Today's Featured Books— Events

Free online literary event: The New York Public Library presents a free online discussion of the short story "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving. Read the story for free online and then join the NY Public Library and other booklovers for a discussion. Choose from one of two sessions: Wednesday, July 12, 11 AM EDT or 3 PM EDT.  

"Age is a matter of feeling, not of years." ~Washington Irving

Free online literary event this weekend: The Back Room presents authors Terah Shelton Harris, Michael Koryta, Mindy Mejia, and John Pruitt. Each online event starts with a short introduction to the four authors, then the audience is divided into four breakout rooms where they remain for the rest of the program while the authors visit each room in turn. Everyone’s video is turned on and their mics are unmuted, allowing for informal, face-to-face discussion. Sunday, July 9, 6-8 PM CDT.

"Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music—the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls, and interesting people. Forget yourself." ~Henry Miller

Enter this Reader Central Giveaway to learn about new authors and for a chance to win a $150 Amazon.com gift card. Deadline: July 31. 

“Compassion isn’t about solutions. It’s about giving all the love that you’ve got.” ~Cheryl Strayed

Free online literary event (two sessions!): Short Story Club, presented by the Yarra (Australia) Libraries. Each month, the club reads one short story or piece of narrative non-fiction (available to readers online for free) and then meets to discuss it. For July, the story is "The Gift" by Else Fitzgerald, a selection from the author's debut short story collection, Everything Feels Like The End of the World, which won the Richell Prize in 2019. 

• "Afternoon" session: Tuesday, July 4, 10 PM CDT (which is 1 PM on the afternoon of July 5 in Yarra).
• "Evening" session: Wednesday, July 5, 3:30 AM CDT (which is 8:30 PM the evening of July 5 in Yarra).

Bill Bryson on Australia: "It is stable and peaceful and good. It doesn’t need watching, and so we don’t. But I will tell you this: the loss is entirely ours.”

Free online lit event: Bilingual book launch and reading to celebrate the publication of La Ciudad en Mi Lengua | The City in My Tongue, an anthology comprised of writings from participants in Spanish-language creative writing workshops. Co-sponsored by Word Up bookstore and Westbeth Artists Housing. Friday, June 30, 7 PM EDT. 

“If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.” ~Ludwig Wittgenstein

LitNuts Deals Giveaway - win a $100 Barnes & Noble gift card. Enter by midnight central time on June 29 for a chance to win.

Be sure to also check out the highly rated indie books from the authors and publishers who are sponsoring the giveaway!

“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.” ~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

New Giveaway & Free Webinar!

Today, LitNuts is pleased to share news about the Becoming Me Giveaway and Webinar.

Becoming Me by Martin Boroson is a beautifully illustrated book that takes you on a cosmic journey into the heart of who you are. Read on to learn more.

Join Martin Boroson and Robert Glass for a free webinar that will use Becoming Me as a touchstone to explore "The Radical Promise of Mysticism in the Modern World." (Thursday, July 13, 9 AM Pacific, 16.00 UK) 

Bonus: Enter the Becoming Me Giveaway for a chance to win a signed hardcover gift edition of Becoming Me plus a $25 Amazon.com gift card.

Becoming Me: A Story of Creation

From its remarkable opening line, “Once upon a time, I was,” this little book takes you on a cosmic journey into the heart of who you are. With deceptively simple language by Martin Boroson and breath-taking illustrations by Christopher Gilvan-Cartwright, Becoming Me conveys the deepest mystical view of life as a process of divine self-discovery.

Profound and playful, this "children’s book for adults" has been hailed by psychologists, scientists, and leaders of many different faiths. Best given to celebrate life’s big moments or to comfort people feeling sad, anxious, or lonely, Becoming Me has been taught in philosophy classes and religious sermons, and has uplifted people at every stage of their spiritual journey. This new edition is an ideal gift for new babies, weddings…or yourself. Perfect for the bedside table.

“One of those magical stories that can color your whole life, however young or old you are. The simple words and radiant illustrations convey the most powerful, heart-resonating truths about creation and why we are here.” ~Cygnus Reviews
 
More Praise for Becoming Me
"Gentle yet thought-provoking, this will offer readers another way to contemplate the nature of the divine." ~Publishers' Weekly
 
"The approach and the artwork nicely together not only to captivate children but also to provide much opportunity for discussion." ~Booklist

"Becoming Me undoubtedly captures the emerging spirit of the 21st century." ~Ervin Laszlo, Science Advisor to the Director General of UNESCO

"A deceptively simple expression of the nature of the divine, with breathtaking artwork." ~The Times (UK)

Free online: The New York Public Library presents Liberation Day: Stories by George Saunders. This week, they will discuss the short stories “Ghoul” and “Mother’s Day.” Tuesday, June 27, 4:00 - 4:45 PM EST.

“Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.” ~George Saunders

Free online: The Back Room. Grab your favorite cocktail and yoin authors Brett Battles, Claire Jiminez, Alex Marwod, and Matthew Quirk 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 where they remain for the rest of the program while the authors visit each room in turn. Everyone’s video is turned on and their mics are unmuted, allowing for informal, face-to-face discussion. Sunday, June 25, 6 PM CDT. 

"Summertime is always the best of what might be." ~Charles Bowden

Free online: The Big Texas Read. Join author Richard Z. Santos for a reading and discussion of his new novel, Trust Me. "One of the most anticipated books of the year." ~Crime Reads. Wednesday, June 21, 7 PM CST.

“The summer night is like a perfection of thought.” ~Wallace Stevens

Free online: Rogue Reads. Meet authors Steve Berry, Isabella Maldonado, Richard North Patterson, and Kate White as they reveal the latest about their brand-new suspense novels, read excerpts for you, and answer questions. Monday, June 19, 7 PM EST.

