Carla Ray, an ambitious college journalist, is given the electrifying opportunity to cover the meteoric rise of an up-and-coming rock band that is set to take the world by storm. But everything changes the moment she lays eyes on David Wells, the captivating and enigmatic lead singer of the Knights of Darkness. With his magnetic presence and fierce passion for music, David is everything she didn’t know she craved.

As they embark on a whirlwind journey filled with late-night rehearsals and adrenaline-pumping performances, Carla finds herself drawn deeper into David’s world—and into his heart. But beneath his rugged charm lies a tempest of vulnerability, and Carla is determined to peel back the layers of his tough exterior to uncover the sensitive soul yearning to break free.

Caught in a tumultuous dance of romance and excitement, Carla and David must confront their pasts. Can David mend the scars that have left Carla hesitant to love again? Will he be the one to make her feel cherished, adored, and finally free to embrace her true self? With passion igniting every moment, their connection deepens, leading them to a pivotal night that will change the course of their lives forever.

Counting on Freedom is a three-part work of historical fiction set during the U.S. Civil War.

Part I (Old Dogwood) introduces Sarah, Hani and Joseph, three slaves from Old Dogwood, a cotton and rice plantation on the Charleston road. Hungering for freedom and a better life, Sarah’s talents for counting, her love for Hani, the Bible lessons she’s learned from Joseph, and the looming approach of Sherman’s army make Sarah the catalyst for a daring plan to escape Old Dogwood by sea to the Union-occupied South Carolina Sea Islands, where Hani was born. Hani's plan involves making a small sailboat from the parts of the large supply wagon that Hani has made to bring Old Dogwood’s harvest of cotton and rice to the Charleston Harvest Market. Launching this sailboat into the Cooper River at Charleston Harbor, they float unnoticed past Confederate forts and a Union fleet into the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.

Part II (Hani's Ocean) finds this small sailboat too far offshore to see land. Hani teaches Joseph and Sarah how to sail and survive at sea. Just as Hani catches a big fish and is trying to bring the fish onboard by hand, they are caught by a terrible, fast moving winter storm, filled with blowing snow, rising seas, contrary winds, and freezing cold. They have no choice but to run out to sea with the storm, sailing day and night deeper into the Atlantic Ocean, until the storm finally abates and Hani can use the night stars to steer a course back to land.

When they finally make landfall at Saint Helena Island in sheltered waters that Hani has known since his youth, they make their way on foot to find Hani’s Uncle Balan, seeking to avoid the Union forces that have occupied the South Carolina Sea Islands since the early part of the Civil War.

In Part III (The Sea Islands), Sarah, Hani and Joseph discover a land of Milk and Honey on Saint Helena Island and a clear feeling of effective freedom in the South Carolina Sea Islands. It is a Union stronghold in the heart of the Confederacy where ten thousand plantation slaves had their first taste of freedom more than a year before Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. And yet, freedom does not come easily, even in a Promised Land. For this is the true story of the Port Royal Experiment where hundreds of northern civilians and benevolent associations, “the Gideons”, travelled south to the South Carolina Sea Islands with the U.S. Army and Navy to help uplift the lives and education of these former slaves, to help the Union win the war and finance its cost by growing and selling southern cotton, and to make their fortunes.

Among the first “Gideons” that Sarah, Hani, and Joseph meet on Saint Helena Island are three members of a troubled family of Jewish merchants from Philadelphia, Rebecca, Aaron and David Van Ryn. As Hani joins the Union Army’s troop of black soldiers, and Joseph works the island’s cotton fields, Sarah begins working in the Van Ryn family’s general store, which supplies the needs of the military and the planters. Sarah and Rebecca are the same age and grow very close, very quickly, depending on each other, since they can’t depend on Rebecca’s bereaved father or her strange but talented uncle. She observes the Van Ryns and their friends conducting a Passover Sedar that celebrates the same Exodus story of Moses and the Jewish people that inspired her escape with Hani and Joseph from slavery.

As the Civil War continues to rage towards its inevitable conclusion on the mainland, Sarah’s remarkable talent for counting uncovers a terrible secret of grievance, revenge, blackmail, and treason that will threaten the Van Ryns’ lives. The only hope for their salvation is to outwit a formidable adversary from Sarah’s past through a brilliant “con game” that is creatively devised from the same unforgettable Bible stories that Sarah first learned as a young slave from Hani and Joseph.

