Author Expo at Indy Reads

Join Indy Reads on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, from12-2pm to meet Hoosier authors, buy books, and support literacy for all!
About this Event

Join local authors for our next Author Expo on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, from 12–2 pm!

With this free community event, Indy Reads hopes to bring together local authors and readers for an afternoon of conversation, connection, and book signings. Attendees will have the chance to meet authors in person, learn more about their work, and purchase signed copies during the two‑hour expo.

Come support local writers, celebrate literacy, and support local!

Sneak Peek of our Featured Authors!

Meet Asher Boyan

Asher has been wandering the realms of fantasy for over three decades - sometimes reading, sometimes writing, and occasionally (often) forgetting to come back to reality. He is the architect of Halbrun, a sprawling continent destined to serve as the backdrop for his planned nine-book Stone Warden series. 
 
The first book, Shifter, was published in September 2025. Sylphad, the second book was published May 2026. 
 
When Asher isn't plotting epic quests or wrangling wayward characters, he typically immerses himself in worldbuilding in his 'spot' on the couch in Indianapolis. A former business owner, web developer, and non-profit founder, he spends his free time playing "the world's most popular role-playing game" (alongside some of his characters), visiting with friends (usually talking about his books, much to his wife's chagrin), or - weather permitting - floating lazily in circles around the pool while pondering the mysteries of life (in every world).

Shifter

An epic fantasy adventure of lost magic, dangerous journeys, and a half-elf forced to choose between light and darkness.
Arracnoth has known struggles all his life. Orphaned after his adoptive mother’s death, the half-elven wanderer longs for a quiet future with his closest friend, Avanstel. But when three mysterious strangers arrive, everything changes – Avanstel may be the missing heir to an elven kingdom.
Their search for the truth becomes a perilous quest through forgotten lands, where ancient magic stirs, treachery hides in plain sight, and a shadowy enemy pursues them at every turn. In the duplicitous elven society, Arracnoth will uncover arcane secrets, face betrayal, and discover a hidden ancestry that could alter the fate of the entire realm.
But every choice has a cost.
Friendship will be tested. Secrets will be revealed. And destiny will demand its price.
Shifter by Asher H. Boyan is perfect for fans of epic fantasy novels, "chosen one" adventures, and richly woven magical worlds. If you enjoy the intricate worldbuilding of Brandon Sanderson, the political intrigue of Robin Hobb, and the heart of Tolkien’s friendships, this journey will keep you turning pages late into the night.

Sylphad

Artesh Cooper believed he could outrun the life he was born into. He was wrong. And someone from a hundred cycles in the future bet everything on him trying. Long before the Sapphire was discovered, another Stone had already begun to stir. Pulled from the slums of Hansworth just before his thirteenth birthday, Artesh survived an attack at sea and crossed the desert to Sandscarath -- a city divided into six ancient kheth where knowledge is power and nothing comes without cost. Now eighteen, he bears the title of Emissary and is bound to Occo, a strange desert owl that watches the world as if it remembers it. When a conclave of Embers descends on Sandscarath days before his rite of passage, ancient seals crack beneath the sand. Drawn into a hidden world below the desert, Artesh is driven toward Q'Serath -- a sentient city in the clouds where the Opal has waited centuries to be claimed. But the Stones were never meant to be taken easily. What he finds there will force him to decide who he is willing to become -- and that choice may cost him everything that makes him human. Sylphad is a prequel to Shifter and Book Two of The Stone Wardens, an epic fantasy saga in which ancient Stones awaken across the realm -- and those who wield them will shape its fate.

Meet Rico Gonzalez

Currently working on his MFA in Creative Writing at Butler University, Gonzalez is also a full-time teacher of thirteen years. That fact is even more interesting when his students learn he is a recovered high school dropout. “I took the scenic route” he says, “It's my way of saying I did everything the hard way.” Rico' writing is bet decribed as heartwarming, and ventures into videogame or RPG Lit. His book, The Old Man and the Wingless Angel is what he considers a love letter to his generation. Eighties and Nineties babies will cruise through the book going from one pop culture reference to another. Set in the suburbs of Indiana and in a future that imagines for the reader, “What will our generation be like when we’re old?”

The Old Man & the Wingless Angel

Graduation is coming for Katie and an existential crisis is holding her thoughts captive. Caught without any clear plans for the future, Katie clings to the allure of adventure and taking off an a road trip. What starts as as a desire to explore becomes a mission for reunification when a memento from her grandfather's past unleashes a renewed interest in a a long lost family member. Forty years ago, the old man (Katie's grandfather) was abandoned along with his daughter. Suddenly, the stakes are higher than just seeing some landmarks. Katie and her party of adventurers will embark on a forty-year-old quest, but one person stands in her way, her own mother.

Meet Julia Plake

Julie Louise Plake, author of the children's book Smorgasbord Chickens, draws inspiration from family, farm life, and the values of kindness and community.

Julie is a longtime resident of Indianapolis and Carmel. She loves connecting with people of all ages throughout Central Indiana, and her years of experience in board development, volunteer engagement, and faith-based leadership have deepened her heart for stories that celebrate kindness, connection, and community.