"Forever is composed of nows.” ~Emily Dickinson

Free online: Winners of the 2022 International Book and Pamphlet Competition. Tune into this special digital launch event for readings and discussion with winners Karen Downs Barton, Luke Samuel Yates, Jon Miller, and Zoë Walkington. Sunday, June 18, 1 PM CDT. 

Also, don't forget to enter the current LitNuts Deals Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Barnes & Noble gift card!

"Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice." ~Charles Kettering

Free online tonight: A Buddhist's Journey Through Mind, Matter, and the Nature of Reality. Copperfield's Books presents Andy Karr for a discussion of Into the Mirror, a book that combines contemporary Western inquiries into the nature of consciousness with classical Buddhist investigations into the nature of the mind. Wednesday, June 14, 6 p.m. 

"Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet." ~Buddha

Free online: Summertime Virtual Storytime Event. Reading makes a happy camper! Wear your camping attire, grab your flashlight, create that homemade tent, and join Preschool Readers at this extra-special, fun-filled event as we feature our favorite summer stories and activities! Tuesday, June 13, 6 PM CDT.

“A book, too, can be a star, ‘explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,’ a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.” ~Madeleine L’Engle

Free this weekend: NYC's Museum of Modern Art International Highlights Tour. The tour will focus on MOMA's international (non-American) art collection: Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Rousseau, Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Salvador Dali, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and more. Saturday, June 10, 2:00 - 3:30 PM CDT.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Pablo Picasso

Free online: Pick up a Page Turner. It's National Crime Reading Month in the UK. Join Steve Cavanagh, master of the modern thriller, and a panel of bestselling crime authors as they reveal their favourite crime and thriller reads, and the books that inspired them. Thursday, June 8, 1 PM CDT.

“You can’t beat a good whodunnit: the twists and turns, the clues and the red herrings and then, finally, the satisfaction of having everything explained to you in a way that makes you kick yourself because you hadn’t seen it from the start.” ~Anthony Horowitz

Free online: Nature's Wonders - Meet the Author. Nature’s Wonders is a mix of evocative writing, beautiful photographs, and facts that serve as an inspiring guide to connecting with nature. Author Jane V. Adams has been featured in BBC Countryfile Magazine and BBC Wildlife Magazine. Tuesday, June 6, 2 PM CDT. 

"There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” ~Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

Free online this weekend: Meet the Indie Author Project Award Winners from Logos & Mythos: Florida Indie Author Project Award Winner J.S. Farmer, Nevada Winner J.A. Curtis, Missouri Winner Annie Lisenby, Illinois Winner Alina Rubin, and Louisiana Winner Joy E. Rancatore. One attendee will win a Book Swag Prize Pack. Sunday, June 4, 7 PM CDT.

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Free online event: Sand, Sun and Stories. Make summer reading fun with tips from this one-hour workshop. Families will learn simple, effective strategies they can do at home to make reading together fun and engaging for the whole family. Thursday, June 1, 11 AM CDT.

"Be who you are and say how you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." ~Dr. Seuss

If you like historical fiction, you won't want to miss What's New in Historical Fiction, a free online series featuring historical novelists with new and upcoming titles. This week: Susan Meissner, author of Only the Beautiful; Brinda Charry, author of The East Indian; Nancy Horan, author of The House of Lincoln; and Rita Chang-Eppig, author of Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea. Tuesday, May 30, 7 PM CDT.

“Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory there would be no civilization, no future.” ~Elie Wiesel

We normally share information about free online literary events, but we also keep an eye on other arts. For this weekend, we are recommending Live from Ashtonwood, a free online concert that will feature two of the fastest rising stars on the NYC and East Coast jazz scene: vocalist Stella Katherine Cole and pianist Joe Block. Saturday, May 27, 7 PM EDT. 

“Where words fail, music speaks.” ~Hans Christian Andersen

LitNuts is cosponsoring a new giveaway: Win the Guardians of the Galaxy Swag Pack + Book Basket, a $550 value! The Swag Pack includes t-shirts, a necklace and earrings, a clutch purse, a throw blanket, playing cards, and more, PLUS winners get 30 sci-fi novels from bestselling and award-winning authors. Giveaway ends June 5. 

“There are two types of beings in the universe: those who dance, and those who do not.” ~Drax, Guardians of the Galaxy

Free online: Flash Science Fiction, presented by Space Cowboy Books. Join for an evening of short science fiction readings (1000 words or less) with authors Jonathan Nevair, Robin Rose Graves, and Ai Jiang. Flash Science Fiction Nights run 30 minutes or less, and are a fun and great way to learn about new authors from around the world. Tuesday, May 23, 8 PM CDT.

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” ~Douglas Adams

Free online lit event: The Hudson Valley Writers Center presents an afternoon with poets Timothy Donnelly, Shanta Lee Gander, and Dean Rader. Sunday, May 21, 4:30 - 6 PM EDT.

Free today: Our Featured Books for May 19 include eight free e-books and eight more great indie books at discounted prices. See all of today's Featured Books at LitNuts.com. 

“There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away.” ~Emily Dickinson

Free online tonight: The Big Texas Author Talk. Presented by Writing Workshops Dallas and Gemini Ink, tonight's talk will feature Andrew Porter, author of the story collection The Theory of Light and Matter and the novel In Between Days. Andrew is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and he has received a Pushcart Prize, a James Michener/Copernicus Fellowship, and the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. Wednesday, May 17, 7 PM CST. 

"A good short story would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit." ~David Sedaris