Updated 12/13/22
There are many great literary events around Indiana. Looking for something to do? Below are just a few ideas.
Many events are virtual. Please confirm with the venue for scheduled events listed here.
To be featured in our “Literary Events Around Indiana” monthly events blog, email the details to mail@indianawriters.org.
Big Chair Storytime — IndyReads
Friday Dec 1 10:30 – 11:30am
Story time provided by our staff, volunteers, and students – Indy Reads to you!
The Event
Join our staff, volunteers, and students as we share some of our favorite stories with the community. This is a family-friendly event, and all ages are welcome!
Y?ou are welcome to bring coffee, water, snacks to enjoy while listening.
This event is Pay What You Can
Open Mic with Booth: A Journal
December 1 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm FREE
Join Indy Reads in partnership with Booth: A Journal for an Open Mic on December 1st at 6:30pm! Both poetry and prose writers are welcome!
Indy Reads and Booth (students, faculty, and alumni from the Butler University MFA program) are excited to partner for this return of our open mic on December 1st at 6:30pm!
Registration for this public poetry & prose open mic begins at 5pm and the event will begin at 6:30pm. Come read your stuff! Please prepare 5-7 minutes worth of material.
Booth will host the open mic in Indy Reads’ community bookstore. Due to the possibility of adult language and themes, we recommend attendees and participants are 16+ for this event.
Spotlight Partnership between IWC and Indiana Repertory Theater in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
https://www.irtlive.com/shows-and-events/events/a-christmas-carol/
Spotlight Partner tickets are available exclusively for the December 2, 2023, show. Don’t miss out!
Use Promo Code: IWC23 for your tickets and support our mission. 50% of the ticket price using our code goes towards a donation, championing diverse storytellers. Let’s create inclusive art together!
#SpotlightPartner #IWCxIRT #IRTLive #AChristmasCarol #BahHumbug
Author Reading: Ruth Hartman
December 2 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm FREE
Join Indy Reads on December 2nd at 2pm for a reading, signing, and Q&A with local author, Ruth Hartman! Ruth will read from her cozy feline mysteries, Brushed Up On Murder and Dial M for Meow. This will be followed by a signing and question and answer section. This event is recommended for all ages. All proceeds from purchases through Indy Reads support our adult literacy programming!
Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales that make you smile. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people’s recliners. Not that the cats couldn’t get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else’s. Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying”
Author Event: Rob L. Lowe
ROB L. LOWE COMES BACK HOME TO INDIANA TO LAUNCH HIS NEW BOOK!
“It’s My Story Media and Marketing proudly presents the highly anticipated autobiography, ‘So What? Keep Going! A Story of Resilience by Rob L. Lowe.”
Indianapolis, IN – November 21, 2023 – The Y Effect is excited to announce the release of an extraordinary new autobiography, “So What? Keep Going! A Story of Resilience” by acclaimed author, motivational speaker, and HR executive, Rob L. Lowe. This powerful debut offers readers an unfiltered account of Lowe’s journey through adversity and showcases his unwavering determination to triumph over life’s challenges.
In “So What? Keep Going!”, readers are invited to embark on a captivating rollercoaster ride through Lowe’s life, featuring his struggles with abuse, trauma, racism, unhealthy relationships, and corporate setbacks. From the darkest moments to the greatest triumphs, this remarkable book offers a transparent look into the transformative power of relentless perseverance. Lowe’s story serves as a reminder that no matter how daunting the obstacles, the human spirit thrives in the refusal to give up. To Lowe’s credit, the book has already received a 5 Star Review from Readers’ Favorite!
Rob L. Lowe is not only an accomplished author but also a renowned motivational speaker and HR executive who hosts his podcast show, “In His Voice.” With “So What? Keep Going!”, Lowe shares his personal journey of growth and success, evoking a wide range of emotions from readers. The book has been praised as an inspiring and emotionally charged experience, offering motivation to those questioning their potential and the possibilities life has to offer.
“So What? Keep Going!” is more than just a book; it is a source of inspiration and a testament to one’s ability to shape their own destiny. Through tears, laughter, joy, love, and even anger, readers will be captivated by Lowe’s narrative. This powerful autobiography serves as a beacon of resilience, dedication, and hard work, encouraging readers to pursue a meaningful life despite any hardships they may face.
