bevs and beads, you bring your fantastic self!
Manda Collins, known for her blend of wit, intrigue, and romance, invites readers into the world of Lucy Penhallow, a wealthy heiress with a penchant for detective stories, and Viscount Gilford, a charming yet financially embattled nobleman. Together, amidst the glittering backdrop of society balls and scandalous headlines, they unravel a murder mystery while navigating the complexities of a burgeoning love affair that promises to be as perilous as it is passionate.
Get to know Manda a little better while crafting away inside The Haunted Book Shop, a space that ignites creativity, good conversation, and bookish haunts.
Whether you are a long-time admirer of Collins’ work or new to her stories, this evening promises plenty of laughs and chats over all of our romance genre obsession in the company of fellow book lovers celebrating this new edition to the series.
The celebration starts at 5:30pm at 9 S. Joachim St. As your copy of A Wallflower’s Guide to Viscounts and Vice purchased from The Haunted Book Shop serves as your ticket to the party, Mr. Bingley (beloved shop cat) advises you to reserve your book now!

Magic City Poetry Festival: Ekphrastic Poetry Writing Workshop with Tina Mozelle Braziel
2025-04-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Paperworkers Local, 2717 7th Ave S #203, Birmingham, AL, 35233, United States
When: Tuesday, April 22, 6-8 pm
Fee: $25
Ekphrastic Poetry Writing Workshop: Take inspiration from the artwork in the exhibit of PaperWorkers Local members to write an original poem. Whether you are new to writing poetry or an established poet, you will enjoy this guided writing exercise led by Poet Tina Mozelle Braziel. Light refreshments provided.
Here’s how the Poetry Foundation describes ekphrasis: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/ekphrasis
BIO: Tina Mozelle Braziel won the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry for Known by Salt (Anhinga Press), and her book Glass Cabin (Pulley Press), co-authored by her husband James Braziel, was named Southern Literary Review’s 2024 Poetry Book of the Year. She has been awarded a fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, an artist residency at Hot Springs National Park, the first Eco-Poetry Fellowship for Magic City Poetry Festival, and the 2022 Alabama Author Award from the Alabama Library Association. She directs the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop for high school students at UAB.
Tuesday, April 22, 6-8 pm. $25
If this is your first workshop, please submit the workshop participant form.

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers to Feature author Patti Callahan Henry for Books over Drinks
2025-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Come join us for Books over Drinks with author Patti Callahan Henry as we discuss her recent release, The Story She Left Behind. Join us for a conversation with Patti, a glass of wine, and a chance to celebrate her recent novel, April 22, 7-9 p.m.
Your ticket provides you with a pre-order copy of The Story She Left Behind. Patti will be available to sign copies of her books and answer questions.
ABOUT THE BOOK: The Story She Left Behind
Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.
“Brilliant, riveting, so beautifully written, impossible to put down.” —Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Books Over Drinks with Patti Callahan Henry

Thursday, April 24 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Tara Roberts joins us for talk about Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging
2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Join us for a great program featuring Tara Roberts, author of the newly released Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging. Roberts will be in conversation with journalist and Black Joy founder Jonece Starr Dunigan. For fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Jesmyn Ward’s Men We Reaped, this searing memoir by a National Geographic explorer recounts one woman’s epic journey to trace the global slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean—and find her place in the world. Written in the Waters is revelatory and deeply moving. Critics call Roberts a pioneer and an inspiration. Roberts joins us at The NewSouth Bookstore on Thursday, April 24 at 5:30pm.

Magic City Poetry Festival Presents: Be Empowered Poetry Contest Award Night
2025-04-24 18:00 - 20:00 | ArtPlay, 1006 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL, 35205, United States
Thursday, April 24

Be Empowered Poetry Contest Award Night

Ages 13+

Be Empowered Poetry Contest finalists will read their poetry aloud and the top 3 winners will be announced!

