Author conversation series hosted by Denise Kiernan kicks off Jan.26

Press release on behalf of Denise Kiernan:

CRAFT, a new author conversation series conceived and hosted by New York Timesbestselling author Denise Kiernan, kicks off at Asheville’s premier cocktail lounge Little Jumbo on January 26, 2020, at 3 p.m. The series, held the last Sunday of each month, is co-sponsored by Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe and Little Jumbo.
“I am thrilled with this new collaboration,” Kiernan said. “With CRAFT we are moving beyond the longstanding setting and parameters of the typical book tour and providing a much more intimate experience for readers.”
CRAFT’s concept is simple: Kiernan will host an author in this speakeasy setting to discuss not only the writer’s latest publication but also the craft of writing itself. For each featured author, the Little Jumbo staff will create a specialty cocktail—or mocktail—inspired by either the featured book or the author themselves. Kiernan, a longtime Asheville resident, has interviewed many authors over the years at Malaprop’s, and conceived of the series from a desire to celebrate books of all kinds from all genres and offer insight into the creative process in a setting that evokes salons of old.
“Denise Kiernan’s new CRAFT series promises to shine a light on fascinating authors and the subjects that compel them to write,”  said Stephanie Jones-Byrne, Director of Author Events at
Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe. “Malaprop’s is delighted to collaborate with her in this one-of-a-kind storyteller series.”
Chall Gray, co-owner of Little Jumbo, added that he “couldn’t think of a more perfect fit for Little Jumbo than having Denise host a literary series in the parlor. We like to think of ourselves as a bar that has a slightly literary bent, and look forward to hearing many great writers in the space.”

The series will be held at Little Jumbo and free parking will be available in the lot at the corner of Broadway and Monroe Streets. On-site book sales will be provided by Malaprop’s, Asheville’s beloved 37-year-old independent bookstore. A small number of reserved seats will be available to those who purchase a book from Malaprop’s prior to the event. Additional seating and standing room will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m.
“Denise Kiernan’s CRAFT is simply the best gig for authors in the country,” says New York Timesbestselling author Karen Abbott, whose September interview at Little Jumbo for her latest book, The Ghosts of Eden Park, marked the unofficial soft opening of the series.
Starting off CRAFT’s inaugural year is New York City author Ada Calhoun, who will join Kiernan to discuss, Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis, an expansion of Calhoun’s viral story for Oprah.com about the distinct issues facing Generation X women. She and Kiernan will discuss the book, Calhoun’s inspiration and research, and the craft of writing at January’s event.
Calhoun is also the author of Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give and St. Marks Is Dead. Cal­houn has worked as an A-list ghost­writer, col­lab­o­rat­ing on four­teen non­fic­tion books, includ­ing sev­er­al New York Times bestsellers. She has writ­ten for Time, Nation­al Geo­graph­ic Trav­el­er, O: The Oprah mag­a­zine, the Times Lit­er­ary Sup­ple­ment, The New Repub­lic, Bill­board, Cos­mopoli­tan and Red­book and her national news reporting has won multiple awards.
Upcoming events will feature New York Times bestselling author Therese Fowler (Z, A Well Behaved Woman), discussing her book A Good Neighborhood. Future guests will also include graphic novelist Andre Frattino, New York Times bestselling author Wiley Cash, romance writers, mystery authors and more.
Denise Kiernan is an author, journalist and producer whose latest book, The Last Castle, was an instant New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, as well as a Wall Street Journal bestseller. Her previous title, The Girls of Atomic City, is a New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and NPR bestseller and has been published in seven languages.
Little Jumbo located at 241 Broadway Street in Asheville, features classic and classically-inspired craft cocktails, food, live music and more.
Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe an independent bookstore and cafe located at 55 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville.