Today's Featured Books— Events

Free online: Poems for a Burning World. The DC Poet Project series presents "Poems for a Burning World," featuring poets Holly Karapetkova, Taylor Johnson, Shaquetta Nelson, and John Johnson. Friday, February 23, 7 - 8:30 PM EST. 

"All poets, all writers are political. They either maintain the status quo, or they say, 'Something’s wrong, let's change it for the better.'" ~Sonia Sanchez

Free online: Spring's Most Anticipated Books. A librarian from the Santa Clarita (CA) City Library will share the adult fiction and nonfiction titles she's most excited to read during the next few months. Attendees will have the chance to win free advance copies of some of the upcoming season's most anticipated books. Wednesday, February 21, 6-7 PM CST.

"Reading is an active, imaginative act; it takes work." ~Khaled Hosseini

Free online: The Egyptian Book of the Dead - a virtual tour and behind-the-scenes look at this special exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Hosted by Sara E. Cole, PhD, assistant curator in the Antiquities Department at the Getty Museum, and Foy Scalf, PhD, head of the research archives and Research Associate at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures. Monday, February 19, 4-5 PM CST. 

"If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past." ~Baruch Spinoza

Free online: The Back Room. Join authors Jeff Ayers, Allison Brennan, Amanda Jayatissa, and Abbott Kahler for an evening of great conversation! Sunday, February 18, 7-9 PM EST.

"A book is not only a friend, it makes friends for you. When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But when you pass it on, you are enriched threefold." ~Henry Miller, The Books in My Life

Free online: Visit the Louvre. Paris is considered by many to be The City of Love, but you don't have to go on a honeymoon to enjoy one of its most famous attractions. The Louvre offers free virtual tours that allow you to visit the museum rooms and galleries, admire the palace architecture, and enjoy the views! (Be sure to also take the tour of the Louvre's Masterpieces.)

"To love another person is to see the face of God." ~Victor Hugo

Free online: Galena LitFest - Indie Author Panel. Hear from five winners of the Soon to be Famous Illinois Indie Author Award about writing, how to market your book, and indie publishing! Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 PM CST.

"Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere." ~Jean Rhys

Free online: Reading Love Letters. Hear famous (and some not-so-famous) love poetry and prose, discuss writing about love, and write love letters! No writing experience is required; participants do not need to share their work (unless you want to!) Sunday, February 11, 10-11 AM CST. 

“You are so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are.” ~John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Free online: WeHo Reads. Presented by the City of West Hollywood's Arts Division (WeHoArts), the series opener for WeHo Reads 2024 will feature authors celebrating their inspirations and examining how their work intersects with literary luminaries during Black History Month. Participating writers will include Rachel Howzell Hall, Lisa Teasley, Jervey Tervalon, and Tamika Thompson. Wednesday, February 7, 8-9:30 PM CST. 

"Think before you speak. Read before you think." ~Fran Lebowitz

Free online: Barnes & Noble Book Club discussion with Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury, which was the January B&N Book Club pick. Tuesday, February 6, 2 PM CST. 

"Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous." ~Bill Moyers

Free online: LitCon Virtual Author Expo, a unique opportunity to connect with writers from the comfort of your own home. Immerse yourself in a virtual world filled with captivating stories, engaging discussions, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Saturday, February 3, 10 AM - 4 PM CST.

“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.” ~Dorothy Parker

Free online: What's New in Historical Fiction, a regular panel series featuring historical novelists with new and upcoming titles. Moderated by Colin Mustful, founder of History Through Fiction, this special panel includes Angie Elita Newell, author of All I See is Violence; Salina B. Baker, The Line of Splendor; Imogen Martin, To the Wild Horizon; and Amanda Barratt, The Warsaw Sisters. Wednesday, January 31, 7-8 PM CST. 

"If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." ~Rudyard Kipling

Free online: Readings from the Room features literary talent associated with The Writers' Room of Boston. The series is presented monthly and is always free. Tuesday, January 30, 7-8 PM EST.

“The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” ~Bruce Lee

Free online: Leaning Toward Light. Join the Hudson Valley Writers Center and contributors to the anthology Leaning toward Light: Poems for Gardens & the Hands That Tend Them for an evening of poetry cultivating our collective urge to grow, tend, and heal. Friday, January 26, 7:00 - 8:30 PM EST. 