By GirlSpring

210 followers

2.7k attendees hosted 📈

Follow

Date and time

Thursday, April 24 · 6 – 8pm CDT. Doors at 12pm

Location

ArtPlay
1006 19th Street South Birmingham, AL 35205
Show map

About this event

Event lasts 2 hours
Ages 13+
Free venue parking

Be Empowered Poetry Contest Award Ceremony
Finalists from the Be Empowered Poetry Contest will read their poems aloud and the 3 top winners will be announced! All are invited to attend, but space is limited, so please RSVP!
We are thrilled to offer this as one of the many events happening during the Magic City Poetry Festival!
See below for more information of the Be Empowered Poetry Contest!
Be Empowered Poetry Contest, open to girls aged 13-18.
BE EMPOWERED POETRY CONTEST – ENTER BY APRIL 1 at https://girlspring.com/ending-april-1-be-empowered-poetry-contest/
First, second, and third place contest winners will receive cash prizes, framed prints of their poems, will be highlighted on GirlSpring’s website and social media, and finalists will be invited to the closing ceremony in April.
Be Empowered Poetry Contest is a collaboration between Girl Spring and See Jane Write, LLC. Javacia Harris Bowser. Javacia is a writer, journalist, and poet, and the founder and CEO of See Jane Write, LLC. She is a frequent contributor to local and national publications including Style Blueprint, Birmingham Times, Good Grit and more. This project is made possible from a grant from the City of Birmingham, with additional support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers to Feature author Emily Carpenter
2025-04-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join Us on Thursday April 24 at 6:30pm for an Exclusive Conversation with Author Emily Carpenter!
We’re thrilled to welcome acclaimed author Emily Carpenter as we celebrate the release of her highly anticipated novel, Gothictown! An Auburn University alum and a prolific writer, Emily’s latest work is garnering rave reviews—including right here at AOCB!
Our resident horror aficionado, Bookseller Robin, shares their excitement:
Emily Carpenter is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors. Her distinctly Southern Gothic voice evokes the greats like Michael McDowell and Shirley Jackson. I’m flying through her backlist and can’t wait for Gothictown to hit shelves so I can share it with our customers!
Adding to the excitement, Gothictown is currently in development for a TV adaptation with AMC, helmed by showrunner Abby Ajayi.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Emily in person, get your copy signed, and discover your next favorite read—before it comes to life on screen!

In Conversation with Emily Carpenter

Independent Bookstore Day at the Haunted Book Shop!
2025-04-26 11:00 - 20:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with the haints at The Haunted Book Shop! Our shop may not be haunted, but we are—by the books and authors we love! Show your love to your favorite indie bookstore by visiting with us on April 26, 2025, ALL DAY! We will have author appearances, book signings, in-store activities, exclusive merch, and, of course, Mr. Bingley, the coolest bookshop cat ever.
Our lineup is packed with something for everyone:
Ginny Myers Sain: In-conversation & Signing 4:00-6:00PM
Frye Gaillard: Book Signing 11:00AM-1:00PM
Joe Cuhaj: Book Signing 1:00pM-3:00PM
Frye Gaillard, a native of Mobile, Alabama, will kick off the celebration for us. He began his career as a writer and journalist after coming of age during the turbulent events of the 1960s, when he witnessed the Birmingham arrest of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and acted as student host for Sen. Robert Kennedy at Vanderbilt University. In the years since then, he has written more than thirty books, ranging across the genres of history, memoir, journalism, and historical stories for young readers. He will be signing his upcoming release, Heroes and Other Mortals: Stories of Our Better Angels.
Next at the signing table will be historian and outdoor enthusiast Joe Cuhaj with his new release The Pig War and the Pelican Girls. Joe’s love of Alabama’s geologic and biologic diversity led him to publish his first outdoor guide, Hike America Alabama for Beachway Press in 2000. The book has since been re-released by Falcon Guides as Hiking Alabama and is now in its fifth edition. He went on to write 13 more outdoor guidebooks and put his love of history to good use having written six non-fiction history books for Arcadia Publishing, History Press, and Prometheus Books. Joe currently writes for a variety of online and print publications including the travel website, TravelAwaits.
The fun continues in the afternoon with Ginny Myers Sain for an in-conversation and book signing of her latest, When the Bones Sing, a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead. Ginny Myers Sain lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has spent the past twenty years working closely with teens as a director and acting instructor in a program designed for high school students seriously intent on pursuing a career in the professional theatre. Having grown up in deeply rural America, she is interested in telling stories about resilient kids who come of age in remote settings. Her debut novel, Dark and Shallow Lies is a New York Times Bestseller.
Come for the authors, come for the exclusive merch (limited quantities available), come for the cat. Just make sure to come to the celebration of Independent Bookstore Day at The Haunted Book Shop at 9 S. Joachim St., Mobile, AL. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

