Join the Wood County District Public Library to meet bestselling fiction author and memoirist Viola Shipman (pen name for Wade Rouse)! Wade will talk about his work as an author, the inspiration behind the pen name Viola Shipman, and discuss his new novel, Famous in a Small Town, which releases on June 13, 2023. Barnes & Noble will be available to sell a selection of Wade's books, and there will be a Q&A and a book signing.

Wade Rouse is the USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and internationally bestselling author of 15 books, including five memoirs and ten novels. Wade’s books have been translated into nearly 25 languages and have been bestsellers across the world. He chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, as a pen name to honor the working poor Ozarks seamstress whose sacrifices changed his family’s life and whose memory inspires his fiction.

Wade’s books have been selected multiple times as Must-Reads by NBC’s Today Show as well as Michigan Notable Books of the Year. His memoirs and novels have been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today and on Chelsea Lately and chosen three times as Indie Next Picks by the nation’s independent booksellers. A former journalist, magazine writer and People reporter, his writing has appeared in a diverse range of publications and media, including Coastal Living, Time, All Things Considered, Good Housekeeping, Parade, Salon, Forbes, Writer’s Digest and Publisher’s Weekly.

Registration is required. To register, call (419) 352-5050, email woodref@wcdpl.org, or fill out the form below.

This program is supported by the estate of Julia Rentz.