All grade 8-adult invited to learn how to write a digital “Choose Your Own Adventure” story using a simple coding language. You can then play through the stories you and others have written.
6-8 p.m., AADL Downtown Training Center. Free. 327-4200.
Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild members host a storytelling program. Audience members are encouraged to bring a 5-minute story to tell.
7-9 p.m., Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main. Free. 665-2757.
Poetry readings, testimonials, and storytelling by people who have experienced homelessness. Also, an art display and information from area agencies that address homelessness.
6-8 p.m., Ypsilanti Freight House, 100 Market Pl, Ypsilanti. Free. 662-2829, ext. 226.[map]
Join us for a moving poetry night. Caroline Johnson’s first full-length publication, The Caregiver, includes 50 poems that were inspired by the 15 years she devoted to taking care of her aging parents. Midwest Book Review deemed it “very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Contemporary American Poetry collections.” Joining her will be UofM MFA candidate Tara E. Jay.
The Caregiver is Caroline Johnson’s first full-length publication. The gathering includes free verse, lyrical poems, prose poetry and some formal verse. Many of the poems won contests and have been previously published in online print journals and anthologies. The poems touch on the topic of grieving but go beyond and focus on the many difficulties a caregiver experiences―both emotional and physical―yet also recognize the spiritual gifts that come with helping a loved one. Caregiving is a significant issue for our times and will only become more important as our population ages.
Caroline Johnson observed both of her parents suffer crippling illnesses such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the 15 years she spent as family caregiver. During that time she wrote poetry as a way to grieve and celebrate their lives. This book is the culmination of that effort. She has published two poetry chapbooks, My Mother’s Artwork and Where the Street Ends, and more than 70 poems. Her awards include winning the 2012 Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Poetry Contest, nominations for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, and prizes in state and national competitions. A former English teacher, she works as an academic advisor for a Chicago area community college. One of her favorite activities in the past was watching James Bond movies with her father, who served in the U.S. Air Force as a bomber pilot during the Cold War in the 1950s as part of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Please visit www.caroline-johnson.com.
Premiere storytelling event of the year – filled with laughs, memories, truth and an occasional tear. Great snacks, door prizes and free parking come with admission. “The Moth” storytelling winners are featured tellers. Not to be missed by adventure-seekers or fun-lovers!
Trinity Lutheran Church, 1400 W. Stadium Blvd. $15/person. 734-662-4419. www.annarborstorytelling.org and www.facebook.com/annarborstorytellers
16 Hands is proud to host a book signing with one of our most popular local artists. David Zinn’s “Underfoot Menagerie” is a brand new assortment of the latest, greatest creatures from the not-quite-underground world of David Zinn! This full-color collection includes not only 134 photos of pareidolic & anamorphic sidewalk drawings, but also useful explanations of what those words mean. It’s a great gift for your inner child – or your outer ones, or just anyone who needs a little cheerful whimsy in their lives.
Join us for the Book Signing
Saturday, November 10th, 2018
from 11am – 4pm at 16 Hands
Located on the 2nd Floor of the Kerrytown Shops
https://www.facebook.com/events/166077314322733/
https://youtu.be/nW-MbHbLpBE
16 Hands, 407 N. 5th Ave, 2nd Floor. Free. 7. 16handsinfo@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/events/166077314322733/
Nov. 10 & 17. All adults and teens in grade 9 & up invited to work on their novel for this nonprofit promotion (also known as National Novel Writing Month) challenging teens and adults to write a 50,000-word novel by the end of November.
1-3 p.m., AADL Westgate. Free. 327-4200.
Free storytelling concert for children ages 4 and up. A beautiful handmade quilt will be given to one lucky winner. A family event especially for children.
Pittsfield Branch of the Ann Arbor Library, 2359 Oak Valley Drive. Free. 734-327-4200. www.annarborstorytelling.org and www.facebook.com/annarborstorytellers
Literati is thrilled to welcome back author R.J. Fox who will be sharing his new novel Awaiting Identification.
About Awaiting Identification:
Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office, Detroit, Michigan: October 31, 1999.
Five unidentified bodies lie in the Wayne County morgue on Halloween night. Although each character was on a separate journey, fate leads each of the five victims to cross paths on the streets of Detroit en route to their tragic demise. Set against the backdrop of a Devil’s Night party at legendary Detroit concert venue and nightclub, Saint Andrew’s Hall, Awaiting Identification details the final night on earth for five lost souls. NYC Girl: a former dancer arrives back home from New York City to make amends with her mother and begin to rebuild her life. Leaf Man: a musician and part-time DJ is on the cusp of his big break with one final, unexpected drug deal to complete before he can go totally straight. R.I.P.: a career criminal must come up with a large sum of money to pay for his father’s medical expenses, despite his yearning for a crime-free life. The Zealot: a religious fanatic on a mission from God to rid the city of filth. Cat Man: a kind and trusting homeless man wanders the city looking for new friends. Like the city in which it takes place, Awaiting Identification is a story of hope, identity, and above all, redemption.
R.J. Fox is an English and video production teacher who uses his own dream of making movies to inspire his students to follow their dreams. He has previously worked in public relations and as a journalist. He is the author of Love & Vodka. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
All invited to read and discuss their poetry or short stories. Bring about 6 copies of your work to share.
7-9 p.m., Crazy Wisdom, 114 S. Main. Free. 665-2757
