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Meet the Author Gary Porter
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Town Kid: Reflections of a Midwestern Boyhood
A simpler place and time - growing up in the small town of Greenfield, Iowa,
during the fifties and sixties. Before soccer camps and video games, the
swimming pool across the street was a second home during the dog days of
summer. The town square the equivalent of a modern-day Walmart. The
fairgrounds on the edge of town a magical place for a young boy.
The people in this small town also left a lasting impression - from the Irish
priest, to the pipe-smoking neighbor, to the diminutive aunt and uncle with
over-sized hearts. And then there was Sparky, the Pepsi-loving bay pony.
Come along as author Gary Porter - the Town Kid - takes you on a sentimental
journey down memory lane, enlivened with captivating black-and-white photos
from the Sidey Collection.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Mindy Mejia
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Leave No Trace
There is a place in Minnesota with hundreds of miles of glacial lakes and
untouched forests called the Boundary Waters. Ten years ago a man and his
son trekked into this wilderness and never returned.
Search teams found their campsite ravaged by what looked like a bear. They
were presumed dead until a decade later...the son appeared. Discovered while
ransacking an outfitter store, he was violent and uncommunicative and sent to
a psychiatric facility. Maya Stark, the assistant language therapist, is charged
with making a connection with their high-profile patient. No matter how she
tries, however, he refuses to answer questions about his father or the last ten
years of his life.
But Maya, who was abandoned by her own mother, has secrets, too. And as
she’s drawn closer to this enigmatic boy who is no longer a boy, she’ll risk
everything to reunite him with his father who has disappeared from the known
world.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Jeanne Bishop
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Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace
with My Sister’s Killer
This powerful, true story of faith and forgiveness shows that all of us are
capable of experiencing the healing and renewal that comes with truly forgiving
another. Change of Heart follows the transformative journey undertaken by
Jeanne Bishop after the murders of her sister and brother-in-law, a journey
that challenged Jeanne's belief in the message of Jesus on the cross and
eventually moved her beyond simple forgiveness to the deeper waters of
redemption and grace. Jeanne's authentic story will guide readers past the
temptation of anger and revenge, and help them navigate the path of truly
forgiving someone whose actions have hardened their heart.
From once wishing that her sister's killer languished in a cell for the rest of his
life, Jeanne now visits him regularly in prison and publicly advocates for his
release. "It's not okay what you did, but I am not going to hate you. I am not
going to wish evil on you," writes Bishop of the murderer. "I am going to wish
the opposite. I am going to wish that you will be redeemed."
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Louise Gately with Jan Davison
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TPursuit of a Dream: James Jordan, His Life and His
Legacy
This groundbreaking book – the first one written about James Jordan – reveals
Jordan’s important role in making Des Moines the capital city of Iowa, shaping
early Iowa business and politics, aiding fugitive slaves as the escaped through
the Underground Railroad, and much more. The book tells the story of the
Jordan family’s decision to settle in Iowa and how it changed during the
Victorian era. Full of fascinating history about the greater Des Moines area, the
book shares little-known facts and stories readers will enjoy.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Dan Scanlan
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How to Play Ukulele: A Complete Guide for
Beginners
Learn to play the ukulele with this beginner’s guide that features information
about basic techniques, tools, and music knowledge.
What do George Clooney, Zooey Deschanel, Ryan Gosling and James Franco all
have in common? Answer: they all play the ukulele and now, with this easy
step-by-step guide, you can too! With just this book and your ukulele in hand,
you’ll learn basic music skills, how to care for your instrument, and how to play
some simple tunes. Whether you’re looking to impress your friends with
spontaneous singalongs, or just want to strum solo, How to Play Ukulele is the
perfect entryway to the wonderful world of ukulele.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Betty Moffett
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Coming Clean
Very early in my life I learned to love the stories I heard on my grandmother’s
screen porch. Soon after, an intense love affair with Black Beauty taught me
the power of stories to transform and transport. All my life, when someone
says, “Let me tell you a story,” I have known I will soon learn more about that
person than the most thorough recounting of historic detail could ever reveal—
and I will have more fun on the way. I offer you these stories—about what
growing up meant to four different generations; about neighbors, horses,
prejudice, sweethearts, students; about moving, marriage, grandchildren and
dogs. I hope they remind you of your own stories. I wish I could hear them.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Ashley Lovell
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The Wish
When Alivia’s grandpa Quinn passes away, she never felt so alone until one day
she ventured out into the woods and came face-to-face with the witch, Inga
who gives her a crystal stone to make a wish and the next morning Alivia finds
her grandpa well and alive in the kitchen. Was losing him just a dream or was it
all in your head? Now that Alivia has him back, she’s happier than ever. But in
the following day when she wakes her grandpa is dead... Again. And now
Inga’s dark forces are out to get what Inga desperately needs, Alivia’s soul.
Alivia sets out to unravel the history of Inga’s past and teams up with Geena
who is a paranormal researcher, a medium and a psychic to bring down the evil
stocking the woods.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Barbara Feller
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Road to Waubeek: Discovering Jay G. Sigmund
At the crossroads of two cultural icons exists Jay G. Sigmund, born in
Waubeek, Iowa. As the Regionalist movement was in full swing guess who had
an enormous influence on well-known artist Grant Wood? Jay Sigmund. Also at
this time a paperboy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was working on his interests in
writing poetry with Jay Sigmund. Who was this paperboy? Another icon from
eastern Iowa, Paul Engle, best known as the long-time director of the Iowa
Writers’ Workshop and as founder of the International Writing Program (IWP),
both at the University of Iowa.
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2018
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October
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Meet the Author Erin Stevenson
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Home to You
Brandon St. Clair is one of Minneapolis' top orthopedic surgeons. Still crushed
by his wife's sudden death almost a year ago, he's struggling to care for their
two young daughters and find the will to keep going. Their one wish is
something Brandon can't fulfill, and it breaks his heart.
Morgan Anderson is a highly respected art therapist in Chicago. Her work gives
her great fulfillment, but her personal life is lonely and lacking. A deep personal
secret has kept Morgan from succeeding in any long-term relationship, and
she's ready to give up.
Brandon's brother is married to Morgan's sister, and they meet at a family
event. Their initial dislike of one another plus the fact that they live in different
states almost guarantees that they'll never connect. But sometimes God--with
a little help from a pink-haired matchmaker named Rosie--can make what
seems impossible, possible.
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2018
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October
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Author Talk with Bryan Bliss
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Dragonfly Books invites everyone to a free author talk and book signing with young adult author Bryan Bliss. Recently long-listed for the National Book Award, Bliss’s new novel We’ll Fly Away expertly unravels the series of events that landed a teenager in jail. Bliss will talk about We’ll Fly Away, share his stories, and sign copies of his books on Thursday, November 8 at 7:00 pm at Dragonfly Books.
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2018
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November