Cardyn Brooks's Blog, page 3

27 Days Until TWWBF2025 Saturday 7/19-20!

Finally made it over to Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Bowie Town Center to see the display of books by some of the authors participating in The Write Women Book Fest!  https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/#/ 

[endcap display with The Write Women Book Fest 2025 poster at the top; books by participating authors arranged beside and under it: Fake Flame, Results Will Vary, That ___ She He___*, Trading Places, Ruins and Redemption, ReInception, Molly Molloy and the Angel of Death, When She's on Top, Sleuths of Bears, Through Her Eyes, Protecting Paige, Love Reinvented, Too Dangerous to Love; Never, Now or Later; A Fire at Romanticon, Darcy's Gallant Gambit, The Adventures of Janie & Juliet, The Lord of Freedom: The Bell Tolling (Book One), An Exaltation of Larks, Macy the Mermaid] 

No One Is Self-Made: Build Your Village to Flourish in Business and Life by Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon non-fiction HarperCollins/William Morrow/DeySt, February 2025 
This passage from the introduction encapsulates the fundamental message of this instructional manual for ethical business endeavors: 
Doing business with an understanding that no one is self-made, that our playground for risk is safer and more prosperous when we carry one another, and that we are one another's salvation has revealed itself to me as the way forward. 
At a time when so many forces are working to move society backward (like to the 1850s), in eight concise, approachable chapters this book offers practical strategies for sharing resources to generate profitable outcomes for everyone involved. No One Is Self-Made is a keeper for easy access to being inspired and encouraged to work together and for us all to know that we're village-made. 

[two books face up: No One Is Self-Made: Build Your Village to Flourish in Business and Life by Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon, Say Everything, A Memoir by Ione Skye] 
Say Everything, A Memoir by Ione Skye non-fiction Simon & Schuster, March 2025 
Growing up is challenging. Doing so in the distorted funhouse mirror reflection of  entertainment media scrutiny makes surviving young adulthood multiple times harder. Through lots of trials and errors, this author learns to recognize and address the patterns of behavior that no longer serve her long-term goals for living a healthy, fulfilling life. This passage from the epilogue makes that point: 
A deep relationship is a labor of love... It's not a prize you win, like Cinderella, for being the prettiest girl with the daintiest foot. I know that now but no longer blame myself for not knowing it when I was very young. 
Studying the included photos and reading their captions adds even more pleasure to this engaging intimate self study with useful lessons for everyone.

Are there lots of undone tasks on my to-do list for The Write Women Book Fest 2025? Yes. Will that fact keep me from reading for pleasure at least a little bit every day? Nope. Stress reading is one of my coping strategies. 
My BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) issues continue.  

[horizontal bookstack from top to bottom: Salvacion, Down in the Sea of Angels, Cross the Line, Manic Pixie Dream Earl, Hazardous to a Duke's Heart, My Best Friend's Honeymoon, Great Big Beautiful Life; propped up next to the right side of the bookstack are Elphie: A Wicked Childhod and Wicked Movie dvd case] 

Assorted arrangements of The Write Women Book Fest 2025 display in the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Bowie Town Center  [four photos of the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Bowie Town Center display showing the books mentioned above in the first image plus: Eat Dessert First, Love Across the Table, Crimson Chaos]   

With much gratitude to journalist Leslie Gray Streeter for her recent column in The Baltiomore Banner about TWWBF!https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/opinion/column/book-festival-write-women-bowie-654CYWAVUBC4HKSRFUB22623TU/  


*My apologies to this author and the author of the book with the man wearing a dress shirt and suit coat for my not having the foresight to pull the book farther out to make the whole title easy to see. Check out The Write Women Book Fest IG page because Heather posted a video of our visit.  

