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Join Us for “A Century of Queer Fiction” with Marshall Thornton

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Great Reads to Keep You Company Through the Spring

Spring is blooming, and Bay Books is celebrating PRIDE month with a special literary evening featuring three-time Lambda Award–winning author Marshall Thornton. Whether you’re a longtime fan or exploring LGBTQ literature for the first time, this event invites you to engage, reflect, and connect.

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Event Details

What:
“A Century of Queer Fiction” with Marshall Thornton

When:
Monday, June 3 at 6:00 PM

Where:
Bay Books, 220 N Saint Joseph St., Suttons Bay

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About the Author

Marshall Thornton is a celebrated voice in queer fiction, best known for his sharp wit, emotional depth, and award-winning storytelling. Join us as he dives into the evolution of queer literature over the past 100 years.

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Thornton will offer an honest look at progress, setbacks, and the stories that continue to empower and inspire readers around the world.

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Reception to Follow

After the discussion, we’ll host a wine and cheese reception where guests can mingle, chat, and enjoy good company in great literary spirit.

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RSVP

Seating is limited, so please RSVP to reserve your spot.

Email: ba********@***il.com
Phone: 231-944-6809

Congratulations to our beloved poet and literary darling Percival Everett for joining the ranks of the influential in this year’s TIMES list! You can find your favorite Percival Everett books here at Bay Books, every day, Read further this short article from Cord Jefferson, Oscar winning screenplay writer of American Fiction, the film adaptation of Everett’s book Erasure.

There’s a moment that may surprise you reading Percival Everett’s novel James, a reimagining of Huck Finn’s Black sidekick and their treacherous journey to freedom. It’s the moment when you take a break from laughing hysterically to realize you’re laughing at a book about slavery. Many writers are afraid to insert levity in stories of tragedy, particularly stories of violent prejudice. But James, which won the National Book Award, shows that to omit joy is to do a disservice to the people who endured those tragedies—people who, despite their circumstances, always found ways to fall in love, have children, create art, and, indeed, laugh.

There’s a lesson in there about how to write, but there’s also one about how to live. Percival is a writer, painter, musician, equestrian, fly fisherman, mathematician, father, husband, and professor. It would all be annoying if I didn’t learn so much from him—chiefly that life is long, arduous, and unfair, but it’s always worth living.

Small Things like These by Claire Keagan 

*An Oprah’s Book Club*
Well, at Bay Books, we thought this book was pretty great all along. In fact, we love all of Claire Keegan’s books but our name isn’t Oprah. With that being said, she does pick some fantastically great books and this is another one. We’re happy to be on the same page as Oprah with this one!

Small Things Like These is award-winning author Claire Keegan’s landmark new novel, a tale of one man’s courage and a remarkable portrait of love and family

It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.

“A hypnotic and electrifying Irish tale that transcends country, transcends time.” —Lily King, New York Times bestselling author of Writers & Lovers

I’ll bet this is true of most people, I know it is with me. Some books I finish reading leave me with such a ‘feel good’ experience that the day just goes better. As I recall the book throughout the day, I may even get a little smile on my face. Ever have this happen? Do you remember the book?

Growing up, I heard this called ‘bibliotherapy’, the creative arts therapy that uses books, poetry, and other written works to help people improve their lives. It can be used to help people recover from mental illness or emotional disturbance and reinforce concepts or strategies from psychotherapy. But because we are booksellers and book lovers, we will give it a different name so that it fits into a ‘genre’, a term we love to throw around. Book aficionados call it the genre of ‘healing fiction’. For those who love to read translated literature (I do!) will know that this has been widely used in Korea and Japan for years. The emphasis is on whimsical and heartwarming storytelling, focusing on relationships and introspective thought within those relationships. Any romance, mystery, or other genre is really secondary to the main focus: feelings. It shouldn’t surprise anyone, either, that a great deal of them feature cats, those cute denizens of the cozy lap world.

As we approach the deep, snow covered days of winter, perhaps a few of these books should find their way onto your lap, as well. Hope you enjoy the selection we have for you at Bay Books.

Books for Adults

Books for Children

Jenny Erpenbeck and Michael Hofmann

Jenny Erpenbeck and her translator Michael Hofmann won the International Booker Prize today for her novel “Kairos.” The book follows the romance between a young woman and a much older intellectual in East Germany. Erpenbeck is the first German novelist to win the award, while Hofmann is the first male translator to receive the honor. It’s a wonderful story—check it out at Bay Books.