Published by Enhanced DNA Publishing, “So What? Keep Going! A Story of Resilience” is available in eBook, Paperback, and Hardcover formats on Amazon. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet Rob L. Lowe at his upcoming book signing taking place right here in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. To learn more about Rob L. Lowe and his inspiring journey, visit https://itsmystorymedia.com.
Indy Reads Mailing Party
December 4 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Volunteer with Indy Reads on December 4th at 12:00 pm as we send out our End-of-Year mailing!
Indy Reads needs your help with our end-of-year fundraising efforts! These mailing parties are a great way to connect with each other, Indy Reads team members, and to ensure that our vital adult and family programming remains tuition-free for all!
Join us for a one-time volunteer opportunity for a Mailing Party on December 4th, 12 pm – 4 pm as we label, seal, stamp, and sort our end-of-year mailing for distribution to our Indy Reads community!
Music will be playing and good company is welcome and wanted! Thank you for volunteering with us and we hope to see you soon!
Butler University MFA Alumni Reading
Indianapolis Book Club Meetup Group
Dec 7 6:30 – 8:30PM at the Rathskellar 401 East Michigan Street · Indianapolis, IN
This month, we explore memory in a different way as we turn our attention to Amy Tan’s Where the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir. In Where the Past Begins, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club and The Valley of Amazement Amy Tan reveals the ways that our memories and personal experiences can inform our creative work. Drawing on her vivid impressions of her upbringing, Tan investigates the truths and inspirations behind her writing while illuminating how we all explore, confront, and process complex memories, especially half-forgotten ones from childhood…
Author Reading: Homeward by Angela Jackson-Brown
December 8 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm FREE
The reading will be followed by a questions and answers section with the author! This event is recommended for ages 13+.
Angela Jackson-Brown is an award-winning writer, poet and playwright who is an Associate Professor in the creative writing program at Indiana University in Bloomington. She also teaches in the graduate program at the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University in Louisville, KY.She is a graduate of Troy University, Auburn University and the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University. She has published her short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry in journals like The Louisville Journal and the Appalachian Review. She is the author of Drinking From a Bitter Cup, House Repairs, When Stars Rain Down and The Light Always Breaks. Her novels have received starred reviews from the Library Journal and glowing reviews from Alabama Public Library, Buzzfeed, Parade Magazine, and Women’s Weekly, just to name a few. When Stars Rain Down was named a finalist for the 2021 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction, longlisted for the Granum Foundation Award, and shortlisted for the 2022 Indiana Authors Award. In October of 2023, Angela’s next novel, Homeward, a follow-up to When Stars Rain Down, was published by Harper Muse.
Drag Story Hour with Prince Brentlee
December 9 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am FREE
Join Prince Brentlee for our Drag Story Hour! Fun for the entire family!
Drag Story Hour uses the art of drag in children’s story hours to spread literacy, love, and acceptance! Join Prince Brentlee as he captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids a glamorous and positive role model. This is a family friendly event, and all ages are welcome!
Author Reading: Homecomings by Norbert Krapf
December 9 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm FREE
This reading is appropriate for adults and teens age 13+.
The reading will be followed by a signing. All proceeds of purchases made through Indy Reads support our English literacy programs.
Authors Gala
Poetry Reading: Local Author Mary Sexson
December 10 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm FREE
Join local author Mary Sexson on December 10th at 2pm for a reading and signing of her new poetry book Her Addiction: An Empty Place at the Table. This reading is appropriate for adults and teens age 13+. The reading will be followed by a signing. All proceeds of purchases made through Indy Reads support our English literacy programs.
