Reading with Linda-Marie Barrett

Thursday, September 17 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM Ashe County Public Library This event is free and open to the public, no registration required. Join us for a reading with Linda-Marie Barrett with time for audience Q&A. LINDA-MARIE BARRETT Linda-Marie Barrett is a writer, editor, and executive director of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA). Before that, she was at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, where she wore many hats, including general manager and co-owner. She is the author of Creating a Salon: The Magic of Conversations That Matter (Agate Publishing, 2025) which Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love, praises as “a generous, intelligent, and deeply loving guide to building spaces where real people can gather for real conversation about real topics.” She edited and contributed to Malaprop’s bestselling serial novel Naked Came the Leaf Peeper and is also a contributor to Spinning Toward the Sun: Essays on Writing, Resilience, and the Creative Life, an anthology benefitting the recovery of Asheville, NC after Hurricane Helene. https://www.lindamariebarrett.com/ More structured than a hangout or casual dinner party, and oftentimes an evolution of a successful book club, salons can spark lively discussions and help develop a joyful, intentional community. Learn how to cultivate deep conversations and authentic connection using Barrett’s clear guidelines and real-life examples, including helpful suggestions for handling even challenging scenarios. Readers will also hear directly from members of Linda-Marie’s own Black Swan Salon, who share their perspectives along with advice for how to build a better salon. As a bonus, this book includes 14 salon starter kits, each on a different theme, to help readers host with confidence. Agate Publishing, September 2025.