News Feed

Tell-All Boston Open for Submissions

Tell-All, Boston’s only live-on-stage literary reading series dedicated to the craft of memoir and personal essay, is seeking nonfiction essays that evoke a time, place, person, or experience that defines you. Selected writers will read their work alongside Theresa Okokon, author of the new memoir in essays, Who I Always Was, at an upcoming February event. Submit your work by January 26. Find out more here.

Apply to the Assoc. of the BPL Influencer Program

The Associates of the Boston Public Library are looking for literary-minded social media enthusiasts for their 2025 Literary Influencer Program. The program invites you to “Be one of just three influential voices chosen to shape Boston's literary conversation and enjoy exclusive benefits” like a ticket to Literary Lights and other private events. Applications are due January 10. Learn more here.

Submissions to City of Boston Poetry Anthology Due Dec. 15

The City of Boston is now accepting poems for an anthology entitled "In The Life and Time Of," a "collection of poems concerning modern life in Boston and New England, led by current Boston Poet Laureate, Porsha Olayiwola." Learn more and submit your poetry here.

Ploughshares Searches for New Editor-in-Chief

According to the Ploughshares Instagram account: “After 16 years as Editor-in-Chief of Ploughshares, Ladette Randolph is retiring. ... We wish Ladette well in her retirement, and are now looking for our next Editor-in-Chief!” Learn more about the position here. Best wishes, Ladette!

Mass Book Award Submissions Due Dec. 15

The Massachusetts Book Awards recognizes authors from Massachusetts in the areas of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s picture books/early readers, middle-grade/young adult literature, translated literature, and graphic novel/memoir. Submissions for the 2025 award (with a pub date of 2024) are due Sunday, December 15. Learn more and submit here.

MICE Returns Dec. 7–8

The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) returns to BU on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8. Free and open to the public, the expo “hundreds of independent comics artists and small press publishers alongside thousands of attendees eager to check out new comics, join in on hands-on workshops, and attend inclusive panel discussions.” Learn more here.

Newton Children’s Book Festival on Dec. 14

The inaugural Newton Children’s Book Festival will be held on Saturday, December 14 from 10am to 2pm at the New Art Center in Newton. A celebration of “the richness of diverse voices and stories,” the event will feature over 60 authors and illustrators. Read through the line-up and learn more here.

Lovestruck Books Opens in Harvard Square

Lovestruck Books, a bookstore dedicated solely to romance, opened on December 18 on Brattle Street. The store will be helmed by owner Rachel Kanter; head to their website for more, or follow on Instagram for videos of the (very big!) new bookstore and cafe. Look for an Opening Celebration with Chloe Gong on January 17.

90-Second Newbery Submissions Due March 24

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young filmmakers create movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in about 90 seconds. Submissions for the Boston area are due Friday, March 24, 2025, with the Boston Festival screening on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Learn more here.

PAST NEWS

2024 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Nov. 25

The annual Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards ceremony will take place Monday, November 25 at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. “First presented in 1967 … the Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the field of children’s and young adult literature.” This year’s winners are Sydney Smith, Jacqueline Woodson, Nicholas Day, Carole Boston Weatherford, Karida L. Brown, and Charly Palmer. Find more information here.

PSB Grand Opening Nov. 30

Porter Square Books will be celebrating the grand opening of its new location in Cambridge on Saturday, November 30 from 12pm to 7pm. Festivities will include book recommendations from local authors Emily Habeck, Margot Livesey, Stephen McCauley, Virginia Pye, Raúl the Third, and Katie Slivensky; a scavenger hunt; a raffle; and more. New cafe partner Page and Leaf will be open for business as well. More details here.

Black Creatives Children’s Book Fair on Nov. 23

The Roxbury branch of the BPL will host the Black Creatives Children’s Book Fair on Saturday, November 23. The book fair “offers families the special opportunity to discover new books, meet Black authors, and celebrate storytelling that amplifies Black experiences and communities.” The schedule features storytimes, ‘zine making, author panels, and more. Learn more here.

justBook-ish Opening Nov. 23 in Fields Corner

On Saturday, November 23, justBook-ish will host their Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting at their location at 1463 Dorchester Ave. in Fields Corner. Founded by Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola and Bing Broderick, justBook-ish will be a bookstore and gathering space for creative communities that is “culturally curated, radically influenced, and locally inspired.” Read more about them at Boston.com.

Young Adult Author Symposium (YAAS) on Nov. 16

Concord-Carlisle High School will be hosting a Young Adult Author Symposium (YAAS) on Saturday, November 16. The line-up includes Rebecca Caprara, Federico Erebia, Sara Farizan, Desmond Hall, Kendall Kulper, Rajani LaRocca, Vanessa Lillie, Rebecca Mahoney, Marcella Pixley, Lisa Stringfellow, Susan Tan, and Jonathan Todd. Learn more here.

Boston Int’l Antiquarian Book Fair Returns Nov. 8–10

The 46th Annual Boston Book Fair returns to Hynes Convention Center Friday, November 8 through Sunday, November 10. The event “features fine and rare materials from around the globe, including manuscripts, modern first editions, children’s books, ephemera, maps and autographs, as well as antiquarian books on a vast array of topics.” Free and open to the public with a ticketed Friday evening preview. Learn more here.

Porter Square Books Moving Location in October

Porter Square Books will be moving out of its Cambridge location this October — but they will simply be moving 1,000 feet down the street into Lesley's University Hall. The new location will be 40% larger than the current one, and a new cafe, Page & Leaf, will be opening inside. They anticipate being in their new location by Oct. 10 or 11. Learn more here.

Boston Book Festival Returns Oct. 26

The 16th annual Boston Book Festival returns to Copley Square on Saturday, October 26, with a kick-off event the evening before featuring Malcolm Gladwell. Featured keynote authors are Louise Erdrich, Jeffrey Deaver, Isabella Maldonado, Sebastian Smee, Aiden Thomas, and Francis Collins. More information, schedule, and line-up can be found here.

Concord Festival of Authors Returns Oct. 17–30

The Concord Festival of Authors, a town-wide celebration of the written and spoken word, kicks off on Thursday, October 17, with keynote speaker Rajani LaRocca, and events will run through October 30. More information and the schedule can be found here.

MAAH Stone Book Award Winner Announced

The winner of the 2024 MAAH Stone Book Award is Victor Luckerson, author of Built From the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall Street. The awards ceremony honoring the winner and finalists will be on Thursday, October 10. Find out more information here.

826 Boston’s Night of 1,000 Stories Returns Oct. 9

826 Boston, a nonprofit youth writing and publishing organization, will host their annual Night of 1,000 Stories on Wednesday, October 9. The event “celebrates the many incredible stories of 826 Boston student authors and aims to raise critical funds for 826 Boston’s youth writing and tutoring programs.” The event will feature Nia Grace and Desmond Hall. More information and tickets here.

Mass Local Cultural Council Program Grants Due Oct. 16

The Mass Cultural Council is now accepting applications for their Local Cultural Council Program. These grants offer funding for public projects put on by entities like libraries and festivals. Find out more information here.

Applications for Boston Poet Laureate Extended to October 11

Boston is looking for its new poet laureate, a role that "serves as an ambassador for Boston’s literary and creative communities, working in tandem with these communities to elevate the role of poetry in the everyday lives of Bostonians and inspire critical reflection through written and spoken word." Learn more and apply here.

Mass Book Awards Winner Announced

On September 4, 2024, the Massachusetts Center for the Book announced the winners of the Mass Book Awards. In case you don't know, the Massachusetts Book Awards recognize significant works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, graphic novel/memoir, and children’s/young adult literature written, illustrated, or translated by current Commonwealth residents. Learn more about the winners and the award here.

ICYMI

Side Quest Books & Games opened in Bow Market last weekend, and here's a video I made of my trip. Also, I was invited to a pre-opening open house for Parkside Bookshop, now open in the South End — here's a video I made of that trip, too. I say this all the time, but the local bookselling community is stellar!

Assoc. of the BPL Announces New Writer-in-Residence

The Associates of the Boston Public Library just announced their 22nd writer-in-residence: Yssis Cano-Santiago, whose novel in progress The Hypochondriac's Guide to Love “tells the story of two Latinx teens coming of age in 1990s Miami, Florida, while contending with mental health struggles, chronic illness, racism, gentrification, and loss.” Learn more at the announcement, and make plans to attend the welcome reception on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

Downtown Poetry Festival Returns Sept. 27

The 4th annual Downtown Poetry Festival Returns on Friday, September 27 for a full day of programming around Boston — including a bike tour, poetry talks, and a typewriter battle — with Edgar Allan Poe as their theme. Find out more information and get involved here.

Boston Athenaeum Annual Open House September 21

The Athenaeum will host their annual Community Day open house on Saturday, September 21, from 10am to 3pm. A membership library, they'll be opening the doors for you to explore all five floors filled with books, artwork, special collections, great views of Boston, and more. Learn more and register here. 

GrubStreet’s Annual Lit Up Returns Sept. 19

GrubStreet’s annual community celebration and fundraiser, Lit Up, returns on Thursday, September 19, and will be hosted at their Center for Creative Writing in the Seaport. The event will feature local writers and artists Jonathan Todd, Parker-Vincent Alva, Patty Bourrée, Lorena Leonard, SambaViva, and Victor Yang. More information and tickets here.

2nd Annual Spooktastic Book Fair in Framingham on September 7

The Framingham Public Library will host the 2nd annual Spooktastic Book Fair on Saturday, September 7 from 11am to 5pm. The all-ages event will feature “be hosting 40+ authors ranging from creepy kidlit to adult horror, four publishers, several vendors of interesting and mysterious items, and a brewery,” and will include book sales by Copper Dog Books. Learn more here.

Porter Square Books Writer in Residence Applications Due August 31

Started in 2019, the PSB Writer in Residence program seeks “to make the resources needed to write books more available to the writers and aspiring writers in our community.” The writer in residence receives access to PSB’s Cambridge store to work, as well as a staff discount, writing for the blog, being an “in conversation with” during events, and more. Applications are due Saturday, August 31, and more information can be found here.

Parkside Book Shop to Open in the South End

There’s a new bookstore coming to Boston’s South End: Parkside Book Shop, which plans to open on Shawmut Avenue this Fall. The store will be managed by long-time local bookseller Clarissa Murphy (who I interviewed once-upon-a-time). Head to their website to sign up for their newsletter and read more in this interview with Shelf Awareness.

Calmer Con Returns August 24

Hosted by the Boston Comic Arts Foundation, Calmer Con is a sensory-friendly comics and pop culture convention designed to accommodate the needs of autistic attendees and those with sensory processing and anxiety concerns. The event on Saturday, August 24 will feature artists, vendors, cosplayers, a superhero academy, an art area, and more. The featured headliners are Violet Chan Karim, author of the graphic novel Summer Vamp, and Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie, authors of the graphic novel Just Roll With It. Learn more and register here.

4th Annual Ifeanyi Menkiti Memorial Reading August 24

Grolier Poetry Book Shop will be hosting the 4th Annual Ifeanyi Menkiti Memorial Reading on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Ifeanyi Menkiti was a Nigerian poet who purchased the Grolier Poetry Book Shop in 2006 to keep it from shuttering, managing it until his death in 2019. Since then, the Annual Ifeanyi Menkiti Memorial Reading honors his legacy. Register for the event here.

Salem Lit Fest Returns September 4 – 8

The Salem Literary Festival runs from Wednesday, September 4, 2024 through Sunday, September 8. While speakers haven’t yet been announced, their One Book, One Salem will feature Pulitzer Prize winner Ilyon Woo. Learn more about the Festival here.

Bookstore Romance Day Returns August 17

Bookstore Romance Day on Saturday, August 17, 2024 is “a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community.” Learn more about the Day here, and look for activities and events at your favorite local independent bookstores. And be sure to check out Read My Lips Boston, a pop-up inclusive romance bookshop, at Idles Hands brewery that day, too!

Side Quest Books & Games Opening Fall 2024

You may have seen Side Quest Books & Games, a woman-owned, fantasy-inspired shop popping up around the area, including their stint at Bow Market in the Spring. They’re headed back to Bow Market permanently this Fall. While the grand opening date has yet to be announced, you can help fund their opening and learn more here.

Readercon Returns July 11 – 14

The annual sci-fi convention Readercon returns to Quincy, MA from Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, July 14. Readercon features panel discussions, author readings, workshops, signings, and more, as well as the presentation of the Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award and the Shirley Jackson Awards. This year’s guests of honor will be Rebecca Roanhorse and Amal El-Mohtar. More information and registration can be found here.

Solstice’s Annual Literary Contest Submissions Due June 1

Solstice Literary Magazine is seeking submissions for its Annual Literary Contest, due Saturday, June 1. Judges for the contest will be Marjan Kamali (fiction), Andrea Cohen (poetry), Rajiv Mohabir (nonfiction), and Leela Corman (graphic lit). Learn more about the contest and submit here.

Boston Kids Comics Festival June 8

The Boston Kids Comics Fest, taking place at Northeastern University on Saturday, June 8, is “a one day festival that gives kids the opportunity to take comic book inspired workshops from highly talented children's book authors and illustrators in the industry.” Featured guests include Nick Bruel, Kazu Kibuishi, Liniers, Colleen AF Venable, and Maris Wicks. More information can be found here.

Lit Crawl Returns June 6

On Thursday, June 6, Lit Crawl returns, this time to Union Square (the last Lit Crawl was in 2022 in Central Square). The evening will invite “intrepid readers and curiosity seekers [to] choose from a variety of unique events, including games, fusion performances, provocations, and other delightful oddities.” More details and the full schedule can be found here.

Second Annual Greater Roxbury Book Fair May 18

The Second Annual Greater Roxbury Book Fair will take place at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library on Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 12pm to 5pm. The event will feature keynote speakers Ibram X. Kendi and Jacqueline Woodson, as well as local authors, writing workshops, and more. Learn more here.

Write Here | Write Now | Speak Loud! Teen Spoken Word Festival May 3 – 5

Write Here | Write Now | Speak Loud! Teen Spoken Word Festival will be held Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5, 2024, at the GrubStreet Center for Creative Writing and the Institute of Contemporary Art. Hosted by Mass Poetry, the event will feature “team and individual poetry slams, youth-centered workshops, open mics, special events, and more.” Learn more about the event and register here.

Associates of the BPL Writer-in-Residence Applications Due May 17

The Writer-in-Residence program at the BPL “provides an emerging children’s writer with the financial support, editorial assistance, and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.” Applications are due Friday, May 17, 2024, for this coming year’s residence. Learn more and submit here.

Raising a Reader’s Annual Dinner with an Author May 16

The 2024 Dinner with an Author Gala will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at Raffles Boston. The annual dinner supports Raising a Reader MA and their mission to close the literacy opportunity gap among children from birth to age six in under-resourced communities. The featured speaker will be Kevin M. Simon, MD, MPH and will feature two dozen local authors. More information, registration, and sponsorship opportunities here.

Call for submissions for Tell-All Boston due May 9

Tell-All Boston, Boston’s only live-on-stage literary reading series dedicated to the art and craft of memoir, is open to submissions for their next event on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at Porter Square Books. Learn more and submit your work here by May 9.

The Muse and the Marketplace returns May 10-12

GrubStreet’s The Muse and the Marketplace conference returns in-person to the Park Plaza Hotel May 10-12, 2024. The conference “educates aspiring and emerging writers on the craft of fiction and nonfiction, prepares them for the ever-changing world of publishing and promotion, and creates opportunities for meaningful networking.” Learn more and register here.

The Newburyport Literary Festival returns April 26-28

The 19th annual Newburyport Literary Festival will be held both in-person and virtually on April 27 and 28, 2024, with a kick-off on Friday, April 26 that will honor local historians Bethany Groff Dorau, Dyke Hendrickson, and Ghlee E. Woodworth. Learn more and view the full schedule here.

All She Wrote Books celebrates 5th anniversary April 19-21

All She Wrote Books invites you to celebrate their 5th anniversary, with a party on Friday, April 19, in-store discounts, and a drag brunch on Sunday. Register for the party here and follow on Instagram for more updates. (And read our interview with founder Christina here!)

North of Boston Book Trail launched for Indie Bookstore Day on April 27

The North of Boston Book Trail is 16 independently owned bookstores “working together to bring more book lovers – both locals and tourists – into all of their shops.” Join their Passport Challenge for a chance to win prizes on Saturday, April 27 (Independent Bookstore Day) and Sunday, April 28. Learn more here and follow them on Instagram.

MAAH Stone Book Award submissions due April 15

Recognizing exceptional new literary work in the field of African American history and culture, the MAAH Stone Book Awards are open for submissions until Monday, April 15, 2024. Learn more about the award and submit your book here.