The Magic City Poetry Festival Presents Poetry at the Monument
2025-04-26 13:00 - 15:00 | St. Paul UMC, 1500 6th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL, 35203, United States
Poetry at the Monument, sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts, will feature Kamina Perdue, Jamil Glenn, and Tmbuk2 da poet!

By Magic City Poetry Festival

Saturday, April 26 · 1 – 3pm CDT
St Paul United Methodist Church

1500 6th Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203
Show map

Poetry at the Monument, sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts, will feature Kamina Perdue, Jamil Glenn, and Tmbuk2 da poet, who will share work related to civil rights and social justice.
Arrive at 1pm for the poetry tour!

Alabama State Poetry Society Online Open Mic
2025-04-28 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-05-26 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, April 29 at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Tom Spencer with The Mystery of the Crooked Man
2025-04-29 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Cozy crime fiction does not come more clever or delightful than in this new book by Montgomery’s own Tom Spencer, The Mystery of the Crooked Man. Agatha Christie fans will love meeting Agatha Dorn in a crime yarn as “cool, crisp, and heady as the gin cantankerous library archivist Agatha loves,” says the Peterborough Telegraph. The work is an homage to Golden Age detectives, lost manuscripts and famous authors. Come celebrate the release of The Mystery of the Crooked Man with Tom Spencer at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, April 29 at 5:30pm.

Magic City Poetry Festival Presents "A Year in Verse"
2025-04-29 17:30 - 19:30 | Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL, 35203, United States
A Year in Verse

Presented by Create Birmingham and Magic City Poetry Festival at The Birmingham Public Library, Birmingham AL

April 29, 2025

A Year in Verse: A Celebration of Salaam Green’s Inaugural Year as Birmingham’s Poet Laureate. This free event will take place Tuesday, April 29, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Birmingham Public Library Central Branch. The evening will include a conversation with Salaam about her latest book, The Other Revival, exciting updates on the 2025 Poet Laureate programs, and a special birthday celebration for Salaam—complete with cake! This event is made possible by Create Birmingham.

ADMISSION INFO

Website: https://createbirmingham.org/community-arts/birmingham-poet-laureate/

INDIVIDUAL DATES & TIMES*

Apr 29, 2025 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm (Tue)

* Event durations (if noted) are approximate. Please check with the presenting organization or venue to confirm start times and duration.

LOCATION

The Birmingham Public Library2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203
View in Google Maps

Lee Farrow hosts postcard-writing event: Voice Your Views at The NewSouth Bookstore!
2025-04-30 16:30 - 18:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Our friend, the marvelous, multitalented educator and activist Lee Farrow, has inspired us to host a postcard-writing event, which she’s titling “Voice Your Views.” Join Farrow and our staff and a gathering of furious folks at The NewSouth Bookstore to make our voices heard. We’ll compose messages to local and national politicians — we’ll provide a list — about current issues and events that concern you. It’ll feel great to take action, especially in the company of like-minded people. We’re meeting for an hour and a half, starting at 4:30pm on Wednesday, April 30. Mark your calendars to drop by.

Solar Flare 2025 contest
2025-04-30 - 2025-05-31 | Online, NC
A flare of creativity could net you $100 and publication. Check out Sunspot Lit’s Solar Flare contest opening May 1, closing May 31. Authors and artists eligible in all genres/forms. Guidelines and entry form here: https://sunspotlit.submittable.com/submit/318762/solar-flare-2025-100-for-fiction-cnf-poem-art-graphic-novel.

