“Author, Author”: Library Celebrates Local Writers This Weekend
by Cheryl Homan-Wendell, Literary Services Librarian
This weekend, we’re keeping it local.
It’s a festive occasion when we can invite a local author to the Estes Valley Library, connecting a hometown or regional writer with readers eager to delve into new pages. It becomes a true festival when we can bring together eight — count ‘em, eight — authors all in one event.
Now in its fourth year, the Love Your Local Authors Festival is happening at the Library this Saturday, February 9, from 1 pm to 3 pm.
These authors will be in attendance:
- Sharon Arms, co-author of Ann Strange Owl: a Northern Cheyenne Memoir
- James Bachman, author of Washington’s Headquarters at Valley Forge: a biography of a national shrine
- Timothy Buck, author of The Local Herd and Elk Jam
- Betty Hull, whose books include Monticello’s Dark Secret and The Intruder
- J.J. Johnson, author of the novel, Army of the Dog
- Shannon Lembke, author of the mystery-novel Dying for Business
- Pat Washburn, co-author of Exploring the Park Together and Tracks in Time
- Kevin Wolf, author of the mystery-novels, The Homeplace and Brokeheart
This event is special for many reasons. First is the “keeping it local” theme. These writers are all from Estes Park or one of our nearby communities. Some are names you know and count among your neighbors and friends.
A second attraction is the opportunity to hear so many different authors, speaking on a vast variety of topics and from different genres, all in one sitting. Many big cities have an annual book festival. Our event is right-sized for the Estes Valley.
A third element is the chance to visit personally with each author. It’s a true ‘mix and mingle’ atmosphere, where you can discuss each author’s inspiration for their book and gain a deeper understanding of the creative process. Think of it as speed-dating for book lovers.
The “Love Your Local Authors Festival” is a great fit for one of our key strategic goals: to enable a greater sense of community by bringing readers together in shared literary experiences.
Here’s what you can expect if you attend:
Beginning at 1 pm in the Hondius Room, while attendees are seated, our eight featured authors will give a brief talk about their book. Afterward, attendees can visit one, or two, or all eight authors.
Saturday’s featured books range from a murder mystery with a cozy Colorado setting to a beloved local comic strip, and from a history of Valley Forge to a memoir of life on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. And much much more.
Macdonald Book Shop, our local literary treasure, is a great and longtime supporter of Estes Park authors. You’ll discover selections from a good number of Saturday’s authors, plus many others, on your next visit to our hometown independent bookstore.
In addition to the festival, be sure to visit our current Love Your Local Authors book display. You’ll find some great books by these and other local authors.
Most of Saturday’s authors will have copies of their books available for sale. It’s an excellent opportunity to get an autographed copy for yourself or as a gift.
No registration is necessary. We hope to see you on Saturday. In this month of Valentine’s Day love, what fun to show our support and appreciation for the writers, researchers and creative people right in our midst.