7th Annual Nibbles, Novelists and New Beginnings

*Tom Carr, a Michigan Author, who wrote the Dark Side of the Mitten: Crimes of Power & Powerful Criminals in Michigan’s Past & Present, Blood on the Mitten: Infamous Michigan Murders, 1700s-Present, and of the popular, MI BAD: Robbers, Cutthroats and Thieves in Michigan’s Past and Present

* Katy McAvoy is the author, photographer, and recipe developer behind MittenGirl.com, a website designed to make crafting drinks less intimidating and help you host your tastiest happy hour ever. Now in its third printing, her cocktail book “Homemade Happy Hour” is designed to teach the beginning mixologist how to craft delicious cocktails and mocktails, and stock a fantastic home bar.

* John Smolens has published twelve works of fiction, eleven novels and a collection of short stories. His previous novel Day of Days was a Library of Michigan Notable Book for 2022. His novel Wolf’s Mouth was selected as a Library of Michigan Notable Book for 2017. His earlier novels, Cold, Fire Point, The Invisible World, The Anarchist, The Schoolmaster’s Daughter, and.

* Jenny deFouw Geuder, a Michigan Artist, Author, and Educator

Her love of nature, gardening, and hiking led her to birding—and soon enough to sketching the subjects she discovered outside. She found herself constantly learning more about the subjects of her paintings, and she recorded her notes and observations, leading naturally to the publication of her first book Drawn to Birds: A Naturalist’s Sketchbook. She has since published a children’s book titled Nature Explorer.

* Mickey Carolan, Author, and Speaker is a storyteller with a unique perspective. Growing up with two Deaf parents, he became fluent in one of the most beautiful languages in the world, American Sign Language. Fueled by a passion to honor his family's remarkable legacy, Mickey's words leap off the page, inviting readers into his world.

Mickey Carolan has captivated young readers with two delightful children's books in the Deaf Kids Can series and his best-selling memoir Mom Dad Not Hear.

In addition to our incredible guest authors, we are overjoyed to have Emcee, *Terri DeBoer, Former Meteorologist from WOODTV and Co-Host of eightWest join us again this year.

You, your colleagues, and friends will enjoy cocktails, dinner and networking time with each other and fabulous best-selling authors. The event will be held at The Legacy at Hastings and will surely to be an evening to remember. Attendees from past years can’t say enough about how much they enjoyed this event. Please plan to join us!