2024:

Town House Books Holiday Open House
Thursday, December 12, 5-7pm:
Join us for a holiday celebration at Town House, with wine & light appetizers. 20% discount on all purchases.* Our experienced staff will be on hand to help with book recommendations for all ages, so stop by to have a look at all the latest books, puzzles, Christmas cards, tote bags, and more!
*Discount does not include special orders.

Holiday Shopping in Downtown St. Charles
Small Business Saturday
Saturday, November 30th:
Town House Books will be participating in the St. Charles Holiday Homecoming November 29th and 30th. Stop in to browse our new holiday titles for all ages. Our experienced staff will be on hand to help you find the perfect book for everyone on your list. On Saturday, November 30th during Small Business Saturday we will be hosting a raffle for a $100 gift certificate, so come by to join in the fun and get some holiday shopping done!

Author Signing: Scott Carpenter
Saturday, October 26, 10am-Noon:
Where do you go when life smacks you down? To Paris, of course! In Paris Lost and Found, Scott Dominic Carpenter (author of French Like Moi) tells a tale combining woe and wit in the world’s favorite city. Meet the author and get your book signed at Town House Books on Saturday, October 26, from 10:00 am to noon.

www.sdcarpenter.com

50th Anniversary Celebration for Town House Books
Sunday, September 15, 2pm-5pm:
Join us for live music, light bites and champagne to celebrate the last 50 wonderful years and lift a toast to the future!

Author Signing: Tripp Friedler
Saturday, September 14, Noon – 2pm:
Tripp Friedler will greet customers and sign copies of his new book, The Tunnel. The Tunnel is a father’s memoir about a family’s odyssey through the world of serious mental illness. It is a story about the battles Friedler’s son Henry fought with his parents, with various authority figures—including schools, teachers, and the police— and most importantly, the battles Henry fought with his own mind. At its heart, The Tunnel is a story of the resilience of a family, a man, and a marriage. It is a story of taking that gasp of air at the end of a tunnel—a breath that says you are alive, you made it through your own tunnel of darkness, and you will find happiness on the other side. Friedler will be donating 100% of his royalties from The Tunnel to mental health charities. View an interview with Friedler on News Nation.

Author Signing: Lucy Dallman
Saturday, September 7, 11am-1pm:

Lucy Dallman with Kathy Trumbull Fimreite, and Billy Van Duzor, creators of Hope and Little Girls, Little Girls will be on hand to sign copies of their new book, Hope.

This unique picture book will inspire people of all ages to stop and ponder the meaning of this word and how it can help us to live full and beautiful lives. Hope is an inspirational book for all ages. A book is filled with stunning watercolor paintings which display the visual experience of the lyrics to the original song of the same title. The book includes a QR code directing readers to a website where the song can be played. The final pages of the book contain the piano and guitar music of the song.

https://www.heartfeltcreate.com/books

Art Exhibition: Gene McCormick
Saturday, July 13 through July 20, 2023:
Opening July 13: Noon-2pm:
The artist, Gene McCormick will be in attendance on Saturday, July 13 from noon until 2 PM. The exhibit is titled “Daily Encounters.” The paintings are all 5”x5” miniature originals, acrylic on canvas panels and are priced at $45 each, with area no-kill animal shelters benefitting.
About the Artist:
Gene McCormick’s paintings are in private and commercial collections nationwide. He has had more than twenty one-person art exhibitions during the past ten years and has exhibited at group shows at the Bloomingdale Museum, the Norris Cultural Arts Center, Gallery 116 and numerous additional Chicago-area venues. Currently thirty of his paintings are on exhibit at the mayor’s offices in St. Charles, Illinois. He has been the illustrator for the online poetry journal, Misfit Magazine, since its inception in 2014 and has done more than fifty cover illustrations for small press books. Many of his designs have been used for couture sportswear produced by a charitable organization. He also collaborates with Ian Dengler, Portland, Oregon, on an ongoing series of faux postage stamp illustrations.In addition to visual art, McCormick has had twenty-eight books published, a mix of fiction, non-fiction, art and poetry. He lives in Wayne, Illinois, with his wife, dog Jack, friends, and far too many paintings. Telephone 630-377-7874; email Genebiz@att.net.

