Kathryn Miles

Kathryn Miles is the author of three books, including Adventures with Ari, All Standing, and Superstorm: Nine Days Inside Hurricane Sandy.  An award-winning journalist, her writing has appeared in dozens of publications including Best American Essays, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Outside, Popular Mechanics, and Time.  Miles currently serves as writer-in-residence for Green Mountain College and as a member of the low-residency faculty for the Chatham University MFA program. She and her family live in Portland, Maine.

Come meet Kathryn Miles and many other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Frank O. Smith

Frank O Smith was raised in the West, lived in the South, and has resided in Maine for nearly 30 years.

He is a writer, ghostwriter, and writing coach. He also teaches writing through the Maine College of Art (MECA) and the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance (MWPA). He is a regular contributor to the Maine Sunday Telegram Book section.

His novel Dream Singer was a finalist for the Bellwether Prize, created by best-selling novelist Barbara Kingsolver, “in support of a literature of social change.” It was named in December 2014 as a Notable Book of the Year in Literary Fiction by “Shelf Unbound,” the international, indie book review magazine that has 125,000 readers in over 70 countries. Margaret Brown, the publisher, is a National Book Critics Circle Lifetime Member.

Come meet Frank O Smith at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Richard Loren

Richard Loren began his post collegiate career in the entertainment industry in 1965 as a theatre manager.

From 1965 to 1969 he worked as an Agent for the Agency for the Performing Arts in New York City. An exciting time music,  he signed and worked with many of new up-and-coming  artists and groups like The Doors and The Jefferson Airplane. 

In 1970, he took a break from the business and traveled and lived abroad. 

A year later he returned to New York where his friend mandolinist David Grisman introduced him to Jerry Garcia. Shortly thereafter, he moved to the San Francisco bay area where he was hired by Garcia as his personal manager.  He worked closely with the Saunders/Garcia Band and encouraged the formation of Old and In The Way.  He brought the group to the East coast where they played rock venues for Grateful Dead fans and Bluegrass festivals for Bluegrass fans.

In 1974, he was hired by the Grateful Dead as their Agent. A year later, he became their Manager.  He was the non-credited Executive Producer of the Grateful Dead Movie. In conjunction with the opening of the movie at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York, he initiated an industry first by distributing the film to theaters across the country in a four-wall format.

 In 1977, while on vacation in Egypt he conceived the idea of having the Grateful Dead perform an outdoor concert in front of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid at Gizeh. One year later, after much in depth organizing, the band took the stage there on September 14, 15 and 16 and played three memorable concerts.  During the last show, on the eve of the historic Camp David Peace Agreement, the band played throughout a full lunar eclipse of the moon. Never before had a rock band, let alone a rock band from the West, played at that the site.

In 1980, to commemorate the band’s 15th anniversary, he broke tradition yet again by having the Grateful Dead play at The Radio City Music Hall in New York. At that venue, like in Egypt, the Grateful Dead was the first “rock” band in history to play that stage. He had the comedians AL Franken and Tom Davis of Saturday Night Live fame host the Halloween week - multi-night - acoustic/electric concerts. Later, he produced Dead Ahead, a compilation of the concert footage, originally released by Monterey Video on VHS and recently re-leased by them on DVD.

He resigned from the Dead and the music business in 1981. He now lives in New England and continues to be interviewed and quoted frequently by music industry authors and magazine writers.

In 2008 he Executive Produced Rocking the Cradle, the 30th anniversary 2CD/DVD of The Grateful Dead’s three performance at the pyramids of Giza.

Come meet Richard Loren and many other authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Medea Harris

Medea Harris is the author of the Ruby Fairy series.

What are your ties to Maine?

My mother grew up in Maine, and, beginning at age 3 months I spent my summers and most holidays in Maine.  Some of my fondest childhood memories are from the summers I spent in Andover and Boothbay with my family.  It was a tradition I was able to start with my own family some fifteen years ago until we were fortunate enough to move to Southport full time last year.

While the story of Ruby Fairy initially takes place in Orlando, Florida, our children have always thought she has a fairy house somewhere in Fairy Forrest on Squirrel Island.

What are the most important themes in your work?

The most important themes in the Ruby Fairy Stories are friendship, kindness, and knowing that it is okay to believe in a little magic at any age.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year.

This year, I will be signing two books: Introducing Ruby Fairy: The Story of Ruby and Lilley, and Ruby Fairy and the Spider’s Web.

What do you hope reader will discover in your latest book?

I hope readers will just enjoy the story. I also hope that if you have a little girl in your family, she may be able to relate to Lilley and Ruby.

What have you enjoyed about attending Books in Boothbay?

We have attended Books in Boothbay in the past. We love that it is at the Railway Village. We especially love that our children have the opportunity to meet “actual” authors!

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

We feel that libraries are so important to communities. Call us old fashioned, but nothing beats holding a book in your hands, and the feeling of turning the pages of a book.  Libraries provide a valuable community meeting place and, MOST IMPORTANTLY,  books are available for FREE to EVERYONE!

Come meet Medea Harris at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Paul Doiron

Paul Doiron is the author of the Mike Bowditch series of crime novels, including The Poacher's Son, which won the the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award for Best First Novel and was nominated for an Edgar Award, an Anthony Award, a Macavity Award, and a Thriller Award for Best First Novel, and the Maine Literary Award for "Best Fiction of 2010." His latest novel is The Precipice.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I grew up in Scarborough and have lived most of my life in various places around Maine.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

My favorite things about writing in Maine are my favorite things about living in Maine: the rugged beauty, the living history, the independent-minded and big-hearted people.

What are the most important themes in your work?


My books tend to grapple with two issues: what does it mean to be a man in twenty-first century America and the dangers of our increasing alienation from the natural world.

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

I’ll be signing The Precipice, which is the sixth book in my series of crime novels about Maine game warden Mike Bowditch. This one is set in the 100 Mile Wilderness section of the Appalachian Trail and concerns the mysterious disappearance of two female thru-hikers.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

Since I write a series, I am hoping that readers who pick up The Precipice will want to go back to the previous novels to discover more about the eventful life of Mike Bowditch.

If you have attended Books In Boothbay in the past, please tell us what you enjoyed about it?

I enjoy catching up with other Maine authors — many of whom I haven’t seen in ages  — and being introduced to new ones. And of course, it’s always a thrill to meet readers.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I see libraries evolving more and more into community centers and information hubs which is just the extension of what they have done all along. That said, it saddens me to see some libraries backing away from their historic role as the curators of physical books because books are more than the “content" inside their pages — they are four-dimensional artifacts, each with its own unique history.

