Avon Free Public Library International Book Discussion Series: Mexico This is a book discussion featuring fictional books set in Mexico. Monday May 21, 2018, 2:00 PM: The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea Monday, Jun.  4, 2018, 2:00 PM: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Monday, Jun.  18, 2018, Read more [...]

Lecture and book signing featuring the book, Traprock Landscapes of New England, by Peter M. LeTourneau, Ph.D. and the photography of Robert Pagini. Born and raised in Meriden, Robert Pagini and Dr. LeTourneau were inspired from an early age by the spectacular landscapes of the local region. Once called “the boldest and most Read more [...]

Tickets are available for purchase at member libraries, which include Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Eastford, Hampton, Killingly, Mansfield, Pomfret, Plainfield, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson, Union and Woodstock.    

The Fairisle Detectives are an unusual new book club for fans of knitting, mysteries, and mysteries about knitting! Come sit by us while we knit like blazes and parse the outlandish behavior of the suspects in fun, campy mystery books like Death by Cashmere and Knit One, Kill Two. Whether Read more [...]

  Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, a powerful account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town.  Theresa Ammirati, retired dean of studies at Connecticut College, will lead this discussion.  

The Fairisle Detectives are an unusual new book club for fans of knitting, mysteries, and mysteries about knitting! Come sit by us while we knit like blazes and parse the outlandish behavior of the suspects in fun, campy mystery books like Death by Cashmere and Knit One, Kill Two. Whether Read more [...]

Meet talented teen writers! Teen Author Panel featuring Steven Parlato, Juliana Spink Mills, Mark and Sheri Dursin, Geoffrey Craig, and Natasha Friend Free and open to the public. Held in the Avon Library atrium. No registration. 860-673-9712

Calling all young Poets! Have you written a poem you would like to be heard? Come join us for a fun open mic poetry night just for kids. Come read your poem aloud to a group of fellow young writers. Or, if you are not ready to share out loud, Read more [...]

Harmony Verna’s debut novel was Daughter of Australia followed by her newest novel, Beneath the Apple Leaves. Throughout her twenty-year career in communications, Harmony has worked on articles in top-tier publications and guest segments on programs including Today, CBS This Morning, and Good Morning America. She has also written scripts for the Food Read more [...]

 Meet talented children’s authors! Children’s Author Panel featuring Shannon K. Mazurick, Gaetano J. Amato, Donna LeBlanc, Jessica Haight and  Stephanie Robinson, Stephanie C. Fox

Evangeline Ballou, born in Mankato, Minnesota, is the great-granddaughter of Samuel Eldredge, born in Willington, Connecticut in 1775. The true story offered an opportunity for resolution of the family’s turmoil resulting from the divorce of Eva’s parents in 1869. It most assuredly was an awkward period of days for the Read more [...]

Jo Gillespie is retired from corporate life and resides in Stuart, Florida most of the year, spending summer months with family and friends in Connecticut.  She holds three degrees in business, but her first love has always been American Colonial history. In retirement she is able to share the results of Read more [...]

Charles Monagan‘s work has appeared in many magazines and newspapers, and from 1989 to 2013 he was the editor of Connecticut Magazine.  In 2012, he received the Connecticut Press Club’s Mark Twain Award for Distinguished Journalism, a lifetime award. Monagan is the author of 10 books, including The Neurotic’s Handbook and How to Get Read more [...]

Karen E. Olson is the award-winning author of the Black Hat Thriller series and the Annie Seymour and Tattoo Shop mystery series. She lives in North Haven, Connecticut. Synopsis: Nicole Jones lives off the grid on Block Island. She doesn’t have a license, passport, or bank account. She doesn’t own Read more [...]

 Meet authors who write about topics that can improve your life! Lifestyle Author Panel featuring Elizabeth M. Adler, Amy Alamar, Janet Verney, Judith Dreyer, Cynthia Mazzaferro, Katherine Hauswirth, Elizabeth Hill Free and open to the public. Held in the Avon Library atrium. No registration. 860-673-9712

Richard Pfau earned a Ph.D. in science education, a B.A. with honors in psychology, and has a strong engineering background. He taught at UCONN and served as a consultant, trainer, and teacher in the USA and overseas in Asia and Asia. Dissatisfied with the state of psychology, he spent many Read more [...]

The Constantine sisters are back with the paperback release of their best-selling book! Join us for this author interview and book signing. We first hosted Lynn & Val when The Last Mrs. Parrish was released. In the year since we’ve hosted the Constantine sisters, The Last Mrs. Parrish has become a national bestseller, Read more [...]

