Skylark is delighted and honored to welcome Dr. Susie Adams to the shop on Thursday, September 10, to discuss Wild Work: Adventures of Women Field Biologists, an inspiring and entertaining anthology that she has co-edited with Sophie Osborn.

Wild Work brings to light the often untold stories of women in wildlife science. Featuring first-person accounts by dozens of adventurous field biologists, this collection immerses readers in the thrilling and compelling reality of studying and conserving fish and wildlife across the globe.

From playing tag with wolves or cuddling wild foxes to wading through rivers filled with venomous snakes or evading poachers, these women share stories of courage, curiosity, and resilience. Alongside the adrenaline and adventure, they reveal the delicate balancing act of juggling demanding fieldwork with family life, the lifelong friendships they forge in the wild, and the transformative power of connecting deeply with the natural world. They also bear witness to the fact that while women have been integral to fish and wildlife research for decades, their stories have rarely been represented in literature.

Perfect for aspiring biologists, nature and animal lovers, or anyone captivated by outdoor adventures, this anthology offers a rare and powerful glimpse into the extraordinary work, risks, and rewards experienced by people who dedicate their lives to understanding and protecting our planet’s wild inhabitants.

SUSAN (SUSIE) B. ADAMS is an internationally recognized freshwater ecologist with a PhD in biology and ecology from the University of Montana. As a senior scientist at a federal agency, she researches crayfish and fish ecology in freshwater ecosystems. She has presented her research on four continents and served as president of the International Association of Astacology (study of crayfish). An avid outdoor recreationist, she is committed to helping women find their places in science and the outdoors. Learn more at adamsecology.net.

September’s title for the Order of Books and Banter Bookclub is Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders. We are excited about this title and can’t wait to discuss it with you! As always, the fun starts at 6:30 p.m.

In the vein of Alice Hoffman and Charlie Jane Anders's own All the Birds in the Sky comes a novel full of love, disaster, and magic.

A young witch teaches her mother how to do magic--with very unexpected results--in this relatable, resonant novel about family, identity, and the power of love.

Jamie is the average New England academic in-training--she has a strong queer relationship, generational trauma, and an esoteric dissertation proposal. But she has one extraordinary secret: she's also a powerful witch.

Serena, Jamie's mother, has been hiding from the world in an old one-room schoolhouse for several years, grieving the death of her wife and the simultaneous explosion in her professional life. All she has left are memories.

Jamie’s busy digging into a three-hundred-year-old magical book, but she still finds time to teach Serena to cast spells and help her come out of her shell. But Jamie doesn't know the whole story of what happened to her mom years ago, and those secrets are leading Serena down a destructive path.

Now it's up to this grad student and literature nerd to understand the secrets behind this mysterious novel from 1749, unearth a long-buried scandal hinted therein, and learn the true nature of magic, before her mother ruins both of their lives.

We are thrilled to welcome local author Molly Housh Gordon to celebrate the launch of her debut book for children, Dance Together, Spin Apart, on Monday, September 7 at 6:30 p.m. This event actually takes place the day before the official publication date, so guests will have an exclusive sneak peak and chance to get signed copies ahead of literally everyone else! There will be celebrations, story time, and general festivities for all to enjoy! Come and help us welcome this beautiful book into the world!

A stunning fusion of poetry and particle science that thoughtfully addresses children's big questions about life and death in a way that will inspire wonder and awe in young readers and adults alike.

Inside a single blade of grass, a drop of shining dew, in gleaming wings of butterflies, in stars, in me, in you, are tiny things called particles that bounce and twist and spin. They dance together for a while then spin apart again. And later when the dance is done, we come to our last day. And all the parts that made us up will float and spin away.

Dance Together, Spin Apart melds poetry and particle science to carry young readers from the origins of our life through its end and the return of our energy to the universe. With author Molly Housh Gordon's thoughtful approach to children's big questions about life and death and illustrator Isabella Grott's lush and imaginative illustrations, Dance Together, Spin Apart brings subatomic particles and the energy passed between us all beautifully to life.