Come meet Paul Doiron and many other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Mark Scott Ricketts

Mark Scott Ricketts is a Maine-based Arkansas-born writer/illustrator who has created many graphic novels, including an Invincible Iron Man story arc for Marvel. Ricketts has most recently published a humor title, A Flatlander’s Guide to Maine, and an award-winning children’s picture book, Adventures in Vacationland, with Islandport Press.

http://www.mscottricketts.com

What is your favorite thing about writing and illustrating in Maine?

When the weather is nice, and I need inspiration, all I have to do is crank up the car and drive fifteen minutes in any direction. In Maine, there’s a beautiful view around every corner. While I’m soakin’ up the atmosphere, something (or someone) wicked funny always sneaks up behind me. This place breeds characters. Stephen King, Marshall Dodge, and John Gould have introduced us to a few. And the creatures around here can be a little peculiar. The moose is majestic, but, boy, is it weird. The lobster — what can I say — it looks dang near prehistoric. Tasty, but strange nonetheless. The charm and beauty of the landscape, the oddball fauna, along with the humor and honesty of the people keeps me grounded; encourages creativity. Winter in Maine can be wondrous, too. Plus, the bitter cold is a pretty good excuse to snuggle up with your keyboard and get down to work. You can’t get cabin fever when you’re building new worlds inside your head. Sure, those times when you have to shovel snow can be a pain. But I tend to come up with some of my best ideas while digging out my driveway.

Come have a Maine adventure -- Meet Mark Scott Ricketts at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Peter Felsenthal

Photographer and author Peter Felsenthal has been taking pictures since the days of Kodak box cameras. Since moving to Maine he has had the ability to spend full time pursuing his new career. Originally trained in physics he has always written and photographed as an avocation. Pursuing photography with the aid of some professional training has led to a passion for story telling and writing about subjects he cares deeply about. His interest in organic farming and green approaches to modern life have coincided with the ability to use the traditional media, a book, as a means of communicating the passion and hard work that goes into a present day organic farm.

The book -- New Growth: Portraits of Six Maine Organic Farms -- has been awarded first place for the best Gift Book of the year by the Independent Book Publishers Association and has been nominated a finalist in the  CoffeeTableBook/Photography category and a finalist in the regional non Fiction category by the Next Generation Book awards organization. Peter has also authored a book of poetry published by Blackberry Press.

Come meet Peter Felsenthal at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Mary Lawrence

Mary Lawrence studied biology and chemistry, graduating from Indiana University with a degree in Cytotechnology. After working for years as a cytologist, she now farms and writes in Limington. The Alchemist's Daughter is the first book in the Bianca Goddard Mysteries. You can visit her at www.marylawrencebooks.com

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I’ve lived in Maine for over 30 years, having moved to Portland from Indiana to work as a cytotechnologist at Mercy Hospital. Except for a brief detour to Western Massachusetts, I’ve called Maine home.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

The long winters are perfect for reading and contemplation. I get a lot of writing done in the winter.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?


The Alchemist’s Daughter is my debut mystery in the Bianca Goddard Mysteries published by Kensington. The series takes place in Tudor London near the end of King Henry VIII’s reign and features the daughter of an infamous alchemist and a provocative cast of commoners. This is my first published novel.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

The Alchemist’s Daughter is an edgy historical mystery.  It’s got a smattering of romance and a little bit of creep factor.  I hope to immerse readers in the dangerous world of 1543 Tudor London and take them on a fast-paced murder adventure they won’t forget.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I think libraries are going to play a more important role in connecting readers to new writers. I see librarians taking on a more advisory role with brick and mortar stores thinning ranks. Someone has to help advocate for readers and writers and they’ll come to be some of the few human voices that will still be heard in this increasingly more digital world.  So many readers make their choices by looking at what books are being pushed on them by media and big publishing houses. Folks forget there are a lot of excellent writers and books out there that don’t have a big PR budget behind them.  Librarians  are on the forefront of finding out what is new and what is worth reading.

Come meet Mary Lawrence and many other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Betsey Anderson

Maine native Betsey Anderson is the author of Maggie Goes to Maine.

Christopher G. Lockwood

Christopher G. Lockwood is the author of The Tennis Ball Trees, a children’s book published in 2013 through Maine Authors Publishing. It’s a whimsical story with a surprise ending about a Labrador Retriever’s love of tennis balls. The target audience is preschoolers through 3rd or 4th graders, but adults also enjoy the story and the wonderful illustrations by Kathleen Fox, a watercolor artist who lives in Tenants Harbor, Maine.  (www.tennisballtrees.com)

Kate Flora

Award-winning mystery and true crime writer Kate Flora is the author of 14 books, including the Agatha and Anthony nominated true crime story Death Dealer and the novel And Grant You Peace which is a 2015 Maine Literary Award finalist. Her book Finding Amy (true crime), co-written with a Portland, Maine deputy police chief, was a 2007 Edgar Award nominee. Kate’s other titles include the Thea Kozak mysteries and the starred-review Joe Burgess police series, the third of which, Redemption, won the 2013 Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction.

A former assistant attorney general in the areas of battered children and employment discrimination, Kate is a founding member the New England Crime Bake and Maine Crime Wave conferences, a founder of Level Best Books where she worked as an editor and publisher for seven years. She has served as international president of Sisters in Crime. When she’s not riding an ATV through the Canadian woods or hiding in a tick-infested field waiting to be found by search and rescue dogs as research for her books, she can be found teaching writing at Grub Street in Boston.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

Ties to Maine: Born in Maine, went to school in Maine, worked for the Maine Attorney General after law school, and spend 5-6 months a year in Harpswell

Ties to Boothbay? My brother John Clark was, for several years, librarian in Boothbay Harbor, and my niece worked for the Boothbay Register. Part of my first Joe Burgess mystery, Playing God, takes place on the Boothbay penninsula

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?


Things, I’d say. First, Maine is so full  of characters that a write can just sit back and collect them. Second, Maine is great for solitary work because we have such a strong tradition of minding our business and leaving people alone. Third, I find endless inspiration in the landscape, the weather, and the wildlife.

What are the most important themes in your work?

Poverty, and the contrasts between haves and have nots; the edgy way we feel about people from away. The way that necessity and fear can drive people to crime. And because of my legal background, I am always fascinated by good and evil, and what makes people decide they’re not bound by the social contract to do no harm.