Her Addiction An Empty Place at the Table is a collection of poems that came to be written in response to the family problem of addiction. I feel that the poems are a chronicle of the fear, shame, and anger we went through as a family, during the years of our daughter’s active drug use and addiction. I wrote these poems over the course of almost 10 years, as a way to cope with the pain of it, the absolute fear of it, which I processed and filtered through the lenses of these words. My husband and I were also taking care of our daughter’s young son during this time, because she was unable to care for him. I knew we were not alone, that the dark secret of addiction was present within many families. I wanted this book to be some sort of acknowledgement that yes, this happened to us. Maybe it happened to you. So we need to talk about it openly, to tell the truth about it, to let go of the secrets and the shame. Writing these poems helped to free me from those feelings, and ultimately helped to heal me from within. I want people to have a healing process reading these poems, even just to know that they’re not alone. And I want to acknowledge that the incredible road to recovery my daughter has journeyed on is also a part of that healing.
Mary Sexson is author of the newly released Her Addiction An Empty Place at the Table (Finishing Line Press). Her other books include the award-winning 103 in the Light, Selected Poems 1996-2000 (Restoration Press), and she is co-author of Company of Women, New and Selected Poems (Chatter House Press). She also co-authored the upcoming book, Marriage Maps and Driven Destinies, to be published by Chatter House Press in the Fall of 2023. Sexson’s poetry has appeared in Tipton Poetry Journal, Flying Island, New Verse News, The Indianapolis Review, Anti-Heroin Chic, Last Stanza Poetry Journal, and Of Rust and Glass, among others. Mary’s poetry has been a part of several public poetry projects, including Shared Spaces/Shared Voices, two Arts Kaleidoscope projects that collaborated with Gallery 308 in Muncie, Indiana, and two Spirit and Place projects with the Indiana Writers Center. Sexson’s work is part of the Inverse Poetry Archives for Hoosier Poets. One of her poems is in the Polaris Trilogy, part of the Lunar Codex Project heading for the moon in 2024. Find her at masexson.wordpress.com, and at Poetry Sisters on FaceBook.
Poetry is LIT with Thomas Kneeland
Monday, December 11
6:00pm – 7:00pm
Join us for “Poetry is LIT,” a monthly workshop series that combines the beauty of poetry with the fiery spark of creativity. Step into a safe and nurturing space, where the power of words illuminates the path to self-expression.
Led by poet Thomas Kneeland, this generative writing workshop will ignite your imagination and guide you on a poetic journey.
Johnson County Town Hall and Letter Writing Workshop
Unlock the Art of Effective Advocacy with Attorney Chad Dickerson of Viridis Law!
Join us on December 13th from 6-8pm at the White River Township Trustee Office for an engaging event.
Discover the keys to connecting and communicating respectfully with lawmakers in this hands-on workshop. Learn how to identify and reach out to your local legislators, empowering you to make a meaningful impact.
Join an open house with refreshments included for a collaborative and informative evening. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your advocacy skills and contribute to positive change in your community!
Another Nightmare Before Christmas: Creepy Christmas Author event
Zine workshop with Gluestick Indy
Saturday, December 16
1:00pm – 3:00pm
East 38th Street Branch
Join Gluestick Indy for another zine-making workshop. Zines are DIY, self-published, print works typically produced in small, limited batches on common office equipment, using a variety of artistic and literary techniques.
Gluestick has been Indianapolis’ zine & small publishing advocate since 2016. Through their collective they host Gluestick Zine Fest each fall, teach workshops, and publish collaborative zines.
See our Zine Collection at the East 38th Street branch.
Made possible by Friends of the Library through gifts to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation.
AGE GROUP: | Teens | Seniors | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Class/Workshop | Art/Crafts/Hobbies |
Author Reading: All Up in Your Bizness with Julianna Newland
December 16 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm FREE
Join Indy Reads and Julianna Newland on December 16th at 2pm for a reading and signing of her book, All Up in Your Bizness: Managing the Business Crap! This event is recommended for ages 16+. All proceeds from purchases made through Indy Reads support our adult literacy programming.
Julianna Newland grew up and has resided in Indianapolis for most of her life. She was educated first by many nuns and then received her bachelor’s degree with a double major in English and Political Science from the University of Indianapolis. She then worked for more than thirty years at a Fortune 500 company, Indiana state government, two non-profits, and a trade association.
Julianna has been a writer her entire adult life, beginning as the editor-in-chief of her university newspaper. Her career landed her jobs in need of a solid writer who also provides challenging skills in public affairs such as government relations, lobbying, and political fundraising. She served on numerous state and local boards and commissions appointed by former governors or the former Indianapolis mayor. Recently, she started a small communications business.
