Blue Apple Books to host author Matt Kessler plus launch holiday season
MADISON – An Alabama author who confronts crime in South Alabama will appear at Blue Apple Books. Plus, the bookstore is launching the holiday season with a shopping party.
Alabama native, journalist and author Matt Kessler will visit Blue Apple Books at 14 Main St., Suite B on Oct. 29 to discuss and sign his newest book, “The Wiregrass: A Tale of Murder and Retribution in the Deep South.”
Kessler’s book follows a reporter who pursues his dogged quest to solve the murder of two teenagers. He uncovers a forgotten corner of the Deep South and the chilling web of police corruption, violence and miscarried justice beneath its surface.
The bodies of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett were discovered in 1999 in Ozark, Ala. The girls had been shot and were found in Beasley’s car trunk. The girls had been celebrating Beasley’s birthday.
Months, then years, passed without anyone solving the case. Eccentric townspeople decided to search for the murderer. Their efforts were sincere but unsuccessful – even generating buzz about a cover-up.
Twenty years later, the police chief asked Coley McCraney to report to the station. The chief’s childhood friend, McCraney was a devout Black man and long-haul trucker. In a shocking turn, the chief arrests Mc-Craney for the murders. “In a region rife with corruption and haunted by a legacy of racist violence, was there any chance of finding the truth?” according to Kessler’s book.
“The Wiregrass” is Kessler’s first book but he has impressive experience in other pursuits. He worked for “The Guardian” and “The Atlantic.” In radio work he broadcasted for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and Illinois Public Media. He is a fellow in the University of Southern California’s doctorate program in creative writing and literature. The Kessler family lives in Birmingham.
Gillian Flynn, bestselling author of the megahit “Gone Girl,” commented on “The Wiregrass”: “Page-turning, novelistic, brilliantly reported and extremely important to read right now.” Kiese Laymon, award-winning author of “Heavy,” said, “The work here, in all its rigor and violence, is utterly beautiful. Matt Kessler has set a new standard for storytelling.”
Another attraction at Blue Apple Books is the annual holiday party, “Tidings of Comfort & Books.” “Kick off the holiday season on Nov. 1 and join the staff of Blue Apple Books and South & Pine for an afternoon of shopping, treats and a cocktail (or mocktail) while supporting a small, locally-owned business,” owner Robin Dauma said.
A ticket includes an event-exclusive candle ($25 value), an exclusive bookmark, delicious treats and a cocktail (or mocktail). Shoppers can get ‘first dibs’ on all Christmas merchan- dise, on both sides of the store:
• Locally produced art and holiday decor, including wreaths and garlands.
• Advent calendars, seasonal candles, room and linen sprays and diffusers.
• Puzzles with holiday themes, special cover books and Greenwich Bay soaps and lotions in seasonal scents.
• Stocking stuffers for all ages.
The holiday party “sells out quickly, so don’t delay. Our staff stays up late on Saturday to transform the store into a holiday wonderland. You’ll surely start feeling ‘Christmas-y’ with the decor, food, music and festive atmosphere,” Dauma said.
