Unreadable Podcast Transcript - March 2026

This year's Forsyth Reads Together selection is The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. In this episode, Liz Moore joined Ross to talk about the genesis of the book, how her camp experience as a child informed some of the scenes and settings, and what it's like to showrun a tv show. 

Liz Moore will visit the Forsyth Conference Center on March 10 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss The God of the Woods. Please see our website for more information on how to attend. 

Introduction:

♪ bouncy piano and brass music ♪

Hello and welcome to Unreadable, the official Forsyth County Public Library Podcast for news, upcoming programs, and recommendations.

I’m your host, Ross Gericke, the branch manager at Hampton Park.

In this episode I speak with Liz Moore, author of this year’s Forsyth Reads Together selection, God of the Woods.  Liz shares some interesting details about the creation of her novel along with a little information about the upcoming Netflix series. Liz will be visiting Forsyth County in person on Tuesday, March 10th from 7:00–9:00 p.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, so make sure to visit our website to sign up for a reservation.  Now on with the show.

Interview:

Ross Gericke: Hello, Liz, and welcome to the podcast.

Liz Moore: Thank you so much for having me. Happy to be here.

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.

Library to Host an Evening with Best-Selling Author Chitra Divakaruni

Chitra Divakaruni, best-selling author of The Palace of Illusions, will visit Cumming to speak and sign books at Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18.

Library Celebrates National Friends of the Library Week

The staff of Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) would like to recognize and thank the FCPL Friends and Advocates as part of the 17th annual National Friends of Libraries Week, October 16-22, 2022. 

Friends Bookstore Managers: Jodie Barger, Abbey Harkrider,
Sharon Jones, Jan Parsons, Linda Taylor, and Kelly Esbeck

Since the FCPL Friends and Advocates were established in 1995, they have raised over $500,000 through used book sales, membership fees, and other donations to fund special programs, materials, and resources beyond the library's regular budget. 

Jeff Shaara's Visit to Forsyth County: "Ignore history at your own peril."

Forsyth Reads Together: An Evening with Jeff Shaara at the Forsyth Conference Center Monday night was a smashing success! Thankfully the rain did not scare away the 243 attendees who turned out to hear author Jeff Shaara speak about his serendipitous writing career, his numerous bestselling books, or his passion for researching primary sources.

It was a full house on Monday night at the Forsyth Conference Center!

Here are some of the highlights from the event... 

FCPL to Host an Evening with Jeff Shaara, Bestselling Author of Gods and Generals

Jeff Shaara, author of Gods and Generals, will visit Cumming to speak and sign new books purchased at the event at Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7, 2022. 

An Evening with Jeff Shaara is one of several events hosted by the Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) as part of Forsyth Reads Together, a community reading program sponsored by Forsyth County Public Library, FCPL Friends and Advocates, and the Forsyth County Arts Alliance at the Forsyth County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the North Georgia Community Foundation.

Admission to the event is free, but advance registration on the library’s website is requested.

Wicked Author Gregory Maguire Speaks to Fans at Forsyth Reads Together Event

Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, will visit Forsyth County to speak and sign books for fans at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 8. Admission to An Evening with Gregory Maguire is free, but advance registration is requested.

An Evening with Gregory Maguire is sponsored by Forsyth County Public Library, FCPL Friends & Advocates, The Forsyth County Arts Alliance Fund at the Forsyth County Community Foundation, and BookLogix and is part of Forsyth Reads Together, a county-wide program that encourages the whole community to read, discuss, and participate in programs associated with a selected book.

This year’s book selection is Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a New York Times bestseller and the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Wicked. The book is also the first in a four-volume series called The Wicked Years that includes Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz.

“Wicked is a favorite among our patrons. We’re already hearing how excited they are to meet Mr. Maguire and have their well-loved and dog-eared copies of their books signed,” says Tracy Walker, Program and Outreach Manager.

Copies of Wicked may be borrowed from the library. Barnes & Noble will also be on-site during the event to offer copies of Mr. Maguire’s books for sale. Mr. Maguire will sign books following his author talk.

Wicked Discussions

Inspired by the untold backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this fantasy novel for adults profiles the green-skinned Elphaba as an animal rights activist striving to avenge her sister's death, not simply an evil villain.

