Welcome to Boswell!
Ashley Winstead, author of The Boyfriend CandidateAuthor Ashley Winstead joins us from Texas for a virtual afternoon event featuring The Boyfriend Candidate, a laugh-out-loud romcom about learning to embrace living outside your comfort zone. In conversation with romance enthusiast and Boswellian Rachel Copeland.
Click here to register now for this virtual event. And be sure to order your copy of The Boyfriend Candidate as well.
As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek—in bed!—she decides she needs to change, starting with her first one-night stand. Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. When their hookup is interrupted by a hotel fire, and the two end up partially clothed, in the street—and it turns out Logan is none other than Logan Arthur, the hotshot politician challenging the Texas Governor’s seat. The salacious images are poised to sink his career—and jeopardize Alexis’s job—until a solution is proposed: to squash the scandal, he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until election day... in two months. What could possibly go wrong?
Publishers Weekly gave The Boyfriend Candidate a starred review: "Readers will cheer Alexis on her path to discovering her inner strength and swoon over idealistic Logan. This is a winner.” And Rachel agrees, saying “Political romance novels should be so difficult to write, but Winstead manages to make it look easy. And I'm allergic to politics! I was clapping with glee, yelling "just kiss already!" randomly, gesticulating wildly to make well thought-out points to fictional characters who couldn't possibly see me, and it was so much fun.” This series starts with Fool Me Once, and luckily there's plenty of time to catch up - order the first book here!
Ashley Winstead is an academic turned novelist with a PhD in contemporary American literature. She writes both romantic comedy and thrillers centering strong women.
Stacey Abrams, author of Rogue Justice: A ThrillerBoswell Book Company and Milwaukee Film present a very special, ticketed event with #1 New York Times bestselling author Stacey Abrams and her latest novel, Rogue Justice, another riveting, intricately plotted thriller that follows up While Justice Sleeps.
Tickets cost $38 and each includes admission and one copy of Rogue Justice. The first 500 people to buy tickets will get an autographed copy, too! Please click here and visit mkefilm.org/staceyabrams to purchase your tickets now.
In Rogue Justice, a blackmailed federal judge, a secret court, and a brazen murder may lead to an unprecedented national crisis. Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene is back, trying to get her feet on solid ground after unraveling an international conspiracy. But as the sparks of Congressional hearings and political skirmishes swirl around her, Keene is approached by an unassuming fellow law clerk who believes his boss, a recently murdered federal judge, was being blackmailed before her death.
Drawn from today’s headlines and woven with her unique insider perspective, Stacey Abrams combines twisting plotlines, wry wit, and clever puzzles to create another immensely entertaining and suspenseful novel.
Stacey Abrams served as Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives and was the first Black woman to become gubernatorial nominee for a major party in United States history. Abrams has launched multiple nonprofit organizations devoted to democracy protection, voting rights, and effective public policy. She is also author of While Justice Sleeps.
Luis Alberto Urrea, author of Good Night, IrenePulitzer finalist and acclaimed novelist Luis Alberto Urrea visits with his new novel, a searing epic based on the magnificent and true story of heroic Red Cross women on the front lines of WWII, which draws inspiration from his mother’s own Red Cross service.
Click here to visit luisalbertourreamke.eventbrite.com and register for this event, please. And be sure to order your copy of Good Night, Irene, as well.
What if a friendship forged on the front lines of war defines a life forever? In the tradition of The Nightingale and Transcription, Urrea’s latest is a searing epic based on a magnificent and true story. In 1943, Irene Woodward abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross and head to Europe. She makes fast friends in training with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. After D-Day, these two join the Allied soldiers streaming into France. Urrea’s story of women’s overlooked heroism in World War II is an affecting and uplifting portrait of friendship and valor in harrowing circumstances.
Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins, says: "Good Night, Irene is a marvel of storytelling, wrenching at times, breathlessly entertaining at others, a testament both to Urrea’s sublime talent and to his mother’s incredible life." And from Kristin Hannah: "A beautiful, heartfelt novel that celebrates the intense power and durability of female friendship while shining a light on one of the fascinating lost women’s stories of World War II. Powerful, uplifting, and deeply personal."
