A champion storyteller, two novelists and an expert on women’s friendships will give free talks at R.J. Julia Booksellers,768 Boston Post Road, Madison. All begin at 7 p.m. and require reservations: 203-245-3959 or rjjulia.com.
On Tuesday, June 26, Matthew Dicks, of Newington, will discuss his nonfiction guidebook, “Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling.” Dicks, a novelist, storytelling champ and co-founder of Speak Up, which produces storytelling events, also is a former West Hartford Teacher of the Year. His book says we constantly tell stories, during personal, business and other interactions, and explains how to do it more effectively.
Dicks also will speak Wednesday, June 27, at 7 p.m. at Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, 413 Main St., Middletown. Information: 860-685-3939 or books@wesleyan.edu.
On Wednesday, June 27, at the Madison bookstore, two Connecticut novelists will speak. Susan Kietzman’s latest novel is “It Started in June,” about an improbable romance, an unexpected pregnancy and the willingness to make difficult choices. Kietzman is a former reporter and teacher who has published five novels. Hannah McKinnon, author of “Sailing Lessons,” also will speak. Her novel is about sisters who let their wandering father, who abandoned them years ago, back into their lives when the terminally ill man resurfaces.
On Thursday, June 28, F. Diane Barth, a psychotherapist, will talk about her book, “I Know How You Feel: The Joy and Heartbreak of Friendship in Women’s Lives,” which explores the complicated relationships woman may have and offers advice on making them work better. Barth writes a blog for Psychology Today.
Twain House Events
Simon Winchester, best-selling author of “The Professor and the Madman,” about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, “Krakatoa” and “The Map That Changed The World,” among other books, will speak on Tuesday, June 26, at 7 p.m. ,at the Mark Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford. Tickets are $10.
Winchester’s latest is “The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World,” a chronicle of technology from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age. James Golden, director of education at the Twain House & Museum, will join him in conversation.
On June 27 at 5:30 p.m., a Trouble Begins @ 5:30 talk will present John Pascal, author of “Artemus Ward: The Gentle Humorist.” Ward, though little-known today, was a highly popular American humorist whose work influenced Mark Twain. Pascal will speak at 5:30 p.m., following a 5 p.m. reception.
Information and reservations: marktwainhouse.org or 860-247-0998.
Hidden History
A book launch for “Hidden History of Middlesex County” by Connecticut authors and historians Robert and Kathleen Hubbard will take place Monday, June 25, at 7 p.m. at Middletown Senior and Community Center, 61 Durant Terrace. Middletown. The program is sponsored by the Middlesex County Historical Society.
The county has dinosaur tracks thought to be more than 200 million years old; was home to Hugh Lofting, author of the “Dr. Dolittle” books, and Laurent de Brunhoff, author of the “Babar the Elephant” books. The Hubbards will discuss these and other Middlesex facts at the free event.
Robert Hubbard is a retired professor at Albertus Magnus College and Kathleen Hubbard is a retired teacher from the Middletown public school system. They also published “Images of America: Middletown” and “Legendary Locals of Middletown,” and Robert Hubbard is the author of, “Major General Israel Putnam, Hero of the American Revolution.” 860-346-0746.
Local Author Festival
Avon Free Public Library will continue its fifth annual Local Author Festival, offering free discussions on inspiration by solo authors or panels at the library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon. Authors from New England and the tri-state area will take part.
On Thursday, June 28, at 6:30 p.m., a Teen Author Panel will present Steven Parlato, Juliana Spink Mills, Mark and Sheri Dursin, Geoffrey Craig, and Natasha Friend.
Other events will offer panel discussions about children’s books, lifestyle guides, history and mysteries and talks by authors Liv Constantine, William Martin and Kristan Higgins. 860-673-9712 or avonctlibrary.info/local-author-festival/.
Bank Square Books
Bank Square Books, 53 W Main St., Mystic, will host a book signing with Irene Drago for her novel, “Daughters of Long Reach,” on Sunday, June 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. The story, set in Maine, where Drago lives, involves several families who lived in Bath over three centuries. 860-536-3795 or banksquarebooks.com.
Storyteller’s Cottage
The Storyteller’s Cottage, 750 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, will present a reading by local author Benjamin Thomas from his thriller, “Jack Be Quick” on Sunday, June 24 at 3 p.m., followed by a reception. The cost is $5. In the book, a picture scrawled in blood leads paramedic Noah McKeen to search for a killer imitating the infamous Jack the Ripper.
On Tuesday, June 26, at 7 p.m., an All Access Authors event will feature readings by Martin Herman (“The Return to Sender Files”); Eileen Albrizio (“The Windsome Tree-A Ghost Story”); and Penny Goetjen {“Murder on the Precipice”). The cost is $5. 860-877-6099 or StorytellersCottage.com.
B&N UConn Hartford
Barnes & Noble UConn Hartford Bookstore. 18 Front St., Hartford, will host a Sisters in Crime New England Mystery Writers Book Fair on Saturday, June 30, from noon to 4 p.m. Local mystery and suspense authors will discuss their work and sign books.
Authors expected to attend are Coralie Hughes Jensen, Ursula Wong, Connie Hambley, Marian Lanouette, Susan Shelton, Sharon Yang, Mark Dressler, Kathy Orzech, Steve Liskow, Katy Lee, Peggy Gaffney. Kari Lemor and Maureen Boyle. 860-263-2270 or Laurie.bompart@uconn.edu.
Not So “YA”
The free Not So “YA” Book Club will meet Wednesday, June 27, @ 7 p.m.at Whiton Library, 100 N. Main St., Manchester. All are welcome to hear a discussion of “Beauty Queens” by Libba Bray, a Young Adult novel about 13 beauty pageant contestants stranded in a plane crash on a mysterious island. 860-645-0821 or library.townofmanchester.org.
