Manuscripts in May – Free Book Signing Event

Three local authors will gather to talk about their process/careers, read from their books, and sign copies of their works at Manuscripts in May in the Granada at the Morris on May 1, 2025 from 6pm-8pm. This free event part of the Equity in the Arts Program through the City of South Bend and the Morris Performing Arts Center. Books will be available at the signing and sold by Brain Lair Books. No ticket required to attend.

Cat Rambo – Author

Since coming through Clarion West in 2005, Cat Rambo’s 300+ fiction publications have included stories in Asimov’s, Clarkesworld Magazine, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and frequently appear in year’s best of collections. They work across genre, writing literary, thriller, science fiction, slipstream, fantasy, magic realism, historical, and humor with fluid ease, making them one of the leaders in American story writing. In  2020, Rambo won the Nebula Award for their fantasy novelette Carpe Glitter, published by Meerkat Press. They have edited several anthologies as well as Fantasy Magazine, and received a World Fantasy Award nomination for their work with the latter. A frequent reader for podcasts, Rambo is part of the team behind the If This Goes On (Don’t Panic) podcast, and has worked with it since its beginning in 2020. They are a former two-term President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and continue to work with the organization as part of its Grievance Committee. Their most recent work is space opera Rumor Has It (Tor Macmillan, 2024).For more about Cat, as well as links to fiction and popular online school, The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers, see their website.

Rumor Has it

Synopsis: The crew of the You Sexy Thing have laid a course for Coralind Station, hoping the station’s famed gardens will provide an opportunity to regroup, recoup, and mourn their losses while finding a way to track down their enemy, pirate king Tubal Last. All Niko wants to do is pry their insurance money from the bank and see if an old friend might be able to help them find Last. Unfortunately, old friends and enemies aren’t the only unreliable elements awaiting her and the crew at Coralind. Each will have to face themselves―the good and the bad―in order to come together before they lose everything.

Spencer Hixson – Author

Spencer Hixon is an urban fantasy author currently living in Mishawaka. He earned a degree in Nonfiction Writing & Editing from George Mason University, and has been writing short stories ever since. His first novel, A Sinister Love, was published in 2024. He co-hosted a board game review channel on YouTube called Board Game Rundown for 5 years. Currently, he is working on a number of writing projects and has no plans of ever stopping.

Fate & Fortune

If you had the chance to turn back the clock and do things differently, what would you do? Make a better business deal? Go after the one that got away? Or would you even be able to change things at all?

When geeky Alexander Petersen signed a contract with the sisters Luck & Destiny to change his fate and reverse his fortunes, he didn’t realize that it would doom his best friend and soulmate, Amanda Shields, to marry a philandering narcissist. In order to set things right, he’s given the opportunity to relive parts of his life as often as he likes, but there’s a catch:

For every minute he spends in the past, he loses a minute in the future.

With the Angel of Death eager to take him, a vengeful narcissist on his tail, and limited time on the clock, will Alex be able to save Amanda from his twisted fate, or will he just end up making things worse?

Fate & Fortune is an exciting journey through both time and the fascinating world between Life and Afterlife, full of twists and feints that don’t stop until the very last page is turned.

Aja Ellington-Author

Aja Ellington is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fre Your Wings Youth Mentoring Inc., a community based non-profit organization started in 2018. She strives to eliminate barriers hindering the success and growth of youth and families living in poverty. She is Founder and CEO of AE Consulting Group, LLC, where she specializes in Inspiration Speaking Engagements, Youth -Oriented Organizational Mental Health Consulting, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consulting as well as Clinical Mentoring and Counseling.  She is also a contributing author to Love Letters to My Girls Anthology, a book and movement to inspire, uplift, motivate, and empower Black women and girls around the world. Currently she serves as the Access Career Coordinator for the South Bend Community School corporation. She leads initiatives to align middle school programs with career-connected learning.

Love Letters to My Girls Anthology

Love Letters to My Girls is a powerful and heartfelt anthology that celebrates the voices, resilience, and lived experiences of Black women and girls. This collection of deeply personal letters, written by a diverse group of authors, serves as a testament to the strength, vulnerability, and wisdom that shape the journey of womanhood.

Through these letters, contributors share intimate reflections on love, healing, self-discovery, and empowerment, offering guidance and encouragement to the next generation. The anthology uplifts and affirms Black girls by providing them with messages of hope, courage, and self-worth—reminding them that they are seen, valued, and loved.

In my contribution to the anthology, I explore mental health, resilience, and the freedom found in vulnerability. My letter speaks to the importance of prioritizing wellness, embracing emotional healing, and dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health in Black communities. Through personal reflections, I offer insight into navigating trauma, finding inner strength, and learning to use vulnerability as a tool for empowerment. I emphasize the transformative power of self-awareness and self-compassion, reminding readers that their emotional well-being is just as important as their external success.

More than just a book, Love Letters to My Girls is a movement. It fosters sisterhood and community, creating a space where Black women and girls can find connection, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. While this collection is rooted in the experiences of Black women, its messages of perseverance, self-love, and transformation resonate universally, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to understand and support the journeys of women of color.

With each turn of the page, Love Letters to My Girls offers a powerful affirmation: your story matters, your voice is important, and your journey is worth celebrating.