826 Boston’s Half Half Half Half Half Marathon returns April 11

“Boston's greatest shortest race,” the Half Half Half Half Half Marathon returns to Jamaica Pond on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Hosted by 826 Boston, the .826-mile race raises funds for programming that “empowers youth writers to find their voices and tell their stories.” Learn more and register here.

Boston in 100 Words extends submission deadline to March 29

Boston in 100 Words, an annual flash fiction writing contest in the greater Boston metropolitan area, has extended its deadline for submissions to Friday, March 29, 2024. Submit your flash here!

Deadline for Mayor’s Poetry Program Submissions March 22

The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture is inviting poets who live and/or work in Boston to send in work that embraces the city's creativity, innovation, and vibrant cultural landscape. This year’s theme, selected by Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola, will be resistance. Learn more and submit by Friday, March 22, 2024 here.

Writers’ Room of Boston Fellowship Applications Due April 1

The Writers' Room of Boston is now accepting fellowship applications until Monday, April 1, 2024. A Fellowship provides the applicant with no-cost access to their workspace along with full membership in the Room for a year and reduced-cost membership for the following year. Learn more and submit here.

90-Second Newbery Film Festival Returns April 6

The 13th annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival returns to Boston on Saturday, April 6, 2024, to the BPL Copley, and will be hosted by founder James Kennedy and local author Rebecca Mahoney. The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young filmmakers create movies that tell the entire story of Newbery-winning books in about 90 seconds. Learn more here, register for the April 6 event here, and read our interview with James here.

Literary Lights Returns April 21

The 34th annual Literary Lights dinner, hosted by the Associates of the Boston Public Library, returns Sunday, April 21, 2024. This event honors outstanding writers from the Northeast and celebrates their contributions to literature while raising vital funds to support the preservation of the BPL's Special Collections. This year’s honorees are Stacy Schiff, Alison Bechdel, William Landay, Dan Shaughnessy, and Kevin Young. Learn more and get tickets here.

Narrative Bookshop Coming to Davis Square

Narrative Bookshop will soon be opening in Davis Square, located at 387 Highland Ave. “The store will include fiction and nonfiction and used books with an emphasis on works that uplift minority and marginalized voices,” founder Mila Hossain told Cambridge Day in a recent article. Follow Narrative’s journey on Instagram.

justBook-ish coming soon to Fields Corner

Founded by Bing Broderick and Porsha Olayiwola in 2021, justBook-ish will be a literary gathering space for creative communities in Fields Corner. Help them launch by contributing to The Stock-Up and read more about them at Boston.com.

Kids Graphic Novel Festival April 20

The Silver Unicorn Bookstore will be hosting their second annual Kids Graphic Novel Festival on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Learn more and register here.

Boston Comics in Color Festival April 20

New England's only Comic Arts Festival focused on stories by and about people of color will take place in Roxbury on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Learn more here.

Independent Bookstore Day April 27

Support your local bookstores on the last Saturday in April. Learn more and how to participate here; follow your favorite bookstores for individual events and excitement.

HBS Cancels Pru Project

Harvard Book Store, which was slated to open a new location in the old Barnes & Noble spot in the Prudential Center, announced it is no longer going forward with the bookstore. Read the full letter here.

Boston in 100 Words submissions due March 15

Boston in 100 Words, an annual flash fiction writing contest in the greater Boston metropolitan area, is now accepting submissions until March 15, 2024. Submit your flash here!

10.25.21 | Porter Square Books Opens Seaport Store
The new Porter Square Books: Boston Edition is now open at 50 Liberty Drive in the Seaport. Tucked into GrubStreet’s new narrative arts center, it features all your favorite books, a seating area, a stage for readings, and views of the water. Coffee shop coming soon. Find more information here.

10.25.21 | Books for Breakfast November 18, 2021
The biannual fundraiser for 826 Boston returns on November 18 at 8:00am. Books for Breakfast will feature Phoebe Robinson and Jen Psaki, and will take place virtually. More information and tickets can be found here.

9.26.21 | Tell-All Boston Returns October 7
Tell-All Boston, the GrubStreet Memoir and Essay Incubator Alumni’s quarterly reading series, is back (virtually) on Thursday, October 7. The event will feature Jennifer De Leon, along with Judy Bolton-Fasman, Margarita Gokun Silver, Kristen Paulson-Nguyen, and Tori Weston. More information can be found here.

9.20.21 | Pangyrus Nonfiction Contest Submissions
Local literary magazine Pangyrus is seeking nonfiction submissions for their nonfiction contest, with a theme of “NEXT: Visions Towards a Less Divided America.” The contest will be judged by Jabari Asim, author and Emerson MFA director, and submissions are due October 30. Find more information here.

9.19.21 | Evening of Inspired Leaders November 18, 2021
Mass Poetry has announced its annual Evening of Inspired Leaders will take place on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 7pm, both online and at GrubStreet’s new location in the Seaport — also the new home of Mass Poetry. Find more information here.

9.17.21 | Boston Book Festival Announces Headliners for BBF2021
The Boston Book Festival announced their headliners list for their thirteenth annual Festival, being held virtually October 16-23. Headliners are Mateo Askaripour, Nicholas A. Christakis, Alyssa Cole, Laurie David, Anita Diamant, Annette Gordon-Reed, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Ekua Holmes, George M. Johnson, Kekla Magoon, Tiya Miles, Tamara Payne, Nate Powell, Lucinda Roy, Clint Smith, Tracy K. Smith, and Tricia Elam Walker. More information can be found here.

New England Poetry Club Hosts Fall Poetry Fest September 12, 2021
The New England Poetry Club will host its inaugural NEPC Fall Poetry Fest on September 12 from 1-4pm. The event will feature Regie Gibson, Toni Bee, and María Luisa Arroyo, as well as a full line-up of poets. More information and registration can be found here.

Tell-All Boston Call for Submissions for October 7 Event
Tell-All Boston will be hosting its next event of live memoir readings on October 7, featuring Jennifer De Leon. Submissions are now open for readers wanting to share their memoir or personal essays, due Friday, September 10. Find more information and guidelines here.

“Place-Making Through Short Fiction” on September 11, 2021
Boston in 100 Words is teaming up with the Boston Book Festival and the Boston Public Library to host “Place-Making Through Short Fiction: A Conversation with Authors Chandreyee Lahiri and Grace Talusan,” moderated by Boston in 100 Words director Jane De León Griffin. The event will be held online and in person. More details and registration can be found here.

Assoc. of the BPL Announce New Writer- and Illustrator-in-Residence
The Associates of the Boston Public Library have announced the recipients of their 2021-2022 Writer-in-Residence program, which “provide[s] an emerging children’s writer with the financial support, editorial assistance, and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.” This year’s recipients are Ying-Ju Lai (Writer-in-Residence) and Katy Doughty (Writer/Illustrator-in-Residence). More information can be found here.

MIT Press Bookstore Opens at New Location September 13, 2021
The MIT Press Bookstore, which has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic, will be reopening on Monday, September 13 in their new location in Kendall Square at 314 Main St. They posted a sneak peak of the space on their Instagram, and will be carrying more general interest titles in addition to MIT Press books, and will have a new dedicated kids section.

MICE Becomes Mini-MICE at Starlight Square Aug. 28-29
The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) will be hosting its annual festival outdoors at Starlight Square in Cambridge. Mini-MICE will host over 64 comic creators, and it will “focus on creator–attendee interaction and commerce” rather than live programming. More information can be found here.

Salem Lit Festival Returns Sept. 9-11
The Salem Lit Festival will host its festival virtually this year (except for a kids event at the Peabody Essex Museum), starting with keynotes Paul Tremblay and Check Wendig on Thursday, September 9. Find the full line-up of authors and sessions, and register for access at their website.

Boston Book Festival Returns Oct. 16-23
The Boston Book Festival will be held as a full week event this year, starting in person in Copley Square on Saturday, October 16, and ending in person in Nubian Square on Saturday, October 23, with a week of miscellaneous events in between. Visit the BBF website for information, and keep updated by signing up for their newsletter at the bottom of the site.

The Poetry of Science Posts Gallery of Collaboration Poems
The Poetry of Science, a Cambridge-based arts initiative pairing poets of color with scientists of color to create science-inspired poems, has released a gallery of poetry from the initial collaborations. Read the poems, and find out more about the scientists and poets here.

GrubStreet Announces Lit Up Fundraiser to be Held September 29, 2021
GrubStreet’s annual fundraiser Lit Up will take place virtually on September 29, 2021. The event will feature readings and information on the new Seaport location, as well as an appearance from Roxane Gay to receive the 2021 Grubby Award. Learn more and get tickets here.

