Six ways to raise your spirits in Salem

The forecast for this weekend looks awfully good. Here are six ways - of many - to raise your spirits in Salem this weekend.

1. Dine Outside! Grab a table in front of Rockafellas, Caffe Graziani, or Gulu Gulu Cafe and watch the world walk by on Washington Street or sit harbor side at Finz, Capt's or Victoria Station on Pickering Wharf for a maritime view. Find the perfect restaurant for your taste at Salem.org.

2. Take a Lighthouse Cruise aboard Mahi Mahi Cruises. This weekend kicks off Mahi Mahi's summer cruise series. The two-hour lighthouse cruise will take you out and around the historic lighthouses of Salem Sound, including Beverly's Hospital Point, Marblehead Light, Derby Light, Pickering Light, and Baker's Island Light. MahiCruises.com

3. Eat Ice Cream. Stop by Maria's Sweet Somethings or Ben & Jerry's and get an ice cream cone, and eat it fast because it's going to melt all over your hands. Don't forget the jimmies.

4. Slow down, Stretch, and Breathe. Stop by Green Tea Yoga and find a calmer state of mind for your weekend. Classes range from high intensity Forrest Yoga to a gentler Hatha Mix. GreenTeaYoga.com

5. Be inspired by the Maya. The Peabody Essex Museum "Atrium Alive" Series will celebrate Fiery Pool: The Maya and the Mythic Sea with family programming on Saturday and Sunday. pem.org

6. Unplug. Fretless, an a capella quintet will be performing in the Cornerstone Books Cafe on Saturday at 7:00 pm. This is a cover-free show in the Cafe. CornerstoneBooks-Salem.com

How We See Salem: Author Brunonia Barry

Here is the second in our new series of how we see Salem.

Today we feature Salem author Brunonia Barry. Born and raised in Massachusetts, and currently living in Salem, Barry made her literary debut with the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling novel The Lace Reader (William Morrow). Her second novel, The Map of True Places, hits booksellers in the U.S. tomorrow, May 4. Like The Lace Reader, The Map of True Places is set in Salem, and entwines many of our favorite historic sites, restaurants, and neighborhoods into the story of Zee Finch.

Brunonia will be celebrating the launch of The Map of True Places on Tuesday, May 4, at The House of the Seven Gables, 115 Derby Street, at 7:00 PM. This event is free, and books will be available for purchase through Cornerstone Books at the event.

Here are a few of Brunonia Barry's thoughts on Salem:

Brunonia Barry Writer: The Lace Reader, The Map of True Places Published by William Morrow/Harper Collins

Where are you from originally?
I was born in Salem Hospital and grew up in Marblehead (on the Salem harbor side).

How long have you lived or worked in Salem? My husband and I moved to Salem eleven years ago.

What is your favorite thing about Salem?
I like just about everything about Salem, but I think I like the people best.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Salem?
If you make me choose, I’ll say The Grapevine, but there are so many great restaurants, it’s not a fair question.

What’s your favorite place to shop in Salem?
Cornerstone Books. With a stop at A&J King (bakery) on the way home.

What is the first thing you do with guests from out of town?
First I drive them around the city to show them how beautiful it is. After that, we walk. I live in the McIntyre District which means you can walk to just about everything.

* * *

Do you want to shop, dine, and explore Salem like Brunonia? Here are links to the places she recommends:

• Cornerstone Books
• Grapevine
  
• A&J King
  

Follow Brunonia's blog, the Bru-Ha-Ha, and learn more about her books:

• The Bru-haha
• HarperCollins.com
  

The Map of True Places - Book Signing, Reading, Meet Brunonia Barry!

The eagerly anticipated second novel from Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader, arrives Tuesday May 4th! Cornerstone Books will host the book launch event for The Map of True Places at The House of the Seven Gables at 115 Derby Street, Salem, on Tuesday, May 4th at 7:oo PM.

