CarrieDaway

This blog provides me with a lot of fun opportunities. I get to share my love of Detroit and meet a lot of great people like Susan Murphy. I met Susan last year at the Signal Return book reading by Bridgett Davis.  At the time, she had a temporary pop-up location at Always Brewing in the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood and was actively seeking a permanent home. After a long search, I’m happy to report that she found one! 19560 Grand River Avenue

The move from Livernois resulted in a name change to Pages Bookshop. It’s a lovely shop. I stopped in this weekend for a preview visit and I was both impressed and excited. I’m a book person. I need paper and print on my fingers – I have no interest in reading from a Kindle. This might seem naive in the digital age but I intend to hold on to the substance for as long as I can. To have an independent bookstore in the neighborhoods of Detroit is fantastic in so many ways.

Pages will be more than a bookshop, it will be a literary hub. Susan has already hosted several events, including a Taste Makers series with Always Brewing Detroit. The ticketed event brought together local chefs and authors for food, wine and discussion. She recently held a panel discussion on black representation in science fiction and is planning another that will focus on diversity in children’s books.

I’ll be at Pages’ book reading event Thursday. Angela Flournoy will read a selection from her debut novel The Turner House. The novel takes place in Detroit and tells the story of the Turner family as they come together to help their mother leave the place they called home for over 50 years.

May 2nd is Pages’ official grand opening. Conveniently, it’s also Independent Bookstore Day. Activities are planned for the entire day and special products will be available for purchase. Children’s author Renee Prewitt, fiction writer Lynn Crawford, and poet Michael Lauchlan will do readings and Luther Keith’s blues band will perform in the evening. There will be something for everyone.

Other upcoming events:
Saturday, June 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Discussion and book signing with Patricia Majher, author of Great girls in Michigan History 
Thursday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m.
Book reading by Kelly Fordon, author of Garden for the Blind