Join us Friday, January 10th to listen to Fiona Davis talk about her newest book, THE STOLEN QUEEN, along with Patti Callahan Henry. The book is available for pre-sales and will come out on January 7th! This is a ticketed event, each book sale is a ticket and will guarantee a seat within the Book Cellar.

The Stolen Queen

From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. She’s consumed with her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening.

As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they’re to have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

Fiona Davis

F  I  O  N  A D A V I S is the New York Times bestselling author of seven historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Spectacular, The Magnolia Palace, The Address, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Oprah magazine.

She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages and she's based in New York City.

“If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste your country with fire and sword.” – British Major Patrick Ferguson in 1780 [“Battle of King's Mountain" by Isaac Shelby, a pamphlet published 1823]

It’s the year 1774, and the American Revolution is just beginning to break out in faraway Massachusetts. Seeking adventure and an escape from an oppressive family life, Caleb Anders leaves home and heads south into the wilderness of the American frontier, west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He meets Nate Daniels along the way, and they become fast friends and business partners.

Caleb and Nate soon discover that they must choose their own destiny – should they remain in the beautiful but rugged mountainous wilderness of Virginia, protecting their friends and neighbors from the rampaging Cherokee Indians… or ride north and strike a blow for freedom with General George Washington? Will the rigors of frontier life prepare Caleb and Nate for what lies to the east, beyond the towering mountain range that looms, deep and dark, over their shoulders?

Crossing the Blue Ridge is a sprawling and inspirational Revolutionary War historical fiction novel that reintroduces the forgotten American Patriots who fought against superior British Tory forces in one of the most decisive battles in the American Revolutionary War at The Battle of King's Mountain.

“The crude, spirited, hardy, determined volunteers who crossed the mountains served as proof of the spirit and resources of the country." - George Washington

DO YOU HAVE AGING PARENTS AND THE STRESS OF KNOWING YOU WILL BE SETTLING THEIR ESTATE SOMEDAY? DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE STRATEGIES AVAILABLE THAT YOU CAN IMPLEMENT WHILE THEY’RE ALIVE TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY?

In the delicate balance of aging parents and looming inheritance, the responsibilities of managing their finances can be overwhelming. But what if these duties could be transformed into a proactive game plan that benefits not only your parents but your entire family?

The Inheritance Playbook explores the nuances of serving as power of attorney, sharing insights you can apply to your own family’s unique circumstances. Author and expert Chad Holmes weaves complex tax-saving strategies into relatable, entertaining parables, making advanced financial concepts accessible and easy to comprehend. The strategies shared here aren’t reserved for the ultra-wealthy; they are tailored for any family navigating the emotional journey of losing a loved one and the fear of wasting the inheritance on unnecessary taxes and expenses.

In this engaging, occasionally humorous narrative, you will learn:

• What probate is and why you would typically want to avoid it

• The benefits of being proactive before your parents pass away

• What information you need to know now to avoid stress and headaches later

• The tax strategies that can be done for free and don’t require a fancy trust

• Simple hacks to maximize your inheritance and avoid unnecessary money loss

The time to act is now. Embark on a transformative journey that guides your family to take advantage of less-known tax laws to save money and simplify the estate settling process. Keep the torch of your parents’ legacy shining brighter for longer. Get a copy now!

Digging All Night and Fighting All Day

The bloody two-week siege of Spanish Fort, Alabama (March 26–April 8, 1865) was one of the final battles of the Civil War. Despite its importance and fascinating history, surprisingly little has been written about it. Many considered the fort as the key to holding the important seaport of Mobile, which surrendered to Maj. Gen. Edward R. S. Canby on April 12, 1865. Paul Brueske’s “Digging All Night and Fighting All Day”: The Civil War Siege of Spanish Fort and the Mobile Campaign, 1865 is the first full-length study of this subject.

General U. S. Grant had long set his eyes on capturing Mobile. Its fall would eliminate the vital logistical center and put one of the final nails in the coffin of the Confederacy. On January 18, 1865, Grant ordered General Canby to move against Mobile, Montgomery, and Selma and destroy anything useful to the enemy’s war effort. The reduction of Spanish Fort, along with Fort Blakeley—the primary obstacles to taking Mobile—was a prerequisite to capturing the city.