Author Brunonia Barry will read from the novel, answer questions, and sign books at the event. The House of the Seven Gables is the perfect location for the book launch, as much of the novel takes place in a home on Turner Street, across the street from the Gables.

Admission is free and books will be available for purchase at the event.

Set in Salem, Massachusetts, The Map of True Places is an emotionally resonant novel of tragedy, secrets, identity, and love. The moving and remarkable tale of a psychotherapist who discovers the strands of her own life in the death of a troubled patient, The Map of True Places is another glorious display of the unique storytelling prowess that inspired Toronto’s Globe and Mail to exclaim, “Brunonia Barry can write. Boy can she write.”

“Masterfully woven…The Map of True Places is a gripping quest for truth that kept me reading at the edge of my seat to the very last page.”

—Lisa Genova, author of Still Alice

For more information on Brunonia Barry, visit brunoniabarry.com.

Reign of Terror: The Salem Murder of 1830

I don't know if it's appropriate to say the story of the White Murder is one of Salem's best stories, but it is a great tale of intrigue. Learn about it yourself at Cornerstone Books on Tuesday night.

Here's a synopsis to get you interested...

180 years ago, on the night of April 6, 1830, in the quiet seaport of Salem, Capt. Joseph White, 82, one of the wealthiest men in America, was killed in his house on Essex Street. Nothing had been stolen, and there seemed to be no motive for the crime. For several weeks, Salem experienced a reign of terror: the killer or killers remained at large, despite the efforts of a “Committee of Vigilance” that tried to hunt them down. White’s nephew and chief heir, State Sen. Stephen White, was framed for the murder, but at last the true killer and his employers were identified, and the whole nation was shocked at the revelations.

Come to the meeting of the Salem History Society at Cornerstone Books, 45 Lafayette St., Salem, on Tuesday evening, April 13, 7:30-9 PM, for an illustrated talk by historian Robert Booth and discussion about The White Murder and what it meant to Salem—in 1820 America’s richest place, per capita, and 8^th-largest population center, but by 1830 a town in which crime flourished and a flagging maritime commerce had tragic consequences worldwide.

All are welcome!

Cornerstone Books in March

Salem has a bunch of stores that I just want to hug. Cornerstone Books is one of them. It's a great place to hang out, browse the shelves, see an author read, meet with your book club, or grab a latte.

Here's what they have cooking in March:

Friday March 5^th at 7pm
Debra Crosby's A Quest Actor's Studio Presents A Night Of Entertainment!
Students aged 9 through 70 will be performing their monologues and stories. Debra Crosby's A Quest Actor's Studio is more than an acting studio. Founder Debra Crosby says: "Master the Craft of Acting & Discover the Confidence to Succeed in Life, on Stage and on the 'Big Screen!'" Debra Crosby invites everyone from actor to non actor to embrace the techniques from the performing arts and apply these skills directly to their life. A Quest Actor's Studio has a unique philosophy and approach in that each student is encouraged in a safe, supportive and positive environment to see their life as the ultimate creative expression or performance. Through humor, compassion and insight each student is urged to become engrossed in the Artistry of acting.

Saturday March 6^th at 1pm
Paul Tremblay and No Sleep till Wonderland
The Boston Globe just named Paul a likely heir to Robert Parker's "face of Boston" crime fiction! In the follow-up to the much-lauded, Bram Stoker Award nominee The Little Sleep, narcoleptic detective Mark Genovich is back! Come hear Paul read from No Sleep till Wonderland (Henry Holt, ISBN 978-0805088502, February 2010, $14.00) and see why he's being praised as one of Boston's best!

Sunday March 7^th at 11am
Discussion: The Environment
Do you like the Earth you live on? Do you care about it? Do you want to share your thoughts with others in our community who also appreciate our planet? Then come to Cornerstone Books on Sunday, March 7th at 11:00am. The group will be a free flowing discussion about any environmentally related topic! The goal is to get students and members of the community together to share their ideas and create a more connected community, with the environment in mind. The first ice breaker topic will be the movie Avatar, just to get the discussion going but where it stops nobody knows! Sponsored by the Salem High School Environmental Club.

