_{*Does not apply to special orders and may not be used in conjunction with trade credit.}

In this grippingly honest narrative about one man’s journey from addiction and self-destruction to recovery and a changed life, readers will be dismayed at the hurtful patterns of his two alcoholic parents and how they scarred and shaped the outcome of their three sons forever. Watts openly talks of his multiple failed marriages, strained relationships with his children, overwhelming business losses, and the self-loathing and guilt that plagued him for years.

In spite of all of this, Watts held on to the conviction he made more than fifteen years ago never to drink again. Gradually learning to make better choices, he discovered how to move past deeply engraved dysfunctions and become a productive, loving adult. Included are accounts of his efforts to live out the twelve steps in restoring relationships with family members and confronting the offender who molested his three daughters.

Jack Watts has an A.B., from Georgia State University; an M.A., from Baylor University; and has completed everything except his dissertation for a Ph.D. from Emory University. He has worked for nearly three decades in marketing, exclusively serving Christian ministries and publishers.

If you are unable to attend the event but would like a signed/inscribed copy, please contact us at 334.821.5550 to reserve your copy.

Schott will perform original music, some of which has been featured at previous Expressions Cafes, and will have some of her artwork on display. Come out and support local art!

2011 has been an exciting year for The Gnu’s Room as we have moved to become a non-profit organization and dramatically expand our service to our community. Our big plans for 2012 include a significant remodel of our space to enhance your shopping, cafe, and special event experience. Our fundraising goals include special events, major gifts, and individual gifts. Every dollar helps! Our friends at the Auburn Arts Association have stepped up with a generous offer to help make your contribution tax deductible as we complete our 501(c)3 filing. In order to receive a receipt, make your check payable to “Auburn Arts Association” with “The Gnu’s Room” on the memo line. Checks can be mailed to:

The Gnu’s Room
414 S. Gay St.
Auburn, AL 36830

Thanks for your support!

The Gnu’s Room welcomes Jimmy Johnson, nationally syndicated cartoonist and creator of the popular “Arlo and Janis” strip for a signing of his most recent collection Beaucoup Arlo and Janis on Saturday, February 4 at 4:00p.m.

Johnson graduated from Auburn in 1974, then briefly worked as a reporter and in the public relations department of Auburn University. In the years before “Arlo and Janis,” from about 1980 to 1985, Johnson drew cartoons professionally for newspapers on a part-time basis as a reporter and editor, then full-time as an editorial cartoonist. As a Mississippi editorial cartoonist, Johnson won the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Award. From 1985 to the present, Johnson has drawn “Arlo and Janis” for national syndication by NEA.

His collected work, Beaucoup Arlo and Janis, is arranged chronologically, and the works within create an arresting time-line that registers the change and growth of “Arlo and Janis” over 25 years. It’s the best of the humor that made “Arlo and Janis” one of the most popular comic strips among newspaper readers wherever it appears.

If you are unable to attend but would like a signed copy, we will be glad to reserve one for you. Please contact us.

Hughes, an Auburn resident, graduated from Huntingdon College in 1989 with a double major in History and English. After graduation, she remained in Montgomery to work in advertising and later at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. She married Auburn native, Chris Hughes, and returned to the loveliest village. They have two daughters, Mary Kate, an 8th grader and Ivy, a 7th grader. Hughes currently teaches computer at Richland Elementary.

If you are unable to attend the event but would like a signed / inscribed copy, please contact us and we will be glad to reserve a copy for you.

If you missed her previous performance, please don’t make the same mistake again! Rei’s relationship to her music is a passionate romance that has defined her existence for over two decades. Her lyrics tell the tale of the long miles between then and now, and her music cries out with every heartache and triumph along the way. Starting as a singer in a church choir, Rei was soon writing worship songs for her church. Years went by and her talent bloomed as she found her home in the roots-rock/Americana genres.

There is no cover but a suggested donation of $5.00 will go to the performer and her new CD will be available for purchase.

There is no cover, but all donations will go to the performer.

Lollar on acoustic guitar and vocals, accompanied by Hagerty on bass, offers quirky, often politically incorrect lyrics, quite often poking fun at those who take themselves too seriously. This performance is a tune up for a soon-to-be recorded CD. There is no cover for this event.

As a veteran Muscle Shoals songwriter and musician, Gulley was one of the founding members of Jackson Highway, a classic southern rock band right out of the 70′s – a time when Skynyrd was king and the Southeast was the breeding ground for roots rock and roll, soul, blues, country, and gospel. Today, he proudly carries on that Shoals tradition with his current work, which he classifies as Americana/Swamp Rock/Blues. There is no cover, but a suggested minimum donation of $5.00 will go to the performer.