Shell-sational writers to sign books at Authors’ Table at annual festival
Sponsors of the annual Sanibel Shell Festival, the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club announced that it has gathered a terrific group of authors, many of whom are local to Sanibel, to sign copies of their popular shell- and Sanibel-themed books at the Authors’ Table this year.
With something sure to please everyone, the table will feature books about shells and shell-crafting, as well as Florida’s beaches and marine life. There will be a selection of Sanibel-based mysteries and illustrated books for children. A portion of all book sales will be donated to the club to provide grants for students interested in the study of malacology – mollusks – local sea life, marine biology and ecology at the University of South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University.
Kicking off the show on March 7 are local authors Anne Joffe and Harlan Wittkopf. Joffe will sign her shell crafting book, “ShellCrafting, Vol. 2,” and Wittkopf will sign copies of his books, “The Sanibel Kaleidoscope” and “Beach Treasures of the Gulf Coast” – coauthored with Peter Dance, along with his children’s book, “Alphie Finds the Seashell Alphabet,” with illustrator Ken Vinton.
In the afternoon, the Authors’ Table will welcome back Hatsue Iimuro, author of a four-color book on sailors’ valentines, and Karen Bartlett, author of the A (mostly) Kids’ Guides series, including “The (mostly) Kids’ Guide to Sanibel and Captiva Islands.”
On March 8, the Authors’ Table will start the day with Ron Base, author of the Sanibel Sunset Detective series, and Pete Krull and Adrian Gonzalez Guillen, coauthors of “Liguus: The Flamboyant Tree Snails,” the first book to cover all named Liguus (tree snails) from Cuba, Florida and Hispaniola, which includes hundreds of color photos.
In the afternoon, local favorites John Mills, author of the Pine Island Sound Mystery series, and Bev Dolezal, author of “Seashell Poems” and “Reflections to Soothe the Soul,” will sign their books.
On March 9, naturalists Blair and Dawn Witherington will sign copies of their Florida’s Living Beaches books, “A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber,” “Florida’s Seashells” and “Our Sea Turtles” at the Authors’ Table. In addition, local author Jennifer Lonoff Schiff will sign copies of her Sanibel Island Mystery series, including “A Shell of a Problem.”
In the afternoon, Alice Cypress will sign copies of her children’s books, “Scuba Zak Meets Thaddeus the Barracuda” and “Scuba Zak Searches for Thaddeus.”
The Sanibel Shell Festival will take place March 7-8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on March 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. The suggested donation is $5 per person and includes free admission to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum during the festival.
For more information, contact Mary Burton at marybsanibel@hotmail.com or 239-395-3626 or Joyce Matthys at joycematthys1@gmail.com or 503-871-1082.