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

My two new books are a true crime involving Canadian police and the Maine Warden Service, called Death Dealer: How Cops and Cadaver Dogs Brought a Killer to Justice and my fourth Joe Burgess police procedural, And Grant You Peace, is about the challenges of investigating a murder in Portland’s immigrant community.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?


Both books can be called “police procedurals” though one is real and one is fiction. I try to take readers inside the police officer’s lives to show their process, their dedication, and how hard they try to get justice for victims.

If you have attended Books In Boothbay in the past, please tell us what you enjoyed about it?

There are so many things I like about Books in Boothbay. It’s such a great opportunity for Maine writers to get to know each other and spend time with each other. I also love seeing the organizers every year, and how generous they are to us. It’s a very special event for Maine writers.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?


Gosh…as the sister of a librarian and the daughter of a library trustee, and someone whose first job, at 11 ½, was as the local librarian’s assistant and now spends her life in libraries…I just have to hope libraries, which in Maine are such a vital resource, will survive.

Recently, I heard someone on NPR pontificating on the question: In the age of Google and Amazon, do we still need libraries? Obviously, this man had never been in a small town library and see the many, many ways they serve the community. Not only in providing books, audio disks, music, and movies, but in providing internet access, access to job applications and tax forms, assistance in dealing with those forms, and providing a place for teens, tweens, young moms, and others to get together. I fear that many people don’t realize how much a library does for the community or how far their limited funding has to stretch.

Come meet Kate Flora and many other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Lea Wait

Edgecomb author, historian, and antique print dealer Lea Wait’s latest book is TWISTED THREADS, the first in her Mainely Needlepoint series Maine, with a background of custom and antique embroidery… set in a Maine town not unlike Boothbay Harbor.

What are your ties to Maine?

I’ve been vacationing in the Boothbay/Edgecomb area since I was six years old. In 1955 my parents and grandparents went together to buy the home I now live in. It was built on Westport Island in 1774, and was moved to Edgecomb in 1832. I’ve been lucky enough to live there full time since 1998.  I’ve had 13 books published so far (15 by the end of this year and one next January,) and only four are set outside of Maine. I love the people here, the geography ... and I love that our state’s history is so close at hand.

What are the most important themes in your work?

I write two mystery series (the Shadows Antique print mystery series and the Mainely Needlepoint series) and historical novels set in 19th century Wiscasset. They have in common a love of Maine and its history, and of the way ordinary people have lived here in both the past and the present. The importance of family, and of the roles of women and children, can be found in all my work.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year.

My most recent book is TWISTED THREADS, the first in my Mainely Needlepoint series. Angie Curtis grew up in Haven Harbor, the daughter of a single parent with an unfortunate reputation. Her mother disappeared when Angie was ten, and her grandmother brought her up. After high school Angie headed west,  and spent ten years working for a private investigator in Arizona. But now her mother’s body has been found, and she’s back in Maine, determined to find out why her mother left .. and how she died.

She also finds out that her grandmother’s custom needlepoint business has been cheated by its agent, and she finds herself solving a second murder .. perhaps one connected to her mother’s death.

What have you enjoyed about attending Books in Boothbay?

I’ve been at almost all the Books in Boothbay events, and love them. What a wonderful setting, and opportunity for authors and readers to meet each other, talk books ... and for people to add signed books to their collections or gift lists. (I also love talking to other authors, since most of us spend our lived in our studies, starring at screens.)

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

Where would I be without them? They’ve been a part of my life since I was a pre-schooler, and they’re now the source of much of the research I do for my books. Plus, of course, I love that books I’ve written are now on the shelves. Many books are expensive today, so, although as  writer I depend on people (and libraries!) buying my books, I also love that those for whom buying books is an impossibility still have access to them, through their local libraries, like those in Boothbay Harbor, Wiscasset, and Damariscotta – three wonderful local libraries.

Come meet Lea Wait and many, many other local authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Lynn Plourde

Lynn Plourde is the author of twenty-nine children’s books including Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud, Wild Child, Dino Pets You’re Wearing THAT to School?! and her newest, Merry Moosey Christmas. Her books have received a variety of recognitions including Junior Library Guild selection, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Los Angeles Times Best Children’s Book, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, and Amelia Bloomer List. Plourde considers herself a “teaching author,” as she does numerous author visits to schools each year during which she teaches students how to write their own stories. Video read-alouds, learning activities, and a blog on teaching writing are available on her www.lynnplourde.com website. Plourde is a Maine

Jen Blood

Born and raised in Midcoast Maine, Jen Blood wrote (actually, dictated) her first story when she was three years old. It involved a little girl with blue eyes, blonde hair, and a tuna fish sandwich; since that time, she has continued to focus on character-driven fiction, though the plots have become slightly more complex over the years. Jen is author of the bestselling, Maine-based Erin Solomon mysteries, and the soon-to-be-released romantic thriller Midnight Lullaby. Jen currently lives in the Midcoast once more, where she runs an editing business, paddles the nearby pond, hangs out with her mystical pup Killian, and – of course – is forever busy scribbling the next mystery.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I grew up in Midcoast Maine, living in the same crooked house on Beechwood Street in Thomaston from three till eighteen, and for brief stints for years thereafter. I lived in Portland for several years, traveled a little, and ultimately landed back in the Midcoast region a few years ago, where I live currently.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

The things that drove me crazy when I was a kid growing up in Maine are many of the things that I love about the state today. The Midcoast is a tight-knit community filled with a great mix of dodgy codgers and offbeat younger folk, all of whom march to their own drummers. They’re unique, kind, and fiercely loyal, and I love integrating those characters into my work, at the same time shining a light on local businesses that deserve a second look.

What are the most important themes in your work?

Themes… hmm. Friendship and loyalty are very big in my books. Love, naturally. Finding your own truth regardless of the cost, and being brave enough to confront that truth and keep moving. There are also explosions and fires and crafty bad guys, though, so don’t let all this lofty talk fool you.

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

This past winter, I completed the five-book Erin Solomon pentalogy, so I’ll have all five novels available to sign at that time. The series follows reporter Erin Solomon as she returns to her hometown of Littlehope, Maine, to investigate an alleged cult suicide she witnessed as a child. Over the course of the five novels, Erin delves more deeply into the mystery when she learns that her own father played a central role in the tragedy. The books take readers from the heart of Midcoast Maine to the backwoods of Western Kentucky; from the wilds of the Allagash all the way down to the ancient temples of the Yucatan Peninsula. There’s love, loss, serpentine twists, well-drawn characters, and an epic love story. And a dog. Don’t forget the dog.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?


