Past Authors 2021
Leah Johnson
Virtual Author Visit
Thu / Jul. 15 / 6 p.m. / via Zoom
JCPL is excited to welcome best-selling author Leah Johnson to our Authors at JCPL series! Leah Johnson was born and raised in central Indiana and her debut novel, “You Should See Me in a Crown,” was the inaugural Reese’s Book Club YA pick, a Stonewall Honor Book, Junior Library Guild Selection and a 2021 ALA Rainbow List Top Ten Selection. Leah is a 2021 Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Fellow whose work has been featured in BuzzFeed, Refinery29 and Teen Vogue. She now lives in Brooklyn, New York.
“Rise to the Sun” is the second novel by central Indiana native Leah Johnson. Packed with irresistible romance and irrepressible heart, “Rise to the Sun” is a stunning novel about being brave enough to be true to yourself and learning to find joy even when times are unimaginably dark. The first 40 JCPL cardholders to register and virtually attend the event will receive a signed copy of Leah Johnson’s new book, “Rise to the Sun.”
Shelley Shepard Gray
Virtual Author Visit
Tue / Jun. 8 / 6 p.m. / via Zoom
JCPL is excited to welcome Shelley Shepard Gray, the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of several Amish and Contemporary Romance novels, including the Berlin Bookmobile series and the Bridgeport Social Club series. She currently lives in Colorado Springs and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two young adults and always has a dachshund by her side.
The first 40 JCPL cardholders to register and virtually attend the event will receive a signed copy of Shelley Shepard Gray’s new book, “An Amish Surprise.” This event is made possible by a donation to the JCPL Foundation.
Axton Betz-Hamilton
Virtual Author Visit
Wed / Apr. 7 / 6 p.m. / via Zoom
Axton Betz-Hamilton is the author of "The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets and Stolen Identity," which received the 2020 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. A Portland, Indiana native, she graduated from Jay County High School, where she was a member of the Academic and Speech Teams. She earned a B.S. in agricultural economics and an M.S. in consumer sciences and retailing, both from Purdue University. Currently, she is an assistant professor of consumer affairs at South Dakota State University. The first 25 JCPL cardholders who register and virtually attend will receive a copy of the book.
Visit her Facebook page
Program Sponsored by Indiana Humanities
