Media and Publisher inquiries: Email Sally Stieglitz, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, at sstieglitz@lilrc.org
RECENT BOOK AND AUTHOR EVENTS
Long Island author, Richard Panchyk, will share his novel Escape ‘56. This gripping novel is based on the life of young Elizabeth Molnár (the author’s mother) and her family as they lived through the harrowing days of the Hungarian Revolution. Escape ‘56 recounts the story of the inspiring student-led uprising and the shocking Soviet invasion that followed, leading to Elizabeth’s perilous nighttime escape from Hungary through the border woods in November, 1956. Panchyk’s cinematic, fictional narrative is filled with historical detail and incorporates recollections from the author’s mother, aunt, and grandmother.
School Librarians must contact their home BOCES School Library System office for registration.
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Note: CTLE credits for School Librarians are limited to members of Eastern Suffolk BOCES School Library System, Western Suffolk BOCES Library System, and Nassau BOCES School Library System
Code of Conduct
For questions, please email Eliscia Cirrone, ecirrone@lilrc.org.
Professional Development Hours: 1 (.1 CEUs)
Program Recording: Yes
FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS -
Join LILRC as we welcome authors Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman to discuss their compelling novel, The Thread Collectors (Graydon House, Harper Collins 2022).
1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.
Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.
As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.
Shaunna J. Edwards has a BA in literature from Harvard College and a JD from NYU School of Law. A former corporate lawyer, she now works in diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a native Louisianian, raised in New Orleans, and currently lives in Harlem with her husband. The Thread Collectors is her first novel. Find her on Instagram, @shaunnajedwards.
Alyson Richman is the USA Today bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of several historical novels including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture. Alyson graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and Japanese studies. She herself is an accomplished painter and her novels combine her deep love of art, historical research, and travel. Alyson's novels have been published in twenty-five languages and have reached the bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two children, where she is currently at work on her next novel.
Praise for The Thread Collectors
“An unforgettable story of female strength, hope and friendship. This collaborative work is magnificent—a true revelation!”
- Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star
“A brilliant story brimming with unexpected friendships and family ties. Historically sound and beautifully stitched, The Thread Collectors will stay with you long after the last page is turned.”
- Sadeqa Johnson, international bestselling author of Yellow Wife
“The Thread Collectors is a gift—not only for lovers of historical fiction, but for readers everywhere who search for hidden truths behind the facts we think we know. Like the fearless, sensitive, and resourceful women they write about, Edwards and Richman have stitched together a glorious tapestry of resilience, survival, friendship, and love. This is a Civil War story unlike any other—a story readers will treasure from the very first page.”
- Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today bestselling author of The Two-Family House and The Wartime Sisters
Program Recording: Yes
Join LILRC for our Hooked on Books series as we welcome New York authors to our platform to share their stories.
A Book, A Page, A World: The Artistic Journey of Lesa Cline-Ransome. Lesa shares her early beginnings as an author, her love of reading, the lack of representation in the books that she read as a child and how that transformed her interest in the subjects she now writes about. She'll talk about the creative process from idea to revision and how she navigates the business and art of writing books for children. In addition, she will also talk about a few of her newer books The Story of the Saxophone, For Lamb, and One Big Open Sky.
Karina González will discuss her Pura Belpré Award honor book, The Coquies Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope and Rebuilding. This book was inspired by the rebuilding of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017. It tells the story of a young Puerto Rican girl named Elena who rallies her family and community after a hurricane destroys her home and the habitat of her favorite animal, the coquí.
Long Island author, Karuna Riazi, is an online diversity advocate, blogger, and educator. She is a 2017 honoree on NBC Asian America's Redefining A-Z list, featuring up and coming talent within the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community. Her work has been featured on Entertainment Weekly, Shondaland, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, Book Riot and Teen Vogue, among others. Karuna will share her journey in becoming a notable YA author and share some excerpts from a recently published book.
Long Island author, Kim Taylor, will share her book A Flag for Juneteenth. This powerful title shares a unique story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young slave girl who lives on a plantation in Texas. Young Huldah, who is preparing to celebrate her tenth birthday, can’t possibly anticipate how much her life will change that Juneteenth morning. The story follows Huldah and her community as they process the news of their freedom and celebrate together by creating a community freedom flag.
Program Recording: No
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