To sharpen her witty acumen, she married award-winning journalist James Newland, Jr., who was a steady source of seedy stories, and they have been married for 40 years. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and adult son.
Book Signing and Storytime
SATURDAY, DEC 16, 2023 11:00 AM ET
Join us for a special Storytime Saturday, December 16, at 11am. Local author Tyler Mitchell will be reading his new book, Double Trouble and the Upside Down Christmas Tree!
We will have snacks and a story and you can pick up a signed and personalized copy of the book!
1251 US 31 NorthGreenwood, IN 46142
VOCAB (Monthly)
Hosted by Cory Ewing & Januarie York with sounds by DJ Cleopatra
Door 8pm, Show 9pm General Admission *$10 at the door / advance tickets here
White Rabbit Cabaret, 1116 Prospect Street, Indianapolis, United States
Spoken Word ELEVATED: Black Excellence
Rhythm & Poetry Open Mic at PHIRI Art Gallery (Weekly)
Come Experience the Ultimate Vibe with LIVE performances by some of your favorite artists! RHYTHM & POETRY THURSDAYS is also an awesome way to network with like-minded creatives and business professionals from around the city, so be ready to connect with other amazing individuals!
DO0RS OPEN AT 7PM***LIVE PERFORMANCES AT 8:00PM
**ALL ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE:
* Discounts on Photoshoots*
*Discounts on venue rentals
* Discounts on Upcoming Events at Phiri
* Discounts on all services at PHIRI
INFO 404.759.0530 ** 120 East Market Street, Indianapolis
An Evening with the Authors (Monthly)
Every first Thursday of the month
*Fake Authors. Fake Books. Real Funny.
Where literary satire meets sketch comedy.
Comedians take the stage posing as accomplished authors reading from their most recent works.
Featuring: Sam Griswold, Pauline Shypula, Jonathan Pfendler, Stephen Vincent Giles, Gwen Sunkel, Eric Sablan, Mariah Davison and guests
White Rabbit Cabaret 1116 Prospect Street Indianapolis, IN 46203
Tea’s the Artist Youth Open Mic Night (Monthly)
Thurs Dec 16 (every third Friday)
Our 3rd Friday is BACCCKKKKK!!! You won’t want to miss the Open Mic night centered around youth & teens and very family centric!!
Calling all youth, teenagers and adults to the stage to share your talents with us. From singing to dancing. Poetry to Spoken Word. Piano to Saxophone. Whatever your talent is, AS LONG AS IT’S FAMILY appropriate, we want YOU!
Tea’s Me Cafe Indy (140 E. 22nd Street, Ste. B, Indianapolis, IN 46214)
Writers Helping Writers (Monthly)
Hancock County Public Library has a writing group that meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Join us!
Brick Street Poetry (monthly)
Off the Bricks, a Poetry on Brick Street Podcast
Poetry on Brick Street Series
We meet the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm at Sullivan Munce Cultural Center, 225 West Hawthorne Street, Zionsville, IN 46077.
The next month’s Guest Poet: Poets from the Haiku for Hikers anthology reading with accompanying PowerPoint.
Margarita Mondays Open Mic
Welcome to Margarita Mondays Open Mic Night where you too can be a star
ILLUSIONS 3661 W 86th st
We welcome all comedians rappers poets and singers. Doors open at 8pm
Admission is free. Hosted by Aisha the Comedian and Mic Shaw.
Irving Theater Weekly Poetry Open Mic
Every Thursday night
7:00p – 9:00 PM EST
LOCAL POETS * ORIGINAL POETRY * COME READ OR LISTEN]
A completely nonjudgmental and safe space to share poetry! Every Thursday on the deck at the Irving Theater in the Summer, inside all Winter. Performances are broadcast live on our Facebook page (link below). Come enjoy original poetry and readings from local and regional artists, or present your own poetry.
This event is free.
FACEBOOK LIVE LINK
For more information, visit the Irving Theater’s website
Books & Brews Open Mic
9402 Uptown Dr Suite 1400
Indianapolis, IN 46256
phone: (317) 288-5136
mothership@booksnbrews.com