Sleepy Dog Books Events
Sleepy Dog Books is committed to providing the highest quality events to the Mt. Pleasant and surrounding communities. Through strategic partnerships and robust offerings SDB is focused on our store becoming much more than a retail option, rather SBD will strive to become the heart of the community. Each of the events on the SDB calendar has be designed to offer learning, personal growth, and development opportunities to all participants.
" So often, a visit to a bookshop has cheered me, and reminded me that there are good things in the world."
-Vincent van Gogh
-Vincent van Gogh
September 2025
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SDB Author Event (September 24th @4pm)Author Event- JL Hyde
Join us in welcoming back one of our favorite CMU Alumni authors, JL Hyde! The event will be a book sigining and meet and greet from 4-6, Thrusday September 25. |
August 2025
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William Kent Kruger (August 11th- 7pm @ The Ideal Theater)An Evening with William Kent Krueger: The Transformative Power of Stories
Join us for an unforgettable evening with New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger as he explores the profound impact stories have on our lives. In this special presentation, Krueger will share personal reflections on how stories have inspired, challenged, and healed him throughout his journey as a writer. Hosted at the historic Ideal Theater in Clare, this event promises to be a meaningful experience for readers, writers, and anyone who believes in the power of storytelling. Tickets: $20 Available now at libraryevents.org Following his presentation, Krueger will be available for a book signing. Sleepy Dog Books will be on site with a selection of his titles available for purchase. Funding for this event is provided in part by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, Pere Marquette District Library, Harrison District Library, Coleman Area Public Library, Gladwin County District Library, Surrey Township Public Library, the Ideal Theater and Sleepy Dog Books. Don't miss this inspiring evening celebrating the enduring magic of stories. |
July 2025
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SDB Christmas in July Book Exchange (July 24th @7pm)We love the holiday season so much, we are going to do it twice this year!! Join us as SDB's first Christmas in July Book Exchange. Just like we do in the colder months, this will be an opportunity for you to come out and share a new, or gently used copy of a book that you love, loved, or are looking to love!
Join us on July 24th at 7pm with a wrapped book. Everyone who brings a book will leave with a book!! We will bring the refreshments, you bring the joy of reading. |
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Sleepy Dog Books Ice Cream Social (July 8th @3pm)We are excited to host our third annual Sleepy Dog Books Ice Cream Social on July 8th @3pm until the ice cream runs out!! Join us for this fun, free, community event!
Click HERE for more details! |
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CMU Alumni Weekend (July 18th-20th)To celebrate all our fellow CMU Alumni, Sleepy Dog Books will be offering 10%off all purchase to any Chips that give us a FIRE UP at the time of purchase all weekend long!! Come see us and wear your CMU finest to show your CMU Pride!!
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June 2025
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Library Kickoff Party (June 9th- 5-7pm @ Island Park)Celebrate the Chippewa River Library System's Summer Reading Club Kick-Off with a Foam Party in the Park! Join Sleepy Dog Books and other local organizations in supporting this great Club and Program! This event is FREE and the link for more information can be found HERE.
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Kids and Culture (June 14th- 10-12pm)Come join us for a scavenger hunt to learn about Michigan foods! Find pictures, fun facts and recipes for unique Michigan favorites!
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Dadfest (June 14th- 5-7pm @ Island Park)Join Sleepy Dog Books at Thrive Church's 2025 DadFest!! There is a Bacon tent! We will be onsite with activities to support reading and literacy, supporting Dads and kids in developing a deep passion for all things BOOKS! Come join the fun and more details can be found HERE.
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April 2025
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Organic Raised Bed Gardening (April 3rd- 7pm)Author Event- Sheila Carroll
Imagine stepping into your backyard and gathering fresh, homegrown vegetables, vibrant herbs, and fragrant flowers—free from chemicals, supermarket shortages, and unnecessary complexity. Organic raised bed gardening isn’t just about growing food; it’s about reclaiming control over what you eat, connecting with nature, and creating a thriving, sustainable oasis—no matter your space, skill level, or time constraints. |
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The Dance of Rotten Sticks (April 10th- 7:00pm)Author Event- J.C. Vande Zande
The Dance of Rotten Sticks tells the story of Isaac Fletcher, a recent widower struggling to raise three kids after losing his wife to a bizarre car accident. His mother-in-law, aware of Isaac's drinking problem, threatens to take the kids. Hoping to become the father they need him to be, Isaac takes the family to their recently-purchased vacation property on Orphan Island. Strange incidents occur, culminating in their discovery of an abandoned orphanage that some say is haunted. Isaac's youngest begins to hear voices. His eldest has horrific dreams of their dead mother. Only Emily seems to thrive, beguiling Isaac to the true danger that she faces from the island's other inhabitants |
March 2025
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Book Tasting (March 16th- 1:00-3:00pm @ Mt. Pleasant Discoverty Museum)Come explore childrens books through our Book Tasting Party. Hosted by Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum, children of all ages are welcome to come take a taste of the latest titles!
