This month, we are so pleased to continue our SHELF LIFE series of virtual author events, every Tuesday and Thursday at noon (EDT), livestreamed on Zoom and Facebook. Tackling topics from Japanese animation and science fiction to the U.S. legal system and LGBTQ writers in Appalachia, our June schedule is sure to have something that piques your interest!
If you’re new to SHELF LIFE or to virtual programming, more generally, CLICK HERE to learn more about how to take part. Then, mark your calendar for these upcoming events in June…
Thursday, June 4 at 12:00 PM EDT
Miyazakiworld: Japanese Animation and Global Popular Culture with Susan Napier & Shilpa Davé
Join Susan Napier, author of Miyazakiworld, and Shilpa Davé as they discuss the life and work of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.
“[Miyazakiworld is] a laudably well-informed look at the life and works of Japanese animation luminary Hayao Miyazaki… enlightening… the labor of both a consummate scholar and an avid fan.”—Publishers Weekly
Tuesday, June 9 at 12:00 PM EDT
Ellen Crosby & Art Taylor Talk Crime: Reading and Writing
Join highly-acclaimed crime writers Ellen Crosby (The Angels’ Share) and Art Taylor (The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense) as they discuss their newest books, creating complex characters, and writing crime fiction.
“Crisp and elegant. The disparate plot threads come together in an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Crosby knows how to keep the reader guessing.”—Publishers Weekly
“‘English 398: Fiction Workshop’ is the academic short story I didn’t know I wanted, but want it I did indeed. How [Taylor] weaves contemporary social issues into his stories without seeming contrived is a true gift.”—Kristopher Zgorski, BOLO Books
Thursday, June 11 at 12:00 PM EDT
The Prettiest Star: Carter Sickels in conversation with Cassius Adair
Join author Carter Sickels as he discusses his novel, The Prettiest Star (one of O Magazine‘s “31 LGBTQ Books That’ll Change the Literary Landscape in 2020”), with Cassius Adair.
“Carter Sickels’ The Prettiest Star is the story of a young man who must drag his body from the mouth of death back to the ‘home’ that nearly killed him. The story of a queer desiring body moving through the crucibles of life toward song, toward rewriting family and whatever we mean by home, toward a kind of hope that comes from the dirt up and not the sky down. A heart triumph.”—Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Chronology of Water
Tuesday, June 16 at 12:00 PM EDT
Becoming RBG: Debbie Levy in conversation with Tasha Birckhead
Join author Debbie Levy as she discusses her graphic novel, Becoming RBG, with Tasha Birckhead.
“An excellent introduction to a woman who has no doubt already inspired a generation of lawyers and scholars; Levy and Gardner’s well-crafted biography may recruit a few more.”—Publishers Weekly
Thursday, June 18 at 12:00 PM EDT
Usual Cruelty: A conversation with Alec Karakatsanis & Eric Riback
Join author Alec Karakatsanis as he discusses his book Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System, in conversation with Eric Riback.
“Alec Karakatsanis is a leading voice in the legal struggle to dismantle mass incarceration, this century’s defining civil rights issue. What he says cannot be ignored.”—James Forman, Jr., Pulitzer Prize winning author of Locking Up Our Own
Tuesday, June 23 at 12:00 PM EDT
The Lost Book of Adana Moreau: Michael Zapata in conversation with Meredith Cole
Join author Michael Zapata as he discusses his debut novel, The Lost Book of Adana Moreau, with Meredith Cole.
“Zapata’s debut novel is a wonderful merging of adventure with thoughtful but urgent meditations on time, history, and surviving tragedy. The characters are richly drawn, and the prose is striking… A luminous novel about the deep value of telling stories.”—Kirkus Reviews
Thursday, June 25 at 12:00 PM EDT
The Truth Is: NoNieqa Ramos in conversation with Amber McBride
Join young adult author NoNieqa Ramos as she discusses her novel, The Truth Is, with Amber McBride.
“Ramos writes with intensity and poeticism in this fresh, painful, but ultimately optimistic coming-of-age novel. Notable for its up-to-the minute depiction of gender identity, sexual orientation, and race.”―School Library Journal
Tuesday, June 30 at 12:00 PM EDT
LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia: Jeff Mann, Julia Watts, and Maggie Anderson in conversation
Join co-editors Jeff Mann and Julia Watts, and contributing writer Maggie Anderson, for a discussion of identity, publishing, and community as related to their recent anthology, LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia.
“[LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia is] an immersive exploration of queer life within the confines of a conservative American subculture.”—Foreword Reviews
