Winter Concert with Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards
2024-02-24 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Get ready for a cozy Winter Concert with Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, where their soulful melodies will warm your heart!
Join us for an unforgettable evening of live music featuring the talented duo, Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards. This in-person event will be held at the cozy and charming Booklovers’ Gourmet.
Get ready to be enchanted by their soulful voices, heartfelt lyrics, and beautiful melodies. Mark and Raianne’s unique blend of folk, Americana, and acoustic sounds will warm your heart and transport you to a world of pure musical bliss.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or discovering their music for the first time, this concert promises to be a magical experience. They will be previewing some tunes from their new album due out later in the Spring. So grab your friends, bring your loved ones, and come enjoy an evening of incredible music in the cozy ambiance of Booklovers’ Gourmet.
Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind event! Get your tickets now and get ready to be swept away by the mesmerizing tunes of Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards.
Get your tickets HERE!

March Photo Exhibit-The Beauty of Nature by Gail Alexander
2024-03-01 - 2024-03-30 | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
The Beauty of Nature by Gail Alexander will be featured at Booklovers’ Gourmet from March 1st-30th in the cafe gallery.
The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular business hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10-5, Wednesday 10-6, closed Sunday and Monday.

A meet the artist reception including light refreshments will take place on Saturday, March 9th, 2-4 p.m.

About the artist:

Gail is a life long resident of Dudley. She graduated from Nichols College with a bachelor’s degree in business and has spent her career at a large local company.She has always had a love of animals and enjoys spending time with and around them. She spent many years showing her Thoroughbred horse, AliBaba, in the dressage arena, even once qualifying and showing at the regional championships in New York. She also spent time training and competing her two Olde English Bulldogges, Apple and Nikita, in the sport of Nosework (think police dogs trained to sniff out drugs, except instead of sniffing out drugs, her dogs sniffed out specific odors). Both she and her dogs have won many titles in the sport.

Upon the passing of her beloved horse, she found herself with lots of time on her hands and in need of a new hobby so she picked up a camera and has been hooked ever since. She would take her dogs hiking with the camera in tow. When the dogs became physically unable to hike with her, she would head out by herself whenever and wherever it struck her fancy. That is where she really learned to appreciate nature and all its beauty. She is drawn to water, so many of her photographs are around rivers or oceans or ponds and has a special spot in her heart for raptors; but loves photographing all kinds of birds and animals, and anything else that catches her eye.Nowadays, it is not unusual to find her out and about with some friends or spending time with her two granddaughters on “adventures”, always with a camera in tow.Her work has been displayed in a juried show titled “The F-Stops Here” at Hygienic Gallery in New London, CT. Most recently five pieces of her work were displayed at Workspace Gallery in Manchester, CT in their “Perspectives of Time” show. She has since become a member of the gallery and later in 2024, more of her work will be on display and for sale at the gallery as well.“It wasn’t until I started taking pictures that I began to realize that there is great beauty in everything around us. Life gets so busy and we run from place to place or task to task, that we often don’t notice the little things right in front of us – like the quirkiness of the birds at the feeder or how majestic the eagle is soaring overhead. Photography has taught me to slow down and enjoy what is right in front of me.”

Evening Monthly Book Group
2024-03-06 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
***FEBRUARY MEETING POSTPONED TO MARCH 6TH***
Join us in reading and discussing “The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie” by Rachel Linden.
An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose. . . . from the bestselling author of The Enlightenment of Bees.
Buy online HERE or in store for a 10% discount!
Please let us know if you plan to attend by calling 508-949-6232 or emailing deb@bookloversgourmet.com

Local Amnesty International Meeting & Poetry Reading
2024-03-19 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us for a special human rights meeting featuring local poet Karen Warinsky, who will read her political and social commentary poetry from two of her collections, Sunrise Ruby & Dining with War.