Sunday March 7^th at 2pm
The PSIence Society Meeting
Come together and collaborate, discover, and discuss the PSIence of consciousness and mind potential. Hosted by Matthew Liscomb; please go to www.meetup.com/ThePSIenceSociety/calendar/12748432/ for more details.

Thursday March 11^th at 7pm
Calling All Educators: Julie Hahnke presents curriculum for The Grey Ghost
Middle-grade author Julie Hahnke meets with teachers to present her Parent's Choice Award-winning book The Grey Ghost, and demonstrate ways using the book can be integrated into classroom curriculum. Julie also demonstrates a presentation that she can deliver in YOUR classroom or school!

Thursday March 25^th at 7pm
Thursday's Theatre of Words and Music
Thursday's Theatre of Words & Music features established and emerging writers and artists to read/display/perform their work for the public at Cornerstone Books in Salem, MA. An open mike will be held following featured writers/artists--artists are chosen by first-come-first-serve. March's featured artists:

• Timothy Gager is the author of eight books of short fiction and poetry--and has received eight nominations fo rthe Pushcart Prize. His latest, Treating a Sick Animal: Flash and Micro Fictions (Cervena Barva Press), features over forty stories, many previously published in various literary magazines. He hosts the Dire Literary Series in Cambridge, Massachusetts every month and is the co-founder of Somerville News Writers festival. Timothy is the current Fiction Editor of The Wilderness House Literary Review, the founding co-editor of The Heat City Literary Review and has edited the book, Out of the Blue Writers Unite: A Book of Poetry and Prose from the Out of the Blue Art Gallery.
• Gloria Mindock is editor and publisher of Cervena Barva Press and editor of the Istanbul Literature Review based in Turkey. She is the author of 2 chapbooks, Doppelganger and Oh Angel, and two poetry collections, Nothing Divine Here (U Soku Stampa) and Blood Soaked Dresses (Ibbetson St. Press). Her third poetry collection, La Portile Raiului, Romanian translation (Ars Longa Press) is forthcoming. Gloria has been published in numerous anthologies and journals including UNU: Revista de Cultura and Citadela in Romania, Arabesques, Poesia, Phoebe, Poet Lore, Blackbox, River Styx, and Bogg. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, the St Botolph Award, and was awarded a fellowship from the Somerville Arts Council. Gloria works as a Social Worker and freelances editing manuscripts and conducting workshops for writers.

To get the most out of Cornerstone Books, visit their web site and sign up for their emails. Then you will get their events on a regular basis, as well as coupons and reminders that are sure to inspire you to add Cornerstone to your schedule!

Notable Literary Events / Book Signings this Weekend

Katherine Howe and
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
at The Witch House, Saturday, October 24th
3:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Topping local and national bestseller lists, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (Voice, June 2009, ISBN 978-1401340902, $25.99) is the hot book of the season! Local author Hall brings the witch trials to life in a whole new way in the tale of a grad student unraveling family secrets in Salem and Marblehead. Finding a key and a scrap of paper reading only "Deliverance Dane while readying her grandmother's house for sale, Connie Goodwin begins a search for answers that leads her toward a mysterious book and important revelations about her family and the Salem witch trials. Meet Katherine Howe at the house of Judge Jonathan Corwin, local magistrate serving as judge during the witch trials of 1692, 310 1/2 Essex Street, Salem, MA, 978-744-8815.