In a reimagined Oz where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence, readers will find much to discuss on themes of religion, politics, societal norms, and economics.

Readers will gather to discuss the book at the Cumming Library on Thursday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. After Mr. Maguire’s visit, readers can discuss the book and share their thoughts on his author talk at the Sharon Forks Library on Wednesday, March 28 at 10:30 a.m.

Families Celebrate Forsyth Reads Together

Younger readers are invited to participate in this year’s program by attending the Forsyth Reads Together Celebration from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 1 in the Forsyth Central High School cafeteria.

This family-friendly event is a joint effort between Forsyth County Schools, Humane Society of Forsyth County, Makerspace Forsyth, and Forsyth County Public Library.

“Forsyth County Schools are excited to be working with the Forsyth County Public Library to present a family night filled with music, makerspace activities, storytelling and so much more,” says Kristen Deuschle, District Media Specialist.

Forsyth Reads Together Celebration will include presentations of student work, a Toto and Friends Reading Lounge where children can read aloud with furry friends from HSFC Humane Hearts Pet Therapy program, and a Wizard of Oz-themed LED shadow box activity. Other craft activities and a puppet show for younger children will also be part of the event.

At the celebration, families can enter to win an Admit Four All-Inclusive Ticket package to the Center for Puppetry Arts to enjoy one Family Series Performance, the Create-a-Puppet Workshop, and Museum Exhibits.

Admission to the Forsyth Reads Together Celebration is free and advance registration is not required.

Additional Oz-themed programs for children, tweens, and teens are scheduled throughout March, including Saving Oz, a breakout box adventure at the Hampton Park Library and Storybook STEM, a study of rainbows, tornadoes, and hot air balloons at the Post Road Library.

For more information on Forsyth Reads Together, or to register for An Evening with Gregory Maguire, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

Library Demystifies Movie Business

Ken Feinberg, owner and director of Creative Studios of Atlanta, will speak about the process of adapting a book for film, general screenwriting, and Georgia's growing influence on the film industry at the Cumming Library on Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m. Advance registration is not required.

Feinberg’s talk is part of a Forsyth Reads Together event entitled Demystified: From Page to Screen that will also include a screening of a short documentary on the making of the film Mystic River, this year’s Forsyth Reads Together book selection written by best-selling author Dennis Lehane.

Film is big business in Georgia. Over 30 movies and television shows were in production around the state this summer, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. In the 12-month period that ended July 1, the Department estimates that production companies spent more than $2 billion on projects filmed in Georgia and created about $7 billion in total economic impact.

That sort of investment drives growth in communities across the state, especially places like Senoia, near filming locations for The Walking Dead, where the number of businesses in the downtown area has grown from 5 to about 50.

Growth in the film industry translates to growth in Georgia jobs, as well. As projects come to the area for filming, some of the cast and crew, technicians, writers, support staff, and post-production specialists decide to put down roots. The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office and the Georgia Council for the Arts estimate there are now 23,500 direct jobs in the industry.

Feinberg will explain how people in those jobs fit together as he describes the process of turning a book like Mystic River into a film. For aspiring screenwriters, Feinberg will share a few details about adapting novels for the screen and general screenwriting strategies.

Feinberg’s talk will be addressed to an adults-only audience. Participants should also be advised that the documentary contains excerpts from Mystic River, including strong language.

Demystified: From Page to Screen is the final program leading up to An Evening with Dennis Lehane, the keynote event in this year’s Forsyth Reads Together series.

Dennis Lehane, best-selling author, screenwriter, and television producer, will speak and sign books at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27 at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming. Admission to the event is free, but advance registration is requested.

Mr. Lehane will speak on his experience as a novelist, as well as screenwriting for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and The Wire. Following his talk, Mr. Lehane will take questions from the audience briefly and then sign books.

Barnes and Noble will be on-site selling copies of Mystic River, as well as other books such as Gone Baby Gone, Shutter Island, and The Drop. A portion of the sales will benefit the library.

Forsyth Reads Together is sponsored by the Forsyth County Public Library, FCPL Friends and Advocates, Literacy Forsyth, BookLogix, and The Forsyth County Arts Alliance Fund at the Forsyth County Community Foundation and is a county-wide program that encourages the entire community to read, discuss, and participate in programs associated with the same book.

