Peters Township Public Library will gather over 20 local authors to shine and share their talents at a new event called Read Local/Eat Local on Saturday, June 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The library is encouraging the community to read books by authors from the southwestern Pennsylvania area that represent all genres for all age groups. The library plans to offer storytimes and activities for children at this family-friendly event. No registration is needed to attend.
“The library is frequently contacted by local authors when they have a new book to share,” explained Sue Miller, Assistant Library Director. “And that is how we discovered so much talent right in our backyard. With the Read Local/Eat Local event, we have an opportunity to showcase these authors to the community. They offer everything from children’s books, fiction for young adults, romance, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, history, and self-help. I think the event will offer something for just about everyone, including some tasty food available for purchase.”
Authors to date that will be available for two hours of conversation, book readings, book sales and signings include the following.
Note: Asterisked names link to excerpts and other features right here on Littsburgh!
Eileen Colianni
Chris George
J. Judson Lacko
Plan to Eat Local while at this free event or passing through the area as three food trucks will be in the library parking lot with refreshments for sale that afternoon. Trucks on-site will include Hott Dawgz, Revival Chili and Kona Ice.
Kicking off Read Local/Eat Local will be a pre-event from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. with bestselling author J.D. Barker who will discuss Making the Leap from Indie to Traditional Publishing. Barker successfully published his debut novel as an indie and sold enough copies to land on the radar of the traditional publishers in a big way, including seven figure advances, two feature films and a television program. He’ll open his toolbox and explain exactly what he did to make it happen. All are welcome to attend this session, especially any aspiring author or seasoned veteran trying to find their place in today’s publishing world. J.D. Barker is an international bestselling American author whose work has been broadly described as suspense thrillers, often incorporating elements of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural.
Register to attend his talk at ptlibrary.org/events or call 724.941.9430 #1.
Concluding the afternoon will be Susan Hans O’Connor from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. with her talk Authors and Independent Bookstores: Working Together for Mutual Success. Independent bookstores are a vital piece of the book publishing puzzle. Partnering with local stores can be one of the most effective tools authors can use to promote their books. O’Connor will share her insights from the perspective of both a current bookstore owner as well as a former book editor. Susan Hans O’Connor has been the owner of the Penguin Bookshop since 2014. She began her publishing career at Viking Penguin where she worked as an editor for over a decade. Register to attend her talk at ptlibrary.org/events or call 724.941.9430 #1.
For more information about Read Local/Eat Local, call the library at 724.941.9430.
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