“Every year I resolve to be a little less the me I know and leave a little room for the me I could be.”

Wendy Wassertein

TRANSITIONS NEWSLETTER

April has been an amazing month of sunshine, blossoms, rain, and awakening. This month was off to a great start with fun on April Fools’ Day and my birthday (Aries). I visited my oldest son and his wife who are expecting a baby boy in October! We recently celebrated Earth Day as well as the beginning of Passover. April is also National Poetry Month and I have featured one of my favorite poets, Emory Hall, in the Spirit section of my newsletter below. I played my first round of golf a week ago in 65-degree weather and could feel my body relax surrounded by nature, deer, and sunshine.

The photo above was taken earlier this month at Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Michigan at sunset. I recently read that when we are near water our brains enter a semi-meditative state known as “drifting”. Drifting is a special form of attention where we are engaged with the world around us but not focused on getting something done. I love that description. No wonder being around water soothes the soul.

April is a time of renewal and paying attention to nature, the daily miracles, and lessons. The Japanese noun, oubaitori, “the idea that people, like flowers, bloom in their own time, and in their own ways” expands on these learnings. Sometimes we find ourselves wishing or superimposing our plans for another person onto them. However, if we heed lessons from nature, there is no rush, no right path, every blossom and every person blooms in their own time and is of utmost beauty.

So this month, get out and walk noticing the trees, and flowers, listening to the birds, and feeling the sun and wind on your face. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “It requires a direct dispensation from Heaven to become a walker.” There are benefits of getting outside in nature calming your nervous system, and relieving stress and anxiety. Sarah Ban Breathnach in Simple Abundance walks for a “moving meditation-fitness of spirit”. She further says…”for here in the present moment, one step at a time, I have found peace.”

Can you walk in nature today?

Ayurvedic Wellness Package Spring “Renew You” Special

90-minute initial consultation, 3 follow-up 60-minute visits, and a copy of A YEAR IN BALANCE FOR $300

Payment via Cash, Check, or Venmo: @angie-koehler-2

Ayurveda, “The Science of Life,” is an ancient system of healing originating in India. This holistic system looks at how the five elements found in nature manifest uniquely in each individual and addresses imbalances based on your unique constitution for a tailored treatment plan for YOU.

As a certified Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist, I work with you in three areas: lifestyle, 6-tastes, and yoga/meditation. This holistic approach balances the mind, body, and spirit. I will support your health concerns and goals with practices that will enable you to feel your best. You will receive a written follow-up plan after each session. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Schedule Ayurvedic Wellness Package

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT GIFT?

A YEAR IN BALANCE: A SPIRITUAL GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR NEXT RIGHT STEP

Check out my book in the links below, A YEAR IN BALANCE: A Spiritual Guide to Finding Your Next Right Step. Enjoy a monthly theme and a word, quote, story, and challenge to help you welcome any changes coming your way. My book guides you to pause, reflect, and take a break from your routines. Treat yourself or choose it for a friend, family member, teacher, coach, or colleague for a gift via the links above.

Order your Copy Today

Here is the April theme: APRILRENEW   “Come to the water. Live in the moment, and be. Refresh your mind. Rest your body. Renew your spirit. Regain a gentle heart and peaceful soul. Reclaim yourself. Restore in The Power that is greater than you.”-Bonnie L. Mohr To renew, you must pause and slow down enough to realize you are tired, weary, and in need of fuel to nourish the mind, body, and soul. April showers bring May flowers – a time for renewal and rebirth. It is a time to spring forward and come back to life after winter; a time of rebirth, beginning again, starting out refreshed. Find the practices, activities, and people that leave you feeling renewed with elevated energy, mood, and being. How do you renew your mind, body and spirit?

This newsletter will provide tips for you to feel more balanced through life’s transitions: seasons, jobs, divorces, marriages, grief, health challenges, college, graduation, retirement, births, and moving. 

It will help you find your ground when the earth below you just moved from beneath you. It will help you grow and plant new roots and find more ease in your struggles.

How much time do we spend resisting change? Yet, change is one of the only things we can depend on. What if we laid down our resistance, fear, and need to control, and moved toward the change flowing WITH it rather than trying so hard to cling to what was? May you find comfort and support in these words for whatever wave of change comes your way.

