Author Archives: Nicole Barnett

Book Signing with Author Adam al-Sirgany

In Midwestern flyover country, the stories of More Hell weave a rich and sometimes comic tapestry of longing, addiction, sex, and loss. The wild cast of rural characters navigate a fast-changing world from their vantage point in a place unaccustomed to such change.

This collection swirls perpetually around the hope and animosity of Neil and Maria Kenning’s fracturing marriage, while introducing readers to the voices around them:

an autistic woman who imagines her relationship as a fragile glass house;


a little girl who plays with sentient nativity figurines while her mother’s infidelity unfolds for all to see;


a young man grieving the deaths of his great aunt and a blue-collar boy he had feelings for in high school.

More Hell presents characters struggling for self-actualization and personal identity in a space painfully confined by its geography.

al-Sirgany’s writing paints a nuanced picture, challenging stereotypes and revealing the depth and diversity hidden beneath the surface of a seemingly monochrome landscape. The cast of More Hell will resonate long after the final page.

Adam al-Sirgany is the author of More Hell, a collection of stories about the sadness of addiction and sex in small Midwest towns. Out on Whisk(e)y Tit Press 2025.

Alongside his career as a writer, Adam is the Acquisitions and Developmental Editor of the indie press Santa Fe Writers Project (SFWP), the Executive Director of the literary arts and education nonprofit 1-Week Critique (1WC), and the founder of the mobile bookstore Bad Kids Book Corner. 

If you want to grab a copy of More Hell before the signing, shop at the link below!

https://bookshop.org/p/books/more-hell/1e381e66b3cceb71?ean=9781952600623&next=t

Puppet Show & Craft

Grab the kiddos and come into Rubber Rose on Saturday, August 30th from 1p-3p for a very fun and interactive puppet show with Hand Print Puppetry.

Enjoy a special craft led by Josiah after the show!

This event is FREE and open to all ages.

Jan Kirchner

Jan Kirchner is a multi-genre indie author whose writing explores the emotional terrain between light and shadow. She is the author of several poetry collections, including Holes in Your Umbrella and Borderline, as well as novellas such as A Love Stolen in Time and A Book Club Survivor’s Guide. Her work often centers on themes of mental health, identity, longing, and the quiet power of everyday survival.

A lifelong writer and storyteller, Jan holds a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing and teaches college writing courses as an adjunct professor. She also runs a personal blog, Ghosts in the Glass, where she shares reflections on writing, life, and the ever-changing weather of the mind.

Whether she’s crafting poetry that speaks to emotional truth or suspenseful fiction with a twist, Jan is passionate about creating stories that resonate—and helping others feel a little less alone in the process.

When not writing, she spends her days in Illinois with her husband, a gecko, and a bearded dragon named Hermes. She is also a proud Avon representative.

Learn more about Jan at her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jankirchner

Jan’s books are now available at Rubber Rose!

AMIBA

AMIBA is building a strong Local Economy Movement through support, training, and advocacy nationwide.

We became a member of AMIBA in February of 2025 and have since participated in three campaigns: Choose Indie Sustainable, Choose Black-Owned & Choose Indie Pride Month. We are currently one of just two businesses in all of Illinois that are active members of AMIBA, so this membership means a lot to us!

We were proud to have been featured in multiple newsletters for our collaboration with Project Sun at their “Creating An Inclusive Community” event in May 2025.

Check out this article we were featured in:

https://chooseindielocal.substack.com/p/choose-black-owned-month

Everywhere Is Queer – Founding Supporter

Everywhere Is Queer is a public resource (and ever-growing searchable map!) created for the LGBTQIA2S+ and ally community to find welcoming, queer-owned spaces to shop, connect, eat, learn, and grow all over the world… even in your own neighborhood!

Your community is waiting for you just around the corner.

The Everywhere Is Queer App features 17,000+ queer-owned businesses of all shapes and sizes and growing. The EIQ app is constantly-updated allowing you to find queer-owned businesses wherever you are in the world. Plus a job board, connecting you with your next best job that sees you as your most authentic self! Download the QUEER BIZ MAP using the links below to start finding your next fav queer-owned spot!

IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/everywhere-is-queer/id6467166300

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.everywhereisqueer.app&pli=1

We have been a Founding Supporter of Everywhere Is Queer since February 2024 and have contributed $702 to the organization to date.

