Drinks in the Library

Called a “magnificently crafted story . . . brimming with wisdom” by Howard Frank Mosher in The Washington Post Book World, Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner has, since its publication in 1987, established itself as one of the greatest and most cherished American novels of the twentieth century. Tracing the lives, loves, and aspirations of two couples who move between Vermont and Wisconsin, it is a work of quiet majesty, deep compassion, and powerful insight into the alchemy of friendship and marriage.

C.B. Bernard is the author of two novels—Ordinary Bear, winner of the Barry Award for Best First Mystery or Crime Novel, and Small Animals Caught in Traps—as well as the Oregon Book Award nonfiction finalist Chasing Alaska: A Portrait of the Last Frontier Then and Now. He’s lived in nine states, built a boat, walked tens of thousands of miles with his dogs, and written about everything from fly fishing to wolves to maritime piracy. For much of his adult life he called Alaska and Oregon home, but can now be found on the Rhode Island coast with his wife Kim and their dog Nessie with his feet in the ocean and his head in the clouds.

Drink this week is a Smoked Maple Whiskey - you can make this if you have a smoker - if you are like me and don’t, find some smoked maple syrup instead!

🥃 Smoked Maple Whiskey
Ingredients
2 oz bourbon or whiskey
½ oz smoked maple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Large ice cube
Orange peel, for garnish
Instructions
Add the bourbon, smoked maple syrup, and bitters to a rocks glass.
Stir to combine.
Add a large ice cube and stir gently.
Garnish with an orange peel.

An episode so good I’m re-airing it!

If you have listened to the podcast for awhile, you have probably heard me reference the book Here For it: Or, How To Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas. It is a favorite of mine and had a big impact on me when I read it the first time in June of 2020, so I was SO excited when my friend and returning guest Izzie Call read it, loved it as well, and wanted to come on and talk about it with me. 

My guest this week is the always delightful Izzie Call. Izzie works as a museum educator for the VMFA coordinating projects related to the permanent collections and special exhibition displays including digital components, labels, and web resources. Izzie is a lifelong, passionate educator and feels most at home speaking about art with those who have an interest in learning.

Also, thank you to Eric Thomas for sharing his favorite drink with me when in a moment of bravado (delusion?) I reached out to him on IG. It is a Cosmopolitan and he said he is bringing it back as a recession indicator!

Cosmo Recipe 
1 oz cranberry juice
0.5 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice 
1 oz triple sec (I use Cointreau)
1.5-2 oz vodka 

Shake hard with ice, pour into martini glass, garnish with orange or lime, and enjoy!

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.