If it’s summer, it’s reading season! Actually, if you’re like me, any time is reading season. Or, with pesky things like work getting in the way, want-to-read season. But there’s something about summer, especially if you live in Maine, that gives you that extra push to pick up a book (or tablet, or Nook, you get the picture).

Even Nesowadnehunk Stream in Baxter State Park is a perfect place to read in the summer in Maine.

Maybe it’s the longer days and the need to be outside. We get so few months here when it’s pleasant out, when those of us lucky enough to have a nice porch or patio can use it, or a beach nearby, or a tree to sit under. The days last so much longer and the livin’ (and readin’) is easy.

And the fun thing about summer, too, is that the Maine Crime Writers community (as well as all our writing friends), emerge from our dark writer’s garrets, blink in the unfamiliar sun and get out there and meet the readers. Not that we don’t do that in the winter, too, but again: snow, short days, cold. Ugh.

This Saturday features one of the delights of a reader’s summer in Maine: Books in Boothbay.

The event, sponsored by the Boothbay Public Library and held at Railroad Village in the town, features more than 50 writers, including some who blog at this site. The writers’ organization Sisters in Crime New England (some of us on this blog are members) will not only have a booth at the event where you can meet some of your favorite writers, but a mystery for readers to solve. I’m proud to say I’m one of the suspects in the murder of Eunice K. Stoneheart. I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that if I did it, it’s because she had it coming.

While Books in Boothbay (which is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday) is a lot of fun, you don’t have to go to an event like that to meet your favorite writers or discover new ones.

Many of us participate in events throughout the state. Monday, Kate Flora, Dick Cass, Vaughn Hardacker and I had a Meet the Maine Crime Writers booth at the Belgrade Fourth of July gala, and had a great time meeting and talking to readers.

Meet the Maine Crime Writers booth at the Belgrade 4th of July.

Libraries across the state host writers year-round, but ramp it up in the summer. You don’t have to be a regular patron of a library or bookstore to attend a reading or event.

How do you find these? This blog’s weekend update frequently lists what’s going on, as does the Maine Writers and Publisher’s Alliance. Most of the state’s libraries have websites that publicize their events, as do your favorite author’s websites. Newspapers, too, are great resources. My paper, the Morning Sentinel of Waterville, as well as its sister paper, the Kennebec Journal of Augusta, and mother paper, the Portland Press Herald, not only list events daily, but also have a community calendar on the web.

We all know summer is awesome and summer in Maine is extra-awesome. Make it even better for yourself by checking out some of our state’s great writers. You won’t be disappointed and I guarantee you they will appreciate it.

Maureen Milliken is the author of the Bernie O’Dea mystery series. No News is Bad News, the second in the series, was released last week. Follow her on Twitter: @mmilliken47, on Facebook at Maureen Milliken mysteries and check out her website for events, book news and to sign up for updates, maureenmilliken.com. Thanks for reading!