7 Points Press Presents Poetry in the Round
2025-05-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Abraham Rowe Photography, 204 Cypress Mill Rd, Florence, AL, 35630-2106, United States
Authors published by 7 Points Press will read their work. The event will be followed by a reception where books will be available for purchase and the authors available to discuss their work.

Tom Spencer Book Signing at Page & Palette
2025-05-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Page and Palette, 32 South Section St., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Meet Agatha Dorn, cantankerous archivist, grammar pedant, gin afficionado and murder mystery addict. When she discovers a lost manuscript by Gladden Green, the Empress of Golden Age detective fiction, Agatha’s life takes an unexpected twist. She becomes an overnight sensation, basking in the limelight of literary stardom.
But Agatha’s newfound fame takes a nosedive when the ‘rediscovered’ novel is exposed as a hoax. And when her ex-lover turns up dead, with a scrap of the manuscript by her side, Agatha suspects foul play.
Cancelled, ostracised and severely ticked off, Agatha turns detective to uncover the sinister truth that connects the murder and the fraudulent manuscript. But can she stay sober long enough to catch the murderer, or will Agatha become a whodunnit herself?

A Jodie Cain Smith Launch Party at The Haunted Book Shop
2025-05-02 17:30 - 19:30 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us on May 2, 2025, at 5:30PM, in celebrating the release of Jodie Cain Smith’s Splintered Reeds. That’s right! Our event coordinator is having her own event. Guests will be treated to a signature cocktail, snacks, door prizes, an “In-conversation” with Jodie, and book signing.

Sunday, May 4, at 3pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Gary Minder joins us to celebrate the release of his new novel, The Education of Asa Paxton
2025-05-04 15:00 - 16:30 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
The advanced praise for Gary Minder’s novel is glowing. Our excellent friend, author Frye Gaillard, says, “Gary Minder is a fine storyteller and sensitive student of the human condition. This is as powerful a debut novel as you are likely to read, written with a deep sense of character and place.” Intrigued, we’ve invited Minder to The NewSouth Bookstore for a talk about The Education of Asa Paxton. The book offers a historic view of rural life in the South through the eyes of young adults. Asa emerges at seventeen a handsome young man, a pariah still because of the company his family keeps. Secrets soon collide with the force of a tornado, threatening to tear families apart and send the innocent to prison — or worse. We can’t wait to hear how the story unfolds. Join us for this fun event with Gary Minder on Sunday, May 4, at 3pm.

The Tenant - Coffee Break Release Party at the Haunted Book Shop!
2025-05-06 10:00 - 11:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us at The Haunted Book Shop on May 6th for a release party of Freida McFadden’s latest novel, “The Tenant”. We’ll open up early for ticket holders so you can grab it early and partake of coffee and donuts on us!
Celebrate with us as we delve into this dark thriller that explores the unsettling realities of a rental gone dangerously wrong. Freida McFadden, the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her gripping narratives and complex characters, invites you into a world where the most familiar spaces become sources of suspense and terror.
Attendees will receive:
A Freida McFadden tote bag
A book-branded, die-cut bookmark
A special postcard with a recipe on one side
A FMcF enamel pin
Also, one lucky attendee will receive: a Freida McFadden-branded picnic blanket and picnic basket (must be present to win)

Bestselling author Sarah Kendzior talks about The Last American Road Trip: A Memoir at NewSouth Bookstore
2025-05-06 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Sarah Kendzior is our special guest at The NewSouth Bookstore on Tuesday, May 6 at 5:30pm. She will be in conversation with Lee Farrow about her amazing new book, The Last American Road Trip. The book, which chronicles a series of road trips the political journalist took with her family, navigates a changing America in a work that is part memoir, part travelogue, and part work of history. The Last American Road Trip is one mother’s promise to her children that their country will be there for them in the future — even though at times she struggles to believe it herself. Author Sebastian Junger says, “Kendzior is an absolutely terrific writer — a preeminent voice of her generation — and her love for this troubled country flows like a kind of lifeblood through her work.” Join us for what promises to be a most interesting book program on May 6.

