Advertise on podcast: Drinks in the Library

The Only Good Indians is a 2020 horror novel by Stephen Graham Jones about four Blackfeet men haunted by a disturbing, deadly event that took place in their youth. Years later, they find themselves tracked by an entity bent on revenge, totally helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way. The companion book to this novel, Off the Reservation, is coming out October 13, 2026 - don’t miss it! Becky Spratford is a Librarian in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All and RA Horror for All, writes reviews for Booklist and a Horror review column for Library Journal. Becky has been an elected Library Trustee and a former Board member for both the Reaching Across Illinois Library System and the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with Horror readers. Becky is the author of three text books for library workers and the editor of the Bram Stoker Award winning Why I Love Horror. Becky was named one of the Chicago Tribune’s Chicagoans of the Year in 2025. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, currently serving as the Association’s Secretary and Co-Chair of their Libraries Committee. You can follow Becky on Bluesky @raforall.bsky.social. We paired this book with a bottle of Coors beer to reflect the opening scene in a bar in the Midwest! Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff.

Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series follows a fiercely independent Victorian lepidopterist who finds herself entangled in murder, mystery, and adventure in 19th-century England. Alongside her enigmatic partner, natural historian Stoker, Veronica uses her sharp wit, scientific knowledge, and unconventional methods to solve dangerous crimes. Carmela Dutra is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. She is the author of the Food Truck Mysteries, including A Murder Most Fowl and Hot Wings and Homicide. Her series has been praised by Kirkus Reviews, which called her debut “a serious set of crimes leavened by plenty of amusing moments,” and by Library Journal, which noted that Hot Wings and Homicide “is perfect for foodies.” Criminal Element highlighted the “juicy reasoning behind the sabotage that was almost as shocking as the murder itself,” and New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams described the books as “the perfect escapist read, brimming with banter and an extra helping of fun.” Carmela has also been featured in CrimeReads Magazine. A lover of humor, quirky characters, and all things geeky, Carmela spends her days sketching, sipping far too much coffee, and over-cuddling her allergy-inducing cats and dog. She lives with her husband and two dinosaur-obsessed sons, drawing inspiration from rainy afternoons, bustling farmers’ markets, and the unexpected moments that make life memorable. Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff. Our drink this week was a Whiskey Sour, Whiskey is a favorite of Carmela’s and Veronica, and the little kick reflects Veronica’s spicy nature. Whiskey Sour Ingredients 2 oz bourbon or whiskey3/4 oz fresh lemon juice3/4 oz simple syrupIceOptional: 1 egg whiteLemon slice or cocktail cherry for garnishDirections Add whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. If using egg white, add it and shake without ice first.Add ice and shake vigorously until chilled.Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.• 4. Garnish with a lemon slice or cocktail cherry.

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism is a 2025 memoir by Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook. This book offers an explosive, first-hand look at the internal culture and decision-making practices at the highest levels of the tech giant. Lauren Comito is a cape wearing, sword swinging, activist librarian in NYC. Lauren is currently the Neighborhood Library Supervisor at the Leonard Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library and Executive Director of Urban Librarians Unite. She is committed to creating space for communities to connect and grow, whether in her neighborhood or among library workers. I will be with Lauren in person on October 15 for the Urban Librarians Unite Romantasy gala in Brooklyn NY! Get your tickets now for a night celebrating libraries, librarians, and the important work that we do! Our drink for this episode was an Old Fashioned, as Lauren said when we were planning: The book is one of those nightmare bureaucracy memoirs where you probably need a damn drink but don't want to drink it too fast? Well said. Cheers! Old-Fashioned Ingredients 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey 1 sugar cube (or 1/4 oz simple syrup) 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters 1 teaspoon water (if using a sugar cube) Ice Orange peel and cocktail cherry for garnish Directions Place the sugar cube, bitters, and water in an Old-Fashioned glass. Muddle until the sugar dissolves. If using simple syrup, stir with the bitters instead. Add the whiskey and stir to combine. Add a large ice cube and stir until chilled. Express the orange peel over the glass, then garnish with the peel and a cocktail cherry.

