The Ann Arbor District Library, the Library of Michigan and the Library of Michigan Foundation are pleased to present this special event, Night Of Notable Authors, featuring 15 authors who were awarded the distinction of having their work selected as a Michigan Notable Book.

The program room of the Library will remain open after 6 pm for this special evening, which includes a panel discussion by 4 distinguished notable authors, followed by an elegant reception in the Library lobby with music, refreshments, a book signing and the chance to mingle with all 15 authors at this event.

Every year, the Library of Michigan selects up to twenty of the most notable books, either written by a Michigan resident or about Michigan or the Great Lakes. The selected books are honored in the year after their publication or copyright date. Each selected title speaks to our state's rich cultural, historical, and literary heritage and proves without a doubt that some of the greatest stories are found in the Great Lakes State.

The Night Of Notable Authors features:

6 – 7:30 pm Panel Discussion

Moderated by Anna Clark (A Detroit Anthology, a 2015 Michigan Notable Book). Panelists include:
Michigan Outdoor Writer and Poet Jerry Dennis (several Michigan Notable Book titles, including The Living Great Lakes: Searching For The Heart Of The Inland Seas, a 2004 Michigan Notable Book)
Mystery Author Loren Estleman (Nicotine Kiss: An Amos Walker Novel, a 2007 Michigan Notable Book)
Memoirist and True Crime Author Mardi Jo Link (two Michigan Notable Book titles, including Bootstrapper: From Broke To Badass On A Northern Michigan Farm, a 2014 Michigan Notable Book)

7:30 – 8:30 pm Reception and Booksigning

Enjoy exquisite music by harpist Deborah Gabrion, elegant refreshments, and the chance to mingle with 15 Michigan Notable Authors:
Steve Amick
Anna Clark
Jack Dempsey
Jerry Dennis
Loren Estleman
Don Faber
Larry Glazer
Lolita Hernandez
Michael Hodges
Sally Howell
Sharon Kegerries
Mardi Jo Link
Donald Lystra
Anne-Marie Oomen
Barbara Rylko-Bauer

Books will be for sale at the event, courtesy of Literati Bookstore and Aunt Agatha’s Mystery Bookshop

Picture books, early chapter books and middle grade fiction may look simple, but writing them is hard work.

In this workshop, Bethany Neal and Alex Kourvo will be joined by local author Shutta Crum, to discuss inspiration, the writing process, and how children’s books get published. Shutta is the author of over 13 books for children of various ages. Shutta is also a professional storyteller, and a retired Ann Arbor District Library librarian.

This is part of the monthly Emerging Writer’s Workshops which offer support, learning, and advice for local authors.

Each month, two weeks after the workshop, (this month on Thursday, May 19 from 7 – 8:45 pm at Traverwood Branch) there is a Meetup where the instructors will read samples of your work and offer advice and assistance in a casual, supportive atmosphere.

Things are changing in the book world, and writers have more places than ever to publish their work. But which option is best for you?

In this workshop, Bethany Neal and Alex Kourvo will discuss the difference between traditional and self-publishing and examine the benefits and drawbacks of each path.

This is part of the monthly, Emerging Writer’s Workshops, which offer support, learning and advice for local authors.

Each month, two weeks after the workshop, (this month on Thursday, April 21 from 7 – 8:45 pm at Traverwood Branch) there is a Meet-Up where the instructors will read samples of your work and offer advice and assistance in a casual, supportive atmosphere.

When your book is finished, it’s time to share it with the world.

In this workshop, Bethany Neal and Alex Kourvo will discuss beta readers, agents, editors, and the best way to approach them.

This is part of the monthly Emerging Writers Workshops which offer support, learning and advice for local authors.

Each month, two weeks after the workshop (this month on Thursday, March 17 from 7 – 8:45 pm at Traverwood Branch), there is a Meet-Up where the instructors will read samples of your work and offer advice and assistance in a casual, supportive atmosphere.

Have you ever read a book and wondered how the author wrote it? There are valuable writing lessons to be learned from reading our favorite books.

In this workshop, Alex Kourvo and Bethany Neal will share the secrets of reading like a writer. They will show you how to look into character and unravel plot to see a book from the inside out.

This is part of the monthly Emerging Writer’s Workshops, which offer support, learning, and advice for local authors. Each month, two weeks after the workshop, there is a Meet-Up where the instructors will read samples of your work and offer advice and assistance in a casual, supportive atmosphere.

There are many things that keep us from writing, whether it’s outside forces like jobs and families, or internal forces like doubt and procrastination.

In this workshop, Alex Kourvo and Bethany Neal will show you how to make the most of your writing time, conquer writer’s block, and develop solid work habits to finish your book.

This is part of the monthly Emerging Writer’s Workshops, which offer support, learning, and advice for local authors. Each month, two weeks after the workshop, there is a Meet-Up where the instructors will read samples of your work and offer advice and assistance in a casual, supportive atmosphere.

Huron High School English teacher and Love & Vodka:My Surreal Adventures in Ukraine author R.J. Fox will lead participants through the process of turning real life experiences—both profound and ordinary—into the art of creative non-fiction.

Learn how to mold your own life stories through such topics as story structure, dialogue, character development/arc, and how to infuse your writing with literary elements traditionally associated with fiction. Participants will apply the skills taught during the workshop through various prompts and activities designed to spark creativity, with the aim of mining material that can later be developed into various forms of memoir and creative non-fiction, from short essays to long-form works.

R.J. Fox is the award-winning writer of several short stories, plays, poems, and fifteen feature-length screenplays. He is also the writer and director of several award-winning short films. In addition his writing and film-making exploits — not to mention his talents as a saxophonist — Fox teaches English and Video Production in the Ann Arbor Public Schools where he uses his own dream of making movies to inspire his students to follow their own dreams. Fox has also worked in public relations at Ford Motor Company and as a newspaper reporter.

This event includes a book signing and books will be for sale at the event.

Buildings by architect Albert Kahn dominate Detroit and the University of Michigan.

In this lecture and slideshow, Detroit News art critic and author Michael H. Hodges surveys Kahn’s impact on city and school, and asks why this most-prolific of designers — once world-famous — has vanished from the architectural canon.

While best known for his revolutionary factory designs, like the Packard Plant, Kahn’s non-industrial output was huge as well. In Detroit, Kahn designed the Fisher, General Motors, Argonaut, Maccabees, Detroit News, Free Press, and Detroit Trust buildings, as well as the Art Deco lighthouse at the north end of Belle Isle. At U-M, he built Burton Memorial Tower, Hill Auditorium, the Natural History Museum, West Engineering, the Graduate Library, Natural Sciences, Angell Hall, the Ferry Gate and Clements Library (his favorite).

Michael H. Hodges covers art and area museums for The Detroit News, where he's worked since 1991. His book on Albert Kahn, which comes out in early 2017, is his second with Wayne State University Press. His first was Michigan’s Historic Railroad Stations.

Norman Norell delivered couture-standard ready-to-wear and put the United States on the fashion map. He was also the first American designer to issue a branded fragrance and did so with a tall glass bottle sealed with a squared stopper that he designed himself. It was launched in 1968 and is as legendary as the designer himself.

Norell worked closely with Charles Revson, founder of Revlon, and IFF perfumer Josephine Catapano (the nose who created Youth Dew for Estee Lauder, Fidji for Guy Laroche, and Zen for Shiseido) to create Norell perfume. The green character of Norell’s rich floral fragrance made it stand out as a luxury item. The twist was an interesting natural ingredient called galbanum.

In 2015, the owner of the Norell license worked with IFF perfumer Celine Barel to create a modern version of the perfume, which is called Norell New York. It draws inspiration from the original formula and adds a modern twist. How does the original Norell compare to Norell New York? What makes the two perfumes similar, yet different? How does a perfumer re-orchestrate a classic perfume and honor the fashion designer and original perfumer; both of whom are no longer with us?

Answers to these and other questions related to fragrance development and history will be explored by Michelle Krell Kydd, editor of Glass Petal Smoke. This event is part of the Smell and Tell series featured at the Ann Arbor District Library. International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) will be supplying aromatic materials that will be smelled at the event.