 

Boozhoo Bindery – Indigenous Lit

Boozhoo Books is a publishing imprint dedicated to uplifting diverse voices.

Naomi @fromthemixedupdesk is an Indigenous book content creator who is passionate about championing underrepresented voices in literature. Boozhoo means “Hello” in Anishinaabemowin.

We love what Naomi does for the Indigenous community, so we became a subscriber to the Boozhoo Bindery at the Enemies to Lovers level. We have been a subscriber since November of 2024 and have contributed $120 to date.

Bindery is a membership platform for tastemakers of the book world to cultivate community, champion the authors and stories that matter to them, and earn a sustainable income doing so from the most passionate members of their audience. Tastemakers with larger communities, upon invitation, may open a publishing imprint that surfaces new books by authors their communities will love. Bindery partners with the tastemaker to design their imprint brand, solicit submissions, and manage editorial, design, printing, publicity, and distribution to everywhere books are sold.

Follow Noami on Instagram using the link below for the best Indigenous books recommendations:

https://www.instagram.com/fromthemixedupdesk/

15 Percent Pledge

“Black people make up 15% of the US population. So, we asked businesses to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands.”

The Pledge is an invitation to partners to give their valued community what they are asking for: variety and economic equality. The Pledge allows us to learn and grow together, led by a sustainable model for long-term change.

We became a monthly donor of the 15 Percent Pledge in February of 2025. To date, we have contributed $111.46 to the organization!

We make it our goal to ensure that at least 15% of the books we sell are by black authors, although we typically shoot for closer to 40%.

Representation matters.

In literature, and everywhere!

Learn more about the organization at the link below.

https://15percentpledge.org/

Vida Shields

Vida Shields is a transparent and heartfelt author dedicated to creating books that speak to people of all ages and stages of life. With a deep passion for intergenerational healing, she uses the power of storytelling to bridge gaps between individuals, families, and communities.

Her work is rooted in authenticity, offering personal testimonies that not only reflect her journey but also serve as encouragement for others navigating their own. Vida believes in the transformative power of connection, and her writing aims to spark meaningful dialogue, spiritual reflection, and emotional healing.

At the heart of her mission is one simple but powerful word: LIFE — in all its various aspects. Through her books, she invites readers to grow, reflect, and unite across generations with compassion, faith, and understanding.

Dear David, Since You’re Coming This Way is now available at Rubber Rose!

MK Collings

When I’m forced to embrace a fate I never even knew existed, can I rise to the occasion or will I crumble under the weight of the unknown?

My name is Anya O’Clery, and I’ve lived a pretty safe and unassuming life.

That is, until my world turned upside down when I stumbled onto something I shouldn’t have.

A darkness unleashed on the world.

My only chance of survival is to join forces with a mysterious stranger, but his help doesn’t come free.

I now risk sacrificing my heart and part of my soul to save the lives of others.

But it’s my destiny and I’ll do it.

Or die trying…

*For Mature Audiences Only – Ages 18+

——————————————————————————————————————————————

M.K. Collings began her life escaping into magical realms with her childhood best friend when
they were kids. These two adventurers would barely make it through the grasps of evil trolls
and goblins to help their fairy friends survive in the forest; all while searching for magical
stones that healed and opened portals to other worlds.
M.K.’s reading turned from childhood fairy-tales to suspense, horror, then eventually she
loved nothing more than to lose herself in many shades of romance. From Historicals to
Suspense, Mystery, Comedy and Paranormal Romance novels, all of which helped her escape
from the stressors of life.

While working a full-time job, being married to her best friend, and wrangling two crazy kids,
she became an avid reader, turned book reviewer.
Then one night, Fate opened the door of her imagination, and unleashed a whole new world.
A world with characters who refused to allow her to sleep until their story was told.
A small ember instantly sparked into an uncontrollable wildfire.
This was the start of Light Angel, and the beginning of many more novels to come of
Paranormal Romance designed by Destiny, Fate, and Karma.

Light Angel is now available in store at Rubber Rose or online at https://bookshop.org/p/books/light-angel-a-supernatural-romantic-suspense-m-k-collings/20587836?ean=9798988488316&next=t

For more info about M.K. Collings, visit the link below!

https://linktr.ee/AuthorMKCollings