Children's Fiction
Chairs are for Butts by Amber Keydel
A hilarious, high-energy story about big imaginations, wild adventures, and learning why some rules exist.
As a dedicated special education teacher and the proud mother of three, Amber Keydel lives at the intersection of imagination and practical safety. She is passionate about creating children’s literature that not only delights young readers, but also supports parents and teachers in navigating common developmental hurdles.
Her debut picture book, Chairs Are for Butts, was directly inspired by the daily adventure of raising imaginative, active children. The book uses humor and relatable scenarios to teach the essential safety lesson of having a safe body—helping kids redirect their boundless energy into safe, creative play.
The Geometree by Kelly Darke
A lyrical celebration of creativity and curiosity, The Geometree invites readers to play with patterns, explore STEM concepts, and discover that they, too, can be shape-makers.
Kelly Darke holds a Doctorate of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Illinois Chicago, and has taught mathematics at the middle school, high school and college levels. She currently teaches 7th and 8th grade mathematics at St. Hugo of the Hills School in Bloomfield Hills. She lives in West Bloomfield with her husband and three children and never misses an opportunity to admire the shapes her local American Basswood, Black Cherry and Sugar Maple trees make.
The Backyard Bandit by Julie Warum
Lily, a curious golden retriever, searches her family’s backyard for clues to solve the mystery of her missing Blue Bear. Along the way, Lily discovers that things are not always what they seem and learns important lessons about kindness and empathy.
Julie Warum is a retired Michigan public school teacher, reading specialist, and literacy advocate with 34 years of Michigan public school classroom experience. She is the author of The Backyard Bandit series, which combines heartwarming stories with evidence-based literacy strategies to help parents, caregivers, educators, and librarians make every read-aloud a meaningful learning experience. Julie has been a featured author and speaker at the 2026 Michigan Reading Association Conference, Central Michigan University’s Learning Center Summer Institute Authors Fair, and Jackson County ISD’s Jackson Reads! event.
The Keeper of Courage and Light by Meghan Endahl
For fantasy readers ages eleven and up, The Keeper of Courage and Light blends the heart of The Pilgrim’s Progress with the wonder of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series. Within these pages is a story of perseverance, selflessness, and the most important lesson of all: finding hope outside of oneself.
Meghan is a Christ-centered author who writes stories for families and young adults that stir wonder, adventure, and a deeper longing for truth. A homeschooling mom of two and graduate of Eastern Michigan University’s Creative Writing program, Meghan’s love of story is rooted in imagination, faith, and a belief that beauty and hope matter, especially in hard seasons. As a Stage IV Colon Cancer thriver of over three years, her writing is a calling to testimony, stringing words together in between lesson planning, prayer, and perpetually reheated cups of coffee.
Pea’s Colored Day by Hannah Sanchez
Children of all ages can follow Bean the Pea and his feelings throughout the day to grasp an understanding of feelings. Use this book to help children discuss how they are feeling, either with the colors associated with each feeling or by discussing what makes them feel the way that Bean the Pea does on each page.
I’ve been a bookseller for the last 11 years and am finally opening my own bookstore soon. I have had a love for books and bookish gifts since I was a child and could not image being in any other business. I published and illustrated two books before I decided I wanted to go all in and sell everyone’s titles alongside my own. I have been in Brighton my entire life and frequently vend at the Brighton Farmers Market selling all the bookish goodies everyone loves. Whether you’re a reader looking for your next read or just looking for the in between gap to calm your mind, we have everything you could need.
Adult Fiction
Emerald Aria by K.C. Spiegelberg
In a world frozen by the Ever-Winter, singing is power. For generations, the Empire of Thalveris has survived beneath vast domes of emerald light. Its cities remain warm against the relentless winter. Airships cross the frozen skies. GlysterRails carry passengers through the snow. And at the heart of it all is Glysteriumthe miraculous technology that keeps civilization alive. But survival has a cost.
Michigan native K.C. Spiegelberg—husband, father of 5, and United States Air Force veteran—is a competitive barbershop singer with over 30 years of ensemble experience. That lifelong immersion in music shapes his debut novel, Emerald Aria, where harmony holds power in a frozen world. An avid fantasy fan and self-proclaimed nerd, he has worn many creative hats, including designer, illustrator, cosplayer, and dungeon master.
Dragged to Death by Frank Anthony Polito
When a charity drag extravaganza takes a deadly turn, home renovation stars Peter “P J” Penwell and JP Broadway discover that not all backstage drama is just for show … Invited to participate in the glittering event, Peter and his real-life Domestic Partner in Crime, JP, expect good cheer, friendly competition, and plenty of sequins. Instead, the celebration comes to a screeching halt after one of the show’s brightest stars, Melody Mansion, is found dead in her dressing room smothered by her own wig.
Frank Anthony Polito is Lambda Literary Award-winning author. He holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon and a BFA in Theatre from Wayne State. Published novels include Band Fags!, Drama Queers!, Lost in the ’90s, The Spirit of Detroit, and the Domestic Partners in Crime “quozy” mystery series, including Renovated to Death, Rehearsed to Death, Haunted to Death, and Dragged to Death.
Frank grew up in the Detroit suburb of Hazel Park and currently resides in Pleasant Ridge with his partner, Craig Bentley, and their two rescue dogs, Clyde and Jack, whose resemblance to the pups in “Domestic Partners in Crime” is purely intentional.
The Most American Idea by Michael E. O’Reilly
The Most American Idea is collection of seventeen short stories which covers a broad range topical and stylistic terrain. The book begins with youthful love and proceeds through midlife chaos, weirdness, and makes a brief The Most stop in the world of science American Idea fiction. The final tale, from Michael O’Reilly which the book gets its name, is a satirical novella comprised of six short stories involving two main characters.
Michael E. O’Reilly is a car hauler living outside Detroit, Michigan, and a graduate of University of Utah’s MFA Creative Writing program. He has published nonfiction books with Globe Pequot and TwoDot presses. He has also worked as a screenwriter and published fiction, journalism, literary criticism, poetry, and interviews in various magazines. His recent book, The Most American Idea, is a collection of short stories.
Adult Non-Fiction
Greta Garbo and the Rise of the Modern Woman by Scott Reisfield
Greta Garbo was Scott Reisfield’s great-aunt and he uses previously unavailable letters and documents to more accurately reveal her life. Because fundamental information about Garbo is disproven, an entirely new and more interesting arc of her life and career is revealed. Garbo was talented. She was trained at the finest theater school and worked hard at her craft.
Scott Reisfield is the grand-nephew of Greta Garbo and wrote the 2005 book Garbo’s Garbos: Portraits from her Private Collection.
Reisfield has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He spent forty years in business, thirty of them in senior management, working in companies ranging from large corporations to startups. He was also the vice-president of marketing for a national education association. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Balloonatics by Craig Elliott
I’m Craig Elliott. I live in Holly. I retired in 2019 after 2,693 balloon flights, 14,401 passengers, and 68 balloons. The Balloonatics is the memoir of that career, from a 1976 crew job out of Okemos to Niagara, Albuquerque, and the balloons in between.
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