I hope they’ll come to appreciate the journey Erin has been on through the course of the five novels, while simultaneously discovering the truth behind all the mysteries she’s been delving into. I’ve very much enjoyed exploring the arcs for all of my characters since the first novel came out in 2012, but particularly love the evolution of the relationship between Erin and her mother, and the two love interests who have developed and matured in the series.

If you have attended Books In Boothbay in the past, please tell us what you enjoyed about it?

I love Books in Boothbay! It’s such a great opportunity to mix with other Maine authors, booksellers, book lovers, and – of course – readers! It’s a nice, friendly vibe in a beautiful place, and is honestly one of the things I’ve come to look forward to most about July in Maine.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

It’s certainly not an easy time to be a library these days, with ebooks and Amazon and all those things that make it so simple for readers to just stay locked behind closed doors rather than venturing into the wide world. But, I also think it’s an exciting time, and I love reading about the new ways that libraries are opening themselves up to Mainers with outreach programs, readings, and community events. They remain a great source of inspiration for me and most of the book lovers I know, and I hope those individuals who value the written word will continue to do everything possible to make libraries a vibrant, relevant part of our communities.

Come meet Jen Blood and a more authors than you can count at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Brenda Sturgis

Brenda Sturgis is a native Maine writer who lives on a lovely little lake, where she listens to loons hoot, watches moose meander, and occasionally sees silly turkeys performing a circus in the road. She is married to her husband Gary, and is the mother of 4 children, and the grandmother of 7 grandchildren. She loves writing for children, reading to children, and she even enjoys reading to adults as well. You can learn more about her at www.brendareevessturgis.com

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I was born in Westbrook Maine, and have been a resident all of my life. I love all things Maine, the four seasons, the beautiful landscape. I live on a lovely little lake in Maine, and love to listen to the Loons hoot back and forth across the lake.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

I love being a Maine writer, there is so much inspiration that surrounds us here. Whether I am writing about Turkeys in the Road, or the Lake Where Loon Lives, there are always situations that spark moments of imagination that I can turn into stories for children.

What are the most important themes in your work?

It seems my themes revolve around nature, animals in their natural habitat that are turned into quirky stories with fun and lively illustrations.

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?


I will be signing 10 Turkeys in the Road, illustrated by David Slonim, published by Marshall Cavendish, Two Lions, and Scholastic, and The Lake Where Loon Lives, published by Islandport Press, illustrated by Brooke Carlton.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

I hope readers will discover a fun and evocative book with plenty of wordplay, and beautiful language along with colorful and fanciful illustrations, and of course, I hope they will discover the wonderful blurb on the back cover by one of my all time favorite authors, Chris Van Dusen.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

Our libraries are important to our children, and to our future children. A library is a place like non other, a place where children can feel the cover of books and immerse themselves in other worlds with like-minded people. Our libraries are not just places to learn, but to build friendships, ignite imaginations, and create dreamers, who then become the writers and illustrators of tomorrow. 

Come meet Brenda Sturgis and dozens of additional writers and artists at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Teri Lee

Teri Lee is the author of Troubled Spirits, a YA paranormal novel.

What are your ties to Maine?

I was born in Maine and spent most of my life here. I love to gaze up into the clear night sky. It's just not the same anyplace else. And there's nothing like breathing in the ocean air, listening to the sounds of the waves crashing and the gulls calling to each other. No matter where I travel to, a piece of me always remains in Maine.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

I think what I like best is the freshness of our state. It keeps my mind clear and everyplace I look I find inspiration. Beyond that, the Maine way of life is unique, it's a different pace. Mainers are hard working, strong minded, steady as you go people. The type of characters that can carry a story and some time even take it over.  important themes in your work?

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

Troubled Spirits is a YA paranormal novel. After the sudden death of her father, sixteen-year old Annie and her mother move to a fictional town just off the coast of Maine. Annie doesn't believe in ghosts. To her the supernatural is nothing more than a figment of her mother's over-active imagination. So when her friends coax her into joining them on a ghost hunting expedition, she is convinced they will discover nothing more than disappointment. Instead she discovers that ghosts are real. And some ghosts do not wish to be disturbed.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?


My favorite part of reading (and writing) is getting lost in the story. This is what I hope for those who read my book.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

Libraries are an essential part of our community and therefore must be protected, preserved, grown. There is magic beyond the doors of a library. Magic that can't be found anyplace else.

Come meet Teri Lee and other spooky authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Gary Rainford

Gary Rainford is a Maine-Island-Poet. Gary lives on Swan's Island year-round with his wife and daughter. His poetry, shaped by tides and saltwater, is published in a wide range of literary magazines and university journals, including North Dakota Quarterly, Words and Images, Aurorean, Omphalos, and Kindred.

Salty Liquor, Gary's first book of poems, was published by North Country Press. www.garyrainford.com

What are your ties to Maine?

My wife, Mimi, is from New Hampshire, but spent summers with her grandmother in Boothbay. Mimi loves the coast of Maine, and in the late 1990s we set out to find the right place to plant roots, work, and raise a family. In 2001 we moved to Swan's Island.  Our daughter, Meri, whose name in Finish means “of the sea” is an islander, and Swan's Island, the salt air, hard winters, and caring community, is our home.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

Nature and quiet. I grew up in a busy suburb 30 miles east of NYC, yet as a young person trying to find his place in the world, I needed to live closer to nature, to wild things—where my head feels uncluttered. Swan's Island, Maine, six miles off the coast and a 40 minute ferry run from the mainland, is quiet and wild. I love my life, here, my uncluttered writing life. 

What are the most important themes in your work?

The stories of nature, fatherhood, people, and the power of place.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year.


Salty Liquor is my first full length collection of poetry. These poems tell my stories about fatherhood, being a son whose mother is aging, Swan's Island, and discovery.    

What do you hope reader will discover in your latest book?

That poetry is as accessible as Facebook. That poetry is no different than people, everyday people, start your car and go to work people, and their stories. I want readers to discover the importance of finding their place in a world that's filled to the brim with joys, adversities, and everything in between.  That finding your place is a choice. 

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

Libraries are places where discoveries are made, and I feel the future of local libraries will continue being places where we make discoveries. We discover new books, friends, ideas, movies—you name it. The Swan's Island Library, where I live, is a community center.  Our library isn't only about books. It's also where artists exhibit their work, poets perform, clubs meet, island kids learn and play, and people congregate for coffee, WiFi, and fellowship. As long as libraries look to the future openly and with a willingness to evolve to meet the changing needs of people, then local libraries will thrive, and people will thrive.

