MacIntosh Books to present Literary Lunchbox Series
MacIntosh Books will kick off its new Literary Lunchbox Series on Oct. 24 with award-winning children’s author Jen Calonita at The Community House on Sanibel.
Talk will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a meet-and-greet with the author and book signing.
Calonita will speak about her writing inspiration and process, extensive body of work, and what she feels parents and grandparents can do to foster a love of reading in the young people around them.
Older children are welcome to attend with an adult.
Available at MacIntosh, tickets are $25 and include the author talk, boxed lunch provided by the Sanibel Deli and a hardcover copy of the first book in Calonita’s new middle grade series, “Misfits.”
A former entertainment editor at a teen magazine, Calonita started out her career chronicling backstage life at concerts with Justin Timberlake and interviewing Zac Efron on film sets. It was her work in the entertainment world that inspired her first series, “Secrets of My Hollywood Life.” The six-book series about a teen starlet named Kaitlin Burke who grew weary of the fame game but loved being an actress was published in nine countries.
Calonita’s other young adult novels include “Sleepaway Girls,” “Summer State of Mind,” “Reality Check and Belles” and “Turn It Up.” In her first middle grade series, “Fairy Tale Reform School,” readers explore a school run by Cinderella’s formerly wicked stepmother told from spunky young former thief, Gillian Cobbler. In her other middle grade series, “VIP,” readers get a diary-eye look at life on the road with the world’s biggest boy band as told by their number one fan, Mackenzie Lowell.
Calonita’s newest book, “Misfits,” is also set in the land of Enchantasia. It centers around Princess Devin Nile, who is more interested in taking care of creatures than sitting on a throne and wearing a tiara. When she is forced to go to Royal Academy, a school for young royals, she encounters more than just princes and princesses. Imagine harpies, dragons and an evil witch, not to mention her threatening headmistress/fairy godmother who may or may not have Devin’s best interests at heart. Throughout it all, she is also expected to act like a princess and wait for a prince to come and save her.
Calonita is currently working on the next book in the series.
For more information or tickets, call 239-472-1447.
MacIntosh Books and Paper is at 2330 Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel.