Cultural and Personal Enrichment Programs

• No charge
• Reservations Required  REGISTER ONLINE (under History section)
• Held at Beech Grove Cemetery

Description

Karen Good, President of the Yorktown Museum and Genealogy Center, will share information about interesting epitaphs found in Beech Grove Cemetery, as well as those on the graves of famous celebrities. Epitaphs date back to ancient Egypt, where inscriptions on sarcophagi and coffins recorded the identity and achievements of the deceased, often carrying religious significance to ensure safe passage to the afterlife.

Offered in partnership with Beech Grove Cemetery, Ball State University’s E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center, and the Yorktown Museum and Genealogy Center. 

Date

Saturday, May 30, 10 a.m. - 12 noon

• No charge
• Reservations Required  REGISTER ONLINE (under History section)
• Held at Beech Grove Cemetery
• Book signing to follow

Description

Join Indiana resident and author, Kevin Yaney, as he leads a walking tour of some of the graves of Civil War veterans who were laid to rest at Beech Grove Cemetery. This casual history tour will focus on residents of Delaware County who took part in the war, as well as Indiana’s involvement in the war. 

The event will start and end at the cemetery office located at 1400 W Kilgore Avenue, in Muncie.

About the Author
Kevin Yaney is the author of The Fourth of July, a trilogy of historical fiction books set during the Civil War. The three books tell the story of Louisa McLain and her two sons, George and Will from Delaware County. Sixty years after the war, on the Fourth of July, Louisa is in a nursing home, reading letters her sons sent her during the conflict. As the story unfolds, it is discovered that both George and Will were recruited as Union spies. They were sent perilously behind enemy lines, dressed as Confederate soldiers. They also became part of the abolitionists’ movement through the Underground Railroad, running slaves out of the South to freedom.

Mr. Yaney will have his books available at the event. For more information on his books, visit www.FourthOfJulyBook.com.

Date and Details

Three Tuesdays, May 12, 19, 26, 2026; 2:30-4 p.m.

• Cost: $55  
• REGISTER ONLINE (Literature & Writing Section)
• Limit of 12 students
• Held at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center 

Description

This class is for anyone looking to preserve their memories, whether for personal reflection, to share with loved ones, or to publish. It's ideal whether you've already begun a memoir or are just starting to explore writing about your life.

You'll create a series of vignettes, short scenes or snapshots from your life, written in whatever style speaks to you: prose, poetry, dialogue, or even playwriting. No matter the form, the focus is on translating your thoughts into words, and this class will help you build that essential skill.

Over three sessions, you'll respond to writing prompts designed to help you “capture your life” on the page. You’ll also have the chance to share your writing, ask questions, and exchange feedback and discoveries with the group.

This class is best suited for beginning and intermediate writers. It’s also designed to be repeatable, offering new prompts and insights each time you take it.

REGISTER ONLINE. Open to ages 18 and older.

Instructor

Lylanne Musselman is an award-winning poet, playwright, and visual artist. Her work has appeared in Pank, The New Verse News, Flying Island, Rose Quartz Magazine, Last Stanza Poetry Journal and The Ekphrastic Review, among others. Recently, one of her poems was selected as the featured poem in Tipton Poetry Journal, Issue # 48 Spring 2021. Musselman’s work has appeared in many anthologies, including The Indianapolis Anthology (Belt Publishing, 2021). She is the author of six chapbooks, including Paparazzi for the Birds (Red Mare 16, 2018) and is the co-author of Company of Women: New and Selected Poems (Chatter House Press, 2013), and is author of the full-length poetry collection, It’s Not Love, Unfortunately (Chatter House Press, 2018). Musselman is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, and her poems are included in the Inverse Poetry Archive, a collection of Hoosier poets, housed at the Indiana State Library. Musselman is currently working on several chapbooks and a new manuscript.

Date and Details

Three Tuesdays, June 2, 9, 16; 2:30-4 p.m. 

• Cost: $55  
• REGISTER ONLINE (Literature & Writing Section)
• Limit of 12 students
• Held at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center 

Description

You have your manuscript—or even a group of poems or a short story—ready to send out, but you’re not sure how to take the plunge into publication. Do you need an agent? How do you find one? Can you submit to multiple places at once? What happens if you get rejected—does that mean you’ve failed? Where can you find places that will accept your work? Should you expect to pay to be published, or get paid for your writing? How do you get blurbs for your cover? Is self-publishing a good option?

In this two-hour workshop, we’ll cover all of these questions—plus yours—and much more. You’ll learn about publishing through large publishing houses, smaller presses, and even online journals for poetry and short fiction.

You’ll leave with practical ideas, renewed inspiration, and a list of places to submit your manuscript or shorter works.

There are three separate classes coming up. You can register for one or all of the classes. Each class is designed to be repeatable, offering new prompts and insights each time you take it.

Instructor

Lylanne Musselman is an award-winning poet, playwright, and visual artist. Her work has appeared in Pank, The New Verse News, Flying Island, Rose Quartz Magazine, Last Stanza Poetry Journal and The Ekphrastic Review, among others. Recently, one of her poems was selected as the featured poem in Tipton Poetry Journal, Issue # 48 Spring 2021. Musselman’s work has appeared in many anthologies, including The Indianapolis Anthology (Belt Publishing, 2021). She is the author of six chapbooks, including Paparazzi for the Birds (Red Mare 16, 2018) and is the co-author of Company of Women: New and Selected Poems (Chatter House Press, 2013), and is author of the full-length poetry collection, It’s Not Love, Unfortunately (Chatter House Press, 2018). Musselman is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, and her poems are included in the Inverse Poetry Archive, a collection of Hoosier poets, housed at the Indiana State Library. Musselman is currently working on several chapbooks and a new manuscript.

Date and Details

Three Tuesdays, August 4, 11, 18; 2:30-4 p.m.

• Cost: $55  
• REGISTER ONLINE (Literature & Writing Section)
• Limit of 12 students
• Held at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center 

Description

This class is for anyone looking to preserve their memories, whether for personal reflection, to share with loved ones, or to publish. It's ideal whether you've already begun a memoir or are just starting to explore writing about your life.

You'll create a series of vignettes, short scenes or snapshots from your life, written in whatever style speaks to you: prose, poetry, dialogue, or even playwriting. No matter the form, the focus is on translating your thoughts into words, and this class will help you build that essential skill.

Over three sessions, you'll respond to writing prompts designed to help you “capture your life” on the page. You’ll also have the chance to share your writing, ask questions, and exchange feedback and discoveries with the group.

This class is best suited for beginning and intermediate writers.

There are three separate classes coming up. You can register for one or all of the classes. Each class is designed to be repeatable, offering new prompts and insights each time you take it.

REGISTER ONLINE. Open to ages 18 and older.

Instructor

Lylanne Musselman is an award-winning poet, playwright, and visual artist. Her work has appeared in Pank, The New Verse News, Flying Island, Rose Quartz Magazine, Last Stanza Poetry Journal and The Ekphrastic Review, among others. Recently, one of her poems was selected as the featured poem in Tipton Poetry Journal, Issue # 48 Spring 2021. Musselman’s work has appeared in many anthologies, including The Indianapolis Anthology (Belt Publishing, 2021). She is the author of six chapbooks, including Paparazzi for the Birds (Red Mare 16, 2018) and is the co-author of Company of Women: New and Selected Poems (Chatter House Press, 2013), and is author of the full-length poetry collection, It’s Not Love, Unfortunately (Chatter House Press, 2018). Musselman is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, and her poems are included in the Inverse Poetry Archive, a collection of Hoosier poets, housed at the Indiana State Library. Musselman is currently working on several chapbooks and a new manuscript.

Dates/Times

Six Wednesdays
May 6-June 10, 6-8 p.m.

• cost – $95  REGISTER ONLINE (Under Languages)

In this interactive class, you’ll:

• Learn fingerspelling and essential conversational skills in American Sign Language (ASL) and signed English.
• Build confidence communicating with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
• Earn a Certificate of Completion for attending all six sessions.

Instructor: Laura Shadoin, a retired Muncie Community Schools teacher with 22 years of classroom experience and more than 25 years teaching sign language at the E.B. Ball Center. With her approachable teaching style, Laura makes learning ASL both engaging and practical.

Location: The class takes place at the historic E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center, formerly a Ball Brothers family home, 400 Minnetrista Boulevard, in Muncie. Programs at the Center are open to adults age 18 and older. 

Date

Tuesday, July 14, 6-7:30 p.m.
Held at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center

• No Charge - Reservations Required
• REGISTER ONLINE (Under Literature)
• Limited Seating
• Includes reception and book signing

Description

Join us for an engaging evening featuring authors Keith Roysdon and Jill Blocker. The duo will be debuting their new novels: Seven Angels by Roysdon and Happily After Ever, Blocker’s new young adult novel.

Blocker, a native Hoosier, graduated from Ball State University and worked at The Star Press as an intern. Now a resident of Switzerland, her first novel, What Was Beautiful and Good, explores love and freedom in the early days of the Dada art movement during World War I.

Her newest book, Happily After Ever, follows a young American who finds love, heartache, and renewed hope while navigating life as a global citizen. As love evolves and challenges surface, the idea of oneself begins to change, forcing the most uncomfortable question of all: Is love meant to last forever… or just long enough? Tender, sharp, and emotionally honest, the book explores the messy, beautiful reality of love beyond the fairy-tale ending.

Blocker and her twin sister, Jade, are principals of Constellate Creatives, a multifaceted international company that publishes books (through its imprint, Constellate Publishing), provides editorial and marketing services for a variety of books, authors, and clients, and operates a studio for recording audiobooks and podcasts. Constellate’s announcement of its 2026 slate of books was widely publicized earlier this year.

Roysdon, a resident of Tennessee, was a reporter and editor for 40 years at The Star Press (and its predecessors) in his native Muncie. He won or co-won more than 30 first-place awards in Indiana and national journalism competitions. He’s the co-author, with Douglas Walker, of four award-winning true crime books about the Muncie area, including Wicked Muncie, Muncie Murder & Mayhem, The Westside Park Murders, and Cold Case Muncie. His short fiction, news, and pop culture writing have been widely published.

Roysdon’s first novel, That October, was published in 2025. Set in a fictionalized version of Muncie, the novel follows six high school friends who band together to solve the mystery of a friend’s murder and another’s disappearance.

His newest book, Seven Angels, features a young woman who returns to her small Tennessee town to help run the family funeral home. After she’s named county coroner, she must not only solve a murder but also battle white supremacists, a pill-pushing doctor, a corrupt sheriff, and a ruthless Russian trafficker hunting a young girl from Ukraine. She assembles a small band of allies—many of them women: an overlooked sheriff’s deputy, a fearless state investigator, and an old mountain woman with a mysterious past—to avenge a murder and rescue the Ukrainian girl.

Date and Details

Wednesday, June 17, 6-8 p.m.

• No charge - reservations required
• REGISTER ONLINE (Literature & Writing Section)
• Held at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center 

Description

Join us for our inaugural poetry reading at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center. The program features the work of Lylanne Musselman—award-winning poet, playwright, visual artist, and writing instructor at the Center—alongside selections from her students. A reception will follow the readings.