Julyan Davis, a British-American artist living in Asheville, North Carolina, will present his debut novel titled A History of Saints. The novel is a playful satire of the Great Recession and tells the story of Frank Reed who, to keep from losing his home—the “stately” Carolina Court—becomes a reluctant landlord to a houseful of eccentrics and misfits.

Email [email protected]  to RSVP for this in-person event at Blue Spiral 1 on Wednesday, December 1st. The event begins at 5:00 p.m. with a meet and greet, followed by a reading at 5:30 pm. 

Please call Malaprop’s at 828-254-6734 to order A History of Saints. Books will be available for sale at the event. Davis will sign copies purchased at Malaprop’s.

Julyan Davis is a British-American artist living in Asheville, North Carolina. For more than thirty years he has painted the vanishing architecture of the South. Collaborating with musicians, historians, and writers, his traveling museum exhibits chronicle the folklore and lost histories of the region. His work can be found online at https://julyandavis.com and on Instagram at @julyandavis. Davis’s work is represented by galleries in Asheville and in Charleston, South Carolina, and in museum collections across the South. A History of Saints is his debut novel.

Shadelandhouse Modern Press, LLC is a Lexington, Kentucky-based, women-owned, and family-operated independent book publishing company dedicated to publishing authentic and compelling fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages. It is committed to the advancement of established and emerging writers—primarily focused on writers living in or writing about the Southeast region of the United States—to excellence in publishing, and to the production of high-quality, entertaining, and artistic books. The press debuted in 2016–2017 with two award-winning legal nonfiction (history and true crime) books and has since published award-winning fiction, poetry, and children’s books. Shadelandhouse Modern Press is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association and an associate member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. For more information, visit our website at https://smpbooks.com and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/shadelandhouse and on Instagram at @shadelandhouse_modern_press.

Random House and Malaprop’s invite you to join #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Brené Brown for a special, one-night-only event to launch Atlas of the Heart on Thursday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET on Zoom. Dr. Brown will be in conversation with Priya Parker. The event is hosted by Random House.

In Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, Brené takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances—a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection.

She writes, “In a sea of constant uncertainty and change, Atlas of the Heart is a book about finding the solid ground within us, and safely navigating our way back to ourselves and each other. This book offers a collection of tools, including new language that helps us more accurately talk about our emotions and experiences and a new model for cultivating meaningful connection.”

Your book is your ticket. Purchase below. Everyone who purchases Atlas of The Heart from Malaprop’s before Noon on December 2nd receives admission to this exclusive event as well as the hardcover book. ($30 + applicable tax and shipping.) Books will not be signed. 

The link required to attend the event will be emailed to you. Make sure you submit the correct email address with your order and that your email filters will allow messages from malaprops.com.

Have a question for Brené Brown? Put your question in the comments field when you place your order. Ex: “Question for Brené Brown: What inspires you?”

You can pick up your copy of Atlas of the Heart at Malaprop’s on or after the publication date of November 30th. If you choose shipping, your book will be shipped out within 5 business days after the event. Books cannot be shipped to destination out the United States.

Please contact Malaprop’s at [email protected] with any questions. We can’t wait to see you there!

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation-Brené Brown Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She is also a visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business. Brown has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Dare to Lead, which is the culmination of a seven-year study on courage and leadership. With Tarana Burke, she co-edited the bestselling anthology You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience. She hosts the Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead podcasts, and her TEDx talk, “The Power of Vulnerability,” is one of the top five most-viewed TED talks in the world with more than 50 million views. Her Netflix special, The Call to Courage, is the first filmed lecture by a researcher on the streaming service. Brown lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and Charlie.

Join us for a discussion between Bland Simpson, Ann Cary Simpson, and Tom Earnhardt presenting “North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky” co-hosted by UNCA Press and the NC Arboretum. Rev. Kirk Brown will provide introductions.

Like most of our events, this event is free, but registration is required. Click here to RSVP for this event. Prior to the event the link required to attend will be emailed to registrants.

If you decide to attend and purchase the authors’ books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!

Order by December 7, 2021 and enter the coupon code ARBORETUM at checkout to receive a 10% discount on North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky. 

Bland Simpson, the celebrated bard of North Carolina’s sound country, has blended history, observation of nature, and personal narrative in many books to chronicle the people and places of eastern Carolina. Yet he has spent much of his life in the state’s Piedmont, with regular travels into its western mountains. Here, for the first time, Simpson brings his distinctive voice and way of seeing to bear on the entirety of his home state, combining storytelling and travelogue to create a portrait of the Old North State with care and humor.

Three of the state’s finest photographers come along to guide the journey: Simpson’s wife and creative partner, Ann Cary Simpson, professional photographer Scott Taylor, and writer and naturalist Tom Earnhardt. Their photos, combined with Simpson’s rich narrative, will inspire readers to consider not only what North Carolina has been and what it is but also what we hope it will be. This book belongs on the shelf of longtime residents, newcomers, and visitors alike.

Bland Simpson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also pianist for The Red Clay Ramblers, the Tony Award-winning string band. In 2005 he received the North Carolina Award, the state’s highest civilian honor.

Ann Cary Simpson, photographer, served for thirty years at national and North Carolina environmental organizations and UNC’s School of Government. She now is a senior associate with moss + ross strategic consulting.

Tom Earnhardt, photographer, is the renowned host-writer-director of the long-running PBS North Carolina show Exploring North Carolina. He was a professor of law at North Carolina Central University and is author of North Carolina: Crossroads of the Natural World.

This event with Mallory McDuff will feature music by singer and songwriter Liz Teague, who also works as a city planner in Waynesville, NC.

This is a hybrid event, meaning there is an option to attend virtually and a limited number of seats available to attend the event in-store. Registration is required.

The IN-PERSON event is full. Please click here to register for the VIRTUAL event. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and purchase the authors’ books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!

As we begin to contemplate death and to embark on practical planning for life’s end, many of us long to leave a legacy beyond a transfer of money and property–one that ensures a sustainable earth for our loved ones, our communities, and generations to come. But where do we even begin?

With the sudden deaths of both of her parents, Mallory McDuff found herself in a similar position. Utterly unprepared both emotionally and practically, she began to research sustainable practices around death and dying, determined to honor their commitment to caring for the earth. For McDuff, an educator and environmentalist, what started as a highly personal endeavor expanded into a yearlong exploration and assessment of green burials, aquamation, green cemeteries, home funerals, and human composting.

In Our Last Best Act, McDuff bridges the gap between environmental action and religious faith by demonstrating that when the two are combined, they become a powerful force for the greater good. Full of practical information and support, this book equips readers to make decisions for their own end-of-life planning. In a world experiencing a climate crisis and a culture that avoids discussions about death and dying, this book opens the conversation about the choices we make–and how it’s possible for our death to honor our values, create a sustainable legacy, and help to heal the earth.

Mallory McDuff teaches environmental education at Warren Wilson College outside Asheville, North Carolina. With her two daughters, she lives on campus in a 900-square-foot house with an expansive view of the Appalachian mountains. She is the author of four books, including Natural Saints: How People of Faith Are Working to Save God’s Earth. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Rumpus, Sojourners, and more.