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Daughters of Chaos (March 20th- 7:00pm @ CMU Bovee Rotunda Room)Author Event- Jen Fawkes
In 1862, after a tragedy at home, twenty-two-year-old Sylvie Swift parts ways with her twin brother to trace the origins of an enigmatic playscript that's landed on their doorstep. This text leads her to Nashville, an occupied city bustling with soldiers, saboteurs, partisans, powerful men--and powerful women. Sylvie trans lates the playscript by day, but at night, drawn into the work by the chief of the Union Army's Secret Service, she acts as a spy. Both endeavors acquaint her with a sisterhood whose members--including Hannah, a fiery revolutionary to whom Sylvie is increasingly drawn--possess potentially monstrous powers. Sylvie soon becomes entangled in the Cult of Chaos, a feminist society steadfast in its ancient mission to eradicate the violence of men. |
January 2025
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Remember that one time (January 30th- 7:00pm @ CMU Plachta Auditorium)Author Event- Larry Joe Campbell
Remember That One Time, a first-person narrative, takes place over Christmas. Max Sheffield, an aging out-of-work actor, loves Christmas. But this Christmas will be very different. His wife, Sophie, has left him to be with her parents on a trial separation. His adult, collegiate children, Graeme and Briana would rather be anywhere else but at home in Los Angeles. And so, Max Sheffield heads to his older brother’s home back in Greenville, Michigan for the winter holidays...not far from where he grew up. To make matters worse, Max immediately suffers a freak accident in which he cannot speak, and resting his voice is the only remedy. |
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The Brew Deal (January 21th- 6:30pm @ Summit Smokehouse and Taproom)Author Event- Jason Taylor
During the final stages of Prohibition, the US government allowed the consumption and sale of "non-intoxicating" beer, which was at or below 3.2% alcohol-by-weight. Beer's return--permitted with an eye toward job creation during the Great Depression--was one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's earliest New Deal policies. In this book, economist Jason E. Taylor takes readers through the rapid resurgence of American breweries and shows how beer helped spark a sharp recovery in the spring of 1933. Summit Smokehouse and Taproom has brewed as special beer, Roosevelt's Brew Deal, in honor of the book release. Come, buy a book, and let the author buy you a beer! |
December 2024
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Husband's Gift Wrapping Night (December 20th- 5:00pm)Have some gifts that you need to wrap? Have some last minute gifts that you need to secure? On Decmeber 20th we are going to keep the doors open late and offer skilled gift wrappers to help you out! There may be a refreshment or two in the process! All gifts will be wrapped on a donation basis and all donations will go to the Sleepy Dog Books Foundation for programs and services to expand literacy and access to books across Mid Michigan!
*You don't have to be a husband...just in need of a little holiday help! |
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Jolabokaflod (December 19th- 7:00pm)Jolabokaflod is an Icelandic Christmas tradition that involves exchanging and reading books on Christmas Eve and roughly translates to the “Christmas Book Flood.”
We’re bringing this heartwarming tradition to Sleepy Dog Books - with a bit of a twist! On December 19th, in place of our monthly book club meeting, we will be hosting our version of this cozy tradition! How it will work: Bring a wrapped book (any genre, new or gently used) topped with your favorite chocolate. We will pile the books under the tree and mix them all together. Each person that brings a book will have the opportunity to select a wrapped book and a sweet treat to enjoy! When: Thursday, December 19, 2024 7:00pm Where: Sleepy Dog Books, 120 E. Broadway Hot Cocoa and Coffee will be available to warm the spirits of all involved. Come share your love of books, talk to other book lovers and perhaps find your next favorite book! Spread the word… Bring a friend, neighbor, or bookworm in your life. If you are not sure what book to bring, pick something you have loved this year or a title that you would recommend to a close friend. Come and enjoy, afterall, books are always the best gift under the tree. |
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Pride and Premeditation (December 3rd- 7:00pm)Author Event- Tirzah Price
Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries trilogy is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit. When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates. Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case--and her feelings for Darcy--become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed. Three of Jane Austen's classic novels receive a murder mystery makeover in this romantic and thrilling three-book series that's perfect for fans of The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. |
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Storytime with Local Dancers (December 14th- 10:00am)Sleepy Dog Books connected with Mt. Pleasant School of Dance and we are thrilled to have local dancers from the upcoming Nutcracker Ballet joining us for a very special story time Saturday December 14th at 10am!! Bring your littles and wear your Nutcracker attire...
