Spooky, scary, things are coming to the Aurora Public Library District (APLD) when we join more than 200 Illinois libraries for Season 3 of Illinois Libraries Present, a collaborative effort featuring virtual events with bestselling and award-winning authors and esteemed speakers. Be sure to grab the popcorn and turn off the lights before you settle in for Chills and Thrills with The New York Times bestselling author, Stephen Graham Jones, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4.
Stephen Graham Jones is The New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians and Don’t Fear the Reaper. He was awarded an NEA (National Education Association) fellowship and received several awards, including the Ray Bradbury Award from the Los Angeles Times, the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, the Jesse Jones Award for Best Work of Fiction from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, and the Alex Award from the American Library Association. He’s just the author to get everyone in the mood for Halloween! Horror super fan, APLD Circulation manager, Carey Gibbons, is excited to hear Jones speak on the genre as a whole and especially about how horror has evolved since the pandemic.
“I’m a huge literary horror fan; I can read horror books all day, but am a giant baby about horror movies. I don’t know why!” said Gibbons. Joining Jones in conversation will be Becky Spratford, author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, third edition [ALA editions, 2021] and proud member of the Horror Writers Association where she serves as the Association’s secretary and organizer of their annual Librarians’ Day.
Librarians enjoy offering author events to the public because they bring people together from all walks of life to celebrate their common love of books and literature. By meeting authors and learning information on their books, individuals are more likely to check out their books from the Library, or buy them from a bookstore. Illinois Libraries Present (ILP) brings these virtual collaborations of authors and speakers to Illinois communities that otherwise may not be attainable for a single library due to budget or production constraints. Funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, ILP brings together diverse communities and ensures access to customers across the State. “We’re thrilled that Season 3 of Illinois Libraries Present continues with such an exciting author as Stephen Graham Jones and to be able to offer our customers this event,” said event & program coordinator, Ali Lanthrum. Season 3 of Illinois Libraries Present will continue later in October with Food, Family, and Folktales: A Conversation with Grace Lin Tuesday, Oct. 17. Lin is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of picture books, early readers and middle grade novels for children.
In the meantime, don’t let the kids sit in on Chills & Thrills with Stephen Graham Jones when it begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, via Zoom. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more information, or to register, visit www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/events or call the library at 630-264-4117.
Readers beware!
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.