Fathers in Life & Memory, and Families

The grieving process in fact and fiction 
[2 books arranged next to each other: left - Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title by Leslie Gray Streeter; right - The Martian Contingency (Lady Astronaut #4) by Mary Robinette Kowal]  Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title by Leslie Gray Streeter non-fiction memoir Little, Brown and Company, May 2020 
In eighteen chapters with titles from lyrics of popular television show theme songs and other cultural references, this author offers readers candid emotional details about her experiences in coping with the sudden death of her spouse. Grief as a form of emotional schizophrenia.  Her insightful revelations are poignant and funny in unexpected ways. Connections between family by blood, by choice, neighbors and extended community create an engaging picture of a relatable life with lots of often overwhelming responsibilities and commitments. 
From the last chapter: ... This isn't the end of anything. It's just the beginning. 
In addition to being a substantive memoirist, Leslie Gray Streeter is an award-winning journalist with the Baltimore Banner and a novelist as of the April 2025 release of Family and Other Calamities. Earlier this month she, Heather Brooks (founder and co-organizer of The Write Women Book Fest) and I enjoyed a lively chat about the challenges and rewards of hosting a big book event, being authors and much more. 
  The Martian Conspiracy (Lady Astronaut #4) by Mary Robinette Kowal alternate history sci-fi set in the 1900s Macmillan, February 2025 
An alternate history of the 1950s through the 1970s interweaves battles for and against entrenched gender roles, racism, reproductive autonomy, sociopolitical maneuvering and upheaval, and a variety of natural and man-made disasters in the context of emotional intimacy, assorted cultures and religions--all while exploring space. Outstanding and gorgeous character development and narrative dexterity. 

More library books (of course) in support of my BAC - Book Acquisition Compulsion - issues 

[a bookstack from top to bottom: Problematic Summer Romance, What Happens in Amsterdam, It's a Love Story, The Love Haters, Dying to Meet You]
[Libby ebook app showing cover art for 2 titles on loan: Crossing Paths, Gold Coast Dilemma]  
Some people stress eat (don't ask me how I know, but you can guess). Stress reading is my jam. 

Failing to Plan Is Planning to Fail

Recent obvious failures and spectacular successes in book fests combined with an actual near collision (my fault) in the grocery store with the incomparable founder of the successful-for-decades BARR - Black Authors & Readers Rock - Conference* who's also the author of Plan It! The Complete Resource Guide for Authors, Book Clubs & Literary Event Planners inspired me to write this FlashbackFriday post. 
[photo of two Black women standing next to each other with their arms around each other's shoulders: Cardyn Brooks on the right; Sharon Lucas on the left] 
[title page for workbook "How to Plan an Event That "Wows" Workbook By Sharon Lucas" with a photo of the author then "An Addendum to Plan It! The Complete Resource Guide for Authors, Book Clubs & Literary Event Planners"] 
In 2017 P.G. Parks & Recreation hosted a community event (overall theme has escaped my Swiss cheese memory) at the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex. Sharon Lucas hosted an event planning workshop that explained the basics for creating a strategy and action plan to generate successful results. Later that year (or possibly the next?) I volunteered at the Prince George's County Book Festival, which she coordinated, and got to see and experience her impressive professional execution of the methods she'd taught. 
From the outside looking in successful events that run smoothly with organizers who provide quick responses and solutions to unexpected and sudden challenges make it look easy to do. It's not. Hosting book events that deliver satisfaction to everyone involved requires a dedicated team of experts and volunteers, knowledgeable and responsive venue staff, time, money, a lot of sweat equity and enthusiastic commitment to the mission, along with an enormous amount of planning for the known and the unknown, especially for factors beyond human control. 
The weather Traffic Parking The venue's HVAC system Physical and mental health of the team members (participants & attendees too) The economy/sociopolitical shifts Bizarre social media showdowns Other unforeseen circumstances 
For our very small team at The Write Women Book Fest, under promising and over delivering to participants and attendees while respecting and appreciating event volunteers and venue staff are our priorities. Sharon Lucas embodies all that we aspire to be as book events organizers. She dropped by the first TWWBF at Marietta House Museum in 2019. Her encouragement is the reason we dared to reach out to distinguished literary icon Marita Golden during the pandemic years. During our brief chat at the grocery store the other day Sharon Lucas mentioned that her current family responsibilities mean no more BARR, the event which set a very high standard for book events expectations in the DMV area and across the U.S. 
Her practical guide to book event planning is still available in ebook format and seems as necessary and relevant as ever. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plan-it-sharon- lucas/1122810235 

Happy successful book event planning to all! 