Molly Housh Gordon is a mom, minister, and writer. She spends her days with the spiritual seekers of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia, Missouri. She holds a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry in Creative Writing and Public Theology from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She wrote her debut book Dance Together, Spin Apart for all the kids, like her, with big questions.

Our new “Get the Scoop” event series are ticketed talks which are designed to offer smaller, more intimate conversations with authors. For the regular price of the book you receive (a) a signed copy of the book, (b) a scoop of Sparky's Ice Cream, and (c) an evening of stimulating and entertaining conversation and community!

The first of these events was a huge success and sold out quickly, and we’re very excited to announce the next in the series: on Thursday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m., we’ll be welcoming author Sabrina Blackburry back to Skylark to talk about her newest novel, Half Wylde, a delightful read for lovers of romantasy about hidden heritage and fae mythology like Margaret Rogerson, Sarah J. Maas, and Holly Black.

Availability is strictly limited and on a first-come-first-served basis, so be sure to reserve yours early by clicking here!

Wren has spent her life hiding–hiding the truth about herself: She’s half-fae. The local villagers are afraid of her and only her adoptive father, Bryn, and her teacher, a witch named Mila, care whether she lives or dies. When their village is attacked, and Bryn is killed, Mila urges Wren to flee into the woods. 

There she encounters the mysterious but frightening Thain who offers to take her to the Wyldes, the land of the fae creatures. In the Wyldes, she can finally find a home and learn to embrace the side of herself that she’s always kept hidden. 

Raised among humans, Wren was shunned for her non-human half and taught to fear the fae. Now that she's living among them, she has to face her fears and accept her own heritage to find peace in her new home. But when the burning seal that Mila placed on her back to control her powers begins to burst, and the mystery of her parentage begins to unravel, Wren might find herself in more danger than she could have ever imagined.

Sabrina Blackburry is a fantasy author from central Missouri, and the creator of The Enchanted Fates and The Wyldes series. She has a love for morally gray characters, fated love with a touch of magic, and passionate women finding their place in the world. When she’s not writing, Sabrina enjoys adding plants to the collection on her front porch, sewing for the local renaissance festival, and hiking.

Just think! In another ten years we’ll be allowed to vote!

Yes, we made it through another trip around the sun, and on Saturday, August 29, Skylark will be celebrating eight years of slinging books in our beloved community. None of this extraordinary journey would have been possible without you, our cherished friends and customers, and so we hope you’ll swing by on Saturday to help celebrate another milestone with us.

As usual, we’ll be giving away another monster tote bag of Skylark goodies, in addition to free gifts with every purchase, together with other fun stuff - and, of course, we’ll be revealing this year’s Skylark T-shirt! And there will be balloons, possibly cake, and much more!

We hope we’ll see you there!

August’s Skylarking Book Club selection is Astronaut! by debut novelist Oana Aristide, which has garnered a HUGE amount of attention and critical acclaim since its publication. It’s a darkly funny and politically resonant novel set in Romania in 1989.

As usual, we’ll meet in the shop at 6:30 p.m. to discuss!

Daily news flashes of seemingly random murders grip the nation. The suspect? A man-eating bear. Amid the fear of informants, official lies, and daily rationing, two bright lives collide. Constantin, an idealistic police detective prone to scribbling fairy tales in his notebook, is tasked with solving the string of mysterious deaths. Lia, a rebellious, inquisitive schoolgirl pining for more color in her life, is unwittingly drawn into an eccentric elderly neighbor’s secret plot against the regime. While everyone around them is flattened into submission, the two find the spirit to carry out small acts of defiance. Their decisions will have sweeping consequences—for themselves, for their families, and for their country.

Masterfully plotted and psychologically astute, Astronaut! is both a chilling detective novel and a moving coming-of-age tale. It carries a powerful message: the lies we accept today become the truths of tomorrow.

