Harrisburg Book Festival starts today!

I'll have a signing table from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday inside The Midtown Scholar Book Store, located at 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg PA 17102.

The event will feature lots of great local authors, strolling actors portraying literary greats, and a discount book sale table.

Here's a writeup by the local newspaper.

Sounds like the start of a wonderful annual tradition. I hope you're able to join us!

Harrisburg Book Festival next weekend!

The Midtown Scholar is hosting the Harrisburg Book Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 26 and 27.

I'll have a signing table from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday inside the Midtown Scholar book store, located at 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg PA 17102.

Here's an overview of events, all free and open to the public!

INDOORS:
The Midtown Scholar Bookstore will be hosting several *very* special events on June 26-27th, including...

* Sat 6/26, Noon-1 PM: FAMILY EVENT: Celebrity Storytime!
Leading Central PA women and men read from their favorite children's stories. A family-friendly event, for all ages!

* Sat 6/27, 1 PM - 1:30 PM: FAMILY EVENT: Meet Famous Authors
A troupe of Central PA actors, sponsored by JumpStreet, will recite passages from classic and modern literary works. With Rachel Lewis, Matthew Martin, Mihir Patel, Aaron Rineer, and others.

* Sat 6/26, 7-9 PM: KEYNOTE EVENT: What writers contribute to society.
A conversation about urban renewal & the duties of a writer, with Jackson Taylor (Assoc. Director, The New School's Graduate Writing Program), author of The Blue Orchard (2010), a historical novel set in Harrisburg.

* Sun 6/27, Noon-1 PM: FEATURED EVENT: Inspired writing, and writing that inspires.
Readings and reflections by essayists Jen Hirt (Penn State-Harrisburg) and Paul Cockeram (HACC), and poets Jehanne Dubrow (Washington College, MD) and Doris Washington (Harrisburg).

* Sun 6/27, 4-6 PM: FEATURED EVENT: How coffeehouses contribute to society.
A conversation about public spaces & consumer culture with Temple University Prof. Bryant Simon (Director, American Studies), author of Everything but the Coffee: Learning about American from Starbucks (2009), and special guest Phil Proteau, Philadelphia-Regional Representative, Counter Culture Coffee.

* Sun 6/27, 6-7 PM: FEATURED EVENT: Making new kinds of art.
Multimedia presentation on historic faith images and the new forms of art they can inspire, by Messiah College Prof. Kathy Hettinga (Art), author of Grave Images: San Luis Valley (2009)


AND ...

A weekend-long BOOK FAIR (held inside the bookstore), highlighting the publications of MORE THAN 50 regional authors, in all genres!
Dozens of different authors will be available to talk one-on-one about their work & sign copies of their books during *each* of these times:
Saturday 9am-noon - Children's Books, Teen-Reading, and Books about Growing Up
Saturday 1pm-4pm - Fiction, Food, & Music
Saturday 4pm-7pm - Memoirs, Stories, & Histories
Sunday 1pm-4pm - Poems, Places, & Meanings

PLUS ...

OUTDOORS:
The Festival will feature
* an outdoor tent with a huge book sale, held in the open lot next to the Broad Street Market; the pallets there with 15,000 books priced at $2 and under will be reminiscent of the Book of the Month Club's Mechanicsburg-warehouse sales!

* as well as a Midtown street-fair with outdoor tables for artists & artisans, and live music performances throughout the day, with craftspeople sponsored by the Hodgepodgery, and artists sponsored by the Mantis Collective Gallery.

Booksigning in Harrisburg postponed!

Today I was supposed to be at the Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg, PA, signing away copies of Picture This and One Soul for Sale.

However, because Old Man Winter made a surprise appearance in full force, the Midtown has officially postponed the event until sometime after the spring thaw. I took the photo below at 7:30 this morning. Already about three inches have fallen, and the brunt of the storm's not supposed to hit until later today.



I know several of you were going to be traveling this weekend, picking up kids from college. Stay safe!

