PLEASE NOTE THAT WE NOW OFFER A COMBINATION OF IN-STORE AND ONLINE EVENTS. PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK WHICH KIND OF EVENT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN. ALL OF OUR ONLINE TALKS ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
Through the week of July 14th- July 19th, stop in to bling out your favorite book cover! A ticket will allow you access to our Bedazzling Kit for an hour. Tickets are $15 or $10 with the purchase of a book! Call ahead to reserve a time at the table.
July’s New Romantics Bookclub selection is The Love Haters, the newest laugh out loud, all the feels rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center.
Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but pretends that she can.
Plus, Cole and Hutch are brothers. And they don’t get along. Next stop: paradise! But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good-looking man she has ever seen . . . but maybe a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
Welcome to the only adult-free event in the Kids Summer Series! Well, mostly adult-free. For the third event in this series we invite all teens to come play fun literaryish games at the shop after closing. Games will be supplied, and no, we will not be reenacting a murder mystery.
For the week of July 21st, come by the shop to pick up a kit (or two…or three…) to make your own matching bookmark and dust jacket! Don’t wait too long, though… it’s while stocks last, so come early and pick up your kit before we run out.
The instructions for making your matching bookmark and dust jacket can be downloaded here! Have fun!
This workshop welcomes writers at all stages in their craft and even those who seek to begin their creative journeys. The goal of this group is to foster a nurturing community of individuals who wish to share their stories with others, receive feedback, and even find a little inspiration. This workshop will be like a slow burn, as we wish to build trust amongst everyone before we dive into workshops. Our host will offer activities, prompts, and writing expertise along the way. We are so excited to help you create and hear your stories!
If you would like to participate, you can sign up here.
Here’s what to expect for Week 3:
We’ll be leaning into tarot cards as inspiration for this week’s exercises! Learn to expand your imagination and make it work in different ways. And, of course, all the usual inspiring writing prompts to take your work into (maybe?) unexpected directions…
Join us for a blast into the past with some of our favorite read aloud stories. From 6:30 to 8pm on Thursday, July 24th, bring your blankets and pillows to cuddle up and listen to some old and new picture books. Tickets are limited and can be purchased here.
To celebrate Disability Independence Day, we are thrilled to welcome De Hage Minner to Skylark to discuss her memoir, I Only Have Time To Love You on Sunday, a touching, witty, and heartfelt story of a family and their way of dealing with all the issues that come up in a special needs person's life.
Parents all have certain goals in common when it comes to success in parenting - to prepare a child for a loving and fulfilling life of independence and choice. With humor, compassion, and love, De Minner tells the story of raising their son and daughter with her husband Bob, through all the trials and tribulations seen with nearly every child, including some special twists required to navigate unforeseen challenges and overcome the stigmas of raising a child with Down syndrome. The outcome from this connected and caring family environment is by anyone's definition a true success.
Angela Marie, an individual born with Down syndrome, received all the care and guidance to create that success. She and her younger brother, Joe had a great childhood peppered with the usual rivalries, companionship, and milestones, along with many more adventures and misadventures most of us would never encounter. Angie is an adult with room in her heart for plenty of love, generosity, and simple pleasures along with an amazing talent for subtle and not-so subtle humor.
De quotes her husband Bob, "Before she was born, I prayed for a perfect child. It took me a while to realize we got exactly what I asked for."
This experiential book gives new parents of Down syndrome hope and insight to some of the challenges they will likely face.
De Hage Minner is a retired research nurse and quality educator for MU Sinclair School of Nursing in Nursing Homes all over the state of Missouri. She has published two nursing journal articles on pain assessment and dementia and has contributed to many others. Originally from Upstate New York, she has resided in Mid Missouri since 1989.
The idea for De Hage Minner’s debut memoir simmered for many years after the birth of her first child, a daughter with Down syndrome named Angela Marie. Angie’s birth set De, her husband Bob, and Angie’s younger brother Joe, on a path of discovery that included serious health scares, both hilarious and gut-wrenching moments, thought provoking dilemmas, and enlightenment about her need for enabled independence as a contributing adult.
When De is not writing you can find her reading, riding her recumbent trike, traveling with Bob, or cooking and hosting festive Lebanese dinners and making baklava for charity auctions in Columbia, Missouri. De, Bob, Joe, and Angie continue as advocates for enabling independence for those with differing abilities.
