Category Archives: Events

Alabama, Birmingham, Events

Booking in Birmingham, AL

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December is always a fun time here in Birmingham, AL, especially if you like shopping for books. With all of the Maker Fairs and local bazaars going on, there is always something to do on the weekends. What’s been fun is seeing all of the different bookshops sharing not just books, but new ways of selling books.

The Burdock Book Collective was set up outside the MAKE BHM space when we went to shop at a recent market event.

They had plenty of new and used titles. The new books were sold at cover price, and it was $5 for a used paperback and $10 for a used hardback. What’s fun about Burdock’s selections is that you will find lots of new titles and unique voices you won’t find on the shelves of other shops around Birmingham. 

I’ve not been able to get by their community space/shop while they’re open, but they do lots of pop-ups and currently have books at the Cha House Tea Room in Avondale.

We often see the Enjoyer Books folks at Cala Coffee (Cahaba Heights), and their pop-up at the most recent Cahabazaar was worth checking out. Focused on new titles, there is always plenty to look at. They also have some cool new shirts and stickers—such a fun couple to talk books with. I can’t wait to see their book bus in action. That’s going to be fun!

More than one outlet had new zines and small press printings, which were really cool.

But one of my favorite vendors while booking in Birmingham this season is Deep Woods Bindery. The work is so well done, and I really enjoy the marbled patterns on their notebooks. I even picked up one of their ornaments to go on the tree at home.

The craftsmanship of both casebound and paperback options is equal in quality and artistry. I am already looking forward to seeing their booth set up again somewhere.

Hope you all are tucked in, avoiding the chill in the air, and reading good books this weekend!

Authors, Book Talk, Events

Book Event: Paul Beatty in Tuscaloosa

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Paul Beatty, Booker Prize winner and author of The Sellout, is speaking and signing books tonight at the Dinah Washington Cultural Art Center. The event runs 7pm-8pm. This is one local author appearance I wish I’d known about earlier. Beatty is here as the final guest speaker in The University of Alabama’s Creative Writing Program Visiting Writer Series.

Paul Beatty book The Sellout

While it’s tough to get away on weekday nights, this is one author appearance that is worth the drive.

Alabama, Events

Wiregrass Book Festival

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The first-ever Wiregrass Book Festival is tomorrow, Saturday, March 2nd. The festivities kick off at 10:00 a.m. and run until 2:00 p.m. It’s a smaller event that will have book buyers running between local businesses and shops that are hosting readings and signings with local authors.

Here are the locations in Dothan, Alabama:

Downtown Books (150 North Foster Street)

  • Meet thriller writer Logan Ryles
  • Meet adventure novelist Mikelyn Bolden.

Bird and Bean Coffee Shop (144 North Foster Street)

  • Meet Cap Daniels, author of the Chase Fulton thriller novels

Mural City Coffee Company (192 South Foster Street)

  • Meet author Stephen O’Pry

Honey Bee Tees (158 North Foster Street)

  • Meet Southern mystery author Anessa Kent

This sounds like a fun day running around supporting local authors and shops. I hope it’s a big success and the start of something new that grows yearly. I still miss the Alabama Book Festival and wish someone in Montgomery would revive it.

The Wiregrass Book Festival is being organized by the folks who own Downtown Books in Dothan. I haven’t been there yet, but they’ve been a lot of fun to follow on socials since they opened their doors.

Book sale at downtown books for wiregrass book festival
Alabama, Events, Hoover

Elizabeth George is Coming to Hoover, AL, in 2024

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Elizabeth George Cover

The excellent speaker series Southern Voices festival held at the Hoover Public Library has announced that British crime novelist Elizabeth George is headlining the 2024 event. This annual event is always a good time if you enjoy hanging out with bookish folks and meeting authors. You can find out more about next year’s conference at the Southern Voices site.

The Hoover Sun has all the good details and wonderful author biographies, but the basics are:

  • January 11, 2024 at 10am – tickets go on sale on their site. Tickets for “An Evening with Elizabeth George” are $40, while tickets for Saturday’s Authors Conference are $45. 
  • Sunday, February 18, 2024 – the Southern Voices Festival kicks off its 31st year with two John Waite concerts. One at 3pm and the other at 7pm
  • Tuesday, February 20, 2024 – artist Katie Baldwin lecture and reception
  • Friday, February 23, 2024 – “An Evening with Elizabeth George” at 7pm
  • Saturday, February 24, 2024 – the Southern Voices Author Conference starts at 9am and ends at 4pm.

It’s always fun to see who Southern Voices organizers can get to speak in Hoover, AL, each year. It’s always a thrill when it is someone of Elizabeth George’s caliber. 

There are other authors as well, including Kate Quinn, Yasmin Angoe, John Archibald, Kim Cross, and more. So be sure to click over and read that Hoover Sun article. Then mark your calendars to buy your tickets on January 11, 2024. It’s shaping up to be another great event at the Hoover Library.