90-Second Newbery Screening March 12, 2022
The 11th Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, which showcases kid filmmakers and their interpretations of Newbery Award-winning books, will return to the Boston Public Library on March 12, 2022, hosted by founder James Kennedy and another local author to be announced. The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 14, 2022. Find more information here.

BIPOC Writer Fellowship Applications Due October 15
The Foundation Trust at Follow Your Art Community Studios (FYACS) in Melrose is accepting applications for BIPOC writers from the Greater Boston area who are working on longer projects. The one-year fellowship provides funding, space, teaching opportunities, and more. Find out more information here.

Boston Book Festival Announces One City One Story Winner
The Boston Book Festival has chosen Waltham author Chandreyee Lahiri’s story “Dumba Chora” for the 2021 One City One Story. The initiative highlights a local author as the focus of a community read, leading up to the yearly BBF, where the community is able to discuss the work and hear from the author. Look for printed copies to appear around town beginning after Labor Day. Learn more about One City One Story here.

Boston Poetry Marathon Returns in August
The Boston Poetry Marathon, which began in 1998, will return for its twenty-third year on August 5-7, 2021. This year’s event, which will feature over one hundred poets reading their work, will remain online, and fundraising efforts will go towards the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (ULEM), SistaFire RI, and the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC). Find out more information here.

I AM Books Announces New Location
Last week I AM Books, who closed its shop on North Street last year, announced it will be reopening at 124 Salem Street sometime in the Fall, a space that triples the size of its previous footprint. “When I set out to look for a new space for I AM Books, I never even considered looking outside the North End. It is our neighborhood, and there is no other place in the world where I AM Books can and should belong,” wrote owner Nicola Orichuia in a blog post about the opening.

Mass Book Awards Announces Longlist/Must Read Books
The Massachusetts Center for the Book announced the longlist, or the “Must Read Books” list for their annual Mass Book Awards. The list includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, YA/middle grade, and picture/young readers books published in 2020 from Massachusetts writers. Look for winners to be announced in the Fall. Last year’s winners were On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong, The Body Papers: A Memoir by Grace Talusan, Battle Dress: Poems by Karen Skolfield, ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market by Raúl the Third, and Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

Revolutionary Spaces Premieres Imagining the Age of Phillis
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) was an enslaved African brought to Boston, who became the first published African American poet — and who is the subject of the book The Age of Phillis by poet Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. Revolutionary Spaces, who oversees the Old South Meeting House and the Old State House, commissioned a series of short films to be made about Jeffers’ poems about Wheatley called Imagining the Age of Phillis. You can watch them here.

I AM Books Reveals New Logo Ahead of Its Reopening
I AM Books, an independent bookstore focused on Italian-American culture and literature, closed its physical location in the North End in 2020, after opening in 2015, transitioning all business online. Founder Nicola Orichuia recently announced on the I AM Books blog that they will be in a physical location again (though that spot hasn’t yet been released), and I AM Books just unveiled a new Dante-themed logo, which represents the “three guiding principles of I AM Books: passion, resilience, and italianità (our unique Italian touch).” Look for a new brick-and-mortar I AM Books by the end of the year.

Little Free Library Read in Color Initiative in Boston
Ten new Little Free Libraries — book-sharing boxes where people can take a book or leave a book — will be popping up around Boston as part of Little Free Library’s Read in Color initiative, in partnership with Candlewick Press and 826 Boston. The libraries will be stocked “with diverse books that provide perspectives on racism and social justice; amplify BIPOC, LGBTQ, and other important voices; and incorporate experiences from all identities for all readers.” Find out more information and view a map of locations here.

Mayor’s Office of Recovery Services Call for Poetry
The Mayor's Office of Recovery Services is seeking poems for a public art installation of “revealed poetry” — poetry painted on sidewalks that are revealed when it rains. Poems should be from someone personally affected by addiction, from the Boston area or Massachusetts, and that will inspire hope and resilience. Find more information here. Poems due June 30.

MetroWest Readers Fest Announces Community Read
The inaugural MetroWest Readers Fest community-wide read initiative, entitled ONE, will be launching by reading White Space: Essays on Culture, Race, and Writing by Jennifer De Leon. Look for community events including book give-aways, an evening with the author, book clubs, resources, and more. Find out more information here.

“Dinner with an Author” Returns June 21, 2021
Raising a Reader MA, which “clos[es] the literacy opportunity gap by helping families develop high impact home reading routines,” will host its 15th annual “Dinner with an Author” fundraiser virtually on June 21. Featured speakers include Act Atkins, Alison Wright, and many more. More information and registration can be found here.

Associates of the BPL Writer-in-Residence Applications Now Open
Applications are now being accepted for the 2021-2022 Writer-in-Residence program, which “provide[s] an emerging children’s writer with the financial support and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.” This coming year, they will be offering two residencies: One for a Writer-in-Residence and one for a Writer/Illustrator-in-Residence. Past recipients have included Jennifer De Leon, Annie Hartnett, and Lisa Rosinsky. Find more information and the application here.

Boston Book Festival Shelf Help Grants Due May 31, 2021
School libraries looking to fill their shelves with “contemporary, high-quality, and locally relevant books” can apply for the Shelf Help School Partnership Grant, which selects two school libraries to receive a selection of books, and an author visit. Find more information here; applications are due May 31.

Boston in 100 Words Opens Submissions
Submissions for Boston in 100 Words’ second year are now open. Boston in 100 Words is a content held for local writers to tell a story about Boston in 100 words or fewer. Winners are then paired with original artwork and posted up around town (keep an eye out in the T stations for them). Submissions are due July 14, and winners will be announced in October. Find out more information, and read last year’s winners, here.

Roxbury Poetry Festival June 5
The Roxbury Poetry Festival will be held virtually on June 5, 2021, all day, and will feature workshops, readings, craft talks, and more, culminating in an end-of-day poetry slam. Headliners include Jericho Brown, Rachel Mckibbens, and Safia Elhillo. Find out more information, see the schedule, and register here.

BPL Eliminates Late Fees
Pending the Board of Trustees’ approval, the Boston Public Library will eliminate all late fees, starting July 1, 2021. Of the move, Mayor Janey said, “We look forward to eliminating library late fines and the equity imbalance they can create. The Boston Public Library provides important resources, programs, and services to our communities. By removing this barrier to access, we are ensuring that these resources are actually accessible to everyone.” Learn more here.

Books for Breakfast May 20
826 Boston will be hosting its annual Books for Breakfast “jam-packed” fundraiser on Thursday, May 20 at 8:00am. The event will feature journalist Yamiche Alcindor. Tickets are available now to the virtual event here.

Massachusetts Poetry Festival May 13-16
The annual Mass Poetry Festival will take place on Thursday, May 13 through Sunday, May 16 in a virtual-hybrid format online and in Salem. Headliners for the Festival will be Martín Espada, Lang Leav, Dara Weir, and Victoria Chang, and you can learn more about the Festival and sign up for updates at their website.

BBF Announces the Return of Lit Crawl on June 10
The Boston Book Festival announced that it will be holding its annual Lit Crawl this year (after being canceled last year) on Thursday, June 10. The event will feature a variety of literary events held outdoors in and around Central Square in Cambridge. Details forthcoming on schedule, presenters, and more, but head to the Lit Crawl page for details.

2021 Virtual Summer Poetry Festival Announced
The New England Poetry Club in conjunction with the Friends of Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters, and the Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site have announced their 2021 Virtual Summer Poetry Festival, featuring Porsha Olayiwola, Alondra Bobadilla, Donika Kelly, Tyehimba Jess, Danielle Legros Georges, Jean Dany Joachim, and Rhina P. Espaillat. Find dates and registration here.

Mass Cultural Council Releases Report on the Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the Arts
The Mass Cultural Council recently released a report detailing the impacts of the pandemic on arts organizations and working creatives. As expected, the numbers are terrible: Arts organizations report $588,334,079 in lost revenue from last year, with with Massachusetts’ creative community reporting a loss of $30,403,616 in income. This report is just a reminder about how it’s more important than ever to give to arts organizations, support local artists as best as you can, and patronize the arts as soon as we can safely do so again. Read the full report here.

Submissions for Massachusetts Book Bites Due March 26
The Boston Book Festival and the Massachusetts Center for the Book are teaming up again to bring Book Bites on May 22, featuring area authors and their books in short videos. Submissions are due Friday, March 26. You can find out more here.