The newsletter is divided into three sections: Mind, Body, and Spirit focusing on finding balance for optimum wellness. Please subscribe at the end of this newsletter or forward it to someone who you think may enjoy it. 

MIND | Recycle

Recycling turns things into other things. Which is like MAGIC

-Uknown

There is a giant troll sculpture called “Benny the Beard Fisher” in Michigan’s upper peninsula on the banks of the Manistique River at Northland Outfitters in Germfask. It is made from leftover cedar plank pieces from an Amish lumber mill and branches and saplings found locally. The troll is 30 ft long and 14 ft tall. It is made by Danish artist Thomas Dambo who is a recycle artist and activist. In 2024 he is working on over 20 sculptures made out of recycled materials in Texas, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Denmark, and France. What a great example for us on Earth Day and every day to get more creative in ways we reuse items for another purpose and reduce our waste.  In the words of Robin Wall Kimmerer, “Knowing that you love the Earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the Earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.” To learn more about Thomas Dambo and his work, click the link below. 

What new effort can you make to recycle?

BODY | Quiescence (kwee-ESS-uhns)

“A state of quietness stillness, or tranquility. It refers to a period or condition of inactivity, rest, or calmness, often characterized by a peaceful and serene atmosphere.’

I recently heard the song “The Slow Life” by Chris Pierce and have attached it below for you to listen to. His voice, music, and lyrics catch your attention for this critical message to slow down to experience more. Here are my favorite lyrics:

“When the day is done and the hustle comes to a stop

and everybody in this world is humbled by God

I want to live the slow life with you”

Sometimes we find ourselves running from one activity to another or one place to another. Our “busyness” perhaps defines our productivity and self-worth. This pace becomes our routine and our place of comfort. What if we purposely slow down? Would we notice more important things? Would we be more present? There are lessons all around us, but can we slow down enough to notice them?

What does living the slow life mean to you?

Thomas Dambo

SPIRIT | Peace

“Peace is always beautiful”

-Walt Whitman

I was mesmerized by this recording by Trevor and Emory Hall called “i have been a thousand different women”. Her voice, music, and her words are transcendent. It is a poem about transformation, aging, becoming more and more our authentic selves, and recognizing and appreciating all of them. Emory is a writer, photographer, and creative from Darien, Connecticut. Her work focuses on grief, loss, love, and motherhood. Her debut collection of poetry released in 2023, Made of Rivers, reached the top of Amazon’s poetry bestseller list. 

“i have been a thousand different women”

make peace

with all the women

you once were.

lay flowers

at their feet.

offer them incense

and honey

and forgiveness.

honor them

and give them

your silence.

listen.

bless them

and let them be.

for they are the bones

of the temple

you sit in now.

for they are

the rivers

of wisdom

leading you toward

the sea.

i have been a thousand different women

Listen below to the beautiful poem in her voice by Emory Hall with music by Trevor Hall. I also provided a link to Made of Rivers.

Where do you find peace?

Mind, Body, & Spirit Challenge for April:

 What small step will you make for your well-being?

I would love to hear from you!

Please click the Feedback button with any thoughts on the newsletter, your experience with these ideas, and other ideas that have supported you in your transitions.

I look forward to hearing from YOU!

Be Well…

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How Can I Support You?

Click below to learn more about my services on my website and book your free consultation, Well-being Coaching session, Yoga, or Meditation session

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Pathfinder Coaching

April Quote of the Month

“Some people get addicted to chain-smoking their problems. They spend all day going from sorrow to sorrow. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can live each day going from joy to joy- like a sunflower that turns to face the sun as it moves across the sky. It’s not about having a problem-free life, but about focusing on the light. Sunflowers still have shadows, but they are always behind them.”

-James Clear author of Atomic Habits

TRANSITIONS Newsletter Sign-Up

By Minnie Wabanimkee

I remember the first cards I ever received in the mail. I was a child of about ten years old. It was Valentine’s Day, and I lived in a boarding school in Harbor Springs, Michigan. 

A nun handed me a big envelope and inside were four Valentine’s  Day cards, the old-fashioned kind that were shaped in hearts and bright red in color. I couldn’t believe it! They were from my grandmother who spoke broken English and was barely able to write. I knew that someone must have helped her write them and drove her to the post office since she didn’t drive anymore. Wow! Her cards made me feel less alone. You see, each year when Valentine’s Day would roll around, I’d be reminded that this day celebrates love, but my parents and grandma were 100 miles away. My heart would ache for them. My grandma wrote in her card how much she loved me and that the whole family was thinking of me. I felt so loved!