The week of July 28th brings us another week-long event! Starting on the 28th, there will be multiple Skylark logos hidden around the shop. The whole family should work together to try to find them all—and trade in their guesses for prizes at the Costume Contest and Wrap Up Party.
July’s Skylarking Bookclub choice is Flashlight, the brilliant new novel from Susan Choi, whose last novel, Trust Exercise, won the National Book Award. Alex picked up an early copy of this in Denver in February and was blown away. He’ll be back in town for this discussion! As always, attendance is free, and the conversation starts at 6:30 p.m. See you there?
A monumental new novel from the National Book Award winner Susan Choi, Flashlight spans decades and continents in a spellbinding, heartgripping investigation of family, loss, memory, and the ways in which we are shaped by what we cannot see.
One summer night, Louisa and her father take a walk on the breakwater. Her father is carrying a flashlight. He cannot swim. Later, Louisa is found on the beach, soaked to the skin, barely alive. Her father is gone. She is ten years old.
Louisa is an only child of parents who have severed themselves from the past. Her father, Serk, is Korean, but was born and raised in Japan; he lost touch with his family when they bought into the promises of postwar Pyongyang and relocated to North Korea. Her American mother, Anne, is estranged from her Midwestern family after a reckless adventure in her youth. And then there is Tobias, Anne’s illegitimate son, whose reappearance in their lives will have astonishing consequences.
But now it is just Anne and Louisa, Louisa and Anne, adrift and facing the challenges of ordinary life in the wake of great loss. United, separated, and also repelled by their mutual grief, they attempt to move on. But they cannot escape the echoes of that night. What really happened to Louisa’s father?
Shifting perspectives across time and character and turning back again and again to that night by the sea, Flashlight chases the shock waves of one family’s catastrophe, even as they are swept up in the invisible currents of history.
This workshop welcomes writers at all stages in their craft and even those who seek to begin their creative journeys. The goal of this group is to foster a nurturing community of individuals who wish to share their stories with others, receive feedback, and even find a little inspiration. This workshop will be like a slow burn, as we wish to build trust amongst everyone before we dive into workshops. Our host will offer activities, prompts, and writing expertise along the way. We are so excited to help you create and hear your stories!
If you would like to participate, you can sign up here.
Here’s what to expect for Week 4:
Stories should be coming into more focus by now, and we are going to start visualizing our storylines, our storytelling goals, characters, etc. Participants will learn to develop different facets of their stories with various tools such as storyboards, scrap-booking, vision boards, and other techniques designed to both inspire and focus!
To finish off the Kids Summer Series, Skylark will be hosting a party on August 5th at 6:00 pm for kids and their families. Come with your adult(s) dressed as your favorite book characters (or not, and try to convince us you are) as the main feature of this party will be a literary-themed costume contest with prizes. (Prizes only for children, not their accompanying adults.)
August’s title for The Order of Books and Banter is The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst. Come get cozy with us!
New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel set in the world of The Spellshop! Follow her to The Enchanted Greenhouse, a cozy fantasy nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love.
Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.
This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.
But Terlu doesn’t want to return home, and as she grows closer with the unwittingly charming gardener, Yarrow, she learns that the magic that sustains the greenhouses is failing—causing the death of everything within them. Terlu knows she must help, even if that means breaking the law again.
This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by Yarrow and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.
Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.
For August’s New Romantics Bookclub we’re returning to a shop favorite, Ashley Poston, for her excellent new book, Sounds Like Love.
A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they’ll do anything to shake.
We. Are. So. In.
Joni Lark has a secret. She’s one of the most coveted songwriters in LA, and yet she can’t write. There’s an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it.
When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family’s music venue, will spark inspiration. But when Joni gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is hiding something, her mother’s memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing.
How can Joni write when her world is leaving her behind?
Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it—belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with an emptiness of his own.
Surely, he’s a figment of Joni’s overworked imagination.
Then a very real man shows up in Vienna Shores. He’s arrogant and guarded—nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni’s head—and he has a plan for breaking their inconvenient telepathic connection: finish the song haunting them both and hope they don’t risk their hearts—or their secrets—in the process.
Because that melody, the one drawing them together . . . what if it’s there for a reason?
August’s Skylarking Bookclub sees us dip our toes into the wonderful world of translated books. We’ll be discussing The Second Chance Convenience Store, by Kim Ho-Yeon. Carrie loves her translated literature, so you know this will be a vibrant discussion!