For more information, or to register for An Evening with Dennis Lehane, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

Author Dennis Lehane to Visit Forsyth County

Dennis Lehane, best-selling author, screenwriter, and television producer, will speak and sign books at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27 at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming. Admission to An Evening with Dennis Lehane is free, but advance registration is requested.

The event is the keynote presentation of the 2016 Forsyth Reads Together program sponsored by the Forsyth County Public Library, FCPL Friends and Advocates, Literacy Forsyth, BookLogix, and The Forsyth County Arts Alliance Fund at the Forsyth County Community Foundation.

Forsyth Reads Together is a county-wide annual event that encourages the entire community to read, discuss, and participate in programs associated with the same book. This year’s book selection is Mystic River by Dennis Lehane.

Mr. Lehane has previously described his crime fiction writing by saying, “In Greek tragedy, they fall from great heights. In noir, they fall from the curb.” That holds true for struggling Boston investigator Sean Devine in Mystic River as he confronts painful memories from his past. When a childhood friend’s daughter is brutally murdered in a public park, the investigation brings Sean face-to-face with a vigilante killer and a man with a dangerous secret.

Mr. Lehane will speak on his experience as a novelist, as well as screenwriting for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and The Wire. Following his talk, Mr. Lehane will take questions from the audience briefly and then sign copies of Mystic River or his other books.

Barnes and Noble will be on-site selling copies of Mystic River, as well as other books such as Gone Baby Gone, Shutter Island, and The Drop. A portion of the sales will benefit the library.

Several other programs will be hosted at library branches in support of Forsyth Reads Together. The Post Road, Cumming, and Sharon Forks Libraries will host book club discussions of Mystic River.

“This year’s book selection is set in a fictional Irish-Catholic neighborhood of Boston, so we’re also offering a program on tracing Irish genealogical records through U.S. newspapers at the Post Road Library. The Cumming Library will host a new virtual tourism presentation focusing on the history and culture of Boston,” explains Laura Bradley, Program Manager.

Readers, writers, and moviegoers will want to mark their calendars for one special Forsyth Reads Together program. Demystified: From Page to Screen will be held at the Cumming Library on Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m. After a screening of the documentary Mystic River: Beneath the Surface, Ken Feinberg, Owner and Director of Creative Studios of Atlanta, will discuss the process of adapting a book for film, general screenwriting, and Georgia's growing influence on the film industry. This program is intended for adults only.

For more information on additional Forsyth Reads Together 2016 events or to register for An Evening with Dennis Lehane, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

Dennis Lehane to Speak at Forsyth Reads Together 2016

We are thrilled to announce that next year’s selection for Forsyth Reads Together is Mystic River by Dennis Lehane.

Published in 2001, Mystic River revolves around three characters who grew up as friends in Boston — Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus.  Sean Devine must confront the world of violence and pain he tried to forget when his childhood friend's daughter is murdered, and the investigation brings him face-to-face with a vigilante killer and a man with a dangerous secret.

This suspenseful and wrenching novel became a #1 New York Times bestseller and received numerous awards and distinctions, including being a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award, winner of the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystère de la Critique.

The novel was also the basis for the Academy Award-winning movie of the same name, which was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor. Sean Penn won Best Actor and Tim Robbins won Best Supporting Actor, making Mystic River the first film to win both awards since Ben-Hur in 1959.

FCPL will welcome Mr. Lehane for an author talk and book signing on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at the Forsyth Conference Center.  Registration details will follow.

Best-selling Author of THE HELP to Speak at Forsyth Reads Together

Kathryn Stockett, author of the New York Times bestselling novel The Help, will speak at the Forsyth Conference Center on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. Stockett’s appearance and book signing are part of the Forsyth County Public Library’s annual Forsyth Reads Together program.

Published in 2009, The Help is the story of three Mississippi women who start a movement of their own while in the midst of the civil rights movement in the early 1960s.

The novel spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was the basis for an Academy Award-winning movie starring Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone.

The book is available in a variety of formats for checkout from the library. Attendees can bring their own copies of the book to be signed by Stockett or may purchase a copy of the book from Barnes & Noble at the event.

Admission to the event is free, but registration is requested. Participants may register online at www.forsythpl.org or visit the Ask Us Desk at any library branch.

