The following author appearances, readings and book events are planned for the coming week in the Valley:
AMHERST BOOKS: Poets Daniel Tobin and John Hennessy read Friday, 7 p.m., at the bookshop, at 8 Main St., Amherst. 256-1547; amherstbooks.com.
Novelist Edie Meidav talks with Terese Svoboda, author of the biography “Anything That Burns: A Portrait of Lola Ridge,” Sunday, 5 p.m.
AMHERST FAMILY CENTER: Ann Marie Meltzer reads from her poetry collection “Coming of Age” Friday, 10 a.m. at the center, 1200 North Pleasant St., Amherst.
BROADSIDE BOOKSHOP: Andrea Ayvazian and Leslea Newman read from their work Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the bookstore, 247 Main St., Northampton. 586-4235
EASTWORKS: Ten storytellers will participated in a “Story Slam” Saturday, 2 p.m., with the theme of “Roots.” The audience votes on its faves. Free. Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., Easthampton. easthamptoncityarts.com/bookfest/storyslam.
MEEKINS LIBRARY: Ruth Lehrer and Paul Hostovsky read from their new collections Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at the library in Williamsburg.
ODYSSEY BOOKSHOP: Katherine Towler reads from her memoir, “The Penny Poet of Portsmouth,” Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the bookstore in the Village Commons, 9 College St., South Hadley. 534-7307
Tommy Shea, author of “Dingers: The 101 Most Memorable Home Runs in Baseball,” will speak Thursday, 7 p.m.
ROCKRIDGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY: Readings by poet Leslea Newman and members of Five College Learning in Retirement will take place next Friday, 2 p.m., at 25 Coles Meadow Road, Northampton. 585-3756
SMITH COLLEGE: Poets for Life: Poets Respond to AIDS” will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. Northampton poet laureate Patrick Donnelly hosts benefit readings by Eduardo Corral, Michael Klein, Joan Larkin. $20. Smith College Conference Center. 49 College Lane. Northampton. poetsforlife.brownpapertickets.com. at the college in Northampton.
Kathryn Petruccelli and Kathie Fiveash read from their work Sunday, 4 p.m. Part of the “Gallery of Readers” series in the Neilson Library Browsing Room.
“Trans-formations: Writing and Understanding Transgender Lives” will be held Thursday at noon, with speaker Amy Ellis Nutt, at the Neilson Library Browsing Room, Smith College. Northampton.
“Genius At Play, The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway” with science writer Siobhan Roberts will be held Thursday, 4:30 p.m, Seelye 201
WORLD WAR II CLUB: Northampton Poetry holds an open mic Tuesday, 8 p.m. at the World War II Club, 50 Conz St., Northampton. Featured readers areEmily Rose and Ben Clark.