After the devastating Tennessee battles of Franklin and Nashville in late 1864, many Federals believed Mobile’s garrison—which included a few battered brigades and most of the artillery units from the Army of Tennessee—did not have much fight left and would evacuate the city rather than fight. They did not. Despite being outnumbered about 10 to 1, 33-year-old Brig. Gen. Randall Lee Gibson mounted a skillful and spirited defense that “considerably astonished” his Union opponents. The siege and battle that unfolded on the rough and uneven bluffs of Mobile Bay’s eastern shore, fought mainly by veterans of the principal battles of the Western Theater, witnessed every offensive and defensive art known to war.

Paul Brueske

Paul Brueske, a graduate student of history at the University of South Alabama, marshaled scores of primary source materials, including letters, diaries, reports, and newspaper accounts to produce an outstanding study of a little known but astonishingly important event rife with acts of heroism that rivaled any battle of the war. It will proudly occupy a space on the bookshelf of any serious student of the war.

This memoir captures the essence of light tackle fishing in its prime from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys, from the Everglades to the Ten Thousand Islands. In short, the best snook-fishing spots on the planet. Author chronicles his fishing adventures from Sanibel to the tarpon capital of the world—Boca Grande—to rivers like the Manatee River and the Little Manatee in Manatee County, the Myakka River in Sarasota County...

About Jim:

Jim Stenson attended Florida State University and has a bachelor’s degree in Information Science and a master’s in Library Science and Information Studies. He has written numerous articles and columns about fly-fishing, surfing, and the unique culture of South Florida. He was managing editor and publisher of The Contemporary Sportsman and The Contemporary Wing Shooter magazines, and the founder of Sweet Waters Adventure, an international adventure travel company catering to fly fishermen and wing shooters. He owns Integrated Digital Publishing, an outdoor marketing company specializing in graphic design, photography, web design, and video development. He lives in Mobile, Alabama.

Join us and Martie Duncan for a delicious event in the Book Cellar on Tuesday, December 17th at 6pm!! This is not a ticketed event.

“I went out on the road during the 2024 Year of Alabama Food to find the best recipes from restaurants across Alabama. My new book, The Alabama 100 Best Recipes, Restaurants & Road Trips features 100 favorite restaurant recipes plus my road trip tips on where to go and what to eat when you get there.” -Martie Duncan

About Martie (Via her Website):

My story? I have a love of food, weddings, travel, and the interesting people you meet along the way. I learned to cook beside my mother who was the best cook I've ever known, hands down. Although I lost her years ago, I still talk to her in the kitchen, especially when I'm using her old rolling pin or magical cast iron skillet. I was a devoted daughter to my sweet ballroom-dancing dad; I lost him recently and miss him every single day.

I am a person of great faith. God is my co-pilot in life, giving me the courage to put myself out there and try new things.

When I auditioned for Food Network Star Season 8, I don't know what made me think I could do it; I have no formal culinary training nor restaurant experience. I simply knew I wanted to help people celebrate life's occasions without stress and anxiety and I thought a show on Food Network would be the best way to make that happen. I was selected by Alton Brown after a months-long audition process. The show aired Summer 2012. While I did not win, the incredible moment on Food Network Star when Susie Fogelson told me "Martie, we want to see a pilot from you, too" absolutely changed my life. Since then, I have toured the state of Alabama many times to write books about Alabama food. I won an episode of Guy’s Grocery Games with my buddy Justin Warner from Food Network— where I can sometimes be seen judging episodes of Beat Bobby Flay.

What's new? My fifth book will be out soon! It can be found in bookstores, restaurants, or shops across the state of Alabama. Get more info here.

All my best,

Martie

Kelli: My life was fine. I worked, went home, and spent time with my best friend. Until I gained some unwanted attention, that is. To keep me safe, my childhood crush hides me away with him and his two roommates, who are also ridiculously attractive. Can I stay here for weeks without falling for one of them... or all of them?

Brian: She's my brother's best friend and the love of my life. I've been keeping an eye on her from afar for years. But when her life is in danger, I do the only thing I can... keep her safe and hidden with me. Can my heart handle having her so close, yet not having her to myself?

Josh: I've always been the quiet one who prefers to be alone. Then she came along. She's a ray of sunshine in my darkness and a woman I shouldn't want. The need to keep her safe is ingrained in me, I just need to separate those feelings. Can I manage that when she is burrowing her way into my heart?

