'Tis The Season... And A Little Bit More

November 2025

I had a fantastic day yesterday. Not only was it a warmish, gently blustery, autumn day... with beautiful leaves changing colors, creating a tapestry of lovely against a backdrop of blue... I spent the day immersed in books, communing with authors... and I received a special gift from someone who I don't think realized their dramatic impact on me.😊

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The day began with a Local Author Fair, hosted by the Troy Public Library. I was a visitor at this one, rather than an exhibitor. At ten o'clock in the morning, a large room full of authors of every genre and style, came together at the Troy Community Center to share their books. One of those authors was my dear friend, the illustrious Donald Levin. He is a man of literary mystery and amazingness. I'd heard that he released a new book a short time ago, and this was the main reason I made it a point to attend the event. I'm a huge fan of Don's work, and I am proud to say that I now own his entire catalogue... and each copy is signed! Since the day I met him, Don continues to astound me with his storytelling acumen, and I'm never disappointed when I read his words. His books hold a special space on my bookshelves, and I look forward to what he will create next. Okay, I admit, I'm a Donald Levin literary groupie. 😉

While I was in Troy, I also encountered the ever wonderful, Shannon Waite, who I shared space with at the Monroe Library a few weeks ago. You can read about that encounter HERE. I ran into the super-fun and energetic Katie Spina. She and I have written in community together many times over the past several years, and find joyous camaraderie in the insanity we choose. She writes incredible books for young adventurers. I also reconnected with my friend, E.M. Olson, who I first met in a business networking group several years ago. His children's books are an absolute delight. I was thrilled to see him again, and to discover that he is still writing. He tells me more books are coming in the new year. That was happy news. It is always my hope that every author I meet will never abandon our special brand of madness. The world needs more stories! 📚

On top of all that, I got to meet a plethora other authors of nearly every genre imaginable... and representing several different cultures. I will never lose my fascination with the art of storytelling and how it can so easily transcend the barriers of social strata, cultural tradition, and sometimes even language. And yes, I picked up a few books, signed by the authors, of course!

Saturday was a TwoFer Book Fest Day... so after lunch, I headed over to the Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham, to visit their Local Author Fair. Although there were fewer authors attending (the space was much smaller), these authors were no less amazing! Three of the authors were at the Troy event, which meant I got to chat with them a little bit more, and I also met some wonderful children's book authors. I picked up a few signed copies for the little people in my life. Of these authors, the most intriguing to meet was a young man named Matthew Moldvan. He is only ten years old, but has already written his first chapter book, The Secret Book Club. We chatted for a bit, and after speaking with his father, we've arranged to have him come share his story on the Indie Reads Aloud podcast. So be sure to watch for his episode to air in the near future. My belief in humanity is recharged whenever I meet young writers. For it is through their stories that our Sacred Texts will continue to thrive. Go Matthew! 👍

As the day came to a close, I noticed a curious man out on the library patio, dressed as if he'd escaped from the pages of a book. Curiosity overtook me and I went out to investigate.

My suspicions were correct, for sitting before me in a felt top hat, ascot, and green vest with gold buttons was none other than Charles Dickens! He was reading from his classic tale, A Christmas Carol. He was so captivating that I felt compelled to watch and listen as he read from the final pages of his story. I found it easy to imagine myself sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace, a puppy in my lap, as I was entranced by the scene playing out before me.

Time was lost to me as I retreated into my six-year-old self and became spellbound by the vision the Spirit of Christmas Future brought to Scrooge. I lingered longer as Dickens shared the story of Scrooge's realization of what he had just endured, and the truth of the warning. I was enthralled with the lessons learned and the joy recaptured. Gooseflesh raised on my arms and the back of my neck as this master storyteller again entertained me to the point of forgetting myself with his timeless tale, delivered with all the emotion and excitement that dwelled inside the characters he created.

When the story was done, I applauded with delight, and the spell was broken. That was when I met Edmond Guay. He is the Master Thespian who made Charles Dickens appear before me. What an honor it was to meet this man! I learned that the reason for his afternoon of storytelling was to bring awareness to a special one-man show he is performing at the Birmingham Players Theatre the first week in December. He will be performing (and for me, reprising) his role as Dickens, again sharing the story of A Christmas Carol with sets, lights, and all the intimacy I enjoyed on the library patio - albeit with better seats. 😉 This performance is a fundraising endeavor to bring awareness to the theatre's decades-long tradition of extraordinary regional theatre, and to raise funding to support their efforts, improve the playhouse, and keep ticket prices affordable for patrons.

(See the information below for tickets to this special event.)

As we talked a bit more, I discovered that Edmond and I shared a history that few could have imagined possible, given that we'd never met. We worked in the theatre with the same two mentors, Virginia Bortz and Jim Bunnell (although at different times), and found that we had remarkably similar experiences within our passions for Theatre and Literature. I am amazed at how sometimes the world can be so tremendously large and yet so incredibly small, simultaneously. Simply remarkable.

If you have an opportunity to attend Edmond's performance, I highly recommend that you do. Simply based on the fifteen minutes I spent listening and watching, I know you won't be disappointed. This is a wonderful show to share with your entire family, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. The Theatre is a gift we can share no matter the season, and this story's reminders to treat all those we encounter with love, gratitude, and dignity, regardless of the season, are universal. Oh, just go. I promise, you'll have a good time!😊

I want to say Thank You to the authors and libraries who work so hard to keep vibrant storytelling alive, while continuing the legacy of our craft. It's because of you that I now need to buy more bookshelves... and that's a good problem to have! 😊

And, THANK YOU, Edmond Guay. I'm so grateful to have met you and experience your gifts first hand. You are an amazing talent! I look forward to seeing you at the Theatre. ❤️