Virtual Author Talks
Join us for an ongoing series of virtual author talks from New York Times bestselling authors representing a wide variety of genres and topics. See past author talk recordings by clicking HERE!
Author Pria Anand
Thursday, July 31 at 2 PM
You’re invited to a fascinating conversation with neurologist and author Pria Anand to chat about her new book The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains. (June 10, 2025)
The Mind Electric speaks to the stories we tell ourselves about our brains, and the stories that our brains tell to us.
A girl believes she has been struck blind for stealing a kiss. A mother watches helplessly as each of her children is replaced by a changeling. A woman is haunted each month by the same four chords of a single song. In neurology, illness is inextricably linked with narrative, the clues to unraveling these mysteries hidden in both the details of a patient's story and the tells of their body.
In The Mind Electric, neurologist Pria Anand reveals—through case study, history, fable, and memoir—all that the medical establishment has overlooked: the complexity and wonder of brains in health and in extremis, and the vast gray area between sanity and insanity, doctor and patient, and illness and wellness, each separated from the next by the thin veneer of a different story.
Moving from the Boston hospital where she treats her patients, to her childhood years in India, to Isla Providencia in the Caribbean and to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, she demonstrates again and again the compelling paradox at the heart of neurology: that even the most peculiar symptoms can show us something universal about ourselves as humans. Register now to join this intriguing virtual conversation!
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
August Author Talks
Dr. Jay Falk
Tuesday, August 5 at 2 PM
Delve into the fascinating world of birds through astonishing photography and clear explanations in this absorbing global guide, The Bird Book: The Stories, Science, and History of Birds.
Birds are dinosaurs with a history going back millions of years. Our fascination with them runs deep in history, and our close association is reflected in creation stories, myths, legends, songs, and children's stories. This book and presentation explore:
- Both the natural history of birds and that deep cultural connection. From their evolution and anatomy to their behavior and diversity.
- Hawks, finches, swans, or birds of paradise, moving the focus away from a predictable species-by-species account and allowing for truly global coverage.
- The bold nature of European Robins and why they are associated with Christmas; the mythical Phoenix, which rises from the ashes; and learn about eagles, from their hunting prowess to their myriads of stories and symbolism.
Packed with information, beautiful photography, and illustrations, The Bird Book is a must-have for nature enthusiasts. Register today to learn more about your very own backyard friends!
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
Author Casey McQuiston
Wednesday, August 20 at 7 PM
Bring an appetite for sizzling drama as we discuss New York Times bestselling author Casey McQuiston's latest romantic comedy, The Pairing.
When two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour, they try to prove they're over each other—except they're definitely not.
Theo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other's lives once and for all. Time apart has done them good.
Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past.
All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately.
It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. Or is there?
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
Dr. Tasha Eurich
Thursday, August 28 at 2 PM
Learn how to master the daily grind and become shatterproof in a tumultuous world with key insights by Dr. Tasha Eurich as she talks about her newest book, Shatterproof: How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos (And why resilience alone isn’t enough). Are you working too much but feel like it’s never enough? Have you turned the act of pretending you’re “fine” into an art form? Does self-care feel like one more item on your already long to-do list?
We’ve been taught that resilience is the secret to navigating life’s most difficult moments. But according to New York Times bestselling author, organizational psychologist, and researcher Dr. Tasha Eurich, there is one problem with this assumption. Scientifically, resilience isn’t an unlimited resource, especially with the growing pressure and uncertainty we’re experiencing today. Whether you’re grappling with work stress, personal challenges, or the chaos of everyday life, Shatterproof offers an urgent alternative to stoic endurance as the only strategy for survival. Combining cutting-edge research, practical tools, and insights from her own struggle with a life-defining health crisis, Dr. Eurich will overturn your beliefs about what it takes to thrive through adversity, offering a scientifically supported system to help you feel better, do better, and live better than before. You’ll discover how to:
- Reclaim your best self when stress turns you into someone you barely recognize
- Uncover the unmet needs that keep you stuck in self-limiting patterns
- Turn stress into strength, exhaustion into energy, and confusion into confidence
- Find peace in the present and be prepared for what the future holds, and much more!
This timely discussion with Dr. Eurich is sure to unlock powerful new ideas about how to show up as our best selves. Register now to be a part of the conversation!
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
Author Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Thursday, September 3 at 7 PM
Embrace your dark side (and your best evil laugh) and join us in a virtual conversation with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, creator of the New York Times bestselling Assistant to the Villain series.
Evie Sage didn’t mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,” and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss.
Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire―or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread.
Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again…neither was falling for The Villain.
Full of humor and heart, this magical office comedy about a sunshine assistant and her grumpy evil boss is one you won’t want to miss out on. With the third book in the series, Accomplice to the Villain, out August 5, 2025, you need to register today to learn what tricks are up this author’s sleeve!
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
Author Jefferson Fisher
Thursday, September 10 at 2 PM
Join us (and be ready to take notes) for an afternoon virtual conversation with communication expert Jefferson Fisher, as we chat about his book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More.
No matter who you’re talking to, The Next Conversation gives you immediately actionable strategies and phrases that will forever change how you communicate. Jefferson Fisher, trial lawyer and one of the leading voices on real-world communication, offers a tried-and-true framework that will show you how to transform your life and your relationships by improving your next conversation.
Whether it’s handling a heated conversation, dealing with a difficult personality, or standing your ground with confidence, his down-to-earth teachings have helped countless people navigate life’s toughest situations. Now for the first time, in his book The Next Conversation, Fisher has distilled his three-part communication system (Say it with control, Say it with confidence, Say it to connect) that can easily be applied to any situation.
The Next Conversation gives you practical phrases that will lead to powerful results, from breaking down defensiveness in a hard talk with a family member to finding your own assertive voice at the boardroom conference table. Your every word matters, and by controlling how you communicate every day, you will create waves of positive impact that will resonate throughout your relationships to last a lifetime.
Everything you want to say, and how you want to say it, can be found in The Next Conversation, the definitive book on making your next conversation the one that changes everything.
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
Author Gabe Henry
Thursday, September 17 at 2 PM
Have you ever wondered why the English spelling of words is sometimes… well… just weird? Come on a surprisingly hilarious virtual journey with us and author Gabe Henry through the history of the English language, while we discuss troublemakers like Mark Twain who broke all the rules.
Anyone who has the misfortune to write in English will, every now and then, struggle with its spelling. In our erratic system, choir and liar rhyme, daughter and laughter don’t, and somehow you and ewe can’t agree on a single letter. So why do we still use it? If our spelling is so inconsistent, why haven’t we tried to fix it?
In the comic annals of linguistic history, legions of rebel wordsmiths have died on the hill of spelling reform, risking their reputations to simplify English spelling. This book is about them: Mark Twain, Eliza Burnz, Noah Webster, Upton Sinclair, Emma Dearborn, Theodore Roosevelt, Benjamin Franklin, and the countless other “simplified spellers” who, for a time in their lives, became fanatic about writing kof instead of cough, tung for tongue, and fyzics for physics (and tried futilely to get everyone around them to do it too).
In Enough is Enuf, Gabe Henry humorously traces the “simplified spelling movement” from medieval England to Revolutionary America, from the birth of standup comedy to contemporary pop music, and explores its lasting influence in words like color (without a U), plow (without -ugh), and the iconic ’90s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Finally, Henry brings us to the digital age, where the swift pace of online exchanges now pushes us all 2ward simplification.
Register here for this informative and entertaining conversation to find out why Gabe Henry thinks UR not a bad speller, the English language is.
This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.
**The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Findlay-Hancock County Public Library/Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.