Mystery Book Group
2024-03-20 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
This month’s mystery group will discuss “The Big Sleep” by Raymond Chandler.
The renowned novel from the crime fiction master, with the “quintessential urban private eye” (Los Angeles Times), Philip Marlowe. – Featuring the iconic character that inspired the film Marlowe, starring Liam Neeson.
To purchase the book online go HERE
Books are also available for purchase in store for a 10% DISCOUNT!
***Please call to let us know you are attending at 508-949-6232***

Pebble Art Class with Orange Jellyfish
2024-03-23 10:30 - 12:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us for a fun-filled in-person event at Booklovers’ Gourmet! Our Pebble Art Class will be led by guest local artist Kerry Consentino-Vilorio, owner of The Orange Jellyfish, who creates beautiful custom pebble art and sea glass designs. It is perfect for art enthusiasts of all skill levels. Get ready to unleash your creativity as we guide you through the process of transforming ordinary pebbles into unique pieces of art. Discover the joy of creating beautiful designs using hand-collected, all natural materials. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, this class offers a welcoming and relaxed environment to explore your artistic side. Don’t miss out on this chance to create your very own pebble masterpiece!
Cost is $60 per person. limited to 12 participants. All materials are included.
Reserve your spot HERE or in store during regular business hours.

March Evening Book Group
2024-03-27 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us in reading and discussing “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings–asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass–offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices.
Buy online HERE or in store for a 10% discount!
Please let us know if you plan to attend by calling 508-949-6232 or emailing deb@bookloversgourmet.com

Book Release Party for "Every Shade of Me" by Alec John Belle
2024-03-30 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
“Everyone is made up of colors. I just have a little more.” Grayson has always been different. From the time he started truly understanding what emotions were, he knew that something about him was special. It wasn’t until he turned eighteen that he realized what he was. An empath.
Being an empath hasn’t come without cost. While Grayson is always told it’s a gift, the overwhelming wave of emotions is starting to ruin his life. Between starting his first year of college, living by himself, and making new friends, he fears getting close to anyone. As he starts to fall in love with a man he meets on the internet and grows closer to his new friends, the worry strikes up again. Getting close means getting hurt. Getting close means having to feel.
And as he’s learned from past experiences, feelings always have a way of taking control.
About the author: Alec John Belle (he/him) currently lives in Massachusetts with his Chihuahua, Henry, and his black cat, Lizzie. When not writing, Alec spends his time reading, watching sitcoms and murder mysteries, meditating, praying at his altar, reading tarot and oracle cards, or listening to his vinyl record collection. His hope is to inspire and help as many people through their writing as possible.
The event is free and open to the public. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

"Local Area Trails & Waterways"- Photographs by Ray Arnold
2024-04-02 - 2024-04-30 | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
“Local Area Trails & Waterways”, photographs by Ray Arnold, will be on display and for sale April 2nd-30th in our cafe gallery.
A meet and greet with the artist will take place on Saturday, April 6th from 12-2 p.m. Free and open to the public.
The show may be viewed during regular business hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10-5, Wednesday 10-6, closed Sunday & Monday.
For more information, call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.
Artist bio: Ray Arnold lives in Southbridge, MA and is the Admin for ” Friends of Southbridge Trails” Facebook page. Since he was a kid, he has always enjoyed the beauty of nature which is why he decided to capture these wonderful places in photographs for all to view.

Artist's Reception for "Local Area Trails & Waterways"
2024-04-06 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us for a meet and greet with photographer Ray Arnold who is also an admin of the Facebook page “Friends of Southbridge Trails”.
Free and open to the public with light refreshments.

Monthly Writers Group
2024-04-10 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us for a small, supportive writers group.
Open to all genres and styles. Bring a piece to share or just come listen and offer feedback. Call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com to register. Free.

