Friends of Smyrna Library to Host Free “Frozen Yogurt Social & Book Sale”

July 18th Event to Feature Frozen Yogurt by Pinkberry and Live Music by Peter Vogl

Friends of Smyrna Library (FOSL) announces their free summer event, “Frozen Yogurt Social and Book Sale,” taking place Sunday, July 18, 2010 from 3-5 p.m. outdoors in the Smyrna Library plaza. This special event will feature free frozen yogurt from Pinkberry, family-friendly entertainment by Peter Vogl and a book sale with incredible bargains. As with any FOSL event, all proceeds from the book sale will go to the award-winning Smyrna Library for technology, books, art, reading programs, and much more.

"The value of our library to the community goes well beyond all things related to the printed word,” says Dorothy Sibert, President of the Friends of Smyrna Library. “The Friends appreciate the donations, volunteer hours, and more that the Smyrna community has given to the library and are sponsoring this event as a thank you to the community for its support."

FOSL is really looking forward to this year's event as the world-famous Pinkberry is donating the frozen yogurt, which will be free to everyone who attends. Pinkberry will be opening its first Atlanta-based store June 25, 2010, in the Akers Mill Shopping Center on Cobb Parkway, so attendees will have a chance to be some of the first in the Atlanta area to taste their “swirly goodness.”

FOSL is also honored to have the talented Peter Vogl perform live at the event. Vogl is a guitarist, session player, and instructor who has performed on stage with Michael Bolton, James Brown, Bo Diddley, Francine Reed and many other famous musicians. Vogl currently performs around Atlanta with several local bands including The Blue Rhythm Band and Jan Smith. Not only is the entertainment free, but we're sure you will become a new fan of Vogl's music, if you're not already!

FOSL's Board of Director member Jeff Jones will be heading up the book sale and is sure to offer prices that can't be beat. It will feature a carefully vetted selection for of New York Times bestsellers and gift quality books priced at just $1, $3 and $5. This year's "Frozen Yogurt and Book Sale" is going to be an event you don't want to miss! Bring your family to the Smyrna Library for an afternoon of fun.

About Peter Vogl

Peter Vogl started playing guitar in second grade and quickly realized his calling. He played in many bands throughout high school and proceeded to study classical guitar at the University of Georgia under the tutelage of John Sutherland. In collaboration with the NARAS organization Peter is the band leader each year at the Heroes Award Dinner in Atlanta. Visit his website at http://www.petervogl.com/.

About Pinkberry

Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, Ca. in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to our irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparable refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting http://www.pinkberry.com/.

About The Friends of Smyrna Library

The Friends of Smyrna Library (FOSL) is an independent, non-profit, volunteer organization that supports the Smyrna Public Library through fundraising events and volunteer activities. FOSL is a member of the Friends of Libraries USA organization and is one of the most active Friends chapters in Georgia. Notable programs FOSL supports are the library’s Art Gallery, the “Murder Goes South” Festival of readers and writers, “The Link” newsletter and much more. Join FOSL for only $5 for an individual membership or $10 for a family membership and make a friend today. For more information, visit http://www.friendsofsmyrnalibrary.org/.

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If you would like more information on this event, please e-mail Jeff Jones at jjatlanta@gmail.com or call 770/401-3050.

  

Summer 2010 Reading List & Featured Book

Featured Book

A Painted House
by John Grishman

Other Recommended Reading Selections

61 Hours by Lee Child
A Painted House by John Grishman
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Changes by Jim Butcher
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
Dead In the Family by Charlaine Harris
Deception by Jonathan Kellerman
Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci
Eight Days To Live by Iris Johansen
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
Innocent by Scott Turow
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
New York by Edward Rutherfurd
Oprah by Kitty Kelley
Run by Ann Patchett
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
Solar by Ian McEwan
Spoken From the Heart by Laura Bush
Tales of Discworld by Terry Pratchett
The 9th Judgment by James Patterson
The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch
The Girl Who Chased The Moon
by Sarah Addison Allen
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
The lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
The Promise by Jonathan Alter
The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark
The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz
The Spy by Clive Cussler
The Walk by Richard Paul Evans
Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline
This Body of Death by Elizabeth George
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
When I Stop Talking, You ll Know I m Dead
by Jerry Weintraub
Without Mercy by Lisa Jackson
Wizard Under Fire by Jim Butcher

Compiled by FOSL Volunteer

Smyrna Library Kicks Off Children's Summer Reading Program

Annual reading program chooses fun-filled
science theme for the summer.