Writers’ Room of Boston Launches New Reading Series, Beginning March 31
The Writer's Room of Boston recently announced “Readings from the Room,” a reading series “that features the literary talent of the Writers’ Room of Boston, the City’s only dedicated, quiet co-working space for writers.” The first event will take place on Wednesday, March 31 and will feature Alex Marzano-Lesnevich and Lisa Braxton. Find out more information here.

Mayor's Poetry Program Submissions Due April 1
The Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture is looking for poems from Boston poets to feature on the walls of City Hall. Send in one to three poems on any theme by April 1, 2021. Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola will judge. Find out more information here.

Call for Cambridge Poets for Art Installation
The Poetry of Science is looking for Cambridge-based poets for a new installation that seeks to increase BIPOC representation in poetry, photography, and the sciences. According to the site, “selected poets and local scientists will be paired together and collaborate to create poetry based on the work, motivations, and history of the scientists.” Find out more here.

MAAH Stone Book Award Submissions Due April 15
The Museum of African American History is seeking submissions to its yearly Stone Book Award, which is “an annual prize that encourages scholarship and writing within the field of African American history and culture.” Find out more information here.

Boston Submissions to the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival are Now Showing
Each year, the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival comes to the BPL to show screenings from local kid filmmakers. Despite the in-person event being canceled this year, the show goes on online, and the Boston films have just been posted. You can watch the film festival here.

Writers’ Room of Boston Fellowships Now Open to Applications
The Writers’ Room of Boston, Boston’s only dedicate co-working space for writers, is now open to applications for their 2021 Fellowship program. From the WROB: “Awards are based upon the quality of the submitted writing sample. Fellowships are available to writers at any stage in their career, published or unpublished, grad student, developing writer, or professional…across a range of genres, emphasizing diversity of technique and approach.” Perks include full use of the Room. Applications are due April 1, 2021. Find out more and apply here.

2nd Annual National Antiracist Book Festival April 24
The Boston University Center for Antiracist Research will be hosting its annual Antiracist Book Festival on Saturday, April 24. They have an amazing line-up of authors who will not only be speaking but will be hosting writing workshops as well. Find out more and register here.

“42 Books to Help You Get Through the Rest of Quarantine, Chosen by Boston Booksellers”
Boston Magazine just posted a list of book recommendations, as suggested by Boston-area booksellers, from Harvard Book Store, Trident Booksellers, Brookline Booksmith, and All She Wrote Books. Have a look and pick up some new reads from your local indie bookstore.

The Muse & the Marketplace April 21-25
GrubStreet’s annual writing conference, The Muse & the Marketplace, will take place as a “virtual writing residency” this year from Wednesday, April 21 through Sunday, April 25, with the Manuscript Mart and Premium Workshops happening the following week. Registration is still open at their website.

Massachusetts Poetry Festival May 13-16
The annual Mass Poetry Festival will take place on Thursday, May 13 through Sunday, May 16 in a virtual-hybrid format online and in Salem. Headliners for the Festival will be Martín Espada, Lang Leav, Dara Weir, and Victoria Chang, and you can learn more about the Festival and sign up for updates at their website.

Newburyport Literary Festival April 23-25
The Newburyport Literary Festival will be hosting its annual weekend virtually this year, from Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25. While the schedule isn’t out yet, the vast line-up of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry authors is, so visit their website to find out more and keep up-to-date.

Boston Book Festival Announces Spring Reading Series
The Boston Book Festival announced a Spring reading series, featuring Jim Sciutto, author of The Madman Theory; Scott Frank, the co-creator, executive producer, and director of The Queen’s Gambit; a session on Bibliotherapy with Ella Berthoud (last year’s event was fun!); and Adrian Miller, author of Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. Events include tiered tickets which support the BBF. Find out more here.

One City One Story Applications Now Open
The Boston Book Festival’s yearly initiative One City One Story is now seeking submissions for their 2021 event. The program seeks to feature a local writer as part of a city-wide communal read, culminating in talk with the author and group discussion at the Boston Book Festival. Guidelines and submission information can be found here. Stories are due February 28.

90-Second Newbery Film Fest Deadline Extended to Feb. 1
The 90-Second Newbery Film Fest features short films by kid filmmakers reinterpreting Newbery Award-winning books, and typically makes a stop in Boston each year. Deadlines for film submissions have been extended to February 1, and while there won’t be an in-person event the BPL this year, look for virtual screenings. You can find out more about creating and submitting films here, as well as a vast collection of the films. You can also learn more by reading our interview with founder James Kennedy.

Transnational Literature Series Welcomes New Director
Brookline Booksmith recently announced that Pierce Alquist will be taking the helm of the Transnational Literature Series, which hosts readings and events that “focus on stories of migration, the intersection of politics and literature, and works in translation.” Brookline Booksmith writes “An avid reader and reviewer of translated literature, Pierce is a two-time judge for the Best Translated Book Award, and has been a supporter of the series since its inception.” Shuchi Saraswat, who founded the Series and has been running it for the past three years, will be stepping down. Read Saraswat’s outgoing letter here.

Writers’ Room of Boston Seeking New Program Director, Board Members
The Writers’ Room of Boston, a quiet co-working space located in downtown, is looking for a new Program Director, as well as new people to join their board. Past and current members of the Room, as well as those from the greater Boston literary community, are encouraged to apply. You can find out more information here.

Waltham Bookmobile Brings Books to Food Pantries, Grocery Stores, and Parks
The Waltham Channel recently wrote about Chris Young, an educator at The Fessenden School in Nonantum, who started the initiative Books & Bread “to reduce the opportunity gap and increase access to literary materials during the pandemic by bringing books directly to food pantries, grocery stores, and parks in the communities that need those materials the most.” Read the full article here, and visit the Books & Bread Facebook page to find out where they are this week.

Muse and the Marketplace Preliminary Schedule and Registration
GrubStreet’s annual conference, the Muse and the Marketplace, will be going virtual for 2021, as a “A Virtual Enhanced Writing Residency.” It’ll be held April 21-25, 2021, and the preliminary schedule is now available. Registration is also now open!

Emily Dickinson Birthday Party Dec. 10
Houghton Library — home to the Emily Dickinson Collection, the largest collection of the poet’s autograph poems and letters in the world — will be hosting (virtually) a birthday party on December 10. The annual party typically features a 20 lb. black cake, a recipe of Dickinson’s, but this year they’re encouraging everyone to bake their own. Find out more information here.

Phillis Wheatley Peters Workshops Dec. 8 and 15
Revolutionary Spaces — you know them as the Old State House and the Old South Meeting House — will be hosting a two-part workshop series entitled “Bringing the Legacy of Phillis Wheatley Peters to Life.” Phillis Wheatley Peters is America’s first published Black woman poet, and the workshops will focus around her work. Find more info and sign up here.

Mass Book Award Call for Submissions
Submissions to the annual Mass Book Awards are open, which “recognize significant works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s/young adult literature published by Commonwealth residents or about Massachusetts subjects.” Learn more about the submissions guidelines, and fill out an entry form here. Submissions are due December 31.

Brookline Booksmith Expansion Nearly Complete
The Boston Globe gave an update last week on Brookline Booksmith’s expansion into the 4,000 sq. ft. space next door, which will include a restaurant. Read about the expansion here, and stop by to see for yourself!

HOME Poetry Series Announced
Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola will be spearheaded HOME, a poetry reading, open mic, and workshop series. Readings will be held monthly, with workshops the following day. Find more information here.

Massachusetts Book Bites Nov. 14-15
The Boston Book Festival and the Massachusetts Center for the Book will be hosting Book Bites, a “a bonanza weekend of local literature, featuring authors from across the Commonwealth, in all genres, introducing readers to their latest books in a fast-paced series of bite-sized videos.” Find out more here.

Night of 1,000 Stories on Nov. 19
826 Boston will be hosting its annual gala (virtually, of course) on Thursday, November 19, which helps fund their youth writing programs. This year will feature Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up. Tickets and more information are available here.

BPL Roxbury Branch Renovations Complete
The City of Boston announced that the $17.2 million renovation of the Roxbury Branch (formerly Dudley) is complete. The new space “includes a new welcome area overlooking a redesigned plaza; improved visibility and openness; dedicated spaces for patrons of all ages,” and lots more. Read the press release here.