Logan: Our home has been missing something for a while. We've been doing the bare minimum, surviving, but not really living. Then we took Kelli in and she pulled on all of our heartstrings. Now all I can see is her. If we keep her safe, can we just keep her?

“The more you transform your life from the material to the spiritual domain, the less you become afraid of death.” Leo Tolstoy spoke these words, and they became Henry Stuart’s raison d’etre. The Poet of Tolstoy Park is the unforgettable novel based on the true story of Henry Stuart’s life, which was reclaimed from his doctor’s belief that he would not live another year.

Henry responds to the news by slogging home barefoot in the rain. It’s 1925. The place: Canyon County, Idaho. Henry is sixty-seven, a retired professor and a widower who has been told a warmer climate would make the end more tolerable. San Diego would be a good choice.

Instead, Henry chose Fairhope, Alabama, a town with utopian ideals and a haven for strong-minded individualists. Upton Sinclair, Sherwood Anderson, and Clarence Darrow were among its inhabitants. Henry bought his own ten acres of piney woods outside Fairhope. Before dying, underscored by the writings of his beloved Tolstoy, Henry could begin to “perfect the soul awarded him” and rest in the faith that he, and all people, would succeed, “even if it took eons.” Human existence, Henry believed, continues in a perfect circle unmarred by flaws of personality, irrespective of blood and possessions and rank, and separate from organized religion. In Alabama, until his final breath, he would chase these high ideas.

But first, Henry had to answer up for leaving Idaho. Henry’s dearest friend and intellectual sparring partner, Pastor Will Webb, and Henry’s two adult sons, Thomas and Harvey, were baffled and angry that he would abandon them and move to the Deep South, living in a barn there while he built a round house of handmade concrete blocks. His new neighbors were perplexed by his eccentric behavior as well. On the coldest day of winter he was barefoot, a philosopher and poet with ideas and words to share with anyone who would listen. And, mysteriously, his “last few months” became years. He had gone looking for a place to learn lessons in dying, and, studiously advanced to claim a vigorous new life.

The Poet of Tolstoy Park is a moving and irresistible story, a guidebook of the mind and spirit that lays hold of the heart. Henry Stuart points the way through life’s puzzles for all of us, becoming in this timeless tale a character of such dimension that he seems more alive now than ever.

A sumptuously illustrated and vivid account of the deep ties that bridge the histories and cultures of two colorful and storied port cities.

Mobile and Havana: Sisters across the Gulf presents a beautifully written and illustrated survey of the many historic linkages between these exotic port cities. Through an effortless blending of word and image, John S. Sledge, Alicia García-Santana, Chip Cooper, and Julio A. Larramendi, historians and photographers from each side of the basin, share a colorful, complex, and sometimes difficult story never before fully told.

Over twenty years ago, Mobile’s visionary municipal archivist Jay Higginbotham remarked, “Mobile, Alabama, and Havana, Cuba, have only three things in common. The past, the present, and the future.” This book demonstrates just how much that is the case.

Chase Gordon has the life.
The former Marine works part-time as a bartender to support his life island-hopping on his 40-foot sailboat. When the pretty young wife of one of his fellow Marines shows up looking for her husband, Chase steps in to help her out.
Immediately, he finds himself in a stand-off between one of South Florida's most dangerous drug dealers and the D.E.A. Now, he's left wondering what kind of trouble his friend might be facing.
Can Chase even save his fellow soldier?
Filled with action and adventure, Chase Gordon is the next Travis McGee.

On Saturday, December 7th at 10:00 AM, join us for a fun-filled photo op and storytime with the Pigeon from Mo Willems’ new Christmas Classic, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!

You’ll snow want the special Pigeon Christmas activities and yummy treats, too.

From #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems comes a new holiday classic.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—for driving a sleigh! ’Tis also the season—for driving a sleigh! Oh, and joy to the—driving a sleigh! The Pigeon has made a list and checked it once. Can his holiday dream come true? Or will The Pigeon be left out in the cold?

You’ll share some HO-HO-HOs and HA-HA-HAs finding out in three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems’ ninth Pigeon book, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh!

Join us on Thursday, December 5th at 6PM to meet Signe Pike and hear all about to her newest book in the Lost Queen series, The Shadowed Land. Ms. Pike will be in-conversation with P&P’s Anderson McKean.