Luis Alberto Urrea is author of The Devil’s Highway, a Pulitzer finalist, as well as numerous other works of nonfiction, poetry, and fiction, including The Hummingbird’s Daughter and The House of Broken Angels, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. He has been recipient of an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, among many other honors.
Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, author of Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul: How to Change the World in Quiet WaysBoswell and Porchlight Book Company join forces once again to present a virtual event featuring writer, activist, and highly sensitive person Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, author of Social Justice for the Sensitve Soul, a book which empowers introverts, empaths, and other HSPs to find their roles within social justice work in the ways that best support their talents and avoid burnout. In conversation with Porchlight’s Managing Director Sally Haldorson. Cohosted by AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin.
Please click here to register now for this virtual event. And be sure to order your copy of Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul as well.
Often social justice work is imagined to be raised voices and raised fists in the streets, slums, villages, inner cities, and halls of political power. But what does social justice work look like for those of us who don't feel comfortable battling in the trenches? Sensitive souls have much to contribute to bringing about a more just and equitable world. Cheng-Tozun expands the possibilities of how to have a positive social impact, affirming the particular gifts and talents that sensitive souls offer to a hurting world.
Publishers Weekly writes: "This practical, energizing entry will prove a handy resource for the withdrawn." And from Karen Walrond, author of The Lightmaker's Manifesto: "Activism can feel imperative but daunting, especially for those of us who are introverts or shy. Cheng-Tozun proposes a quieter, but no less impactful, approach: her gentle guidance urges us to get curious about finding our way to quiet activism, allowing us all to join in the march toward making the world a brighter place. A soulful book."
Dorcas Cheng-Tozun is a writer and leader whose work with various nonprofits, social enterprises, and faith-based organizations has given her opportunity to engage with a broad range of social issues.
Claudia Gray, author of The Late Mrs. WilloughbyBoswell hosts a virtual event with Claudia Gray (the pen name of author Amy Vincent) for a chat about her new novel, a superior blend of humor and mystery that features Jane Austen’s beloved characters. Gray will be in conversation with Juneau Black – the pen name of Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel, the writing team behind the charming Shady Hollow mysteries.
Click here to register now for this virtual event. And be sure to order your copy of The Late Mrs. Willoughby as well.
The last party Juliet Tilney attended involved a murder - which Juliet helped solve. Now, while visiting a new friend who is shrouded in scandal, Juliet is reunited with Jonathan Darcy. And just in time, too, as another murder takes place – this time of a rich woman who’s just been married for her fortune. As rumors fly, Jonathan and Juliet must team up once more to uncover the murderer. But as they collect clues and close in on suspects, eerie incidents suggest that the killer may strike again, and that the pair are in far graver danger than they or their families could imagine.
And here’s the Juneau Black take on the book: "Delightful. Claudia Gray is systematically taking out all of the unpleasant characters in Jane Austen’s novels, and I am here for it."
Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent, who is author of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline. Juneau Black is the pseudonym of Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel, the writing team of the Shady Hollow books.
Mark Guarino, author of Country & Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk RevivalBoswell hosts an evening featuring Mark Guarino in conversation with Milwaukee-area musician Paul Cebar. They’ll talk about Guarino’s new book, Country & Midwestern, which reveals the untold story of Chicago’s pivotal role as a country and folk music capital.
Please click here to visit markguarinomke.eventbrite.com and register for this event. And be sure to order your copy of Country & Midwestern now, too.
Chicago is revered as a musical breeding ground, having launched major figures like blues legend Muddy Waters, gospel soul icon Mavis Staples, and hip-hop firebrand Kanye West. Now, veteran journalist Mark Guarino tells the epic century-long story of Chicago’s influence on sounds typically associated with regions further south. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and deep archival research, Guarino tells a forgotten story of music, migration, and the ways that rural culture infiltrated urban communities through the radio, the automobile, and the railroad.
