Quite the gathering
Annual writer’s event features ‘Heaven is for Real’ family
The family featured in the book and film “Heaven is for Real” will serve as keynote speakers and inspirational participants at the upcoming 9th Annual Gathering of Authors.
Todd and Colton Burpo will speak at the charity dinner Friday, Oct. 12, which is held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Williams Memorial United Methodist Church. An RSVP is requested for this event. Then they’ll join roughly three dozen other authors at the Gathering of Authors itself the next day on Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Arkansas Convention Center.
Event organizer Tammy Thompson says the Burpos will have a chance to talk about what wasn’t included in the movie, which was a 2014 hit about young Colton’s near-death experience and, he says, experience seeing Heaven. The book, co-written by his father Todd, became a best-seller.
“There’s going to be a lot of things they left out,” Thompson said about the movie and the chance to hear more about the family’s experience at Friday’s charity dinner and Saturday’s Gathering appearance.
“They’re both going to be autographing the books the next day on Saturday,” Thompson said, noting the Gathering itself includes vendors, kid’s activities, vendors and young authors whose writing appears in the “Dream Catchers” book, which is a compilation of stories written by local youth. This is the seventh
volume of inspirational stories published for this event.
“Kids will be autographing the ‘Dream Catchers’ book that raises money for hospitals year round,” Thompson said. The Gathering of Authors benefits both the Arkansas Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
It’s a family event, Thompson said, noting admission to Saturday’s Gathering of Authors is free.
“I’ve got some new authors that are part of it this year,” Thompson said, and writers have all sorts of writing they’ll showcase that Saturday for their book-signings.
“All genres,” Thompson said. “From science fiction to Christian fiction, children’s book authors, young adult authors.” Self-help writers are also on hand for the event. “I’ve got the coolest people, the most incredible group of authors,” Thompson said, noting she hopes to double what she raised last year and make even more of a difference.
Attending authors include Ruth Bates, Frankie Capers, Marquis Cooper, K.L. Cottrell, Mike Clifton, Caleb Gammons, Karen Gammons, D.C. Gomez, Tom Greer, Edward Hancock II, Michael Hawron, Mary May-Heath, Tamika Johnson, Pam Kumpe, Linda Laughlin, Judy Lowe, Shane Lassetter, LaQueisha Malone, Terrell Polite, C. Quarles, Anne Redelfs, Jay Shellogg, Kimberly Thompson, Byron Walker, David Walker, Dana Wayne, Guy Wheatley, Matthew White, Patty Wiseman, LaSha Wright, Pamela Wright and Linda Yezak.
(Charity dinner tickets are $25 per person or $12 for children; an RSVP form is available at GatheringOfAuthors.com. More info: 903-701-1205. The Arkansas Convention Center is located at 5200 Convention Plaza Drive in Texarkana, Ark. Williams Memorial UMC is located at 4000 Moores Lane in Texarkana, Texas.)