Cory Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a sci-fi novel set in a post-scarcity future where death is curable and social status is run by a reputation metric called "whuffie". The protagonist, a centenarian named Jules, lives his dream managing classic attractions at Walt Disney World. When a rival faction stages a hostile takeover and figuratively and literally "kills" his project by modernizing the Hall of Presidents, Jules goes to war to protect the park's traditional artistic purity Phillip Hilliker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. He has contributed to role-playing games such as Shadowrun and White Wolf’s World of Darkness, written voiceover scripts for too many whiteboard explanatory videos. He is a current board member of James River Writers and has served as their membership coordinator as well. Currently he’s employed by a puzzle company to draw primarily sports-centric projects. You can find him on social media: @philhilliker Our drink this week is a Piña Colada, which as you’ll hear ties back a bit to the Magic Kingdom! Piña Colada Ingredients 2 oz white rum2 oz pineapple juice2 oz cream of coconut1 cup icePineapple wedge and maraschino cherry, for garnishDirections Add rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and ice to a blender.Blend until smooth and creamy.Pour into a chilled glass.Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry.

Old Man's War by John Scalzi follows 75-year-old John Perry, who joins the Colonial Defense Forces in exchange for a chance to explore the stars and a new, younger body. Recruited into an interstellar war, Perry discovers that the universe is far more dangerous and morally complicated than he expected. Blending sharp humor, military science fiction, and big questions about aging, identity, and sacrifice, the novel offers a fast-paced and thought-provoking adventure. Donna Barba Higuera is an award-winning author who masterfully blends folklore with her lived experiences to create captivating stories for young readers. Growing up in the dust-filled oil fields of Central California, she spent her life weaving tales that sparked her imagination. Now residing in the Pacific Northwest with her family and a lively menagerie of pets, Donna is the acclaimed author of picture books like El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! and The Yellow Handkerchief. Her middle-grade novels have garnered significant recognition: Lupe Wong Won't Dance received the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor, while her second novel, The Last Cuentista, was awarded both the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. The Last Cuentista was also named a Best Book of the Year by The Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME. Her newest book Xolo reimagines the Aztec myth of the origin of man-and man's best friend.  Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff. Man of War Cocktail Ingredients 1½ oz bourbon½ oz orange liqueur½ oz sweet vermouth½ oz fresh lemon juiceOrange twist, for garnish Directions Add bourbon, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.Shake well.Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. • 4. Garnish with an orange twist.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is a book in which generations of readers have journeyed with Milo to the Lands Beyond in this beloved classic. Enriched by Jules Feiffer's splendid illustrations, the wit, wisdom, and wordplay of Norton Juster's offbeat fantasy are as beguiling as ever. For Milo, everything's a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he's got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different.  Rebecca N. Thompson, MD, MSc, is a family medicine and public health physician from Portland, Oregon, who specializes in women's and children's health. Throughout her career, she has sought opportunities to use written and spoken words to help build community and to make complex medical topics more accessible and more engaging for a wide range of audiences. Her critically acclaimed book, Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love (HarperCollins 2025), is the result of her decade-long collaboration with a remarkable group of women to share their most intimate true stories about personal relationships, professional identities, and health and healing across generations. Dr. Thompson trained at Harvard, Stanford, and Oregon Health & Science University and is always learning from her most influential teachers—her patients, colleagues, family, and friends. In her free time, she enjoys wandering through green spaces, reading in cozy nooks, playing unreasonably complicated board games, repurposing found objects, and accompanying her husband and children on all-weather adventures near and far. Our drink this week is a Capri Sun, always a good time and a great pairing for a classic children’s book. On Wednesday October 14th I will be MCing the Urban Librarians Unite Gala in Brooklyn NY, if you are in that area and would like to spend the night celebrating an organization that supports libraries, grab a ticket and join us! More info here: https://urbanlibrariansunite.org/romantasy-gala-2026/

