Beat the heat while expanding your worldview this summer with Central Rappahannock Regional Library’s Online Author Talks, featuring a variety of bestselling authors and experts. From campy sci-fi to the African American connection to trees, you’re sure to find something to pique your interest. Register, opens a new window for the talks of your choice at no charge, then watch live or view the recordings at your convenience. Live attendees can chat with other viewers, adding an extra element of fun. To view the full list of talks and register, search “online author talks” at librarypoint.org/events, opens a new window.
Here is a sampling of this summer’s speakers and their books, along with their Author Talk dates:
A Parade of Horribles, opens a new window by Matt Dinniman
Aired June 11; recording available, opens a new window
New York Times-bestselling author Dinniman discusses the latest in his wildly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series, in which Earth is invaded by aliens that collapse the entire planet into a dungeon. Humans are forced to battle traps and monsters through 18 levels in this sadistic game show constructed for the amusement of their alien invaders. Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex’s cat Princess Donut are among those competing in increasingly difficult challenges in order to survive.
We Are All Guilty Here, opens a new window by Karin Slaughter
Tuesday, July 14, 7:00 p.m.
Slaughter, known for her Will Trent series, chats about the first two books in her new North Falls series. In the small Georgia town of North Falls, resentments and long-held secrets run deep. When 15-year-olds Madison and Cheyenne vanish after a fireworks show, police officer Emmy Clifton—driven by guilt after brushing off one of the girls earlier—begins a years-long quest to find the truth and uncover the hidden lives of the people she thought she knew.
Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make--and Keep--Friends, opens a new window by Marisa G. Franco, PhD
Tuesday, July 28, 2:00 p.m.
Dr. Marisa Franco, one of the world’s leading experts in human connection, explores the science of different attachment styles and how they impact our relationships in unseen ways. In “Platonic,” Franco discusses the difficulty of making non-romantic connections in an age of distraction and burnout and presents unexpected findings about how friendships are formed. Drawing on attachment theory, she provides actionable advice on making good friends at any age.
Street Smarts: Trust Your Instincts, Outsmart Danger, and Stay Safe in a World That Isn’t, opens a new window by Dannah Eve
Thursday, August 13, 2:00 p.m.
“Live aware, not in fear” is the motto of safety expert and digital creator Dannah Eve, who combines her background in criminology and psychology with street smarts to deliver life-saving insights to millions of followers. Eve teaches women to “think like a threat” by mastering situational awareness and employing real-world safety tactics. She covers dating, living alone, going on vacation, on college campuses, and the digital world, empowering readers to take charge of their own safety with confidence.
When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy, opens a new window by Beronda L. Montgomery, Ph.D.
Tuesday, August 25, 2:00 p.m.
Award-winning plant biologist Montgomery explores the roles of seven trees, as well as the cotton shrub, in shaping the experience of enslaved Africans and their descendents. There is a heritage of Black botanical expertise that has shaped America from the beginning. These trees, including the domestication of the pecan tree, the medicinal properties of willow bark, and the haven provided by sycamores, are long intertwined with Black history and culture.
Murder At The Grand Alpine Hotel: The New Miss Marple Mystery, opens a new window* by Lucy Foley
Thursday, August 27, 2:00 p.m.
International bestselling thriller author Foley has long been inspired by the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie. Foley was one of twelve authors that contributed to Marple, opens a new window, a collection of short stories featuring Christie’s beloved detective. Now Foley is back with a new Miss Marple novel, taking place at an exclusive hotel isolated high in the Swiss Alps. When a body turns up and a blizzard blocks off escape, it is the quiet but brilliant Miss Marple who must connect the clues before the killer strikes again. *(To be published 9/22/26)
Online Author Talks are sponsored by the Friends of Central Rappahannock Regional Library., opens a new window The Friends also sponsor Music on the Steps, taking place every Monday at 6:30 through August at the Library’s Fredericksburg Branch. Visit librarypoint.org/music-steps, opens a new window for the lineup.
Tracy McPeck is the Director of Adult Services at Central Rappahannock Regional Library. This column first appeared in the Free Lance-Star newspaper.