Oana Aristide was born in Transylvania and spent her childhood in communist Romania. She has variously worked as a macroeconomist in London, cabinet advisor in Bucharest, travel journalist, and hotelier in Greece. She now lives in Sweden.

August’s New Romantics Book Club selection is PUCK, by Samantha Allen. It’s a romcom inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream… Puck is a reality show producer and agent of chaos with a talent for bringing people together . . . and tearing them apart. As usual, we’ll meet in the shop at 6:30 p.m.! See you there?!

Meet Puck: the nonbinary, thirty-year-old mastermind behind Homewreckers, a dating show that puts troubled couples through hell—with a little help from their exes. Used to being the one pulling the strings, it shocks Puck when their life undergoes a plot twist of its own and their college roommate Mia announces her engagement to her ex’s best friend, Damon. Having only recently broken up with longtime-boyfriend Zander, and never having had much in common with Damon (who lovesick Lena has always pined after), Mia’s news leaves her friend group reeling—and Puck’s mind whirling.

When they arrive for a week of wedding festivities at an upscale resort in the Appalachian forest, Puck immediately sees that Mia’s marriage will lead to misery, and takes it upon themself to save their friends by rearranging the couples—without anyone finding out. But as Puck comes up against a type-A maid of honor hell-bent on making this wedding happen, it becomes clear that they will have to deliver the greatest stunt of their career. If only they can take their eyes off the bridesmaid. After all, the course of true love never did run smooth…

Written with Samantha Allen’s signature charm, wit, and an irresistible dose of Shakespearian mischief, Puck is the ultimate romcom for our chaotic era, and a celebration of the friendships that carry us through it all.

Yes, it’s that time of year again! Come and join us on Saturday, August 15, for a day of (fictional) love affairs of all kinds, as we celebrate Bookstore Romance Day!

Join us for a day dedicated to all things romance—whether you're a longtime romance reader or just discovering the genre, there's something to fall in love with at Skylark! Browse our curated selection of swoony stories, meet fellow readers, and enjoy fun activities throughout the day in a festive, love-filled atmosphere. There’ll be a lot going on…

Purchase any romance book during the celebration to be entered into our Bookstore Romance Day drawing for a chance to win a special prize!

While you're here, cast your vote for your favorite recent movie or TV romance adaptation and see which beloved love story comes out on top.

Feeling inspired? Stop by our Love Letter Writing Station, where you can pen a heartfelt note to a partner, friend, family member—or even your favorite fictional character. Be sure to explore our display of staff-favorite romance and romance-adjacent books, featuring everything from classic love stories to contemporary romances, romantasy, and character-driven fiction with unforgettable relationships.

We'll also have colorful decorations to set the mood and information about our New Romantics Book Club. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about reading romance with a welcoming community of fellow book lovers. We can't wait to celebrate Bookstore Romance Day with you!

No ticket or reservation necessary! Just show up to enjoy the fun!

For August’s meeting of the Order of Books and Banter we will be reading the newest from Skylark favorite, T. Kingfisher: NINE GOBLINS: A TALE OF LOW FANTASY AND HIGH MISCHIEF. As usual, we’ll meet at 6:30 - we look forward to seeing you there!

No one knows exactly how the Goblin War began, but folks will tell you that goblins are stinking, slinking, filthy, sheep-stealing, henhouse-raiding, obnoxious, rude, and violent. Goblins would actually agree with all this, and might throw in “cowardly” and “lazy” too for good measure.

But goblins don't go around killing people for fun, no matter what the propaganda posters say. And when a confrontation with an evil wizard lands a troop of nine goblins deep behind enemy lines, goblin sergeant Nessilka must figure out how to keep her hapless band together and get them home in one piece.

Unfortunately, between them and safety lies a forest full of elves, trolls, monsters, and that most terrifying of creatures…a human being.

On August 9th, we will be hosting a Summer Wrap-up Party for the Skylark Kids Summer Series! Please join us for some super fun activities, at least one mini-scavenger hunt, prizes, and general fun! We will also have opportunities to redeem prizes for completing our Summer Reading and Shop Local with Richard Scarry activities.

It’s that time for one of our favorite events of the year! Come and join us (and a ton of other excellent vendors) on Saturday, August 8 for Columbia’s 5th Annual Grown-Up Book Fair!

Join us at Rose Park in Columbia and step back into the cherished memories of your childhood. The venue will be transformed into the iconic setting reminiscent of beloved elementary school book fairs of the 90s, but this time tailored for the grown-up you.

Sip on a specialty cocktail and peruse the shelves of local and independent booksellers, plus other curated local vendors that will scratch your nostalgic itch.

Please note that although the event welcomes all ages to attend, it is catered towards grown-ups and may not always be kid friendly!

A Grown-Up Book Fair tote bag is included with each Early Entry ticket purchase! An add-on ticket option for an “Adult Lunchable” from Thompson Tables is also available.

Tickets are available for purchase from the Blue Note here.

July’s Skylarking Bookclub will be discussing the newest novel from Skylark favorite, Lisa See: DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN AND MOON. As usual, we’ll gather in the shop at 6:30 on the last Thursday of the month, July 30. See you there!

From beloved New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, the story of three Chinese women whose unexpected friendship helps them survive and, despite the odds, thrive, in the turmoil of post-Civil War Los Angeles.

In 1870, three Chinese women arrive in the small, dusty, and violent pueblo of Los Angeles. Dove, the bound-footed daughter of an imperial scholar, is entrancing and innocent. These characteristics should bring her great rewards, beginning with her arranged marriage to a much older merchant. Petal, the big-footed daughter of peasants, has grown up hungry and with dirt between her toes. In a moment of desperation, Petal’s father sells her to buy money for rice seed, and she is loaded onto a ship to the Gold Mountain—America—where she is once again sold. Moon is married to a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. She is educated, speaks fluent English, and has been endowed with a face of great beauty, yet her failed footbinding as a child has left her with a limp that lessens her value in the eyes of many.

Each woman has her own desires. Dove wants to love and be loved, Petal desires freedom, and Moon seeks justice. Together they face a larger society that wishes them not one ounce of good will. Anti-Chinese sentiment is strong in Los Angeles, and this eventually leads to the Night of Horrors during which all three women are challenged in ways they could not have imagined. Brought together by hardship and heartbreak, they must use their bravery, endurance, and ability to “eat bitterness” to discover their voices, find freedom, and connect through solace and friendship. Together they are daughters of the sun and moon.

Join us on July 26th for an afternoon of Wimpy Kid themed fun! We will have activities and trivia, and you certainly shouldn’t forget to take a temporary tattoo home with you!

This event is free but we do ask that you register so we know how many people to expect. Scan the QR code below (or click!) to register.

July’s selection for the New Romantics Book Club is BROMANTASY by Máire Roche, a cozy, queer fantasy about the mortifying ordeal of being known by your totally platonic best friend and the epic quest that might force you to confront the truth. Join us in the shop at 6:30 on Wednesday July 15!

Fellas, is it gay to kiss your bff while on a quest through the forest you’re unqualified for?

Juniper O'Reilly is good at only two things: demolishing a pint of mead and finding the perfect skincare routine. Everything else—taking care of the farm, bartering for goods, any sort of manual labor—falls to Juniper’s best friend, the absurdly capable, endlessly patient Mo Elmthorn.

But when Juniper accidentally volunteers them both for a quest to kill a fearsome monster, he knows he’s finally gotten in over his head. Juniper hates camping, he hates the dark, and there’s no way all these foraged mushrooms are going to sit well in his stomach. One thing he doesn’t hate? How good Mo’s thighs look in his questing pants—he doesn’t have time to think about that, though, with a monster to hunt and their futures on the line.