*One of the reasons TWWBF moved from the outdoor venue of Marietta House Museum to the indoor venue of Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center is that it was where BARR was for years until they moved to National Harbor. 

The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen Delivers All the Feels

Black love. Black joy. Black drama. Humanity in its vast melanin array.  
[front cover of a paperback ARC for The Best Man: Unfinished Business; silhouette of three adults]
The Best Man: Unfinished Business by Malcolm D. Lee with Jayne Allen 

adult contemporary fiction with romantic elements 

Storehouse Voices, July 2025 

First, dedicated fans of The Best Man franchise and its beloved characters need not fear how they’re treated in this first of three novels. In fact. One thread of Harper’s storyline seems to reflect the real-life author/screenwriter/director’s battle to protect and maintain the integrity of The Best Man universe. Mission accomplished. 

Second, once readers - fans or not - start this novel they won’t want to stop. The compulsion to re/watch The Best Man movies and limited series and maybe even to reread this book while anticipating the release of book two in 2026 will prove difficult to resist. 

Who are you? 

Who are your people? 

Where do you belong? 

What’s the purpose of your life? 

When is the allure of the familiar a trap, and when is it a safe space to heal and thrive? 

With emotional vulnerability that’s often messy, visceral sensitivity, lots of humor and incendiary sexual tension in three acts, this story focuses on the decades-long interpersonal tension between Harper, Robyn, and Jordan. Within that complicated entanglement each is experiencing their own existential reckoning connected to present-day quandaries rooted in hindsight and some past trauma. 

Recurring themes on meditation, self-care, and therapy dovetail seamlessly with riffs on complex family dynamics between those related by blood and by choice. The Best Man: Unfinished Business offers a grown-and-sexy examination of how circumstances change and relationships evolve and get reconfigured among people who know and love each other through multiple stages of life. 

Forthright candor in the writing style resonates with poignant authenticity and many laugh aloud moments. Shades of Percival Everett’s Erasure mixed with Marita Golden’s The Strong Black Woman and The New Black Woman, and Dr. Maya Angelou's All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes along with a bit of the pathos of Sliding Doors, echoes of Living Single and Girlfriends fast-forwarded into their greater later era, too, in its joyous celebration of the multi-faceted expressions of being human while Black while delivering an entertaining, provocative read for and about real grown folks make this one of the best ways to satisfy fans’ desires for more new content featuring cherished characters. 

an observation regarding the ARC given to me: high frequency usage of ellipsis punctuation (which is maybe a screenwriting convention - or a texting effect - that’ll get adjusted in the final version?)  Oh, read Swept Away by Beth O'Leary late last night and it also used lots of ellipses so it's possibly a new trend in fiction.

This week's library support of my BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) issues   [a bookstack from top to bottom: Frenemies with Benefits, The Martian Contingency, Say Everything, Book Boyfriend, Crash Landing, Another Fine Mess, The Ephemera Collector] 
Oppressors hate it when the people they're attempting to oppress savor the simple, small, medium and grand joys of life, so experience lots of pleasure every day! 

Has SINNERS Got You Thirsting for More...

[cover art for the DVD case for the BBC Dracula series, three-quarter profile of the lower half of a man's face; open mouth displaying fangs with blood dripping over his lower lip and chin] 


Bloodsucking and Other Supernatural Fare? Past and present TWWBF authors can help satisfy your cravings: Shai August Golden Angel H.L. Brooks S Courtney Kait Disney-Leugers Jeaniene Frost Rhiannon Futch Claire E. Jones Hannah Levin J.S. Living Glori Medina C.L. Merklinger Liv Macy Leslye Penelope Ivy Quinn Sheri Queen Rebecca Rivard Olivia Springer Rose Staine Michelle Summers Maria Vale Plus more fiction and non-fiction from all of these other talented TWWBF2025 authors and vendors: in-person https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2025-authors--vendors.html#/ and virtual https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2025-virtual-authors--vendors.html#/
Come join us for all sorts of bookish fun on our ticketed day one Saturday, July 19 at the Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center and/or our free day two on Sunday, July 20 at the South Bowie Branch Library (just 5 miles from the hotel down Rte 301 south to Central Ave west toward Washington; right turn at the 2nd traffic light - street address is "Hall Road" but library actually faces Central Ave)  Tickets through Eventbrite: The Write Women Book Fest 2025 Tickets, Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite 