Tom Spencer In-Conversation & Book Signing at the Haunted Book Shop
2025-05-08 17:30 - 19:00 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us on May 8th at the Haunted Book Shop for a night of cozy fun and whodunits with Tom Spencer and his latest novel, “The Mystery of the Crooked Man.” Celebrated as a quirky homage to Golden Age detectives, the novel introduces our heroine, Agatha Dorn, who, after falling into the literary limelight, becomes a target of scandal and suspicion. With the aura of a classic whodunit, this tale combines the intrigue of lost manuscripts with the dark mystery of a fraudulent crime.
At the event, you will have a chance to listen to Tom Spencer delve into the inspiration behind his captivating characters, take a peek into his writing process, and share more about his journey from an expat Londoner to a noted author in the United States. This is surely a golden opportunity for readers of the Twyford Code, Magpie Murders, and Yellowface, along with anyone who appreciates a well-crafted crime story with a hefty dose of English wit and charm.
Make sure to stop by our next-door neighbor Alchemy Tavern for a to-go, mystery-themed cocktail, then grab your seat in our store for a lively in-conversation and audience Q&A. Reserve your copy and seat today!
Ticket required for event. Ticket includes one copy of “The Mystery of the Crooked Man.”

Karie Fugett in Conversation with Frye Gaillard, May 10, 5:30 p.m., The Haunted Book Shop
2025-05-10 17:30 - 19:30 | The Haunted Book Shop, 9 S JOACHIM ST, MOBILE, AL, 36602-2707, United States
Join us as we celebrate with Karie Fugett for the release of her stunning debut memoir, “Alive Day,” on May 10, 2025, at 5:30PM. Fugett will be in conversation with Frye Gaillard, Alabama Writers Hall of Fame inductee. Karie and Frye will dive into the narrative of “Alive Day,” a story so timely and monumental, it belongs on the top of TBR lists nationwide.
“Alive Day” captures the harrowing and transformative journey of a young couple, Karie and Cleve, beginning with a simple proposal in a Kmart parking lot, which vaults into the challenging world of severe injury and addiction following Cleve’s return from Iraq. As Karie assumes the role of caregiver while grappling with the maze of Veterans Affairs and medical bureaucracy, the story reveals the stark realities faced by those left to tend the wounds of war on the home front. Fugett’s writing—tender, vivid, and imbued with dark humor—paints an indelible picture of love, resilience, and survival, offering a stark critique of the personal costs of national conflict.
Join us as we raise a toast to Karie and the bravery her storytelling shows in this Kirkus star-reviewed memoir, and one that Library Journal describes as “An essential and unique memoir that should be read by those wanting a better understanding of military families’ difficulties and the ramifications of sending loved ones to war.”
Purchase of “Alive Day” through The Haunted Book Shop is required to attend. Event will feature light refreshments, in-conversation with Frye Gaillard, and a photo-op and signing line.
Reserve your spot today.

Tuesday, May 13, at 5:30pm at The NewSouth Bookstore: Miranda Spivack joins us for talk about Backroom Deals in Our Backyards
2025-05-13 17:30 - 19:00 | The NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St, Montgomery, 36104, United States
Miranda S. Spivack, an award-winning journalist, is our special guest on Tuesday, May 13 at 5:30pm, in conversation with social justice advocate Patricia Todd, a former Alabama legislator. Spivack’s new book, Backroom Deals in Our Backyards, is a groundbreaking look at how ordinary people are fighting back against their local and state governments to keep their communities safe. Spivack’s revealing take on a hidden dimension of American politics will outrage and educate anyone who cares about the forces shaping their own communities. Says Linda Greenhouse at Yale University, “Spivack not only demonstrates how government secrecy threatens democracy. She shows us how ordinary people can fight to make local government more transparent. This eye–opening and meticulously reported book is both a call to action and a road map for success.” Come be enlightened and inspired.

