Join us for an evening with Maria Kelson, poet and author of Not the Killing Kind, a contemporary thriller about a Latina education reformer whose son is wrongfully jailed for murder.
Book signing and refreshments from A Bite with Mee to follow. Book sales provided by Brain Lair Books.
About Maria Kelson
Maria Kelson has two collections of poetry (as Maria Melendez) with University of Arizona Press, which were finalists for the PEN Center USA Literary Award and the Colorado Book Award. Not the Killing Kind is her debut novel. It received the inaugural Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Crime Fiction Writers of Color from Sisters in Crime.
A former Santa Fe Arts Institute and Hedgebrook resident, she has given readings and workshops at campuses and literary festivals around the U.S. and served as an American Voices arts envoy in Bogotá, Colombia. Born in Arizona, raised in northern California, she has lived in one southeastern, three midwestern, and five western states. Connect at mariakelson.com.
To check out Not the Killing Kind at SJCPL, click here. To check out Latino Poetry: the Library of America Anthology, click here.
This program is presented in partnership with Letras Latinas, the literary initiative at the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and is presented as part of Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home, a major public humanities initiative taking place across the nation in 2024 and 2025. Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home is directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.
About Culturally Speaking
Culturally Speaking is more than an author talk series—it’s a celebration of the storytellers behind the words. This unique program dives into the life experiences, cultural influences, and personal journeys that shape some of today’s most impactful voices. Whether you’re an avid reader, a lover of storytelling, or simply curious about the “why” behind the stories, this series is for you. Learn more at sjcpl.org/programs/culturally-speaking
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REAL Services, in partnership with the St. Joe County Public Library and supported by the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust, may be able to provide transportation to attend Culturally Speaking events for individuals facing transportation barriers.
If you require transportation, please contact Rachael Zeiger-Toppen, r.zeiger@sjcpl.org, 574.282.4658, and provide your name and contact information at least one week prior to the event. This information will be shared with REAL Services to coordinate transportation arrangements.
AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Literature & Writing |
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