children’s author reads in Portsmouth

Local children’s author and illustrator Ryan Higgins will read from his popular debut book “Twaddleton’s Cheese” at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth on Saturday, March 7.

A Kittery native and South Berwick resident, Higgins wrote and illustrated the book, releasing it last year under his own Cocklebury Books label. It tells the humorous tale of a town of mice that decides to start making cheese. The townspeople quickly find themselves producing more cheese than they know what to do with, and a few unlikely heroes must rescue the business.

Geared toward readers between the ages of 4 and 8, “Twaddleton’s Cheese” is narrated in rhyming lines of verse with plenty of clever wordplay. Higgins launched his independent children’s book publishing company in conjunction with the book’s release in 2008. The 25-year-old author handles all the company’s writing, drawing, coloring, marketing, paperwork, sales, publicity and web design (www.cockleburybooks.com).

“Twaddleton’s Cheese” has enjoyed considerable success with local sales, often appearing on RiverRun’s list of top sellers. Higgins uses a digital drawing pad to color in his illustrations and has visited schools around the Seacoast to talk to kids about illustrating and writing. He is currently at work on a second book. 

Higgins will read from “Twaddleton’s Cheese” beginning at 11 a.m. at RiverRun Bookstore, 20 Congress St., Portsmouth, 603-431-2100. Visit www.riverrunbookstore.com. 

open mike prose in Dover

The Seacoast offers a number of open mic poetry events, but Adelle’s Coffeehouse in Dover is now hosting a monthly open mike prose night. The next Primal Tongue fiction reading will take place at Adelle’s on Thursday, March 5.

Organized by New Hampshire’s Osiail Publishing, the event begins with an hour of featured readers followed by an hour of open mike readings. The three featured readers on March 5 are Tom Abrams, Tamara Collins and John-Richard Thompson. All participants are invited to read works of fiction or creative nonfiction and essays.

Subsequent Primal Tongue nights will occur on the first Thursday of each month. Participants are asked to read shorter works of no more than five pages (10 pages for featured readers). The readings will not be censored as long as they are not grossly obscene. The only other rule is that no poetry is allowed, as the event is specifically geared toward prose.

Osiail Publishing formed in 2007 to promote literary development in New England, accepting book submissions primarily from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Primal Tongue runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at Adelle’s, 3 Hale St., Dover, 603-742-1737. Visit www.adellescoffeehouse.com or www.osiail.com. 

Poetry Out Loud in Exeter

Local poet Matt Gallant and a group of Poetry Out Loud students from Exeter High School will share poetry during Water Street Bookstore’s monthly open mike poetry night on Wednesday, March 11. Guests are invited to bring along their own poems and read them aloud.

Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide program supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with art agencies in all 50 states. Launched in 2005, the program encourages young people to memorize and perform poetry. It is intended to help students develop public speaking skills and self confidence while learning about classic poetry. A total of 15 New Hampshire high schools participated in the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest in 2008, including Exeter, Dover, Newmarket, Oyster River and Winnacunnet.

Matt Gallant is a member of the poetry performance group Blood on the Floor and an organizer of the 30-30 challenge to write 30 poems in 30 days. He reads his poetry regularly on the Seacoast and has hosted several open mike events in the area.
The open mike begins at 6:30 p.m. at Water Street Bookstore, 125 Water St., Exeter, 603-778-9731. Visit www.waterstreet.booksense.com.

‘edgy’ author in Newington

Local author Brooks Sigler will read from her debut book “Five Finger Fiction” at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Newington on Saturday, March 7.

“Five Finger Fiction” is described as an edgy coming-of-age story written in the humorous style of writers like David Sedaris. The story follows Lila O’Farrell, a woman hailing from a strict Irish Catholic family with an oppressively authoritative mother. The novel traces O’Farrell’s life back to her early teen years, when she first began showing signs of kleptomania. Her undying compulsion to steal leads her to swipe everything from jewelry to her friend’s bra.

Brooks Sigler lives with her husband and several pets in Newmarket and teaches English in Exeter. She has been touring New England extensively in support of her book. In addition to the reading in Newington, she will be at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter on Wednesday, March 14. For other upcoming events, visit www.brookssigler.com.

The reading on March 7 begins at 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 45 Gosling Road, Newington, 603-422-7733.