While in-person author events and book conferences are on hold, virtual events move ahead.
Palm Beach writers program
Palm Beach Library’s popular Writers LIVE! that features an array of authors and topics continues. Registration is free but reservations required. To register, visit pbclibrary.org/writers-live-2021. A Zoom invitation will be sent to participants.
Authors include Alexandra Chang, “Days of Distraction,” an offbeat coming-of-adulthood tale and family story, at 6:30 p.m. March 11; Edwidge Danticat, “Everything Inside: Stories,” a collection of tales about community, family and love, at 2:30 p.m. March 13; Jacob Goldstein, “Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing,” at 7 p.m. April 12; Safia Elhillo, “Home Is Not a Country,” a novel in verse about family and identity, at 6:30 p.m. April 20; Zara Raheem, “The Marriage Clock,” a novel in which a young, Muslim-American woman is given three months to find the right husband or else her traditional Indian parents will find one for her, at 2:30 p.m. April 24; Chris Wilson, “The Master Plan: My Journey From a Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose,” a memoir about his life, at 6:30 p.m. April 27; Maria Kuznetsova, “Something Unbelievable,” an overwhelmed new mom asks to hear her grandmother’s story of her family’s escape from the Nazis, at 6:30 p.m. May 6; Paul Ortiz, “An African American and Latinx History of the United States,” an historical look at civil rights, at 6:30 May 11.
Book and brunch
Book with Brunch, the Broward Public Library Foundation’s popular event, returns with a virtual discussion with Charles and Caroline Todd talking about their latest novel “A Fatal Lie” at 11 a.m. March 11. Guests are encouraged to bring a cup of coffee and a pastry to this “brunch.” Registration is free to foundation members; $10 for all others. Visit bplfoundation.org/charles-todd-virtual to RSVP now. Dollars raised will benefit expanded virtual programming at Broward County Library. Once registered, guests will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to the event. For information on future Foundation events, visit bplfoundation.org/contact-us.
A look at history
History Fort Lauderdale, formerly known as Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, is launching “Meet the Author,” a series of free interactive author interviews virtually on Zoom at noon the second Thursday of each month. Broward resident Kingsley Guy discusses his book “Piercing the Veil: A Skeptical Journalist Discovers Unseen Worlds” on March 11. The memoir “Piercing the Veil,” which won the Nautilus Book Award, chronicles journalist Guy’s experiences that brought meaning to his life. Guy also is the author of the novel “Queen of the Heavens,” set in ancient Egypt. To register for this event, visit bit.ly/HFLMeetTheAuthorGuy.
Fort Lauderdale historian John Bailey discusses “A New River Runs Through It,” a history of the New River that includes his experiences about growing up and living along the river, on April 8. For more information, contact History Fort Lauderdale at 954-463-4431 or visit at historyfortlauderdale.org. The museum, 231 SW Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Palm Beach Book Festival
The seventh annual Palm Beach Book Festival with three events is scheduled for March 19 and 20 through Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. Tickets are $10 for each session or $25 for all three panels. For information on tickets and books, visit fauevents.com or call 561-297-6124.
The panel “World War II Heroines in the Shadows: Codes, Cunning and Covert Ops” begins at 4 p.m. March 19 featuring Larry Loftis, author of “The Princess Spy” and Kristin Harmel, author of “The Book of Lost Names.” George Saunders discusses his book “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain,” with O Magazine editor Leigh Haber at 10 a.m. March 20. The author of 10 books, Saunders teaches in the creative writing program at Syracuse University. “You Don’t Have to Be Jewish to Love this Panel” featuring Barry Sonnenfeld, film director and author of “Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother!” in conversation with Patricia Marx, author of “You Can Only Yell at Me For One Thing at a Time” begins at 4 p.m. March 20. The Palm Beach Book Festival at FAU is sponsored by the Batmasian Family Foundation and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.
Festival of the Arts Boca
The Authors & Ideas portion of the Festival of the Arts Boca continues via Zoom. For more information visit festivalboca.org or call 561-571-5270. Access is free with advance registration.
Bruce Feiler will discuss his latest book, the top 10 New York Times bestseller “Life Is In the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age,” a collection of hundreds of life stories, at 7 p.m. March 9.
Science journalist Sonia Shah will discuss “The Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move” at 7 p.m. March 11. Her book explores centuries-long assumptions about migration through science, history, and reporting. Her 2016 book, “Pandemic: Tracking Contagions from Cholera to Coronaviruses and Beyond” was re-released in August 2020.
For readers and writers
The third annual “Tell Your Story. It’s Your Write!” presented by the North Regional/Broward College Library will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 27. The virtual program is free program, registration is required. For additional information, contact Hayley St. John-Ayre at hstjohnayre@broward.org or 954-201-2657.
The author-led workshops and panel discussions will include Craig Pittman, Diane A.S. Stuckart, Jaimie Engle, Elisa Albo and Cheryl Hollon. Workshops scheduled are 10 a.m. What a Character! Tips for Creating Memorable Protagonists and Antagonists, with Diane A.S. Stuckart; 11 a.m. Writing Teen Fiction: How to write and promote work for this audience, with Jaimie Engle; noon Writing Your Truth: A Workshop for Expression and Catharsis, with Elisa Albo; 1 p.m. Is Procrastination your Superpower? Practical methods for avoiding distraction while racking up that word count, with Cheryl Hollon; 2 p.m. Oh, Florida! Hear from award-winning journalist and author Craig Pittman; 3 p.m. Join the Club: The Ins and Outs of Running a Successful Book Club; 4 p.m. Write Around the Corner: A Local Authors Discussion.
Graham and R.L. Stine
Prolific Miami author Heather Graham will be interviewed by the equally prolific R.L. Stine about her new novel, and her first stand-alone hardcover in over 10 years, “Danger in Numbers” at 7 p.m. March 23 via Zoom for Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore in Delray Beach. Admission is purchase of the book. Email murdermb@gate.net or 561-279-7790 to purchase and get link.
Sleuthfest returns
Sleuthfest will have a scaled-back presence with its virtual panels featuring authors and editors on March 19 and 20. Cost to register is $20. For more information, visit sleuthfest.com. The conference is sponsored by the Florida chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. Authors to be featured include E.A. Aymar, Tara Lush, Brad Parks, Mia P. Manansala, Richie Narvaez.
Oline H. Cogdill can be reached at olinecog@aol.com.