"The garden reconciles human art and wild nature, hard work and deep pleasure, spiritual practice and the material world. It is a magical place because it is not divided." ~Thomas Moore

Free online: NYPL Virtual Book Tasting. Join the New York Public Library's "Book Tasting" for a taste of a variety of books from the NYPL collection. Friday, January 26, 2-3 PM CST. 

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~Leonardo Da Vinci

Free online: Rogue Reads. Enjoy a fabulous night of new releases from thriller authors James Grippando, Lisa Malice, Duane Swierczynski, and Stephen Hunter. Monday, January 22, 6 PM CT. 

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." ~Maya Angelou

Free online: The Back Room. Join authors Charlaine Harris, Eriq LaSalle, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Danielle Trussoni for an evening of great conversation! Each online event starts with a short introduction to a panel of authors. The audience is then divided into breakout rooms and each author visits each room in turn. Sunday, January 21, 6-8 PM CST. 

“Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working." ~Henri Matisse

Free online: Winter Out East. Warm your soul with prose from the authors of Thirty West Publishing House. Featuring Sarah Edmonds, Adam Gianforcaro, Alison Lubar, and Lauren Saxon. Wednesday, January 17, 7PM EST / 4PM PST.

“Wisdom comes with winters.” ~Oscar Wilde

Free online: MLK Celebration at Interlochen Arts Academy. Celebrate Martin Luther King via a free online evening of words and music from the acclaimed Interlochen Arts Academy. Monday, January 15, 7:30 PM ET. 

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." ~Martin Luther King

Free online: Let's Read Ulysses! Ever wanted to read Ulysses by James Joyce but maybe found it a bit intimidating? Or maybe you'd like to read it again and share the experience. Either way, you can join a weekly online meet-up of readings led by an experienced Joyce presenter, himself a Dubliner, who provides introductions and step-by-step guidance through the various episodes. Sundays from 7:00 - 8:30 PM Irish time (2 PM EST) beginning January 14.

"There is not past, no future; everything flows in an eternal present." ~James Joyce to Jacques Mercanton on the structure of Ulysses

Free online: A Historical Evening. Join the authors of History Through Fiction for an evening of trivia, prizes, and Q&A. Earn prize entries by submitting questions for the authors ahead of time or by correctly answering trivia questions during the event. Tuesday, January 9, 7 PM CST. 

"Events are as much the parents of the future as they were the children of the past." ~John Galsworthy, Saint’s Progress

Free online: Virtual tour of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum. Come along on a virtual road trip to the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia. Monday, January 8, 9-10 a.m. CST. 

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." ~Edgar Allan Poe

Free online: Publishing Scandals of 2023. This past year was an eventful one in the publishing world, including lots of literary scandals. Join the hosts of Writers Lunch for a discussion of some jaw-dropping and bonkers literary misdeeds from 2023. Thursday, January 4, 1-2 PM CST.

"Good writers borrow, great writers steal." ~T.S. Eliot

Free online: Speaking Crow Open Mic Series. Presented by the Winnipeg International Writers Festival and Winnipeg Public Library, this event is held the first Tuesday of each month and features a series of short (three minute!) readings from open mic participants. Tuesday, January 2, 7 PM CST.

"I think storytelling is a fundamental part of being human. It's how we make sense of the world and pass on our knowledge." ~Jim Welch

Free online: NYE around the world with EarthCam. Join EarthCam's live-stream of New Year’s celebrations from around the globe and in Times Square! Enjoy video and audio from multiple live webcams and watch as the world rings in 2024. Sunday, December 31. 

"And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been." ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Free online cultural event: Festive Valkenburg City Tour. Get yourself in the holiday spirit with this virtual tour of Valkenburg, a lovely town in the south of the Netherlands that turns its cobbled streets and medieval houses into a festive wonderland for the holidays. Saturday, December 23, 2-3 PM CST. (PS: Get your free ticket soon...the tour is almost full!) 

"Ik ben altijd dingen aan het doen die ik nog niet kan om zo te leren hoe ik ze moet doen." (I am always doing things that I can’t yet do, in order to learn how to do them.) ~Vincent van Gogh