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Virtual – Wildlife Out Your Window: Discover the Hidden Lives of New England Wildlife

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.**  

This virtual event will not be recorded. 

 

 

Program Description
What if the most fascinating wildlife in New England isn’t found deep in the wilderness,
but right outside your own window?

Join wildlife ecologist and nature author Brad Timm for an engaging presentation that
reveals the remarkable lives of the animals we encounter every day—but rarely stop to
truly notice. Through stunning photography, fascinating videos, and entertaining stories
from years of field experience, you’ll discover surprising facts about familiar wildlife,
including:
• Blue Jay feather have no blue in them at all
• Gray Foxes climb trees
• Hummingbirds can beat their wings up to 200 times per second
• White-tailed Deer see blaze orange as a dull brown
• And many more surprising discoveries about the wildlife living all around us!

Drawing from his acclaimed book Wildlife Out Your Window, Brad explores the hidden
behaviors, adaptations, and ecological roles of New England’s most familiar birds,
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other wildlife.
Beyond the fascinating natural history, you’ll also leave with practical, science-based
ideas for making your yard, neighborhood, or community more welcoming to wildlife—
whether you have a large backyard, a small garden, or simply enjoy watching nature
from your window.
The presentation includes plenty of opportunities for questions and discussion, making it
an enjoyable experience for anyone interested in nature, conservation, photography,
gardening, birding, or simply learning more about the wildlife that surrounds us every
day.

Book Signing: Signed copies of Wildlife Out Your Window and Brad’s newest book,
America is Wild!—a beautifully illustrated guide to wildlife and plants across the United
States—will be available following the presentation at a special discounted price of $20
each (cash and Venmo accepted).

 

Virtual - Wildlife Out Your Window: Discover the Hidden Lives of New England Wildlife

Virtual – More Holiday Romance Book Recommendations with Booklist Reviewer, John Charles

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Register to receive a Zoom link via email.**  

We had such a great time chatting with John last year, we just had to do it again! With the holidays right around the corner, take a minute (or an hour) to relax and find some good holiday romance reads! John Charles will give us his “best of” list of 2026 that will have your TBR pile tipping over and your holidays spent cozying up to a good book (bring your own hot toddy!). No need to bring papyrus and quill, we’ll send out a list after the session. We hope you can join us!

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

About John:

 After working in public libraries for thirty years, John Charles retired and then immediately went to work for the Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale’s independent bookstore. In addition to reviewing for Booklist and Library Journal, John is the co-author of Romance Today An A to Z Guide to Contemporary American Romance Writers, The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Mystery, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Ultimate Reading List.

Please register for this event and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails – make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom.

This program is brought to you in collaboration with the Chelmsford, Groton, and Tewksbury Libraries. We’re are happy to be partnering with a multitude of additional MA & NH Libraries to bring this program to our communities. We are thrilled to be partnering with the Ashland Senior Center for this event.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.

Virtual – “Little Mister Victory” with Author and Historian David Kruh

 

Join us for a talk with one of our favorite speakers, David Kruh, on his new book “Little Mister Victory: A Daughter’s Search for the Woman Who Abandoned Her Father on VJ Day, co-written by Tina Drzal. Little Mister Victory is the story of Tina’s decades-long search for the woman who abandoned her father on VJ Day. Using cutting-edge DNA analysis and good-old-fashioned detective work (burrowing into newspaper archives, ecclesiastic and government documents) David and Tina found the mother, along with a surprise; abandoning her newborn baby was not the most shocking act of her life.

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Register to receive a Zoom link via email.**  

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. 

About the Author:

Little Mister Victory is David’s sixth published book. Along with dozens of columns and articles in local newspapers and national magzines, his other work includes two books on Boston’s Scollay Square and the building of Route 128, as well as a musical about the Boston Red Sox so-called Curse (which he says may have returned.)

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with a multitude of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities.