"When Being a Nurse Was Fun: Tales From My Life as a Nurse", with Author Ann Watt
2024-04-13 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Meet author Ann Watt, whose debut book is a nursing memoir titled, “When Being a Nurse Was Fun: Tales From My Life as a Nurse”.
This book signing & presentation is free to attend and signed books will be available for purchase. For more information or to RSVP, call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com. Ann lived in Worcester for a few years and was employed by UMass/Memorial at the University campus. The book starts with a few stories about her nursing training and employment at UMass.
About the book: Did you ever wonder what happens in an ICU at night? Is being a nurse in a hospital like what you see on TV or on the internet?
Besides taking excellent care of their patients, nurses enjoyed humor at work before the Covid pandemic. Playing jokes on each other or finding hilarity in absurd situations, we devised ways to amuse ourselves while performing our duties.
Glimpse into the medical career of someone who dares to say life as a nurse used to be fun. Follow my journey from being a student nurse to a critical care RN with 30 years of experience.
Relive with me both the frustrations and camaraderie that I encountered as an RN. Filled with true tales from my life both in and out of the hospital, “When Being a Nurse Was Fun” will cause you to laugh, and may also make you cry.
About the Author: Raised in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, Ann pursued a career as a nurse and graduated from Fitchburg State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She primarily worked in various ICUs for 30 years. Showing dedication to her area of expertise, she earned both her adult Critical Care RN and Cardiac Surgery specialty certificates.
Seeking challenges outside of the workplace, Ann obtained her private and commercial pilot licenses, in both single and multiengine airplanes.
Presently keeping her feet on the ground, she travels, hikes, and climbs mountains whenever possible. Conquering all 48 summits in the White Mountains of NH which are above 4000 feet in elevation, she is a member of the AMC’s 4000-Footer club. Photography, birding, and cooking are her other favorite hobbies.

Ann currently lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Wayne, and her rescue dog. For more information, visit her website http://www.annwattauthor.com

April Mystery Book Group
2024-04-17 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
This month’s mystery book group pick is West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman.
LOOKING FOR AN ANYTHING-BUT-ORDINARY WHODUNIT? – Welcome to the West Heart Club. Where the drinks are neat but behind closed doors . . . things can get messy. Where upright citizens are deemed downright boring. Where the only missing piece of the puzzle is you, dear reader.
A unique and irresistible murder mystery set at a remote hunting lodge where everyone is a suspect, including the erratic detective on the scene—a remarkable debut that gleefully upends the rules of the genre.
Purchase the book online HERE or in store for a 10% discount.
Please call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com if you plan to attend.

Young Poets Workshop
2024-04-17 17:00 - 18:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
POETRY IS ABOUT FINDING YOUR VOICE AND LEARNING HOW TO EXPRESS IT!

Join us during school vacation week in celebrating National Poetry Month! The workshop will be led by local published poet Robert Eugene Perry, who hosts several open mic events in the area including Slightly Offbeat Poets and a monthly Open Mic Poetry Share at Booklovers’ Gourmet since 2017.
The cost of the workshop is $10 per person and is limited to 10 participants ages 12-19.
To sign up, please call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.

What will be included in the workshop:

WRITING PROCESS

Inspiration
Finding your rhythm
Narrative

WRITER’S BLOCK (UNINSPIRED)

Ways to get unstuck
Giving yourself space
Journaling

EDITING

Having another proofreader
Reading out loud

ORGANIZING INTO BOOK FORM

Sections
Themes
Visual on page

SHARING INDIVIDUAL POEMS (as time allows)

Robert Eugene Perry is a native of Massachusetts and author of five books, the latest Earthsongs was released by Human Error Publishing in March 2022. He finds inspiration in nature, endeavoring to draw connections between ourselves and the natural world.