The Shadowed Land

Scotland, AD 580: A queen has risen. A battle has been won. Loved ones who were lost have been reunited. But in a land of power-hungry kings, peace is precarious and cannot last for long. All too soon, circumstance pulls both Britons and Scots back to their own destinies. The warrior Artúr receives a mysterious summons from his father in Dalriada. Queen Languoreth and her brother must return to Strathclyde with the dangerous former bishop Mungo in tow, determined to maintain the fragile balance between the Christians and the people of the Old Way. Meanwhile, the young priestess Angharad must travel deep into the shadowed land of the Picts, hoping to become the initiate of Briochan, a druid who practices the secret Celtic art of weather work. As they rise to meet their fates, they are pushed to impossible new frontiers: each must decide whether they are willing to do what it takes to become the heroes their harrowing days demand. Set in the sprawling historical landscape of early medieval Scotland, Pike’s critically acclaimed retelling of the Arthurian saga thrusts readers into a world of ambition, loyalty and love, revealing truths that have for too long been buried by legend.

“A legend-steeped story of the real King Arthur and his contemporaries, The Shadowed Land is full of mystery and Celtic magic, shimmering lochs and verdant glens, snow-cloaked mountains and deep forests, fierce battles and fragile love. Deeply researched, sweeping, and utterly compelling, The Shadowed Land is this winter’s can’t-miss historical epic.”

—Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

Signe Pike

Signe Pike is the author of The Lost Queen series, which has been optioned for television, and the travel memoir Faery Tale. The series (originally a trilogy) is being developed as a television series by Made Up Stories after Bruna Papandrea won the rights in a competitive Hollywood auction in 2018.

Signe Pike was born in Ithaca, NY, and graduated from Cornell University with her Bachelor of Science in Communication.  She worked as an acquisitions editor at Random House and then Penguin before leaving to write her first book, a travel memoir entitled Faery Tale: One Woman's Search for Enchantment in a Modern World. Pike has researched and written about Celtic history for the past fifteen years.

Come by Page & Palette for a story time event with Beth Chapman Rabren and her book, Eyes Shining.

There's a special secret that many people do not know...

The animals come out at night!

They come out to eat, and to enjoy the stars and the moon.

They come out to have a safe time to play and be

with their friends and family!

Join us for a Keeper of Lost Cities Fan Gathering! On Tuesday, December 5th at 5pm, we're celebrating the release of Book 9.5, UNRAVELED! Meet other Keeper fans, participate in themed activities, and test your knowledge on all things Keeper of the Lost Cities!

Get ready for our fan event by pre-ordering your copy of UNRAVELED. Visit the following link or stop by P&P!

Keeper Of The Lost Cities Pre-Sale

ABOUT THE BOOK

The past and present unravel into staggering truths in this can’t-miss installment of the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series told entirely from Keefe’s point of view.

Please be careful. Please be happy. And PLEASE forget all about me. It’ll be better for everyone that way.

Those were the last words Keefe Sencen wrote to Sophie Foster before he ran away to the Forbidden Cities. He didn’t want to leave, but it was the only way to keep his friends safe while he figured out how to control his scary new powers and searched for answers about his past.

What he found was so much more than adventures in Humanland.

Where did he go? What did he do? And who did he meet while the rest of his friends worked to solve the mystery of Stellarlune? The answers go far beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined and give Keefe the power to change his destiny.

Join Fred, a very forgetful heron, as he embarks on an important mission tonight! With the help of his friend, Sandi Piper, Fred is tasked with lighting the Fairhope Christmas tree. Experience the magic and wonder of this special celebration in the charming town of Fairhope!

Come by Page & Palette on Saturday, November 30th at 1pm to meet and talk to David Preston with his books!

Unknown Soldier: World War I

Ever wondered what the lives of the unidentified soldiers buried at the Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington National Cemetery were like? In 1917, the United States entered World War. I, the war to end all wars. One of the most famous American divisions in the war was the 42nd Rainbow Division. An integral part of that division was the 167th Alabama. This story follows what could have been the experiences and lives of those men that fought galliantly and bravely in some of the fiercest fighting along the Western Front. This coming of age story follows a young man from a small Southwest Alabama town that goes out into the world to find adventure and finds himself and his friends in the middle of the fighting.