Kathleen Kent and
The Heretic's Daughter
at Cornerstone Books, Sunday October 25th
1:00 PM

The Heretic's Daughter (Pan Books, September 2009, ISBN 978-0316024495, $13.99) is a beautifully written novel that tells the story of Kent's ancestor Martha Carrier, who was hung as a witch in Salem. Set in Andover and Salem and based on true fact and family lore, The Heretic's Daughter is a novel as much about the strength of family and the complex relationship between mothers and daughters as it is an account of the Salem witchcraft trials. This thoroughly researched book is an excellent portrait of Puritan life, and puts a truly human face on one of American history's most shameful episodes. Reading and talk followed by Q&A and book signing.

Happy Anniversary to Rouge Cosmetics!

I was in a meeting this morning and we were talking about Christmas shopping. This was refreshing, because a great number of meetings I am attending are talking about October and Salem Haunted Happenings.

We talked about Men's Shopping Nights and Girl's Nights Out and how much shopping in Salem has changed over the past 10 years. It is amazing. And it's not news to this blog - I can't believe how fantastic shopping in Salem is today, especially as compared to when I arrived on the Salem scene in 1998.

One of Salem's favorite shops is celebrating her second birthday this month, and this is a good one for the ladies to know about - prizes and gifts galore, girls!

Rouge Cosmetics will celebrate with complimentary makeup applications during the month of September - appointments are necessary and are available every Sunday-Friday during September (Saturdays in Rouge are pretty remarkable - brides, brides, brides, happy chatter, beautiful women - so you may want to stop by on a Saturday just to absorb some of the happiness.).

Rouge will also have many events and gifts with purchase throughout September, including bareMinerals National Makeup artists on September 12, Caudalie Facials on September 19, Darphin Facials on September 23, and Mario Badescu Facials and Paula Dorf Makeup Lessons on September 26. Appointments are necessary, so call to book yours!

Rouge was awarded Best of Boston 2009 for Makeup (Shopping) by Boston Magazine, Worth the Trip 2009 by the Improper Bostonian, and Best of Northshore (BONS) 2008 and 2009 by Northshore Magazine. It just doesn't get any better than that!!

Make a day out of it, ladies - stop by Rouge, swing around the corner into Cornerstone Books for a new book (have you read The Lace Reader? It's new in paperback!), head up to the Peabody Essex Museum for a tres chic lunch in the Garden Cafe (The crab meat salad is divine) and then stroll through the American Decorative Arts exhibits to find inspiration for what your house could look like - if it doesn't already - with a wood carver like Samuel McIntire around.

For more information on Rouge, call the store at 978-744-1044 or email info@rouge.com. For more information on how to spend the rest of your day in Salem, visit Salem.org.

You don't have to wait until Christmas to shop Salem. I invite you to discover the magic when you shop, dine, and explore Salem this September.

May Events at Cornerstone Books!

You may already know that independent bookstores are incredibly hip, happenin' places. Salem is so lucky to have a great independent bookstore right downtown - Cornerstone Books has all of the latest fiction and non-fiction, a local interest section, and a coffee bar. They also have a full line-up of events each month, including readings, meetings, poetry jams, musical performances and more! Check out May's line-up here, and visit cornerstonebooks-salem.com for more information and to order books!


Friday May 1st at 7pm
Music: Caroline Smith
When Caroline was a junior in high school back in Texas, her mom taught her a few chords on the guitar… and she has been writing songs ever since. Come see this enchanting singer-songwriter in a cover-free show at the Cornerstone Café!


Wednesday May 6th at 7pm
Free Investment Seminar with Ken Nagy
Follow the reconstruction packages of China and The United States: The governments of several countries will soon begin spending money like sailors on leave! Join Ken and find out which companies will benefit and which may be hurt, and how this may affect your investments.


Friday May 8th at 7pm
Bryan Gruley and Starvation Lake
In the dead of a Michigan winter, pieces of a snowmobile wash up near the crumbling, small town of Starvation Lake—the same snowmobile that went down with Starvation’s legendary hockey coach years earlier. Every small town has its triumphs and disappointments, secrets and festering grudges. In the enormously accomplished Starvation Lake, debut novelist and award-winning Chicago bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal Bryan Gruley gives readers a window into the lives of townspeople shocked out of their complacency by a discovery that turns the town, and its history, upside down.

Starvation Lake was an Indie Next pick for March ’09.

“A wonderfully polished and assured first novel. Many good crime novels appear every month, but few have the depth and poignancy of Starvation Lake, which deserves comparison with Dennis Lehane’s Mystic River.”– Booklist, starred review

“A great debut from a major talent.” – New York Times bestselling author, Harlan Coben


Sunday May 17th at 1pm
David Brody and The Cabal of the Westford Night
A mix of The DaVinci Code and India Jones, set locally, The Cabal of the Westford Night is sure to be a summer hit! Inspired by the legend of the Westford Knight – an effigy carved in stone in Westford, MA – the novel takes readers on a tour of 600-year-old sites and artifacts located in New England, in a plot that reveals the true secrets of the Knights Templar and the Jesus bloodline.

“Brody delves right into the historical fiction field made so trendy by works like The Da Vinci Code and picks up where they leave off. The novel is extremely well-researched and self-aware, and Brody does a terrific job of wrapping his research in a fast-paced thrill ride that will feel far more like an action film than an academic paper, though both elements are distinctly present.” – Publishers Weekly


Wednesday May 20th at 7pm
Kristin Bierfelt and The North Shore Literary Trail: From Bradstreet’s Andover to Hawthorne’s Salem
From the careful craftsmanship of the late John Updike to the timeless poetry of Robert Frost, the writers of the North Shore have left a lasting impression on the literary world. In The North Shore Literary Trail, Author Kristin Bierfelt shares the treasured homes and favored haunts of these beloved writers, revealing places of unique inspiration and the importance of home. Complete with a list of must see stops; Bierfelt offers readers the chance to view the North Shore in a completely new way— through the eyes of its writers.


Saturday May 23rd at 7:30pm
Steve Kluger and My Most Excellent Year
Last Spring’s #1 Book Sense YA pick is now in paperback! Romance, real life challenges and frequent hilarity follow three Boston-area teens in My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins and Fenway Park. Written in a series of school essays, diary entries, emails and instant messages, this novel about family, friendships, politics, baseball and musical theater (!!) is a heartwarming book for people who hate heartwarming books.

“Funny, affecting, smart and surprising, too. The climactic moment is good as a Broadway curtain call--or a neighborhood outing to Fenway.” -- The Washington Post


Tuesday May 26th at 7pm
Salem History Society Annual Meeting
Please join us for this Annual Year-End All-Members Meeting: Questions and Answers, Favorite Stories, and Favorite Things about Salem!!


Thursday May 28th at 7pm
Thursday’s Theater of Words and Music
Thursday's Theatre of Words & Music features three to four established and emerging writers and artists to read/display/perform their work for the public at Cornerstone Books in Salem, MA on the fourth Thursday of every month at 7pm. An open mike will be held following featured writers/artists--artists are chosen by first-come-first-serve. May's featured artists will include Kevin Carey and Kim Triedman.


Friday May 29th at 7pm
Music: Matt Scott
Matt returns to Cornerstone for an evening of his special acoustic/folk/indie mix. Join him in the café for this cover-free show!

Salem LitFest this Weekend!

The Salem Literary Festival opens its doors this weekend, March 27-29, with a terrific line-up of events all weekend. This is a great opportunity to interact with authors, play games, be inspired, and take in some great local theater!

SCHEDULE

Friday, March 27

6:30 pm - Festival Kick-Off Event! Thursday's Theater of Words and Music with special guest Hannah Tinti at The Hawthorne Hotel.

6:00 pm - A Soiree in Salem Reception and Special Exhibition Viewing at The Salem Athenaeum.

8:00 pm - A Soiree in Salem Lecture: Rosamond Bowditch Loring - Boston Bookbinder, Decorated Paper Maker & Modern Woman at Hamilton Hall.