Come meet Gary Rainford -- and dozens of other authors -- at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Cheryl Blaydon


Cheryl Blaydon's most recent book is The Heart of Stone.

What are your ties to Maine?

My paternal grandparents and great-grandparents were Mainers, mostly from the Kennebec region, but there are a few links to Wiscasset and the Boothbay peninsula as well. I had little knowledge of that side of my heritage until I moved to Maine in 1994, settling first in Edgecomb then Southport and finally, East Boothbay.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

When I first arrived in Maine, I gravitated toward painting, which is a little like telling stories through pictures. But it is here on the Boothbay peninsula that I began to draw with words. This majestic coastline continually inspires my creativity.

What are the most important themes in your work?

Family and strong relationships. My first book, The Memory Keepers, had a cast of characters set in Italy. The second, Island Odyssey, was based upon my adopted island community. I tend to gravitate toward topics that revolve around the sea—its mystery, its danger and its beauty.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

My latest, The Heart of Stone, is a novel that takes place in a coastal village called Oyster Cove, Maine. Spanning three generations, it is a story of strong bonds, flawed characters and found love.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

Something of Maine that they can relate to, a treasured location or special memory.

What have you enjoyed about attending Books in Boothbay?
It is a superb chance to meet the public but also to learn about shared experiences in writing and publishing. Through the book fair, I’ve encountered writers who are not only knowledgeable but also generous with their time and information. 

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I’m such a fan of our local libraries, I can’t say enough about the necessity to keep them alive and thriving. But I worry they might one day go the way of independent bookstores if not well supported.  

Come meet Cheryl Blaydon at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Jay Piscopo

Jay Piscopo is the author and illustrator of “The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli” graphic novel series.  He has created numerous titles featuring spin off characters from this series, including “The Sea Ghost #1: The Sea Ghost in the Machine” and the “Commander X All-Star Special.”  He is known for his signature pulp style and is a frequent contributing artist for Moonstone Books.  He co-created the internationally distributed comic book series, “The Scrap City Pack Rats,” featuring the world's first disabled superheroes. This six-issue series received national attention for its groundbreaking approach and subject matter.  Jay has conducted hundreds of workshops and classroom events across the country teaching drawing and storytelling techniques.  He is an engaging presenter with extensive teaching experience.  www.captneli.com

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I'm a Maine native. Currently living in Falmouth. I love the Boothbay region. When I was kid the Trolley Museum was a magical destination.

What is your favorite thing about writing and illustrating in Maine?

As Dorothy said, "There's no place like home." My family and friends are here and I'm proud of the community I'm a part of.

Being so close to the ocean and the rocky coastline is inspirational and relaxing after long deadlines.

I'm also inspired by Maine's place in history and researching Maine's numerous weird legends from ghosts, to mad scientists to sea monsters.

What are the most important themes in your work?

The intention behind The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli has always been about creating a sense of fun and wonder in a graphic novel that could be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.  Over the years, the comics market has skewed towards an older audience, a "grim and gritty" more graphic approach to violence and the use of adult themes have significantly edged out a more "all ages" approach. Along with other independent creators working now to open comics up to a wider audience, my efforts are focused on creating books that families can read as well as fans of sci fi and high adventure that harken back to the classics with some modern twists.

Within the story, themes dealing with history, war, science, technology and multi- cultural mythology as well as themes about community and what it really means to be a hero.

Tell us about the book(s) you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

The third installment in The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli saga – The Mystery of the Devil’s Sea -- is my newest book. In the first two chapters, Capt'n Eli has been learning about himself while jumping from one adventure to the next, meeting friends like Commander X, and mysterious foes like Lord Hydro.  In this book, the time-traveling, undersea adventurer and boy inventor, Capt'n Eli, and his crew are thrown in the deep end of a global conflict with the undersea Aquarian Empire. Fast paced action, giant robots, flying submarines as well as a super hero army abound!

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

My hope with every Capt'n Eli graphic novel is that each reader finds a rich, exotic and vast universe to become immersed in.  I hope Book 3 in the Capt’n Eli series exemplifies this with story twists, new characters and lots of eye candy.

For long-time readers, I hope they enjoy the new characters and revelations.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?


I'm seeing encouraging news every day about readers returning to real books in lieu of electronic reading devices. I'm also seeing a growing awareness of the need for libraries as an integral part of the community. I've been offering my cartoon workshop for years to libraries in many communities and I have great admiration for the dedication of librarians and the essential work they do.

Come meet Jay Piscopo at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Wesley McNair

Wesley McNair has been called by poet Philip Levine "one of the great storytellers of contemporary poetry." Among other literary awards, he has won grants from the Fulbright and Guggenheim foundations, two Rockefeller Fellowships, and two NEA grants in creative writing. He has twice been invited to read his poetry by the Library of Congress. In 2006 he was selected for a United States Artists Fellowship as one of “America’s finest living artists.” He is the Poet Laureate of Maine and his latest book, The Lost Child, won the 2015 PEN New England Award for Poetry.

Come meet Wesley McNair at Books in Boothbay on July 11!



Diane Taylor-Moore

Diane Taylor-Moore tells us about herself:

I was born and raised in  Maine. Education started in a one-room school (with privy) in Frye and ended with a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern. My entire career was in special education and mental health, the majority as a special education director. I have written stories since childhood when my sisters and I entertained anyone who would watch our plays. Willy Goes To Sea was my first book, followed by Here Sits A Monkey seven years later. Now, I'm writing a mystery about special education. I have been retired for several years and spend most of my time working on house projects, gardening,   reading, and writing. My husband and I live with our dog in rural Maine, close to my family.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I am a Maine native and from several generations of Mainers. My Taylor ancestors were among  the original settlers and incorporators of Roxbury. I've lived here all my life, and would not live full time in any other place.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

Honestly, my favorite thing about writing is finishing the story, as I have the components kicking around in my head for months until I put them in print.

What are the most important themes in your work?

Advocating for people who have no voice; drawing moral lines, beyond which a character won't cross; revealing the possible basis, if not excuse,  for some behavior; understanding events which may seem scary or threatening so that more people intervene.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

I'll be signing Here Sits A Monkey which is a murder mystery set in a state hospital in Maine. I'll also have  copies of Willy Goes To Sea, my illustrated children's book about a dog who has an experience on a schooner that sails out of Rockland.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I think that  libraries with real books will fade as the internet and virtual books take over. That's a shame. It may be a generational issue, but I can't curl up with a cup of coffee and a good kindle.