David Preston

David was born in Gurden, Arkansas. He lived there a whole week and then his family moved to the Dallas, Texas area. While living in the Dallas area suburb of Plano, his mother pased away when he was 11 months old. At the age of 5 and a half, his family moved to the Memphis, Tennessee suburb of Hernando, Mississippi.At the end of middle school, his family moved to the Mobile, Alabama area, where he has resided ever since.

David graduated “Thank The Lurd” from Daphne High School in Daphne, Alabama in 1999. He attended Faulkner State Community College (now Alabama Coastal Community College) and the University of South Alabama, where he majored in Political Science.

David has been a Business Owner, political columnist and Reporter. He ran for Daphne C ity Council in Daphne, Alabama at age 19 in 2000, loosing to an entrenched incumbent by less than 200 votes.

David currently resides in Mobile, Alabama with his four dogs, Moonpie (a Yorkie and the boss of the house), Sampson Beauregard, Starla Grace, and Ziva (all Weimaraners).

For fun, David likes to write and visit historical places and about knew people.

Come by Page & Palette to meet our local authors and artists - Alan Samry from 1-3pm and JD Crowe from 3-5pm on Open House!

About Hannah V Warren

Originally from Ellisville, a small town in Jones County, Mississippi, Hannah V Warren is a poet,  translator, literary critic, and Fulbright Scholar living in Birmingham, AL. She is the author of  Slaughterhouse for Old Wives’ Tales (2024) and two chapbooks. Her poetry has appeared in Gulf Coast,  Passages North, THRUSH, Fairy Tale Review and Crazyhorse/swamp pink, among others. She has a PhD  in literature from the University of Georgia, an MFA in creative writing from the University of Kansas,  and a BA in English from Mississippi State University. Hannah’s writing and research interests focus  on the grotesque, post/apocalypse narratives, and representations of alterity. She has a vested  interested in how women experience, suffer, and embrace Southern Gothic landscapes—all themes  which appear in her current projects; she is developing a poetry collection that examines the  intersections of trauma and monstrous bodies, as well as a speculative novel that considers ritual,  gender norms, and post-apocalyptic social restructuring. In addition to Slaughterhouse, Hannah is the  author of two chapbooks: Southern Gothic Corpse Machine (Carrion Bloom 2022) and [re]construction of the  necromancer (2020), which won Sundress Publications’ 2019 chapbook contest. Hannah also translates  German poetry; her recent translations of Alexandra Bernhardt’s work are in Denver Quarterly and  Action Books. 

About the Book:

"we live with the horrors of our own bodies / ornamented machines gnawing into the future / we may as well feed them dried plums / & pretend to love our young"

Slaughterhouse for Old Wives' Tales, Hannah V Warren's full-length debut, is a visceral collection that is not only read but also felt in the body. These fertile poemstrace the lineage of hunger from mother to daughter to sister. Beginning with an excavation of dinosaurs, Warren's writing explores evolution-where we come from, what we offer, and what is left behind "when we plant our tree bodies." This is a collection of bones and organs. The line between flesh and earth, human and animal, blurs in its gorgeous, gruesome descriptions. Warren weaves language in ways that birth new meaning- "tender gash," "rotmouth," "skindamp," "lung-wide." Slaughterhouse for Old Wives' Tales will leave you breathless, haunted, and ravenous for more.

Join Fred, a very forgetful heron, as he embarks on an important mission tonight! With the help of his friend, Sandi Piper, Fred is tasked with lighting the Fairhope Christmas tree. Experience the magic and wonder of this special celebration in the charming town of Fairhope!

Come by Page & Palette on Sunday, November 17th to meet Nancy Dennis, a St. James member who has been a huge advocate for showcasing and selling the limited copies of Fairhope Favorites cookbook. Come by to buy as supplies last!

Born in 1936, in Naples, Italy, to a newly widowed mother, he could not know that his Mamma had two other children to raise, and she worked long hours in a bomb factory in war-torn Italy. His father had been killed before he was born, so he never had a father to teach him how to become a good man. WWII provided a severe backdrop and a formative time for Andréa.
When he meets American soldiers at the end of WWII, he dreams of going to America, the “Land of Milk and Honey,” and becoming successful, being able to have enough to eat, to find true love, to have a family, and to actually live the “American Dream.”

You are invited to a night of stories from Our Southern Souls on Tuesday, November 12th at 6PM. Lynn Oldshue will talk about finding stories and chat with two folks featured in the new book: 90-year-old Alma Atkins from Fairhope, and singer-songwriter Kristy Lee. Kristy will also play a few songs as Lynn signs books.