This week's library haul a.k.a. my BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) issues;-) 
[4 books arranged vertically, from left to right: No One Is Self-Made, Any Trope But You, Swept Away, Fan Service] 
Yes, TWWBF2025 is just about two months away in addition to the sometimes overwhelming demands of my personal and other professional responsibilities, but reading for pleasure and enlightenment is as essential to me as oxygen. 
Always rooting for you! 

A Million Lives Book Festival - An Unfortunate Exception, Not the Event Rule

[2 decorative stickers on lined writing paper from left to right: a round smiley face arranged upside down to look like a frown and a round smiley face arranged right sight up]


By now most bookish folk and others have heard about the inaugural A Million Lives Book Festival held at the Baltimore Convention Center last Friday and Saturday. To recap: according to participating authors and attendees many promises were made and almost all of them were broken. 
As outreach director and co-organizer for The Write Women Book Fest scheduled to host its 6th event Saturday, July 19 & Sunday, July 20 of this year at the Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center in Bowie, Maryland, U.S.A., my reaction to the feedback being shared about A Million Lives is nightmarish. Even though we aren't connected to it in any way or familiar with the event organizer or her company, our completely unrelated event has felt some minor residual effects because people are worried. And that's an understandable reaction. 
Even during the best of times no one wants to risk their money and other resources or waste their energy. And for too many people this is the opposite of the best of times. Yet authors are still writing, publishing and engaging with the public. Readers are still reading, buying and hyping books and their favorite authors. They're still investing their money, time and effort in attending events that feature books and authors. 
In the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area the highest benchmarks for excellence in talented authors, enthusiastic readers and dynamic events that meet and exceed promises made along with stellar execution are the norm. Some examples: 20+ years of BARR (Black Authors & Readers Rock), Mahogany Books events hosted throughout the year - most recently former First Lady Michelle Obama's conversation with Ms. Tina Knowles about her memoir, Matriarch; year-round events and community engagement hosted by Loyalty Books, Charm City Romanticon, Maryland Romance Writers, Mountains Wanted Publishing events in Annapolis, all kinds of events hosted by Prince George's County Memorial Library System and Anne Arundel County Library... and one of my personal all-time favorite book events was the Popular Romance Fiction: The Literature of Hope Conference hosted at Yale University in 2023 - Ms. Beverly Jenkins, Roxane Gay, Adriana Herrera, Mary Bly (Eloisa James), the sisters who own The Ripped Bodice Bookstores, Alyssa Cole Zoomed in and so many more intellectual, academic, entrepreneurial and successful publishing industry heavyweights. This is the caliber of book events that inspire The Write Women Book Fest. 
Like many self-pubbed, indie, small press and mid-list authors, the miniscule, dedicated TWWBF team works other jobs full-time and self-funds our author expenses. As authors we empathized with the disappointed A Million Lives participants who spent hundreds of dollars (or more) on travel and accommodations, pricey event venue parking for those who drove, books ordered and shipped, swag, leave taken from their reliable paycheck jobs, and anticipation for a successful experience that delivered failure. Kudos to the participating authors who listed trauma bonding with others as a plus. 
The spectacular failure of the A Million Lives Book Festival has been covered by local and major media outlets in the U.S. and other countries. What if smaller successful events like The Write Women Book Fest received even a fraction of such coverage with a positive spin instead of a negative one? What if the major news outlets got inspired to observe a designated "good news only" time frame each week like V Spehar does with their Under the Desk News? Would people feel more encouraged? Would the dedicated organizers and hosts of modest community events that inspire and support creativity and making personal connections to foster and deepen a sense of human solidarity feel seen and appreciated and motivated to continue? 
Who knows? But finding out seems worth the effort. 
If there's a book event or bookstore that's hosted joyful experiences that you've attended, please mention them in the comments.  
I'll start: TWWBF 's first 4 years were at Marietta House Museum, a PG Parks & Rec property with a dedicated, knowledgeable team that provided all of the support we needed; they set us up to succeed, so much so that we outgrew that venue. The team at the Prince George's County Memorial Library System has also offered years of practical support and encouragement. Same with the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Bowie Town Center. They're our local bookstore and they invest in the success of local authors with their year-round schedule of events, store inventory and displays. EC Poetry & Prose has been with us since year one to elevate our programming with the award-winning, highly acclaimed work of their outstanding roster of talent. And shoutouts to all of the TWWBF participants past and present who embody the core reasons we've succeeded and grown every year since our first in 2019. TWWBF2023 was our first year at the Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center, which we chose because we knew BARR had been there for years until they outgrew it. Their team knows how to execute a successful book event. Appreciation to Michelle Fewer, host of Charm City Romanticon and a generous person who's always willing to share her proven event planning strategies with us, and previous TWWBF participating author Calla Claire who mentioned our event in such positive terms in her thoughtful video commentary about AMLBF. Kait Disney-Leugers, too! They're magnificent examples of the caliber of the authors and creatives who participate in The Write Women Book Fest. 
If I didn't mention you by name, please forgive me. I appreciate you. It's 71 days until TWWBF2025 starts and my brain is already half mush. 

