Join us at Book Beat (26010 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park, MI 48237) on Saturday, May 2 to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with authors Loren D. Estleman (Detroit is Our Beat, Amos Walker Mysteries), Wong Herbert Yee (Mouse and Mole series, Fireman Small), Kathryn Madeline Allen (A Kiss Means I Love You, Show Me Happy), Matt Faulkner (The Monster Who Ate My Peas), Jean Alicia Elster (The Colored Car), Ruth McNally Barshaw (Ellie McDoodle), John C. Ford (The Cipher, The Morgue and Me) Rick Lieder (Sweep Up the Sun, Step Gently Out) and Sheila McCauley Keys (Our Auntie Rosa). Authors will be speaking as well as signing copies of their work. This event is free and open to the public. Outside the store, Book Beat will be hosting Matthew Baker at the Berkley Public Library from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. For any further information, please contact Book Beat (248) 968-1190.
2:00 – 3:00 PM: Author Loren D. Estleman, Detroit Is Our Beat
Loren D. Estleman is the author of over 70 books spanning mystery, crime and western genres, including: the AmosWalker Mysteries series, the Detroit Crime Series, and his latest Detroit Is Our Beat. His books have been translated into 27 languages and have won multiple Shamus, Spur, Western Heritage, and Stirrup awards. He has been nominated for the National Book Award and the Edgar Allan Poe Award. In 2012, the Western Writers of America honored him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He will be appearing at 2:00 pm.
May 2nd is the official release day and book launch for Detroit is Our Beat, a classic hard-boiled collection of short stories centered around the Detroit Racket Squad and “The Four Horsemen” –a group of detectives and law enforcement officials, set in Detroit during the early days of WWII.
“An energetic researcher steeped in the history of Detroit, Estleman fills every page with authentic period details about such things as the rulings of the Office of Price Administration, counting red stamps before making a purchase at the local butcher shop, and the nearby Chrysler factory converted from building automobiles to assembling tanks.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“Loren Estleman is the Stravinsky of hard-boiled prose–he never hits a wrong note.”
—John Lescroart, author of The First Law: A Novel
“…a true professional, a writer of a sort increasingly rare…so given to his work as to spontaneously combust to genius.”- THE BOSTON GLOBE on Loren D. Estleman
Visit Loren D. Estleman’s website HERE.
12:30 PM – 2 PM: Wong Herbert Yee
Wong Herbert Yee is the award-winning author and illustrator of numerous children’s titles, including: The Mouse and Mole series, Fireman Small, Hamburger Heaven, and Eek! There’s A Mouse in the House, among many others. He is a great friend and supporter of Book Beat and we are always proud to have him! He will be appearing from 1:00pm-2:00pm.
3:30 – 4:30 PM: The Family of Rosa Park: Our Auntie Rosa
Sheila McCauly Keys is the author of Our Auntie Rosa: The Family of Rosa Parks Remembers Her Life and Lessons. She is the seventh niece of civil rights heroine Rosa Parks. In 2013, Keys was featured in PBS’s live television broadcast of the National Day of Courage, celebrating what would have been Mrs. Parks’s hundredth birthday. That same year, Keys joined President Obama and legislators in unveiling a statue of Rosa Parks in the Capitol Rotunda. Keys has become an active voice in efforts to preserve her aunt’s legacy.Sheila McCauly Keys and other family members of Rosa Parks will be appearing at 3:30pm.
“Rosa Parks inspired millions of Americans in 1955, including a nine-year-old boy in Arkansas learning about her story. Through the pages of Our Auntie Rosa, her family captures the quiet dignity—and commanding conviction—of one of the civil rights movement’s bravest champions.” —President Bill Clinton
12:30 PM – 2:00: Matt Faulkner: Children’s Picture Books
Matt Faulkner is author and illustrator of his latest, A Taste of Colored W ater. He is the illustrator of many books including You’re On Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt, The Monster Who Ate My Peas, and the children’s graphic novel, Gaijin.
