For the Love of Books
Support local authors while you start your holiday shopping. Event is funded in part by a grant received through the Cumberland County Cultural and Heritage Commission.
Armstrong, librarian at Bridgeton Public Library as well as the director of programming and youth services, is in the business of pushing stories. She hopes you’re interested in good stories, too. She’s betting on it, actually.
Adaria Armstrong loves a good story—all kinds, really. Bring on the fiction, the sappy romance, the otherworldly sci-fi. And while you’re up, make her a hot, steaming cup of tea so she can wedge herself into a comfy armchair and lose herself in another world.
The library is doubling down on the love of books with its fifth annual Indie Author Day from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, November 15 at the library, 150 E. Commerce Street in Bridgeton.
The mini festival is designed to celebrate local and regional authors, allowing visitors to meet and greet the writers, get books signed, and help writers sell a few books in the process.
Armstrong, who has been with the library for six years, was inspired by a similar, though much larger event in Collingswood.
“They shut down four city blocks of Haddon Avenue, and (there are) writers up and down the street,” along with crafts and items related to reading, she said.
In the middle of a world quickly tuning out and turning on their smartphones, Armstrong and her 11 writers invited to the fair are standing tall for the written word and the imagination.
“I was turned on to that festival about 10 years ago,” she said. I’ve been going intermittently.”
She began working at the library about six months before COVID closed down the world, just as she was starting to get her plans for programs at the library up and running.
“I was shut down and I couldn’t do anything,” she said.
Like so many, Armstrong turned to the online world, bringing stories and crafts to readers stuck at home. Shortly after that, those storytimes began to evolve into larger pieces on local and regional places of interest, such as WheatonArts in Millville, the Bayshore Center at Bivalve in Port Norris, Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, historical societies, and more. (They may be found on youtube: https//:www.youtube/@bridgetonpubliclibrary241/videos)
“I did 60 of them,” she said.
Shortly after that, she was inspired to create her own Indie Book Day.
“Why not have local authors in here selling their books,” she wondered, adding she met a few authors as well as a local book publishing company, Blue Jade Press in Millville.
The festival will host 11 authors, some from Cumberland County, others from greater South Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware.
Those who come to the event can expect to enjoy some snacks provided by Armstrong, who has a background in the catering business through her mother. She worked in production catering for film and TV.
“I make really healthy and beautiful looking food,” she said, adding she will provide crudité, with fruit, cheese, and crackers.
“Friends of the Library will bake homemade desserts for the event,” she said.
“I tried to pick and choose a variety of people who would appeal to a large variety of patrons,” Armstrong said. “There are so many authors coming.”
Over the years, Armstrong said she has been able to build on the success of each fair, adding all new authors and books that have not been introduced to the area before. Among the writers she’s excited to host this year:
• Writer Jeff Markowitz, who lives in Monmouth Junction, has written six mystery and crime novels that are set in and around South Jersey. His books include the award-winning dark comedy, Death and White Diamonds. He will be signing his latest book, The Other, which is described as a “dual timeline historical” that centers on standing up to hate.
Markowitz worked for more than 40 years in autism-based services and programs for children and adults. He spent 25 years as president and executive director of the Life Skills Resource Center. He retired from that job in 2018 to spend more time writing.
• Zeus Cruz of Millville is an author of poetry and prose. By day, Cruz works as an environmental and safety analyst for National Refrigerant Inc. When he gets home, he starts on his small business, Olympian Multimedia.
He started it to boost his own brand and promote his books. Today, his small business has expanded to include other platforms, such as professional photography, videos, music production and more.
When visitors see him at the Indie Book Fair, look for him to promote his Imagination book series.
“They’re aimed at everyone from teenagers on up. The books are short stories and a mixture of essays and some poetry,” he said. “It encompasses all genres. It has sci-fi, it has horror, mythology, and fantasy.”
For more: https://olympianmultimedia.info
• Kim Cantanzarite of Medford is an editor, consultant, and author of three books under the umbrella of adult science fiction “multiverse adventures.”
Cantanzarite created what she calls her Jovian Universe trilogy. Her first novel in the trilogy, They Will Be Coming For Us, tells the story of Svetlana Peterman and her soul mate, Andrew Jovian, “a young astronomer who works for Starbright International, the aerospace company his wealthy parents own. Once married, they make a home in Kirksberg, Pennsylvania, a small town famous for a UFO sighting that occurred in the 1960s. Svetlana is, for once, truly happy, except that Andrew’s family is strange, and not in a normal-strange kind of way.”
• Jin Cordaro of Central New Jersey has won awards for her poetry. A faculty member at Stockton University, Cordaro’s main work is A Map for Exiting the Body, her debut collection of poetry. Jin is scheduled to give a reading of some of her poetry during the festival.
• Cassandra Ulrich: Author of adult, young adult, and black romance novels. For more: https://mobile.cassandraulrich.com/
• Joel Turner: Author of nonfiction Jersey Shore Noir. For more information: https://joeleturnerauthor.com
• Andrew Katz, of Philadelphia, is the author of dark, comedic fiction. From the author: “When not reading and writing fiction, he enjoys dogs, black coffee, hiking, and writing bios that read like poorly-made dating profiles.” His comedic books are The Vampire Gideon’s Suicide Hotline & Halfway House for Orphaned Girls, and My Therapist Says this Grief Journal is a Good Idea.
• Margaret Brown, poet. For more: https: www.facebook.com/MargaretsWritings/
• Megan Earling, young adult romance novels. For more: https//www.facebook.com/authormeganearling.
• Stephen Goldhahn, local adult mystery, including one of his books that is centered in Greenwich, Cumberland County. For more: www.stephengoldhahn.com.
• Blue Jade Press: An assortment of local writers and poets and their works, based in Millville. For more: www.bluejadepress.com.
