A mingle for creative writers will be held Sunday, October 11, from 3 pm to 5 pm at the Dapper Owl coffee pub. Connect with other writers in a relaxed setting—and even sit down and write for a bit, if you’re so inspired. Come and go anytime.
Our guest hosts will be the organizers of the recently announced Middle Tennessee Book Fest. Come out and learn about the opportunities they have planned for writers and readers! They’ll be speaking for 15-20 minutes at about 3:45.
Sponsored by the literary interest group of the Rutherford Arts Alliance, Poetry in the Boro, and MTSU Write, this event is free and open to writers of all genres and experience levels (including “thinking about writing”). We encourage you to make a purchase from Dapper Owl in order to support this local business!
More about the mingle
The main goal of the mingle is for writers of all genres to connect and just hang out! We plan:
a Shut Up and Write space: get a coffee and chat a while, then sit down and write for an hour or so in Dapper Owl's private room
at 3:45 PM, a 15 minute program will be presented by this month’s guest hosts - read more about them below
depending on interest, an activity corner for quick writing prompt games.
About the venue and parking
The Dapper Owl coffee pub is located at 2412 East Main St. just past its intersection with Rutherford Blvd., on the east side of the MTSU campus. Overflow parking is on the Arnold Lane side of the building – pull in perpendicular to the building to allow more cars to fit (careful of the AC unit!) or park on the side of road down Arnold Lane (please don’t block any driveways).
About this month’s hostS
Lindsey
Lindsey and Erica with the Middle Tennessee Book Fest will be our hosts.
Lindsey is the founder of Raine Digital, a Murfreesboro marketing and business growth consultancy, where she helps business owners build brands people remember and campaigns that actually bring customers through the door. Events have always been part of that work. She has planned, promoted, and produced events for businesses and nonprofits alike, and she’s spent plenty of time behind the table as a vendor, so she understands what makes an event worth a Saturday.
Erica is an author, editor, and coach. Writing as E.R. Arroyo, her debut novel, SOVEREIGN, released in 2012, and both titles in her duology went on to hit Amazon bestseller lists. In a brief stint as an author wrangler, she oversaw and edited a collaborative 20-author anthology wherein 21 disparate stories told a singular narrative. She’s obsessed with plot structure and dialogue, and she loves to build things. If not worlds, it’s events, systems, or community.
In 2025, Lindsey and Erica launched The Whole Author, bringing a holistic approach to author services. From editorial and coaching, to publishing support and marketing, The Whole Author centers whole-career strategy, with each author’s unique voice in mind. Middle Tennessee Book Fest is a signing event born of our passion for author success. MTBF’s reception from the community has been a beacon. We can’t wait!