What if every relationship you've ever had left behind a version of yourself? In A Life in Men by Gina Frangello, Mary's life is forever shaped by her complicated friendship with Nix, her charismatic, free-spirit best friend, and the rift that ultimately divided them forever. Both intimate and emotionally honest, this book is a powerful novel about love, identity, grief, and the people who change us forever. As the Founder and CEO of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations, Kathleen is a well-respected voice in book publishing with in-depth experience in all aspects of the industry, including as a publicist, literary agent, acquisitions editor, and ghostwriter.  Her career encompasses 30 years of creating and directing impactful and strategic global media, marketing, and branding campaigns for politicians, A-List celebrities, athletes, and high-profile personalities.  Her fast-growing Substack newsletter, Publishing Confidential, shares her wealth of inside knowledge that she hopes will help demystify the book industry. She recently announced a book deal, expanding on her knowledge and experience in the publishing industry, it will be coming out in 2027. Married with two children, she resides in New Jersey.

In The Ogress and the Orphans, Kelly Barnhill tells the story of the struggling town of Stone-in-the-Glen, where fear and misinformation lead the townspeople to blame a kindhearted ogress for their misfortunes instead of the corrupt mayor who caused them. When a group of resourceful orphans discovers the truth, they join forces with the ogress to expose deception, restore compassion, and rebuild their fractured community. Blending fantasy with timely themes of kindness, courage, and the power of stories, the novel is a moving celebration of empathy and collective action. Meg Medina served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Her most recent middle-grade novel and first fantasy, Graciela in the Abyss, was a 2026 ALSC Notable Children’s Book and a CCBC Choices 2026 selection. Illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso, the novel was also awarded the prestigious 2026 Hamilton King Award by the Society of Illustrators. She is also the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, a 2018 Kirkus Prize finalist, and is followed by two more acclaimed books about the Suárez family: Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool. Her young adult novels include Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, which won the 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award, and was published in 2023 as a graphic novel illustrated by Mel Valentine Vargas; Burn Baby Burn, which was long-listed for the National Book Award; and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind. She is also the author of picture books No More Señora Mimí / No más Señora Mimí, Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away / Evelyn del Rey se muda, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez, Jumpstart’s 2020 Read for the Record selection; Mango, Abuela, and Me, illustrated by Angela Dominguez, which was a Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book; and Tía Isa Wants a Car, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz, which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award; and biographies for young readers She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor and She Persisted: Pura Belpré, the latter with Marilisa Jiménez García. Meg Medina’s work examines how cultures intersect through the eyes of young people. She brings audiences stories that speak to both what is unique in Latino culture and qualities that are universal. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia. To celebrate Meg’s Cuban roots, our drink pairing for this was a Cuba Libre: Cuba Libre Ingredients 2 oz white rum4 to 6 oz cola1/2 oz fresh lime juice (about half a lime)IceLime wedge, for garnishDirections Fill a tall glass with ice.Pour in the rum and fresh lime juice.Top with cola and stir gently. • 4. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

Missing You, Metropolis by Gary Jackson is a poetry collection that blends superheroes, comic book mythology, pop culture, and personal memory to explore identity, race, love, grief, and belonging. Through inventive, emotionally resonant poems, Jackson reimagines iconic characters and fictional worlds as lenses for examining real-life experiences and the complexities of growing up Black in America. Martheaus Perkins is a teacher, editor, and hot sauce enthusiast based in Washington, D.C. He is the recipient of the Robert Creeley Memorial Award, the Voices President's Award, the GMU Rinehart Fiction Award, and the Robert Raymond Scholarship. His debut poetry collection, The Grace of Black Mothers, was published by Trio House Press in 2025. We sipped iced tea (Gold Peak), which was a drink Martheaus often enjoyed with his grandmother. This episode was recorded at Richmond Poetry Fest 2026. Special thanks to Rosa Castellano for bringing us together and helping us coordinate recording at the event!

