Drinks in the Library

The Only Good Indians is a 2020 horror novel by Stephen Graham Jones about four Blackfeet men haunted by a disturbing, deadly event that took place in their youth. Years later, they find themselves tracked by an entity bent on revenge, totally helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way. The companion book to this novel, Off the Reservation, is coming out October 13, 2026 - don’t miss it!

Becky Spratford is a Librarian in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All and RA Horror for All, writes reviews for Booklist and a Horror review column for Library Journal. Becky has been an elected Library Trustee and a former Board member for both the Reaching Across Illinois Library System and the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with Horror readers. Becky is the author of three text books for library workers and the editor of the Bram Stoker Award winning Why I Love Horror. Becky was named one of the Chicago Tribune’s Chicagoans of the Year in 2025. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, currently serving as the Association’s Secretary and Co-Chair of their Libraries Committee. You can follow Becky on Bluesky @raforall.bsky.social.

We paired this book with a bottle of Coors beer to reflect the opening scene in a bar in the Midwest!

Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff.

Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series follows a fiercely independent Victorian lepidopterist who finds herself entangled in murder, mystery, and adventure in 19th-century England. Alongside her enigmatic partner, natural historian Stoker, Veronica uses her sharp wit, scientific knowledge, and unconventional methods to solve dangerous crimes.
Carmela Dutra is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area who loves food trucks, family, and cozy mysteries. She is the author of the Food Truck Mysteries, including A Murder Most Fowl and Hot Wings and Homicide. Her series has been praised by Kirkus Reviews, which called her debut “a serious set of crimes leavened by plenty of amusing moments,” and by Library Journal, which noted that Hot Wings and Homicide “is perfect for foodies.” Criminal Element highlighted the “juicy reasoning behind the sabotage that was almost as shocking as the murder itself,” and New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams described the books as “the perfect escapist read, brimming with banter and an extra helping of fun.” Carmela has also been featured in CrimeReads Magazine.
A lover of humor, quirky characters, and all things geeky, Carmela spends her days sketching, sipping far too much coffee, and over-cuddling her allergy-inducing cats and dog. She lives with her husband and two dinosaur-obsessed sons, drawing inspiration from rainy afternoons, bustling farmers’ markets, and the unexpected moments that make life memorable.
Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff.

Our drink this week was a Whiskey Sour, Whiskey is a favorite of Carmela’s and Veronica, and the little kick reflects Veronica’s spicy nature.
Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
2 oz bourbon or whiskey
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
Ice
Optional: 1 egg white
Lemon slice or cocktail cherry for garnish

Directions
Add whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. If using egg white, add it and shake without ice first.
Add ice and shake vigorously until chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
• 4. Garnish with a lemon slice or cocktail cherry.

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism is a 2025 memoir by Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook. This book offers an explosive, first-hand look at the internal culture and decision-making practices at the highest levels of the tech giant.

Lauren Comito is a cape wearing, sword swinging, activist librarian in NYC. Lauren is currently the Neighborhood Library Supervisor at the Leonard
Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library and Executive Director of Urban Librarians Unite. She is committed to creating space for communities to connect and grow, whether in her neighborhood or among library workers.

I will be with Lauren in person on October 15 for the Urban Librarians Unite Romantasy gala in Brooklyn NY! Get your tickets now for a night celebrating libraries, librarians, and the important work that we do!

Our drink for this episode was an Old Fashioned, as Lauren said when we were planning: The book is one of those nightmare bureaucracy memoirs where you probably need a damn drink but don't want to drink it too fast? Well said. Cheers!
Old-Fashioned
Ingredients
2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
1 sugar cube (or 1/4 oz simple syrup)
2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 teaspoon water (if using a sugar cube)
Ice
Orange peel and cocktail cherry for garnish
Directions
Place the sugar cube, bitters, and water in an Old-Fashioned glass. Muddle until the sugar dissolves. If using simple syrup, stir with the bitters instead.
Add the whiskey and stir to combine.
Add a large ice cube and stir until chilled.
Express the orange peel over the glass, then garnish with the peel and a cocktail cherry.

Cory Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a sci-fi novel set in a post-scarcity future where death is curable and social status is run by a reputation metric called "whuffie". The protagonist, a centenarian named Jules, lives his dream managing classic attractions at Walt Disney World. When a rival faction stages a hostile takeover and figuratively and literally "kills" his project by modernizing the Hall of Presidents, Jules goes to war to protect the park's traditional artistic purity

Phillip Hilliker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. He has contributed to role-playing games such as Shadowrun and White Wolf’s World of Darkness, written voiceover scripts for too many whiteboard explanatory videos. He is a current board member of James River Writers and has served as their membership coordinator as well. Currently he’s employed by a puzzle company to draw primarily sports-centric projects. You can find him on social media: @philhilliker

Our drink this week is a Piña Colada, which as you’ll hear ties back a bit to the Magic Kingdom!

Piña Colada
Ingredients
2 oz white rum
2 oz pineapple juice
2 oz cream of coconut
1 cup ice
Pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry, for garnish
Directions
Add rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and ice to a blender.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a chilled glass.
Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry.

Old Man's War by John Scalzi follows 75-year-old John Perry, who joins the Colonial Defense Forces in exchange for a chance to explore the stars and a new, younger body. Recruited into an interstellar war, Perry discovers that the universe is far more dangerous and morally complicated than he expected. Blending sharp humor, military science fiction, and big questions about aging, identity, and sacrifice, the novel offers a fast-paced and thought-provoking adventure.

Donna Barba Higuera is an award-winning author who masterfully blends folklore with her lived experiences to create captivating stories for young readers. Growing up in the dust-filled oil fields of Central California, she spent her life weaving tales that sparked her imagination.

Now residing in the Pacific Northwest with her family and a lively menagerie of pets, Donna is the acclaimed author of picture books like El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! and The Yellow Handkerchief. Her middle-grade novels have garnered significant recognition: Lupe Wong Won't Dance received the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor, while her second novel, The Last Cuentista, was awarded both the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. The Last Cuentista was also named a Best Book of the Year by The Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME. Her newest book Xolo reimagines the Aztec myth of the origin of man-and man's best friend. 

Tickets are on sale for the Urban Librarians Unite Gala on Wednesday October 14th - which I will be MCing in Brooklyn, NY! I hope to see you there in a night to support libraries and our staff.

Man of War Cocktail
Ingredients
1½ oz bourbon
½ oz orange liqueur
½ oz sweet vermouth
½ oz fresh lemon juice
Orange twist, for garnish

Directions
Add bourbon, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake well.
Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
• 4. Garnish with an orange twist.