Category Archives: Adult Services

Virtual Q & A with Author Alka Joshi

Q&A with Author Alka Joshi: Discussing the Jaipur Trilogy

Monday, January 6, 2025

7:00 – 8:00 PM via Zoom

Register online!

We are so thrilled to be chatting with author Alka Joshi, one of our very favorite novelists! We love her books The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. Alka will speak to this trilogy and (maybe!) her upcoming release, Six Days in Bombay (coming out on Feb 25th). Bring your questions and your cuppa chai because Alka will be prepared to answer all of our burning ones (the questions, not the chai!).

A bit about The Henna Artist: Escaping from an arranged and abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone from her 1950s rural village to the vibrant pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the henna artist—and confidante—most in demand to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own…

A bit about The Secret Keeper of Jaipur: At the age of 20, Malik is a well-spoken young man with the benefit of a boarding school education, courtesy of Samir Singh. He has become involved with a young tribal woman in Shimla. Wanting Malik to have a solid career, Lakshmi arranges an apprenticeship at the Jaipur Palace for him, which does not make his beloved very happy. 

A bit about The Perfumist of Paris: The final chapter in Alka Joshi’s New York Times bestselling Jaipur trilogy takes readers to 1970s Paris where Radha’s budding career as a perfumer must compete with the demands of her family and the secrets of her past.

About Alka: Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris.  Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a New York Times Bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Pick and was Long Listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. It has been translated into 29 languages and is currently in development at Netflix as a TV series. In 2023, Forbes selected Joshi as one of 50 over 50 women empowering other women. Joshi was born in India and came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. She lives in California.

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

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and in partnership with a multitude of MA Libraries. 

You can buy signed books (by bookplate) by Alka from Aesop’s Fable, including pre-ordering Six Days in Bombay. Just write that you would like the book signed in the notes section at checkout.

Fun on Creativebug

December Creativebug Fun!

Whether you are looking to create handmade treasures or simply enjoy the season, these classes will help you make memorable moments this December! See what is new this month in Creativebug!

Using your library card and PIN, create your own account for FREE and nurture your creative side with 1000+ video classes in painting, knitting, crafting, sewing & more!

Playing with Image Transfers: A Daily Practice – December 1

The art of image transfers is ethereal, subtle, and surprising—lingering between painterly and photographic, yet completely distinct. Author and artist, Courtney Cerruti leads you through experimentation with various transfer techniques on paper and fabric, layering them onto a foundational cloth to create a unique piece. Inspired by a theme and driven by curiosity, you’ll blend language and imagery to craft a story, adding embellishments with found objects and threads. Gather images, words, and phrases from literature or any sources that inspire you, then select materials that resonate with your creative vision. Without a strict plan, the process unfolds organically, with each piece surprising and delighting in its own way.

Want to learn more image transfer techniques? Check out Courtney’s other Image Transfers and Color Image Transfers on Wood classes! 

CB Mixtape: Happy Hanukkah – December 1

Celebrate Hanukkah with five sweet projects from Creativebug artists. Faith Hale guides you through folding a Star of David origami, taken from her Hanukkah Origami class. The Celebrate the Holidays Daily Practice from Maria Carluccio is a watercolor themed class and you’ll see her Hanukkah cat here*. Make watercolor gift tag with Courtney Cerruti, rolled beeswax candles with Cobrina, and a magical unicorn menorah with Suzy Ultman. 
*Please note that there is mistake in the Watercolor Cat Menorah segment: a menorah has eight daily candles, not six as depicted. When you make your sketch and painting, please allow for seven candles on your cat’s back. 

Woven Fabric Star Ornament – December 4

The most fun puzzle you’ll construct all holiday season, these cute ornaments are made out of scraps of fabric or even bias tape. Artist and ornament enthusiast Faith Hale talks you through preparing your fabric for folding, constructing the woven star, and then adding a tie for hanging. They’re irresistible to make and cute as can be and you’ll want to make a dozen.

Make a Paper Maché Tray – December 11

Papier-mâché has a long history of being used for decorative objects, and people have been making paper maché trays since the 18th Century. Corrie Beth Hogg is a multi-media maker and author, and she teaches you how to make your own paper maché tray. This is a kid-friendly craft, easy to make, and great to gift, plus a fun opportunity to upcycle cardboard and paper. Corrie provides a template and teaches you how to cut and score a flat piece of cardboard and turn it into a three-dimensional tray. Learn Corrie’s tips for preparing paper strips, her favorite paper maché paste, and her method of applying paper maché. When you’re ready to decorate your project, Corrie teaches you how to transfer a design template onto your tray and how to create your designs with paint pens. These paper maché trays are long lasting, and you can put them in your entryway, on your bedside table, or hang them on the wall.

Create Needle Books with Jody Alexander – FREE Live Event December 12, 2024 @ 4PM – Register online once you have created and signed into your account!

Needle books are a great way to keep track of your needles and pins while traveling, at workshops, or around the house. Create a needle book out of scrap fabric that you have on hand that will be perfect to keep or give as a gift to your favorite sewist.

Hand Darning Techniques – December 18

Darning is an artful technique that goes far beyond simple mending. Heidi Parkes, a skilled fiber artist from Milwaukee, often uses darning to embellish her beautiful and unique quilts. She adds texture to her creations by weaving threads in neat, straight lines or manipulating the warp and weft to form intricate, decorative shapes. With just a needle and thread, Heidi demonstrates how darning can be a quick and effective way to add dimension to any textile art, or even just a piece of clothing.

