Independent Bookstore Day (and a shout out for Wine and Words)

 First, the "Shout Out."

Join us at Junto Winery on Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m., for our very first Wine and Words event. Pre-register by calling or stopping by Chapters to pay and pick up your book, Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack, which we've chosen as our first book to discuss over wine at Junto for a very specific reason. . . . You'll have to come to the event to find out why! Join us for fellowship, wine, and fun talk about books. Cost is $25 (book and a glass of wine) or $7 (glass of wine). Your contribution includes a donation to the Seward Read to Me Program, which gives books to local children and encourages parents to read aloud with their children. Hope to see you there!

 Now, on to Independent Bookstore Day. . .

Saturday, May 2 is Seward's Prom. Almost as exciting, though, is that it's the first-ever National Independent Bookstore Day! To celebrate, Chapters will be hosting fifteen local authors for signings, as well as promoting merchandise from well-known authors that will be available ONLY on that day. We're also putting together a display of the staff's 100 favorite books of all time, and for one day only, a random selection of those books will be FREE. All you have to do is choose the correct book, and when you try to pay for it, our computer will give you a 100% discount!

While we're glad to have every single one of the authors who will be here, we're especially excited to welcome back Ted Kooser, Stephanie Grace Whitson, and Lydia Kang to sign their new books. Ted and Lydia will be here from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, and Stephanie will be here from 1-2 p.m.

Over the next few days, I'll be providing a bit of background on each of the authors who is coming for Independent Bookstore Day, starting with those who will be signing from noon-1 p.m. The complete schedule of authors is available at www.sewardchapters.com and at the end of this post.

Ted Kooser needs little introduction. He'll be signing his two latest books, Splitting an Order, a poetry collection, and The Wheeling Year, a collection of very short prose (personally, this is one of my favorites of all of his books).

Lydia Kang, an Omaha physician and author, has written Control  and Catalyst for young adults and those who enjoy YA literature. Set in a futuristic society in what now is known as Nebraska and Iowa, her books combine medical science fiction, romance, and mystery and are thrilling reads for fans of The Hunger Games and other dystopian novels. She's also an incredibly nice person and happy to share her thoughts on ways to incorporate writing into a busy schedule.

Tonya Kuper, also a YA writer from Omaha, will make her first visit to Chapters to promote her book, Anomaly, the story of a girl who can bend reality with her thoughts. I love the cover and will let you know how wonderful this book is when I've had a chance to read it. Lydia speaks highly of both Tonya and her book, so I look forward to meeting her.

Lucy Adkins, poet, teacher, blogger, and author of Writing in Community, will be here to encourage any aspiring writers. We've used her book, which she co-wrote with Becky Breed, to form and guide our writers' group. I find it very inspiring, helpful, and comforting. The book--and Lucy--are just what you need if you're ready to take a leap of faith and start writing.

Anita Stohs lives in Kansas City, but she has relatives in the Seward area and visits frequently. Her children's books are mostly craft and activity books for Sunday school and Bible school groups, but her  Hush, Little One is a sweet board book for babies, perfect for a baptism gift or just to read with a special baby.

Stephanie Grace Whitson, of Lincoln, writes thoroughly researched historical fiction with a Christian touch. Her newest book, Daughter of the Regiment, came out in late March and is set on a Missouri plantation during the American Civil War. I enjoy Whitson's strong female characters and always learn something of the time period in which she sets her books. Her books make great Mother's Day gifts, too, especially when signed! Stephanie will sign from 1-2 p.m.