But monsters come in all shapes and sizes. When Juniper and Mo realize that the terrifying beast they’ve sworn to kill is just a scared little girl torn from her family, they’re off to find not only the true villain of the story, but maybe even a happy ending.

Something different this month!

For July’s Order of Books and Banter, we’ll be meeting a day later than usual and teaming up with arch-rivals/nemeses NEW ROMANTICS BOOK CLUB (Enemies to Lovers, anyone?) to discuss BROMANTASY, the fabulous new book by Máire Roche!

Help us celebrate Skylark favorite and Columbia local Nancy West as she launches her new book, AGATHA CHRISTIE: THE MOTHER OF COZY MYSTERIES, a captivating literary biography and stunning celebration of the famed author of Murder on the Orient Express, And Then There Were None, and countless other classics. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and we’d love to see you there!

100 short entries take you through moments from Agatha Christie’s life—some well-known and some which may be unexpected. These are the moments that shaped her sixty-six detective novels, as well as her plays, short story collections, and romance novels. Including excerpts from her most iconic works like And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and Death on the Nile, as well as sidebars that explore how her works have left a lasting impression on pop culture, this book paints a vivid portrait of the complicated and clever woman behind the mysteries.

This beautifully curated volume is both an inspiring biography and a celebration of literary brilliance. Whether you’re a longtime admirer of Christie or just beginning your literary adventure, Agatha Christie will leave you fascinated, inspired, and longing for more.

Nancy West is a Professor of English at the University of Missouri. In addition to Agatha Christie: Mother of the Cozy Mystery (SimonandSchuster, 2026), she is the author of Kodak and the Lens of Nostalgia; Tabloid, Inc.; and Masterpiece: America’s 50-Year-Old Love Affair with British Drama. West has appeared on PBS’s The American Experience and BBC’s The Genius of Photography. She contributes to The Los Angeles Review of Books and The Atlantic and is currently completing a memoir, Sometimes Cinderella, about growing up in movie-rich 1970s New York.

On July 12th we have a very special night of I Survived fun to celebrate the amazing series of books by Skylark favorite Lauren Tarshis! We have been chosen as one of ONLY TEN bookshops in the country to celebrate the I Survived series with activities, quizzes, trivia, and more! There will be SO MUCH TO DO and SO MUCH FUN TO BE HAD!

This event is free but we do ask that you register so we know how many people to expect. Scan the QR code below (or click!) to register.

Our planned June discussion of THE DAISY CHAIN FLOWER SHOP by Laurie Gilmore has been RESCHEDULED to Wednesday July 8! Come and join us as we talk about this perfect romance to get us all in the mood for summer! As usual, we’ll meet in the shop at 6:30 p.m.

The greatest love is the one you never expected to find.

Daisy is fed up with being unlucky in love. And since Mayor Kelly declared her beloved flower shop cursed in one of his infamous visions, business has been slow.

Dream Harbor newcomer Elliot has been adjusting to small-town life following his own relationship turmoil. And until now he's avoided the flower shop at all costs. If the mayor is correct, he doesn't need any more bad luck in his life.

When he finds himself walking through the door of the Daisy Chain Flower Shop, he doesn't expect it to be a life-changing moment. But as the petals blossom in the sunlight, might the unluckiest woman in Dream Harbor finally find that love comes when you're least expecting it?

Join us on June 28th for a night of fun Baby-Sitters club themed activities! Compete in trivia for the chance to win an extra-special prize! This event is free but we do ask that you register so we know how many people to expect. Scan the QR code below (or click!) to register.

The puppies are back! Our next session of puppy yoga with Sarah’s Yoga Studio and puppies from Central Missouri Humane Society will take place on Saturday, June 27, at 8:30 a.m. Scan the QR code below to register!

Oopsies, a little late on this one!

