July is turning to August, but there is still a lot of summer left, and the regional literary calendar is packed with things to do. Here’s a look at some of the events, book discussions, readings, open mics, and workshops coming up this week.
Thursday, July 27
10:30 AM – Book Club @ Schenectady Public Library – Glenville Branch
Join the Glenville Book Club for a discussion of Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. New book club members are always welcome. Request a copy of the books online or at any SCPL location.
1:30 PM – Howdunnits Mystery Writers Group @ Albany Public Library – Howe Branch
The Howdunnits provide a safe and welcoming venue to share your writing and to give and receive feedback from others.
6:00 PM – Shorts Out Loud: Hold on Honeys & Ethan Botwick @ Troy Public Library – Main Branch
Join the library for the penultimate session of our annual Shorts Out Loud series! This special program is one that the library hosts each year with 30 minutes of live music followed by 30 minutes of poetry or short stories read aloud. For July 27, they welcome Hold on Honeys, an Indie folk minimalist vocal trio from Troy, NY made up of Emily Curro, Raya Malcolm & Shannon Rafferty. The reader for the evening is actor Ethan Botwick, a New Jersey native, and a graduate of Russell Sage College in Troy New York.
6:30 PM – Monthly Poetry Night @ Battenkill Books
Join us for an evening of Poetry. Bring several poems to read, either your own or someone else’s. Open to the public, all are welcome.
6:30 PM – Open Mic Poetry Night @ Inquiring Mind Bookstore & Cafe
Calling every poet and admirer of poetry alike: Inquiring Minds is holding poetry night on the last Thursday of every month, hosted by Laura Ludwig, a celebrated local poet, screenwriter, actress, and producer! We encourage poets of all skill levels to sign up for a four minutes slot to share original poetry, fiction, or prose, unpublished work as well as published welcome.
7:00 PM – Sierra DeMulder Book Release with Peggy Lynn @ Caffe Lena
An evening of poetry, song, and performance to celebrate the release of Sierra DeMulder’s fifth collection of poetry, “Ephemera.”
Friday, July 28
9:00 AM – Early Literacy Storytime! @ Troy Public Library
Kids ages 0-5 are welcome to this early literacy story.
10:30 AM – Local Author Story Time @ Northshire Saratoga
Join Northshire Books in person in their Saratoga Springs, NY store for story time with two local picture book authors – Joyce Anderson and Diane Capogna. Each author will share her picture book with the audience, followed by a book signing.
6:00 PM – Megan Tady, “Super Bloom” @ Northshire Manchester
The author will discuss her sparkling, heartwarming debut set at an iconic Vermont spa with Northshire Bookstore co-owner Nicole Ihasz. Massage therapist Joan Johnston struggles with grief. Can a quirky assignment from a demanding, eccentric author help Joan rewrite her life? This event is presented in partnership with The Equinox Resort & Spa.
6:30 PM – Rose Styron, “Beyond This Harbor: Adventurous Tales of the Heart”
Rose Styron – poet, international human rights activist, founding member of Amnesty International USA, journalist, hostess, famous beauty, foreign policy advisor; friend to politicians, movie stars, the legendary; discoverer of Philip Roth, longtime wife of Bill Styron, and together, America’s literary golden couple at home and abroad – will talk about her new memoir and extraordinary life with editor Victoria Wilson.
7:00 PM – One of Us is Lying: An Evening with Karen McManus @ Flanders Park
McManus will present the third and final book in the series, One of Us is Back, at Flanders Park in Tupper Lake, NY. McManus will also talk with NCPR’s Mitch Teich, answer audience questions, and sign copies of her book. Don’t miss this chance to meet a wildly popular YA author whose book series was recently turned into a hit TV show!
Saturday, July 29
12:00 PM – Elisa Albert signs and discusses her book, “Human Blues” @ Market Block Books
Elisa Albert is the author of After Birth, The Book of Dahlia, How This Night Is Different, and editor of the anthology Freud’s Blind Spot. Her stories and essays have appeared in Time, The Guardian, The New York Times, n+1, Bennington Review, Tin House, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Literary Review, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. She lives in upstate New York.
3:00 PM – Poetry @ Soulshine Market
Monthly poetry open mic with featured reader hosted by Robert Milby at Soulshine Market in Pine Bush, NY.
6:00 PM – Rebecca Makkai, “I Have Some Questions For You” with Megan Mayhew Bergman @ Northshire Manchester
Rebecca Makkai, a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist for The Great Believers will join us to discuss her riveting bestselling new novel, a Northshire Staff Pick several times over and “part true-crime page-turner, part campus coming-of-age” – San Francisco Chronicle. She will talk about the book with fellow novelist Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of How Strange a Season.
Sunday, July 30
10:30 AM – Maya Kaimal, “Indian Flavor Every Day” @ Rhinebeck Farmers Market
Join us on July 30th and meet Award-winning cookbook author Maya Kaimal and her new book “Indian Flavor Every Day.”
