Sacramento Public Library Author Talk Series
Over the course of six Saturdays earlier this Fall, The Sacramento Public Library hosted me for a series of Mildly Cozy Author Talks, where I was able to present on the journey toward self-publishing, turning a hobby into a book, and the joy of bite-sized adventuring in our very own backyard river.
Access to knowledge is a human right, and it is a public service made possible through the public library (and I suppose the internet).
Access to nature is also a human right. As recently as 2022, the United Nations General Assembly recognized that everyone has the right to live in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. This includes access to natural resources and green spaces.
We are so lucky to have the Lower American River right here in Sacramento County because it means that taking time off work isn't a requirement for those who seeking remote trails along glittery water. And since my book is available to borrow from the public library, a visit to the river doesn’t need to cost anything but a few hours of time.
Earlier this summer, Katie DeKorte, Adult Services Specialist at the Sacramento Public Library, reached out to me to let me know that — unbeknownst to me — there is a waitlist of 49 people for Mildly Scenic! She wanted to know if I’d be willing to give a talk at six library locations: Pocket Greenhaven Library, Valley Hi-North Laguna Library, South Natomas Library, Belle Cooledge Library, Fair Oaks Library, Rancho Cordova Library.
Of course, I said yes.
The process of creating these hour-long talks was a new level of story-telling, and one that I really enjoyed. I started by describing how my initial discoveries along the river during the pandemic, how my discovery began as a personal journey and evolved into one I thought needed to be shared with those around me. I delved into the initial writing process: the process of choosing my favorite trails, and how I organized the chapters by access points. I talked about designing the book with Greg Traverso and how he helped to communicate the concept of a bite-sized adventure through his use of color playfulness in the layout. I walked the audience through the surprising partnership with Sacramento State’s Geography Department and the generation of 18 original maps.
People of varying backgrounds came to my talks and stuck around afterwards for a signed book and a one-on-one chat. I met longtime residents and those who just moved to the area, I spoke with river advocates as well as river newbies, I traded tips with dog-walkers, parents, aspiring authors, and so many other curious minds.
Thank you, Sacramento, for joining me! If you haven’t recently checked out the programming your local library is offering, make a point to do so.
