Jan 27, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seventh-Annual Lee County Southwest Florida Reading Festival

FORT MYERS, Fla.(Jan. 27, 2006) Southwest Florida's premiere literary event returns to Fort Myers' scenic riverfront with an exciting line-up of best-selling authors (Carol Higgins Clark, Meg Cabot and more than 20 others) and a full day of free activities in venues for adults, teens and children.  

The Lee County/Southwest Florida Reading Festival will be held from 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Saturday, March 18, 2006 at the Harborside Event Center and Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers. The Lee County Library System presents the day's festivities thanks in part to sponsorships by Bank of America, Books-A-Million, Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida, Publix and media sponsors The News-Press, WINK News, Telemundo, and Comcast.

There's something for everyone!

Adults get deeper insight into the research, characters and behind the scenes struggles that go into creating some of the country's most talked about books, as authors discuss their recent releases and future plans at the Harborside Event Center.  Unleash your own creative energy at demonstrations and activities for adults, and explore the vast resources available through the Lee County Library System, including access to a world-wide collection of written, recorded and online materials, reference and genealogy information. The grand finale of the One Book, One Community project takes place on festival day with an opportunity to meet actress Mary Badham from the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Adult authors include: (click an author's name to visit his/her official website.)

Carol Higgins Clark Author of the bestselling Regan Reilly mystery series "Burned", "Fleeced" and holiday suspense novels, coauthored with her mother, Mary Higgins Clark: "Deck the Halls," "He Sees You When You're Sleeping," and "The Christmas Thief."
 
Brad Meltzer  Author of New York Times bestsellers "The Tenth Justice," "Dead Even," "The First Counsel," "The Millionaires" and "The Zero Game," as well as "Identity Crisis" a critically acclaimed comic book murder-mystery. Meltzer also co-created the television series "Jack & Bobby." This Florida author has been featured on the Today Show, and in major publications including Time, USA Today, Vanity Fair, and Entertainment Weekly.

Connie May Fowler  A Florida native, has won numerous awards for "The Problem with Murmur Lee," and "Before Women had Wings," which was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning film. Her work is published worldwide in more than a dozen languages.

Lorna Landvik  Author of bestsellers "Oh My Stars," "Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons," "Patty Jane's House of Curl," "Your Oasis on Flame Lake," "The Tall Pine Polka," and "Welcome to the Great Mysterious." She is also an actor, playwright, and proud hockey mom.

Debbie Macomber   As a young dyslexic mother of four, she rented a typewriter, started writing and developed into a blockbuster bestselling author. Macomber now has more than 30 novels to her credit including "Shop on Blossom Street," and "On a Snowy Night." 

George Pelecanos  Author of twelve crime/noir novels set in and around Washington, D.C. "Hell to Pay" received the 2003 Los Angeles Times Book Award; "The Big Blowdown" won the International Crime Novel of the Year award in France, Germany, and Japan.  

Teens can enjoy Teen Idol and Dance Dance Revolution competitions, Lee Council Teachers of English "Aspiring Authors" writing contest awards, crafts and a free ´zine for each teen. Best-selling authors for teens include:

Meg Cabot   Author of "The Princess Diaries" and "All-American Girl" series, which have been developed into Disney feature films, and the "1-800-WHERE-R-YOU" series now airing on Lifetime television. Cabot is also the author of several adult contemporary romances.

Vivian Vande Velde Hailed as "a master of the unexpected" by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Vande Velde's numerous fantasy titles for young adults include "Witch Dreams," "The Book of Mordred," and "A Hidden Magic." Her "Heir Apparent" was selected for this year's Sunshine State Young Readers List.  
 
Children's activities include songs, poetry, crafts, all-day storytelling, Lee Council Teachers of English "Aspiring Authors" writing contest awards, and one free book for every child.  Meet and hear presentations from favorite children's book authors and illustrators including:

Mary Casanova  Award-winning author of picture books "One Dog Canoe,"  "The Hunter," a "Booklist" Editor's Choice, and the upcoming "Some Dog." Casanova's fiction books include "Riot" and "Stealing Thunder," which "School Library Journal" called "a compelling story of intrigue and heroism. 

Douglas Wood Artist, musician, naturalist and the award-winning author of "Grandad's Prayers of the Earth" and "Old Turtle and the Broken Truth," for which he received a presidential invitation to read at the White House.  His children's books also include "What Dads Can't Do," "What Teachers Can't Do," and "What Santa Can't Do."

Spanish language programs are planned. Reading and literacy themed organizations and vendors will be on site. The festival's e-Library offers demonstrations of online resources available from your library and issues library cards. Discover and learn at the festival, then use your library's free resources all year long!

Help fund this free community event by purchasing books from Books-A-Million during the festival.  Twenty percent of the days' sales are donated to the festival. Get your books signed by your favorite festival authors.

For more information about the festival, visit the Lee County Library System Web site: www.lee-county.com/library and click on the Lee County Reading Festival link, or call (239) 479-INFO(4636).

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