5:00 PM – Walkin’ with WordXWord #2 aka Sculpture Walk @ The Mount
Wear your walking shoes and follow along as poets offer an exploration of The Mount’s grounds and selected works in the SculptureNow exhibition. Using a sculpture, or multiple sculptures, and/or the natural or built environment – past, present, or future – as prompts, poets are challenged to offer new ways of “seeing” what is before us. Each of the three dates will offer a unique combination of poets and poems. Rain or shine. In the case of rain, Walkin’ with WordXWord will take place in the large event tent on the grounds of The Mount.
Monday, July 31
1:30 PM – Monday Memoir Writing Group (In Person) @ Albany Public Library – Howe Branch
Participate in a group of memoir writers and get feedback on your work. This is a support group for aspiring writers who want to tell their story in creative and engaging ways. Get critiques of your work, find out how to self-publish, or learn about writing from fellow writing enthusiasts! All are welcome!
2:00 PM – Teen Workshop: Comic Writing @ Hudson Valley Writers Center
Telling a story one panel at a time will teach aspiring comic book creators how to pitch a series, breakdown stories by issue, format a script for artists, create character arcs, and the insides of the comic book industry.
2:00 PM – With Pen in Hand @ Albany Public Library – Howe Branch
Paul Lamar, College of St Rose professor (retired) and South End writer, leads this popular series of writing workshops. Learn how to express yourself clearly and imaginatively, share your work, and respond to the stories of others. Attend any or all sessions.
7:00 PM – Poetic Vibe @ The Fish Market
Poet, artist, and performer D. Colin hosts the weekly Poetic Vibe series, a dynamic night of poetry and spoken word.
7:00 PM – Poetry Night @ Goshen Methodist Church
Monthly poetry open mic with featured reader hosted by Ted Gill in Goshen, NY. This month’s featured poet is David Messineo.
Tuesday, August 1
12:15 PM – FFAPL Tuesday Author Talk: Tony Opalka, Albany City Historian @ Albany Public Library – Washington Ave. Branch
Join us for an Author Talk by Tony Opalka, Albany City Historian, as he discusses his forthcoming book about the firehouses of Albany, NY. The Friends and Foundation of Albany Public Library host regular book reviews, author talks, and special presentations.
2:00 PM – Caren McVicker, “Henderson House” @ Northshire Manchester
The author will autograph copies of her debut novel, an enchanting boardinghouse tale of sisters, secrets, and later-in-life romance, that invites you to pull up a rocking chair and lose yourself in the heartaches and hopes of 1940s Oklahoma. Please note that this event is a signing only, there will not be a formal author presentation.
5:00 PM – Teen Writing Workshop: The Writing Experience @ Schenectady Public Library – Central Branch
Sharpen your creative writing skills, refine your publishing goals, and get the workshop experience with Teen Writing Club this summer! Participants will bring a short story, poem sequence, or creative nonfiction piece to workshop over three sessions with their fellow writers. Each session will explore an aspect of creative writing, from critique and editing to scouting publishing opportunities and preparing a piece for submission.
6:00 PM – Writers Night Out @ Forbes Library
Join Strawdog Writers Guild for Writers Night Out with featured writer D.K. McCutchen at Forbes Library. No registration is required. If you want to participate in Open Mic and read, please sign up by 5:50 pm. Ten names will be randomly selected. Each reader will have five minutes.
Wednesday, August 2
5:45 PM – Writers Group @ Schenectady Public Library – Central Branch
Whether you’ve been doing it forever or just starting out, bring your written words to this volunteer-run community group and receive feedback from fellow wordsmiths as time permits.
6:00 PM – Silent Book Club @ Albany Public Library – Pine Hills Branch
Silent Book Clubs are popping up nationally and we are introducing our own. Bring a book, settle into our cozy chairs, and enjoy the peace of reading with fellow book lovers! No assigned readings or pressured discussion. Arrive in the first half hour, read from 6:30-7:30, and chat with the attendees or keep on reading.
7:00 PM – Caffe Lena Poetry Open Mic Featuring Marylou Steznewski
The first Wednesday of every month is Poetry Night at Caffe Lena. Hosted by Carol Graser, this event includes an open mic reading and a featured poet.
7:00 PM – Twitchell Talks: Kate Doyle @ Adirondack Center for Writing
Debut author Kate Doyle was a 2020 resident at our annual Anne LaBastille Memorial Writing Residency on Twitchell Lake. Hear her read from her collection, I Meant it Once (Algonquin Books, 2023) and converse with fellow Anne LaBastille resident and ACW’s visiting writer, Erin Dorney.
Did we miss anything? Let us know at info@hvwg.org, and be sure to check out https://hvwg.org to find out more about our vibrant literary and arts community.
