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Limited to 15 participants. To register, visit tinyurl.com/ewml-memoir-art.

Join us for a writing workshop to tap your creative spirit and help you focus on meaningful periods and events of your life. You will learn to craft memories into prose or poems, through lively writing exercises and group discussions. Writing tools and prompts will help participants discover and explore their stories and distill the essence of experience. Memoir writing leads to deep self-reflection, as well as purposeful direction, and a greater sense of well-being as you explore the perplexing, humorous, nostalgic, and challenging experiences of your life. Give voice to those untold stories, and watch your life take on a new shape in this supportive, fun writing workshop. No writing experience necessary!

Facilitator Bio:
Laurie McMillan has an MFA in fiction and has led writing workshops for 21 years in all genres. She was the co-founder of the Pittsburgh Memoir Workshop, and several workshop series in venues as diverse as art museums, outpatient clinics, and at the VA. She believes that creativity and community in a safe and supportive environment can help writers do their best work. She is published in several magazines including American Journal of Nursing and the Healing Muse.

Come join local author, Carol Weis, for a reading from her memoir, STUMBLING HOME: Life Before and After That Last Drink. Carol will also answer questions about the book, her writing process and her own personal journey, as well as sign copies of her book for those who are interested.

Masks are required at this event.

Author Bio:
Carol Weis, who became a writer when she got sober, has been an actor, teacher, professional cook and baker, and for years, ran poetry workshops in local schools. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, AARP, The Independent, ESPN, Good Housekeeping, OZY, Cosmo, Salon, and numerous other venues, and has been read as commentary on NPR. She’s also the author of the Simon & Schuster picture book, WHEN THE COWS GOT LOOSE, and the poetry chapbook, DIVORCE PAPERS.

To RSVP for this event, please email ehampton@cwmars.org with your name and the number of people attending.

Jennifer will talk about what led her to co-author The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy: Step-by-Step Advice on How to Ally and Speak Up with Autistic People and the Autism Community. She’ll go on to discuss general advocacy, then focus on family, work and educational topics. Q&A to follow.

This talk is in-person. Masks are required.

Please RSVP to slevine@ewmlibrary.org with the event name and number of attendees.

The #ActuallyAutistic Guide takes an in-depth look at the key elements of effective, respectful, inclusive advocacy and allyship. Every topic was chosen, shaped, and informed by #ActuallyAutistic perspectives. She and Jenna are currently writing, and collecting surveys for, their second collaboration, The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Teen and Young Adult Advocacy and Activism: Step-by-Step Advice for Autistic Youth and Those Who Care About Them.

Author Bio:
Jennifer Brunton, Ph.D. is the co-author, with Jenna Gensic, M.A., of The #ActuallyAutistic Guide to Advocacy: Step-by-Step Advice on How to Ally and Speak Up with Autistic People and the Autism Community. A neurodivergent parent of an Autistic son and a neurotypical daughter, Jennifer is passionate about making the world a better place for people who think, learn, and experience life in unique ways. Her parenting blog, Full Spectrum Mama, has been advancing civil rights for all—with a focus on neurodiversity and intersectionality—for more than 10 years.

Music and stories, outside on the Lawn! Bring a blanket or comfy chair and enjoy!!

Longtime New England singer/songwriter Matt York will perform the songs of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings and tell stories of their careers. The four songwriting legends joined forces in the 1980’s to form the country supergroup The Highwaymen. However, prior to that, they’d each established themselves as stars and their careers intersected many times since the 1960’s.

York has twice been nominated as Best Male Artist by the New England Music Awards and his latest release was named one of the Boston Globe’s best albums of 2019.

Learn more about Matt and the program at https://mattyorksongsandstories.com/

Registration is required. In-person with a max of 15 participants. Click here to register.

Do you have a sense of adventure, a desire to experience new vistas, a keen eye for detail and a storyteller’s flair? These are a few of the elements of the travel writer’s toolkit that Laurie will discuss in this travel writing workshop. You’ll practice in-class writing exercises to awaken the imagination and help guide your interest in writing about the places you’ve traveled or want to travel. You’ll walk away with some ideas to begin, methods to engage your reader, and stimulate your own sense of wonder! This is also a class for those who don’t travel but would like to armchair travel and write about what places intrigue them.

Facilitator Bio:
Laurie McMillan has an MFA in fiction and has led writing workshops for 21 years in all genres. She was the co-founder of the Pittsburgh Memoir Workshop, and several workshop series in venues as diverse as art museums, outpatient clinics, and at the VA. She believes that creativity and community in a safe and supportive environment can help writers do their best work. She is published in several magazines including American Journal of Nursing and the Healing Muse.

This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.

Families are invited to share summer stories, songs, rhymes, and music in a fun interactive program that builds early literacy skills. This program is designed for children birth to 5 years old, accompanied by a favorite adult.  Together we will enjoy making our own pinwheels to try and to take home. Registration required, limited supplies.

Learn how to play this fun and easy instrument! No experience necessary. Bring your own ukulele or borrow one of Julie’s. After a short lesson, you’ll be able to play songs and we’ll play a few campfire classics. Recommended for families of all ages.  Registration required

This session is for teens and adults. Registration is required. In-person with a max of 24 participants. Click here to register.

Julie will be teaching campfire songs on the ukulele! No experience necessary. She’ll teach participants how to hold, strum, fret and read chord diagrams – everything one needs to know in order to play the ukulele. Bring your own ukulele or use one of Julie’s.

This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.

Crimson Canary is BACK and playing a lovely evening concert for us on the Library lawn. They will be performing classic vocals from the 40s, 50s and 60s in several languages. Bring a blanket or chair, relax, and let the music move you! (Rain date Friday, August 5th, 6-7pm)

Crimson Canary consists of guitarist/vocalist David Chu and vocalist Lonnie Chu, known for their vintage music sung in various languages. They also perform and educate about flamenco music.

David Chu began his music career as a teen playing piano and percussion, but soon switched to guitar. An accomplished soloist, he provides accompaniment and is the group’s arranger and composer. He delights audiences with the variety of genres he plays on either guitar, including flamenco, jazz, blues, Brazilian, and even Beatles.

Lonnie Chu, manager and singer, has also played folk guitar and bluegrass mandolin and enjoys singing in various languages and genres. A retired professor of Spanish, she delights in teaching audiences how to participate in flamenco’s rhythmic hand-clapping (palmas).

Read more about Crimson Canary on their website at crimsoncanary.com

This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.

The Valley Bloomers gardening club offers an expert lecture from Marty Klein on the life cycles of mushrooms, their roles in the environment, and a few local species. This presentation will include a Q&A, and will take place on the lower floor of the library. Please remember to wear a mask.