In this million-copy international bestseller from Korea, the owner of a corner store takes in an unhoused man who does a good deed, a kind soul whose presence will transform the whole neighborhood—a heartwarming tale of community and redemption reminiscent of the bestselling novels of Matt Haig and Gabrielle Zevin.
Dok-go lives in Seoul Station. He can’t remember his past, and the only thing he knows for certain is that he could really use a drink. When he finds a lost wallet filled with documents, his life is drastically changed.
Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher and current owner of her neighborhood’s corner store, is distraught over the loss of her purse, until she receives a mysterious call from the person who found it. To thank this down-on-his-luck stranger, she offers him a free meal from the convenience store. Seeing the joy the food brings him, Mrs. Yeom impulsively invites him to stop by for lunch every day.
In a twist of fate, Dok-go saves the store from a robber—a brave act that propels Mrs. Yeom to offers the bear-like man a job working the night shift, despite the objections of her wary employees. The store’s new employee quickly wins over the quirky denizens of the neighborhood, becoming a welcoming ear and source of advice for his coworkers and neighbors’ problems, and helping his new boss save the store from financial ruin. But just when things are looking up for Dok-go, Mrs. Yeom's good-for-nothing son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man’s past and what he seems to be trying so hard to forget.
The Second Chance Convenience Store is a moving and joyful story of a woman fighting for her community and a man who has lost everything except the will to try again.
My friends, The Order of Books and Banter is bringing it in September. We’ll be discussing one of the most anticipated books of the year in any genre - Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, the new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger from V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.
This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.
This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.
This is a story about life—how it ends, and how it starts.
September’s New Romantics Bookclub is Love is a War Song, the new romantic comedy by Danica Nava, USA Today bestselling author of The Truth According to Ember.
Pop singer Avery Fox has become a national joke after posing scantily clad on the cover of Rolling Stone in a feather warbonnet. What was meant to be a statement of her success as a Native American singer has turned her into a social pariah and dubbed her a fake. With threats coming from every direction and her career at a standstill, she escapes to her estranged grandmother Lottie’s ranch in Oklahoma. Living on the rez is new to Avery—not only does she have to work in the blazing summer heat to earn her keep, but the man who runs Lottie’s horse ranch despises her and wants her gone.
Red Fox Ranch has been home to Lucas Iron Eyes since he was sixteen years old. He has lived by three rules to keep himself out of trouble: 1) preserve the culture, 2) respect the horses, and 3) stick to himself. When he is tasked with picking up Lottie’s granddaughter at the bus station, the last person he expected to see is the Avery Fox. Lucas can’t stand what she represents, but when he’s forced to work with her on the ranch, he can’t get her out of his sight—or his head. He reminds himself to keep to his rules, especially after he finds out the ranch is under threat of being shut down.
It’s clear Avery doesn’t belong here, but they form a tentative truce and make a deal: Avery will help raise funds to save the ranch, and in exchange, Lucas will show her what it really means to be an Indian. It’s purely transactional, absolutely no horsing around…but where’s the fun in that?
This month we’ll be revisiting the always-popular thriller/suspense genre with this cracking debut novel from Kelsey Cox, Party of Liars. Carrie read an early galley of this months ago and couldn’t stop talking about it. Come and join the discussion!
A lavish, Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen turns deadly in this twisty, pulse-pounding new novel — serving up a fresh take on a classic locked-room whodunnit. Let the festivities begin…
Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where secrets are as deep-rooted as the sprawling live oaks. Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion—once thought haunted and shuttered for years from outsiders—is now hosting the event of the season. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.
It’s a killer guest list. Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive.
October’s title for The Order of Books and Banter is Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross. Come and join us!
Set in the world of the gods first introduced in Divine Rivals, #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Ross delivers a sweeping, beautiful adult novel filled with tension, romance, and dark secrets.
True love is more divine, than any ruthless god.
Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.
Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life—begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.
As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.
For the second installment of our Kids Summer Series, we are calling all fans of the BabySitters Club! On July 11th at 6 pm we will be hosting a themed party for all those who enjoy the BabySitters Club and are accompanied by an adult. Despite the theme, there will be no babysitting at this party, but there will be trivia and a prize!
We are thrilled to welcome Judge Gary Oxenhandler to Skylark on Thursday, July 10, to discuss his book, The Life of a Murder. It’s the true story of a senseless murder and a dogged cop’s 35-year pursuit of the killer, all told by the judge who tried the case - and it’s totally gripping.