12:30 PM – 2:00: Rick Lieder: Photographer
Rick Lieder is a Detroit area artist and commercial photographer whose clients include Orion Magazine, Natural History Magazine, Daimler Chrysler, IBM, State of Michigan Department of Commerce, IBM, Bantam Doubleday Dell, HarperCollins, Berkley Books, Penguin Publishing, Simon & Shuster, Associated Press, Industrial Technology Institute, Detroit Monthly, Crain’s Detroit Business, Ford Motor Co. Dealer World, Michigan Woman, Automotive News.
12:30 PM – 2:00: Ruth McNally Barshaw: Ellie McDoodle
Ruth McNally Barshaw grew up sketching and journaling life around her in little sketchbooks. Little did she realize she would do the same for her career. Today she has more than 300 little sketchjournals chronicling various events, trips, quirky discoveries, and times with beloved friends and family. Her Ellie McDoodle books borrow the same format, with writing and cartoony art on every page. If you hang out with Ruth, you might get added into one of her sketchjournals. If you read her books, you might be inspired to put your own life on paper. Share your beliefs, memories, dreams … keep a sketchjournal.
1:00 PM – 2:00: Jean Alicia Elster: Children’s Novels
Jean Alicia Elster, B.A., J.D., is the author of the novel The Colored Car — for ages 8 and older. Elster is also the author of the novel Who’s Jim Hines? — for ages 8 and older. Who’s Jim Hines? was selected as one of the Library of Michigan’s 2009 Michigan Notable Books. In addition, the Michigan Reading Association placed Who’s Jim Hines? on the Great Lakes Great Books Award 2009-2010 ballot for grades 4-5. Who’s Jim Hines? was also a ForeWord Magazine 2008 Book of the Year Award Finalist in the category of Juvenile Fiction.
12:30 PM – 2:00: John C. Ford: Young Adult Novels
John C. Ford grew up in Beverly Hills, Michigan before venturing off to Stanford University, where a desperate search for spending money led him to a reporter position at The Stanford Daily. The pay was terrible, but he discovered something priceless: a love of writing. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School and practicing law for a few years, he dreamed of writing something spicier than a legal brief–something like the crime novels he enjoys in his free time. His debut novel, The Morgue and Me, was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery and short-listed for five state teen book awards. The Cipher (February 24, 2015) is a selection of the Junior Library Guild. John C. Ford’s novels are for those 12 and up. The Morgue and Me is out in paperback February 24th, 2015. It will be available at this event. We encourage teachers to bring their students!
12:00 – 1 PM: Kathryn Madeline Allen: Preschool picture Books
Kathryn Madeline Allen is a children’s author who writes picture books that promote parent-child interaction and that help teach babies and young children about nonverbal communication, diversity, manners, and love. With Eric Futran’s beautiful photographs of real children, SHOW ME HAPPY and A KISS MEANS I LOVE YOU work well in any preschool or early elementary setting. Young children enjoy imitating the actions depicted in the colorful photos, learning at the same time. A perfect interactive reading experience for preschool children, join Kathryn from 12:00-1:00pm, when she will be reading from her own work as well as classic activities such as When You Are Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands.
10:30 – 11:30 AM: Matthew Baker at the Berkley Public LIbrary
Matthew Baker is the Michigan-native author of If You Find This, his debut novel for young readers. Taking place in Michigan and mixing mystery and adventure in the tradition of Louis Sachar, Avi, and E.L. Konigsburg, If You Find This is the story of unlikely friendships, unexpected bravery and eleven-year-old Nicholas Funes’s quest to prove his grandfather’s treasure is real. Matt will be at the Berkley Public Library (3155 Coolidge Hwy, Berkley, MI 48072) on Saturday, May 2 from 10:30-11:30am. This event is free and open to the public and co-sponsored by Book Beat. Books will be available for purchase at the event. For more information, please call (248) 968-1190.
I have self published a book chronicling the history of Detroit’s eastside. “Horsepower, Men And Machines” is the title :ISBN-978-1-935356-27-1…A feature of my book is the location of Henry Ford’s first and only auto race on October 10, 1901…The race took place at the Detroit Driving Club located in the area that I am writing about in the book…Does your store market books of this type. Thanks, Nick Sinacori (313)821-1501
Hi Nick,
Feel free to drop off 2-3 copies on a 90 day consignment. The only requirement is the book needs to have the title and author info printed on the spine of the book. Anyone at the front desk will be able to help you during store hours. Thanks.
Cary