November 2022 Dear Librarians and SinC Members, For the November issue of We Love Libraries News, award-winning author and Sisters in Crime national board volunteer Kathleen Marple Kalb describes what makes her local public library in Cheshire, Connecticut so special to her and her family. I would like to acknowledge Kathleen, and the rest of the SinC board volunteers including Gail Lukasik, the editor of We Love Libraries and We Love Bookstores News, for all of their hard work supporting the Sisters in Crime community. And a big thank you to the authors of the fabulous articles that appeared in WLL News this year! Subscribers, thank you for reading! A new We Love Libraries grant winner will be selected in December. Please find details and the link to apply below. |
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Love My Library: Cheshire, Connecticut by Kathleen Marple Kalb |
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The first thing I do when I move to a new town, even before I register to vote, is get my library card. When I signed up in Cheshire fifteen years ago for my card, I had no idea that I’d one day have books on the shelf there. I also had no idea how much I—and the community—would need the library in the spring of 2020. Since my son was old enough to walk, he’s been coming with me to the library several times a week—for everything from planet picture books to potty-humor graphic novels to Who Was biographies. When the first Covid lockdown hit, the library was one of the things we missed most. Later, when everyone knew a little more about how to stay safe, the library started offering grab-and-go bags, which were nothing short of a lifeline. The first time, my son and I were so happy we did a little dance on the portico, and I posted a picture of the bag on my author page! The library pulled me through as a lockdown debut writer, too. My first author event was there, virtually—and the continuing support has been incredible. In every way, the Cheshire Library is a true community resource, not just in books and computer files, but in the staff. True book people. We don’t talk nearly enough about how wonderful it is to have librarians committed to supporting their local readers—and writers. Folks like the Deputy Director, Deborah Rutter, who says: “I have been a librarian for over 40 years and while there have been many changes in the services libraries provide to their communities, books are still our brand! That’s one reason we love supporting local authors, such as Kathleen, and publicizing their books to our community of readers.” She was one of the first people I told after my agent sold the Ella Shane series…and it’s still a thrill to walk in and see my mysteries on the New Books shelf! |
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Kathleen Marple Kalb, a 2022 Derringer Award finalist, is the author of the Ella Shane and (as Nikki Knight) Vermont Radio Mysteries. An award-winning radio journalist, she currently anchors on the top-rated weekend morning show at New York's #1 news station, 1010 WINS. Her short stories appear in several anthologies, and her "Bad Apples" was an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Black Orchid Novella Contest. She serves on the national social media team for Sisters in Crime and is active in her local chapter and media organizations. |
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How Can Your Library Win a We Love Libraries Grant? Does your library need materials? Do you have a great idea for a library program? Apply for the We Love Libraries award! Find grant details and the brief grant application on our website. A WLL winner of $500 is selected every other month. |
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Write for We Love Libraries News! Do you have a great idea for an article in We Love Libraries News? Did your library put together an excellent display of mysteries that you would like to share? Submit your ideas and suggestions to Susan Hammerman, Library Liaison at |
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To find out more about all SinC offers, including live webinars, please visit our website. Thank you for all you do for your communities. Sisters in Crime loves libraries. Best wishes and happy reading! Susan Hammerman Library and Bookstore Liaison Susan Hammerman, a former rare book librarian, is the Library Liaison and coordinator of the We Love Libraries program. Susan writes crime and neo-noir short stories. Her stories have appeared in Mystery Magazine, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Blood and Bourbon, Retreats From Oblivion, and the Stories (Within) anthology. Website and Twitter |
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WLL and WLB News Editor: Gail Lukasik’s latest book, White Like Her: My Family’s Story of Race and Racial Passing, was named one of the most inspiring stories of the year by The Washington Post. She is also the author of the Leigh Girard Mystery series and the stand-alone mystery, The Lost Artist. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, such as The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and The Georgia Review. Gail appeared in the documentary, History of Memory, which is available on Amazon Prime. Her fifth mystery, The Darkness Surrounds Us, a Gothic, historical mystery, will be released in Fall 2023. Website: www.gaillukasik.com |
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Here's a spreadsheet with our members' 2022 books. This month's releases are in a separate worksheet. Sort the spreadsheet by author name, location, title, or release date. |
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Sisters in Crime hosts LIVE webinars each month. Webinars last 60-90 minutes depending on the topic and the audience questions! These webinars are open to all. |
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Looking for diverse books? For many years, SINC has curated Frankie’s List, an extensive list of crime novels by people of color and other marginalized groups. Frankie Y. Bailey, building on work by the late Eleanor Taylor Bland, began to compile a list of published Black crime writers over a decade ago. Frankie has expanded the list to include other WOC and LGBTQ+ authors. Here’s a link: https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/FrankiesList |
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Sisters in Crime is the premier crime writing association focused on equity and inclusion in our community and in publishing. Our 4,500+ members enjoy access to tools to help them learn, grow, improve, thrive, and reinvent if necessary. They also gain a community of supportive fellow writers and readers, both peers to share the peaks and valleys of writing, and mentors to model the way forward. |
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