Paul L. Gaus

Summer has gone by fast! Thurber House wraps up our season of Summer Literary Picnics with mystery writer P. L. Gaus, author of the popular Ohio Amish Mystery Series.

Gaus, a former professor of Chemistry at the College of Wooster, took an interest in writing fiction in 1993. He began to write mystery novels set in Holmes County, Ohio—home to the largest Amish population in the world. Gaus will read from his sixth and latest book in the series Separate from the World, which explores the rift between two Amish factions, one who accepts modern medicine treatments, and the other that rejects all outside influences.

Dinner for the evening, from Pat Baker at Party Panache, is an Italian club sandwich (cappicola ham, pepperoni and salami with provolone cheese and pesto), roasted potato and corn salad, and assorted gourmet cookies. Remember to RSVP to (614) 464-1032 ext. 11, by Monday, August 3, at 4 p.m. to get dinner. (Vegetarian option available upon request- must be ordered by Monday!!!)

Bring your friends, food, and wine, and enjoy a great evening with a fantastic native Ohio author, writing about native Ohioans! Check out Gaus’s blog at http://blogs.ohioswallow.com/gaus/

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With rain in tonight’s forecast, the Thurber House Summer Literary Picnic, New Voices, will be inside at Thurber Center—91 Jefferson Avenue—right next door to Thurber House.

For the first time at a Literary picnic, Thurber House will highlight three emerging, talented authors of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry. The picnic will be Wednesday, July 22 on the side lawn of Thurber House, 77 Jefferson Ave. (Rain site at Thurber Center, 91 Jefferson Ave.)

Christopher Barzak

Christopher Barzak. He is a teacher of creative writing at Youngstown State University. He is the author of two novels including, One for Sorrow, and will read from his latest work, The Love We Share Without Knowing, a haunting, richly woven novel that explores the ties that bind humanity across the deepest divides in modern day Japan.  His stories have appeared in a many venues, including Nerve.com, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, Strange Horizons, Salon Fantastique, among many others. Check out Christopher’s blog at http://christopherbarzak.wordpress.com.

David Giffels

David Giffels is a columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal and contributing commentator and essayist on NPR. He has won dozens of journalism awards, including the 2006 National Award for Commentary, and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize six times. He will read from his book All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-down House, a memoir about his DIY home repair of his 1913 Tudor mansion in Akron and the effect it had on his family. You can read more about David at http://www.davidgiffels.com. Also check out this youtube video with great before and after pictures of his house.

James J. Siegel

Ohio native James J. Siegel is the poetry facilitator for a group called GuyWriters, which offers monthly critique sessions and quarterly open mic readings. He attended Bowling Green State University where he studied journalism and creative writing. The inspiration for much of his current work is based on Ohio and small town life in the Midwest. His poetry has appeared in literary journals such as The Fourth River, Toledo Review, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, Blueline and the online at magazine Paper Street. He lives in San Francisco. Check out GuyWriters and Jay’s work at http://www.guywritersmagazine.org/ or at http://www.myspace.com/jamesjsiegel

Dinner for the evening from Party Panache is BBQ Chicken breast with provolone cheese on fresh deli rolls; and Asian broccoli salad, and raspberry almond bars for dessert.  Dinner is served at 6:15. Remember to RSVP to (614) 464-1032 ext. 11, by Monday, July 20, at 4 p.m. to get dinner. Reading only tickets are also available.

Bring your friends, a lawn chair, and wine if you would like, and enjoy fantastic evening with these three emerging authors.

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Missed Wednesday night’s picnic? Don’t worry, you can catch the podcast at WOSU: http://www.wosu.org/artzine/artzine-audio/. Enjoy the pictures from the night! Don’t miss our next picnic, July 22.

Jennifer Crusie

Ohio’s own Jennifer Crusie makes a return visit to Thurber House for our next Summer Literary Picnic. The New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author will read from her new novel, Always Kiss Me Goodnight–which won’t even be published until 2010, so you’ll be getting a real “insider’s preview!” It’s her own version of The Turn of the Screw. Gail Hogan, host and producer of NBC4’s Daytime Columbus, will host the evening. After the reading, Crusie will sign copies of her books.

Dinner for the evening from Party Panache is black forest ham wraps, a tri-colored orzo salad, and triple-chocolate brownies.  Remember to RSVP to (614) 464-1032 ext. 11, by Monday, July 6, at 4 p.m. to get dinner. (You don’t want to miss out on those brownies!)

