LEE MARTIN in Conversation with Thao Thai - Thursday, June 19th at 6pm!
The Friends are excited to host Lee Martin, the author of eight novels, including The Bright Forever, a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction at Board and Brush Creative Studio in Powell, OH.
On Thursday, June 19th in this intimate conversation with Thao Thai, Lee will discuss his latest novel, The Evening Shades, which tells the small town story of two lonely people, a widow and a traveler in 1972 rural Illinois and their understanding of truth and sacrifice. While The Evening Shades is a standalone novel, fans of The Bright Forever may recognize some familiar characters and settings!
Lee Martin's writing has appeared in numerous publications including Harper’s, Ms Magazine, The Georgia Review, and The Kenyon Review, and his work has been anthologized in The Best American Essays, and The Best American Mystery Stories. His books have been widely translated, and won numerous awards, including a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers award. He is the winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council. A native Midwesterner, he teaches in the MFA program at The Ohio State University.
REBE HUNTMAN was in Conversation with Dr. Christopher Fink on March 5, 2025
The Friends were honored to welcome Rebe Huntman, memoirist, essayist, dancer, teacher, poet, and Delaware resident, to celebrate the release of her highly anticipated memoir "My Mother in Havana!" This FREE author visit was held at the Delaware Library in partnership with Ohio Wesleyan University.
In this intimate conversation, the author offered a window into the extraordinary world of Afro-Cuban gods and ghosts and the dances and rituals that call them forth. As she explored the memory of her own mother, interlacing it with her search for the sacred feminine, Huntman lead us into a world of séance and sacrifice, pilgrimage and sacred dance, which resurrected her mother and brought Huntman face to face with a larger version of herself.
The author personalized and signed copies of her book after the presentation.
Ohio Birding Legend Kenn Kaufman!
The Friends, in partnership with Preservation Parks of Delaware County, were excited to host famed naturalist and Ohio birding legend Kenn Kaufman on October 17, 2024 and October 18, 2024. Kenn burst onto the birding scene as a teenager in the 1970s, hitchhiking all over North America in pursuit of birds—an adventure later chronicled in his cult-classic book Kingbird Highway. After several years as a leader of birding tours worldwide, he transitioned to a career as a writer, editor, and illustrator. His energy currently goes into book projects, 14 books to date, and painting bird portraits. Kenn is a field editor for the National Audubon Society, a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society, and the only person to have received the American Birding Association’s Lifetime Achievement.
On Thursday evening, Kenn discussed & signed his new book "The Birds That Audubon Missed" at the Liberty Branch Library.
The next day, Kenn guided participants on a beautiful morning bird walk at Deer Haven Park.
The attendees for both events were given a rare glimpse inside the mind of a truly wonderful birding expert. What a treat to have access to someone with his kind of knowledge to guide us all on our next nature hike. We weren't the only ones that enjoyed ourselves though. Below is an excerpt from Kenn's Facebook post after the event:
“To my fellow authors: if you get an invitation to speak at the Delaware County District Library (Ohio), go for it! I gave a program about my book, The Birds That Audubon Missed, at their beautiful new Liberty branch (in Powell, OH) on Thursday night, and it was a great experience.
I hope the citizens of Delaware County, Ohio, realize how lucky they are to have such an excellent library system and parks system. I felt lucky to be invited there, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit.”
Enchanted Evening with Joyce Maynard on July 10, 2024!
The Friends of the Delaware County District Library were thrilled to host NYT best selling author Joyce Maynard for the release of her new novel How the Light Gets In during an enchanted evening at the The Dempsey Event Center. In addition to her storied career as a writer of books about family, love and loss, Joyce is also revered for her memoir writing and healing workshops.
Zibby Owens - Author Meet & Greet on 4/4/24!
Zibby Owens is the author of Blank her debut novel about marriage, motherhood, and finding your purpose, Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature and also the children’s book Princess Charming. She is the creator and host of the award-winning daily podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. Zibby is the founder and CEO of Zibby Media, dubbed “the Zibby-verse” by the Los Angeles Times. It includes publishing house Zibby Books, online magazine Zibby Mag, Zibby’s Book Club, retreats, classes, and events. She also owns Zibby’s Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Santa Monica, California. A regular contributor to Good Morning America and other outlets, she loves recommending books as “NYC’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” (Vulture). Learn more about Zibby Owens by visiting her website at zibbyowens.com.
Authors & Ales - October 23, 2023 at 6:30PM at Ill Mannered Brewery
Ill Mannered Brewing Company was the location for a sold-out, fun evening with three amazing local authors, moderated by David Weaver, Executive Director for the Ohioana Library. Amy Butcher, Lee Martin, and Thao Thai generously discussed their writing processes to help kick off National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
Amy Butcher is the Director of Creative Writing at Ohio Wesleyan University and the author of “Mothertrucker,” a story about finding joy on the loneliest road in America.
Lee Martin is a Pulitzer Prize finalist for “The Bright Forever” and currently teaches at The Ohio State University. His latest book is “The Glassmaker's Wife,” a historical crime story.
Thao Thai, who lives in Lewis Center, is a debut author whose book “Banyan Moon” was a recent Read With Jenna book club selection.
LISA SEE - June 14, 2023 at 6:30PM at Liberty Library
The new Liberty branch of DCDL was the location for a sold-out visit from Lisa See for the launch of her new historical fiction novel Lady Tan’s Circle of Women on June 14th. During her visit, Lisa was informed that her new book had climbed to the #5 spot of the New York Times Bestsellers list! In her other beloved New York Times bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and Island of the Sea Women, Lisa See has brilliantly illuminated the strong bonds between women. These books have been celebrated for their authentic, deeply researched, lyrical stories about Chinese characters and cultures.