Virtual – Celebrating America’s 250th: Petticoat Patriots with Speaker and Author Libby McNamee

 

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Register to receive a Zoom link via email. **  

We are so pleased to be ending our year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with speaker and author Libby McNamee! Libby will be discussing the Petticoat Patriots of the American Revolution – this talk includes  the “Daughters of Liberty” and future “Lady Presidents” Martha Washington, and Abigail Adams. We will also meet Mrs. Adams’ friend Mercy Warren, as well as Esther Reed, a Philadelphia socialite. Then we will marvel over the courageous midnight-riders: Susanna Bolling of VA, Betsy Dowdy of NC, and Sybil Ludington of CT. Lastly, we will explore the soldiers, Deborah Sampson of MA and “Molly Pitcher” of NJ.  We hope you can join us for this fascinating conversation!  

Register directly on Zoom HERE. 

RECORDING NOTE: This program will NOT be recorded.

You can buy signed books by Libby from Aesop’s Fable, just make a note that you want the books signed when you check out.

About Libby:

Libby Carty McNamee is a speaker, lawyer, and award-winning author of “Susanna’s Midnight Ride,” “Dolley Madison and the War of 1812,” and “The Union Spymistress: The Story of Elizabeth Van Lew” and their Study Guides. She is also Co-Editor of “The Epic Story of 1776” and “The Epic Story of 1777-1779.”

Libby lives with her husband in Richmond, Virginia, and a son in college. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and Catholic University School of Law. She practiced law in firms and corporations. She is also a Veteran who served as a major in the U.S. Army JAG Corps in South Korea, Washington State, Bosnia, and Germany.

Please register for this event and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails – make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom. 

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with a multitude of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities. We are also pleased to be partnering with the Ashland Senior Center for this event.

Virtual – Shannon McKenna Schmidt Discusses “The First Lady of World War II”

We had such a great time chatting with author Shannon McKenna Schmidt earlier this year to discuss Lady Bird Johnson, we just had to have her back! This time she will be discussing her book, “The First Lady of World War II: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back” –  the first book to tell the full story of Eleanor Roosevelt’s unprecedented and courageous trip to the Pacific Theater during World War II. We’ll discuss how the trip impacted the war effort, Eleanor, and the world. It’s guaranteed to be a fascinating conversation and we hope you can join us for it!

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Please register to receive a Zoom link** 

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

Note: This program will be recorded and a link will be sent to all registrants soon after the program. It will be available on YouTube for one month. 

You can buy signed books (by bookplate) by Shannon from Aesop’s Fable. Just write that you would like the book signed in the notes section at checkout.

About The First Lady of World War II:

On August 27, 1943, news broke in the United States that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was on the other side of the world. A closely guarded secret, she had left San Francisco aboard a military transport plane headed for the South Pacific to support and report the troops on WW2’s front lines.

Americans had believed she was secluded at home.

As Allied forces battled the Japanese for control of the region, Eleanor was there on the frontlines, spending five weeks traveling, on a mission as First Lady of the United States to experience what our servicemen were experiencing… and report back home.

“No other U.S. mother had seen so much of the panorama of the war, had been closer to the sweat and boredom, the suffering.”
―Time, October 4, 1943

About Shannon:

Shannon McKenna Schmidt is the author of You Can’t Catch Us: Lady Bird Johnson’s Trailblazing 1964 Campaign Train and the Women Who Rode with Her and The First Lady of World War II: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back. She is also the coauthor of Novel Destinations: A Travel Guide to Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen’s Bath to Ernest Hemingway’s Key West and Writers Between the Covers: The Scandalous Romantic Lives of Legendary Literary Casanovas, Coquettes, and Cads.

In addition, Shannon has written for National Geographic Traveler, Shelf Awareness, and other publications and websites. She has been a guest on radio and television programs including MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and she has spoken at the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, the National World War II Museum, and many other venues. An avid traveler, she spent a seven-year stretch on the road full-time, first trekking the United States by RV and then backpacking around the globe.

Shannon lives in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Please register for this event and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails – make sure to check your spam folder for them. The email will be coming from Zoom. 

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and is in collaboration with the Chelmsford, Groton, and Tewksbury Libraries and is in partnership with a multitude of MA & NH libraries.  

Virtual – A Book Birthday with Horror Writer Robert Ottone in conversation with Lauren Bolger

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.**  

You all know we love our book birthdays and we can’t wait to celebrate Amityville Awakens with horror author Robert Ottone! The book will have just come out on October 6th, so we’re sure there will be plenty to chat about.  Robert is joined by Lauren Bolger for a conversation about his new book, his process, and whatever other horror-ific things they’d like to chat about. We hope you can join us for this fun discussion (although, it is BYOC – bring your own cake :). 