George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a satirical allegorical novel about a group of farm animals who overthrow their human owner in hopes of creating a society based on equality and freedom. As the pigs gradually take control, the animals discover that their revolution has replaced one form of oppression with another. Through its dark humor and memorable characters, the novel explores power, corruption, propaganda, and the dangers of political tyranny. My guest this week is the amazing Katy Hearne-Church from Queens Podcast! What do you get when you take two childhood friends with a passion for unexplored history and a whole lotta booze? Queens Podcast! Katy and Nathan share exciting stories of women in history. Katy and Nathan believe that the female perspective and roles are just as deserving of their time in the spotlight! Because history is more than the stories of dudes on a battlefield. Each queen is paired with a drink recipe that will totally get you in the mood to hear the fun, dramatic, juicy, and underrepresented stories of some seriously interesting ladies. Find them and listen wherever you find your podcasts! Moscow Mule Ingredients 2 oz vodka1/2 oz fresh lime juice4 oz ginger beerLime wedge, for garnishIceDirections Fill a copper mug or glass with ice.Add vodka and lime juice.Top with ginger beer.• 4. Stir gently and garnish with a lime wedge.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is about an 86-year-old Portuguese widower who arrives in a small Southern town in Georgia. He spends his year there buying local pencil portraits from a coffee shop wall and gifting them back to the people they depict. Through these quiet meetings, his deep kindness and close attention change the lives of the townspeople. MaryCatherine Price is the Digital Streaming Executive Producer at Channel 8News in Richmond, where she also hosts a behind-the-scenes podcast called The Rundown. She’s happily married to her comic-book-loving, jambalaya-making husband Alfred. She loves reading books that wreck her, drinking iced coffees and playing fetch with her sweet pup Percy.  An opening scene in the book depicts Theo raving about a local coffee-shop’s Espresso, so that’s what we sipped on. I am not a Barista but they turned out pretty well! I wanted to mention a group for those of you in the Richmond Area might be interested, it’s called RVA Book Professionals and Students on Facebook, for networking with others who make the RVA bookish community happen.

The Burning Girls by CJ Tudor is a folk horror and mystery novel about Reverend Jack Brooks and her teenage daughter, Flo, who move to a remote English village seeking a fresh start. The village of Chapel Croft carries a dark history of past martyrdoms, missing teenagers, and the recent suicide of the previous vicar. As Jack investigates these intertwined tragedies, Flo begins seeing frightening apparitions of burning girls linked to the town's buried secrets. Erin Palmer hosts a podcast called Did You Read The Book? Along with her friends, Erin dissects movie adaptations—from cinematic masterpieces to films that apparently treated the source material like a La Croix tastes; fruit flavors screaming in another room. She celebrates the rare times Hollywood gets it right, lovingly roasts the times it absolutely doesn't, and argues over whether cutting your favorite character was "necessary" or just a personal attack. Expect hot takes, behind-the-scenes trivia, and unapologetic opinions dripping with sarcasm. So grab your popcorn, dust off that novel you've been meaning to reread, and join Erin and her guests as they compare the book, the movie, and the creative decisions that keep therapists employed. Smoked Rosemary Bourbon Sour Cocktail Ingredients  2 ounces Bourbon 3 ounces lemonade Dash bitters Rosemary sprig Directions Carefully light rosemary on fire, letting burn until some of the leaves are ash. Place into a glass.Combine bourbon, lemonade, and bitters in a shaker half-filled with ice and shake well.Strain into glass over the smoked rosemary. First ever Patreon-only episode is now live! Find me on Patreon.com/Drinksinthelibrary to listen to Bill’s fifth episode of the pod and hear us discuss how much we did not enjoy the drink pairing - a Dirty Shirley Thank you for being a part of Libration Nation!