Smyrna, Ga. - (June 7, 2010) - Smyrna Library announces the return of their free summer reading program aimed specifically at children, which began June 1, 2010. The goal of this program is to keep kids reading over their summer break, while also making it fun. Each summer, the reading club focuses on a particular subject, and this year’s theme is science. 

The nine-week program will be focused on various types of science each week. For instance, one week readers will learn about zoology, and the next week’s book might be about geology.

The program is divided into two groups: "Ready Readers" and "Rockin' Readers." "Ready Readers” is for children age four through rising first graders, and "Rockin' Readers” is for children going into second to fifth grade. With their families, children will be asked to set a goal of how long to read each day, and then they must track their reading in a log. The library suggests that each child aim to read about 30 minutes each day. Every child who meets their goal will receive a free book, a certificate and coupon from a local sponsor.

This summer every reading program participant will be able to enter additional contests and challenges, including the "The Recycled Rocket Art Contest," which gives kids a chance to be creative and help the environment by using recycled materials. The deadline for this project is June 26th, so check with the library for specific details. Also, be sure to visit the library all summer long to participate in other contests and challenges that will be offered.

The summer reading program doesn't require attendance at the Smyrna Library; therefore, children can read at home or anywhere else and still track their reading on their own. However, the library will have reading groups set up every Wednesday and Thursday for those children who would like to have more science fun through thematic story programs. The library groups will be offered twice during the week at different times to accommodate patrons' schedules. Both reading groups will meet simultaneously, which allows parents with more than one child the opportunity to visit the library only once.

At the end of the summer there will be an exciting pool party to celebrate the kids' hard work and dedication to the program with games and food. Along with "Friends of Smyrna Library," local sponsors of this year's reading program include: Carvel Ice Cream, Glazy Dazy, Rev Coffee, IHOP, Smyrna Golden K Kiwanis, Keep Smyrna Beautiful, Scamp the Cat and Karen Lightsey. Thank you to all of sponsors for the incredible generosity and support!

2010's summer reading program includes a children's movie shown every Friday afternoon at the library. All summer programs and events are FREE for Smyrna Public Library cardholders. Everyone must have their card to participate.

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If you would like more information about this program, please call Laura Boynton at 770.431.2860 Ext. 3 or e-mail at lboynton@ci.smyrna.ga.us.

  

9th Annual Murder Goes South Keynote Speaker Announced: Erica Spindler

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime: Atlanta Chapter announce Erica Spindler as Keynote Speaker for the 9th Annual Murder Goes South... A Festival of Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery. Ms. Spindler will be the Keynote Speaker for the Friday January 28, 2011 dinner program as well as present during the Saturday January 29, 2011 morning/afternoon program.

BIOGRAPHY: A New York Times and International bestselling author, Erica Spindler's skill for crafting engrossing plots and compelling characters has earned both critical praise and legions of fans. Published in 25 countries, her stories have been lauded as “thrill-packed page turners, white- knuckle rides and edge-of-your-seat whodunits.”

Raised in Rockford, Illinois, Erica had planned on being an artist, earning a BFA from Delta State University and an MFA from the University of New Orleans in the visual arts. In June of 1982, in bed with a cold, she picked up a romance novel for relief from daytime television. She was immediately hooked, and soon decided to try to write one herself. She leaped from romance to suspense in 1996 with her novel Forbidden Fruit, and found her true calling.

Her novel Bone Cold won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, she received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels Forbidden Fruit and Dead Run and was a three-time RITA® Award finalist. Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel Shocking Pink a Listen Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998.

Other mystery novels include Blood Vines, Breakneck, Last Known Victim, Copycat, Killer Takes All, See Jane Die, In Silence, All Fall Down, Cause For Alarm and Fortune

Erica lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons and is busy at work on her next thriller.

  

9th Annual Murder Goes South Featured Guest Writer Announced: Glynn Marsh Alam

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime: Atlanta Chapter announce Glynn Marsh Alam as a featured Guest Writer for the 9th Annual Murder Goes South... A Festival of Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery. Ms. Alam will present during the Saturday January 29, 2011 program.

BIOGRAPHY: Glynn Marsh Alam is a native Floridian. Born in Tallahassee, she is familiar with the live oak forests and cypress swamps of the area. She also knows the sink holes and reptilia that abound there. She often swims in the cold, clear springs above the openings to fathomless caves. These are the settings for her Luanne Fogarty mystery series and for her literary novel, River Whispers.

