October 1, 7 pm. Louisville’s own Rick Neumayer, author of Journeyman, is debuting his new novel Hotwalker in an online event via Carmichael’s Bookstore. Hotwalker introduces private investigator Jim Guthrie, who investigates the murder of a groom at Churchill Downs. Neumayer will be in conversation with bestselling novelist and local writing educator Sena Jeter Naslund. Free event.
October 5, 7 pm. Whenever we’re feeling overwhelmed or worn down—and which of us hasn’t felt that way lately?—the Kentucky Great Writers Series is there to bring beauty and insight to our lives with monthly readings from Kentucky’s literary luminaries. This month’s online event will feature readings from Angela Jackson-Brown (When Stars Rain Down), Wesley Browne (Hillbilly Hustle), and Robert Gipe (Pop). Free online event.
October 6, 7 pm. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, author Beth Gilstrap recently relocated to Louisville. She will appear at Carmichael’s Bookstore to discuss her short story collection Deadheading and Other Stories. In the Southern Gothic style but with a modern twist, Gilstrap relates tales of life in the Carolinas. Author Leesa Cross-Smith said of the collection, “These stories are little gardens—the words blooming, the rain too.” Free in-person event; masks required.
October 11, 7 pm. Lexington’s Bill Carman, a dedicated hunter and fisherman, has written extensively about life in the outdoors. Now he’s turned his hand to writing history with the fascinating Saving Noah: Love, Murder, and Kentucky Politics, the true story of the murder of his great-grandfather, Rockcastle County sheriff Noah Tipton, the controversial trial that followed, and the surprising appointment of Noah’s widow, Lillie Tipton, to serve as the next county sheriff. In-person event at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington.
October 16, 7 pm. She’s also a novelist, children’s book author, and memoirist, but all of George Ella Lyon’s work is informed by her skill as a poet. She’ll introduce her new poetry collection, Back to the Light, at Carmichael’s Bookstore. Back to the Light traces the life of one woman from girlhood to maturity and includes such poems as “Little Girl Who Knows Too Much” and “Some Big Loud Woman.” In-person event; masks required.