This month’s Skylarking Bookclub will be discussing the excellent and electrifying FIVE by Ilona Bannister. We’ll meet in the shop at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 15!

Have you ever tried to pass the time by imagining the lives of the strangers standing next to you? Ilona Bannister’s Five introduces readers to five seemingly random people waiting for a train. But these are not just any five people. From the beginning we know that one of them is going to die soon. Very soon. In five minutes the next train to London will arrive, killing one of them. But before this happens you will learn their stories.

None of these people are saints. Readers might fall in love with the beautiful young man who is on the verge of gambling his life away. They may pity the cantankerous old woman who has fallen to the ground yet is refusing help. Perhaps readers will look away from the child throwing a tantrum. Or judge his mother, who must surely be to blame. And some will be curiously compelled by the successful and damaged businessman orbiting them all.

These are the candidates for this morning’s misfortune. But they don’t know it. Only you know. And you, our complicit reader, will not be able to resist deciding who deserves to walk away, and who deserves only five more minutes to live.

An incredibly original novel that breaks the fourth wall and asks the reader to be judge, jury, and executioner, Five looks at some of the most complicated issues of contemporary life: motherhood, disability, addiction. Every stranger has a story. And in Ilona Bannister’s skillful hands, five people’s stories come together to create an unforgettable novel.

We’re honored to welcome Chris Arnone to Skylark to launch his astonishing new memoir, My Name Was Baby - An Intersex Memoir. This promises to be a wonderful evening which you absolutely will not want to miss!

When Chris Arnone was born in Independence, Missouri, nobody could tell what sex he was. For the first few days of his life, until a chromosome test confirmed he was a boy, his parents called him Baby. From this first, literal "coming out," it was clear he was different. His life was punctuated by a string of surgeries and trips to the ER, unrecognizable and confusing diagrams in sex ed class, and the need to preface every intimate encounter by explaining his medical history. But it wasn't until he was thirty-seven that he discovered he didn't have "birth defects"--he was intersex.

In this fresh and affirming memoir, Chris's struggles with anxiety, confusion, and a painful journey toward self-acceptance will be familiar to LGBTQIA+ people everywhere. But he also offers a perspective that is largely untold: that of an intersex man, existing in the toxic masculine culture of the heartland; parents who were open and accepting of his differences; and doctors who (mostly) did no harm.

It is a deep and wide exploration of religion and politics, gender and sexuality, frat parties, burlesque shows, and Magic: The Gathering. Arnone boldly shows how the lives of intersex folks can be so different and yet so familiar to everyone, helping us all take one step closer to understanding and acceptance.

With raw vulnerability, emotional range, and a quick wit, My Name Was Baby offers something inspiring for everyone, from self-assured manly men to confused genderqueer kids. It is the story of someone who came to love who he is and hopes everyone else can love themselves, too.

Chris M. Arnone (he/him) is an intersex author, activist, and actor from Kansas City with an MFA in Creative Writing from UMKC. He is a senior contributor for Book Riot. In addition to his memoir, he has also written a cyberpunk series, The Jayu City Chronicles.

This workshop will focus on the art of storytelling, specifically bringing the tradition of African oral storytelling in conversation with contemporary spoken word & filmmaking.

This event is completely free to attend. We’ll even provide paper and pens! Come by and learn how to tell your story.

The workshop is followed by a film screening, poetry reading, and Q&A at Ragtag Cinema.

Join us for June’s meeting of The Order of Books and Banter, when we’ll be discussing L.D. Lewis’s astonishing YEAR OF THE MER. This is a dark, bloody epic fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid that goes far beyond the fairy tale to explore family legacy, war, and what we will sacrifice for vengeance—the perfect read for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and Circe.

As usual, we’ll meet in the shop at 6:30 p.m. We’d love to see you there!

