St. John the Baptist Parish Library showcases a virtual author talk series each month featuring bestselling, award-winning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world. The free, virtual series takes place six times a month and includes the opportunity to ask questions to the author. Monthly topics include fiction, nonfiction, health and wellness, cooking, K-12, and variety.
NONFICTION
Your Ticket to the Best State Fair Crafts with Smithsonian Curator Mary Savig, A Library Speakers Consortium and Smithsonian Institution Collaboration
Wednesday, June 3 at 1 PM
Join us for a fascinating discussion with Smithsonian Curator Mary Savig on the history and significance of craft at state fairs—from blue-ribbon quilts to sculpted butter cows, and so much more! Come one, come all! State Fairs has a little something for everyone. Register now to hear about the fascinating (and often surprising) world of American state fair crafts!
FICTION
Apocalyptic Mayhem, Lava-Spitting Llamas, and One Very Sassy Cat: Surviving the Universe’s Most Twisted RPG with Matt Dinniman, New York Times Bestselling Author and Literary Dungeon Master
Thursday, June 11 at 6 PM
Hold onto your heart-patterned boxers! Matt Dinniman, New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular (and just plain wild) Dungeon Crawler Carl series, joins us to chat about his latest book, A Parade of Horribles.
Register now for a fun-filled discussion you won’t want to miss!
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Eat Your Ice Cream: A Compassionate and Humorous Roadmap to Wellbeing with Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Award-Winning Bioethicist, Oncologist, and Chocolatier
Tuesday, June 9 at 1 PM
Join us for an empowering conversation with health expert Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel as he shares his vision for living well and aging with purpose. In Eat Your Ice Cream, he explores how to embrace health, happiness, and longevity without falling for quick fixes or unrealistic promises.
Resisting the tide of the latest trends to extend life at all costs, Eat Your Ice Cream reveals that many of the tools for a long, healthy and meaningful life are already within reach. Register now to hear incredible tips on living a full and healthy life.
VARIETY & LIFESTYLE
Nurturing Future Generations: Stories from the Heart of Grandfatherhood with Ted Page, Author, Creative Entrepreneur, and Grandpa
Thursday, June 18 at 1 PM
Join us in conversation with storyteller and popular blogger Ted Page as we chat about his journey to bring together the stories and wisdom of grandfathers from all walks of life, all with a mission to nurture the next great generation.
“Good Grandpa” is inspiring, uplifting, evocative, and filled with genuine emotion. It is a recipe of hope for a divided America, and the book that will be on every grandparent’s reading list.
Register today and find out why Ted Page says “our greatest generation is to come.”
COOKING/FOOD
Simple, Sustainable, and Powerfully Delicious Meals with Sana Javeri Kadri and Asha Loupy, Kadri, CEO & Founder of Diaspora Spice Co. and Loupy, Renowned Food and Recipe Writer
Tuesday, June 23 at 1 PM
Join us as we chat with Sana Javeri Kadri and Asha Loupy about The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook, celebrating beautiful, simple, and seasonal cooking with 85 recipes adapted from India and Sri Lanka’s best family spice farms.
Diaspora Spice Co. sources spices from 150 regenerative farms across South Asia. From elders, indigenous communities, young changemakers, and brilliant multi-generational farming families across India and Sri Lanka, these spices recognize those leading the way in sustainable and climate change resistant agriculture.
Join us LIVE for a chance to win a copy of The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook! The giveaway link will be in the Resources area under the broadcast screen during the live event. Please ensure you are watching on your library’s webpage for the chance to participate.
K-12
Wonderfully Weird: Celebrating the Joys of Feeling Different with Zaila Avant-garde, New York Times Bestselling Author, Record-Setting Basketball Player, and Scripps National Spelling Bee Champ
Tuesday, June 16 at 6 PM
Join us for an uplifting conversation with bestselling author and Scripps National Spelling Bee champ Zaila Avant-garde as we discuss her new picture book, Weird and Wonderful You, in which she encourages young readers to embrace their unique quirks and see them as strengths. It’s a colorful manifesto for anyone who has ever felt out of place or different, urging them to stand out, be proud, and stay true to themselves.
Register today for a joyful reminder on staying true to ourselves.