Author Signing: Jennifer Hayes
Saturday, June 15th, Noon-2pm:
Former Oswego elementary teacher and Sugar Grove resident Jennifer Hayes will greet customers and sign copies of her new book, The Extraordinary Imagination of Jenny Figment.

“I was inspired to write the book when my grandpa passed,” says Jennifer. “I had a door in my house that would randomly close on its own, and I thought what if that was my grandpa playing tricks on me.” The idea for a book about a little girl with trickster ghost friends was born.

The Extraordinary Imagination of Jenny Figment follows Jenny as she explores a magical world with her clever ghost friends.

Author Signing & Demonstration: Marnie O. Mamminga & Mary C. Parks
Saturday June 1st, Noon – 2pm, 1pm Demonstration
Seeking to open a child’s heart and mind to the creative power of observation in the natural world, The Woodpecker’s Song is the story of a child’s hike down a snowy forest road and the surprise life message a woodpecker’s tapping inspires. At 1pm Mary offers a hands on demonstration for children using the paper collage technique she used for The Woodpecker’s Song.

Marnie O. Mamminga is the award-winning author of Return to Wake Robin: One Cabin in the Heyday of Northwoods Resorts and On a Clear Night: Essays from the Heartland, both published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. As a professional essayist, her work has been featured on NPR and in numerous publications including the Chicago Tribune, Reader’s Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, the Midwest Prairie Review, and in several Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Currently, she is a frequent perspective writer for NPR’s WNIJ.

Mary C. Parks is both a state and nationally honored educator and has taught art in grades K through the college level. She was featured in the Chicago Tribune for curriculum distinction which led to her students’ artwork being showcased at the Art Institute of Chicago. In addition, Parks was a feature writer/illustrator for INSTRUCTOR magazine for four years, receiving international recognition. Her freelance artwork can be found year-round at invitational art galleries, art shows, and at various educational and commercial sites.

2023:

Holiday Shopping in Downtown St. Charles
Saturday, November 25th:
Town House Books will be participating in the St. Charles Shop Crawl on Saturday, November 25th during Small Business Saturday and St. Charles Holiday Homecoming. Stop in to browse our new holiday titles for all ages. Our experienced staff will be on hand to help you find the perfect book for everyone on your list. We will also be hosting a raffle that day for a $100 gift certificate, so come by to join in the fun and get some holiday shopping done!

Annual Town House Books Pre-Holiday Shopping Spree!
Thursday, November 16th 5-7pm:
Get a jump on the holidays with an exclusive evening of shopping at Town House Books. 20% discount offered to all customers.* Complimentary beverages and refreshments served. Our experienced staff will be on hand to help with book recommendations for all ages.

Stop by to have a look at all the latest books for adults and kids, puzzles, Christmas cards, tote bags, and more!

*Discount does not include special orders.

Author Signing: Christy Prahl
Saturday, October 14, 2023 11am-2pm:
Christy will be at Town House to sign copies of her first full-length poetry collection, We Are Reckless. Christy is a Best of the Net and two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, her work has appeared in a host of national and international journals, and she is the founder and director of the PenRF reading series. She splits her time between Chicago and rural Michigan.

Author Signing: Sammi King
Saturday, October 7th, 2023 11am-2pm
Scarecrow Weekend
For 8 years Sammi King wrote a family column called “Mom’s Time Out” for the Aurora Beacon News, a Copley newspaper. She then became a community columnist for the Daily Herald. Based on her popular columns, Mom’s Time Out is an entertaining book that moms (and dads) of all ages can relate to. It will definitely bring a smile and maybe even a laugh or two.

Sammi King is a professional writer from Batavia, Illinois. She received a BA from Knox College and pursued a Master’s Degree in Advertising Management at Northwestern University. After a successful career in corporate advertising, she chose to work from home and raise her two young sons. Sammi is familiar to Townhouse, having performed at the Cafe with Candy Kless and the late Jim Pritchard in the Over the Hill Trio.

