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Elise Burke Brown Author

National Library Week

Published 21 days ago • 1 min read

National Library Week

April 23, 2026

Hello Reader,

I've probably said this before, but I love my local library and not just because they let me come in and gab about my books. When I was growing up, the library was the place I could go to get any book I wanted. My grandmother got me a library card, and I still remember the first book I checked out with it: The Boxcar Children.

Now, I take my own children to our local library where they can explore and read about what interests them. Lately, my eldest child has been obsessed with women in history, so this week's "research project" is Amelia Earhart. The library has all the books that are more reliable than a wiki page!

If you appreciate your local library as much as I adore mine, here are some ways to celebrate this week:

  • Get a library card if you don't already have one. I literally forced one of my friends to go to the library to get a card a couple of weeks ago. She now uses it on her Libby app to listen to loads of audiobooks!
  • Don't just visit--engage! Find a workshop or event to participate in. My library recently did a Bridgerton Tea Party, and it was delightful!
  • Thank a library worker. Send a card or stop by and say thank you.
  • Participate in the I Love Libraries campaign by submitting original creative work (stories, photos, videos) about what your library means to you.
  • If you don't have time to go in person, consider using library resource apps such as Libby or Hoopla. These have e-books, audiobooks, and even movies you can access for free!

What are you doing for your local library today?

Reading Recommendations:

Stranded at Night

Two strangers must face the darkness to prevail against the storm.

The Rough Stuff

Raw stories of grit, consequence, and the quiet codes men live—and die—by.

Army in the Obelisk

A fast-paced urban fantasy adventure told in twelve serialized parts.

The Golden City Captives

Kids with mysterious powers save a kingdom. Maybe. Sorta.

A Deadly Slice of Pie

In the heart of Hazelwood, a slice of pie turns deadly—and the truth is buried beneath the crust.

Ripples in Time

She’s back in town, my heart’s undoing, and still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

The Cutest Puppies in the World

Yodelers, geriatric Zumbaers, crafts, and . . . a basket of puppies?

Elise Burke Brown Author

A Newsletter for Readers and Writers

I'm an author who comes from a family of detectives, including a grandfather who filled my childhood with true crime stories I learned not to repeat at daycare. My novel, CHASE HARLEM, won the grand prize for the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts New Writers Contest 2021 as well as the 2023 Killer Nashville Claymore Award for Best Unpublished Investigator Novel. I've had had stories and poetry published in Sojourn Literary Magazine, Dewpoint Literary Magazine, The Moonlit Road, and Southern Quill. I've also sold stories to the podcast, Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. I'm represented by Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates.

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