I read a  book or two a week and am astonished that after a small flurry, some books sit there for months or years without a reader. The local librarian says that most patrons are middle aged. Kids come in to use computers.

Come meet Diane Taylor-Moore and dozens of other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Ellen Cooney

Ellen Cooney’s ninth novel, The Mountaintop School For Dogs And Other Second Chances, has been recently published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Her short stories have appeared in The New Yorker and many literary journals. A fiction fellow of the Massachusetts Artists Foundation and the National Endowment For the Arts, she was a longtime writer in residence at MIT, and taught creative writing at the Harvard Extension School and Boston College. She lives in Phippsburg, Maine. Visit her website at http://ellencooney.com/ and her blog at http://ellencooney.tumblr.com/.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

20 years ago I left my old life in Cambridge MA to homestead on the Phippsburg Peninsula--a watery world, where my road is bordered by a large pond and the Kennebec, and Popham Beach is a short drive away. It was supposed to be a getaway place where I could write and read in quiet. But it quickly became my home, as if force of gravity had pulled me here. It's hard for me to believe this now, but in my first few years of life surrounded by woods, I was sort of afraid of the dark and the silence. Now I'm so very much here, I forget what my urban self was even like.

What are the most important themes in your work?

I’ve published 9 novels and lots of short stories, and they’re all different from each other in big ways. I never think consciously of “themes” when I’m working, but I think in all my fiction it’s a big deal that people become willing to take a chance on something they never tried before—maybe it’s a belief, or a hope, or some kind of adventure, either a physical one or an emotional one. Also there’s the power of storytelling, when, if I’m doing my job right, a reader can have the adventure of reading, and it’s the kind of reading where you forget you’re reading, and you’re having your life along with the characters. “Having life” is a pretty broad category for a theme, but that’s my favorite one.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year.

It’s a novel, The Mountaintop School For Dogs And Other Second Chances, published last years by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and newly out in paperback. It happens at a very unusual sanctuary for rescued dogs in a place that was once a ski resort.  A young woman who actually doesn’t know anything about animals goes up there and---through all sorts of trials and errors—becomes a “dog teacher.” The rescued dogs make up most of the cast of characters, but there are several other humans too, all of whom find themselves with chances to have fuller, more interesting lives. It’s an adventure story.  It’s about making connections and making a future that’s free of awful things that took place in the past. And, it’s often funny and quite dramatic.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?


A good, absorbing read! And, emotional ups and downs and some solid connecting and caring.  And, dogs, dogs, dogs, busily being who they are, while the humans around them are so involved in their rehab and in getting them ready for new lives with humans who won’t hurt them. All the animals are based on dogs I’ve known personally, and I did a great deal of research in training and rescue. What readers won’t discover is violence or graphic scenes of abuse. Rescued dogs can’t tell you what happened to them; they can show you their past hurts through different types of behavior. My book is about the healing part of the process, with all its complications, patience, effort, and triumphs large and small.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I belong to 2 Maine libraries and I’ve been all over doing readings for many years now, and I can say first-hand I feel happy and optimistic. Our libraries are not only surviving but thriving. I grew up in a Massachusetts mill town without a bookstore—not that my family could afford to buy books. My town’s public library was everything to me. I’ve never stopped feeling grateful and I know I never will. My favorite verb for libraries? Love.

Meet Ellen Cooney and a room full of other authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Jacqueline Tourville

Jacqueline Tourville is the author of the picture book Albie’s First Word: A Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein’s Childhood, as well as several books for adults.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I moved with my family to Wells, Maine in 2011. We are originally from New York. As a child, everything I knew about Maine came from watching Murder, She Wrote. The first time we visited Boothbay, I thought I had stumbled into Cabot Cove! The two bear a striking resemblance, although I’ve learned that Murder, She Wrote was actually filmed in California. Still, every time I’m here, I keep an eye out for Jessica Fletcher — just in case!

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

Writing can be a lonely endeavor in many ways, which is why being able to take part in the rich and varied writing community of Maine feels likes a gift. I know that at least a dozen writers for children live within a 20-mile radius of my home. It’s incredible to have others so nearby to talk shop.

What are the most important themes in your work?

I am drawn to telling stories about people who have made lasting contributions to our society because they were willing to be true to themselves.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

I will be signing ALBIE’S FIRST WORD: A Tale Inspired by Albert Einstein’s Childhood. Albie is a finalist for a 2015 Maine Literary Award for children's literature.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

Sometimes the extraordinary needs a little patience and love to come to the surface. The story of Albert Einstein’s childhood is a wonderful example of this.

If you have attended Books In Boothbay in the past, please tell us what you enjoyed about it?

I attended Books in Boothbay last year as a book fan (Albie had not come out yet). I had such a good time and found so many great books to read! It is an honor for me to be returning this year as an author.  

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I am amazed at how responsive Maine’s local libraries are to the changing needs of children and families. Some libraries I’ve visited have evening story hours for children, so working parents can attend. Other libraries provide programming that ties in with kids’ unique interests, like the Manga club that meets at the Kennebunk public library. I love seeing this kind of forward thinking!

Come meet Jacqueline Tourville and dozens of additional writers and artists at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Jennifer Wixson

Jennifer Wixson's delicious novels are all set in Maine. We'll let her tell you about them:

I love Maine history, food, farming and down-home fun (such as fiddleheading and winter picnics) and one can find these themes rippling through my Sovereign Series of novels. A sense of place is very important to me, which is why I created the little town of Sovereign, Maine populated with good-hearted characters in the style of Sarah Orne Jewett. I'm a big fan of Jewett and I love her town Dunnett's Landing. Most of the characters in Dunnett's Landing would be right at home in Sovereign and vice versa. Readers tell me they feel as though they're sitting down at the country kitchen table to have a cup of coffee with a good friend when they read my Sovereign Series and that makes me feel as though I've done my job as an author. 

I'll be signing copies of the first three novels in the series: Hens & Chickens (Book 1, 2012), Peas, Beans & Corn (Book 2, 2013) and The Songbird of Sovereign (Book 3, 2014) at the Book Fair.

Come get a taste for reading at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Emerson W. Baker

Emerson "Tad" Baker is a professor of History and former dean of the graduate school at Salem State University. He is the award-winning author of many works on the history and archaeology of early Maine and New England, including The Devil of Great Island: Witchcraft and Conflict in Early New England.