The book will be available for purchase at Page & Palette on October 20th!

Our Southern Souls Vol. II

The second book from Our Southern Souls is a collection of 160 stories and many more photographs capturing the essence of Southern life through the eyes of the people Lynn encountered on sidewalks, streets, and parks throughout the South. Many of them are completely random, that's what leads to a diversity of stories. Stories of love, family, history, loss, recovery, fresh starts, and making dreams happen. Stories that are personal and revealing. Sometimes it's the first, or last, time someone told their story. Readers often find pieces of themselves in these stories, resonating with shared experiences and emotions. Each story feels like a warm, genuine conversation, offering comfort and connection.

Lynn Oldshue

Lynn grew up in Yazoo City, Mississippi, and lives with her husband, John, on a little farm outside of Fairhope. The Mississippi Delta and the Mobile area are her favorite places for pictures and stories, but she takes this everywhere for her blog, Our Southern Souls. The Souls project began almost nine years ago, inspired by her experience writing about bus riders in Mobile, Alabama. She spent months on the buses, listening to the everyday tales of those who rely on public transportation for all aspects of their lives. Lynn is also an award-winning journalist for Lagniappe and Alabama Public Radio. She won the 2024 Nappie Award for "Best Baldwinian Right Now."

Website: www.OurSouthernSouls.com

Follow Souls on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OurSouthernSouls

Come by the Page & Palette on November 9th to meet and talk to Wyatt Waters with his book The Watercolor Road, along with his beautifully illustrated 2025 calendar.

The Watercolor Road

Experience the American South through the expressive paintings and musings of renowned master watercolorist, Wyatt Waters.  His rambling and wandering through the southern trail deliver an impressive collection of 133 paintings, 21 essays, and an array of adages that depicts both the South and his relentless trek to be a better painter as a mindset rather than a destination.
 
The Watercolor Road captures the artist’s longing ambition to explore and present this place he calls home in plein air watercolor.  Pulling a 16-foot Casita travel trailer behind his Pastormobile, Wyatt roams the rural and urban, country roads and highways, oceans and forests, BBQ joints and local diners — expressing his visceral connection to each locale with his vivid images. His pictorial explorations span from the Arkansas plateaus to the Louisiana bayous, the Blue Ridge Mountains to the low country marshes of South Carolina, across southern farmlands and down to the balmy Florida Keys — with all points in between. 
 
Having long contemplated his feelings and observations on painting and living through his writings — in this book, Wyatt shares the many truths he has learned along the way and how he applies them to his art and to his life.
 
The Watercolor Road will appeal to aficionados of southern culture as well as those who enjoy the act of painting and desire a deeper understanding of the “whys" of painting more so than the “how-to’s”.

Wyatt Waters

A prolific painter, renowned watercolorist Wyatt Waters has painted about as long as he has been alive — starting with lessons before he was school-aged until earning a master’s degree in art at Mississippi College, where he received the Belleman award for art and creative writing. In his unrelenting quest of becoming a better painter, Wyatt draws on the influences of masters such as John Singer-Sargent, Edward Hopper, and William Hollingsworth.

 Waters works solely on location – preferring the challenges that both plein air and watercolor present. His philosophy is “if it is interesting to see, it can be a painting.” This approach has led to the recent release of The Watercolor Road | Painting and Writing through the American South, as well as the publication of seven very successful books including Another Coat of Paint, Painting Home, An Oxford Sketchbook, and in collaboration with Mississippi restauranteur, Robert St. John, A Southern Palate, Southern Seasons, An Italian Palate, and A Mississippi Palate. Additionally, Wyatt can be found on Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s television series, Palate to Palette, with St. John — a traveling culinary and art series set in Italy and Mississippi.  He has also illustrated covers and interiors for 17 other books through various publishers.

 A recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Mississippi Institute for Arts and Letters (An Oxford Sketchbook), and the Mississippi Library Association’s Special Award (A Southern Palate), Wyatt and his work have been featured in numerous magazines such as Plein Air, American Artist, American Watercolor, and Arts & Antiques.

Ever the teacher, Wyatt conducts workshops throughout the Southeast, as well as in Italy and the Caribbean. He served two years as a faculty member for Plein Air South — an annual gathering of regional plein air organizations and painting groups.

