Summer days with so much to explore, in reading and activity
If reading and writing expand the mind, activity feeds the body
Happy Fourth of July to those knee-deep in picnics today. And for those who have a long weekend because of the holiday, congratulations. I hope you all also take a moment to check in on your elderly neighbors, your sick friends and those who may be geographically or emotionally estranged from their families.
TODAY: the official release of Benjamin Goluboff’s and Mark Luebbers’ poetry chapbook, Group Portrait, a unique interpretation of a photographic portrait in the World War II era from Peggy Guggenheim’s art salon. We have seen the advance review copies and we are really excited about this little book!
Parisian Phoenix author Larry Sceurman sent out an unusual newsletter today, highlighting his “Larry Land” postcard series with his own personal photography and his Larry humorous wisdom. You can see his newsletter here.
Just a reminder that Larry will be performing a family story time at Whitehall Public Library on Wednesday, July 9 at 6 p.m.
DID YOU KNOW…
For less than $2 an issue, you can support PARISIAN PHOENIX BOOKISH BABBLE as a paid subscriber. Benefits include: 1. Free chapters and excerpts of new books. 2. Curated lists and annotated reviews of podcasts, writing books, and bookstores. 3. Full, unlimited access to ALL of my slides from my writing workshops. PLUS unlimited access to the archives of all my posts.
The RV book— Motorhome Gypsies: Practical RV Living Advice & Real World Adventures— will release in a little more than a week. This book is a must-read if you ever contemplated RV or van life. It’s a fun read for the travel writing to follow Rachel Thompson and Lisa Cross in their journey around the country to find their next home.
If I ever left in a camper, I wouldn’t want an RV. I would convert a mini-van, not even a real full-sized van. Then I’d visit unique towns all over, seeking out their bookstores and coffee shops, like I did yesterday in Boonton, N.J.
Adventures in Boonton, N.J.
I gave myself a mini-holiday yesterday, taking our art director Gayle Hendricks to Boonton, N.J. as I tried to locate the remnants of the Morris Canal there. Why Boonton? It’s the town where I was born. Why the canal? Because I love history that preserves how the Industrial Revolution made America.
I found a bookstore— but it’s only open weekends: Gingerbread Bookshop. To read more about the adventure, see my personal blog, angelackerman.com.
Made in the Lehigh Valley
As part of the grant from The Pennsylvania Creative Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program, I will partner with local businesses to promote Parisian Phoenix Publishing. Our first business partner is Genevieve Terpstra from Made in the Lehigh Valley. She collects makers from across the Valley and highlights them on her website, on her social media and at events. You can explore our current landing page here.
Thank you to Genny for her hard work and look for updates about that.
Tinicum Arts Festival
On Saturday, July 12, Dianna Sinovic will be one of the featured authors at the Tinicum Arts Festival Authors’ Table from 2-4 p.m. She’ll be promoting her supernatural thriller, Scream of the Silent Sun.
She’s had a whirlwind month in June with visits to StokerCon and Thrillerfest. At Thrillerfest, she participated in the debut author’s program, which only accepts debut novels published through vetted and verified publishers, of which Parisian Phoenix made the list. You can read about her experience at Thrillerfest in her recent newsletter here.
But back to Tinicum, I hear that Carla from WDVR will be there and that WDVR is typically across from the authors. I’m hoping to stop by to support Dianna and say hello to Carla, as I have never attended that festival before.
It looks like admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children. For more information, click here for the Authors’ Table and here for the festival in general. From their web site:
Delight in the creations of over 130 artists and craft artisans displayed under the trees. Discover treasures at the White Elephant Tent. Choose from literally thousands of volumes at the Book Wagon. Place a bid at the Silent Auction. Enjoy the outstanding live musical entertainment while savoring a fresh-squeezed lemonade, a tasty sandwich or a home-baked dessert in the picnic grove. Special activities for children and summer fun for everyone.
Speaking of radio…
E.H. Jacobs read from and discussed his political thriller, Splintered River, on WKXL New Hampshire Talk Radio. He appeared on The Writers’ Den as their new author segment, you can listen to that here for another week or so: WKXL. The segment begins shortly after the 45-minute mark and includes a quote from me about why I chose to publish the book.
From the web site:
Our featured NHWP Author, E.H. Jacobs, brings us Splintered River, a timely debut novel that paints a stark and thought-provoking portrait of the world we live in today. Though fictional, its themes are hauntingly familiar and grounded in current social realities…This is a can’t-miss episode that examines the real-life inspirations behind compelling literary works—and how storytelling reflects, and shapes, our understanding of the world. Mark your calendar and join us for “When Art Imitates Life.”
What we might talk about next time
Amazon Ads (so far I’ve spent $100 to make $5, but my impressions have gone crazy and my click-through-rate is impressive)
Airplane Books, with Dawn O’Harra’s Any Landing You Walk Away from… releasing in August, we have a cover to reveal and I’ll share with you my reactions to Kate Folk’s Sky Daddy and Chris Bojahlian’s The Flight Attendant. And maybe I’ll use this as an excuse to check out the HBO Max series, starring Kelly Cuoco from Big Bang Theory.
I have made a steady start on Tiffany Yates Martin’s The Intuitive Author. This one may end up on the inspirational pile.
A reveal of our new “sell sheet” which has a photo, the title and the ISBN of all our books.
An update on my Fashion and Fiends series
As always,
—Angel
UPCOMING EVENTS (MOST ARE FREE)
July 12, E.H. Jacobs will be at The Bookery in Manchester, N.H., signing his debut novel, Splintered River, from 1 to 3 p.m. Jacobs has a sophomore novel on deck for 2026. For more information about The Bookery, click here. (This book is also available on Kindle Unlimited.)
Also on July 12, Echo City Capers will be signing books at Bushkill Park, from noon to 6 p.m.
July 14, the official release of Motorhome Gypsies, our RV Living book that is part memoir and part practical advice, by Rachel Thompson and Lisa Cross.
At 11 a.m. on July 16, Larry Sceurman will visit the Cops N Kids Reading Room on the southside of Bethlehem, Pa. For more information on Cops N Kids Lehigh Valley, click here.
Also on July 16, at 6:30 p.m., the Echo City Capers duo will be visiting the Allwood branch of the Clifton (N.J.) Public Library. For more information or to register, click here.
July 25 and July 26, Echo City Capers will visit Barnes and Noble. On the 25th, in the evening, Joseph Swarctz will be at the Barnes at the Lehigh Valley Mall, and the following day, he will land at the Barnes at The Promenade Shops in Center Valley.
Barnes and Noble in the Southmont Shopping Center in Bethlehem Township, Pa., will host a benefit for the children’s hospital on August 16. Larry Sceurman will present a children’s story time (and he hopes to have his second children’s book ready before that event). Details to come. See Larry’s books here.
Also August 16, I will be hosting a memoir workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. at Blank Space Community Center, 85 Makefield Road Unit 7, Yardley, Pa., 19067. Tickets will be $40 and will include print materials.
Angel - great newsletter! Thanks for the call-out on my signing! And I hope your arm is healing well.
I love this!
Except for the falling part!