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The Adventures of Cece and The Sherif (December 14th- 1:00pm)Author Event- Dominic Thrasher
The Adventures of Cece and the Sheriff: Case of the Missing Bone. Come join these two Aussiedoodle puppies on thier next amazing adventure, meeting new friends, sharing a good laugh and learn valuable lessons |
November 2024
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Tapping Out (Novermber 6th- 7pm @ Park Library Opperman Auditorium)The relentless motions and blinding colors of lucha libre, the high-flying wrestling sport, are the arresting backdrop to Nandi Comer's collection Tapping Out. Mexican freestyle wrestling becomes the poet's lyrical motif, uncovering what is behind the intricate masks we wear in society and our search for place within our personal histories. Comer's poetic narratives include explorations of violence, trauma, and identity. The exquisite complications of the black experience in settled and unsettled spaces propel her linear explorations, which challenge the idea of metaphor and cadence.
The harsh realities of being migrant and immigrant, being birthright and oppressed, are as hard-pressed as the plancha move to the body. Each poem in Tapping Out is a "freestyle movement" of language and complexity put on full display, under the bright lights and roars of survival. Comer's splendid and barbed, Detroit style of language melts the masks with searing words. |
August 2024
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Let Gravity Seize the Dead & Everywhere, Everywhere
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July 2024
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The Fall of Bellwether (July 18th- 7:00pm)Author Event- Chad Broughman
The author transports readers to 1841 Midwest, immersing them in a world of duplicity and struggle. A mother and daughter fight against abandonment and starvation, their resilience challenges the very fabric of the town's beliefs. With its vividly depicted setting, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking themes, this historical fiction masterpiece weaves a mesmerizing tale of love, forgiveness, and the power of unity. Step into the pages and discover the strength that can be found even in the darkest of times. The novel opens with a riveting scene, the moment of Elinor's impending execution. The narrative paints a stark picture of the town's hypocrisy-as the same people who once attended church with Ada, now act as judge, jury, and executioners. |
June 2024
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A Night with Viola Shipman (June 3rd at The Ideal Theater in Clare)Author Event- Viola Shipman (Wade Rouse)
Sleepy Dog Books is thrilled to partner withe the Pere Marquette District Library and Author Wade Rouse, better know as Viola Shipman for an evening event at The Ideal Theater in Clare. This will be a ticketed event and tickets can be purchased for the event HERE. He will be doing a reading and discussing many of his published works. Join us for a wonderful night of dicussions around his wiritng process, publishing and the creative process. *More Event Details will be added as they become available. |
May 2024
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Where All Things Flatten (May 9th- 7:00pm)Author Event- John Mauk
In the heart of the Midwest, Lead Belly's, a rowdy Toledo bar, becomes an unlikely sanctuary for a group of wayward servers, cooks, and carousers, as they grapple with their own desires for stability and purpose amidst a backdrop of hardcore revelry, secrecy, and struggle. "Where All Things Flatten" is a gripping novel-in-stories that spans twenty-six years, shedding light on the tumultuous lives of these stridently working-class individuals who, against their own will, find solace and connection in a world of raucous desperation. |
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Author Panel Discussion with Cait West, Sara Moslener and Dawn Burns (May 23- 7:00pm at Art Reach of Mid Michgian)Author Event- Cait West, Sara Moslener, and Dawn Burns
Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy Raised in the Christian patriarchy movement, Cait West was homeschooled and could only wear clothes her father deemed modest. She was five years old the first time she was told her swimsuit was too revealing, to go change. There would be no college in her future, no career. She was a stay-at-home daughter and would move out only when her father allowed her to become a wife. She was trained to serve men, and her life would never be her own. Until she escaped. Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence First taking hold of the American cultural imagination in the 1990s, the sexual purity movement of contemporary evangelicalism has since received considerable attention from a wide range of media outlets, religious leaders, and feminist critics. Virgin Nation offers a history of this movement that goes beyond the Religious Right, demonstrating a link between sexual purity rhetoric and fears of national decline that has shaped American ideas about morality since the nineteenth century. Evangelina Everyday Evangelina is as everyday as women come. If she were a landscape, she'd be a patch of woods on the edge of a fallow Indiana field, her edges visible from all directions from miles away. Nothing special on the outside. A disturbance to nobody. One might think her a boring, self-contained Midwestern housewife. Mixing humor and sincerity, Dawn Burns roots her debut collection firmly in the minutiae of Midwestern life, focusing on the inner life of one who suffers the annoyances of a Midwestern lifestyle in a manner all her own, a manner filled with anxious contemplation of the worth of her life. |
April 2024
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Grady Lake (April 7th- 5:00pm)Author Event- JL Hyde
Katie Benard reluctantly returns home to Grade Lake two decades after her older sister Malorie disappeared without a trace, a story that has captivated the nation since the day she was reported missing in 2003. After leaving home years ago, Katie is overjoyed to reunite with her childhood best friend and cousin while working at her family's lakeside resort at the end of tourist season in northern Michigan. Just when life begins to feel normal again, a teenage girl goes missing from the resort. She has vanished without a trace, just like Malorie. |
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Storytime with Local Dancers (April 13th- 10:00am)Sleepy Dog Books connected with Mt. Pleasant School of Dance and we are thrilled to have local dancers joining us for a very special story time Saturday April 13th at 10am!! Bring your littles and wear your dance attire...A tutu is a must!
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March 2024
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Princess Storytime with Belle (March 2nd- 10:00am)Sleepy Dog Books made a call and is excited to have a local princess joining us for a very special story time Saturday March 2nd at 10am!! Bring your littles and wear your finest princess dress or princely attire!
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The Adventures of Cece and The Sheriff (March 6th-10:00am-12:00pm at the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum) Country (Fur) Cousins Author Event- Dominic Thrasher
The Adventures of Cece and the Sheriff: Country (Fur) Cousins. Come join these two Aussiedoodle puppies as they take you on amazing adventures. Where they meet new friends, share a good laugh and learn valuable lessons |
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A Night with Naomi Shihab Nye (March 14th- 7:00-8:30pm at Central Michigan University Bovee UC Rotunda)Author Event- Naomi Shihab Nye
Sleepy Dog Books, in partnership with Central Michigan University and the Department of English Language and Literature, is excited to welcome acclaimed author Naomi Shihab Nye to Central Michigan University. She will be doing a reading and discussing many of her published works. Join us for a wonderful night of dicussions around wiritng, publishing and the creative process. |
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SDB Book Journaling Class (March 20th-7:00pm)Sleepy Dog Book Journaling Class. Learn how to design, plan, and create your own reading journal, complete with goals, trackers, and challenges! Bring your own journal or we will have them available for purchase at the event.
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February 2024
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The Adventures of Cece and The Sheriff (Febuary 1st-5:30pm )
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Faculty Favorites (February 20th- 7:00pm)Book Chat- Dr. Ari Berk and Dr. Anne Alton (Deep Wizardry &A Wizard of Earthsea)
The best part of reading a book you love is talking about it with friends. This new series of short, informal events features English Department faculty sharing favorite novels and poems and what they love about them. This is all about passion for the books we love. Grab a friend and come join the discussion. |
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SDB Book Journaling Class (February 28th-7:00pm)Sleepy Dog Book Journaling Class. Learn how to design, plan, and create your own reading journal, complete with goals, trackers, and challenges! Bring your own journal or we will have them available for purchase at the event.
