Ellen Plumb’s City Bookstore hosted a Kansas Day Author Showcase, which brought twenty Kansas authors from all over the state to read their work aloud and meet readers in celebration of Kansas Day, which recognizes the day Kansas officially became a state.

“This is our heritage, our history, our literary culture,” said Marcia Lawrence, owner of Ellen Plumb’s City Bookstore. “I think it’s important to keep that.”

The bookstore hosts a large selection of novels and works from Kansas authors, an area that is vastly underrepresented, according to Lawrence.

“It’s very important to me to highlight Kansas authors,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence also highlighted that it is local authors who generally support bookstores.

“I feel I need to return the favor and show my support,” Lawrence said.

Two of the authors present, Ronda Miller, author of “MoonStain,” and “Crystal Aceves,” author of Captured by the Enemy, shared their appreciation for Ellen Plumb’s City Bookstore.

“They’re really representing Kansas authors wonderfully well,” Miller said.

“It’s neat they focus on Kansas authors and want to get us out there and expose our works,” Aceves said.

Miller read from “MoonStain,” her personal memoir of narrative poetry that tells the story of the loss of both her parents.

“It’s about the transition as you go through life,” Miller said. “Predominantly the theme is that of the nature of Kansas, and why it is so inspiring and healing for me.”

Aceves explains the inspiration for her true tale of her grandfather was when she received a copy of his memoir when she was in 8th grade.

“I was captivated by his story and as I got older it was always in my mind,” Aceves said.

The memoir details her grandfather’s capture by enemy forces and then his escape and survival in the mountains of Italy.

The showcase had a full audience, made up of readers and authors alike.

“It’s rare to have more people in the audience than we have readers,” Miller said. “I think it speaks highly for this community too.”

Twenty of nearly thirty authors invited agreed to read at the event.

“I was overwhelmed, it was wonderful,” Lawrence said.

Authors hailed from Kansas towns and cities ranging from Wichita, Topeka, Council Grove, Eureka and Overland Park, as well as some from Lyon and Chase county. Nearly half of the authors were made up of Emporia State University professors, both retired and current.

Looking ahead, Lawrence intends to have a local author showcase every month.