What Makes Amherstburg Great: Local Authors
- April 29, 2026
Guest Content Creator: River Bookshop
Today Amherstburg is one of Ontario’s great small towns, but greatness doesn’t happen on its own. Nature, history, and human actions always play a part. Amherstburg’s location right beside the Detroit River originally made it an important place and adds to its beauty to this day. From the War of 1812, to Freedom seekers escaping slavery in the United States, and Rum Running – history has left its mark! But so have the creativity, hard work, and enthusiasm of its residents.
During 2026 we are going to shine a light on what we think makes Amherstburg great. Our hope is that this new series helps you get to know the town better, support its many businesses and attractions, and become a strong, positive champion of the town. Look for our first story in our next Buzz.
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BOOKS ARE MAGIC
We opened River Bookshop almost six years ago – we did it because we believed that small towns should have an independent bookshop. From the start we knew we would prioritize children’s literacy and being a “third place” where people would like to gather. One thing we did not anticipate was the enthusiasm of local authors.
Today, self-publishing is experiencing massive growth. With today’s technology it is much easier to write, print, and publish, but it’s still very rare that a local author gets a return on their investment of time and money. Ninety percent of self-published books sell fewer than 100 copies. But when all the work is done, the writer can still feel proud about being an author and hopefully seeing their book displayed in a bookshop. River Bookshop carries around 95 local authors from around the county, some who have self-published, and some who’ve been published by traditional presses. Most authors sell only a few books, but some have really broken through. Here are three who have:
Carlie Jean (Amherstburg) – romance author
John Schlarbaum (LaSalle) – mystery author
Elly Blake (Harrow) – fantasy author
Listen to CKBG to have a chance to win one of the highlighted titles. In addition to supporting local authors, consider joining our Books in the ‘Burg book club that meets the last Tuesday every month at 7PM at River Bookshop.
May’s book club selection is All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman, and June’s book club selection is Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin. We hope to see there! And mark your calendar for Saturday, July 11th, and Sunday July 12th, because during the Amherstburg Art Crawl, you can meet local authors on Richmond Street during both afternoons.