Always wishing you good health, peace of mind & joy! 

Author Cherry Dawn Fagbemi Chats with TBQ + More Books

Hearing author Cherry Dawn Fagbemi read a cliffhanger of an excerpt from Bad Seed at a Prince George's Memorial Library System event last year led us to stay in touch. Here's our recent conversation about her life, her work, this book and a future project on this episode of The Bitchy Quill podcast with founder Heather Brooks, who's also the founder of The Write Women Book Fest scheduled for Saturday, July 19 & Sunday, July 20 at the Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center in Bowie, Maryland, where this author and 100+ more will engage with readers, give away swag, sell and sign their books on day one; an assortment of panel chats on day two: https://youtu.be/a73_k4DQZKI   [front cover of a trade paperback book, "BAD SEED, The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl, A Novel by Cherry Dawn Fagbemi"]  

This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) bookstack includes a hockey romance because the Washington Capitals' first-round playoffs win happened during the start of my hockey romance reading binge so it would be irresponsible for me to tempt fate by not continuing. Plus, ebooks available from the public library through the Libby app. 
AND the "Free For All: The Public Library" documentary is excellent! https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/free-for-all/  

[a bookstack of 6 books from top to bottom: The Love Simulation, Shoot Your Shot, Caught Up, Play Along, Bonded in Death, We The Pizza]  
[cover art for 2 ebooks, from left to right: Hello Single Dad by Kelsie Hoss, Chaos by Constance Fay] 


Life is really challenging for most people in multiple ways right now (and always?). Grant some grace to yourself and others. Hydrate. Rest. Meditate. Pray. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Make space to experience some pleasure every day. 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind & joy.  

Absolutely No Shelf Control

What had happened was... 
[20 books arranged on a piano bench, from left to right: Death of the Author, Kills Well With Others, Savor It, Scot and Bothered, Say You'll Remember Me, Flirting Lessons; a horizontal stack from top to bottom - Break Point, Murder by Memory, A Wager at Midnight, Believing in You, One in a Million, Let Me Be the One, Wild Side, The Perfect Rom-Com, The Usual Family Mayhem, Love on Paper, The Charlie Method; and 3 more books from left to right - Stealing Home, Breakaway, One on One] 
So my nearest library branch needed to close in order to complete some urgent building repairs. At first, it was supposed to take two days, but that turned into seven days. So my book requests accumulated during that time. 
Did I pursue the super practical option of reading all of the other library books in my possession in order to clear the way for this growing and delayed bumper crop of loans? 
No I did not. I borrowed ebooks from my county's library system, and more physical books from a library branch in the adjacent county. 
[cover art for the ebook edition of Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman] 
[a bookstack of 6 books from top to bottom: Mister Hockey, Head Coach & Virgin Territory, Mile High, The Right Move, Pucking Sweet, Pucking Wild] 
My hockey romance binge reading continues as every day the #ALLCAPS frenzy for the Washington Capitals gains momentum! 
Deadlines for multiple projects loom closer and there are episodes of The Bitchy Quill podcast to record while the first day of The Write Women Book Fest is only 83(!) days from today.  
So until at least August, my blog and socials posts will probably offer only photos of books, bookish things and BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) confessions. 

