We’re very excited to announce that local author Alison Larkin will be hosting an afternoon tea and reading from her bestselling novel, The English American. Join us on Saturday, May 19th, 2:00-4:00pm, for tea and book-signing at CHP in Great Barrington.

The English American (one of Linda’s Staff Picks) is the semi-autobiographical novel about a British woman who travels to the American South to find her birth parents, where she also discovers that “culture clash” has layers of meaning she never imagined.

The event is presented by Adoptive Families of the Berkshire Taconic Region, a support group for families with adopted children. The group meets regularly to socialize and discuss issues related to adoption. Meetings often feature guest speakers and are open to all.

There is a suggested donation of $10. Childcare will be provided.

For event information, contact Kate Staples at (518) 329-0030, and to find out more about Alison Larkin, visit her website.

Anne Korkeakivi lives in Switzerland, but she grew up between New York and the Berkshires – her mother still lives in New Marlborough. Her captivating debut novel, An Unexpected Guest, tells the story of a British diplomat’s American wife in Paris, forced to face a secret past while preparing a pivotal last-minute dinner party.

Purchase An Unexpected Guest

Korkeakivi’s website

Hey Berkshire women! The League of Vermont Writers is accepting submissions for its annual literary competition. This year’s theme is “My New England.” A Grand Prize of $1000 will be awarded in each category of essay, fiction, and poetry, along with an opportunity to read at the League’s Summer Conference. The deadline for submissions is May 15^th, and there is a $15 submission fee.

You can find more information at the League of Vermont Writers website.

Due out this month, The Homemade Pantry is a wonderful new cookbook put together by local food blogger, politician, and mother Alana Chernila. Interested in kicking your pre-packaged food habit? The Homemade Pantry provides delicious family-friendly recipes alongside lush photography that will leave your mouth watering. The book becomes available this week at the Bookloft. You can also order now through our website and receive a free jar of Sidehill Farm Jam!

Alana is giving a food demonstration (snacks included) at her book launch on Saturday, April 7th at the Chef’s Shop in Great Barrington, from 1:00-4:00pm. Stop by! For more information, call the Bookloft at (413) 528-1521.

Alana’s blog: Eating From the Ground Up

Did you know the Bookloft has a sister business in Troy, New York?

The aim of Troy Book Makers is to print attractive, well-designed books at a low cost to anyone looking to self publish. This is a great resource for local women who want to get their writing out in the world! Come visit the Bookloft’s local writers section to see examples of work by authors such as Michelle Gillett, Judith Barnes, and Marie-Elizabeth Mali that were self published through Troy Book Makers.

For more information, just come into the Bookloft and ask, or visit the Troy Book Makers website.

We are pleased to announce that the Troy Bookmakers (part of the Bookloft) will be participating in the upcoming Berkshire Festival of Women Writers. Our own Melissa Batalin will be hosting a workshop on self-publishing along with local authors Carole Owens, Hester Velmans and Jana Laiz. Self-Publishing: Wave of the Future? takes place on Friday, March 30th at the Stockbridge Library, 6:00-8:00pm.

The Berkshire Festival of Women Writers will be serving up two full weeks of exciting workshops, performances, lectures, and other events throughout Berkshire County this March. This is a great opportunity to get involved with the local literary community and to bring attention to women in writing. Check out the BFWW website for complete event listings, or pick up a pamphlet next time you’re at the Bookloft. Hope to see you there!

berkshirewomenwriters.org

Hot off the press! Local author Mimi Alford details her 1962 affair with President John F. Kennedy in this revealing memoir, available on February 8th at the Bookloft. Alford, a grandmother and retired church administrator, was 19 when she met JFK while interning at the White House. She will appear on Rock Center Wednesday night (2/7) to discuss the new book.

This winter, check out new poetry by local author and friend of the Bookloft, Michelle Gillett. The Green Cottage contemplates such difficult themes as family, nature, and loss with clarity and ease. Winner of the ledge 2010 Poetry Chapbook Award.

Jana Laiz has published another novel for young adults, and it’s a good one! The Twelfth Stone was published by Crow Flies Press in May, and it comes highly recommended by Alison Larkin, Bill McKibben, and, of course, the staff at The Bookloft.

All Hallows Eve, Samhain, marks the time when the veil opens between the human and the faerie worlds. But it’s getting harder to cross – and far more perilous. Earth’s destruction is giving rise to shadows where no shadows should be.

Only Rionnag’s fates marriage can save the Faerie race, but she would rather escape than sacrifice her own happiness…

Maggie keeps secrets. Painful secrets that could affect her daughter Fiona’s life forever…

When Fiona’s otherworldy daydreams merge with her waking life she finally believes in the magic she holds within herself. And that’s when everything changes…

On a more delectable front, Francine Segan’s Dolci: Italy’s Sweets was printed in October by Stewart, Tabori & Chang. Look at the delicious apple pastry on the cover, and imagine what else can be found inside.

Live la dolce vita – the sweet life – with this delightful guide to Italy’s best sweets.

Join Francine Segan on a lavishly illustrated tour of Italy, with more than 100 recipes for cookies, cakes, pastries, puddings, and frozen confections.

In Dolci: Italy’s Sweets, Segan introduces us to the real Italy. Her recipes come from hip young bloggers and grandmas in remote villages, from important Italian pastry manufacturers (including Bauli, Corsini, and Falanga) and pastry chefs at small cafes. From thousands of recipes, she has selected the very best – a list that includes both the classics and desserts that contemporary Italians prepare in their homes today.

Congratulations, you two!

Carol Gilligan’s Joining the Resistance builds on her previous works, providing autobiographical context to her discoveries of what it means to grow into womanhood and the misrepresentation of women in the prevailing theories of our society. By revisiting In a Different Voice, Meeting at the Crossroads, and other scholarly works through a new lens, Carol uncovers new revolutionary developments and demonstrates that the resistance marches on.

Carol Gilligan is one of the pre-eminent psychologists of our tome. Joining the Resistance is a leap forward in what has become her life-journey, connecting psychology to culture. The book stands on its own as a work of art; it is beautifully written and, like the best sort of novel, full of surprises.

- Richard Sennett, New York Universty

The Cows, Lydia Davis’s daily mediation on the three cows that live across from her, is a charming, empathetic literary collection. Their daily activities are recorded with an understated wit and literary eye that will forever change how you look at cows.

Mary Moody’s first book, A Killing in Antiques, has captured the heart of two of the staff at The Bookloft. Rather than having me describe it, here’s what Linda has to say:

The drama includes Lucy’s family, collectors and transient folks all told in an intriguing story. Fun, excitement, and tips on collecting make this an engaging read!