What are your ties to Maine and the Boothbay Peninsula?

I came to Maine in 1977, as a freshman at Bates College, and it has been my home ever since. In fact, I live in York, but commute to Massachusetts to teach at Salem State University. As an undergrad, many of my classmates would find summer jobs in Boothbay Harbor, and my first job out of college was as an archaeologist at nearby Pemaquid. So, I have many happy memories of Boothbay, as well as Dogfish Head in Southport. My wife is from Maine, and her two college roommates were both from Boothbay Harbor, so we still enjoy occasional trips back there.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?  

Since my specialty is the history of Maine and New England, I can’t imagine a better place to live and write.

What are the most important themes in your work? 

My research and writing focuses on the early colonial history of Maine and New England, particularly the English settlers and their interaction with the other major populations of the region: the French immigrants, and the Native peoples who had inhabited the region for thousands of years.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

I will be signing my new history of the Salem witch trials, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book? 

I believe the Salem witch trials were a turning point in American history. They mark the beginning of the transition from Puritan to Yankee. They also mark the first large government cover up in American history, and beginning of the American tradition of distrust in government.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

As a former library director, I believe strongly in the past, present and future of our local libraries. They are important centers of knowledge and of community.

 Come meet Emerson Baker and dozens of additional Maine writers and artists at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Melissa Falcon Field

Melissa Falcon Field's debut novel is What Burns Away.

What are your ties to Maine? 

When I was seventeen years old, I came to Maine to attend the University of Maine at Farmington to study Creative Writing, and it was there that I fell so madly in love with Maine, and that summer the Maine coastline, that nothing has been able to extract me from it, for very long, ever since.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

I have always found the Maine coast to offer a setting that is as powerful and severe and moody as its waters and weather patterns, and setting my second book on its coastline, I have been able to use all of those aspects of the Maine landscape to create a sense of ominous foreshadowing and dystopian island life, in the dead of winter, for my forthcoming literary suspense novel.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year.

The book I will be signing, What Burns Away, can be thought of as a both a portrait of a fraying marriage and a search for balance and normalcy. I have always loved coming of age novels, and for me, middle age is the second coming of age, with its quest for a more balanced life, in that moment in when a character realizes her youth is more behind her than it is in front of her. So when my protagonist Claire walks through a virtual portal that will ultimately show her just how far in the past her past actually is, she also revisits a fascination with fire. Physically and metaphorically, fire is central to the narrative of What Burns Away, a novel that invites readers to consider “what could have been” in their own lives, as Claire, reconnects with her long-ago first love, Dean, who offers this overwhelmed and lonely middle-aged mother an intoxicating, reckless escape, in this story of loyalty, family and the consequences of the past’s inevitable collision with our future.

What do you hope readers will discover in your book? 

What I hope readers will discover in reading is that there something about remaking yourself as a mother, in terms of desire and sexuality that is really fascinating. What was once sexy, what once felt like desire, is driven by different external factors. It’s both freeing and horrifying, and in Claire’s case, destructive. But sometimes you must burn down the barn to see the moon. And in Claire’s case this burning is not about female versus male consequences, as much as it is about a middle age woman’s changing concept of beauty, finding what is left underneath her youthful pretty, learning to love the lines notching time in her face, understanding the value and wisdom brought by living a full, and perhaps more dangerous life. I loved writing a character in this space, acknowledging these things about her self and allowing her to behave in reaction to the process of reinvention and rekindled desires, which for Claire is both brutal and transformative and why I felt compelled to capture her quest, inside the novel.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries? 

I have written every word of What Burns Away in a public library, and all 320 pages of my forthcoming second novel, so I am a huge supporter of public libraries and will do all I can to keep them thriving. I believe our libraries are resources not only for writers and readers, but that they are the center of the community, offering knowledge and opportunity to those who walk through their doors.

Come meet Melissa Falcon Field and dozens of additional writers and artists at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Kathy Lynn Emerson/Kaitlyn Dunnett

Kathy Lynn Emerson/Kaitlyn Dunnett is the author of over fifty traditionally published books written under several names and in several genres. She won the Agatha for best mystery nonfiction of 2008 for How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries. Currently she writes the contemporary Liss MacCrimmon Mysteries, set in the fictional Western Maine village of Moosetookalook as Kaitlyn Dunnett and the historical Mistress Jaffrey Mysteries as Kathy Lynn Emerson. The latter series is a spin-off from her Face Down Mysteries and is set in Elizabethan England. Kathy’s websites are www.KathyLynnEmerson.com and www.KaitlynDunnett.com

What are your ties to Maine? 

I came to Maine from New York state waaaay back in 1965 to attend Bates College in Lewiston, met my Maine-born husband there, and have pretty much stayed right here ever since. We currently live in Wilton. I started visiting the Boothbay region when John Clark was librarian and began inviting writers to come and speak. I think the first time I was there, it was on a panel of romance writers.  Later I came back as a mystery author.  

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

The peace and quiet. I don’t think I could write in a large city or living in an area where you couldn’t go outside without immediately running into 0ther people.

What are the most important themes in your work?
I don’t write with a theme in mind. I write to entertain both myself and my readers. My genre is the cozy mystery, sometimes historical (as Kathy Lynn Emerson)and sometimes contemporary (as Kaitlyn Dunnett). The only sure thing is that the mystery will be solved and the villain brought to justice.

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

Murder in the Queen’s Wardrobe: This is the first of the Mistress Jaffrey Mysteries set in the 1580s in England (and in this case also in Ivan the Terrible’s Russia). It is a spin off from my Face Down Mysteries, which feature Susanna, Lady Appleton, whose expertise is in poisonous herbs. My new sleuth is the illegitimate daughter of Lady Appleton’s late, unlamented spouse, Sir Robert. Rosamond was fostered by Lady Appleton and given an excellent education, but Lady Appleton, having no children of her own, also spoiled her terribly. Rosamond inherited the worst traits of both her parents, but although she may not be the most likeable character in the world, she’s has excellent qualifications as a detective and also for her secondary vocation as an intelligence gatherer for Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster.

Ho-Ho-Homicide: This is the 8th book in the Liss MacCrimmon Scottish-American Heritage series, featuring a former professional Scottish dancer who now owns a shop in the fictional western Maine village of Moosetookalook. In this entry, she and husband Dan Ruskin plan to spend a relaxing week at a Christmas tree farm a friend has just inherited but, as usual, murder gets in the way. This time it’s a cold case, or so they think. Although ours is very different, my husband and I own and operate a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm in the Western Maine mountains.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?
A desire to go back and read the earlier novels.

