Party! On August 8th, new TWIG social chairperson Megan Blaney organized a long-past-due party for TWIG members at Druid City Brewing Company. Jennifer Horne was the gathering’s invited member to read from her chapbook-in-progress. Megan Blaney, Beth Sherrill, Carolyn Rhodes and Matt Byers, serving as a surprise presentation committee, presented President Jim Ezell and Carolyn Breckinridge Ezell with a plaque of appreciation from TWIG members, as well as a monetary gift. Congratulations to Beth Sherrill who won the game of matching book titles to the TWIG authors who wrote them! The afternoon was filled with merriment, meaningful conversations and book swapping. Great fun!
Signings
| Date & Time | Author | Event & Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday August 1st 10:00 AM–2:00 PM |
TK Cassidy | Darby Writers in the Park Day Darby City Park, Darby, MT |
| Saturday August 8th 9:00 AM–4:00 PM |
TK Cassidy | Huckleberry Festival City Park, Kalispell, MT |
| Saturday–Sunday August 8th–9th Sat 10:00 AM–6:00 PM Sun 11:00 AM–5:00 PM |
John Ryland | Southern Trade Days Hoover Met. Complex, Hoover, AL |
| Saturday August 15th 9:00 AM–3:00 PM |
TK Cassidy | Haven Stables Summer Festival Trout Creek, MT |
| Saturday August 15th 12:00–3:00 PM |
Sam Popkin | Barnes & Noble 1800 McFarland Blvd E., Ste 200, Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Saturday August 22nd 9:00 AM–3:00 PM |
TK Cassidy | Kalispell Flea Market County Fairgrounds, Kalispell, MT |
| Saturday August 29th 10:00 AM–4:00 PM |
TK Cassidy | 227 Days Celebration East Helena, MT |
Celebrations
- Jeff Weddle received the President’s Book Award Bronze medal for his collection, The Things We Do To Protect Our Own, AND the
- President’s Book Award Silver medal for his collection, Letter to Xhevdet Bajraj, at the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) convention on August 1st.
- TK Cassidy, who reports the audible version of Whoodah Hitchins’ released on Aug 1st.
- Kayla Elise Burke Brown’s novel, Chase Harlem, is a FINALIST for the 2026 Shamus Award for Best First Private Investigator Novel.
- Kayla’s manuscript, Wodehouse, has been short-listed for the Killer Nashville Conference’s Claymore Award for the first 50 unpublished pages in the Southern Gothic category.
- Lynessa Layne’s novel, Nightshade, is in the Reader’s Choice competition at the Killer Nashville Conference.
- Congratulations to our three Silver Falchion FINALISTS, the award for the Best Novel published during the previous year, at the Killer Nashville Conference!
- Gregory N. Whitis for Eight Minutes in the category of Action/Adventure.
- Gary Minder for The Education of Asa Paxton: Coming of Age in the Heart of
- Dixie in the category of Best Southern Gothic.
- Elise Burke Brown for Chase Harlem in the category of Best Investigative.
- Walt Henley’s The Consciousness of Life and Death, has been named a finalist for the Claymore Award at the Killer Nashville Conference for the best first fifty pages of an unpublished Science Fiction/Fantasy novel.
Readings and Appearances
| Date & Time | Author | Event & Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday August 1st 10:00 AM–2:00 PM |
Gary Minder | Local Authors Expo Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL |
| Saturday August 8th 3:15–3:30 PM |
Jennifer Horne | TWIG Summer Get Together Druid City Brewing Company, 700 14th St., Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Wednesday August 12th 12:00–1:00 PM |
Bob Ennis | Y's Men's Club Downtown YMCA, 2300 13th St., Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Friday August 14th 9:00 AM |
Elise Burke Brown | Talk of Alabama Interview ABC 33/40 |
| Friday August 21st |
Gary Minder | Panelist: Self-Publishing, Best Practices Killer Nashville Conference, Embassy Suites & Convention Center, Franklin, TN |
| Monday August 24th 7:00–10:00 PM |
John Ryland | "Books of the Living Dead" True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd., Birmingham, AL |
Trailer Links and YouTube Videos
| Sam Popkin |
linktr.ee/SamPopkin tinyurl.com/Quote-Reel |
| Kayla Elise Burke Brown | youtu.be/eX17E-y-Q1s |
Community Activities
- Emily Ray again served on the Symposium committee of the Va. Writers Symposium at Randolph Macon College, University of Ashland, Virginia. Emily has served on the Committee for four years. The Symposium took place on August 1st from 9-5. https://www.virginiawritersclub.org/event-6709574
- Emily also recently participated in the Ageless Grace Annual Retreat in Hendersonville, NC, presenting “Storytelling as Creativity in Ageless Grace,” where she has been a certified instructor for four years.
- Jeff Weddle continues to offer the open Community Poetry Club at Tuscaloosa Public Library, Tuscaloosa, AL, from 5:30-7:30 PM every Wednesday evening.
- TK Cassidy offered the course, “Writing the Story of your Life,” at the Missoula Public Library, Missoula, MT, on August 11th.
- Jennifer Horne continues to offer the weekly Midweek Poetry Break on her FB feed.
- Carolyn Breckinridge (Ezell) continues to volunteer with Tuscaloosa Public Library to help schedule authors and other literary events.
