Aby and Rodi from the Ferndale Library's Circulation Dept join us to discuss all manner of fantasy & sci-fi series, especially the attempts to adapt them into films or tv shows. We had our eyes on the new Wheel of Time series on Amazon, but our conversation went on a very entertaining tangent. 

Books discussed include:

Stephanie Gizicki is a teacher in the Language Arts Dept of Ferndale High School, serving as the Reading Specialist; she was recently awarded Teacher of the Year! We're talking to Gizicki about her role at FHS, as well as her collaboration with our library's Youth Services in facilitating the Read Woke Book Club, bringing together high school students to discuss books that illuminate issues around social justice. 

Tim Paré is a writer, director, and actor, based here in metro Detroit and he founded the new nonprofit, Michigan Stage to fulfill a mission of producing theatre in enriching, refreshing new ways within the community of Ferndale and greater Oakland County. We talk to Tim about his work in education/mentorship when it comes to theatre and writing, as well as the progress made by Michigan Stage over the last year, including last summer's Broadway in the Burbs. https://www.michiganstage.org/about https://www.facebook.com/michiganstage/ 

What does an archivist do? Tune in today to hear our chat with Alexis Braun Marks, Eastern Michigan University Archivist, from the Halle Library on EMU's campus in Ypsilanti. Let's talk about information management and historical preservation! We'll also talk about EMU history, Ypsilanti history, and their new mobile oral history studio, the Aerie! www.instagram.com/archives_emu 

(Photo by Brynna Bashore)

Thisbe Nissen is originally from New York, but she lived in Iowa for 11 years before settling in rural Michigan. In How Other People Make Love, Thisbe Nissen chronicles the lives and choices of people questioning the heteronormative institution of marriage. These are stories for anyone who has ever loved or been loved. https://www.thisbenissen.com/

Mortality, With Friends is a collection of lyrical essays from Fleda Brown, a writer, and caretaker. Memoir in feel, the book muses on the loss of life, but also friendship, nature, art, the end of marriages, and more. Brown is a lifelong writer/educator--serving as professor emerita at the University of Delaware and she was poet laureate of Delaware from 2001 to 2007. She lives in Traverse City. https://www.fledabrown.com/

Vincent James Perrone is an award-winning writer, editor, musician, and visual artist. He is the author of the full-length book of poetry, Starving Romantic (11:11 Press, 2018), the microchap, Travelogue For The Dispossessed (Ghost City Press, 2021). Besides writing, Vincent composes and performs music (with the groups Lacan and Glynn Court), directs, scores, and edits film projects, and is a member of the collectively owned bookstore Book Suey in Hamtramck. https://vincentjamesperrone.com/publications/ 

Written by a woman who dealt with bullying and bully friendships during grade school, Bully Friends teaches everyone (even the bully!) about how dangerous bully friendships really are. This book covers everything from defining what a bully friend is to how to heal from a bully friend relationship. Along the way, Kay Kay shares personal stories of her heartbreaking experiences with bully friends and how she went on to find herself and form healthy relationships now and in the future.  https://www.kaykaysway.com/about-kaykaysway 

For years, Kristy hid her stripping history to fit into the mold of a respectable librarian, but as time went on she realized this wasn't something she should feel ashamed about. Telling these kinds of stories helps destigmatize sex work, which makes it safer for current sex workers. Librarianship is changing, especially as the profession begins to evaluate itself through a greater anti-oppression lens. Librarians can learn a lot about class struggle and privacy advocacy from sex workers.

https://www.kristycooper.com/books