If you have attended Books In Boothbay in the past, please tell us what you enjoyed about it?

I’ve been to Books in Boothbay twice before. The best part is meeting readers, but a close second is the chance to chat with fellow writers. When we’re spread out all over the state, it isn’t always easy to get together and talk shop. Books in Boothbay gives us that opportunity.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

Worried. Libraries are needed as much, if not more, than ever, but the people who vote on library funding don’t seem to get that. Year after year, funding has to be put back into town budgets at town meetings. If not enough supporters show up to vote in favor of library funding, the outlook is bleak.

Come meet Kathy/Kaitlyn at Books in Boothbay on July 11!

Cathie Pelletier

Cathie Pelletier is the author of twelve novels, the most recent of which is A Year After Henry, published by Sourcebooks in August, 2014.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula.

I was born and raised in northern Maine, at the very end of the road, in the house my father and grandfather built. They dug the foundation with horses and it took them almost a month.  I am now back in the house, after more than 40 years of "living away."

What are the most important themes in your work?

I have two fictional canvases. The "Mattagash" canvas, a place in northern Maine at the end of the road, is all about a small town, its growth since 1959 and its many generation of ancestral roots that can be a good thing and a bad thing.

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

My entire backlist of 7 novels were bought and now back out in new jackets and edited. And I have had three new books in the past 18 months. So I'll be talking about my entire career and reading from A YEAR AFTER HENRY, published this past August.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I have traveled to many libraries in the past 18 months of touring and hear tales of woe.  It concerns me.  Since the first one at Alexandria, libraries have been a source of knowledge for millions and millions and millions of people.  I am working with a library in northern Maine on a project that I hope will help in a small way the libraries in Aroostook County.

Don't miss Cathie Pelletier and many more Maine authors at Books in Boothbay this July 11th!

P. D. Callahan

In 1972, P. D. Callahan drove to Maine to visit a friend. Ten years later he was still there working on the water, winter and summer, as a commercial herring fisherman. Callahan’s crazy unplanned career is the subject of his new memoir, DOOR IN DARK WATER, the story of the people he loved, their collective moments of terror and temporary stardom, and a culture long since lost.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

One of the principal characters in my book, Door in Dark Water, is a fisherman named Henry Jones who grew up on Damariscove Island and in Boothbay. The book takes place in South Bristol, Maine, a village of 500 people just across the river from East Boothbay. I lived in South Bristol for ten years and still have strong ties to the community.

What are the most important themes in your work?

The most important theme has to do with coming of age in a harsh and often deadly environment--the winter sea. No one can survive the intense struggle of fishing in the North Atlantic without the strong support and love of a community like the one in South Bristol. I didn't expect to find the acceptance I received when I walked into that life, but it changed my life and I have never found it anywhere else in my travels.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

I hope readers come to understand what it means to be in love with a dream that is impossibly difficult, and then understand what it takes to move on when you need to give it up.

Come explore Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on Saturday, July 11! We promise -- it will be memorable!

Barbara Winslow

Barbara Winslow is the author of The Kennebec is Rising.


What are your ties to Maine?

We have lived in Maine for the last 35 years. My children all attended Skowhegan and Norridgewock schools. I taught school in Skowhegan for 25 years.My husband was born in Millinocket.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?
I love Maine's unique history and small towns. I draw from that for inspiration.

What are the most important themes in your work?

The most important theme in my writing is community and family.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

The Kennebec is Rising is about a flood in Norridgewock History ,locally called the Pumpkin Freshet. It was a fall time flood in the 1800s during which pumpkins were lifted from the fields beside the river and carried all the way to the sea. The main character is a kitten which clings to a large pumpkin on this epic journey.The illustrations were carefully researched to show  life along the river during that time period.

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

I hope that readers will become interested in local history and in the towns along the Kennebec River.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I think local libraries are still important in many ways. They are providing community programs, internet access, and of course wonderful books. I hate to think of a world without libraries. I love the Skowhegan Public Library and use its services on a weekly basis.

Get flooded with new books at Books in Boothbay on Saturday, July 11!

Steven D. Powell

Steven D. Powell is the author of Centered and Patch Scratching.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I'm born and raised in Maine. I've been to twenty different countries and over thirty states, I belong here. Maine is and always will be home to me.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?


Maine is filled with interesting people. Most of which can trace their roots back for generations.  Although Maine as a state continues to change, its core people hold onto their heritage and values. It's this way of life I enjoy telling stories about. 

What are the most important themes in your work?

I like my writing to include a lesson and feature people who deal with adversity.  

Tell us about the books you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

Patch Scratching is my first novel.  It's an inspirational, coming of age story about a young boy who was abandoned, set on the coast of Maine.

Centered is a tale of a diverse group of people who come together to find family and friendship. All of which centers around a dog named Centered. 

What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?

I would hope they would see the value animals can bring to ones life. Secondly, I hope they can see that life can offer much to a person with an open mind and heart. 

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I think the future of libraries and books in general are dependent on children being read to, and reading on their own.  Turning the tide of raising children who only get their information from the internet needs to be addressed by all.

Come meet Steven D. Powell and many other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on Saturday, July 11!

Jim Nichols

Jim Nichols' Jim's most recent book is the novel Closer All The Time (2015, Islandport Press).

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?
The Nichols side of my family has lived in Maine since the mid 1700's. Another branch (Blaisdell) goes back to the famous wreck of the Angel Gabriel off Pemaquid in 1639.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?
I love writing about the working folks of Maine, their independence, their strength and everyday wit and humor. I love the dramatic landscape, too: the sea, the rivers, the woods.

What are the most important themes in your work?
I think the main theme would be the search for connection and meaning in an individual's life, the quiet strength it sometimes takes to persevere.                   
 
Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?
Closer All The Time is a novel-in-stories, centered in the fictional town of Baxter, Maine. It is an intimate look at a small river town, its inhabitants and their sometimes tragic search for connection.
               
What do you hope readers will discover in your latest book?
I hope they lose themselves in the sometimes funny, sometimes tragic but always (I hope) interesting human lives of these small town people.
   
What have you enjoyed about attending Books in Boothbay?


I really enjoy the sense of community with all the writers and readers and book-lovers. I also love the Boothbay setting in general and, in particular, the Railway Village. Such a fun place to have a literary get-together.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?
I hope they maintain their position in our culture as a focal point for learning. To me they're like the churches of our literary heritage.

Come meet Jim Nichols and many, many other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!