Seven local authors to speak at symposium

Posted

The Speaker Series sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Ponte Vedra Beach, will present an author symposium with seven local authors 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at Crosswater Hall, 245 Nocatee Center Way.

The authors presented will be:

Vic DiGenti, an award-winning author of six novels and eight works of  nonfiction. His novels include the Windrusher Trilogy of adventure fantasies and the Mitchell Mystery series published under his pen name, Parker Francis. 

He also works as a ghost writer, biographer and publisher using his imprint Windrusher Hall Press. He lives with his wife and four cats in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Sohrab Homi Fracis will read from his new book of North Florida stories, “True Fiction,” which was a national finalist for the Szanc Books Story Collection Prize. American Book Award winner Rilla Askew says: “‘True Fiction’ is a tour de force." Fracis is the first Asian-American to win the Iowa Short Fiction Award, described by the NY Times Book Review as "among the most prestigious literary prizes America offers,” for his first book “Ticket to Minto: Stories of India and America.” His novel, “Go Home,” was shortlisted worldwide by Stanford University Libraries for the William Saroyan International Prize.

Dr. Edward Mickolus, after leaving Yale University with a Ph.D, served in analytical, operational management at CIA for 33 years dealing with collection, counter intelligence and covert action programs against terrorists, drug traffickers and hostile espionage services. In retirement he taught at CIA, the FBI Academy, ODNI and numerous universities. His 50 books include a series on international terrorism. He will discuss his recent books on education, humor and terrorism.

Nancy Quatrano is an award-winning writer, editor, speaker and columnist. The author of more than 50 published short stories of mystery and romance, her award-winning mystery novels include “Murder in Black and White” and “Still Shot.” She is the co-author of the inspirational award-winning books “Merciful Blessings” and “Keeping Faith.” “Gone in a Flash” and “Southern Grace” are new titles due out in late 2023 and summer of 2024. Her awards include FAPA, FWA, Indie Books and Book Excellence Award. Her website is NLQuatrano.com.

Elisabeth Randall works with her photographer husband Bob, as half of photojournalistic team, writing nonfiction books about Florida. One of their seven books, “Murder in St. Augustine,” won awards from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association and the Royal Palm Literary Awards. It was ranked on the Amazon Bestselling list several times. Randall's first fiction novel, “Fire is the Test of Gold,” a psychological thriller with a twist ending, came out last October.

Kate Stollenwerck is an attorney turned author. She graduated from Northwestern University and the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Kate resides in Ponte Vedra Beach with her husband and three children. Her debut novel, “Hello, Goodbye,” was released in August 2022.

Eleanor Tremayne is a retired high school and college English teacher with an MA in literature and the author of six novels. She owns the Serendipity on-line bookstore that holds book signing festivals, speaking events, literary tea parties and creative writing workshops. Born and raised in Southern California, Tremayne lives in St. Augustine with her husband, Mark, and her Weimaraner Enya. In 2019 her “Seven Days in Lebanon,” an historical novel that retells her grandmother's exile from St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1917 and marriage to the last Prince of Khiva, earned the 2019 Fiction Best Seller Award at the Dayton Book Expo.

Call 904-273-3990 and leave your name and telephone number to register for this program.