Annual Earth Day Family Fair
2024-04-21 13:00 - 16:00 UTC | Andy’s Neighborhood Canteen, 9 Frederick Street, Webster, 01570, United States
We are thrilled to be a part of the annual Earth Day Family Fair hosted by Local4Life!
***The event takes place at Andy’s Neighborhood Canteen, 9 Frederick Street, Webster, MA***
You can expect hands on activities for kids of all ages and education for adults of all ages on how to be a good steward of the Earth!
We will be featuring all kinds of books celebrating the Earth, nature, gardening and some giveaways too. Hope to see you there!!

"Finding Home"- April Book Group Meet & Greet with Dean Cycon
2024-04-24 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
We are excited to host Dean Cycon, author of Finding Home (Hungary 1945), in person for our monthly book group meeting in April! He will also be accompanied by a couple of klezmer musicians. To attend, please call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.
Books are currently available in store at a 10% discount or online HERE.
Here is just one of many rave reviews:
“Finding Home is a poetic, sweeping, and transportive story of Jewish returnees seeking to rebuild their lives after the war. In a world where prejudice and greed haven’t ceased, and where displacement continues long after liberation, Cycon gives us a powerful and emotional read, with faith, music, and beauty central to the search for home.”
-Jennifer Rosner, award-winning author of The Yellow Bird Sings and Once We Were Home

Dean Cycon is an author, lawyer, human rights advocate, and social entrepreneur who has lived and worked in over sixty countries. A passionate explorer of culture and history, Dean seeks out unexamined corners that illuminate the human condition. He has previously published Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee, which was awarded the Gold Medal for Best Travel Essay by the Independent Publishers Association and has been translated into Chinese, Korean, and Spanish. Finding Home (Hungary, 1945) is his first novel. Dean lives in Western Massachusetts, USA.

Independent Bookstore Day 2024
2024-04-27 | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
JOIN US FOR INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY 2024!
Independent Bookstore Day (IBD), now in its 11th year, is a one-day national party that celebrates indie bookstores across the country on the last Saturday in April. Stop in for a fun time including a “Golden Ticket” scavenger hunt courtesy of Libro.fm, giveaways, raffles & special treats along with exclusive books and other cool literary-related items that you can only get on that day at indie bookstores!
See you there!!

Underwater Photography by Brian Perry
2024-05-01 - 2024-05-31 | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Lemon Sharks-Tiger Beach, photograph by Brian Perry
Underwater Photography by Brian Perry will be on display May 1st-31st in our cafe gallery. You won’t want to miss this unique & beautiful show! These large format photographs may be viewed during regular business hours, Tuesday-Saturday 10-5, Wednesday 10-6.
A special talk and reception with the artist will take place on Saturday, May 4th at 2 p.m. He will speak about equipment, lighting techniques, wide angle and macro, composition, and post processing techniques
Free and open to the public. For more information, call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.

Artist’s Statement: I have been scuba diving since 1979. I became a scuba instructor in 1982 and taught diving at Inland Divers and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. My underwater photography began in 2009 to share photos with my diving students using a Canon digital camera. I took a Master Course in Underwater Photography in 2013 to learn how to use a Nikon DSLR camera underwater. My local underwater photography is done in Gloucester and Rockport and my favorite area is Key Largo, Florida where the water is clear and the fish colorful. In July 2022, I spent one week diving with large Tiger Sharks in the Bahamas, up close, no protection, just my camera. My talk will include a discussion on equipment, lighting techniques, wide angle and macro, composition, and post processing techniques.

