Literary Events – The Spellbinding Shelf

Literary Event: Write Here, Write Now | Kelli Trapnell: “Using Genre Techniques in Literary Fiction”

Published on October 16, 2021October 15, 2021 by Lauren KuhmanLeave a comment

Quickly now—grab your pens and all the paper you can find because Changing Hands Bookstore is hosting a virtual writing workshop!

The event is on Monday, October 25 from 6:30–8:00 p.m. (9:30–11:00 p.m. ET) and attendance is only $5. The workshop will be taught by Kelli Trapnell, who has a MFA in fiction writing from Columbia University and received both the Sandra Brown Excellence in Literary Fiction Award and the 2018 New York Foundation of the Arts fellowship in fiction.

The 90–minute session will include a 30–minute lesson on the difference between fiction and “literary fiction,” and specific time for personal literary exploration! The first half of the class will be an exploration and explanation of the literary genre using discussion of prominent authors and works. The second half of the class will take theory to application as you move through a variety of exercises to teach literary fiction techniques leading up to your own miniature story.

Do you have your pen ready? Great—let’s go! Register for the First Draft Book Club here.

Location: Online

Date: Monday, October 25, 2021

Time: 6:30–8:00 p.m. (9:30 – 11:00 p.m. ET)

Price of Ticket: $5.00 (+$1.24 fee)

Literary Event: Writers Connection at the Tempe Public Library

Published on October 12, 2021October 11, 2021 by Rikki TremblayLeave a comment

The Tempe Public Library is host to numerous events for all kinds of readers and writers alike. One ongoing event is the Writers Connection group, which is a place for writers to meet informally and write or share work in a supportive group environment.

The Writers Connection group meets every other Friday at the Tempe public library in the afternoon. The group is free! They are currently meeting virtually, and you may register for the virtual group here.

If you’re looking for a kind group to share your writing with, this is the one! And while you’re at it, check out the other writing and book events at the public library.

Location: Online

Date: every other Friday

Time: 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Price of Ticket: Free!

Literary Event: First Draft Book Club| Patricia Engel’s “Infinite Country”

Published on May 22, 2021May 21, 2021 by Sharon EnckLeave a comment

Join the First Draft Book Club as they virtually welcome USA Today Books Editor, Barbara VanDenburgh to discuss May’s Changing Hands staff pick.

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel is a New York Times bestseller that follows Talia, a young girl being held in a Colombian correctional facility.

Against a ticking clock, Talia must devise a plan to meet up with her father, where their departure to the United States will bring renewed hope and safety for their family. Weaving Talia’s current story with the events of her parents Mauro and Elena’s lives, Infinite Country brings together various timelines against a backdrop of civil unrest and the reality of undocumented life.

Location: Online

Date: Saturday, May 29th, 2021

Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Price of Ticket: FREE

Literary Event: Write Here, Write Now | Lynn Melnick: “Writing Truth from Memory”

Published on April 24, 2021April 23, 2021 by Lauren KuhmanLeave a comment

Independent Bookstore Day is April 30! What is a sufficient way to celebrate all the bookishly amazing qualities of the independent literary community? Besides visiting your local bookstore, you can attend Changing Hands Bookstore’s online writing workshop.

Changing Hands offers a monthly writing workshop online called “Write Here, Write Now” in partnership with Phoenix College and ASU’s Piper Center for Creative Writing.

This month’s session “Writing Truth from Memory” focuses on the use of our memory as a means to tell stories, how we can harness and change our memories in storytelling, and how memories ultimately contribute to our work. The session includes poetry readings from Shane McCrae, Danielle Pafunda, and Adrienne Su to demonstrate the role of memory within writing and how we can utilize it in telling the truth.

Additionally, the event includes a 30-minute crash course on creative writing—including a writing prompt and dedicated time to write and read your work to the group.

Let’s celebrate Independent Bookstores Day in style by exploring our creative side and taking the role of author; to register, click here.

