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Join author James Fitzmaurice in Shambaugh Auditorium in the Main Library for a conversation about his new young adult novel, Hobgoblin Gennel, moderated by Library and Information Science graduate student Theo Prineas. Light refreshments provided.

In this off-beat tale of adventure, teenagers Irie and Fred are fast friends. Irie, of Afro-Caribbean heritage, was born in Sheffield where they both live. Fred is an expat American transplanted from Yuma, Arizona, with a keen interest in Sheffield’s Anglo-Saxon era. While trapped in an underground passageway, they come across the kitchen of a foodie hipster named Hobgoblin who is what his name suggests. Hobgoblin uses a modern induction hob, of course, and only the best ingredients. The irritable little chef sets them the task of finding the Fairy Queen's red-garnet and golden cup, but he is cagey about his reasons.

Fitzmaurice was born in Ventura, California. He taught English at Northern Arizona University for many years before retiring to the UK, where he has been associated with the University of Sheffield. He is a fiction writer and screenwriter. He also continues to devote time to scholarly research and publishes on the early modern woman writer Margaret Cavendish.

Prineas is a graduate research assistant and MA-LIS candidate at the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science, with a certificate in Book Studies from the Center for the Book. He completed his undergraduate degree at Grinnell College in political science and English and has 10 years of public, academic, and special collections library experience. He currently serves as personal assistant to Sam Helmick, president-elect of the American Library Association.

All are welcome at this free event, which is presented in partnership with the Iowa City Book Festival.