<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Romance
enthusiasts and book lovers are invited to the "Spring into Romance Author
Panel," hosted by the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library on
May 18, 2024, at 1 pm. This engaging event will take place in the Stillion
Conference Room. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">The panel will
feature a lineup of distinguished Michigan contemporary romance authors, including
Lyssa Kay Adams, Sonia Hartl, Kelly Ohlert, and Meryl Wilsner. These talented
authors will share insights into their craft, discuss the romance genre's
nuances, and delve into the creative process behind their storytelling.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">The panel will be
moderated by Sara Grochowski, romance novel aficionado and publishing
professional. Grochowski's expertise promises to enrich the discussion and
provide attendees with a deeper understanding of the romance literary
landscape.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Attendees can
look forward to an afternoon filled with lively discussions, book
recommendations, and opportunities to engage with fellow romance enthusiasts.
Whether you're a seasoned reader or new to the genre, this event offers
something for everyone. Due to the nature of the discussion, this event is
recommended for those readers 18 and over. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Don't miss this
chance to connect with Michigan authors and celebrate the power of love and
storytelling. Mark your calendars for May 18th and join us at the Alpena County
Library for a delightful afternoon of romance and literary exploration.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Books will be
available for sale through Parallel 45 Books and Gifts. This is a free event
open to the public, no registration required. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">ABOUT THE AUTHORS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Lyssa Kay Adams: Lyssa Kay Adams is the author of the “Bromance Book
Club” series. She read her first romance novel in eighth grade after swiping
one from her grandmother’s bookshelf and was hooked forever. After a nearly
20-year career as a journalist, her dreams of writing and publishing her own
HEAs came true in 2015 with the release of her first novel, "Seventh
Inning Heat", followed by the RITA-nominated novella, "Wild in
Rio." Today, she writes full-time from her home in Michigan with a pesky,
fluffy K9 assistant named Domino who spends most of his day snoring on her desk
(that is, when he’s not burying things around the house).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Sonia Hartl: Sonia Hartl is the author of YA and adult romance. Her books
have been featured in PopSugar, BuzzFeed, Vulture, Book Riot, and Life Savvy,
among other publications, received a starred review from BookPage, and earned
nominations for the Georgia Peach Book Award, YALSA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant
Readers, Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year,
ALA’s Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, and ALA’s Rainbow Booklist, and was
named an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Young Adult. When she’s not writing she
enjoys board games with her family, attempting to keep her garden alive, or
looking up craft projects she’ll never get around to completing on Pinterest. Sonia's
books include "Rent to Be" and "Heartbreak for Hire".</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Kelly Ohlert: Kelly grew up in the Chicago area but moved to attend
Western Michigan University. She stuck around Michigan, hopping from city to
city. Her meet-cute involved “borrowing” that hot guy’s baseball cap, and it’s
been love ever since. She, her husband(the aforementioned ball cap owner), and
their two young daughters reside in the Lansing area, with their menagerie of
five fur babies. Aside from the obvious reading and writing, Kelly’s hobbies
include belting out show tunes, game nights, losing her cell phone with
alarming frequency, and getting outside to enjoy nature. If you meet her,
approach with caution. She works from home, and in her cabin-fevered state, has
been known to pounce on unsuspecting strangers to leach them of an ounce of
adult conversation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif">Meryl Wilsner: Meryl writes happily ever afters for queer folks who love
women. Their books include <i>Something To Talk About</i>, <i>Mistakes Were
Made</i>, and <i>Cleat Cute</i>. Born in Michigan, Meryl lived in Portland,
Oregon, and Jackson, Mississippi before returning to settle in the Mitten
State. Some of Meryl’s favorite things include all four seasons, button-down
shirts, the way giraffes run, and their wife. Meryl’s most recent book, <i>Cleat
Cute</i>, was an instant USA Today bestseller. Their debut, <i>Something To
Talk About</i>, received multiple starred reviews and was named one of NPR’s
best books of 2020.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"> </span></p></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><font face="georgia, serif"><i><b><br></b></i></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font face="georgia, serif"><i><b>Jessica Luther (she/her) </b></i><b><i> </i></b></font></div><div dir="ltr"><address><span style="font-family:helvetica">Assistant Director</span></address>
<address><span style="font-family:helvetica"><b>Alpena
County George N. Fletcher Public Library</b></span></address>
<address><font face="helvetica">211 N. First Ave. </font></address><address><span style="font-family:helvetica">Alpena, MI 49707</span></address>
<address><span style="font-family:helvetica"><a href="mailto:jluther@alpenalibrary.org" target="_blank">jluther@alpenalibrary.org</a></span></address>
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