The 8th Annual Connecticut Authors Trail, a series of free talks at 20 Eastern Connecticut libraries from Mansfield to Mystic, will lead to a finale on Thursday, Sept. 15, from 6:15 to 9 p.m., at Mohegan Sun Cabaret Theatre, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, with a free talk at 7 p.m. by award-winning romance writer Kristan Higgins. Many of the authors who gave presentations in trail talks will mingle with guests.
Higgins, of Durham, is the bestselling author of more than 12 novels and has twice won a Romance Writers of America RITA Award. Her novels have been named to best-books-of-the-year lists by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, National Public Radio, Library Journal, iBooks and Amazon. connecticutauthorstrail.org.
Authors At R.J. Julia
The latest in a series about a military detective, a soccer star’s memoir and a historical novel will be featured at events at R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison. All require reservations: 203-245-3959 or rjjulia.com.
Connecticut author James R. Benn will give a free talk about his 11th Billy Boyle mystery, “Blue Madonna” (Soho Crime, $26.95), on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. Boyle is a U.S. Army detective and an ex-Boston cop, and in this novel, he fights an unfair court-martial and demotion by going behind enemy lines in France during the Normandy invasion to solve two murders and rescue an Allied soldier. Benn, a longtime librarian, has won multiple awards for his Billy Boyle World War II mysteries series.
Soccer star Abby Wambach will sign copies of her memoir, “Forward” (Dey Street Books, 26.99), on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. Wambach, a player, coach, two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion and 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, became the world’s highest goal scorer — male or female — in soccer history and an advocate for women’s rights and equal opportunity. Admission for two to the signing line and a copy of “Forward” is $28. Admission for four to the signing line and a copy of the young readers’ edition, “Forward: My Story,” and a $5 R.J. Julia coupon good for any purchase is $28.
Charles Belfoure will discuss his historical novel, “House of Thieves” (Sourcebooks Landmark,” $15.99), on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. It is a story of an architect who becomes a robber to pay off his son’s gambling debt and gets involved with a gang of thieves. Belfoure, who lives in Maryland, is an architect who specializes in historic preservation, as well as an author and contributor to the Baltimore Sun and The New York Times.
Mishi-maya-gat
The free Mishi-maya-gat Spoken Word & Music Series will open its 11th season on Thursday, Sept. 15, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., in Manchester Community College’s downtown performance space, MCC on Main, 903 Main St., Manchester.
Poet Davyne Verstandig will read at 6:30 p.m. Verstandig has published two poetry collections, and her work appears in three anthologies. She is a lecturer in English and creative writing at UConn’s Hartford branch and leads writing workshops in poetry, fiction and memoir.
The New York City jazz duo of bassist Michael Bisio and cornetist Kirk Knuffke will perform at 8 p.m. manchestercc.edu/mmg or 860-512-2824.
Mark Twain’s Daughters
A free “The Trouble Begins at 5:30” talk about Mark Twain’s daughters will take place following a 5 p.m. wine and appetizer reception on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Mark Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford.
Twain Scholar Karen Lystra, formerly professor of American Studies at California State University, Fullerton, will give the talk in conjunction with the exhibit, “In Their Father’s Image: Susy, Clara, and Jean Clemens.” Lystra is the author of “Dangerous Intimacy: The Untold Story of Mark Twain’s Final Years.” Reservations and information: 860-247-0998 or marktwainhouse.org.
‘A Library for Nellie Grace’
The David M. Hunt Library, 63 Main St., Falls Village, will host a free 125th birthday event and book launch on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. It will honor the library’s founders, Catherine and Wealthy Ann Hunt, with the restoration of their historical photographic portraits and the publication of and reading from a children’s book, “A Library for Nellie Grace” by Betsy Howie. 860-824-7424 and huntlibrary.org.
De Vries at Hickory Stick
The Hickory Stick Bookshop, 2 Green Hill Road, Washington Depot, will host P.N. de Vries for a talk and signing of his book, Bridge Builder (Hutton Electric Publishing, $12.95), on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m. In this novel, a survivor of a war-torn childhood moves to a foreign country, where he finds romance, but faces family prejudice when he enters into a biracial marriage. The author runs an international architecture and design firm and is a world traveler. 860-868-0525 and hickorystickbookshop.com.
Mystery Book Discussions
Carole Shmurak, of Farmington, who writes the Susan Lombardi mystery novels, will lead a free discussion of “Blood Shot” by Sara Paretsky on Monday, Sept. 12, at noon for the Simsbury Mystery Group: Murder in the Windy City series, Part 1, at Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. 860-658-7663.
Poetry Events
The Arts Café, 9 Water St. in Mystic, is hosting readings by poets and music. On Friday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m., poet Stephen Dobyns will read, with a musical performance by Lara Herscovitch. Admission is $10 (free for students.) 860-912-2444 and allynsally@sbcglobal.net.
Connecticut Poet Laureate Rennie Mcquilkin will give a reading from his collection, “A Quorum of Saints” (Antrim House, $20) followed by an open mike on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 6:30 p.m., at the Norwich Arts Center, 62 Broadway, Norwich. 860-859-7300 and charliechase@structureforsupport.com.