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. 

You can purchase signed books by Robert and/or Lauren from Aesop’s Fable. Just note in the comments that you would like your book to come with a signed bookplate.

Robert P. Ottone is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Triangle and is also the best-selling author of Curse of the Cob Man, The Sleepy Hollow Gang, The Vile Thing We Created and Nocturnal Creatures. His short fiction has been collected in Wrapped in Plastic and Other Sweet Nothings as well as Her Infernal Name & Other Nightmares. ​

He holds two master’s degrees in Education, as well as an MFA in Children’s Literature. Robert is also a true crime lecturer for various universities, libraries and groups. ​A bagel-loving fabulist of spooky absurdity, Ottone enjoys cigars, cocktails and time with his wife.

Lauren has this to say about herself: I’m a Chicago chapter member of the Horror Writers Association, an avid music fan. I live in a town you’ve never heard of with my husband, kids and cats. 

 

Please register for this event through Zoom and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with a multitude of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities.

Virtual – Author and Historian Helen Fry Discusses “The White Lady”

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.**  

We learned so much from Helen the last time she spoke with us, we had to have her back! This time, she’ll be discussing her book, The White Lady: The Story of Two Key British Secret Service Networks Behind German Lines – A major new history of the two most important British secret service networks in the First and Second World Wars. This is a compelling account of the agents who risked their lives and found ingenious ways to smuggle intelligence out of occupied Belgium. 

This program is at 2pm ET (Boston Time). We will NOT be recording this session. 

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

Buy signed (by bookplate) books by Helen from Aesop’s Fable. Just note in the comments that you’d like the books signed at checkout!

Buy Signed Books by Helen

About The White Lady:

Intelligence gathering was essential to both sides in the First and Second World Wars. At the heart of MI6’s efforts were two key networks in Belgium. Agents in The White Lady acted as couriers, radio operators and spies to facilitate the end of German control. And, when war broke out again two decades later, the leaders of the network regrouped and established a successor: The Clarence Service.

Helen Fry charts the history of these pivotal intelligence networks. Drawing on recently declassified information, Fry examines who the agents were, how they were recruited, and how the intelligence they gathered directly impacted the outcome of both wars. Operators in the field sent over eight hundred radio messages to London and delivered more than a thousand reports, including groundbreaking information on Hitler’s secret weapon the V-1. 

About Helen:

Discover the versatile expertise of Dr. Helen Fry, a distinguished WWII historian, and author with a profound focus on the contributions of 10,000 Germans and Austrians who fought for Britain during WWII. Her specialisation extends to the intriguing realm of the ‘Secret Listeners’ and the intricate world of 20th-century spies and espionage. Helen’s influence goes beyond the pages of her books. She is a sought-after consultant for leading TV and documentary productions, offering historical insight for WWII scenes filmed by major channels like the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4. Her commitment to historical education encompasses curriculum development for schools and educational programs related to WWI, WWII, and the Cold War. An ardent supporter of the National Centre for Military Intelligence (NCMI), she also serves as a trustee for the Medmenham Collection and holds honorary membership in The Association of Jewish Refugees. Her latest book, ‘Women in Intelligence,’ illuminating the crucial roles of women in both WWI and WWII, was released in America in October 2023.

 

Please register for this event and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails – make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with a multitude of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities.

Virtual – Romance Author Julie Hall Discusses “The Secrets of Everlight”

 

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.**  

You all know we love romantasy and Julie’s newest book looks amazing so we just had to invite her to our virtual stage to discuss The Secrets of Everlight! A thief turned spy must unravel an assassination plot against the fae prince by disguising herself as a princess competing for his heart . Who doesn’t want to more about that?!!? We hope you can join us for this fun discussion. 

 

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. 

About the Book:

For nineteen years, Rowan has fought to survive: first on the streets scavenging for scraps, then bound by a decade-long contract to a corrupt master. She longs for freedom but spends her days stealing from the highborn to pay off her servitude.

When a mysterious fae buys her contract, Rowan seizes her chance to escape. But her freedom comes at a price: she must uncover the assassin targeting Prince Dryden of the Ember Kingdom. To do so, she will pose as a princess among the royals competing for his hand in marriage.

Thrust into a world of silks and finery, Rowan has just weeks to master her role while hunting a killer hidden in plain sight. Eavesdropping and sneaking through gilded halls may come naturally, but the bonds she forms with the other princesses—and Dryden’s growing interest in her—are complications that threaten to unravel everything.

As whispers of danger beyond the kingdom rise, Rowan realizes the stakes are far greater than she imagined. And every stolen glance with the prince pulls her closer to a desire that could cost her not only her future but the kingdom itself. 

About Julie:

Julie Hall is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author who traded her career in movie marketing for worlds filled with magic, danger, and slow-burn romance. She writes the kind of fast-paced, heart-wrenching fantasy stories that leave readers with epic book hangovers and a desperate need for more.

Her love of all things fantasy and supernatural started early, thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathons and a dog-eared collection of L.J. Smith paperbacks. She’s been chasing that same blend of heart, humor, and high stakes ever since.

Her stories have captured readers around the world and are known for fierce heroines, morally gray love interests, and twists that make you gasp out loud. She lives in Colorado with her husband, daughter, and two furry chaos-makers, forever chasing stories where love burns bright in the darkest moments. 

 

Please register for this event on Zoom and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with a multitude of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities.

Virtual – Cooking Demo with Heidi McIndoo: One-Pot BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.** 

Something warm and cozy as we head into Fall – join our favorite chef, Heidi McIndoo, as she shows us how to make One pot BBQ chicken mac and cheese – Yum!! 

Recipes will be sent out prior to the program so you can cook along if you’d like. 

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

Recording Note: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Heidi Reichenberger McIndoo, M.S., R.D., L.D.N. is a nutrition consultant, spokesperson, author and freelance writer with 25 years experience as a registered dietitian. She loves helping people realize that eating nutritiously doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor and pleasure. And, that giving up favorite foods is not a must.

She currently works with Hannaford Supermarkets and in corporate wellness. She’s the author of When to Eat What and the co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to 200-300-400 Calories Meals. In addition, she has written for several magazines including, All You, Today’s Diet & Nutrition, Parents, Family Circle, Self, Prevention, Fitness, Shape and Woman’s Day; and newsletters such as Environmental Nutrition and Women’s Nutrition Connection. As a former national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (now the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) she’s been quoted as an expert in hundreds of magazines articles and television broadcasts.

 She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Ms. McIndoo lives in the metro Boston area with her husband, and their daughter and son. 

 

Please register for this event on Zoom and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails.

This program is brought to you in collaboration with a multitude of MA & NH libraries, and is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.

Virtual – Even More Haunted Lighthouses of New England with Author Jeremy D’Entremont

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.** 

We always have such a blast with Jeremy on this talks about haunted lighthouses, that we just had to have him back! He’s working on a 4.0 program just for us! Even more stories, even more ghosts, even more sightings – just more! 

Lighthouses and ghost stories often seem to go hand in hand. In the past, Jeremy has discussed the lovelorn spirit known as Ernie at Connecticut’s New London Ledge Light and the piano playing ghost of Maine’s Seguin Light, among others as well as about the mysterious Woman in White in the Isles of Shoals and the spirit of a drowned lighthouse keeper at Penfield Reef in Connecticut. This time, who knows what fascinating and haunting tales Jeremy will come up with.

Register directly on Zoom HERE.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program

Jeremy D’Entremont is the president and historian of the American Lighthouse Foundation, historian for the U.S. Lighthouse Society, and the author of more than 20 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouses and maritime history. He’s the producer and host of the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s podcast, Light Hearted. He has appeared on the popular Ghost Hunters TV show, as well as Haunted Lighthouses of America on the Travel Channel. He has also appeared on the History Channel, Public Television, and National Public Radio speaking about lighthouses.

You can find all of Jeremy’s past talks with us on our YouTube Channel.

Please register for this event and you’ll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails – make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom.

This program is brought to you in collaboration with the Chelmsford, Groton, and Tewksbury Libraries. We’re also thrilled to be partnering with a multitude of additional MA & NH Libraries to bring this program to our communities.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library

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