The fairy tale mermaid Arielle might have gotten her happily-ever-after, but her granddaughter Yemi is having a much harder time. Her father, the king of Ixia, was assassinated years ago, her mother is slowly dying of a poisoned wound, and she faces whispers and slights from her own people. Yemi has been raised as the shield of the kingdom and is soon to inherit the throne, but she cannot shake her fury at how Ixia has treated her family after all they’ve sacrificed. Only her patient mother and steadfast personal bodyguard (and fiancée), Nova, help Yemi rein in that fury...most of the time.

When the kingdom’s discontented rumblings reach a fever pitch, a coup erupts and Yemi’s throne is usurped, stripping her of her family and forcing her into exile. Now, only one being has the power to help her: Ursla.

Like her grandmother before her, Yemi is tempted by a deal with the sea-witch. With powerful and ancient magic behind her, Yemi could avenge her family, take back her throne, and protect the love of her life. But she should know more than anyone that there is always a price. As much as Yemi wants vengeance, Ursla has been waiting a very, very long time for her own—and it may take more fortune than Yemi possesses to keep her from losing everything all over again.

Make way for the pups! This Saturday, May 30, will see a joyous (and much-anticipated!) new session of PUPPY YOGA at the shop at 6:30 p.m.! If you have never done this, you totally should. Stretch into calming yoga poses while being surrounded by the delightful playfulness of puppies!

- Unwind Together: Escape the daily hustle and enjoy peaceful, quality time with with your favorite people. Bring your friends and family. Or take some time just for you!
- Puppy Playtime: Experience the joyful energy of playful /cuddly puppies as they explore.
- Support a Cause: Help our furry friends develop social skills and enjoy a lively play session.

As usual, expert yoga guidance is provided by Sara’s Yoga Studio, and puppies are provided by Columbia Second Chance. And yes, they are all available for adoption.

Event Details:
Cost: $28 per person Mats:
Bring your own mat or rent one for just $5
Family-Friendly: This event is perfect for all ages! (Kids 5 and under are free when they share your yoga mat.)

Book your ticket by clicking on the QR code below!

We are very excited to welcome three (count ‘em!) wonderful poets to Skylark on Friday, May 29, for an evening of spellbinding performances. Jesse Millner, Cameron Carter, and Emma DePanise will be taking to the Skylark stage and sharing their work with us - we cannot wait. Come and join us for a magical evening of dazzling poetry! As always, the event starts at 6:30 p.m. and is completely free to attend.

Jesse Millner’s poems have appeared in River Styx, Pearl, The Prose Poem Project, Gravel, The Florida Review, Wraparound South and other literary magazines. His poem, “In Praise of Small Gods,” was selected for inclusion in The Best American Poetry 2013, and his flash piece, “Last Night I Dreamed” was featured in Best Small Fictions 2020. He has published six poetry chapbooks and three full-length collections, The Neighborhoods of My Past Sorrow (winner of bronze medal in 2010 Florida Book Awards), Dispatches from the Department of Supernatural Explanation (Kitsune Books, 2012) and Memory’s Blue Sedan (Hysterical Books, 2020). His latest chapbook, Gina, Editor’s Choice winner of the 2025 Anhinga Press Rick Campbell chapbook contest,  was released by Anhinga Press in February 2026.

Cameron Carter is a fiction writer and educator from Atlanta and the fiction editor for Another Chicago Magazine. He earned his MA from Ball State University, his MFA from Georgia State University, and is a PhD student at the University of Missouri. His work has appeared in StorySouth, Cutleaf Magazine, and other places.

Emma DePanise is a poet and teacher from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Working at the intersections of ecology and sound, her poems have appeared in venues such as Best New Poets 2024, Verse Daily, Poetry Northwest, The Los Angeles Review, and The National Poetry Review. She has received awards from AWP, Blue Earth Review, and Nimrod International Journal, among others. A finalist in Button Poetry’s 2025 chapbook contest and former editor for Sycamore Review and The Shore, she holds an MFA from Purdue University and is a current PhD candidate in English at the University of Missouri.