Printable Project – Holiday Mitten Garland

Instead of a store-bought holiday garland, whip up a set of these hand-knitted mini mittens.
This pattern is also available as a class here.

Printable Project – Homemade Marshmallows

Forego the store-bought marshmallows and whip up a batch of these light, fluffy, and flavorful treats. Not only are they the perfect topper for your mug of cocoa, but they also toast up perfectly over open flame.
This recipe is also available as a class: Click here for step-by-step video instructions.

Keep This, Toss That for a Clutter-Free New Year – Virtual Program

Keep This, Toss That for a Clutter-Free New Year

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

7:00 – 8:00 PM via Zoom

Register Online!

If you can’t open your drawers, if clutter topples out of closets and paperwork covers your tabletops, then log on for this de-cluttering comedy show! New year, fresh start: join Organizing Humorist and bestselling author Jamie Novak as she shares her laugh-out-loud funny approach for what to do with all the stuff – without getting overwhelmed. Wondering what to keep? What to toss? What to share or sell? And how to let it all go? Then join us for this interactive virtual workshop, where Jamie guides you through a tiny tidy-up live to jump-start your “get organized” New Year’s resolution!

This is a virtual event and will not be recorded.

About the presenter: You may have seen her on morning TV or read her newest bestseller, Keep This, Toss That. Jamie Novak hosts a 10 Minute Podcast and has a popular YouTube show. She spends most days presenting virtual programs on how to de-clutter, with a humorous twist. When not on the computer Jamie is drinking iced tea while clipping out recipes she’ll never prepare.

This program is generously shared by the Newton Public Library.

Virtual Author Hour – David Ellis

Author Hour in Massachusetts – David Ellis

Thursday, January 9, 2025

7:00 – 8:00 PM via Zoom

Register online!

Bestselling author (and judge!) David Ellis will discuss his new thrillers, The Best Lies and Lies He Told Me, which he co-authored with James Patterson, in this installment of “Author Hour in Massachusetts.”

About David: David Ellis is a Chicago-based judge and #1 New York Times-bestselling, Edgar Award-winning author of eleven novels of crime fiction, as well as ten books co-authored with James Patterson, most recently Lies He Told Me. His latest solo release is The Best Lies, another twisty thriller for fans of Gillian Flynn and Denis Lehane and recently optioned by Warner Brothers Television. An accomplished judge by day, David was sworn in as the youngest-serving Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court for the First District in 2014. He lives outside Chicago with his wife and three children.

About The Best Lies: Bestselling and award-winning author David Ellis delivers a fast-paced, twisty thriller that will surprise readers at every turn. Leo Balanoff is a diagnosed pathological liar with unthinkable skeletons in his family’s closet. He’s also a crusading attorney who seeks justice at all costs. When a ruthless drug dealer is found dead and Leo’s fingerprints show up on the murder weapon, no one believes a word he says. But he might be the FBI’s only shot at taking down the dealer’s brutal syndicate. Risk his life going undercover for the feds or head straight to prison for murder? Leo accepts the FBI’s offer—but it comes with a price, including a collision course with his ex, Andi Piotrowski, a former cop and “the one who got away.” Forced to walk a tightrope between an ambitious FBI agent and a cruel, calculating crime boss, Leo’s trapped in a corner. But he has more secrets than anyone realizes, and a few more cards left to play…

About Lies He Told Me: An attorney and mother of two discovers her husband’s secret life—and it might cost them all their lives. Everyone in Hemingway Grove, Illinois, knows David and Marcie Bowers. David owns the local pub. Marcie is a former big-city lawyer who practices family law. When David jumps into Cotton River to save a drowning stranger, he’s celebrated as a hero. His muscled physique, shaved head, and piercing blue eyes are broadcast on every news outlet.  For most people, newfound fame is a lifeline. For David Bowers, it’s a death sentence. For Marcie Bowers, it’s a test. A wife knows the difference between a loving husband and father and a cold-blooded assassin. Right? 

About Author Hour in Massachusetts: “Author Hour in Massachusetts” is a series of virtual author talks this winter featuring some of the publishing industry’s top trending writers. These webinars — held from 7pm (ET) to 8pm (ET), Monday through Friday — are free and open to all. This series, which runs through March 20, 2025, is being promoted by more than 50 public libraries in Massachusetts.  Stay tuned for future events!

Mass Center for the Book 2024 Reading Challenge

How the challenge works:

  • Choose a book that fits the monthly challenge.
  • After you read, fill out this form to tell Mass Center for the Book about the book you choose.
    • Using the Mass Center for the Book submission manager, you will be able to log in and access the entries you’ve logged throughout the year.
    • Dedicated readers will be invited to a year-end celebration hosted by Mass Center for the Book.
    • If you read a book in each of the 12 months, you will be entered in a drawing to win 1 of 2 totes filled with books.
    • Mass Center for the Book will be drawing two names on the last day of each month to win a free book! Make sure you get those entries in before the end of the month.

December Challenge:

Melrose Public Library Mission Statement

Mission

Melrose Public Library’s staff, building and collections provide a portal for all to explore, imagine and engage. The library is where literacy, local history and community connect!

 

Vision

Melrose Public Library– where people of all ages, experiences, abilities and beliefs can belong.  As a 21st century community institution with roots in the late 19th century, the library is grounded in the present and has its sights set on the future.  Carefully curated resources provide wide access to books, media, and technology.  Skilled and welcoming staff design innovative programming to foster individual growth and enhance community engagement.  The Melrose Public Library offers places to meet, study, read, engage in civic discourse and share all our stories.