Annual Hundred-Year Retroactive Book Award Nov. 4
The Associates of the Boston Public Library will be holding their annual Hundred-Year Retroactive Book Award on Wednesday, November 4. A unique event that honors books from a century, this year’s event will be choosing from books from the 1920s: Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, Karel Čapek's R.U.R., and W.E.B. DuBois' Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil. Find out more about the free event here.

Boston Book Fair Goes Virtual Nov. 12-14
This year’s annual Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, normally held at Hynes, will be virtual this year on November 12-14. Attendees can virtually peruse bookseller stalls, “hosted in an easy-to-navigate online version of the traditional book fair booth.” There will also be webinars on Friday and Saturday. Find out more information here.

“Modern Fireside Poets” on November 10
The Wayside Inn in Sudbury and A Lifely Read will present “Modern Fireside Poets” on November 10. A riff on Longfellow’s Fireside Poets of the Wayside Inn, this virtual event will feature authors Erica Bauermeister and Karen Karbo. Find out more information here.

Local Authors Make National Book Awards Longlists
The National Book Awards longlists were announced last week, and there are some local authors on that list! Michelle Bowdler's debut Is Rape a Crime?: A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto is on the Nonfiction list. Jill Lepore's new book If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future is on the Nonfiction longlist as well. Lillian-Yvonne Bertram's collection Travesty Generator was also longlisted for poetry. You can read the full longlists at Nationalbook.org.

MAAH Stone Book Award Announced
The Museum of African American History (MAAH) Stone Book Award winner is Shelter in a Time of Storm: How Black Colleges Fostered Generations of Leadership and Activism by Jelani M. Favors, who will be honored in an October 15 event. Learn more about the Stone Book Award, view finalists, and RSVP for the ceremony here.

Mass Book Awards Announced
On September 9, the Massachusetts Center for the Book announced the 2020 Book Awards (for books published in 2019). Winners include Ocean Vuong, Grace Talusan, Karen Skolfield, Raúl the Third, and Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Find the winners and honorees at their website.

Boston Book Festival Announces October Line-Up
The full schedule for this year’s Boston Book Festival — which takes place October 5-25 — has been announced. All virtually this year, the schedule boasts 45 session with not a single overlap! View the schedule here.

Virtual 826 Boston Half Half Half Half Half Marathon Sept. 26
The annual spring fundraiser for 826 Boston has move to Saturday, September 26, where participants will race a half half half half half marathon (0.826 miles — get it?) to raise money for 826’s free writing programs. “Break a light sweat for literacy.” Learn more here.

Evening of Inspired Leaders Sept. 24
Mass Poetry will be hosting its annual fundraiser, Evening of Inspired Leaders, virtually on Thursday, September 24. The event features leaders musicians, city councilors, organizers, students, teachers, and more reading their favorite poems. The event is free but donations and sponsorships are accepted. Learn more here.

Salem Lit Fest Goes Virtual Sept. 10-13
The annual Salem Lit Fest will be all virtual this year, kicking off this Thursday, September 10, with an Opening Conversation with Chris Bohjalian and Jim DeFilippi, and with a Friday keynote from Kiley Reid. Events run through Sunday, September 13, and feature both adult and young adult programming. Find out more information here.

Local Bookstores Featured in Boston Globe
The Blue Bunny, Belmont Books, Silver Unicorn Bookstore, and The Bookstore of Gloucester were featured in the Boston Globe’s article “For readers young and old, bookstores prove they’re an essential business, too” on August 19. The article details the bookstores during the shutdown, and what their plans are going forward. You can read it here.

Associates of the BPL Announces Newest Writer-in-Resident
The Associates of the BPL announced their seventeenth writer-in-resident: Autumn Allen of Norwood, MA. Allen will be working on a YA historical fiction novel entitled All You Have to Do while at the BPL. There will be a virtual reading and reception on October 8 to usher out the last writer-in-residence, Shawnna Thomas, and welcome the new. More details can be found here.

New England Mobile Book Fair to Close
The New England Mobile Book Fair will be ending operations at its current location in Newton Highlands on August 31. In a note on their Facebook page, they wrote “Sad news. We will be ceasing operations at this location at the end of next week. We are seeking a new location, but have to be out of this one by August 31.” If you’ll remember, they moved out of another location a few years back, so we’ll see where the NE Mobile Book Fair ends up.

I AM Books Closing Physical Location, Continues Online
I AM Books announced on Thursday, August 20 that they will not reopen their North End location. I AM Books was one of the first stores to close at the onset of the pandemic, and according to an email sent to their list, “the uncertainty of the next several months due to the Covid-19 pandemic has made it impossible for us to renew our lease.” They will, however, continue online, and will be looking for a large place to continue their work in the community. They’ll be holding an in-person goodbye on September 12. You can read the letter, and learn more here.

Boston.com Launches Book Club
This past Friday, August 21, Boston.com announced (in an article written by Silver Unicorn Books owner Paul Swydan) that they’re launching a monthly book club focusing on works from a New England author, or a book set in New England, and each month an area bookstore will lead the discussion. The first book is Full Dissidence: Notes From An Uneven Playing Field, by Howard Bryant, and you can learn more here.

Mass Cultural Council Posts Virtual Reading Series
The Mass Cultural Council recently began posting audio readings and interviews from Artist Fellowship recipients. The site features Alexis Ivy, Simone John, GennaRose Nethercott, Shilpi Suneja, Jacob Strautmann, and Anna VQ Ross, and you can have a listen here.

Bookstore Romance Day Saturday, August 15
This Saturday is the second annual Bookstore Romance Day, which seeks to “to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community.” Belmont Books will be hosting virtual panels all day, and Porter Square Books will host one in the afternoon. Harvard Book Store is scheduled to host a Romance panel next Saturday, August 22. There will also be virtual programming at bookstoreromanceday.org.

Chunky Monkeys Return with Writing Group Advice Monday, August 24
If you missed the Chunky Monkeys panel back in January at Belmont Books, now is your chance to hear them — Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Celeste Ng, Christopher Castellani, Jennifer De Leon, Adam Stumacher, Whitney Scharer, Calvin Hennick, Grace Talusan, Chip Cheek, Becky Tuch, and Sonya Larson — talk about how they created their writing group, how they run their workshops, and the support they’ve given one another over the years. Register here.

Shakespeare on the Common One Night Virtual Show August 6
Though the full season of the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare on the Common was canceled, they’re still holding an "online script-in-hand performance" on Thursday, August 6, featuring the full cast. The performance is free and open to the public (on YouTube). Find more information here.

GrubStreet Announces Virtual Muse and the Marketplace 2021
GrubStreet’s annual writing conference will be going virtual for 2021. But not just with webstreamed presentation. Muse and the Marketplace 2021 will be a five-day “enhanced writing residency,” which will feature the typical Muse fare of sessions, agent meetings, and the like, but will also feature small cohorts, “premium workshops,” and access to all sessions. Learn more here.

Writer’s Bone Virtual Live Podcast Recording July 27
On Monday, July 27, the Writer’s Bone podcast will be hosing a live recording — virtually, of course. The podcast will feature mystery writers John Vercher, Barbara Ross, and Edwin Hill in conversation with host Daniel Ford. Find more information here. (And check out our interview with Writer’s Bone from this past winter.)

Boston Book Festival Announces 2020 One City One Story Pick
Every year, the Boston Book Festival picks a short story by a local author for a city-wide read, culminating in events with the author at the Festival. This year’s story is “The Book of Life and Death” by Grace Talusan. Copy will be available beginning in September; you can learn more at the BBF 1C1S page here. You can also have a read through our interview with Grace Talusan from this past spring.

GrubStreet Announces Lit Up Gala and Grubby Award
GrubStreet’s annual gala and fundraiser, Lit Up, will be held this year on Wednesday, October 7. This year’s recipient of the annual Grubby Award will be Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You. The event will be held remotely; information on tickets and details will be released soon. In the meantime, check out GrubStreet’s massive rebrand!

Aimee Bender/Newtonville Books Instagram Takeover
Here’s what popped up from Mary on Newtonville’s Instagram the other day: “On August 1st, author Aimee Bender is taking over our Instagram! We’ve never had an Instagram takeover before so I hope you check in on ours next week. Aimee is one of our favorite writers.”

Help Bulk Up the Harvard Square Literary Map
The Woodberry Poetry Room at Lamont Library is putting together a virtual map of literary people and landmarks in and around Harvard Square. They have a good list going already, but head to their website to see if you know any more.

