The Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC) welcomes The New York Times best-selling author Amity Gaige to its annual Literary Event Fundraiser, held on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. Proceeds will support GECRC’s efforts to empower nearly 300 under-resourced children living in the greater Glen Ellyn community to realize their full potential through after-school and summer tutoring and mentoring programs. The event is held in partnership with The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn and supported by the generosity from many loyal businesses and community partners in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton.

“We are delighted to welcome Amity Gaige, author of The New York Times' bestselling novel Heartwood as our featured author at GECRC’s 2026 Literary Event, held once again at Arrowhead Golf Club,” says Sarah O’Donnell, GECRC Executive Director. "We’re looking forward to an engaging evening as Ms. Gaige discusses her critically acclaimed novel Heartwood in an insightful Q&A format led by The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn owner Shannon Burgess.”

Heartwood has been called “the best thriller of the year” by The Boston Globe, and was named a Best Book of 2025 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Public Library, Audible, She Reads, Goodreads, Vulture and NPR. Heartwood has been described as “gratifying as a daffodil at the end of a long winter” (The New York Times) and “a terrifically moving and tense thriller… genius” (The Washington Post). Gaige is also the author of similarly lauded novels Sea Wife, Schroder, O My Darling, and The Folded World.

Tickets are $80 in advance or $90 at the door. A $95 bundle of a ticket and a discounted paperback copy of Heartwood is available from The Bookstore in Glen Ellyn. Tickets include light bites, two drink tickets, and an abundance of literary-loving friends. Guests are welcome to purchase additional drink tickets and raffle tickets for amazing curated baskets from book clubs and favorite local businesses. The event takes place on Thursday, April 30, 2026 starting at 6:30pm at Arrowhead Golf Club, 26W151 Butterfield Rd, Wheaton, IL. Tickets can be purchased online now at https://literary26gecrc.givesmart.com/ or www.gecrc.com , or in-person at The Bookstore, 475 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL.  All proceeds will benefit GECRC.