Center4Life gearing up for book sale, author fair
Organizers of the Third Annual Used Book & Local Author Fair are keeping their fingers crossed that this year’s event, being held on Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Center4Life on Sanibel, follows in the footsteps of last year’s surprising success.
“The board had been trying to come up with new ideas for fundraisers,” said Katie Reid, co-chairperson of the literacy extravaganza which will feature 17 local authors signing copies of the books. “We are all avid readers, so we decided to hold a book fair.”
According to Reid, last year’s event was staged inside the City Civic Center’s aerobics room, and featured 10 writers from across the region.
“But this year, we’ve got 17 authors coming!” she added with a smile. “So we’re going to space the event throughout the entire building.”
Confirmed attendees for this year’s Used Book & Local Author Fair include:
* Peter Alden Yule — “Sparrow In The Dark” and “Sparrow In Flight”
• Finbarr Corr — “Up Close & Personal,” “Living, Laughing & Loving Thru Marriage” and “A Kid From Legaginney”
• W.C. Highfield — “Sun Down Far” and “Streets”
• Ruben Colon — “Clarissa,” “Painted Eyes” and “Damon & The Furies”
• Jan Nieman — “Going To The Dogs: Confessions Of A Mobile Pet Groomer”
• Kyle L. Miller — “Dillo” and “Snowy Pea & The Ghost Crab”
• Vicky Lettmann — “The Beach”
• Joy Rocco — “Chocolate Days, Margarita Nights” and “Strawberries In December”
• George Haines — “The Red Pickup Truck Mystery,” “The XYZ Mystery” and “The Giant Horseshoe Mystery”
• Lorraine Vail — “Between Land & Sea,” “Near Water,” “Paradise Found” and “Fire In The Grass”
• Charles Sobczak — “Six Mornings On Sanibel,” “Rhythm Of The Tides,” “Living Sanibel: A Nature Guide To Sanibel & Captiva” and “The Living Gulf Coast: A Nature Guide To Southwest Florida”
• Myra Roberts — “Hollywood Icons Of The Silver Screen” and “Retro Images From The Florida Coast”
• Brian Johnson — “Amazing Animal Stories At CROW”
• Raymond Buck — “On A Sidewalk On A Hill In Rome,” “Anniversary Waltz” and “South Of Providence”
• Charles LeBuff — “Sanybel Light,” “The Loggerhead Turtle In The Eastern Gulf Of Mexico” and “Everglades Wildlife Barons”
• Tanya Hochschild — “Sonja: A South African Story”
• Bob Sabatino — “Everyday Is Saturday”
Asked which her favorite authors were, co-chair Pat Macchia instantly responded “LeBuff and Sabatino.” A moment later, she added, “Miller, too.”
“I like how she incorporates wildlife into her children’s books,” said Macchia. “The other guys, they definitely write about Sanibel and Captiva, and how the islands grew. I like reading about our local history.”
Ann Moeder is also helping coordinate the event.
“Katie and I have been doing this together from the beginning. We’ve got it down to a science,” she said. “Last year we heard a lot of positive feedback from the authors, which makes you feel good and that you’re doing the right things.”
One of the things they heard from authors who attended last year’s fair was being given the opportunity to network with other local writers.
“They all told me that they wanted to come back here again,” Reid added.
Islanders who would like to donate their used books to the Center4Life’s Used Book & Local Author Fair may do so by delivering volumes to 2401 Library Way before Thursday, March 31. Event planners will sort all of the books and price them accordingly.
For additional information, call 472-5743.