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January 2024
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We're Not Worthy (January 23rd-6:00pm at the Veterans Memorial Library)Author Event- Jason Klamm
Author Jason Klamm will present his book We're Not Worthy with an interactive Q&A session hosted by moderator Tyler Sonnichsen, a Cultural Geographer and professor of Geography & Environmental Studies at CMU. Sleepy Dog Books will offer the book for purchase at the event |
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Faculty Favorites (January 23rd- 7:00pm)Book Chat- Dr. Kris McDermott and Dr. JoEllen Delucia
The best part of reading a book you love is talking about it with friends. This new series of short, informal events features English Department faculty sharing favorite novels and poems and what they love about them. This is all about passion for the books we love. Grab a friend and come join the discussion. |
November 2023
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Project Solomon (November 9th-7:00pm)Author Event-Jodi Stuber and Jennifer Marshal Bleakley
Jodi Stuber wasn't looking for another horse for her struggling therapy ranch--let alone one like Solomon. After losing his herd, he was solitary and sad, spending his days standing near the plastic deer in his yard for company. No stranger herself to loss and heartache, Jodi knew she had to give Solomon a home. The road to recovery wouldn't be easy. As Solomon struggled to fit in with his new herd and Jodi continued to navigate her own grief, the two developed a deep bond. But just as Jodi and Solomon were both beginning to heal, an unthinkable tragedy struck the therapy ranch. And Solomon was about to teach Jodi the greatest lesson of all. Written by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley, author of Joey: How a Blind Rescue Horse Helped Others Learn to See, Project Solomon is a powerful story of resilience, sacrifice, and love that reminds us all how much we matter--to each other and to God. |
September 2023
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Lemon (September 14th-7:00pm)Author Event- Isabella Mansfield
lemon is an exploration of body and health. The poems in this chapbook come from learning to navigate life with a disability, anxiety and depression, bodily changes, illness and associated medical trauma, and the intersection of physical and mental health. |
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Driving the Scenic Route (September 27th- 7:00pm)Author Event- Robert Aldrich
After spending over 20 years in Southern California and photographing food for over 350 restaurants, Robert and his wife moved back to their home state of Michigan and settled in Mt Pleasant. Soon, Robert became enamored with the beauty and unique architecture of Michigan's barns, traveling hundreds of miles on the back roads to capture images of different barns. |
August 2023
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SDB Community Hero Series- Multiple Dates (5:30pm)Join us for stories, activities, and discussions with a Doctor, Police Officer, Veterinarian, Scientist, and Teacher. For kids of any age
August 2- Veterinarian August 9- Teacher |
July 2023
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SDB Community Hero Series- Multiple Dates (5:30pm)Join us for stories, activities, and discussions with a Doctor, Police Officer, Veterinarian, Scientist, and Teacher. For kids of any age.
July 12- Police Officer July 19- Scientist |
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SDB Ice Cream Social - July 16th (3:00pm)Let's get social! Join Sleepy Dog Books for their first annual ice cream social to celebrate community, books, and downtown Mt. Pleasant. We will have ice cream, toppings and extra sprinkles but please be sure to come early to make sure you get some before we run out!
This event is FREE! |
April 2023
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Poetry Night- April 5th (7:00pm)Author Event- Dennis Hinrichsen and Andrew Collard
Sprawl is a reconstruction of the constantly shifting landscape of metropolitan Detroit, which extends over six counties and is home to over four million people, from the perspective of a single parent raising a young child amid financial precarity. Part memoir, part invention, the book is Andrew Collard's attempt to reconcile the tenderness and sense of purpose found in the parent-child relationship with ongoing societal crises in the empire of the automobile. Here, a mansion may contrast with a burned-out home just up the street. How does one construct a sense of place in such a landscape, where once-familiar neighborhoods turn to strip malls or empty lots and the relationships that root us dissolve? Sprawl suggests that there is solace in recognizing that when we ask this question, we are never alone in asking. The winner of the inaugural Wishing Jewel Prize, awarded for a manuscript that challenges our notions of what poems can do and what a book can be, schema geometricais nothing short of visionary. It juxtaposes quasi-sonnets and erasures with illustrations by Marnie Galloway, a Chicago-area cartoonist and illustrator, and Julian Van Dyke, a Lansing-area muralist, painter, and childrenís book author. schema geometrica will be accompanied by a number of audio and video poems, available online this fall; this is a multimedia collaboration between Hinrichsen and Dylan Rogers, a Lansing-area musician and proprietor of The Robin Theatre, and Tom Larter, musician and composer. |
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Auras- April 20 (7:00pm)Author Event- Kevin Fitton
The twelve stories that make up Auras span time from the 1940's to the present day, They cover ground from New England to the Midwest to the South. But in another respect, all of these stories live in the same place, asking a different version of the same question: Is it possible to fix broken things? |