Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Baldacci to speak to writers
Sleuthfest has become one the most respected conferences stressing the craft of writing. Sponsored by the Florida chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, Sleuthfest focuses on crime fiction but its panels on writing, plots, characters and publishing will appeal to any would-be writer, as well as fans who attend to meet some of their favorite authors.
Sleuthfest will be Feb.23-26 at the Embassy Suites, 661 NW 53rd St., Boca Raton. Mega-best-selling author David Baldacci will be the keynote speaker with forensics guest of honor Dr. Vincent Di Maio. Guest authors are Reed Farrel Coleman, S.J. Rozan, Joe Lansdale and Jane Cleland. Other authors attending include James Benn, Lisa Black, Don Bruns, Cheryl Hollon, Carla Norton, Charles and Caroline Todd, and John Keyse-Walker. Several agents, editors and forensics experts will attend. For more information on the schedule and prices, which include some meals, visit sleuthfest.com.
A bit of ‘Pie’ for the Literary Feast
For the past couple years, the Broward County Public Library Foundation has been getting a jump on its Literary Feast (scheduled for March 31 and April 1 this year) with a LitLunch. Best-selling author and Forbes contributor Samantha Ettus will discuss her approach to managing life in “The Pie Life: A Guilt-Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction” at 11:15 a.m. Feb. 10 at Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Pier Top, 2301 SE 17th St. Causeway, Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $75; call 954-357-7382 or visit bplfoundation.org/litlunch for reservations.
A self-improvement book for women, “The Pie Life” includes personal stories from hundreds of women including TV writer and producer Shonda Rhimes, news anchor Gayle King, Barnard College president Debora Spar, entrepreneur Liz Lange and Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Anne Fulenwider.
Women writers at Jewish book fests
The focus is on “Women in Literature” as three female novelists discuss their works as the Diane & Barry Wilen Jewish Book Festival continues at 11 a.m. Feb. 8 at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center, 5850 S. Pine Island Road, Davie. Tickets are $25; available at dpjcc.org/ culturalarts, call 954-434-0499, ext. 336, or at the door if still available. Jennifer S. Brown’s “Modern Girls” revolves around Dottie Krasinsky, who is pregnant, unwed and desperate in a Jewish immigrant community in 1935. Gayle Forman’s “Leave Me” is about a supermom of twins who doesn’t slow down her demanding schedule even after a heart attack until she decides to save herself. Lynda Cohen Loigman sets her novel “The Two-Family House” in 1947 Brooklyn as she looks at a multi-generational family.
Tilar J. Mazzeo will discuss her nonfiction “Irene’s Children,” the story of Irena Sendler — often called the “female Oskar Schindler” — credited with saving 2,500 children in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II as part of the Bagels & Books series at 10 a.m. Feb 17 at the Mandel Jewish Community Center, 5221 Hood Road, Palm Beach Gardens. Tickets are $12 for Literary Society members; $15 for guests. In her novel “Lilac Girls,” Martha Hall Kelly focuses on American socialite Caroline Ferriday, whose glamorous stay in Paris is changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939 and then sets its sights on France. Kelly is the guest author for the book luncheon sponsored by the Mandel JCC at 11 a.m. Feb. 28 at the Indian Spring Country Club, 11501 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach. Tickets are $50 for Literary Society member; $60 for nonmembers. For more information or to register for any of the upcoming book events, go to JCCOnline.com/ bookfestival.
Paradise Park remembered
Paradise Park was the “colored only” counterpart to Silver Springs, a Central Florida tourist attraction famous for its glass bottom boats. From 1949 to 1969, boats passed each other on the Silver River — blacks on one side, whites on the other. Author Lu Vickers will discuss her book “Remembering Paradise Park: Tourism and Segregation at Silver Springs” at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Alvin Sherman Library, Cotilla Gallery, on the campus of Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Ave., Davie. For information, call 954-262-4627 or visit public.library.nova.edu/FHC to register.
Authors at Stonewall
Michael Ward recounts the early years of AIDS when few who were diagnosed survived in his candid memoir “The Sea Is Quiet Tonight” at 7 p.m. Feb. 9; and Moe Vela discusses how he became the first Hispanic American and first openly gay man to serve two senior executive roles in the White House in his memoir “Little Secret Big Dreams: Pink and Brown in the White House” at 7 p.m. Feb. 24. Both author presentations will be at the Stonewall National Museum, 2157 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. For more information, call 954-530-9337 or stonewall-museum.org.
Investigating the library
In “Murder at the 42nd Street Library,” Con Lehane takes readers to the stacks and back rooms of New York City’s most iconic library with his new series about librarian turned sleuth Raymond “Ray” Ambler. In a review, I said the novel was “fueled by an energetic plot, an evocative setting one can literally get lost in and realistic characters.” Lehane will discuss “Murder at the 42nd Street Library,” and library secrets, no doubt, at 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Light refreshments will be served. For free reservations, call 954-357-7386.
Harlem Renaissance remembered
Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Claude McKay are a few of the many authors who shaped an historic era in literature known as the Harlem Renaissance. Billy P. Jones of Broward College presents an interactive talk on “Literature of the Harlem Renaissance: Rebirth of the Arts and Letters” at 2 p.m. Feb. 11 at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, call 954-357-6210.
A ‘fishy’ poetry contest
Fish rhymes with wish, also dish and tish. But the Fish Tales Poetry Contest is looking for a bit more sophisticated ideas in original poetry inspired by one of 10 designated photographs in the exhibit now running at the Delray Beach Historical Society, 3 NE First St. Fish Tales refers to the stories, memorabilia, artwork, writing and history surrounding the sport and art of fishing in Delray Beach. Deadline is March 1; visit palmbeachpoetryfestival.org for details.
Celebrate Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss’ rhyming tales of The Who, Horton, the Grinch and cats that live in hats never go out of style. The Fifth Annual SeussFest will celebrate the spirit of Seuss’ work from noon to 4 p.m. March 5 at the Alvin Sherman Library on the campus of Nova Southeastern University, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Davie. The event is free but register by March 2 for chance to win a prize; visit public.library.nova.edu/seussfest or call 954-262-5477.
Workshop on characters
Author Alison McMahan discusses techniques to design characters in an interactive workshop during the Florida Romance Writers meeting 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 11 at the Tigertail Lake Recreational Center, 580 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach. For more information, visit frwriters.org.