But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what another Skylark favorite, Jake Adelstein, had to say about it: “What’s remarkable about this book is how Oxenhandler balances the clinical precision of a legal mind with the narrative drive of a storyteller. He doesn’t just recount the facts; he breathes life into them, turning a decades-old case into a living, breathing tale of tragedy, mystery, and, ultimately, accountability.”
Gary Oxenhandler, born in St. Louis, Missouri, began law school in 1968 at the University of Missouri–Columbia; he was drafted and served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1970, and upon his honorable discharge, Gary returned to law school and obtained his Juris Doctor Degree in 1973. For twenty-nine years, Gary practiced law with his 4th-grade buddy, Marvin Tofle. He was later joined by every lawyer’s dream partner, his son, Josh. A major contributor to this book was Gary’s wife, Janet; she was instrumental in shaping the narrative, and without her energy, the project would have forever remained a “work in progress.” In 2002, Governor Bob Holden appointed Gary as a 13th Circuit Judge. While on the bench, Gary served as a Presiding Judge and the chief judicial officer for some 210,000 citizens and conducted well over 200 jury trials, running the gamut from the most serious felonies to catastrophic personal injury cases. Judge Oxenhandler presided over the trial of Johnny Wright, accused of Becky Doisy’s murder. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mid-Missouri named Judge Oxenhandler the 1987 Civil Libertarian of the Year. The University of Missouri presented Gary with the 1998 Human Rights Diversity Enhancement Award. The Missouri Supreme Court awarded Oxenhandler the 2015 Judicial Excellence Award, annually given to one Circuit Judge.
Our latest installment of Skylark’s Summer Series is presented with one of your favorite booksellers, Liz! From 6:30 to 8pm on Wednesday, July 9th, Liz will be leading a book binding workshop.
Tickets to this event are $20 and will provide all materials needed. Limited tickets available. Book yours here!
July’s fantasy bookclub explores discusses His Face is the Sun, by Michelle Jabès Corpora. As usual, we’ll begin at 6:30 p.m.
A new reign is coming...Romance, magic, adventure, and horror collide in the start to this lush, epic, Ancient Egyptian inspired trilogy perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas.
Princess. Priestess. Rebel. Thief.
Tensions run as hot as the Khamsin winds in the great kingdom of Khetara. Rumors of the pharaoh's mysterious illness abound, and with them, murmurs of rebellion grow. Meanwhile, in the quiet desert, a forgotten oracle begins to unfold, setting a dark prophecy into action and drawing together four strangers…
Princess SITA lives in the abundance of the palace, and in a moment of passion, she unmasks a betrayal that will put her life—and the entire royal court—in grave danger.
A priestess-in-training, NEFF strives to understand her intense visions from the gods, except theirs is not the only magic at play in the grand temple.
As a farmer's daughter, RAE knows how much the pharaoh's men have taken from her land, her people. Still, who will step forward to confront the king?
KARIM was raised among the pyramids of the Red Lands and survives on the wealth of the dead as a tomb robber. But amid the spoils, an ancient evil awakens…
Bloodshed is coming. Only together do these four have the potential to save the kingdom from destruction. But when the dust has settled, who will sit on the throne of Khetara?
This workshop welcomes writers at all stages in their craft and even those who seek to begin their creative journeys. The goal of this group is to foster a nurturing community of individuals who wish to share their stories with others, receive feedback, and even find a little inspiration. This workshop will be like a slow burn, as we wish to build trust amongst everyone before we dive into workshops. Our host will offer activities, prompts, and writing expertise along the way. We are so excited to help you create and hear your stories!
If you would like to participate, you can sign up here.
Here’s what to expect for Week 2:
We’ll be reviewing the results of last week’s assignments, diving into group discussion about favorite/loathed tropes in fiction and nonfiction, and then break-out sessions delving into these issues in greater detail and writing toward addressing the points arising from the conversations.
We are thrilled to welcome Hallam George back to Skylark to play an intimate set of original songs with his band. If you want to check out his latest album, you can do that here. (You should, by the way. It’s fabulous.)
Hailing from the Midwest but currently based in Tuscaloosa, AL, Hallam George and his band the Hallelujah Chorus bring forth a delicate yet infectious blend of folk, funk, and psychedelia. Hallam writes, arranges and produces for his band as well as singing, playing guitar, tenor and alto saxophones, and piano. Having graduated from Berklee College of Music with a bachelors degree in Songwriting and a second degree in Contemporary Writing and Production, Hallam has been on two national tours as a guitarist and vocalist with rock and funk bands, and has worked as an engineer, producer, and writer with various upcoming singers, bands, and rappers.
Join us for a super special storytime event with the wonderful Saralinda on July 5th at 11:00 to kick off our Kid Summer Series! Saralinda will read books out loud to children and their accompanying adults and then we will follow up with coloring activities related to the books (or, honestly, unrelated—sometimes crayons and paper inspire greater artistic creation). We hope to see you there!
Our latest installment of Skylark’s Summer Series is presented in collaboration with our neighbors at 573tees. From 2 to 5:30pm on Thursday, July 3rd, we’ll be hosting a trucker hat bar.
What is a trucker hat bar? You mean you don’t know?
Well.
You will be able to design your own hat with the help of 573tees. This is not a ticketed event and you are free to come anytime between 2 and 5:30pm. You will pay for your hat as you go!
It’s finally here - the Skylark Creative Block Workshop!
This workshop welcomes writers at all stages in their craft and even those who seek to begin their creative journeys. The goal of this group is to foster a nurturing community of individuals who wish to share their stories with others, receive feedback, and even find a little inspiration. This workshop will be like a slow burn, as we wish to build trust amongst everyone before we dive into workshops. Our host will offer activities, prompts, and writing expertise along the way. We are so excited to help you create and hear your stories!
If you would like to participate, you can sign up here.
Here’s what to expect for Week 1:
Our inaugural meeting will be a fun, get-to-you session, with introductions, games, activities, and writing prompts. We know that sharing creative work can be difficult, and we’ll be creating a supportive environment and developing trust. We’ll be working to get your creative juices flowing and build motivation for what lies ahead! Bring something to write with - we’ll provide paper, but if you prefer to use a journal, you totally should. (We sell some really nice ones!)
Our latest installment of Skylark’s Summer Series is presented in collaboration with our friends at Blooms and Wishes. From 6 to 8 on Friday, June 27, we’ll be presenting a flower bar in the shop.
What’s a flower bar? It’s an informal evening where you can arrange your own bouquet and chat about flower-related books. This won’t be a formal flower-arranging class, so will be very relaxed! Attendance is free, but if you make an arrangement to take home, you’ll pay for the flowers you use!
Fredrik Backman (author of A Man Called Ove and many other wonderful novels) has been a perennial favorite at Skylark since we opened, and we’re excited to feature his newest book, My Friends, as our chosen title for June’s Skylarking Bookclub. If you’ve ever enjoyed a Backman novel before, you’ll know that there will be plenty of good stuff to talk about!
As always, the discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. upstairs at the shop. Attendance is always free, but we do ask that you purchase your copy of the book from us!
My Friends is an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.
Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.
Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.
Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.
Our Skylarkians are a crafty bunch. Not only do we sell books, we make things!
This week’s event in the Skylark Summer Series - designed to give everyone a break from All That Is Going On - is an evening of relaxing crafting. Come and join Sophia, who will show you how to crochet your very own cozy book sleeve (see below)! Bring one full ball of yarn and hook! Session is free!
On June 19 we are thrilled to welcome Rita Omokha to Skylark to discuss her critically important book, Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America. This is going to be a really extraordinary and important talk and we urge you to mark your calendars now!
What do the struggles of the past teach us about the urgent challenges in our own time? Resist chronicles the inspiring story of young Black activists who have fought tirelessly at the helm for justice over the last century, from the 1920s to the Trayvon generation—how they reshaped America, left an indelible mark on history, and pave the way for the crucial work that must be done today.
In Resist, Rita Omokha charts the last century of civil rights activism, from the early years of renowned activist Ella Baker and others she inspired, to the first glimpse of allyship in the Bates Seven and a renewed examination of the Black Panther Party, all the way to the current generation of young Black revolutionaries who walked American cities in the wake of the murders of countless Black people. Rita also draws on her own experiences as a Black immigrant living in America, offering a unique and insightful perspective on this ongoing struggle for justice.
Rendered with empathy and care, Resist ties these pivotal stories together—and so many more that are lesser known—into an essential and gripping narrative of resilience and unity, and how young Black activists redefined American history.