After graduating from Florida State University, Glynn worked as a decoder/translator for the National Security Agency in D.C., then moved to Los Angeles where she taught writing and literature and earned an MA in linguistics. After many years of traveling back to Florida twice a year, she has now moved there and writes full time. Her many wonderful books include Bilge Water Bones, High Water Hellion, River Whispers, Deep Water Death, Dive Deep and Deadly, Green Water Ghost, Cold Water Corpse, Moon Water Madness (winner of The Gold Medal Florida Book Award), and her latest novel, Tide Water Talisman.

9th Annual Murder Goes South Featured Guest Writer Announced: Mitchell Graham

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime: Atlanta Chapter announce Mitchell Graham as a featured Guest Writer for the 9th Annual Murder Goes South... A Festival of Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery. Mr. Graham will present during the Saturday January 29, 2011 program.

BIOGRAPHY: Mitchell Graham was born in New York City. He attended college at Ohio State University on a fencing scholarship and later went on to earn a law degree. After practicing for twenty years he went back to school to study neuropsychology. He has represented the United States in international fencing competitions and has won or placed in the finals of over 83 separate tournaments.

The Fifth Ring was his first novel and has received rave reviews. His mystery novels include Majestic Descending, Dead Docket and Circle of Lies which will be released in November 2010. He presently lives in Miami, Florida.

9th Annual Murder Goes South Featured Guest Writer Announced: William Rawlings Jr

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime: Atlanta Chapter announce William Rawlings, Jr. as a featured Guest Writer for the 9th Annual Murder Goes South... A Festival of Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery. Mr. Rawlings will present during the Saturday January 29, 2011 program.

BIOGRAPHY: Like generations of his family before him, William Rawlings, Jr. was born in Sandersville, Georgia where he still lives on the family farm with his wife and two children. He was educated at Emory University in Atlanta, and at Tulane University in New Orleans where he earned a Master’s Degree and his Doctorate in Medicine. He did his postgraduate medical training in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, after which he returned to Sandersville to practice medicine. Later in his successful medical career he began writing about the real South, a passion easily recognizable in his literary works.

His first novel The Lazard Legacy was published in 2003 followed by The Rutherford Cipher, The Tate Revenge and Crossword over the next 3 years. William’s latest novel, The Mile High Club, was published in December 2009. He is currently working two projects, a suspense novel set in Savannah and a non-fiction history of an infamous 1925 murder.

 

9th Annual Murder Goes South Featured Guest Writer Announced: Cathy Pickens

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime: Atlanta Chapter announce Cathy Pickens as a featured Guest Writer for the 9th Annual Murder Goes South... A Festival for Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery. Ms. Pickens will present during the Saturday January 29, 2011 program.

BIOGRAPHY: Cathy Pickens has been, under different names, a lawyer, a business professor, a university provost, a clog-dancing coach, a church organist /choir director, and a typist.

The most profound influences on her life have been her family, her faith, Nancy Drew, and Perry Mason. She grew up in a small town and, forced to move to "big cities" to support herself, first as a lawyer and then as a professor, she found the only way to return to the comfortable familiarity of her childhood was by moving Avery Andrews back home and chronicling her exploits. Her novels include Southern Fried, Done Gone Wrong, Hog Wild and Hush My Mouth. Her latest, Can’t Never Tell, was published in February 2009.

9th Annual Murder Goes South Featured Guest Writer Announced: “Georgia Adams”

The Friends of Smyrna Library and the Sisters in Crime: Atlanta Chapter announce “Georgia Adams” as a featured Guest Writer for the 9th Annual Murder Goes South... A Festival for Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery.  Georgia Adams will present during the Saturday January 29, 2011 program.

BIOGRAPHY: “Georgia Adams” is the pen name for three writers - Patricia Browning, Joann Dunn and Karen McColgan who write together. All three women live in the Atlanta area. Patricia Browning is the 2009 President Sisters in Crime (Atlanta Chapter). Joann Dunn earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University in Chicago, is author of seven books and was nominated as Georgia Writer of the Year for Books 2 and 3 of the Curtis Family Chronicles. In addition Joann is publisher of DueWestBooks, LLC of Marietta. Karen McColgan, a New Jersey native, has earned several degrees including a B.S. in psychology. She is a Past President of Sisters in Crime (Atlanta Chapter)

Their book A Well-Manicured Murder is the first in the LitChix Murder Mystery series.