The Clearview Library District Friends and Foundation will welcome Colorado Book Award winner Joel H. Morris to Northern Colorado for Clearview Reads, a literary event held from April 17-18 that is designed to connect the community with nationally recognized storytelling.
Morris, author of the bestselling historical novel “All Our Yesterdays,” will appear at a VIP reception on Friday, April 17, at the Clearview Library District – Severance and deliver a public author talk on Saturday, April 18, at Windsor High School. The VIP reception begins at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Severance Library, located at 5 Timber Ridge Parkway. The evening includes hors d’oeuvres, drinks and an intimate book signing with Morris. VIP tickets will cost $55 and are limited in quantity. Tickets go on sale to Friends members on March 2 and to the general public on March 16. Additional details will be available soon at cldfriends.org/events.
The featured author talk begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in the Windsor High School auditorium, located at 1100 Main St. A book signing will immediately follow the presentation. Tickets cost $20 and are available at bit.ly/clearviewreads2026.
Clearview Reads is an annual communitywide literary series that brings acclaimed authors to Windsor and Severance while supporting the mission of the Clearview Library District. The 2026 program highlights Morris’ debut novel, which won the 2025 Colorado Book Award for historical fiction, became a USA Today bestseller and earned recognition from The New York Times Book Review as a recommended historical fiction title.
“We are thrilled to welcome Joel Morris to our annual author talk event, Clearview Reads,” says Erica Rose, director of the Clearview Library District. “This important initiative reflects our commitment to bringing nationally recognized authors to our library district, ensuring our community has access to meaningful literary experiences close to home. Thanks to the Kathy Murphy Speaker Series Endowment, we are able to host conversations that inspire readers, strengthen community connections and celebrate the power of storytelling.”
Morris has spent more than two decades teaching language and literature. Before earning a doctorate in comparative literature, he worked as a bookseller and later joined a maritime expedition company as a sailor. His essays, translations and fiction have appeared in Literary Hub, CrimeReads, Electric Literature, Michigan Quarterly Review, Copper Nickel and Pembroke Magazine. He lives in Colorado.
Clearview Reads is an annual author talk presented by the Clearview Library District Friends and Foundation and sponsored by the Kathy Murphy Speaker Series Endowment and the Weld Community Foundation. Vincent Murphy established the Kathy Murphy Speaker Series Endowment in memory of his wife, Kathy Murphy, a beloved former director of the Clearview Library District.
Proceeds from Clearview Reads support future literary programming and community engagement initiatives across the district. Tickets and additional information are available at cldfriends.org/events.