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical narrative that chronicles the Great Migration, the decades-long exodus of nearly six million Black Americans fleeing the oppressive Jim Crow South for Northern and Western cities. Wilkerson captures the immense scale of this demographic shift through intimate, intertwined biographies of three individuals—Ida Mae Gladney, George Starling, and Robert Foster—who relocated during different eras and to different destinations. Their personal journeys of hardship, perseverance, and triumph serve as a microcosm for the millions who reshaped American culture, politics, and urban life. My guest this week is Adriana from Bring Me Books! Adriana is the creator behind Bring Me Books, a literary platform dedicated to amplifying Black literature, nonfiction, and stories that challenge the way we think. She has built a community of more than 45,000 readers who believe that books are more than entertainment, they’re tools for liberation, critical thinking, and meaningful conversation.  As the founder of Truth Club, her signature nonfiction book recommendation series, Adriana curates thought-provoking recommendations that encourage readers to think more critically about history, culture, politics, identity, and the world around them. She has interviewed acclaimed authors and entertainers, been featured in Fox 2 News, Sirius XM Radio and partnered with major publishers and literary organizations that center Black voices, history, and culture.  Known for her signature blend of humor, honesty, and intellectual curiosity, Adriana has become a trusted voice in the book community, helping readers discover works that educate, challenge, and inspire. Sun Tea Ingredients 4–6 tea bags (black tea, green tea, or your favorite herbal tea)1 gallon cold waterLemon slices, fresh mint, or fruit (optional, for serving)IceSweetener, such as sugar or honey (optional)Directions Place the tea bags in a clean 1-gallon glass jar or pitcher and fill with cold water.Cover the container and set it in a sunny spot outdoors for 2–4 hours, depending on how strong you like your tea. Avoid steeping longer than 4 hours.Remove the tea bags. Refrigerate the tea until thoroughly chilled.Serve over ice with lemon, mint, or fresh fruit if desired. Sweeten to taste, stirring well until dissolved.Note: Be very careful when brewing Sun Tea. For food safety, use clean equipment and refrigerate the tea promptly after brewing. Discard any tea that becomes cloudy, slimy, or develops an off smell. First ever Patreon-only episode is now live! Find me on Patreon.com/Drinksinthelibrary to listen to Bill’s fifth episode of the pod and hear us discuss how much we did not enjoy this week’s drink - a Dirty Shirley! Thank you for being a part of Libration Nation!

The Half Life by Rachel Beanland is a novel set on a remote Italian island, about a navy wife’s reckoning with power, love, and the price of staying silent in the Atomic Age. I loved this book and reached out to Rachel and her team to see if we could do a special Drinks in the Library episode, I was thrilled when she said yes! Rachel Beanland is the author of the novels, The House Is On Fire and Florence Adler Swims Forever. Her latest novel The Half Life, is coming out July 14, 2026, which is also the date this episode is airing, so if you are listening to this - go out and get a copy now! Our drink this week is an Aperol Spritz, there is just nothing else that says perfect Italian summer at the beach! Aperol Spritz Ingredients 3 oz Prosecco2 oz Aperol1 oz club sodaIceOrange slice, for garnishDirections Fill a wine glass with ice.Pour in the Prosecco, followed by the Aperol.Top with the club soda.Gently stir to combine.Garnish with an orange slice and serve immediately. Announcing a Patreon subscribers only episode coming out this week over at Patreon.com/DrinksintheLibrary, we will be discussing Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, so if you have been thinking about joining us over there, this is the time to do it!

To support Drinks in the Library and listen to ad-free episode and additional bonus content, subscribe on Patreon The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien is a timeless adventure novel, tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider. Can a simple hobbit resist the corrupting power of the One Ring and succeed where great warriors have failed? My guest this week is Salaam Bhatti, a public-interest lawyer, husband, and father of two boys, and is running as a Democrat for Congress to fight for families across Virginia’s 1st District. Salaam is a child of immigrants who came to America to pursue the American dream. While at the Virginia Poverty Law Center, he led bipartisan efforts to expand SNAP food assistance for 25,000+ families, helped secure free school meals for tens of thousands of children, and increased cash assistance for families by historic amounts. You can find out more about him at salaamforva.com Evenstar Elixer Ingredients 2 oz tart cherry juice1 oz white grape juice½ oz fresh lemon juice½ oz rosemary simple syrup (or honey syrup for a warmer flavor)2–3 oz sparkling waterIce Directions Fill a glass with ice.Add the tart cherry juice, white grape juice, lemon juice, and rosemary syrup.Stir well.Top with sparkling water.• 5. Garnish with the rosemary sprig and cherries.