Tom Spencer Reading at Midtown Reader
2025-05-15 06:30 - 19:30 | Midtown Reader, 1123 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, FL, 32303, United States
Tom Spencer Reading and Book Signing at Midtown Reader
Tallahassee, Florida
May 15, 2025, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Third Thursday Poetry Event to Feature 13 Auburn Poets
2025-05-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, 101 S. Debardeleben St., Auburn, AL, 36849-5637, United States
The Third Thursday Poetry progfram on May 15 at Pebble Hill in Auburn will feature brief readings by 13 local poets. Refreshments will be available beginning at 6. The program will begin at 6:30.

The Third Thursday Poetry Series at Pebble Hill is sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, Department of English, and Southern Humanities Review in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University; the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University; and the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Page Pairings at Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers, May 16, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
2025-05-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join us for a book-inspired wine tasting with all your favorite AOCB booksellers!
We pair the qualities of each wine with a book that shares the same spirit. Your ticket to the tasting, includes your tastes and your choice of one of the featured books. Bottles of the featured wines will be for sale at great prices, too.
This event is a crowd favorite, serving as a great date, a perfect girls’ night out, or treat to yourself. Buy your ticket now and join us on Friday, May 16th any time between 7:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
*Refunds or transfers can only be accommodated 48 hours prior to the event.
Click link below to purchase tickets.

Page Pairings

Sidewalk Stroll and Stories with Sam Hendrix at Auburn Oil Booksellers, May 17, 9 a.m.
2025-05-17 09:00 - 10:00 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join us for Sidewalk Stroll and Stories!
Kick off your Saturday with a walk through Auburn’s past. On Saturday, May 17 at 9:00 AM, we’re hosting our very first Sidewalk Stroll and Stories—a guided historical walk led by local historian Sam Hendrix, author of Auburn: A History in Street Names.
We’ll meet at Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers (149 E Magnolia) and take a casual stroll along Magnolia Avenue, exploring the rich history behind some of Auburn’s most iconic streets. The walk will begin and end at AOCB.
As a bonus, participants will receive 15% off any drink from our café to enjoy before or after the tour.
Whether you’re an Auburn native or just curious about the city’s roots, this is a great way to start your weekend. We hope to see you there!

Matt Nagin Book Signing on May 17 at DeDe's Book Rack in Trussville
2025-05-17 13:00 - 16:00 | DeDe’s Book Rack, 104 S Chalkville Rd STE 105, Trussville, AL, 35173, United States
Author/Comedian Matt Nagin will be signing copies of his latest book, The Book of Outcasts, on Saturday, May 17 at DeDe’s Book Rack in Trussville, AL. “The Book of Outcasts is a short story collection featuring dynamic characters in surreal, often imaginative worlds.”
Matt can also be found at the upcoming Impact Book Festival on June 14 at the Fultondale Event Center. Come out and meet the author and get your signed copy of the book!

IMPACT BOOK FESTIVAL in Fultondale

Alabama Writers' Forum Presents: The Father Goose Poetry Festival for Kids!
2025-05-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, Alabama, 35209, United States
Join the Alabama Writers’ Forum and beloved children’s author Charles Ghigna at the Homewood Public Library for the 2025 Father Goose Poetry Festival for Kids, May 17, at 2 pm. Young Alabama poets will read their original poems on stage. Awards and signed book copies will be given to the winners by Charles Ghigna himself!
Free and open to the public. Please join us for this children’s poetry celebration!
Sponsors include the Alabama State Council on the Arts and Schiffer Kids.

Author Forest Issac Jones in Conversation at Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers, May 17, 6:30 p.m.
2025-05-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Auburn Oil Booksellers, 169 East Magnolia Ave., Auburn, AL, 36830, United States
Join us on Saturday, May 17th at 6:30pm for a conversation with Forest Jones, author of Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963–1972. Jones explores the powerful ties between the Black Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the Catholic Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland, focusing on how the Montgomery to Selma march inspired the 1969 Belfast to Derry march, as told through oral history.
