Who are the Authors in Your Neighborhood?

Aurora Beacon News
by Deena Sherman
December 4, 2009

One thing that thrills me is when local businesses and local artists collaborate. Happily, Leah Condon Guillemette, co-owner of Oswego’s newest bookstore, Old Towne Books and Tea, feels the same way. She has been scheduling local authors to be at their store in the coming weeks, signing books and reading their work.

“As a community bookstore, it is important for us to connect with local talent,” said Guillemette. So far, their schedule of authors includes Celeste R. Kobulnicky of Oswego, Andrea Jones of Aurora, and Ann Egeland of Downers Grove. Guillemette also hopes to have Kathy Orton of Yorkville and others scheduled soon.

Old Towne has a book club that meets the first Wednesday of each month. Andrea Jones’ new book, “Hook & Jill,” will be the featured book for January. At 2 p.m. Dec. 12, Jones will be at Old Towne signing and reading excerpts from “Hook & Jill.” Then at 7 p.m. Jan. 6, when you’ve had the chance to read this excellent book, come back for the book club and discuss it.

“Hook & Jill” is a true work of literary fiction, worthy of discussion on many levels. It is a masterful study of the complex dynamics within relationships, the adventure of growing and maturing, and the journey to greater self-understanding. For those of us who were cheering for Wendy as we read “Peter Pan” and didn’t think Peter’s perpetual childishness was really all that endearing, this book is vindication. “Hook & Jill” recently won “Finalist” for best cover design in the USA Book News 2009 Best Book Awards.

Guillemette, who is also a fan of Jones’ work, said, “I found Andrea’s book to be the most engrossing read I have had in a very long time….Her writing is almost lyrical. I have never read a book where I absolutely had to read the next chapter to see where things were going….I am screaming for the sequel!”

At noon Jan. 9, an Oswego author will be signing her book, “The Fifth Season.”

“Rose Mary Long is the pen name for one of our local speech therapists, Celest Kobulnicky,” Guillemette said. “Her book, ‘The Fifth Season,’ is a wonderful story about a woman facing the potholes on life’s highway and rising above them as she embraces a new life for herself…. She is left facing the next chapter of her life and two possible romantic interests – one representing a scary new passionate life and one comfortable parallel of her old life….It is heartwarming and empowering for women who also face the drastic changes that life brings us.”

Ann Egelands’s book, “A Shallow Girl’s Guide to Reheating Leftovers,” “is a hilarious collection of her exploits and just the random things that have happened in her life,” said Guillemette. “Some I have been party to,” she added with a smile. “This book is hands-down hysterical. She recently hit No. 10 for Kindle book sales on Amazon.”

So come and experience some of our local literary talent. If you just can’t wait for the author appearances and want to start reading any of these books immediately, you can pick up your copies during the Oswego Christmas walk.

Tonight from 5:30 to 8 p.m. you can enjoy carols and stories at Old Towne, where they will serve cocoa, tea and treats at 61 S. Madison St. in Oswego. On Saturday, stop by another store that promotes local artists called Imagine, at 56 Main St., Oswego. There you can get your cookie tin for the cookie walk from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Then collect Christmas cookies from participating Oswego merchants including Old Towne Books and Tea. For more information, you can call them at 630-636-9236. Make these local merchants part of your holiday and put these local authors on your reading list for the coming year.