Dauphin County Library’s Local Author Festival 2019
For us, the local author Festival for Dauphin County library this past weekend started under a cloud. Our 14-year-old cat, Olga, decided we were getting too much sleep. So she challenged us in the middle the night to play “Find the Horking Cat.”
Our floors are combination of throw rugs and would. So the challenge is to wake up in the middle of the night, find the cat that’s about to spew, and nudge her off the bed/carpet and onto the floor before she scores.
This went on six times in the night. That breaks the previous record by four.
Olga recovered and she’s her usual grumpy self, but it’ll still take a couple of days to recover our lost sleep.
But we had a good time at the event. We got a chance to catch up with authors that we’ve met at previous events and met new writers and their works.
Kevin W. Buck
Classic entertainment and rock ‘n’ roll are in Kevin’s wheelhouse. He gives talks about these subjects as well as write about them. “Looking for Miss Crabtree” is a personal journey to the last resting places of many Hollywood and television actors and actresses. “A Concise History of Rock ‘n’ Roll” looks at the great acts and artists from each decade, and pays special attention to subjects such as Elvis, the Beatles, rock festivals, women in rock, urban legends, and more. He can be reached at KWBuck.com.
Kevin and Kasey Coolidge
Driving down from north-central Pennsylvania, Kevin and Kasey Coolidge sell a line of children’s books about a group of “totally ninja raccoons.” They also own From My Shelf, a combination book and gift store, and run the Wellsboro book Fest now in its 11th year.
Cy Emery
This retired teacher and basketball coach is continuing his good work by speaking out and writing about bullying. He published “Hiding in the Light,” the first in a series of books for Young Adult readers. Talking to him left a deep impression on me. He was engaging and passionate about this cause and his empathy reminded me of Mr. Rogers. I can imagine that he was very effective in the classroom. Cy Emery’s website.
Tory Gates
I had met Tori at the Shippensburg Festival last year so I was happy to touch base with him again. His “Tales from the Café” revolves around a special coffee shop in a small Canadian town, the couple that runs it, and the customers, all of whom have stories to tell.
Sherry Knowlton
I was glad to see that Sherry has released the fourth book in her Alexa Williams thriller series, and that she has a book tour coming that includes stops in my old stomping grounds on the Outer Banks, in Bethany Beach, Delaware, and in Noraville Boonsboro, Md., with Nora Roberts!
Mariah Johnson
Meeting a new young author is always exciting, so I spent a lot of time talking with Mariah Johnson, who just published a YA science-fiction novel ”Carys”.
M. Diane McCormick
I had read Diane McCormick’s work as a Patriot-News copy editor, so it’s nice putting a face to her words. The freelance writer’s stories about the state’s historic pubs, “Well-Behaved Taverns Seldom Make History,” has been delighting readers at her tour stops. She’ll be appearing at the Moravian Book Shop (May 12), Fort Hunter Mansion and Park in Harrisburg (May 19), and elsewhere. Check her website for tour details.
Kelsi Rose Miller
Gina Napoli
Gina and I know each other from the Pennwriter’s group that meets at New Cumberland Public Library. I knew she’s a freelance writer and publishing articles at The Berg, but I didn’t know is that she published an anthology of Christian testimonies, “Clunk on the Head.”
Robert Walton
Attendees to the Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookstore remember Bob from his appearances there. I’m still looking forward to his “Mask of Minos” archaeology thriller that’s on TBR pile next to Craig Johnson, Ellen Crosby and a few other library finds. His website is at RobertWaltonNovelist.com.