R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison, will offer free talks by novelists.
On Monday, March 6, at 7 p.m., Durham author Kristan Higgins will discuss “On Second Thought” (Harlequin Books, $26.99). In it, the best-selling author explores the relationship of half-sisters with devastating problems.
On Tuesday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m., Natasha Friend, an author from Madison, will discuss her book, “The Other F-Word” ( Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), $17.99). It’s about two young people fathered by the same sperm donor who seek him out and find other siblings. For them, the “other f-word” is family.
On Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m., Elinor Lipman will discuss her new novel, “On Turpentine Lane” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24). It’s a screwball comedy about a 30-something woman with a neglectful boyfriend, a dumb boss, a dull job, problematic parents, and an interesting work mate.
All events require registration: 203-245-3959 or www.rjjulia.com.
Fresh Voices Competition
New England high school students interested in taking part in the Fresh Voices Student Poetry Competition at Hill-Stead Museum’s Sunken Garden Poetry Festival must submit entries by March 17.
Winners will read their original poems on the festival’s closing night, Aug. 16, and winning poems will be printed in a chapbook and Hill-Stead’s online poetry journal, Theodate. Winners will be announced March 31.
The 2017 submission guidelines and entry form are available at hillstead.org. Completed entries must be postmarked or emailed by March 17. Information: 860-677-4787, ext. 111.
Charter Oak Readings
On Sunday, March 5, at 3 p.m., writers Benjamin Woodard and Brian Clements will appear, following an open mike session, at the first program of the free Charter Oak Readings series at Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Ave., Hartford.
Woodard, of Connecticut, is a senior editor at Numéro Cinq Magazine and editor-in-chief at Atlas and Alice. His fiction has appeared in New South and other magazines, and he writes criticism for Kenyon Review and Publishers Weekly.
Clements is a professor at Western Connecticut State University, where he coordinates the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing. Information: charteroakreadings.blogspot.com/ or 860-508-2810.
Author Fair In Glastonbury
On Sunday, March 5, from 2 to 4 p.m., a free Author Fair will be held at Welles-Turner Memorial Library, 2407 Main St., Glastonbury.
Local authors will present short talks and take audience questions. They are Geoffrey Craig, a former banker whose debut novel is “Scudder’s Gorge” (Prolific Press, $16.95); Dan Foley, whose latest contemporary horror fiction is “Abandoned” (Books & Boos Press,$14.95) and Cassandra Giovanni, who writes contemporary romance and speculative fiction. Her latest novel is “Behind the Lens” (Kindle, $2.99). Information: wtmlib.info or 860-652-7720.
Riverwood Poetry Series
A new anthology, “Forgotten Women: A Tribute in Poetry” (Grayson Books, $20), edited by Ginny Lowe Connors, will be launched on Thursday, March 9, at 7 p.m. at a Riverwood Poetry Series event at Universalist Church of West Hartford, 433 Fern St. The program will present poems by several of the anthology’s contributors following an open mike at 7:15 p.m., for which poems about forgotten women are encouraged but not required. Free, but donations are appreciated. Information: riverwoodpoetry.org.
Wallace Stevens Poetry Program
Poet A.E. Stallings will give two free readings for the 54th Annual Wallace Stevens Poetry Program.
Stallings, a MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient and Guggenheim Fellow, will read on Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. at Konover Auditorium, Dodd Center, 405 Babbidge Road, on the UConn Storrs campus. On Thursday, March 9, at 10 a.m., she will read at Greater Hartford Classical Magnet School, 85 Woodland St., Hartford. Information: wallacestevens.uconn.edu.
Talks At Tunxis
Tunxis Community College, 271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, will host talks by two authors in the 600 Building, Room 6-127.
On Monday, March 6, at 11:50 a.m., Christine Ieronimo, a nurse, mother of an adopted daughter from Ethiopia and author of the children’s book, “A Thirst for Home — A Story of Water Across the World” (Walker Childrens, 17.99), will discuss Ethiopia and the challenges people there face, including the lack of clean water. Information: Paula Baird at pbaird@tunxis.edu or 860-773-1300.
Om Tuesday, March 7, at 1:30 p.m., Eastern Connecticut State University professor Raouf Mama will discuss his memoirs and poems. An award-winning writer, Mama collects, writes and performs folktales from his native Benin in English, French, Yoruba and Fon. His many books include “Fortune’s Favored Child,” (Curbstone/Northwestern University Press, $35). Information: JVoisine@tunxis.edu or 860-773-1300.
Talks At CCSU
William J. Mann will talk about his biography, “The Wars of the Roosevelts: The Ruthless Rise of America’s Greatest Political Family” (Harper, $35), on Tuesday, March 7 at 7 p.m. at Elihu Burritt Library, 1615 Stanley St., , New Britain, on the campus of his alma mater, Central Connecticut State University. Information: 860-832-2055.
Central Authors, a free series about books by CCSU faculty, staff members or alumni, continues Wednesday, March 8, at 12:15, in the Student Center Bookstore, 1615 Stanley St., New Britain. Keith Pomerlau, a CCSU graduate, will discuss his inspirational guide, “Overcoming Adversity” (CreateSpace, $9.99). Information: 860-832-2759 or gigliotti@ccsu.ed.
Authors Fest In New London
The second annual free Local Authors Fest will be held Saturday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at New London Public Library, 63 Huntington St.
About 50 authors of fiction, nonfiction, young adult literature, children’s literature, romance, history and mystery will talk about their books and sign copies. Information or registrTION as a participating author: 860-447-1411, ext. 108, or mgupta@plnl.org or www.plnl.org.
Author’s Table
The Author’s Table continues Sunday, March 5, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Downtown Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St.
Diana McCain will present her historical fiction book, “Thy Children’s Children” (CreateSpace, $19.95), based on the true story of the of Lyman Orchards in Middlefield.
Information: 860-695-6300 or hplct.org.
Author Talk In Avon
Author Georgia Hunter will give a free talk about her book, “We Were The Lucky Ones” (Viking, $27), on Tuesday, March 7, at 2 p.m., at Avon Free Public Library, 281 COuntry Club Road, Avon
Hunter’s book is based on the experiences of her own family, which suffered under Nazi rule in Poland, yet managed to find one another after the war. Information: 860-673-9712 or avontlibrary.info.
‘They Called Her Reckless’
Connecticut author Janet Barrett will give a free talk on Tuesday, March 7, at 2 p.m. at Suffield Senior Center, 145 Bridge St. sponsored by Kent Memorial Library.
Barrett will discuss her book, “They called her Reckless: A True Story of War, Love and One Extraordinary Horse” (Tall Cedar Books, $15.95), about an extraordinary mare that aided a Marine rifle platoon during the Korean War. Registration: 860-668-3896 or suffield-library.org.