Bring your friends, a lawn chair, and wine if you would like, and enjoy a great evening with a fantastic native Ohio author.

For more information on Jennifer Crusie, visit her website at www.jennycrusie.com

Are you a fan of Thurber House? Become a fan on Facebook! Click here to join and keep up with the latest Thurber House news and events.

The picnic with Julia Keller last night was fantastic. Guests filled the Thurber House lawn, enjoyed the great weather, and welcomed a cooling breeze as Julia Keller talked about her book, Mr. Gatling’s Terrible Marvel, and her fun times spent in research libraries.

The Thurber Treat picnic was a blast! Johnny DiLoretto was a great host, and our treat winners, Noell Wolfgram Evans, Martha Miller, and Mark Sweetwood, shared stories about a mid-life crisis, encounters with the Thurber Ghost –and with Columbus Police– all while visiting Thurber House. The evening was filled with laughter, great friends and good food, despite having to be in our rain site.

Our next picnic is Wednesday, June 24 and features former Columbus Dispatch reporter and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Julia Keller who will read from her debut book, Mr. Gatling’s Terrible Marvel, a riveting account of the Gatling gun’s invention, its misunderstood creator, and its tremendous impact on America and the world.

For dinner, catered by Pat Baker at Party Panache, we are serving smoked turkey with roasted red pepper, muenster cheese and honey mustard on fresh croissants; a “55” salad with romaine lettuce, bacon, red onion, blue cheese, cucumber, celery, grape tomatoes and a sweet-n-sour dressing; and delectable key lime bars for dessert. Don’t forget to RSVP for dinner by Monday, June 22, at 4 p.m!

BYOB (Bring your own beverage), lawn chair, blanket, and enjoy an evening of fun and friends. For more information on the full picnic author schedule and dinners, check out this blog post or call (614) 464-1032, ext 11.

See you next Wednesday!

On Wednesday, June 10, Thurber House invites you to our first summer literary picnic of the season, the Thurber Treat, hosted by TV personality Johnny DiLoretto.

The Treat always launches the series, and since this year is our 25th anniversary, we asked local writers to write about a memory they had involving the House. Three winners will read their entries, and Johnny will read one, too!

We have a great caterer, Pat Baker of Party Panache, who makes our fabulous Picnic dinners. For the Treat, she’s preparing beef brisket with American cheese on a deli roll; ranch pasta salad, and sinfully rich and delicious turtle brownies. Vegetarian dinners are also available, or you can bring your own picnic dinner and buy just a ticket to the reading. If you’re interested in the catered dinner, please call: (614) 464-1032, Ext 11 by 4 o’clock on Monday, June 8.

Bring your lawn chair, blanket, wine or other favorite beverage, and enjoy an evening of fun and friends. For more information on the full picnic author schedule and dinners, check out this blog post or call (614) 464-1032, ext 11.

See you next Wednesday!

Last Friday we finished up our Winter/Spring Evening with Authors Series. Tony Horwitz gave a fabulous and funny presentation about his new book Voyage Long and Strange.  But there is no rest for the weary. With the Evenings With Authors events done, Thurber House is now gearing up for our Summer Literary Picnics.

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, Thurber House is pleased to offer you another fantastic lineup of outdoor picnics and readings with authors who have an Ohio connection. We’ll kick off the  season with our 2009 Thurber Treat. Please join us on the Thurber House lawn for five evenings of good friends, good food and great books.

If you don’t know how the Literary Picnics work, here is the drill:

• 5:20 p.m.- Our Young Docents offer guided tours of Thurber House
• 6:15 p.m.- Dinner is served! Order one of our delicious dinners, made fresh by Party Panache catering. Feel free to bring your favorite beer or wine to enjoy with dinner. (If you want dinner from us, please make a reservation by 4:00 pm the Monday before the picnic. Vegetarian options available!)
• 7:00 p.m.- The reading begins. Thurber House will remain open after the reading for tours, book buying and signing.

The Picnic schedule is as follows (all picnics are on Wednesdays):

• June 10- The Thurber Treat, hosted by Johnny DiLoretto
• June 24- Julia Keller
• July 8- Jennifer Cruise
• July 22- New Voices: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction
  • Christopher Barzak.
  • David Giffels
  • James Siegel
• August 5- P.L.Gaus

To order tickets for the readings or for dinner and readings, go to our website www.thurberhouse.org, or call (614) 464-1032.  Check our blog updates for more detailed information about each of these authors.