Coastal Delaware has plenty on the calendar for book lovers over the next few months! 

From meeting authors and celebrating romance reads to storytime for the kids, book clubs, and a full weekend dedicated to history, there are lots of reasons to add a bookstore or library stop to your plans.

Kids’ Storytime at Browseabout Books

Start your morning in Rehoboth Beach with a story and a little creativity at Browseabout Books’ Kids’ Storytime.

A different book is selected each week, giving kids something new to enjoy every time they visit.

After the story, they can keep the fun going with a craft inspired by the week’s reading.

No registration is required, but space is limited, so arriving early is a good idea if you want to grab a spot.

• Date: Every Sunday through August 29th
• Time: 9am 
• Address: 133 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach

Stephanie Guzman at Bethany Beach Books

Bring the young readers in your life to Bethany Beach Books for a chance to meet children’s author Stephanie Guzman, creator of The Adventures of Oliver the Clownfish series.

Her book A Bit of Grit follows Oliver as he compares himself to his friend Millie the Mermaid and starts to wonder what he is actually good at, just as a school talent show gives him a chance to challenge those doubts.

Guzman is a National Board-Certified Teacher and reading and gifted and talented specialist who draws on her experience with children to create stories centered around confidence, perseverance, and challenges they may face at school.

Her series has been recognized as a USA Best Book Award finalist and received a Dove Award for family-friendliness, so this is a great opportunity to meet the author behind Oliver’s adventures.

• Date: Thursday, August 6th
• Time: 6:30pm to 8pm
• Address: 99 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach

Image: Bethany Beach Books

Bruce Rule at The Crafty Reader

If mysteries are your thing, stop by The Crafty Reader to meet local author Bruce Rule and check out his new novel, The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Debutante Detective.

The story brings Holmes and Watson to New York City, where they join forces with Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice Roosevelt, to save the president from a kidnapping and attempted assassination ahead of international peace talks.

It blends classic Holmes-style detective work with hard-boiled American noir, giving the familiar characters a very different setting and a new case to crack.

You can meet Rule during the signing and pick up a signed copy for yourself or another mystery fan.

• Date: Saturday, August 8th
• Time: 11am to 1pm
• Address: 39 N Walnut Street, Suite 104, Milford

Bookstore Romance Day at The Crafty Reader

Romance readers have a pretty good excuse to add a few more books to the shelf during Bookstore Romance Day at The Crafty Reader.

The shop is dedicating the day to romance literature, with special deals available both in-store and online.

• Date: Saturday, August 15th
• Time: All day
• Address: 39 N Walnut Street, Suite 104, Milford

J.R. Miller at Bethany Beach Books

If you have ever wondered about the concrete towers still standing along Delaware’s beaches, J.R. Miller’s Towers on the Beach: World War II Spies and Heroes from Ocean View, Delaware to Bremen, Germany turns that local history into the backdrop for a story of war, loyalty, and love.

The historical fiction novel follows McKenna, a young woman living with her family in Ocean View during World War II, and Kurt, a German spy whose loyalties become much more complicated after the two meet.

Their story unfolds against real pieces of Delaware’s wartime past, including soldiers stationed along the coast, German submarines offshore, and a prisoner-of-war camp in the area.

Miller’s fascination with Ocean View and the impact World War II had on the Quiet Resorts helped inspire the book, making this author event especially interesting if you like seeing familiar local places through a completely different chapter of history.

• Date: Saturday, August 15th
• Time: 6:30pm to 8pm
• Address: 99 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach

Image: Browseabout Books

Bookstore Romance Day at Browseabout Books 

Romance readers can make a stop at Browseabout Books for a celebration built around love stories, local authors, and a few fun extras.

Several authors, including Ava Ott, will be on hand signing books, giving you a chance to meet writers and pick up a signed copy while you browse.

Anyone purchasing a romance book can also receive a limited-edition bookmark designed by Browseabout’s own Sierra, while supplies last.

There will even be a complimentary mocktail available, making this a nice excuse to spend part of the afternoon surrounded by books and fellow romance fans.

• Date: Saturday, August 15th
• Time: 1pm to 4pm
• Address: 133 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach

Madeline Martin at Bethany Beach Books

Historical fiction fans can meet New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin and hear more about her newest novel, A Time of Witches.

