Katie Fitzgerald – författare

Story time is a popular activity in public libraries. Unfortunately, many librarians (and not just children’s librarians) are thrust into the role of providing this service have not taken a course or had the necessary experience of performing story times. Story times are so popular that they are now offered to children of many ages, not just to preschoolers. This book will help librarians who have never done story time to learn to promote, plan, and perform story times, and will be useful to experienced librarians to build on their story time repertoires.Because story times are essential components of library service to children and in such demand, in many libraries, even librarians who have never done story time before are being asked to step into that role. Story Time Success: A Practical Guide for Librarians is comprehensive handbook which can help any librarian learn to promote, plan, and perform story times even with no prior training or experience. Key elements include: Customizable planning templates Hints for choosing appropriate books and other materialsSuggestions for overcoming performance anxietyTroubleshooting for common story time problems and pitfallsEvaluation rubrics for performers and supervisorsVeterans and beginners alike will find many useful pointers for establishing and improving their story time skills and repertoires.

he summer reading program is the focal point of a children’s librarian’s year, requiring countless hours of preparation and nearly year-round promotion. Summer reading programs for teens and adults are also offered in many communities, adding to that workload and bringing together librarians from different departments to accomplish the required tasks. In a single volume, Successful Summer Reading Programs for All Ages: A Practical Guide for Librarians provides the tools necessary to put together successful summer reading programs for each of these different age groups. Key elements include:Sample program ideas for early childhood, school-age, teen, and adult readers to suit any summer reading themeBest practices for promoting summer reading to the communityTroubleshooting for common difficulties associated with summer reading programsTips and tricks for using software programs to manage registration and track readers’ progressPublic librarians serving children, teens, and/or adults will find everything they need to put together a successful summer reading program in this comprehensive handbook.

She went to the city to build a future… but maybe the life she wanted was back home all along.A year after leaving her small town and close-knit friend group, Madigan's big-city dreams are finally coming true: she's received an invitation to an exclusive holiday party, proof that her magazine-writing career is finally taking off—and she's determined to prove she belongs there, even if it means missing Friendsmas, the Christmas tradition she has never skipped before.But when she arrives at the elaborate corporate event, everything falls apart. What should have been her big career moment turns into quiet humiliation, leaving her alone to question everything she's been chasing.When she calls Luke—her best friend back home—his concern and warmth stir up long-buried feelings for both the hometown and the man she left behind.  This friends-to-lovers holiday romance short story originally appeared in Home for the Holidays: A Christmastime Anthology, released in November 2025 from And You Press, an imprint of Nicole Frail Books. This version of the story has been expanded with a brand-new epilogue that provides a peek at Madigan and Luke's life after the original story ended. Praise for Comfort Zone and Joy"e;If someone was looking to get into the Christmas spirit, I'd send them straight to this story. I loved every minute of the holiday vibes, sweet friendship traditions, and heartwarming romance. I can't wait to reread it by the light of my Christmas tree!"e; —Rachel Lawrence, author of Seashells and Other Souvenirs

She's revered for magic, not bedside manner. A plague is rising, and no one taught her to rely on others before the dying started.Calabre yearns to connect, but even as a brilliant and powerful Royal Healer, she's still lonely. Years of awkwardness and missteps have left her isolated and aching to belong.When a deadly illness strikes the capital's nobility, the queen tasks Calabre with investigating its source. Worse, she'll have to collaborate with her sharpest critic, a rival who challenges her at every turn.As the death toll climbs and evidence grows murky, Calabre discovers this is no ordinary outbreak. If she can't find the cause and accept the contributions of healers she pushed away, the people she loves will die next.A spellbinding fusion of fantasy and mystery, In the Hands of Healers explores power, pride, and the price of isolation.Buy now and enter a world where healing is power, and the cure might just be connection.