Upcoming: An Interactive Q&A with Children's Authors and Illustrators!

Are you writing or illustrating a book for children? Looking for inspiration or help in getting started? Look no further than the Sharon Forks Library! Seven kidlit authors and illustrators will be joining us for Paths to Publication: SCBWI Kidlit Panel on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m.

This event is sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Southern Breeze Chapter.

Panelists:

Robyn Field is an award-winning author and poet. Her debut middle grade novel, Peony Watercolor's Wish for Sun and Moon (2024, Owl's Next Publishers), is a Moonbeam Children's Book Awards gold medalist in pre-teen fantasy. Her next book, Accidentally Famous, releases in 2027 from Owl's Nest Publishers. Robyn is also a 2017 Writer's Digest award winner and a 2019 Pitch Wars alumna. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three boys. Visit her online at www.robynfieldauthor.com.

Stacy S. Jensen is a children’s book author with a passion for history, research, and exploring new topics like she did as a newspaper journalist. Her debut picture book Before I Lived Here (2025, Neal Porter Books) was written while she lived in Colorado—inspired by her neighborhood. She now lives in Georgia with her family. Visit her online at www.stacysjensen.com.

Shanda McCloskey is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s picture books and graphic novels that are often about following your light, whether that be robots, punk music, or even letter writing! She is currently working on her first chapter book graphic novel series, Punk Rock (2026, Abrams Fanfare), with her husband/co-writer Ben, and lives in a little blue house with her family in Ball Ground, Georgia. Visit her online at www.shandamc.com.

T.K. Read is an attorney by day, writer by night, mom, wife, and super-hero-wannabe always. The first book in her award-winning middle grade series, Ranger Nader and the Sunstruck Phantom, written under the pen name “Kam Karem,” was a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards and The Independent Author Network Book Awards, and won its category in The International Book Awards. A strong believer in literacy, T.K. also co-founded The Conyers Book Festival along with the owner of her local indie bookstore. When she’s not outside getting in her steps, lost in one of her favorite authors’ fantasy worlds, or representing her clients, you can find her online at www.tkread.com.

Moniquea S.Willingham is the author of Madison's Talent. She has spent over 18 years serving in the educational field, including both domestic and international school settings supporting students and their teachers. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University and a Masters of Science degree in Educational Leadership obtained from Georgia State University. In her leisure time, Moniquea enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and traveling the world. She currently resides in Marietta, Georgia. Find her at her Amazon author page.

Taylor Woolley is author and illustrator of Earth Rover and illustrator of Birthday Bash by Blair Northen Williamson. Armed with a sketchbook full of wild ideas, Taylor's stories are guaranteed to make readers giggle, gasp, and cheer. When she’s not sketching or writing, you’ll likely find her hanging at home with her husband and their young daughter, or pausing mid-hike to admire a particularly excellent frog. Represented by Dan Cramer of Page Turner Literary Agency, Taylor has published traditionally as an author and illustrator and has also worked with self-published authors as an illustrator and designer. Visit her online at www.woolleystories.com.

As a freelance writer, Kim Zachman published more than 130 articles, essays, and reviews, but her real passion was children’s books. For seven years, Kim worked as a field support representative for Scholastic Book Fairs. Being immersed in the world of Kidlit helped her achieve her goal of becoming a children’s author. Her first book There's No Ham in Hamburgers: Facts and Folklore About Our Favorite Foods released in April 2021. There's No Cream in Cream Soda followed in July 2023. A mother of two, Kim lives in Roswell, Georgia with her husband and their almost perfect dog. Visit her online at www.kimzachman.com.

Event image credit: Amanda Fletcher

Brianna
Information Specialist

Meet Author Will Leitch Tuesday, August 26 at Sharon Forks Library

 

Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride by Will Leitch

When an Atlanta police officer known for his de-escalation skills abruptly shifts tactics and starts charging into hot pursuits and bold showdowns wherever he can find them, the viral videos of his reckless acts of bravery raise alarm bells for his friends and family.   