Growing HOPE: The Therapeutic Benefits Of Gardening
2024-05-04 11:00 - 12:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us in welcoming author Carol Bernardone with her book Growing HOPE.
This is a free event. Autographed books will be available for purchase. To RSVP, please call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com
Gardening is fundamental to providing healthy air, nutritious food, and beauty for the world. But even beyond this, the art of gardening provides many therapeutic benefits for children. You don’t have to be an expert gardener to let your green thumb flourish and share all that can be learned in the world of horticulture. Whether you are a teacher, therapist, or parent of young children, you might be on the constant prowl for new activities that help create a safe space where kids can grow. If that’s the case, look no further than Growing Hope: The Therapeutic Benefits of Gardening.
Gardening refers to any form of connecting with green life through plants and nature. This is a powerful, inclusive, and adaptable activity for all ages! Inside this guide, you will discover:
* The many benefits of gardening with real-life examples of how gardening can shape minds, overcome challenges, and transform life for the better.
* Important steps to take for beginner gardeners with inspiration on how to incorporate gardening in educational and therapy settings.
* How gardening has transformed many different lives and provided healing methods through various case studies.
* Powerful tips to make gardening more collaborative with suggestions for creating partnerships through plants and nature.
* Realistic methods to help introduce gardening in the classroom, during therapy, or at home to empower all ages and improve valuable life skills!
Beyond this, you will find practical advice and valuable insights from the mind of Carol Bernardone, a school-based occupational therapist assistant in special education with over 25 years of experience. Anyone can benefit from the practice of connecting with nature. If you are ready to discover the ins and outs of using gardening for therapeutic benefits, add this book to your collection of learning tools.

Artist's Talk-Underwater Photography by Brian Perry
2024-05-04 14:00 - 15:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Tiger Sharks, photography by Brian Perry

A special talk and reception with photographer Brian Perry will take place on Saturday, May 4th at 2 p.m. He will speak about equipment, lighting techniques, wide angle and macro, composition, and post processing techniques.
His show of Underwater Photography will be on display in the cafe gallery May 1st-31st during regular business hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Wednesday 10am-6pm.
Free and open to the public. For more information, call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.

Holy Fire Experience-Guided Meditation with Leo McCarthy
2024-05-08 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Come join us for a transformative experience led by Reiki Master Leo McCarthy at Booklovers’ Gourmet. This event offers a unique opportunity to connect with your inner self through guided meditation in a serene and accepting environment. Let the Holy Fire guide you on a journey of self-discovery and relaxation. Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this event is open to all who seek inner peace and spiritual growth. Don’t miss out on this enlightening experience!
Cost is $30 per person, limited to 10 participants
Tickets available online through EVENTBRITE or in store during regular business hours.
*Everyone should bring a journal/notebook and pen/pencil to write about their experience during the meditation.
What to expect:
During this Experience, Leo will be conducting a brief guided meditation followed by 15 – 20 minutes of quiet during which time the Holy Fire® energy will be working directly with each person, providing a unique healing experience that contains what is needed by each person. Some people will have inner experiences such as seeing colors or feeling waves of healing energy flowing through them or visions of spiritual beings and so forth, and others will simply feel relaxed. Everyone will receive something meaningful that will continue to produce benefits even after the event. After the Experience is complete, Leo will have everyone write in their journal or notebook about what they experienced. There will be time afterwards if people wish to share their experiences.

New England's Haunted Route 44 Book Talk & Signing
2024-05-11 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us in welcoming authors Tom D’Agostino and Arlene Nicholson as they explore & discuss the dark corners of New England’s most haunted highway, Route 44!

The event is free and open to the public. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

U.S. Route 44 stretches across New England from Massachusetts to Connecticut before completing its circuit in New York State, 237 miles later. Along the way, travelers may encounter the infamous Bridgewater Triangle, take a haunted tour of Plymouth, or see the ghosts of Chepachet.

Follow in the footsteps of famous science fiction horror writer Howard Phillips Lovecraft from Providence to Gloucester, Rhode Island. Follow the road through small towns and dark forests where sightings of UFOs and cryptids have surprised travelers for years.

About the authors: Tom D’Agostino and Arlene Nicholson are ardent researchers of New England history, haunts, legends and folklore. Creators of fourteen books, together they have penned and captured on film the best haunts and history New England has to offer. Tom has contributed to various other books and publications and has appeared on many television and radio shows, as well as documentaries on the subject of the paranormal. Arlene is a professional photographer with a degree in photography. Tom is a graduate of Rhode Island College with a degree in political science. He is a professional teacher and musician. Tom builds his own musical instruments, many from the medieval and Renaissance periods, for use in his profession.

Closing at 3 p.m. for the Holiday Weekend
2024-05-25 | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
We will be closing at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 25th for the Memorial Day Weekend, reopening on Tuesday, May 28th.
Have a safe and happy holiday!

June Photo Exhibit -Travels with Bridget
2024-06-01 - 2024-06-29 | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Bass Harbor Head Light Station Tremont, ME by Bridget Perch
Photographs by Bridget Perch from travels around New England, Arizona, California, Florida and Cuba will be on display at Booklovers’ Gourmet in the cafe gallery June 1st-29th.
The public is invited to a meet and greet with the artist on Saturday, June 29th, 2-4 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.
Artist’s Statement: My name is Bridget Perch and I am a photography hobbyist, living in Central Mass since 1993. I am active in the Assabet Valley Camera Club and enjoy sharing my pictures and participating in contests and challenges.
My husband and I enjoy traveling, when we can. I am pleased to share my journeys through my pictures. There is a story to be told for each photo that I take.
I have put together this exhibit of a number of my favorite photos. I do hope that you enjoy viewing them as much as I have the pleasure of sharing them with you.

World War II Massachusetts Book Talk with James Parr
2024-06-01 14:00 - 15:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Join us for this free event! Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Over 500,000 Massachusetts residents answered the call to military duty in the Second World War, while the rest of the state’s citizens fought the war on the home front. Everyone in the family, including pets, found creative and essential ways to contribute.
Thousands worked in factories, volunteered for Civil Defense, watched for enemy aircraft, and took part in salvage collections and bond drives, all while dealing with rationing, blackouts, rumors and a host of other wartime inconveniences. And while thousands of service members left to fight overseas, the Bay State also welcomed thousands more to serve on its military bases that were such an important part of our nation’s defense.
Author James Parr reveals the stories of these brave and dedicated citizens–from the famous to the ordinary–as they faced wartime challenges.
James L. Parr taught elementary school for thirty-four years before retiring in June 2022. He is a longtime volunteer at several local historical organizations and community theater groups. This is Jim’s fourth book for The History Press

Music of Sam Bowen & Blue Cat Grove
2024-06-01 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Get ready to experience Sam Bowen’s newest CD “Closer to the Sky” live and feel like you’re soaring high with his incredible music!
Come join us for an unforgettable evening of music with the talented singer-songwriter Sam Bowen! Get ready to be taken “closer to the sky” with his soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics. This in person event will be hosted at Booklovers’ Gourmet, the perfect intimate setting to enjoy Sam’s music. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience live music in a cozy atmosphere. Grab your friends and come vibe with us!
Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased in store during regular business hours or online through Eventbrite.
Seats are general admission and limited to 20 attendees.

Drifting to "Hello" Poetry Event with Fred Gerhard
2024-06-08 14:30 - 16:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Come hear Fred Gerhard read from his new poetry book, Drifting to “Hello” (Khotso Publishing). His poems have also appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. A 2023 winner of Poetry in the Pines, he writes from Ashburnham, MA, where he leads monthly poetry workshops. The event will also include an open mic portion. To sign up to read, please call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com. Space is limited.