Always sending you good vibes for overall health, peace of mind & some pleasure every day, especially during these challenging times.   
 

Flashback Friday to an Unexpected Honor

Last Saturday, Jade and Wilnona - the And I Thought Ladies, honored me with an Inspirational Woman in Literature Award for my work in supporting authors and promoting literacy! It was an unexpected honor and much appreciated coming from two people who work so diligently to create successful opportunities for other authors and creatives. A browse of their socials reveals how much time, effort and travel they expend transforming their own and others' publishing aspirations into reality.  

[a framed 8in x 11in "Certificate of achievement, Inspirational Woman of Literature, Cardyn Brooks, You have shown excellence and innovation as an inspirational woman of Literature 2025, Jade Dee, Wilnona Marie, And I thought Ladies"] 
We enjoyed a cozy lunch at the Reynolds Tavern in Annapolis, which provided a charming atmosphere and scrumptious food. 
[three women standing in front of the corner of a brick building with a "Reynolds Tavern..." plaque above their heads; a "1747 Pub" sign hangs higher and farther behind them] 
[a dinner plate filled with one slice of quiche Lorraine, a tossed garden salad and a small dish of salad dressing] 
They also were very thoughtful and generous in the assorted swag they gave me. 
[a small chick keychain, an And I Thought Ladies business card, a trade paperback copy of The Alyse Diaries by B. Danielle Watkins, a pair of "Melanin Goddess" earrings, a pair of pink footie socks with smiley faces on the heel] 
We enjoyed a lovely afternoon of personal engagement, lots of laughs, revelations, encouragement and the sharing of future goals. All of that was a gift of quality time spent with quality people. The good vibes carried me through the week. 

TBR or Not TBR...

Rereads, new reads, reissues and more evidence of my BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) problems 
[a vertical row of trade paperback books from left to right: Played, Pucked Up, The Garden of Small Beginnings, Get Lost with You, My Big Fat Fake Marriage - on top of a vertical stack of TBR books from top to bottom: Flirting Lessons, Say You'll Remember Me, Scot and Bothered, Savor It, Kills Well with Others] 
Comfort reread contemporary romance, Played by Naima Simone and (not shown) historical romance, Devil In Disguise by Lisa Kleypas. Indulged in another angsty YA hockey romance, Pucked Up by Helena Hunting. Emotional upheaval and struggling through the stages of grief in contemporary women's fiction with romantic elements, The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman. More struggles and triumphs of moving forward after returning to one's childhood home in contemporary romance, Get Lost With You by Sophie Sullivan, and an amusing break from the glorification of a-hole billionaires in contemporary romance, My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein. 
And of course for me the answer is almost always yes to reading. 

Talented authors and good friends Kia DuPree and V. Efua Prince discussed Kin: Practically True Stories during a compelling chat at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Bowie Town Center in Bowie, Maryland. The author read some passages, answered questions, shared details of her life and author journey, and dropped intriguing teasers about one of her upcoming works that includes themes on laundry.

[a poster in the front window of a bookstore: "Presenting V. Efua Prince, April 12, 2025, 3-5pm" for Kin: Practically True Stories] 
[author Kia DuPree seated on the left and author V. Efua Prince seated on the right as they discuss Kin: Practically True Stories] 


The Bowie Branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System hosted a preview screening of Free For All: The Public Library. It's a fascinating documentary that highlights the champions of expanding access to information and the evolution of the services provided by public libraries.  [a long rectangular table with several library books about libraries; a calendar of library events in April; a "What's the Draw?" worksheet, and a QR code for a questionnaire] 

Make time to experience some pleasure every day.