Narrating his own story, Detective McNeil reveals that he's concealing a terminal diagnosis and hoping the substantial death benefit paid to families of officers killed in the line of duty will provide financial security for his thirteen-year-old son Bishop. 

Unreadable: Podcast Transcript - February 2025

In this episode of Unreadable, Ross speaks with Shelby Van Pelt about her novel Remarkably Bright Creatures, this year's Forsyth Reads Together selection. Van Pelt’s debut novel, published in 2022, remains a New York Times bestseller and features the unique perspective of Marcellus the octopus as a narrator. Van Pelt spoke with Ross about how she developed her characters, some based on true life and others based on people (and marine life) watching at the Georgia Aquarium, and she shared her excitement about the upcoming film adaptation.

An Evening with Shelby Van Pelt is Mar 11, 2025 at the Forsyth Conference Center. The event is ticketed and currently full; however, there are a plethora of events related to the book taking place at all the Forsyth County Public Library branches. You can find out more in our event calendar. 

Learn How to Write Historical Fiction

Love writing and/or reading historical fiction? Come and learn all about it from the best! Join authors Rona Simmons and Dr. Piper Huguley for their program, How to Write Historical Fiction on Monday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cumming Library. They will discuss the process of researching and writing historical fiction novels.

Meet Author Dion Leonard and Gobi at the Post Road Library!

 

Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard

Looking for a book with a touch of adventure and suspense but filled with compassion and hope? It's fitting that a book about a little dog with such a big spirit contains so much within it. If you're into marathons or sports, if you like dogs, or if you enjoy reading about international affairs, you'll enjoy this intriguing story. 

Meet author Dion Leonard and his canine companion, Gobi at Finding Gobi: The Inspirational and True Story at the Post Road Library on December 6, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

SEC Football: Saturdays in the South with Author G.A. Morris III

Have you ever wondered about what happens on the sidelines at Southeastern Conference (SEC) football games? Grab your favorite jersey and join author G.A. Morris III for college football officiating behind the scenes, just in time for the start of the college football season!

Join us at the Cumming Library on Monday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m. for SEC Football: Saturdays in the South. G.A. "Gus" Morris III will talk about his new book, Saturdays in the South. In the book, Morris takes a dive into his 31 year SEC career, which included 23 Bowl Games and 5 SEC Championship Games.

Staff Picks: The Time Has Come by Will Leitch

 

The Time Has Come by Will Leitch

The lives of seven strangers intersect on the most intense night of their lives in The Time Has Come, the latest novel by Georgia author Will Leitch.

The story revolves around a family-operated pharmacy that casts a long shadow over residents of America's quintessential college town, Athens, Georgia. 

With the passing of the family patriarch, Theo Lindbergh becomes the reluctant public face of Lindbergh Pharmacy. At the same time, a retired school teacher with a long-standing grudge against the Lindbergh family plots a reckoning she feels is long overdue. 

When Miss Lamm (a compassionate teacher known to her students on her better days as Mommy Mario) confronts Theo at the drugstore, a mixed group of customers become the victims, witnesses, and first responders at a shooting. The Time Has Come chronicles the events that bring each one of them—a widow, a nurse, a musician, a lawyer, a contractor, and his son—to Lindbergh Pharmacy. As fans of Leitch's 2021 novel How Lucky already know, the author has a genuine gift for crafting relatable characters.  

The Time Has Come perfectly captures the range of attitudes in small town America as individuals from all walks of life re-emerge from pandemic isolation and tensions flare. Fans of novels like Frederick Backman’s Anxious People and Before the Fall by Noah Hawley will appreciate this dramatic character-rich story. 

From Journalist to Novelist with Will Leitch kicks off FCPL's 2023 Forsyth Writes Together series on August 8. Mr. Leitch will share his experiences in writing and publishing and discuss his novels The Time Has Come and How Lucky, both set in Georgia Bulldogs territory.  

How Lucky was an Edgar Award Nominee for Best Novel in 2022 and won the Alex Award in 2022 which honors novels written for adults that have special appeal for young adults.