Last Kid Books Birthday Party

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Junko Yoshida

Author and Last Kid Books founder David Benjamin.

media release: Madison author and publisher, David Benjamin is throwing a third birthday party celebrating the launch three years ago of his book publishing company, Last Kid Books. The party takes place April 7, from 7-10 pm, at the Old Sugar Distillery, 931 East Main St., in Madison.

Benjamin has won 20 book awards in eleven different genres since 2019 when he launched his publishing firm, Last Kid Books on April Fool’s Day. The company began with three books, written by Benjamin, Almost Killed by a Train of Thought (essays), Skulduggery in the Latin Quarter (novel), and Summer of ’68 (novel). All three have won book awards from independent press organizations.

Last Kid Books now has thirteen David Benjamin titles in print, including his best-known book, a fictional memoir, The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked, originally a Random House book in 2002. 

At the party Benjamin will share insights about the book business from an insider’s keen perspective.

Those in attendance will be treated to a reading of the oft-demanded “Tadpole Scene:” from his beloved book, The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked, a fictionalized story about growing up mid-century, in small town Wisconsin. Party guests will also hear the famed “Lambeau Field Tailgating Passage” from another readers’ favorite book, A Sunday Kind of Love.

Mark Croft, oft touted as Madison’s foremost singer-songwriter will be featured at the party.  His music, which has earned him honors repeatedly as Madison’s Musician of the Year, is an eclectic blend of blues, rock, blue-collar poetry, a little folk and a dash of funk. 

Croft has been performing full-time since 2005, playing his mix of roots, rock & americana covers and originals. With six albums of original material to his name, he released his latest studio project, the Southbound Walking Northward EP in 2019.  He's also well known for putting an original spin on a wide variety of cover songs.  

The multi-award-winning singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist is a seasoned performer. He’s been serving up memorable shows to audiences for more than a decade, and has shared the stage with acts such as Kelly Joe Phelps, Noah Guthrie (Glee), and Frozen star, Idina Menzel.

Partygoers will have a chance to preview Benjamin’s latest novel, Witness to the Crucifixion, a murder mystery just released, and set in Jerusalem in the first century A.D.

At the party Benjamin will raffle off a full set of his Coming of Age Quartet of books set in Wisconsin. A lucky recipient will receive copies of The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked, Fat Vinny’s Forbidden Love, They Shot Kennedy and Summer of ’68. Most important, all four stories relate their hero’s adventures in the same observant, insouciant voice, which Library Journal described as “the world of childhood filtered through the adult mind.”

Another member of the birthday party audience will take home a full set of the author’s small town Wisconsin crime series starring police chief Jim Otis in Jailbait, Bastard’s Bluff and Woman Trouble. 

No reservations necessary –come one, come all to the April 7 party!