Julie lives with her husband, Tom, and their two sons, Nat and Noah, who continue to inspire her imagination and her love of family-centered storytelling.

Smorgasbord Chickens: A Heartwarming Farmyard Tale of Kindness

On a charming family farm—complete with a big house, little house, barn, bountiful garden, and playful critters—live a lively flock of hens known as "the girls": Henrietta Lavender, Beatrice, Matilda, Maisy, and Delilah the White Sultan. Each has her favorite treats, from veggie stew to salmon ramen and lobster bits. The farmer's family generously shares kitchen scraps, making mealtime a daily delight.

Enter Fred, the thoughtful new rooster. When scrumptious scraps like pancakes, popcorn, and monkey bread scatter across the yard, the hens race to gobble them up first. But Fred hangs back, whispering his motto: "Me third." Inspired by his mama's wisdom, "Always think of others... share your heart", he teaches the flock that true joy comes from kindness, patience, and putting friends before favorites.

Touched by Fred's example, the hens hush, nudge treats his way, and adopt a new coop code: take turns, be polite, and let love lead. Soon, the whole farm, from cows and sheep to the dog Honeybell, lives by "Be kind, be last, think me third." This gentle, rhyming story celebrates sharing, compassion, and community.

Meet Nicole Velazquez

Nicole Velazquez is a Puerto Rican author, avid reader and lover of all things fantasy. She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University, with concentrations on science and cultural education. She has a passion for story telling, Caribbean history, and bringing awareness about matters that affect BIPOC communities.

Nicole currently resides in Indiana with her family, and two dogs, and works as a fourth grade teacher. One of her goals in life: give her readers pain with twists they don't see coming.

A Touch of Destiny

For centuries, ominous whispers foretold the arrival of a sinister omen of ruin who will bring the end of times. This conqueror will rise and change the tides, no matter the consequences. 
 
After a botched marriage proposal and a rejection from her dream job, actress Luz Narváez García is left with a deep desire to disappear from the public eye. Her wish comes true when an unknown magical force transports her back to the 1680's - a time where piracy, colonization, and debauchery were commonplace. 
 
Lost in time, Luz finds herself surrounded by the ruthless waters of the Caribbean, where everything has a price. Between a lethal power hungry naval officer, riddled with deep desires of revenge, and a mysterious bloodthirsty pirate who steals her indispensable necklace and kidnaps her, she's thrust into a dangerous role in the treacherous politics of piracy. 
 
Caught up in a web of danger and intrigue, Luz must use her wits and cunning to not only ensure her survival but to also outsmart those who seek a higher power only she is meant to wield... all while finding a way back home that doesn't alter the course of history catastrophically.

Meet B.A. Williamson

B. A. Williamson is the overly caffeinated writer of The Chronicles of Gwendolyn Gray. When not doing battle with the demons in the typewriter, he can be found wandering Indianapolis with his family, singing in a tuxedo, or taming middle-schooler actors. He is a recipient of the Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship. Please direct all complaints and your darkest secrets to [email protected], @BAWrites on social media, or visit gwendolyngray.com.

Gwendolyn Gray Trilogy

Gwendolyn Gray faces an overwhelming battle every day: keeping her imagination under control. It’s a struggle for a dreamer like Gwendolyn, in a city of identical gray skyscrapers, clouds that never clear, and grown-ups who never understand.

But when her daydreams come alive and run amok in The City, the struggle to control them becomes as real as the furry creatures infesting her bedroom. Worse yet, she’s drawn the attention of the Faceless Gentlemen, who want to preserve order in The City by erasing Gwendolyn and her troublesome creations.

With the help of two explorers from another world, Gwendolyn escapes and finds herself in a land of clockwork inventions and colorful creations. Now Gwendolyn must harness her powers and, with a gang of airship pirates, stop the Faceless Gentlemen from destroying the new world she loves and the home that never wanted her—before every world becomes gray and dull.

FREE Ticket – This ticket is for attendees that would like to attend this event and are unable to purchase a ticket. Indy Reads values our community and facilitators. We are proud to provide programming to all. Thank you for being a part of our community!

$10 – This donation covers the cost of one attendee to this event. Indy Reads strives to bring the very best programming to Fountain Square and all Hoosiers. Thank you for helping us to keep our quality programs accessible for all!

$20 – This donation covers the cost of two attendees to this event. If you are attending as an individual, your ticket at this level makes it possible for another who cannot afford a ticket to attend. It is only through the generosity of our community that we are able to support programs that enrich the lives of all Hoosiers. Thank you for your support!

Other – “Pay What You Can” really does mean pay what you can. Indy Reads appreciates that every one of our community members is able to support our vision of 100% literacy for all in different ways. Whether you can pay $5 or $50, we are so excited to see you – and thank you for your support!

Interested in being an Featured Author in future Expo?

Those interested in participating in an Author Expo must be willing to have their books sold on consignment through Indy Reads. If you are interested in being a featured author during an Author Expo, please visit www.indyreads.org/submit-an-event to learn more.