Location: Online

Date: Monday, April 26, 2021

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Price of Ticket: $5.00 (+$1.24 Fee)

Literary Event: Megan Whalen Turner in Conversation with Shannon Hale

Published on March 27, 2021April 18, 2021 by Sharon EnckLeave a comment

Join Megan Whalen Turner, author of the New York Times bestselling Queen’s Thief series, and Shannon Hale, author of Kind of a Big Deal in conversation virtually on April 8th at 5:30pm.

Turner’s long-awaited Return of The Thief marks the conclusion of a twenty-years-in-the-making story of thief Eugenides. Hale has published over 30 books including the fantasy novels The Goose Girl and Book of a Thousand Days.

This event, hosted by Changing Hands Bookstore, has free admission tickets plus ticket and book bundles that are still available! For more information, and to register for this event, visit the Changing Hands Bookstore site here.

Location: Online

Date: Thursday, April 8th, 2021

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Price of Ticket: Free (with optional book and ticket bundle available)

Literary Event: Laini Taylor in Conversation with Sabaa Tahir

Published on January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 by Jade StantonLeave a comment

Changing Hands Bookstore will be hosting a virtual conversation with acclaimed author Laini Taylor as she celebrates the tenth anniversary of her Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. The National Book Award finalist will be in conversation with Sabaa Tahir, author of A Sky Beyond the Storm, the final book in the Ember in the Ashes quartet.

This event will take place next Thursday, January 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendance is free, and the first 50 people to purchase a book with their ticket will have their bookplates personalized by Ms. Taylor. For more information about this event, and to purchase tickets, click here.

Location: Online

Date: Thursday, January 28, 2021

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Price of Ticket: Free (optional VIP tickets available)

The 2021 Tucson Festival of Books

Published on December 22, 2020December 15, 2020 by Melanie WilsonLeave a comment

Have you been itching to find new books and connect with fellow book lovers and authors? If so, mark your calendar for Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7, 2021! On those days, the Tucson Festival of Books will take place. This year, the organizers of the event have adapted to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and are excited to offer a new, all-virtual experience for readers like you.

The two-day event will take place completely online and will showcase live author events for adults and children from many categories. In addition, it will feature familiar venues, such as the Arizona Daily Star stage, the Pima County Public Library Nuestras Raíces stage, and the Western National Parks and Science stage. Most content will be provided live or with live Q&A, with select sessions on demand.

The event creators are very enthusiastic to provide a safe yet engaging experience in the midst of the cancellation of last year’s festival due to the pandemic. “We value the safety of the Tucson community and are excited to share this immersive, virtual experience with all book lovers and fans of the Tucson Festival of Books,” festival executive director Melanie Morgan said in a statement to thisistucson.com.

When March arrives, don’t miss this amazing, one-of-a-kind festival! More information about the festival can be found here.

Location: Online
Date: Saturday, March 6, and Sunday, March 7

Literary Event: ASU Undergraduate Writers Showcase

Published on November 10, 2020November 5, 2020 by Erin PetersLeave a comment

The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing will be hosting their fourth annual ASU Undergraduate Writers Showcase on November 19, 2020. Join fellow ASU faculty and students as they support emerging voices in the undergraduate writing community.

Six talented writers will be sharing their work at the live reading. You can view their bios and learn more about them here. This event is a great opportunity to show your support for ASU’s undergraduate writing community and discover impressive contemporary voices.

The event will take place over Zoom and is free to attend. The reading will be open to the public but “seats” are limited, so be sure to reserve a spot through the link provided below.

For more information, or to reserve your spot, click here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Location: Zoom
Date: November 19, 2020
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Fractured Fairy Tales: How to Fix Humpty Dumpty Even if You’re a King’s Horse with James Riley

Published on September 22, 2020September 13, 2020 by Mackenzie KingLeave a comment

Most of us grew up reading Fairy Tales. They are both bizarre and alluring and for many of us, they continue to interest us well into our adulthood. Best-selling author James Riley takes an in-depth look at fairy tales: why they are so strange, the logic within them, and why we are so fascinated by them.

Riley has written his own collection of fairy tales, which he will use to illustrate some of their most peculiar features. If you’re interested in learning more about fairy tales, this event might be perfect for you!

Date: September 23, 2020
Location: Zoom
Time: 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

To RSVP and for more information, click here!