By Mathew Tombers’ count, there are over 200 books written by Vineyard-connected authors currently on the shelves of Edgartown Books. Tombers is the manager of the bookstore, and has been hosting frequent author signings on the bookstore’s front porch. (Mary Beth Keane, Thomas Dresser, Garri Saganenjo, Peter Kramer, and Jorie Graham all have upcoming signings.)
By my count, there are about 20 books that have recently been published or are soon to be published by Vineyard-connected authors, and I am quite sure there are a few I don’t yet know about. (For the purpose of this piece, I am calling a Vineyard-connected author someone who lives, or has lived, on the Island year-round or seasonally.)
The MV Times is committed to covering new books by Vineyard authors in the pages of this paper, whether those pages are in print or online. The Times also hosts the writers festival Islanders Write, which will take place on the evening on Sunday, August 20, and Monday August 21, at Featherstone Center for the Arts.
In order to continue our joint commitment in support of local authors, we are delighted to announce the launch of 5-Minute Book Bites, a collaboration between The MV Times, Islanders Write, and Edgartown Books.
What is a 5-Minute Book Bite, you ask?
The 5-Minute Book Bite is a five-minute interview, conducted over Zoom, with local authors and focused on their new book, their writing process, the ins and outs of publishing, and literary issues of the day. Tombers will conduct two to three interviews per week, which will be posted on the Martha’s Vineyard Arts & Ideas YouTube channel: youtube.com/@MarthasVineyardArtsIdeas.
The first 5-Minute Book Bites will be with Peter Kramer, author of “Death of the Great Man” (Post Hill Press); Katherine Sherbrooke, author of “The Hidden Life of Aster Kelly” (Pegasus Books); Hanna Halperin, author of “I Could Live Here Forever” (Viking); Patti McCracken, author of “The Angel Makers” (William Morrow); Jean Stone, author of “A Vineyard Season” (Kensington Books); and myself, Kate Feiffer, event producer for Islanders Write and illustrator of “The Lamb Cycle” (Brandeis University Press).
We understand the rush for finding time, and we hope these literary snacks will be short enough to grab your attention, while long enough to engage you.
