We had a blast celebrating three outstanding authors of historical fiction, fabulous open mic readers, and all of their heroes.

The Reading & The Room

Prior to welcoming our live guests, Robin Martin introduced Amy DeBellis, an author whose long-Covid prevents her from leaving home. We were treated with a recording from her debut novel, All Our Tomorrows.

Amy’s reading, plus a dramatic presentation of #LiteraryCocktails, a bevy of open mic readers, and a lively Q & A made this night—a celebration of heroines and heroes—a memorable one.

Read Nicole

Read Erin Crosby Eckstine

R Libba Bray

Read Amy DeBellis

R Nicole Galland

Boy

R Nicole

R Libba B

Berlin Wall Graffiti

Boy & Shakespeare

IMG_3010

IMG_2997

Robin & Lisa

Lisa Robin Jan

#LiteraryCocktails
by Megan Rickerson

In Between for Erin Crosby Eckstine & Junie ~The In Between was delivered by the golden ghost of Junie’s sister Minnie
Glamour & Brilliance for Nicole Galland & Boy ~Delivered by a Shakespearean player singing the bawdy song, Watkin’s Ale
No Walls for Libba Bray & Under the Same Stars ~A violin (viola!) player from the 1980s Berlin punk band Sophie Scholl serenaded this author and her #LiteraryCocktail

LC In Between

LC Erin C E

LC Erin

LC Minnies Ghost

#LiteraryCocktail junie

IMG_3048

LC Glamour & Brilliance

Boy

lc G&B

IMG_3051

lc LIbba No Walls

LC L Bray No Walls

LC Sophie Scholl

LC Punk

LC Libba Bray

LC No Walls

Boy Lit C

Minnies Ghost

Punk Violin

Watkins Aleee

Open Mic Readers:

Jan Garden Castro‘s illustrated tell-almost-all biography The Art & Life of Georgia O’Keeffe sold 100,000 copies; you can buy it used from Abe Books for under $10 including shipping. Jan’s poetry is in the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library. Her hero is Margaret Atwood.

Jill Drum has been a poet for as long as she can remember. My hero is my son with autism who tries his best every day to happily tolerate a not so tolerant world.

Amy Grech has sold over 100 short stories to various anthologies and magazines. Alien Buddha Press published her poetry chapbook, A Shadow of Your Former Self. She’s a rabid #YYW fan and warning: she writes horror. Her hero is Mighty Mouse!

Austin Grossman is the author of the novels Soon I Will Be Invincible, YOU, and Crooked: your ex-boyfriend is a big fan, and Fight Me, which he read for us here. His hero is radical feminist Andrea Dworkin because…why not?

Lauren Morrow is a Senior Publicist at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books, and her debut novel, LITTLE MOVEMENTS, will be published by Random House in September 2025. She doesn’t have a specific hero, but if she had to choose, she’d say her mother. Not cheesy at all, Lauren!

Chloé Sehr is a writer, performer, and English teacher here in Brooklyn, currently creating and workshopping her one-woman show. My hero is my partner, Anders, eternal optimist and wellspring of creativity and fabulous ideas.

Cynthia Webb, aka Max, is the author of two traditionally published mysteries, was an Amazon bestselling author in paranormal mysteries/shapeshifters, has published short stories and poetry, and is hard at work on a mermaid eco mystery. Her hero is Rachel Maddow.