Praise for Drifting to “Hello”
“… from lucid and conversational free verse to skillful and musical rhyme. He crafts memorable lines and indelible images…” —Simon Hunt, author of Lesser Magi and Endlings
“These poems tap gently at our door and invite us to join the dance of dandelions and red catkins, bobcats and trolleys, of life and death and love.” —Barbara Morrison, author of Terrarium, Here at Least, and Innocent
“In Fred’s poetry, there is a magical sense of loss, and light … that envelops the reader in something mystical.” —Kirk Lawrence-Howard, BespokeVocals.com
“Beautiful, touching, and heartwarming … an enchanting read.” —Melissa Dorval, author of the novel When You Lose Control
“We are the lucky ones who get to experience his many loves through his poems.” —Kevin Scott Hall, songwriter and author of A Quarter Inch From My Heart and Off the Charts!
Fred Gerhard’s poems have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies including Entropy Magazine, Friends Journal, Monadnock Underground, Pif Magazine, and POETiCA REViEW. He is author of the chapbook Lilacs Still Bloom in Ashburnham: Songs of Spring (Local Gems Poetry Press, 2023) and Drifting to “Hello” (Khotso Publishing, 2023). His poems have also appeared in local art galleries. He is one of the 2023 winners of the Poetry in the Pines contest for which his work is installed on the trails at the Cathedral in the Pines in Rindge, NH. His poems have also been voiced by the actor Kirk Lawrence-Howard on YouTube. He is an editor for Quabbin Quills anthologies, and Smoky Quartz – An Online Journal of Literature and Art. For many years he led a poetry therapy group in Worcester. And he is one of the founders of the New Dawn Writers’ Group where he leads monthly poetry workshops and helps host open mic nights in Ashburnham, MA. Visit his virtual reading room at FredGerhard.com

Tuesday Time with Spirit with Leo McCarthy
2024-06-11 19:00 - 20:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Come experience the connection between the material and spiritual worlds with psychic medium Leo McCarthy in a group setting. Limited to 12 attendees.
Tickets: $45 per person may be purchased in store during regular business hours or online through EVENTBRITE.
In Mediumship, the medium represents being the bridge between the spirit world and the sitter. When mediumship happens, the medium raises their energetic vibration to meet the spirit world. At the same time, the spirit world is lowering their energetic vibration to meet the medium. The medium can then validate information given from the spirit world, show continuation of the soul after physical death, and relay messages to the sitter.
For more information about Leo McCarthy, visit https://leomediummccarthy.net/
Please note: Not all participants are guaranteed a reading.

"The Luminous Racetrack" Poetry Reading with Bill Tremblay
2024-06-22 14:00 - 15:30 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Bill Tremblay will read from his newest book The Luminous Racetrack, poetic memoirs about growing up in his Franco-American working-class family in the town of Southbridge, Massachusetts.
An open mic portion will also be included in the program. To sign up to read, please call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.
The event is free and signed books will be available for purchase.
Bill Tremblay is an award-winning poet, novelist, teacher, editor, and reviewer whose work has appeared in ten full-length volumes of poetry including Crying in the Cheap Seats [University of Massachusetts Press], The Anarchist Heart [New Rivers Press], Duhamel: Ideas of Order in Little Canada [BOA Editions Ltd.], Shooting Script: Door of Fire [Eastern Washington University Press]. Hundreds of his poems have appeared in literary magazines and in such anthologies as the Pushcart Prize, The Jazz Poetry Anthology, Best American Poetry, 2003, In 1994, he published his novel, The June Rise {Utah State University Press}, which was widely and favorably reviewed, especially on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” In 2004, his book, Shooting Script: Door of Fire received the Colorado Book Award [2004]. He has received awards and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as at Yaddo. He was a Fulbright visiting Lecturer at Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. Mr. Tremblay edited Colorado Review for 15 years, and is the recipient of the John F. Stern Distinguished Professor award for his thirty-three years teaching in and directing the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Colorado State University.

Artist's Reception-Travels with Bridget
2024-06-29 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Booklovers’ Gourmet, 72 East Main St, Webster, MA, 01570, United States
Horseshoe Bend Page, AZ by Bridget Perch
Photographs by Bridget Perch from travels around New England, Arizona, California, Florida and Cuba will be on display at Booklovers’ Gourmet in the cafe gallery June 1st-29th.
Join us for a meet and greet with the artist on Saturday, June 29th, 2-4 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, call 508-949-6232 or email deb@bookloversgourmet.com.
