Jo Paquette is an award-winning author and senior literary agent living in the Boston area. She has published over a dozen books for young readers, which have been translated into nine languages and have received numerous accolades, including a nomination for the Massachusetts Book Award. Stories I Told My Dead Lover is her adult debut. Connect with her on Instagram @ammi.joan.paquette.

*photo by Andre Ilvanov

Tom Bianchi is a longtime icon of the Boston music scene. Sharpening his teeth as a subway musician, and as part of the prestigious Quincy Market Street Performer’s program, Tom has played everywhere -- from the humble Park Street Train Station, to historic Club Passim, to the amazing stage at The Somerville Theater.Armed with a 4-string bass, a quick wit, and an entertainment value all his own, every Tom Bianchi show creates its own recipe of unique showmanship. His mix of ingredients of one part musician, one part host and storyteller, with a healthy dash of eclectic songs, and a sprinkle of humor are all simmered in a tasty sauce of eye-opening improvisation. Just shake well and enjoy!
*photo by Danielle Miraglia

Adrienne Brodeur is the best-selling author of the novel Little Monsters (2023),a New York Times editors choice and a Vogue best book of 2023, and the memoir Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover and Me (2019), which The New York Times Book Review described as “Exquisite and harrowing….The book is so gorgeously written and deeply insightful, and with a line of narrative tension that never slacks, from the first page to the last, that it’s one you’ll likely read in a single, delicious sitting.” Both books are in development for film. Her essays have appeared in Bon Appetit, Glamour, O Magazine, The National, The New York Times, Vogue, and other publications. She is the Executive Director of Aspen Words, a literary arts nonprofit and program of the Aspen Institute.

*photo by Tony Luong

Jittery Jack and Amy Griffin have been playing together for over two decades - first as members of The Raging Teens (part of the 1990’s Rockabilly Revival) and currently as the band Jittery Jack. The duo celebrates their years of shared adventures with their latest platter “Tonight’s the Night,” released December 2023. A smorgasbord of music, steeped in nostalgia, yet with a contemporary bent, their new album consists of 13 original songs that expand on the sound Jack and Amy have forged over the years, even including a couple of ballads! Whether live on stage or on record, the chemistry between Jack and Amy is clear - it’s easy to see why they’re embraced by audiences all over the world! 

*photo by Todd Purple