Gwinnett County Public Library Adult Programs

Join New York Times bestselling author Tiffany Crum as she discusses her thriller/romance novel, This Story Might Save You.

Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different “against all odds” survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy’s experience with severe narcolepsy, they’ve been the best friends everyone wants to befriend—and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy’s husband, Xander, they’ve built a lucrative empire. The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander’s one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple’s disappearance is the incomplete, previously unseen first draft of Joy’s memoir. Benny is desperate to find them, even when the police soon zero in on him as their prime suspect. Millions of devoted listeners think they know the “real” Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world—and from each other.

Join Dhayana Alejandrina, author of Creative Stillness and founder of The Creative Writing Hour, for an intimate author talk and writing workshop.

This workshop explores stillness as an active creative practice—one that invites reflection, patience, and deeper listening. It will feature a special reading by Eunice, a contributor to Creative Stillness, whose long-form poem explores the necessity of taking space, pausing, and reconnecting with the self. Eunice will read her poem, share about her creative process, and guide participants through a writing exercise inspired by moments of stillness, reflection, and letting go—inviting them to access their own inner landscapes and creative flow.

Join Young Adult author Allison Blanchard as she discusses her newest novel, Heir of Grief, a no-spice, dark romantasy set in New York City where secret societies, morally gray mentors, and ancient magic hide.

Sixteen-year-old Mari has learned how to survive loss—but not how to live with it. After the death of her nana uproots her life, Mari is thrust into a world she doesn’t understand: wealth, secrets, and an ancient magic tied to grief itself. When she begins sensing forces no one else can see, Mari learns she is a Bloodwright—someone whose power is forged through loss. As supernatural factions close in and the truth a|bout her family begins to unravel, Mari must decide whether grief will consume her… or become the very thing that saves her.
The Bloodwright Chronicles is a young adult fantasy romance series blending supernatural intrigue, slow-burn romance, and themes of grief, belonging, and identity. Across the series, Mari will unravel the mysteries of her family’s past, navigate fragile alliances, and confront the dangerous truth of what it means to be both human and something more.