Fall Programs with the Ohio Center for the Book

Mark your calendars! We hope to see you at one of our many events!

Check out the inspirational, educational, and motivational workshops and get-togethers in support of National Novel Writing Month this season both in-person and online.

Registration is not required for programs unless otherwise noted.

For full details and times, just scroll down, contact us at ohiocenterforthebook@cpl.org, or call 216-623-2881. You can also find a chronological listing of events and programs at the bottom of the page.

Thank you! to our Northeast Ohio community partners this season: Ursuline College, Cleveland State University, Celebrating Cleveland’s Past Masters, Rising Star Coffee Roasters, and Bookhouse Brewing.


Troublemaker, Malcontent, Desperado: A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Harlan Ellison

Held on Saturday, Sept. 17, 1:00 pm, at the Louis Stokes Wing of the downtown Cleveland Public Library, this event will honor Cleveland’s own Harlan Ellison. For full details, visit the dedicated webpage.

Anisfield-Wolf Book Discussions

In collaboration with Ursuline College, we are sponsoring discussions of Anisfield-Wolf Book Award-winning titles. Dr. Valentino Zullo, Postdoctoral Fellow in English and the Public Humanities at Ursuline College, will lead the conversations on the first Tuesday of the month. All discussions are held at Bookhouse Brewing, located at 1526 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113.

  • Tuesday, September 6 – 6:30 pmOf Fear and Strangers: A History of Xenophobia by George Markari (held at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Tuesday, October 11 – 6:30 pmThe Trees: A Novel by Percival Everett (held at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Tuesday, November 8 – 6:30 pmAll That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles (held at Bookhouse Brewing)

Buckeye Second Look Book Discussions

Take a second (or first!) look at backlist works by Ohio authors held at 3:30 pm on the first Saturday of the month, directly following Cleveland Public Library’s Music At Main performances.

  • Saturday, September 3 – 3:30 pmCircling the Sun by Paula McLain (held on the 2nd floor, Cleveland Public Library’s Main Library)
  • Saturday, October 1 – 3:30 pmSacre Bleu: A Comedy D’Art by Christopher Moore (held at Cleveland Public Library’s Main Library, 2nd Floor)
  • Saturday, November 5 – 3:30 pm – The Godfather Returns by Mark Winegardner (held at Cleveland Public Library’s Main Library, 2nd Floor)

Coffee & Comics

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Join our comics-creating workshop. Learn from Cleveland-area comics pros how to create your own comics or refine your sequential art skill. You might also learn some valuable insider information on the comics industry. Held at the Rising Star Roastery at 3617 Walton Avenue in Cleveland.

Cartoon image by Ashley Ribblett of a head with a paint bucket labeled Bad Idea Juice

Saturday, October 15 – 10:00 am with Ashley Ribblett

Ashley Ribblett is a Cleveland-area artist. By day, they work for a local screen-printing company; and, by night, they love to create a myriad of hilarious oddities and characters. Ashley’s work has appeared in numerous publications and events such as Ladies Night Anthology (published by Graham Cracker Comics), Genghis Con, and Vagabond Comics.

Saturday, October 29 – 10:00 am with Matt Horak

Matt Horak is a cartoonist and designer headquartered at EarthQuaker Devices in Akron, Ohio. Along with providing artwork for EQD pedals and merchandise, he is also the artist for Spider-man/Deadpool at Marvel Comics. Past projects include artist for Marvel’s The Punisher, Rob Liefeld’s The Covenant from Image, Co-creator of Dr. Crowe and Space Stepdad, and writer and artist of Octo Skull from EarthQuaker Comics, based on EQD’s line of effects pedals.

Get Graphic! Graphic Novel Book Club

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Come grab a drink and pull up a seat to discuss a different graphic novel on the first Thursday of each month at Bookhouse Brewing at 1526 W. 25th St., Cleveland, OH 44113.