Boston Book Festival Goes Virtual
The Boston Book Festival announced that it’s annual literary festival will be going virtual this year, in order to put “the health and safety of our attendees, presenters, volunteers, and exhibitors first.” Events will begin on October 5, and culminate in what would have been the BBF weekend on October 24 and 25. Find more information here.

IPNE Creates Pandemic Fund
The Independent Publishers of New England (IPNE) has established a Pandemic Grant Fund to support independent publishers and authors in New England. Find out more and apply here.

Boston Public Library Begins Curbside Pick-Up
Beginning on Monday, June 22 patrons will be able to pick up books, CDs, and DVDs at specific BPL locations, including Central Library in Copley Square, Codman Square, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Mattapan. Learn more about “BPL To Go” at their website.

Lesley University Evening Reading + Conversation Series June 19-26
Lesley University is bringing back its quarterly reading series featuring staff, alumni, and graduate student readers, as well as Boston Poet Laureate Danielle Legros Georges and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds. Find more information and the line-up here.

Boston Public Library Launches Adult Summer Reading
Adult Summer Reading Bingo begins June 1, and runs through the summer. Participants can download a bingo card they can fill in as they read and fill in squares — including “Local Author,” “Author of Color,” “Under 200 Pages,” and more. Upload your card by August 31 and get the chance to win a gift card. More info can be found here.

Bookstores Begin Reopening June 8
As part of Massachusetts’ Phase 2 reopening plan, retails stores are allowed to reopen, with certain restrictions. While some stores are reopening — include Brattle Bookstore’s sales lot, and the Harvard Coop — many are waiting. Check individual websites for reopening plans.

Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola Receives Fellowship
Porsha Olayiwola, Boston Poet Laureate, was recently announced as a recipient of one of twenty-three 2020 Poets Laureate Fellowships from the Academy of American Poets. According to site, here are her plans for the fellowship: “In collaboration with the Haley House, Olayiwola will run a featured reading and workshop series that culminates in an anthology reflecting the current time and space of Boston residents. Olayiwola will also establish the Roxbury Poetry Festival, a day-long event with readings, panels, and performances to be held in the summer of 2021.” You can learn more here, and watch a congratulatory video from Mayor Walsh here.

Boston Book Festival Partners for Shirley Release
New movie Shirley, which features Elisabeth Moss as author Shirley Jackson, premieres digitally on June 5. The Boston Book Festival has partnered with the production company to offer a $5.99 ticket to a virtual showing, with 50% of proceeds going to the Boston Book Festival. Find out more here.

GrubStreet Resurrects Muse & the Marketplace Online
Even though GrubStreet’s Muse & the Marketplace was canceled, they are going to be offering select sessions online through the summer, including "What Booksellers Want Writers to Know," "Scene CPR," "Perfecting Page One," and more. You can register for sessions here.

Woodberry Poetry Room Launches “Boston Renaissance” Poetry Exchange
The Woodberry Poetry Room, located at Harvard University, announces its “Boston Renaissance” event series, beginning with an informal poetry exchange. Participants will be paired with a “pen pal”; deadline is June 1. Look for more events in the series, and find out more about the exchange here.

WBUR Profiles Frugal Books
WBUR’s The ARTery caught up with Frugal Bookstore, the first black-owned bookstore in Boston, to report on their current status during the COVID-19 crisis (closed but with a GoFundMe), and gives the history of the Nubian Square bookseller. You can read the full article here.

Boston Book Festival Announces “At Home Boston” Writing Project
The Boston Book Festival announced a new community writing initiative entitled “At Home Boston,” which seeks “to weave together a crowd-sourced portrait of how Boston-area residents are experiencing, responding to, and coming together in new ways during these challenging circumstances.” Essays should be 200 words, and capture a slice-of-life of our time at home right now. Find out more and submit your essay here.

The Boston Book Blog Gets a Shout-Out!
A few weeks ago, Dr. Mary Dockray-Miller of Lesley University mentioned us on her blog The Massachusetts Medievalist. She had planned on taking her seniors on a walking tour of The Handmaid’s Tale (until a real dystopian nightmare broke out), using our article “A Walking Tour of The Handmaid’s Tale” as the map. She also had a few more speculations on Cambridge-area locations in the novel that we missed. Go read the article here.

Winners of Boston in 100 Words Contest Announced
The winners of the inaugural Boston in 100 Words writing contest were announced last week via a reading on Facebook Live. Louis Frank of Dorchester won for his story “Freedom Trail,” and Isabelle Goodrich of Hyde Park won the Youth Prize for her story “Flight Patterns.” You can read those stories and the Honorable Mentions at the Boston in 100 Words website.

GrubStreet Officially Leaves Boylston Street
Even though GrubStreet had planned on making its move to the Seaport, in an email this past week, Executive Director Eve Bridburg announced that the GrubStreet headquarters at 162 Boylston Street would close on May 31. Currently, all GrubStreet classes have transitioned online, and will continue to be held online until the new home at Liberty Wharf opens (which was planned for the Fall, but is now on hold). You can find out more information here.

Boston Athenaeum Announces New Director
After a national search, Leah Rosovsky was recently announced as the new Stanford Calderwood Director of the Boston Athenaeum. Rosovsky comes from Harvard Business School, where she served as the Dean’s Administrative Fellow, and was previously the Executive Administrative Dean of Tufts University’s School of Arts and Sciences. The Boston Athenaeum is slated to undergo massive expansion in the near future as well; you can learn more here.

Assoc. of the BPL Writer-in-Residence Application Now Open
The Associates of the Boston Public Library are now accepting applications for their annual writer-in-residence program, created to “provide an emerging children’s writer with the financial support and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.” Applications are due May 29; learn more here.

“Literary King’s Chapel” Goes Online
King’s Chapel has a very deep literary history, and their new online exhibit “Literary King’s Chapel” highlights it. Featuring literary historical figures, activities, and more, the exhibit “highlights some of the literature, poetry, and writings that are connected to King's Chapel.” Find it here.

BPL Launches Books for Boston
In an effort to keep those stuck at home in touch with the arts, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the creation of Books for Boston through the Boston Public Library, an initiative that will deliver books “to a variety of non-profit organizations serving high-risk individuals in the City of Boston.” Books will be purchased through local bookstores. You can read more about it here.

Boston Artist Relief Fund Established
The City of Boston has just established the Boston Artist Relief Fund, which "will award grants of $500 and $1,000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)." Find out more here.

Independent Bookstore Day Moved to August 29
As with many of the local literary events around the country, Independent Bookstore Day, which is always held the last Saturday in April, will be moving to Saturday, August 29. Stayed tuned for more details on Boston events.

Newtonville Books Co-Owner Mary Cotton Starts a Podcast
Mary Cotton, the co-owner of Newtonville Books and fiction editor of Post Road, released a new podcast entitled “Supergood with Mary Cotton.” The podcast will focus on bookseller recommendations from Cotton, the booksellers at Newtonville, and others. Listen to the first episode here.

Mayor's Poetry Program Submissions Due March 20
The City of Boston is inviting local poets to submit their poems to be featured on the walls of City Hall. This year’s theme is “Boston Futurism,” and submissions are due March 20. More information can be found here.

GrubStreet Reveals Sneak Peak at New Logo
With the move to the Seaport on the horizon, GrubStreet unveiled Friday, March 7 a sneak peak at their new rebranding - including a new logo. Read more from Executive Director Eve Bridburg about the change at the GrubStreet blog.

Cambridge Sidewalk Poetry Submissions Due March 12
The annual Cambridge Sidewalk Poetry Contest is accepting submissions through Thursday, March 12. What is sidewalk poetry, and what happens if you win? Well, according to the Cambridge Arts website, “winning poems will be imprinted into the fresh concrete of new sidewalks around the city beginning in fall 2020.” You can find out more information, pictures, and a map of current Sidewalk Poetry, at their website.

Smack Dab in the Middle Author Festival Returns on March 21
The Dedham Middle-Grade Author Festival called Smack Dab in the Middle will return for its third year on March 21. In addition, local authors will also offer free writing workshops for kids ages 10-14. More information can be found here.

Pitch a Session Idea for the Lit Crawl
Boston’s Lit Crawl will take place on Thursday, June 11 this year, and will be moving across the River to Cambridge for the first time. Have an idea for this “night of irreverent literary programming”? Pitch the team if you would like to develop programming for the evening. Deadline is February 29.

Boston Teen Author Festival Moves to Hynes for 2020
The Boston Teen Author Festival, a free, one-day literary celebration for teens and readers of young adult lit, will be held at the Hynes Convention Center this year, on Saturday, October 10. The Festival, now in its eighth year, took a hiatus last year to find a new venue, but will be back with a full day of programming, author readings, panels, workshops, and more. Find more information here.

