EVENTS
Meet the Author
Bill R. Douglas | The People Are Kind: A Religious History of Iowa
@Beaverdale Books
What religion would the newly opened, recently indigenous, territory of Iowa become? German Lutherans, Austrian and French Catholics, and New England Congregationalists all funded projects that proved no match for the myriad of choices Iowans had.
AViD presents – Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez | Say You’ll Remember Me
@ Franklin Event Center
Abby Jimenez's newest novel, Say You'll Remember Me, comes out on Tuesday, April 1. It follows a woman named Samantha, who attempts to balance caring for her sick mother with trying to find love.
Meet the Author
Dr. Eric Idehen | Born to Serve: The Story of a Change-Maker & Bridging Expectations: Healing the Divide Between Those Who Give and Those Who Expect
@Beaverdale Books
Dr. Eric Idehen is a social entrepreneur, community leader, and servant-hearted visionary whose life journey spans continents and cultures.
Meet the Author
Karin Winegar | Horse Lovers
@Beaverdale Books
In her newest book Horse Lovers, Karin Winegar does the deepest dive yet into the nature of horse craziness that incurable attraction and joy so many of us feeling in the presence of horses.
Meet the Author
Laura Julier | Off Izaak Walton Road: The Grace That Comes Through Loss
@Beaverdale Books
Loss and sorrow can overwhelm even the strongest person, forcing them to reckon with their emotions whether they want to or not. In this extraordinary debut, Laura Julier recounts her reckoning, which took place in an old cabin tucked away on a hidden and forgotten gravel road along the Iowa River.
Open Mic Poetry Night
Kelsey Bigelow | Emcee
@ Beaverdale Books
Do you love to write poetry? Or read poetry? If so, grab a friend and head to Beaverdale Books for a free, fun, and informal evening of open mic poetry, emceed by Iowa poet Kelsey Bigelow.
Meet the Author
Nico Lang | American Teenager: How Trans Kids are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era
@Beaverdale Books
Award-winning journalist Nico Lang has shared the cover of their new book, American Teenager, exclusively with PEOPLE. The book, which
details the lived experiences of transgender, nonbinary and genderfluid youth across the U.S.
Meet the Author
B. John Burns | The German Helmet on the Basement Shelf
@Beaverdale Books
The German Helmet on the Basement Shelf is a true, compelling story about the War, the Holocaust and survival, that was destined for obscurity before it
AViD presents – Kevin Wilson
Kevin Wilson | Run for the Hills
@Central Library
Kevin Wilson's new book, Run for the Hills, is being released on May 13 and it was named a Most Anticipated Book of 2025 by Time, People, BookRiot, and others. The novel tells a raucous and moving story of an unexpected road trip across America that brings a family together.
Meet the Author
Tim Johnston | Distant Sons
@Beaverdale Books
Evocative, gritty, with indelible characters and setting, Distant Sons is another immersive, gripping suspense novel by Johnston about how the most random intersection of lives can have consequences both devastating and beautiful.
Meet the Authors
Dave Hage & Josephine Marcotty | Sea of Grass: The Conquest, Ruin, and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie
@Franklin Avenue Library
A vivid portrait of the American prairie, which rivals the rainforest in its biological diversity and, with little notice, is disappearing even faster.
Book Launch
Kaira Rouda | Jill is Not Happy
@Beaverdale Books
From the outside, Jill Tingley has it all. She’s married to her college sweetheart Jack and they’re living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs seems to be an enviable life, though they’ve grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect. But the ugly truth is that Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife.