Time to celebrate decade of authors
Writers Live celebrates its 10th anniversary as the flagship author series sponsored by the Friends of the Palm Beach County Library System. As an anniversary present to readers who pack these events, the organizers have put together a bang-up schedule. Admission is free to all events, but reservations are required as the venues quickly fill. Find out more at pbclibrary.org. Events this month include:
Michael Tougias, a New York Times bestselling author and co-author of 24 books best known for his survival-at-sea books, will discuss his latest, “The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue,” at 2 p.m. at the Palm Beach Gardens Library, 11303 Campus Drive.
J.A. Jance returns with her popular series about Seattle detective J.P. Beaumont in “Proof of Life,” in which Beaumont follows his gut to outwit and survive a killer bent on revenge, at 2 p.m. at the West Boynton Branch Library, 9451 Jog Road.
Andrew Gross’ latest historical novel, “The Saboteur,” is based on a true story in which a Norwegian soldier leads a mission to halt Germany’s march across Europe, at 2 p.m. at the Hagen Ranch Road Branch, 14350 Hagen Ranch Road, Delray Beach.
Sam GrahamFelsen has worked as chief blogger for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, a journalist for The Nation magazine and a peanut vendor at Fenway Park. His debut novel, “Green,” is about race and privilege in America and has been receiving enthusiastic reviews, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jupiter Branch Library, 705 Military Trail.
The premier event of Writers LIVE! is the Palm Beach Peril panel, and this year’s takes a different approach. R.L. Stine, best known for his wildly popular “Goosebumps” series, will moderate a panel of young adult thriller and horror authors, offering an inside look at the craft and business of contemporary fiction and the creative process. Authors will include J.D. Fennell (“Sleeper”), Sheila Sobel (“Color Blind”), Jessica Bayliss (“Broken Chords”), Karen M. McManus (“One of Us Is Lying”) and Megan Miranda (“Fragments of the Lost”). Palm Beach Peril will be at 2 p.m. at the South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach.
Kate Alcott makes a splash with her latest novel, “The Hollywood Daughter,” a coming-of-age novel in which Ingrid Bergman’s affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini forces her biggest fan to reconsider everything she was raised to believe, at 2 p.m. at the West Boynton Branch Library, 9451 Jog Road. Great Alone” centers on 13-year-old Leni Allbright, whose father, Ernt, has returned home a volatile man following his years as a POW. But his undiagnosed PTSD puts his family at risk as Leni and her mother learn the dangers of isolation and paranoia. Hannah will discuss “The Great Alone” as part of the Diane & Barry Wilen Jewish Book Festival beginning at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Orlove Auditorium, David Posnack Jewish Community Center, 5850 S. Pine Island Road, Davie. Cost is $36, which includes a copy of “The Great Alone.”
Paul Goldberg will discuss his humorous novel “The Chateau“at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Orlove Auditorium. “The Chateau” revolves around a retired Washington Post reporter who flies to Florida to investigate the “scandalous” death of his former college roommate and gets caught up in a condo board election and other Floridacentric situations. Tickets are $10 for members, $12 for nonmembers.
For information on either event, call 954-434-0499, ext. 336, or visit jccbooks.com. Truth Poetry & Spoken Word Night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 2 in the Adolfo & Marisela Cotilla Gallery in the Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Ave., Davie. Deadline to sign up is Feb. 23. For more information, contact Christie Williams at wlchrist@nova.edu or 954-262-2106, or LeThesha Harris at lethesha@nova.edu or 954-262-5476. Participants can perform an original piece or a favorite work. Performances will be limited to five minutes and must be “G” rated — no profanity or graphic language permitted. Down & Out Books will be available for manuscript critiques and strategy appointments. For the Sunday Brunch, forensics expert Katherine Ramsland and certified hypnotist Glenn Miller will do a presentation about the upside and downside of using hypnosis as an investigative tool. For more information, call 561-716-3481, email SleuthFestinfo@gmail.com, or visit www.sleuthfest.com. meetings will discuss a book relating to the museum’s exhibits, collections or other themes at 3 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the museum, One E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, nsuartmuseum.org. For reservations, call 954-262-0258. Upcoming discussions include Feb. 8: “The Little Paris Bookshop” by Nina George; March 8: “Slow Art: The Experience of Learning” by Arden Reed; April 12: “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” by Kathleen Rooney; May 10: “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles.