A partnership between Argenta Reading Series and River Market Books & Gifts intends to bring what's being called After Hours: A Literary Book Club to the Central Arkansas area. The book club is scheduled to kick off on August 16 with a discussion of Austin, Texas-based Tatiana Ryckman's "I Don't Think of You (Until I Do)" before the writer will read as the featured writer in front of the monthly ARS crowd two days later.
"When I met with Cox Creative Center Manager Lily Kauffman, it was immediately clear we had a shared enthusiasm for creating a space in our community that showed people a relationship with books doesn't have to be relegated to moments of solitude," ARS Director Guy Choate said. "What she and CALS are doing with RMBG is exciting, and it runs parallel to what we're doing at ARS--it's bringing people together to have intelligent conversation about books. Bridging our organizations for this book club is a no-brainer and it will benefit the literary community on both sides of the river."
Owned by the Central Arkansas Library System, River Market Books & Gifts offers new and “gently read” books among other literary gift items. Located at 120 River Market Boulevard in Library Square downtown, the bookstore gives FOCAL members--Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries--a 20 percent discount at the store and potentially the added benefit of complimentary copies of the book club selection, but Kauffman said specific details are still being solidified.
To learn more about After Hours, visit the Book Club page at argentareadingseries.com.