“This year’s Forsyth Reads Together book selection is unique because it allows readers to imagine what it might be like to walk in someone else’s shoes in an important time in our country’s history,” says Laura Bradley, Program Manager. “Forsyth Reads Together includes opportunities for readers to discuss the novel and explore the very real issues faced by these fictional characters.”

Forsyth Reads Together goes beyond simply reading the book. Several other events related to the civil rights themes of The Help are also planned during the month-long program.

Actor and champion of human and civil right issues Charles Black will speak about his experiences in the Atlanta Student Movement and studying under Martin Luther King, Jr. in a program entitled “Charles Black Remembers” at the Sharon Forks Library on Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 p.m.

Genealogy is a popular topic of study among library patrons and one of the biggest challenges for African American genealogy researchers is finding formerly enslaved persons before the 1870 federal census, when former slaves were first recorded by name. Elyse Hill, an expert in genealogical research, will lead a workshop called “Breaking Through the 1870 Brick Wall” at the Sharon Forks Library on Saturday, September 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Book clubs for adults will be reading and discussing The Help during Forsyth Reads Together.
The Lit Chicks group at the Post Road Library will meet on Wednesday, August 12 at 10:15 a.m. The Hampton Park Library will host a special Forsyth Reads Together book discussion on Tuesday, September 8 at 2:00 p.m.  The Literazzi group at the Sharon Forks Library will meet on Wednesday, September 9 at 2:00 p.m. The Coffee Talk book club at the Cumming Library will meet to discuss The Help on Thursday, September 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Three library branches will also offer screenings of the movie based on Stockett’s book. The Help will be shown at the Sharon Forks Library on Tuesday, September 8 at 5:00 p.m., at the Cumming Library on Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 p.m., and the Hampton Park Library on Monday, September 14 at 5:00 p.m.

“Forsyth Reads Together has customarily focused on books and events for adult audiences, but our audience of younger patrons has grown significantly in recent years and we’ve decided to expand the program in a way that includes young readers,” adds Bradley.  “Civil rights is a prominent theme in The Help so we have decided to address this same theme with our younger audience by providing a youth component to Forsyth Reads Together.”

Coretta Scott King Honor illustrator R. Gregory Christie will lead an illustration and book binding workshop as part of the monthly Storytellers Crafternoon program at the Post Road Library on Tuesday, September 8 at 4:30 p.m. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade will learn about Christie’s experiences illustrating books related to civil rights and create their own illustrations and hand-bound books.

For the first time, the library has selected a Forsyth Reads Together title for tweens and teens.  Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson has won various awards, including the National Book Award, the Newbery Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award. In vivid poems that reflect the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, Woodson shares what it was like to grow up in the 1960s and 1970s in both the North and the South.

Programs focusing on Brown Girl Dreaming will be held at the Sharon Forks Library on Wednesday, September 9 at 6:30 p.m. and at the Hampton Park Library on Thursday, September 10 at 4:30 p.m. Tweens and teens are invited to compose poetic memories of their own at these programs, in addition to discussing the book and its prominent themes.

The Post Road Library will focus on Brown Girl Dreaming during their Wednesday Writer’s Workshop program on Wednesday, September 9 at 6:30 p.m.  In this program, writers will be encouraged to share their own work as they draw inspiration from Brown Girl Dreaming.

Finally, the Bookmarks book club for teens in grades 7 through 12 will discuss Brown Girl Dreaming at the Cumming Library on Thursday, September 24 at 1:00 p.m.

Forsyth Reads Together is made possible by generous contributions from The Forsyth County Arts Alliance Fund at the North Georgia Community Foundation, Forsyth County Public Library Friends and Advocates, Literacy Forsyth, and BookLogix.

For more information, or to register for any of these Forsyth Reads Together events, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

Staff Picks

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I listened to the audio version of this book. I loved the multiple narrators and I thought they had authentic accents. This story was so moving - I didn't want to stop listening, even though I had seen the movie years ago and kind of knew what to expect. However, the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, and it didn't end exactly the way I expected. I was crying at the end. I'm so excited that The Help is our Forsyth Reads Together book this year. I look forward to seeing you all the big event with Ms. Stockett on September 15th. Please register to attend.

Meredith Bowermeister
Information Services Supervisor
Sharon Forks Library