  • Thursday, September 1 – 6:30 pm – Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke (held at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Thursday, October 6 – 6:30 pm – Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall (held at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Thursday, November 3 – 6:30 pm – Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month!

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Saturday, September 24 – 2:00 pm – The Nuts & Bolts of Drafting a Novel (in-person workshop)

In this workshop, you’ll learn from Laura Maylene Walter (Ohio Center for the Book Fellow; host of our podcast, Page Count; and author of the novel Body of Stars) what it takes to actually sit down and write a novel. It’s a perfect segue for writers planning to complete NaNoWriMo. (held at Cleveland Public Library, Main Library, 2nd floor)

Saturday, October 1 – 2:30 pm – Novel Writing Workshop with Seth Borgen (online workshop)

Get ready for National Novel Writing Month (November) with the Ohio Center for the Book. Seth Borgen, author of If I Die In Ohio, presents a workshop for writers and aspiring novelists. Register online by clicking here to get complete connection information!

Saturday, October 29 – 3:30 pm – National Novel Writing Month Prep (in-person workshop)
Prepare for the most intense writing experience of the year: learn about resources, discuss/brainstorm projects, and receive feedback in a safe space. (held at Cleveland Public Library, Main Library, 2nd floor)

Every Saturday in November – 12:30 pm – NaNoWriMo: Come Write-In (online)

Every Saturday in November – Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26 – the Ohio Center for the Book at Cleveland Public Library will provide 90-minute write-ins via Zoom for National Novel Writing Month. This is the perfect way to dedicate writing time to your project. You only have to register once to attend one or ALL of the “Come Write-In” sessions! Click here to register and get complete connection information for our Come Write-In sessions!


Here is a chronological listing of our fall programs…

  • Thursday, September 1 – Get Graphic! Graphic Novel Book Club: Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness (at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Saturday, September 3 – Buckeye Second Look Book Discussion: Circling the Sun (at Cleveland Public Library Main Library)
  • Tuesday, September 6 – Anisfield-Wolf Book Discussion: Of Fear and Strangers (at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Saturday, September 17 – Troublemaker, Malcontent, Desperado: A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Harlan Ellison (click title for full details)
  • Saturday, September 24The Nuts & Bolts of Drafting a Novel with Laura Maylene Walter (in-person workshop at Cleveland Public Library Main Library) No registration required.
  • Saturday, October 1Novel Writing Workshop with Seth Borgen (online workshop) REGISTRATION REQUIRED – CLICK HERE!
  • Saturday, October 1 – Buckeye Second Look Book Discussion: Sacre Bleu: A Comedy D’Art (at Cleveland Public Library’s Main Library)
  • Thursday, October 6 – Get Graphic! Graphic Novel Book Club: Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts (at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Tuesday, October 11 – Anisfield-Wolf Book Discussion: The Trees (at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Saturday, October 15 – Coffee & Comics hands-on workshop with Ashley Ribbett (at Rising Star Roastery)
  • Saturday, October 29 – Coffee & Comics hands-on workshop with Matt Horak (at Rising Star Roastery)
  • Saturday, October 29 – National Novel Writing Month Prep (in-person workshop at Cleveland Public Library Main Library)
  • Thursday, November 3 – Get Graphic! Graphic Novel Book Club: Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Saturday, November 5 – NaNoWriMo Come Write-In Online. REGISTRATION REQUIRED – CLICK HERE! (Register once and attend one or all Come Write-In sessions!)
  • Saturday, November 5 – Buckeye Second Look Book Discussion: The Godfather Returns (at Cleveland Public Library’s Main Library)
  • Tuesday, November 8 – Anisfield-Wolf Book Discussion: All That She Carried (at Bookhouse Brewing)
  • Saturday, November 12 – NaNoWriMo Come Write-In Online.
  • Saturday, November 19 – NaNoWriMo Come Write-In Online.
  • Saturday, November 26 – NaNoWriMo Come Write-In Online.