The story follows two women separated by centuries but connected by blood, danger, and a history that threatens to erase them both.

In the present day, Lilith Legare begins experiencing strange changes after her mother’s death, while in 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham is accused of witchcraft and forced to fight for her survival.

Martin blends both timelines into a story about betrayal, power, and women reclaiming their voices, giving readers plenty to talk about after the last page.

• Date: Tuesday, September 1
• Time: 5pm to 6:30pm
• Address: 99 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach

David Archuleta at Browseabout Books

David Archuleta is stopping by Browseabout Books for a special signing while he is in town for CAMP Rehoboth’s Sun Festival.

His memoir, Devout, takes readers behind the public image that began when he became the runner-up on American Idol at just 17 and follows the much more complicated personal story unfolding offstage.

Archuleta writes about fame, family pressure, religion, identity, his time as a missionary, and the long process of understanding and accepting who he is.

The book became an instant New York Times bestseller, and the signing gives fans a chance to meet the singer and author during his visit to Rehoboth Beach.

• Date: Sunday, September 6th
• Time: 2pm
• Address: 133 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach

Pints & Pages: A Book Club for Millennials at Lewes Public Library 

If you like the idea of talking books over a drink, Pints & Pages gives millennial readers a relaxed monthly meetup at Lewes Public Library.

On August 25th, the group will dive into John Hodgman’s Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches, followed by a “What I Read This Summer” meetup on September 22nd where you can bring any book you love and share it with the group.

October 27th brings a classic with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, while November 24th takes a darker turn with Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences.

Copies of the featured books are available to borrow from the library, beverages are sponsored by Dewey Beer Co., and registration is required to join.

• Various dates
• Time: 6:30pm to 7:30pm
• Address: 111 Adams Avenue, Lewes

History Book Festival

Lewes is turning into a destination for history lovers as the History Book Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary with three days of authors, conversations, signings, and events throughout town.

More than 20 presentations bring together bestselling, award-winning, and emerging writers covering everything from espionage and world wars to civil rights, politics, remarkable historical figures, and stories inspired by the past.

The festival opens with a keynote conversation featuring Ben Macintyre and Scott Anderson, while Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray close out the weekend with a discussion of their new historical novel, A Pair of Aces.

Saturday gives you plenty of freedom to build your own itinerary, with more than 90% of the festival’s programming free and open to the public, plus book signings after every presentation, food trucks, and a free shuttle connecting venues and spots around downtown Lewes.

With presentation spaces throughout the Historic District, you can spend the day moving between author talks while making time for local shops, restaurants, coffee, and everything else downtown Lewes has to offer.

• Dates: September 25th-27th
• Various hours & locations
• See their FAQ for more details

Image: History Book Festival

Susan Coll at Bethany Beach Books

Meet bestselling author Susan Coll and get a closer look at Word Salad, her new novel set in the wonderfully chaotic world of books and bookstores.

The story follows Matilda, a former economics major who returns to Washington, D.C. to care for her mother and takes a job at her neighborhood bookstore, where logic quickly gives way to messy coworkers, unpredictable customers, and one very complicated author event.

Things get even more entertaining when she is paired with Sage, a larger-than-life new hire with questionable organizational skills and a tiny dog that only adds to the chaos.

Coll brings plenty of bookish humor to the story while exploring what happens when life stops going according to plan and you start rediscovering parts of yourself you thought were long gone.

• Date: Saturday, September 26th
• Time: 5pm to 6:30pm
• Address: 99 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach

Pop-up Book Sale at South Coastal Public Library

If your reading list could use a few additions, South Coastal Public Library’s pop-up sale is an easy place to stock up without spending much.

You can browse previous bestsellers, cookbooks, beach reads, children’s books, and plenty of other finds at budget-friendly prices.

The sale is sponsored by the Friends of the South Coastal Library, so your purchases also help support the library and its programs.

• Date: Saturday, October 10th
• Time: 10am to 12pm
• Address: 43 Kent Avenue, Bethany Beach

Keep following our blog for more upcoming events, local happenings, and things to do across Coastal Delaware!

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