Rita Omokha is an award-winning Nigerian American journalist. Her research, writing, and commentary have been featured in several publications and outlets, including CNN, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Elle, Glamour, The Guardian, MSNBC, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, and WIRED. She’s an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she graduated at the top of the 2020 class, receiving some of the institution’s highest awards, including the Pulitzer Prize Traveling Fellowship. She lives in Manhattan.
All right. We did the midnight release party, we celebrated in the streets, we did all the things. Now the rubber hits the road: is EmHen’s latest all that we’d hoped for? Come and dish the dirt and share your opinions! The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18!
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.
When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.
One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.
Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.
Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.
But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.
And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.
We know that the world doesn't feel as kind or as easy or as safe as it should, and so we've decided to design a series of events to help. This summer, we're offering an escape series. For each week of the series we will host an evening event and a table activity. There will be quite a variety to select from and we hope you find some comfort here.
Starting on June 9th there will be a free Create Your Own Book Bingo station for the entire week. Bring your buddies and team up to create a group challenge, or come on your own to set some personal goals!
On Thursday the 12th, join us after hours for a Silent Book Club. From 6 to 7:30 scatter around the shop and get lost in the sound of turning pages. Bring your own book or buy a new one when you arrive! We don't have a plethora of cozy chairs, so please consider biringing your own pillows and blankets to make your own cozy nests. Both of the activites will be free on this first week! Note: This series is meant for grown-ups. Stay tuned for the Kiddo Series coming in July!
Join us for June’s TOOBB when we will be discussing The Incandescent - Naomi Novik's Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.
Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings, and securing the school's boundaries from demonic incursions.
Walden is good at her job—no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from—is herself.
We are thrilled to be teaming up with the excellent people at the Tiger Hotel to put on an evening of boozy and bookish fun! Over the course of the evening we’ll be sharing details about all of our regular monthly book clubs, and introducing Creative Block, a unique program designed to spark creativity and literary inspiration. Whether you're an avid reader, aspiring writer, or simply curious, this is a chance to connect with our amazing, vibrant literary community.
Enjoy specially crafted feature cocktails and delicious desserts throughout the evening. There will also be a curated selection of books available for purchase—perfect for adding to your personal library or finding your next great read.
Come for the conversation, stay for the creativity, and leave with a book (or two) in hand!
Tickets for this fun event can be purchased here. Price includes one signature cocktail and one dessert, so (obviously) strictly 21 and over!
Join us on Thursday, May 29 for this month’s Skylarking bookclub, where we’ll be discussing Song So Wild And Blue, Paul Lisicky’s luminous memoir and reflections on the music of legend Joni Mitchell, and how her extraordinary catalogue of songs has influenced his life.
This is a must-read book not just for Mitchell fans, but for lovers of all music. It speaks to the obsession that artistry can provoke in us, and is a beautiful reminder of why and how music still retains the capacity to move us so profoundly. It’s going to be a great discussion!
UPDATE: Exciting news! Paul Lisicky will be joining us via Zoom for this discussion!
May’s New Romantics selection is perennial Skylark favorite Abby Jimenez’s newest, Say You’ll Remember Me. Come and join us at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. Attendance is free and there’s no need to register - just show up ready to talk! (And laugh.)
There's no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediate yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.
But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what's between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.
Join us on Tuesday, May 20 (not the 13th, as previously advertised!) to discuss this month’s title for our brilliant new fantasy book club! Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea is a cozy tale of mishaps and mysteries in the tradition of Skylark favorite, Legends and Lattes. Discussion starts at 6:30! We’d love to see you there!
All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.
But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra near dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams.
In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world.
We’re very pleased to welcome Dr. Michael Seabaugh to Skylark on Monday (note!) May 19 to discuss his delightful and heartwarming novel, Gwendolyn and Eddie. Set in Missouri, this a surefire winner for bookclubs!
It begins with a monkey. It ends with an inescapable tragedy.
In 1957, Gwendolyn is living the domestic dream as the prized wife of the dashing Dr. Paul Stanley Bollinger, with three beautiful, healthy children and a charming Edwardian home in the historic town of Cape Girardeau.
Enter Eddie, an inebriated monkey brought home as a poker prize by her equally drunk husband. Thus begins Gwendolyn's yearslong struggle to domesticate two unruly fellas. Eddie is a hilarious handful but no match for Paul Stanley and his increasing penchant for bourbon and nurses. Meanwhile, as the predictable 1950s evolve into the increasingly tumultuous '60s and beyond, Gwendolyn finds her conservative beliefs challenged by the realities of racism, homophobia, traditional masculinity, the sexual revolution, and the struggle for women's rights.
For over forty years, a time marked by hilarity, heartbreak, and tragedy, Eddie serves as her clown prince, her unexpected confidant, and when all is said and done, her solace. The story of Gwendolyn and Eddie is ultimately about cages-the ones we are born into, those we construct for ourselves, and the ones we impose on those we love.
Dr. Michael Seabaugh is a clinical psychologist and author who lives in Santa Barbara, California. A Missouri native, he graduated from Mizzou’s School of Journalism before heading west to get an MFA from UCLA’s Film School and eventually a doctorate in Psychology from USC. An abiding interest in the complex stories of human struggle, conflict, and redemption has always guided his professional endeavors. After years of listening to these stories, he now turns to telling them through the artifice of fiction, for as Picasso said: “Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
We’re very excited to welcome author Matthew Goldberg to Skylark on May 15 to introduce his collection of short stories, Night Watch, which recently won the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction. In addition to winning prizes, the collection has been garnering rave reviews from literary luminaries. Take, for example, this from Deesha Phiyaw, author of the 2021 PEN/Faulkner winner, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies: “I couldn’t stop reading. The stories in Night Watch are as heart-piercing and tender, as they are propulsive and clever. Goldberg’s style and approach to characterization makes me feel like a voyeur…Goldberg’s razor-sharp stories remind me there are extraordinary, sometimes diabolical narratives we don’t see, hidden in the ordinary.”
Mathew Goldberg received his MFA from The University of Arkansas and teaches at Missouri University of Science and Technology. His work has been published in The Atlantic, American Short Fiction, and Boulevard, among others. He’s received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Arkansas Arts Council and a Special Mention for a Pushcart Prize. He lives in Missouri with his wife, their son, and their long-eared dog.
Mathew Goldberg is a dedicated author. He writes short stories and novels while working as a professor at Missouri S&T. His academic experience with a BSE in Electrical and Biomedical engineering from Duke University along with an MFA from the University of Arkansas creates a special perspective and edge in his writing.
We are excited to welcome NPR’s Steve Inskeep to Columbia to discuss his bestselling book, Differ We Must, an engrossing exploration of Abraham Lincoln’s political brilliance. In today’s deeply divided times, this book contains lessons that seem more relevant than ever.
Steve will be speaking at the Missouri Theatre at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13 as the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democary’s Distinguished Biennial Lecture. The event is free and open to the public - get your ticket by registering here.
Skylark will be selling pre-signed copies of the book at the event - we look forward to seeing you there! You can order your copy ahead of time by clicking here.
Just in case this year’s Unbound Book Festival didn’t quench your literary thirst, the following Saturday we’ll be participating in the annual party celebrating independent bookstores across the United States - Independent Bookstore Day.
We’ll be announcing details of this book bonanza soon. There’ll be all the usual fun, including exclusive products, giveaways, and a prize drawing for a bumper bag of goodies to be won by one lucky customer. We’re also planning, for the first time, a fun joint endeavor that we’ll be doing with our friends at Columbia’s other indie bookshops! Watch this space!
Join us for April’s Skylarking Bookclub when we will discussing Dream Count, the first novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for over ten years. It’s a fantastic book and it will be a fantastic discussion, as always! Attendance is free but we do ask that you purchase your copy of the book from us.
Chiamaka is a Nigerian travel writer living in America. Alone in the midst of the pandemic, she recalls her past lovers and grapples with her choices and regrets. Zikora, her best friend, is a lawyer who has been successful at everything until—betrayed and brokenhearted—she must turn to the person she thought she needed least. Omelogor, Chiamaka’s bold, outspoken cousin, is a financial powerhouse in Nigeria who begins to question how well she knows herself. And Kadiatou, Chiamaka’s housekeeper, is proudly raising her daughter in America—but faces an unthinkable hardship that threatens all she has worked to achieve.
In Dream Count, Adichie trains her fierce eye on these women in a sparkling, transcendent novel that takes up the very nature of love itself. Is true happiness ever attainable or is it just a fleeting state? And how honest must we be with ourselves in order to love, and to be loved? A trenchant reflection on the choices we make and those made for us, on daughters and mothers, on our interconnected world, Dream Count pulses with emotional urgency and poignant, unflinching observations of the human heart, in language that soars with beauty and power. It confirms Adichie’s status as one of the most exciting and dynamic writers on the literary landscape.
