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Author Talk | Rita Woods

Award-winning author Rita Woods discusses her haunting contemporary speculative novel, "The Edge of Yesterday," about time travel and finding yourself.

Greer Coffey is a principal dancer with a renowned Harlem company. Sebastian Coffey is an architect with a prestigious Midtown firm. The Coffey’s are the ultimate dream couple - until their world completely unravels. After Greer develops a career-ending neurologic disorder, she stumbles through a vortex, a portal through time that transports her back into 1925 Detroit, where she meets a handsome, charming doctor.

Initially cautious, Monty and Greer slowly grow increasingly exhilarated with the visits. For Greer, 1925 offers an escape from the sorrow of her "real life," and for Monty, the future that Greer lays before him is irresistible. But 2025 becomes gradually less and less recognizable, as each visit back through time causes increasing rips in the timeline. Ultimately, Greer finds herself trapped in 1925 and Monty is forced into a deadly confrontation that changes the trajectory of his life.

Books will be available for sale and signing.

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Rita Woods is the award-winning author of three novels. Her debut novel, Remembrance, received both the AALBC (African American Literary Book Club) Award for Fiction and the prestigious Hurston-Wright Literary Award for Fiction in 2020. Her second novel, The Last Dreamwalker, was named Chicago Book of the Year in 2023 and was also nominated for the Hurston-Wright Literary Award for Fiction in 2022.

A passionate advocate for both storytelling and community, Rita is a Trustee on her local library board. She lives with her family in suburban Chicago, where she serves as Medical Director of a men’s maximum-security prison. When she’s not writing or practicing medicine, she loves magic, books, history, coffee, and travel, and visiting cemeteries (though not necessarily in that order).

Moderator Reance’ Gordon-Jenkins is a passionate reader, literary enthusiast, and champion of the written word. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, she believes every book has a story worth discovering and proudly considers herself an equal opportunity genreist - embracing everything from literary fiction and thrillers to romance, memoirs, fantasy, history, and beyond.

In 2010, Reance founded the WordSnobs Book Club, creating a welcoming space where readers connect through meaningful conversations, diverse perspectives, and a shared love of books. She also participates in multiple book clubs, continually exploring new authors and genres while encouraging others to broaden their reading horizons.

When she’s not immersed in a great book, Reance' is a passionate veteran educator, amateur photographer, and she enjoys caring for her plants and cultivating beautiful gardens. Whether she’s turning pages or tending to greenery, she finds joy in nurturing growth, curiosity, and community.

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