Disappointing that the weather would be so uncooperative - I had my Santa hat and excerpt and giveaways of candy and book marks all ready! And The Patriot-News in Harrisburg supposedly had a write-up yesterday, though I couldn't find it online.

So look for news of the rescheduled event in a few months.

In the meantime, you can always order copies of Picture This and One Soul for Sale from Amazon - both are linked to my Amazon Author Page. There's nothing better than cozying up with a good book on a snowy day. :)

Congrats to book giveaway winners

Congrats to Bill Barrett, who yesterday won the basket of books donated to the Mechanicsburgy Mystery Book Shop by the Susquehanna Writers.
By an odd coincidence, Joe Barrett won Saturday's drawing for the basket of books at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.
Preceding Saturday's drawing, Mike Silvestri gave a fascinating talk on Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 as part of The Big Read.





Mike donated a copy of "Bark of the Tree" to the basket, which the group provided to the bookstore in celebration of National Bookstore Day.



Four other members of the Susquehanna Writers were on hand for the drawing.

Don Helin, who contributed a copy of "Thy Kingdom Come"


Tina Crone, who contributed "The Yellow Stone"


Lori Myers


Cate Masters, who donated "Picture This" and "One Soul for Sale"


Afterward, Mike had a signing for his new scifi anthology, It Came From Beyond the Sun.


I even signed a copy of One Soul for Sale!


Enjoy your books, Joe and Bill Barrett!

Basket giveaways next weekend!

If you live in central Pennsylvania, you still have time to enter for either of the giveaway baskets full of great books by The Susquehanna Writers! The group of authors donated the two baskets for the inaugural National Bookstore Day, which celebrates independent book shops.
Just drop in either at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore at 1302 North Third Street (across from Broad Street Market) in Harrisburg. All you need to do is sign up! No purchase required. The drawing there will take place Saturday afternoon after illustrious author Mike Silvestri delivers his talk on Kurt Vonnegut. Just look at all the great goodies in this basket! A complete description is here.



The Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Shop will hold its drawing mid-Sunday afternoon after Mike Silvestri’s book signing (seems Mike’s our lead guy!). This basket’s offerings are slightly different, but no less dazzling an array of goodies! Check out the full info here.

Whether you like to curl up on a winter’s day with a great book, or need a few Christmas giveaways, you won’t want to miss out!

Second basket o'books

The Midtown Scholar Bookstore will celebrate the first national National Bookstore Day with a giveaway basket of books by central Pennsylvania authors known collectively as The Susquehanna Writers.
Central Pennsylvanians named The Midtown Scholar as the region’s top independent bookstore for six years running.
Publishers Weekly encouraged independent bookstores across the country to celebrate their vibrant culture. Midtown Scholar patrons will have the opportunity to win a basket full of great reads such as:
• The Yellow Stone by T.M. Crone
• It Came from Beyond the Sun by Mike Silvestri (mystery)
• Thy Kingdom Come by Don Helin (military thriller)
• One Soul for Sale by Cate Masters (dark fantasy)
• Picture This by Cate Masters (contemporary women’s fiction)
• The Greater Good by Susan Kelley (fantasy), plus a jeweled book thong
• Spark of Magic by Lily Stone (fantasy; in PDF format on CD)
• Night of the Walrus by Dennis Royer (mystery)
The Midtown Scholar Bookstore has hosted author events for several members of The Susquehanna Writers, including Don Helin and Mike Silvestri. Readers can learn more information about The Susquehanna Writers at http://thesusquehannawriters.blogspot.com.
Bookstore representative Catherine Lawrence agreed to host the giveaway to help the listed authors promote their works and to encourage customers to celebrate National Bookstore Day. “Like other independent bookstores, the Midtown Scholar provides a vital service to the community. We hope residents will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to support local authors and learn about all the Midtown has to offer.”
No purchase is required to enter the giveaway. To enter, visit the Midtown Scholar Bookstore at 1302 North Third Street (across from Broad Street Market) in Harrisburg. The drawing will take place on Nov. 21.
Visit the store online at www.midtownscholar.com.
Below is a photo of the basket (pumpkin not included).