Sanibel library unveils lineup for annual author series
The Sanibel Public Library recently announced its 2024-25 Author Series lineup.
For over a decade, the library has partnered with the Sanibel Public Library Foundation to connect local readers with award-winning authors by bringing in high-caliber writers for a free intimate evening, followed by a book signing and champagne reception with light hors d’oeuvres.
Sarah Penner will kick off the series on Dec. 12. She is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of “The Lost Apothecary” and “The London Séance Society.” Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and her debut, “The Lost Apothecary,” sold over 1 million copies worldwide. A graduate of the University of Kansas, Penner spent 13 years in corporate finance and now writes full time
Ticket requests will open on Nov. 5 at 9 a.m. and close on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.
The second speaker will be Kate Quinn on Jan. 14. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. Quinn has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network,” “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” “The Diamond Eye” and “The Briar Club.” She is a co-author in several collaborative novels, including “The Phoenix Crown” with Janie Chang and “Ribbons of Scarlet” with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot and Heather Webb. All have been translated into multiple languages. Quinn attended Boston University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in classical voice.
Ticket requests will open on Dec. 13 at 9 a.m. and close on Dec. 20 at 5 p.m.
The next speaker will be David Grann on Feb. 11. He has written seven novels and is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning staff writer at The New Yorker magazine. Grann’s first book, “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon,” was a #1 New York Times bestseller and adapted into a critically acclaimed film. He is also the author of “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” which was adapted into a major motion picture. For middle schoolers, he released “Killers of the Flower Moon: A Young Reader’s Edition.” One of Grann’s New Yorker stories, “The White Darkness,” was later expanded into a book and it is currently being adapted into a series for Apple. His new book, “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder,” was published in 2023. Over the years, Grann’s stories have appeared in The Best American Crime Writing, The Best American Sports Writing and The Best American Nonrequired Reading. His stories have also been published in the New York Times Magazine, Atlantic, Washington Post, Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal. Grann holds master’s degrees in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and creative writing from Boston University. After graduating from Connecticut College in 1989, he received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and did research in Mexico.
Ticket requests will open on Jan. 3 at 9 a.m. and close on Jan. 10 at 5 p.m.
The final speaker will be Kristy Woodson Harvey on March 11. She is the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of 11 novels, including “A Happier Life,” “The Summer of Songbirds” and “The Peachtree Bluff Series.” Many of her books have been optioned or are in development for television and film and have received numerous accolades, including Good Morning America’s Buzz Pick, Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Reads, Katie Couric’s Featured Books and Joanna Garcia Swisher’s The Happy Place Read. Harvey is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Southern Living, Parade, Traditional Home, USA TODAY and more. Harvey is the co-creator and co-host of the weekly web show and podcast, “Friends & Fiction.” She is also the co-founder of the interiors site Design Chic. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, Harvey also holds a master’s in English, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature.
Ticket requests will open on Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. and close on Feb. 19 at 5 p.m.
Each event will start at 7 p.m. and the doors will open at 6:15 p.m.
The library will continue to utilize a “lottery system” ticketing procedure. Requests may be made at www.sanlib.org once the tickets open. Names of those requesting tickets will be placed in a lottery and selected at random, and then be notified by email. Requests made before or after that time will not be honored. A current library card is required to request tickets; one card per person, two tickets per card. Those who are unable to access the online form or need help using the form can call the library at 239-472-2483 or come in for assistance from staff.
Major funding for the series is provided by the Sanibel Public Library Foundation and its donors.
The Sanibel Public Library is at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.