2020 90-Second Newbery Screening Returns to the BPL
The 90-Second Newbery film fest will return to the Boston Public Library on Saturday, March 14, 2020 for its ninth year - and local author Susan Tan (of the Cilla Lee-Jenkins series) has been tapped as this year’s co-host. The event is free, but RSVP is required. (Want to learn more? Read our interview with 90-Second Newbery creator James Kennedy.)

Ken Gloss, Owner of Brattle Books, Gives Talk
Ken Gloss, the second-generation proprietor of Brattle Book Shop, Antiques Roadshow appraiser, and antiquarian book dealer will give a talk entitled “The Value of Old and Rare Books” at the Cambridge Public Library on Wednesday, February 12. Find out more here.

Longfellow Birthday Party
Mt. Auburn Cemetery will host their annual Longfellow Birthday Party on Saturday, February 22, in partnership with the Longfellow House - Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site. Enjoy a talk by Dr. Adriana Greci Green about Longfellow’s poem “Hiawatha,” some cake, and a wreath-laying ceremony at Longfellow’s grave. Register here.

Porter Square Books Features 2020 Writers-in-Residence
On Friday, February 21, Porter Square Books will welcome the 2020 Writers-in-Residence Justin Chen and Sacha Lamb as they read from their works. Find out more about their writing, the program, and the event here.

Lit Crawl 2020 Moves Across the Charles
This year’s Lit Crawl, taking place on Thursday, June 11, will leave Back Bay and head to Central Square. The evening features a series of literary events in shops, restaurants, and other “non-literary” sites, with free snacks and drinks available. Find out more here.

GrubStreet’s Year in Review
Eve Bridburg, Founder and Executive Director of GrubStreet, recently shared a 2019 year-in-review for the writing center, including 49 books published by Grub members, and updates on the Seaport Narrative Arts Center, opening this Spring.

Boston’s First Youth Poet Laureate Announced
17-year-old Alondra Bobadilla from Hyde Park has been announced as Boston’s First Youth Poet Laureate, after a finalist showcase at the Boston Public Library last week. Of the role, Bobadilla stated, "I hope that in the next two years I will be able to foster a fiery love and appreciation for all things poetry and literature in the City of Boston alongside the various incredible people I will work with. The City is transitioning and making incredible strides and I am so happy to be a part of it." Read more here.

Behind Door #4…?
In Boston, the past and the present carry on in parallel. One such literary place, where numerous authors have made their homes over the year, is Beacon Hill. In our newest literary history series, “Four Doors of Pinckney Street,” we’ll take a look at four authors from Boston’s past who lived within a block of one another in Beacon Hill. Head to our article to find out who resided at #20 Pinckney. (Hint: A movie adaptation of her most well-known novel has just been nominated for a number of Academy Awards.)

Writer’s Craft Panels at Belmont and CitySpace
If you’re an author looking to understanding the writing and publishing life a bit more, there are two upcoming panels that offer just that. On Thursday, January 16, Belmont Books will be hosting a discussion about writing groups, with local authors Whitney Scharer, Celeste Ng, Adam Stumacher, Jenn De Leon, Calvin Hennick, Grace Talusan, and Sonya Larson. On Tuesday, January 28, WBUR CitySpace will hold “A Writer’s Guide To Surviving Your First Book Deal,” with local authors Michelle Hoover and Ben Mezrich, and literary agent Esmond Harmsworth, in conversation with Courtney Maum, author of Before and After the Book Deal.

Rioux and Marshall to Discuss Little Women
What IS the enduring appeal of Little Women, a perennial favorite and now a major motion picture? Anne Boyd Rioux, author of Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why it Still Matters, and local 19th American literature expert and Emerson professor Megan Marshall will discuss the book's lasting appeal at WBUR CitySpace on Saturday, January 18. Find details here.

Submissions Open for Boston Book Festival’s One City One Story
The Boston Book Festival is now accepting submissions for One City One Story, the initiative that features a story for city-wide reading, with the writer featured at a BBF discussion session. More information can be found here; submissions are due February 29.

City of Boston Artist-in-Residence Applications Open
Applications are now open for Boston AIR, the artist-in-residency program. These artists (writers included) will “collaborate with the City of Boston to explore, analyze, and re-imagine City initiatives at the intersection of civil service, social justice, and artistic practice.” Learn more here.

Application for GrubStreet Emerging Writer Fellowship Due Feb. 10
GrubStreet is now accepting applications for their 2020 Emerging Writer Fellowship program. The Fellowship recipient “will attend a combination of seminars and multi-week courses of their choosing, bookended by attendance at both the 2020 and the 2021 Muse & the Marketplace conference, in order to enhance their understanding of craft and the publishing industry.” Applications are due February 10. Find more information here.

Hotel Commonwealth Announces Partnership with Bedside Reading
If you’ve ever been to the Hotel Commonwealth, you know how literary it is: Bookshelves lining the lobby, Emerson poetry on the walls, a special “Reading Suite” you can book (no pun intended), and a writer in residence program. They just announced a new partnership with Bedside Reading. From the HC Twitter: “Each month, guests will notice two books in their room, which they are welcome to enjoy during their stay and take with them when they leave.” Find more info - and, if you’re an author, apply to be one of the books - here.

Mass Cultural Writing Fellowship Applications Due Jan. 27
The Mass Cultural Council is now accepting applications for Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Artist Fellowships, available to residents of Massachusetts. As per the website, “The Fellowships are direct grants to artists to recognize exceptional original work. We consider the work of individual artists to be an essential part of our vital communities, and we hope the awards will foster the creation of new art in the Commonwealth.” Find out more information here; submit by January 27, 2020.

Writer’s Bone Podcast to Record 400th Episode Jan. 7
The Writer’s Bone podcast, founded by Daniel Ford and Sean Tuohy back in 2014, will be recording its 400th episode at Belmont Books on January 7, 2020, featuring local authors Elizabeth Chiles Shelburne and James Charlesworth. Find out more information here, and subscribe to Writer’s Bone here.

Boston Book Festival is Hiring
The Boston Book Festival team is looking to bring on a new Manager of Operations and Outreach. This fulltime position “oversees all logistical components of BBF-produced events and also supports the Boston Book Festival’s initiatives to extend festival programming to Boston’s diverse neighborhoods.” You can find the full job description here. Want to learn more about what goes on behind-the-scenes at the BBF? Read through our article “Staging the Boston Book Festival: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Boston’s Biggest Literary Event.”

Brookline Booksmith Expanding its Space, Offerings
Nina MacLaughlin reported last week for the Boston Globe that Brookline Booksmith will be expanding into the Verizon store at Coolidge Corner, adding 4,000 sq. feet to its business. That space will include a restaurant with full liquor license as well.

Little Women Movie is “more Massachusetts”
”[Gerwig’s interpretation] also makes this new Little Women…a piece of local history. Not only is it more biographical than other interpretations of the text, it’s also more Massachusetts.” Meredith Goldstein writes for the Boston Globe on the movie’s local filming.

Lesley University Winter Evening Reading Series Returns Jan. 3
Lesley University will host their Winter Reading Series, starting January 3 and running a full week. Four-time National Book Award finalist Carl Phillips will headline, and the series will feature writers from every discipline, as well as graduate students. Find more information here.

Papercuts J.P. to Move Locations in 2020
Papercuts J.P. announced yesterday that it will be moving its location in early 2020, from Green St. (where they’ve maintained a small but mighty presence for five years) to 60 South St. Owner Kate Layte writes, “The new location has loads of windows and natural light, it's got solar panels, and is ADA accessible! We'll be able to host even bigger events! Oh friends, I am THRILLED!” Follow Papercuts J.P. for more information.

Sudbury Savoyards to Present A Christmas Carol
This Sunday, December 15, the Sudbury Savoyards will present a live telling of A Christmas Carol at the Omni Parker Hotel, where Dickens himself once recited the tale live. Tickets are $15. More information can be found here.

Boston By Foot Little Women Scavenger Hunt
Local tour company Boston By Foot (who hosts the excellent Hub of Literary American tour) is making a Little Women scavenger hunt sheet available to anyone who wants to go walking through Louisa May Alcott’s past. You can find the scavenger hunt guide here - as well as information on their Sunday, December 15 special Alcott tour in conjunction with the theatrical release of the new Little Women movie (i.e., maybe there will be move passes available as well as literary history information).