Our May Skylarking Bookclub selection is Go Gentle by Maria Semple, writer of the much-beloved and mega-selling Where’d You Go, Bernadette? This new novel is her most exuberant and life-affirming novel yet - the story of one woman’s cheerful determination to live a life of the mind only to have the heart force its way in.

Adora Hazzard has it all figured out. A Stoic philosopher and divorcée, she lives a contented life on New York City’s Upper West Side. Having discovered that the secret to happiness is to desire only what you have, she’s applied this insight to blissful effect: relishing her teenage daughter, the freedom of being solo, and her job as a moral tutor for the twin boys of an old-money family. She’s even assembled a "coven"—like-minded women who live on the same floor in the legendary Ansonia—and is making active efforts to grow its membership. Adora’s carefully curated life is humming along brilliantly until a chance meeting with a handsome stranger.

Soon, her ordered world is upended by black-market art deals, secret rendezvous, and international intrigue . . . and her past—which she has worked so hard to bury—lands like a bomb in her present. Inflamed by unquenchable desire, Adora finds herself a woman wanting more: and she’ll risk everything to get it.

Adora Hazzard’s journey of self-discovery will grip you from the start. Romantic, hilarious, intelligent, and bursting with the stuff of life, Go Gentle is a thrilling story of one woman’s mid-life transformation, cementing Maria Semple in the pantheon of our most exciting and important contemporary writers.

We’re thrilled to welcome back to Columbia Courtney Kocak, an alum of Stephens College, to discuss her fabulous (and newly published) memoir, Girl Gone Wild. The book is an unwitting feminist coming-of-age that traces Courtney’s path from a small-town upbringing to earning a BFA at Stephens College to chasing big dreams in Hollywood—and encountering its underbelly, including an uncomfortable chapter selling T-shirts on the Girls Gone Wild tour.

GIRL GONE WILD is a collection of exploits and delusions about chasing your dreams with reckless abandon and what happens when their pursuit becomes a new kind of trap. In this memoir-in-essays, Kocak takes readers along on her heady metamorphosis from girl to woman and from dreamer to professional artist. It's a wild, cringeworthy, and often heartbreaking tale, but with Kocak's wry wit and clear-eyed accounting, it's nothing short of captivating.

Courtney Kocak is a writer, podcaster, and comedian who splits time between Austin and Los Angeles. She's a Stephen College alum and went on to write for Amazon’s Emmy-winning animated series Danger & Eggs and Netflix’s Know It All. She’s produced a slew of highly-ranked podcasts and currently hosts three of her own with over two million downloads to date: Private Parts Unknown, about love and sexuality around the world, The Bleeders, about book writing and publishing, and Podcast Bestie, a best friend to podcasters trying to grow and monetize their shows (and a popular Substack). Her bylines include The New York Times, The Cut, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Cosmopolitan, Slate, and more. Her debut memoir, Girl Gone Wild, with Trio House Press, was released April 1, 2026!

May’s New Romantic’s pick is the brand new bestseller from Skylark favorite, the wonderful Abby Jimenez. THE NIGHT WE MET is a beautiful, compelling novel that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way. We’ll be meeting in the shop as usual at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, which, we should also point out, is KARA’S BIRTHDAY!!!

In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything ...

For Larissa, it came when choosing who to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great friends, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, things finally feel easy.

But she didn’t choose Chris to drive her home all those months ago—she went with his best friend, and he became her boyfriend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him, but making a move would destroy someone else.

How can something that feels so right be absolutely impossible? 

May’s edition of the Order of Books and Banter sees us discussing AGNES AUBERT’S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER by Heather Fawcett. It’s full of cats and magic - what’s not to like? Come and join us on Tuesday, May 12 at 6:30!

Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats.

Now it’s the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock—who also happens to be the world’s most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not nothandsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past—including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse.

Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop—and the cat shelter—in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart.

Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn’t need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers that he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue—and romance—in her life. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats. . . .