Adam Bowles is a pastor of a multi-ethnic, multi-generational church in Norwich, Conn. He also is a journalist who spent 15 years at The Bulletin in Norwich and nine years as a freelancer for The New York Times. He has taught journalism for 14 years at Three Rivers Community College Read more [...]

 Hear from talented history writers! History Author Panel featuring Arthur Pope, Ira Spar MD, Joseph Williams, Patrick Nolan Free and open to the public. Held in the Avon Library atrium. No registration. 860-673-9712

Jeff Turner has written for some of the largest publishing firms in the world.  The 23 college textbooks on which he has worked have been used in over 325 universities, both nationally and in translation internationally. Most recently, Jeff has shifted his writing focus to the craft of fiction and Read more [...]

Carol Matsumoto grew up in North Dakota. It was there that she had her first paranormal experience. After raising a family of three children she moved to Connecticut to pursue a graduate degree. On February 13 (a Friday), 1994 she purchased the home that became Captain Grant’s 1754 Inn. After 15 months Read more [...]

National award-winning author Penny Goetjen writes murder mysteries where the milieu play as prominent a role as the engaging characters. A self-proclaimed eccentric known for writing late into the night, transfixed by the allure of flickering candlelight, Ms. Goetjen embraces the writing process, unaware what will confront her at the next Read more [...]

Author William Martin visits to celebrate the launch of his new book! Rare-book dealer Peter Fallon returns in a thrilling historical novel about the California Gold Rush, by New York Times bestselling author William Martin Bound for Gold continues New York Times bestselling author William Martin’s epic of American history with the further adventures of Read more [...]

Tony Renzoni is a rock ’n’ roll enthusiast. As an avid collector of rock  memorabilia for many years, he amassed a record collection of over ten thousand vinyl records. His hobbies include researching the national and local rock ’n’ roll music scene. Tony had a thirty-eight-year career with the federal government. Read more [...]

A librarian and military wife, Shari Randall lives in a mid-century money pit in Connecticut. When she’s not committing murder (on the page, of course), Shari enjoys walking the beach near her house, traveling and eating the local cuisine, reading, and dancing. When she isn’t writing the Lobster Shack Mysteries, Read more [...]

New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins is here with her summer release, Good luck with that. Thirtysomethings Emerson, Georgia, and Marley have been best friends since they met at weight-loss camp as teens. When Emerson tragically passes away, she leaves one final wish for her best friends: to conquer the fears they still carry Read more [...]

Tochi Onyebuchi holds a B.A. from Yale, an MFA in Screenwriting from Tisch, a Masters degree in Global Economic Law from L’institut d’études politiques, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. His writing has appeared in Asimov’s and Ideomancer, among other places. Tochi resides in Connecticut where he works in the Read more [...]

R.C. Goodwin was born in New York City and grew up in Springfield, Illinois. He attended Culver Military Academy, in Indiana, and graduated from Yale with a degree in history. After receiving a medical degree from The Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, he completed an internship in New Haven Read more [...]

Book Signing for Postcard History: Mystic Co-authors M. Earl Smith and J. Huguenin are pleased to announce that they will be appearing at Bank Square Books on August 11th, from 1-3 PM! This will take place during the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival, and will feature Postcard History: Mystic, available now Read more [...]

The reunion tour rolls on! Come join authors J. Huguenin and M. Earl Smith at the Mystic Army-Navy store on August 12th from 1-5 as they sign copies of Postcard History: Mystic.

Anne Dawson is Professor of Art History and Chair of the Art and Art History Department at Eastern Connecticut State University. She earned her MA and Ph.D. in Art History from Brown University. She has curated exhibitions for galleries and museums and published articles and exhibition catalogues on early twentieth-century Read more [...]

Susanne Davis’s short story collection, The Appointed Hour, is published by Cornerstone Press. Her short stories have been published in American Short Fiction, Notre Dame Review, descant, St. Petersburg Review, Zone 3, Carveand numerous other journals, while Harvard Magazine, Harvard Law Bulletin, Mothers Always Write, and others have published her nonfiction. She holds an MFA Read more [...]

Nan Rossiter grew up in Pelham, New York. Some of her earliest memories include riding a green stingray bike—complete with banana seat and sissy bar—to the Pelham Library which, at the time, was a tiny, cave-like space tucked beneath Hutchinson Elementary School. It was from the shelves of this library that Read more [...]

 It’s mystery author night! Mystery Author Panel featuring Dawn Leger, Steve Liskow, Penny Goetjen, Martin Herman, Marian Lanouette, and Chris Knopf

First Annual Groton/Mystic Local History Roundtable The authors of several books on the history of the Groton-Mystic area come together to discuss all things Groton-Mystic on August 18th, 2018 at the Streeter History Room at the Groton Public Library. This event – the first of its kind – will feature Read more [...]

