A teenager who can see the worlds of demons and the paranormal around us that others cannot is the protagonist of Sean Leary’s critically-acclaimed graphic novel series, “Exorcising Ghosts” The book is available worldwide and in local bookstores. Leary wrote and illustrated the series when he was a teenager and the books seem ripped from the diary of a teen, featuring various perils of growing up, including family issues, relationship breakups, friend squabbles and more, but with an added twist. The anti-hero of the story, Colin Drewry, is a recovering alcoholic and addict who... Read More

Local author Connie (Corcoran) Wilson was notified this week that her latest release, BEE GONE: A POLITICAL PARODY is a Gold Medal winner in the eLit Book Awards. The category for the win was Graphic Novel/Drawn Book – Humor/Cartoon. The book was published by Quad Cities’ Press.   The E-Lit competition, which is highly competitive, offers awards in 65 categories, solely to e-books, world-wide.   E-Lit awards are dedicated to honoring the best e-books published each year for the North American market and also from overseas publishers who publish English-language books designed for... Read More

They say every dog has its day. Well, starting last July, Harley – a beloved 10-year-old Golden Retriever owned by Kim Findlay and her husband, Rick Brackey — had quite a year. Findlay, 60, retired last June 30 as president/CEO of the Putnam Museum & Science Center, which she led for 12 years. She also was formerly president of United Way of the Quad-Cities, for nine years. With Harley, Findlay and her husband set out July 7, 2019 in their new RV for a cross-country adventure, all west of the Mississippi. They put 12,000 miles on the motor home, gave Harley the time of his life, mourned... Read More

The Rock Island Public Library introduced contact-free curbside pick-up for library materials beginning Tuesday, May 26. There will be no public access to library buildings during this phase of the library’s gradual reopening plan. Curbside pick-up will be available during limited hours by appointment only at the Rock Island Public Library Downtown and Southwest locations. Materials must be requested in advance, either through the Library’s online PrairieCat catalog, or with staff help via phone, email, and Ask a Librarian chat. Library staff will contact the borrower once items become available... Read More

Despite its title, there’s not a ton of burlesque in “Burlesque River,” a new romance novel set in the Quad-Cities, penned by veteran burlesque performer Kitty Bardot. There are key club scenes — at the start and near the end of this beautifully written book (part of a planned series) — that reflect the raunch, playfulness, camaraderie, the yearning to be someone different and glamorous, and the ecstatic high you get on stage with an appreciative audience. But the bulk of the 173-page debut novel, released in April by Boroughs Publishing (which specializes in romance fiction),... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – This year’s 15th annual celebration of Western Illinois University authors, originally planned for April, will be held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, put together by University Libraries, honors anyone who published during the 2019 calendar year, while employed or enrolled at Western. This year’s published works include books, chapters, articles, reviews, poetry, audio recordings, software and exhibitions. University Libraries has compiled a bibliography that includes 260 citations, which represents the work of 185 different WIU authors.... Read More

Connie Corcoran Wilson is giving away her horror e-book The Color Of Evil away free today on Amazon! Named both an E-Lit Gold Medal winner (Horror), a Silver Feather (IWPA) winner, and a Lucky Cinda winner while leading all books in recommendations for the Bram Stoker in the YA category (2012), THE COLOR OF EVIL: A Paranormal Thriller, is the first book in the young adult series by the same name (THE COLOR OF EVIL). From Connie, here’s a description of the plot: Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others,... Read More

Even in the age of covid, when there’s plenty of depressing stuff going around, there’s a lot of good news in the Quad-Cities! And every month, as usual, I put together a collection of some of the awesome things happening in and around town, and share them with you here and on KWQC-TV6’s “Paula Sands Live,” airing at 3 p.m. weekdays! So, tune in to PSL, and read on here on your site for fun, free, local entertainment and good news, QuadCities.com! Beck And Woods Teaming Up With Raimi For Sci-Fi Film Scott Beck and Bryan Woods are teaming up with filmmaker Sam Raimi (best known for the... Read More

Children leaving their homes due to domestic abuse or financial instability are being given the chance to turn to a brighter chapter in their lives by the Muscatine Center of Social Action, and local author and artist Christopher Anderson is helping them to turn the pages on their lives in a more friendly and colorful way. Muscatine’s Anderson, 35, is the creative force behind the new book “Boots,” which will be given to children entering the shelter. The tome offers kids a virtual tour of the establishment through the eyes of a colorful cartoon cat. “It helps to make the transition a little... Read More

Jason Platt is a man who wears many hats, and he talked about those various artistic chapeaus as well as his latest book about a certain hat, “Operation Hat Heist,” with Spotlight Theater’s Brent Tubbs for Spotlight Live Q&A this past Monday, Apr 27. Jason, a middle grade graphic novelist, is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design (in Savannah GA). He was accepted into the National Cartoonists Society in May 2015, and his first graphic novel, Middle School Misadventures, made national recommendations. His second novel, Middle School Misadventures: Operation Hat... Read More