A few months later, my classmates and I took an end-of-school year trip for a picnic. We were treated to the best of all picnic foods: potato salad, hamburgers, and a sweet treat. Afterward, we sent thank you cards to all the benefactors who made that trip possible. Donations were always a part of boarding school—everything was always donated from the clothing we wore to the food that we ate. I was in charge that year of deciding what kind of thank you notes were going to be sent out. I remember I designed cards in the shapes of cars, cupcakes, and various food items. The word “thank you” was written in big letters inside. My creative juices were flowing, said Sister Fidelis, my favorite nun.
It is no wonder I design greeting cards for a living.

Sending cards via snail mail is becoming a lost art. Remember during holidays and birthdays receiving all those handwritten cards spewing news and words of love. Whatever happened to those days? Or a $5 bill with a short note from a dear relative or godmother?

I think there is nothing more loving and appreciated than a handwritten card that comes to your mailbox. You walk out to the mailbox and in with all the bills and advertising, there it is! An envelope with a handwritten address to you from someone you know. Inside is a note on a beautiful card with a note from someone saying they are thinking of you on your birthday or the special holiday that’s coming up.
So, to that end I am encouraging all of you, no matter your age, to go to the store and buy not one card—but six cards—and send each one to those you love the most. Be sure to write loving words and spend 0.66 cents for a stamp. You will make them smile and some may even shed a tear thinking how wonderful it is that someone wrote to them celebrating their love and the holiday.

So, folks, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY THE NEW YEAR BE FILLED WITH PROSPERITY AND GOOD HEALTH. CHEERS while drinking your apple juice from a wine glass saved for use only on this special occasion.

If you’d like to see the cards I make, stop in at Bay Books in Suttons Bay where the owner, Tina, has been kind enough to stock them!

We love when our fellow book worms want to leave reviews on books. If you’d like to leave a review please send us an email with the title of the book and your thoughts. We’d love to publish it! Thank you so much to everyone that has shared their thoughts with us and left reviews. It makes reading extra special when you can share it with others. Thanks for sharing the book love, we feel blessed!

Book Review by Karin J

The Books of Jacob Frank by Olga Tokarczuk

Don’t be put off by the size of this book! Its thickness looks daunting, but the story, which is fictionalized, but based on the life of a real person, is well worth your time. The story is told in short chapters and these make the novel eminently readable.

Olga Tokarczuk won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2018 and she really is a masterful writer. The story revolves around Jacob Frank, an 18th century Jew who, in an effort to facilitate the coming of the Messiah, founds a sect of Jews who become baptized Catholics (all historically true). The fascinating story of how this comes about is brought to life so engagingly, the reader gets caught up in the myriad events. Every time I looked up something that sounded so fabulous I thought it couldn’t possibly have been real, was!

This is an interesting psychological study of cult attraction, of why people follow a leader, of the leader’s charisma, but also of his quirks and foibles, and his fervent belief in himself, as dangerous and ultimately as ridiculous as some of his pronouncements become.

Tokarczuk, born in 1972, combines historical research with a novelist’s emphasis on fleshing out her characters and brings 18th century eastern Europe history and culture to vibrant life.
I was thoroughly engaged throughout and my interest never flagged. A great novel to dive into during the summer!

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

This novel is Barbara Kingsolver’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, contemporary rendition of Dickens’ classic, David Copperfield. Its plot lines and character arcs all parallel Dickens’ and many people have re-read that novel as a prelude to this book. I hadn’t and nevertheless was easily immersed in the community Kingsolver devises.

Set in Lee County, Virginia, this is the story of the hard-scrabble life of a boy who never seems to get a break. Demon is smart, unapologetic, funny, fallible, and very perceptive. He and the people around him do what they think they need to do to get by in today’s world: cheat the welfare system, resort to drugs and alcohol, seek revenge on people who have wronged them, but they also work hard and care deeply about their relatives, neighbors, and friends. They are clear-eyed, fiercely loving, calculating, despairing, exuberant, and depressed all at the same time.

What is most marvelous about Demon is the author’s ability to evoke a clear and idiosyncratic voice. Like Dickens’ David, Kingsolver’s Demon is a complete person, one the reader can’t help but pull for amid his sea of troubles. Demon always has hope, and in the end, so do we.

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