BOOKS ARE MAGIC 
We opened River Bookshop almost six years ago—we did it because we believed that small towns should have an independent bookshop. From the start we knew we would prioritize children's literacy and being a “third place” where people would like to gather. One thing we did not anticipate was the enthusiasm of local authors.
Today, self-publishing is experiencing massive growth. With today’s technology it is much easier to write, print, and publish, but it's still very rare that a local author gets a return on their investment of time and money. Ninety percent of self-published books sell fewer than 100 copies. But when all the work is done, the writer can still feel proud about being an author and hopefully seeing their book displayed in a bookshop. River Bookshop carries around 95 local authors from around the county, some who have self-published, and some who've been published by traditional presses. Most authors sell only a few books, but some have really broken through. Here are three who have:
Carlie Jean (Amherstburg) - romance author
John Schlarbaum (LaSalle) - mystery author
Elly Blake (Harrow) - fantasy author
Listen to CKBG to have a chance to win one of the highlighted titles. In addition to supporting local authors, consider joining our Books in the 'Burg book club that meets the last Tuesday every month at 7PM at River Bookshop.
May's book club selection is All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman, and June’s book club selection is Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin. We hope to see there! And mark your calendar for Saturday, July 11th, and Sunday July 12th, because during the Amherstburg Art Crawl, you can meet local authors on Richmond Street during both afternoons.
“Wine is the most civilized thing in the world”
—Ernest Hemingway
With 18 wineries in Essex County, we must be very civilized! Learn more next week
WRITING WORKSHOP THURSDAY APRIL 30TH
New in 2026, we've partnered with Rose City Writers, one of Windsor-Essex’s most active writing communities.
Our next workshop will be on Thursday, April 30th. The event is from 6:30PM-8:00PM, and tickets are open to the public for $15, or $10 for RCW members. Click here for tickets!
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About the Workshop: Role playing has been an internet staple for well over a decade, from forum sites, to private messages, to dungeons and dragons. But, where do you start? How do you find people? How do you overcome your fear of cringe? This workshop is here to help answer these questions and more.
- Join Kat, who has well over 6 years of role play experience (not counting the hours and hours spent on forum sites circa. 2011), while they walk you through some tips, tools, and exercises for getting started with collaborative writing!
For more info about Rose City Writers and how to join, visit @rose.city.writers on Instagram or visit their website here.
DINO-STORY TIME SUNDAY AT 11AM
Musician Kara Kaufmann is back at Story Time at River Bookshop on Sunday, May 3rd, to share her passion for stories, knowledge, and music about DINOSAURS.
Come join us at 11AM for this DINO-MITE Story Time reading.
BOOK SIGNING SUNDAY MAY 3RD AT 2PM
Join us on Sunday, May 3rd for a Book Signing with Gary May! His new book is Unburdening from Mosaic Press. The event will be from 2-4PM.
An evocative novel about identity, loss, and the enduring bonds of family.
Known for his acclaimed biographies and award-winning books on the history of the oil industry, Gary May’s literary talents shine in Unburdening, his first venture into fiction.
Set against a backdrop of historical events, Unburdening follows the O’Malley family from their origins in Ireland, fleeing to Canada in the mid-nineteenth century. Their story mirrors Canada’s development, from pioneering days to wartime struggles, economic turmoil, and national crises.
BOOKSTORE CRAWL RECAP
“Raise all boats” is an aphorism used to describe the idea that improvements in the general economy will benefit all participants in the economy. Last Saturday, six independent bookshops did just that by participating in a Bookstore Crawl in Windsor-Essex.
We loved hosting new visitors to Amherstburg, and the ability to team up with other bookshops, because all communities are better if they support local … and, of course, read books!
And if you participated in the crawl—thanks very much! The draw for the grand prize will be done within a few days, and you'll be emailed a thank you discount code, so please keep your eye on your email. We hope you had as much fun as we did.
If you visited us at all this weekend for Indie Bookstore Day, or if you've ever visited us, at any time—thank you so much. Indie Bookstore Day always makes us feel so appreciated, and we want our customers to know we appreciate you too. We wouldn't be here without you.
Last Sunday, River Bookshop hosted Tea & Poetry upstairs at Hole in the Wall, featuring poets Marty Gervais, Kathryn MacDonald, and John B. Lee, and it was the perfect way to end National Poetry Month. Thanks to all who participated. All three authors have NEW poetry books available in-store and online.
So much to see and do in Amherstburg!
We hope to see you downtown this weekend.
The River Bookshop Team