Country & Midwestern rediscovers a history as sprawling as the Windy City - celebrating the creative spirit that modernized American folk idioms, the colorful characters who took them into new terrain, and the music itself, which is still kicking down doors even today. From the starred Booklist review: "With an epic scope, gorgeous photographs, and useful discographies, this is a vital contribution to the history of American music and required reading for country and folk music fans."
Mark Guarino covers national news and culture from Chicago for the Washington Post, ABC News, the New York Times, and other outlets. He was the Midwest bureau chief for the Christian Science Monitor for seven years.
Kristine Hansen, author of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin: How America’s Most Famous Architect Found Inspiration in His Home StateBoswell Book Company presents an evening with Kristine Hansen, author of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin, a comprehensive guide to Wright’s designs (and those of his protégés) that are open to the public for the architecture or history fan looking for tours, overnight stays or creative inspiration.
Registration is required to attend, so click here to visit kristinehansenmke.eventbrite.com and reserve your space now. And be sure to preorder your copy of Frank Lloyd’s Wisconsin now, too.
Frank Lloyd Wright was born in 1867 in the rolling hills of Richland Center, Wisconsin, to a family of Unitarians and Quakers. Even with world-class commissions like New York City’s Guggenheim Museum, his organic architecture remains rooted in Wisconsin’s landscape, from affordable-housing prototypes in Milwaukee to his summer home and architecture school in rural Spring Green.
Bobby Tanzilo, author of Hidden History of Milwaukee, says "Frank Lloyd Wright's Wisconsin is a long-overdue look inside the Wisconsin works of Wisconsin's greatest architect and the people who inhabit and care for them. Hansen's great stories are also beautifully illustrated, making this a must for all fans of Wright, of architecture and of Wisconsin's history and treasures."
Based in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood, Kristine Hansen is a nationally recognized food, drinks and travel author with articles published on the websites for Architectural Digest and Travel and Leisure and in Milwaukee Magazine, and more. She is also the author of Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook: Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes from the State’s Best Creameries.
Claire Fuller, author of The Memory of AnimalsBoswell hosts the author of novels such as Bitter Orange and Swimming Lessons for an evening featuring her latest, The Memory of Animals, a beautiful and searing novel of memory, love, survival, and octopuses. And stop in an hour before this even to join our sci fi book club’s discussion of Fuller’s novel - Fuller will join the club halfway through for a spoiler-friendly conversation!
Please click here to visit clairefullermke.eventbrite.com and register to attend this event. Note, this registration is for the 6:30 event. There is no registration to join the book club chat beforehand. Be sure to order your copy of The Memory of Animals, too. The book is officially on sale June 6, but we will able to get copies in your hands earlier in order to read the book in time. If you are interested in joining the book club meeting, please preorder the book from us and say "book club" in the notes.
In the face of a pandemic, an unprepared world scrambles to escape the mysterious disease. Neffy, a disgraced and indebted marine biologist, registers for an experimental vaccine trial in London - perhaps humanity’s last hope for a cure. Soon, she withdraws into projections of her past - a childhood bisected by divorce, a recent love affair, her obsessive research with octopuses, and the mistake that ended her career. Though isolated from the chaos outside, she and the other volunteers cannot hide from the mistakes that led them there.
The starred Publishers Weekly review calls Fuller's book, "A haunting novel of second chances." And from Lucy Atkins, author of Magpie Lane: "Haunting and unsettling, moving and thoughtful - with horror lurking at the edges - this is a subtle, elegant novel, an interesting and unusual take on the meaning of pandemic."
Claire Fuller is author of Our Endless Numbered Days, which won the Desmond Elliott Prize, and Unsettled Ground, which won the Costa Novel Award and was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. She has an MA in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Winchester.
All event times are Central Time. To see a full event listing, visit our Upcoming Events page here. Read posts from The Boswellians (our bookseller contributed blog) here and Boswell and Books (from Daniel Goldin) right here, and visit our blog post archive right here.