April 23 is The Day of Books & Roses! Blooms & Wishes and Skylark are thrilled to partner again to celebrate this unique and special day. All day long, pop by the shop to find Rose and Book pairings, filled with symbolism. Treat yourself (you deserve it) or find the perfect unexpected gift for someone special in your universe! Each pairing will have a description of the rose color meaning and accompanying book.
Calling all Emily Henry fans! Come celebrate the midnight release of GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE at Skylark Bookshop on April 21st from 11:00 pm to 1:00 am. (Yes, this is WAY PAST our bedtimes, but hey. It's EmHen, so we don't care.)
Your ticket will include a bookish goodie bag and Emily Henry themed activities (along with prizes!) where we test how well you know your EH book characters.
Tickets for this event must be purchased in advance by clicking here. If you want to collect your book at the event, make sure you preorder the book using this link. We look forward to seeing you there!
It’s back! The 10th Unbound Book Festival returns to Columbia from April 17 to 20, and as usual Skylark will be in the middle of all that bookish goodness.
On Thursday at 7:30 p.m., we’ll be hosting the CoMo Community Hour: Home Is Where the Art Is as part of the Lit Crawl event.
On Friday we will be at Jesse Auditorium for the keynote address with Min Jin Lee and Crystal Hana Kim.
On Saturday we’ll be hosting all the festival author signings throughout the day upstairs on the mezzanine.
And just in case we weren’t going to be busy enough, Carrie will be interviewing Skylark favorite Jennifer Haigh, and Sophia is moderating a panel about travel writing.
We can’t wait to see you!
Come and join us for April’s New Romantics Book Club, where we’ll be discussing Shoot Your Shot, by the excellently-named Lexi LaFleur Brown. Rachel Reid calls it: “A hilarious, sexy debut from an author who truly knows her hockey.”
Jaylen "JJ" Jones's hockey career is over. After not securing an NHL contract with the Seattle Rainiers, Jaylen decides to bid the city farewell with a final night of fun, blowing off steam with an anonymous one night stand. But when a last-minute roster spot opens up on the Rainiers, he connects his luck to the girl he spent the night with. Superstitious Jaylen is desperate to keep her around--his career depends on it.
Aspiring tattoo artist Lucy Ross isn't so sure about the proposition to remain Jaylen's lucky charm--she's been called a lot of things in her life, but good luck has never been one of them. But stuck in a career slump, Lucy has everything to gain. Hoping for an apprenticeship hasn't offered much stability, and Jaylen is willing to pay any price to get Lucy to agree...so maybe sending him a routine text message before each game won't be too hard.
What starts as an agreement to trade favors--a good luck text in exchange for tattooing practice for Lucy's portfolio--quickly turns into sizzling chemistry that's too delicious to deny. But Lucy's been in too many situationships to even think about getting attached again, and Jaylen is clearly only with Lucy as long as it's helping his gameplay...
Neither of them expecting getting lucky could be so complicated.
Come and join us for the second gathering of our new Fantasy/Romantasy book club, THE ORDER OF BOOKS AND BANTER, where we’ll be discussing D.L. Taylor’s new romantasy novel, The Beasts We Bury. The discussion starts at 6:30 p.m., and it’s completely free to attend - although we do ask that you purchase your copy of the book from us.
In this electric enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy, the heir to the throne falls for a thief who plans to manipulate her into helping him steal from her father in an act of revenge. Perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, Brigid Kemmerer, and Tricia Levenseller.
Will he steal her heart or her chance at the throne?
Daughter and heir to the throne, Mancella Cliff yearns for a life without bloodshed. But as a child, she emerged from the Broken Citadel with the power to summon animals—only after killing them first. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father, the ruler of the realm, has forced upon her to strengthen their power.
Silver is a charming thief struggling to survive in a world torn apart by Mancella’s father’s reign. When a mysterious benefactor recruits him for the heist of a lifetime, a chance to rob the castle, Silver relishes the opportunity for a real future—and revenge. But he'll have to manipulate Mance and earn her trust to pull it off.
As the deception and carnage mount, Mance must find a way to save her realm without becoming the ruthless monster she's been bred to be. And when Silver discovers that his actions are fueling the violence that Mance wants to prevent, he'll have to choose between his ambition and the girl he’s falling for.
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Sunday: 11:00 - 5:00
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