Wyatt has had numerous solo exhibitions at museums such as MS Museum of Art, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Meridian Museum of Art, and Jackson Municipal Gallery. His work can be found in both corporate and private collections, including those of two former presidents and several U.S. senators. He also is a past president and founding member of the Mississippi Watercolor Society and has had paintings in the national exhibitions of the National Watercolor Society and the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic.

 Open since 1999, Water’s eponymous gallery is located on the brick streets of the Olde Towne business district in Clinton, Mississippi and was recently recognized as Best Gallery in Mississippi by Mississippi Magazine.  The Gallery features the catalogue of his original work and giclée prints. Following Wyatt’s belief that art is for everyone, the Gallery houses a gift shop where a variety of affordable imprinted gift items can be found, including prints, books, stationary, and apparel.

 When they are not traveling, Wyatt and his wife, Kristi, reside in Clinton, just around the corner from the Gallery.

Join us on Thursday, November 7th at 6PM to meet and greet the ladies who support our fabulous community. showcased in the 2025 Fascinating Females of Fairhope calendar.

All proceeds from the calendar go to ART with a Purpose, a non-profit that transforms lives through the POWER of ART.

Butterfly Fly is a wellness-centric children’s book that incorporates Biblical themes while focusing on the author's adult (and childhood) journey to cultivating more self-awareness, hope, and freedom in life. The intention of this story is to also teach children how to regulate and worship with their breath. But children and adults alike will love this book!

About the author:

Morgan Tyner was born in Memphis, Tennessee. For many years, she always envisioned writing a children’s book. Her passion for writing and connecting with other people has been a God-given compass throughout her life . Morgan has loved butterflies since she was a child. She has memories of dancing around in the yard with them. She also has so many memories of butterflies landing on her, and those moments felt like magic. They remind her of peace, grace, and freedom. This experience gave her the idea of bringing butterflies into the story. Morgan has always felt an empathic connection to people around her. She has a passion for creating a space for authentic freedom, empowerment, & self-connection. “With each breath we take, we have the opportunity to connect deeper to our God-given callings, aliveness, and peace”, Morgan shares. “Understanding our own identity is key to that powerful connection”. Morgan’s intention for this book is to show readers the goodness of God. She also intends to provide applicable steps for both children and adults to cultivate more self-awareness and hope in their life.

Join us to meet Ellen Skrmetti, Instagram star and comedian, on Sunday, October 27th at 4 PM in the Book Cellar as she discusses her newest book, "Hey Jesus, It’s Me." This delightful read offers sketches of a middle-aged Southern woman's thoughts on mamas, menopause, and menus—along with a little advice for the Lord regarding those unspoken prayer requests.

As a young girl, Ellen Skrmetti loved performing. She starred in plays, sang in the church choir, and even compete in the Miss Mississippi pageant. But backstage at the pageant, she was gripped by severe stage fright and made a deal with God: If you help me get through this, I will never, ever get onstage again. After successfully hitting the high note in “Adelaide’s Lament” from the musical Guys and Dolls, she packed up her drama clothes for good—or so she thought.
     When the pandemic hit, Ellen longed to bring a little joy to the dark struggles the world was facing. She thought about all of times she’d asked Jesus to walk with her through pain and heartache—and how often He’d laughed with or comforted her, even during her blazing hot flashes. So she decided to share that message with others, in 30-second videos on Instagram that quickly went viral.  
     Holding a remote control in her hand, Ellen "calls" Jesus with comments and questions, including asking Him not to make her an advance maternal age mama (again) and if He could bless the nourishment of her food to someone else’s body. She also asks for advice when her best friend’s ex-husband’s new wife shows up in the next pew, or what nursing home plans to make when she's eight years past your first geriatric pregnancy.
     From a pageant queen with stage fright, to viral videos, to her growing popularity as a stand-up comedian with sold-out performances, Ellen’s humor is rooted in southern charm and culture. Her relatable stories in Hey Jesus, It’s Me will bring levity to our lives, or at least some validation that we’re not the only ones asking if we can ghost our relatives in heaven.

Software is developed by Dr. Ben Hargett to control human minds hoping to heal the tormented and deranged. It creates the sounds and pulses that mimic human brainwaves replacing those that are defective. But it has been hijacked by men who wish to use it to rule the world through mind control.