8:00 pm - The Salem Theatre Company Presents An Evening of Pinter at The Griffen Theater.

Saturday, March 28

10:00 am - Mark Karlins and Starring Lorenzo, and Einstein Too at Cornerstone Books.

11:00 am - Henry Cushing's Dilemma: Children's Storytime with Peter Van and Beth Blanchard at Cornerstone Books.

11:00 am - SCRABBLE Tournament at The Salem Athenaeum.

12:00 - 5:00 pm - The Marketplace at Old Town Hall. Come and meet authors as well as representatives from small presses and literary magazines.

12:00 pm - Dreamstarters with Jennifer Karin at Cornerstone Books.

12:00 pm - Noon Workshop: Poetry Prompts with Salem Writers Group at Old Town Hall

1:00 - 3:00 pm - Meet Kat Black at Old Town Hall.

1:00 pm - Author Erin Dionne and Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies at Cornerstone Books.

2:00 pm - Writers' Workshop with Brunonia Barry: Creativity and a Sense of Place at Old Town Hall.

2:00 pm - Author Jan Elizabeth Watson and Asta in the Wings at Cornerstone Books.

3:00 pm - Children's Book Illustrator Giles Laroch at The Salem Athenaeum.

4:00 pm - Author Adam Braver (Mr. Lincoln's War) and his new novel November 22, 1963 at Cornerstone Books.

5:00 pm - Quick Fiction's Afternoon Delight at The Front Street Coffeehouse.

7:00 pm - Salem Arts Association Lit Bop at The Art Corner.

7:00 pm - A Tribute to John Updike at The Salem Athenaeum.

8:00 pm - The Salem Theatre Company Presents An Evening of Pinter at The Griffen Theater.

Sunday, March 29

11:00 am - Brooks Sigler and Five Finger Fiction at Old Town Hall.

12:00 pm - Papermaking with Donna Albino at Cornerstone Books.

1:00 pm - The Particulars of Publishing: A Writer's Workshop at Old Town Hall.

1:00 pm - Family Movie: The Princess Bride at Cornerstone Books.

2:00 pm - The Salem Theatre Company Presents An Evening of Pinter at The Griffen Theater.

3:00 pm - Workshop: Writing with the Senses at Cornerstone Books.

3:00 pm - The Best Women's Travel Writing 2009 at Old Town Hall.

Independent Filmmaker and author Tonya Hurley and ghostgirl at Cornerstone Books

Here's a free event for Saturday, October 11 at 1pm at Cornerstone Books. If you can't make this one, check Cornerstone's schedule because they always have great readings and events happening.

Described in Publishers Weekly as “Beetlejuice meets Heathers”, ghostgirl tells the story of Charlotte Usher, who dreams of being popular but feels invisible at school. After a particularly uncool , Charlotte finds that she does not fell any less strongly about becoming popular, and uses her newly dead status to approach her goal in some new ways.

Library Journal says “Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe devotees will die for this fantastic, phantasmal read.”

ghostgirl author Tonya Hurley's credits include: creating, writing and producing two hit TV series, writing and directing several acclaimed independent films, developing a ground-breaking collection of video games and board games and creating and providing content for award-winning websites.

Reading and talk followed by Q&A and book signing.

While I was on the Cornerstone site looking for images to add to this post, I couldn't help but get excited for the readings/signings of children's books that are coming up - New York Times bestselling author Brian Lies, who wrote the fantastic Bats at the Beach, will be celebrating Halloween with his batty new picture book, Bats at the Library, on October 25. Kids can come in costume, get treats, and see Brian's "Bats"mobile. Reading followed by activities and book signing.

The week prior, Andy J. Smith brings Fang Fairy and The Attack of the Mutant Lunch Lady
to Cornerstone Books on October 18. This will be a perfect activity for younger kids during the Halloween season! These graphic novels are great for early readers, and illustrator Andy Smith will be sharing tips on drawing scary (but not too scary!) monsters.