In Part II of our series on the Prison Book Program, whose volunteers meet in Quincy to pack and distribute books to incarcerated members of society, Katie Vhay interviews volunteer Lee Collins, to discuss her work with and rewards from being a part of the PBP.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and one Saturday a month, volunteers gather in Quincy to sort books to send to incarcerated members of society. Volunteer with the Prison Book Program and its social media editor Katie Vhay describes the work the volunteers with the PBP do, and shares responses from the recipients of the books - and how not just a book but the human connection involved in giving the book can change lives.

Metro Boston Bookstore Day - a local focus of the national Independent Bookstore Day - celebrates its second year on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Learn more about the day, what’s new for this year (think trolleys), and why bookstores are as important as ever, in our interview with the two organizers, Clarissa Murphy and Katie Eelman.

The Silver Unicorn Bookstore in Acton celebrates its one year anniversary on March 24. We talked with owner Paul Swydan to learn more about how the store came to fruition, its first year in business, and the array of events planned for the anniversary.

The Boston Immigrant Writer’s Salon is a new literary venture seeking to “create a community which empowers and inspires immigrant voices.” Learn more about the Salon, its upcoming event launch, its underlying values and intentionality, and more, in our conversation with founder and writer Frankie Concepcion.

On Wednesday, February 13, A Whirlwind Romance pop-up bookstore opened at Bow Market in Union Square, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Learn more about this local bookseller project, and about why there’s more to the Romance genre - and Romance readers - than you thought.

Have you ever seen Charlotte’s Web interpreted in the style of a horror movie? What about Ramona and Her Father in the style of a James Bond flick? That’s exactly what you’ll find at the 90-Second Newbery film festival, returning to the Boston Public Library on April 27, 2019. We connected with creator James Kennedy about this unique festival and the creative kids that have made it what it is.

What happens when a writer steps behind a microphone to do a reading for the very first? Are there nerves to contend with, distractions, fear - or can it be a fun, transcendent experience? With stylistic prose and self-revelation, Emerson MFA candidate Megan Fitzgerald tells the story of taking a chance and taking the stage at the Breakwater Reading Series.

The Writers’ Room of Boston, opened in 1988, is celebrating thirty years of being an “urban writers' retreat committed to providing a quiet, affordable, and secure workspace for emerging and established writers.” We got the chance to tour the space, and speak to one of the members about the experience and the community. Learn more about the writing sanctuary they offer in downtown Boston for those looking for a space to create.

Located in the North End, I AM Books has not only established itself as the only Italian-American bookstore in the country, it’s also created a cultural hub around it. This week, they’re launching the inaugural IDEA Boston festival. We talked with co-owner Nicola Orichuia about the bookstore’s origin and identity, and about the exciting new Italian-inspired festival of ideas.

Tell-All Boston, the area’s newest literary series, premiered on Thursday, October 18, with a large crowd and stellar line-up of writers. Read more about that evening, the origins of the series, and what co-hosts Mike Sinert and Alysia Abbott had to say about the importance of memoir.

Tucked into the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square is the Panopticon Gallery, one of the oldest fine art photography galleries in the country, and it’s in this accessible little space where the current exhibition, Bibliophile, is being shown. Bibliophile is described as “a studious exhibition for lovers of photography and the printed page,” curated by gallery director Kat Kiernan, who talked to us about the show’s creation and books as objects of art.

What does it mean to write a novel about the trivial, and can deep meaning be found therein? Jana Casale, a local native whose debut novel is set in Boston, talks to local writer Meaghan O’Brien about themes, process, and what it means to not read Noam Chomsky.

GrubStreet is partnering with Harvard Book Store and MassPoetry to bring a new Narrative Arts Center to the Seaport…if the bid goes through. Find out the backstory to this new, exciting literary prospect.

It’s no secret The Handmaid’s Tale is having a moment at this time in history. But did you know that Margaret Atwood rooted the novel firmly in Harvard Square and the surrounding area, including vivid descriptions of places you can visit today? Come with us on a walking tour of The Handmaid’s Tale.

April 22 is Earth Day - which also happens to be during Poetry Month! Local author Sarah Grace Tuttle collects a list of nature-inspired poetry picture books, as well as gives fun Earth Day activities to accompany the reading of each book - including scavenger hunts, bird watches, and more.

Erika Brannock was standing at the Boston Marathon finish line when a bomb detonated in front of her. Now, five years later, she just released a children's book entitled The Journey of NEM, about a dragonfly who loses her wing but finds that she's not so different after all.

A summary of Day Three at the Muse and the Marketplace conference, hosted by GrubStreet.

A summary of Day Two at the Muse and the Marketplace conference, hosted by GrubStreet.

A summary of my day at the Muse and the Marketplace conference, hosted by GrubStreet.