Join co-authors M. Earl Smith and J. Huguenin for a signing of their 2017 volume Postcard History: Mystic, available now from Arcadia Publishing!

Pat Kelbaugh is the author of Darke House, Summerland, Island of the Shadow Woman, Elixir, and Light of the Blood Moon. Next in the Dreamtime series: Dead of Winter. Pat is also an artist, specializing in maritime watercolors. She has a special fondness for detective fiction, ghost stories, vampire tales, and black cats. She lives Read more [...]

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) has published 16 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West food critic series, DEATH ON THE MENU (Crooked Lane Books, August 2018.) Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of Read more [...]

Shawn Peterson is the company archivist and historian at PEZ Candy, Inc., in Orange, Connecticut. He also manages the visitor’s center there as well as the content for the company website, and he is responsible for the creative content in the visitor’s center. Prior to working for PEZ, he authored Read more [...]

Non-Fiction Author Panel featuring Matthew Dicks, Brian Jud, Lisa G. Samia, Laura Noe, Dawn Hoffman,  and Twinkle Shah

Todd Lentocha grew up in Tolland, CT, graduated from Windham High School and served in the Marines from 1988-1992. He attended Manchester Community College and the University of Connecticut. He worked for many years at Southern Connecticut Telephone before becoming a police officer. When Todd was 36, he left his safe, well-paying Read more [...]

More details forthcoming, but co-authors M. Earl Smith and J. Huguenin will host a book discussion and signing at the Mystic & Noank Library on Monday, August 27th, at 7 PM. Come out, meet the authors, and grab your copies of Postcard History: Mystic, Connecticut, available now from Arcadia Publishing!

Patrick J. Lynch is an author, illustrator, photographer, and artist. Lynch retired from Yale University after 45 years as an interactive media designer, medical illustrator, biomedical and scientific photographer, video producer, a director of media and communications departments, and a designer of interactive multimedia teaching, training, and informational software and Read more [...]

Gail Braccidiferro MacDonald is an associate professor in residence in the journalism department at the University of Connecticut-Storrs. She is a former reporter for The Day of New London, Connecticut, and a veteran journalist whose work has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, the Hartford Courant, the Providence Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Rhode Island Monthly, American Read more [...]

Author Beth M. Caruso grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and spent her childhood writing puppet shows and witches’ cookbooks. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French Literature and Hispanic Studies from the University of Cincinnati. She later obtained Masters degrees in Nursing and Public Health. Aside from writing, Beth’s Read more [...]

Join us for this amazing conference, right in your backyard. There will be great workshops for all writers, a chance to mingle with agents and editors, and network with other writers. You can’t miss this event!

Em Sauter is an Advanced Cicerone (think of it like a sommelier but for beer) and recipient of Saveur Magazine’s best beer coverage award. She was one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s top 40 tastemakers under 40 in 2016 and has judged many beer competitions including the Great American Beer Festival. She currently lives in New Read more [...]

Richard Maule is a retired minister, motivational speaker, and all-around trouble-maker. His friends insist he is yet to retire from the latter. His next novel, The Witch’s Advocate, tells the true story of Thomas Maule, a Quaker minister who stood up for the civil rights of the accused witches in Salem, Read more [...]

Jane Haertel (aka Sadie Hartwell & Susannah Hardy) grew up near the Canadian border in northern New York State, where it’s cold, dark, and snowy almost half the year—a perfect environment for nurturing a simultaneous love of mystery fiction and needlework. She attended St. Lawrence University, graduating with a degree in history, and Read more [...]

Marc Youngquist has over has over 40 years of military, law enforcement and investigative experience. Marc enlisted in the Marines in 1969 and served all over the Western Pacific with a limited time in Vietnam. He then went on to a law enforcement career attaining the rank of Lieutenant. Marc continued Read more [...]

Sheri Dursin, a freelance writer and blogger, is an (almost!) lifelong resident of Connecticut. Her husband, Mark, a high school English teacher, has called CT home since 2000. For many years, the Dursins wrote independently. But raising their twin sons helped them discover an important truth: All Good Things Come in Twos. Read more [...]

New York Times bestselling author Amy Bloom is hailed “a national treasure” by Michael Cunningham and “one of America’s unique and most gifted literary voices” by Colum McCann. She is the author of four novels, three story collections, a nonfiction book and a children’s book. White Houses (February 2018) is a triumphant historical Read more [...]