Local Authors Support the Galgos
*Saturday, September 16, 2023 11am-2pm:

Meet a Galgo, Greyhound Español, once the Royal Dogs of Spain!
Lou Ann Forbes, author of The Six Changing Days of HORTENSIA ROSÉ will be here along with contributing authors of the anthology Sighthound Stories to sign books and talk about the plight of these gracious dogs. Linda Baumeister, author of Vegan Soul Adventure will also be here with her Therapy Galgo “Filipa”.

Therapy dogs “Frani” and “Filipa” will be present with their handlers so customers will have a chance to get to know the dogs first hand. A portion of each sale will be donated to Galgo rescue.

Join us for a Midsummer Night’s Sale
Thursday, July 20th 5-7 pm:
Over the years we have hosted these special evenings to invite our customers to relax together with great books, good wine & light hors d’oeuvres.

Please stop by to browse new books and talk with booksellers and fellow readers.

We offer a 20% discount for purchases made that evening (special orders not included).

Art Exhibition: Gene McCormick
Saturday, July 8 through July 22, 2023, Opening: Noon-2pm:
The artist, Gene McCormick will be in attendance on Saturday, July 8 from noon until 2 PM. The exhibit is titled “Brief Encounters: The Untamed Women of Montmartre.” The paintings are all 5”x5” miniature originals, acrylic on canvas panels and are priced at $45 each, with area no-kill animal shelters benefitting.
About the Artist:
Gene McCormick’s paintings are in private and commercial collections nationwide. He has had more than twenty one-person art exhibitions during the past ten years and has exhibited at group shows at the Bloomingdale Museum, the Norris Cultural Arts Center, Gallery 116 and numerous additional Chicago-area venues. Currently thirty of his paintings are on exhibit at the mayor’s offices in St. Charles, Illinois. He has been the illustrator for the online poetry journal, Misfit Magazine, since its inception in 2014 and has done more than fifty cover illustrations for small press books. Many of his designs have been used for couture sportswear produced by a charitable organization. He also collaborates with Ian Dengler, Portland, Oregon, on an ongoing series of faux postage stamp illustrations.In addition to visual art, McCormick has had twenty-eight books published, a mix of fiction, non-fiction, art and poetry. He lives in Wayne, Illinois, with his wife, dog Jack, friends, and far too many paintings. Telephone 630-377-7874; email Genebiz@att.net.

Author Signing: Patricia Toht
Saturday, March 18, 2023 11am-2pm:
Join us as we welcome Town House favorite Patricia Toht back for another spectacular author event! We have two new books to offer. Just in time for a special Easter basket gift she will be signing copies of Pick a Perfect Egg. And also, what is sure to become a timeless classic, Together With You, that celebrates the love between a grandmother and grandchild throughout the seasons.

Other favorites will be available as well: Pick a Pine Tree, Pick a Pumpkin, and Dress Like a Girl. Come by to join in the fun, or if you aren’t able to attend you can contact the store at 630-584-8600 or thb105@gmail.com to request autographed copies.

2022:

Author Signing: Jay Payleitner
Saturday, October 8, 2022 11-2 pm:
It’s Scarecrow Festival time again! Town House will be hosting local author Jay Payleitner on Saturday, October 8th 11-2 pm. Jay will be signing copies of his new book Hooray for Grandparents!

Book Lovers’ Happy Hour
Thursday, September 22, 2022 5-7 pm:
Over the years we have hosted these special evenings to invite our customers to relax together with great books, good wine & light hors d’oeuvres. Please stop by to browse new books and talk with booksellers and fellow readers. We offer a 20% discount for purchases made that evening (special orders not included).

Author Signing: Lucy Dallman
Saturday, September 10, 2022 11am-2pm:
Lucy will sign copies of her new book Little Girls, Little Girls, a strong inspirational book for girls of all ages. The text of this children’s art book is the lyrics of an original song by the band The Arts Department. The illustrations are watercolor landscapes by artist Kathryn Fimreite. A QR code for the original song and the piano and guitar music are included in the book.