Despite the abundance of summer books and reading lists, book-related events seem to slack off when the warm weather hits.

But the days are getting shorter and lots of author events, book discussions and other hardcover news is pouring in.

Tonight, for example, Jon and Pamela Voelkel of Norwich celebrate the publication of Middleworld, the first volume of their Jaguar Stones trilogy for middle-grade readers, with an event sponsored by the Norwich Bookstore at Marion Cross School.

The book is set in the humid jungles of the Maya civilization.  Fourteen-year-old Max has to figure out how to save the modern world from the ancient Maya Lords of Death!

By mid-week, around 200 people had already called the bookstore to reserve a seat in the Norwich elementary school’s multi-purpose room for the free, 7 p.m. event, which includes a Maya costume...