St. Louis Public Library

Authors at the St. Louis Public Library in Nov. 2012

Eight adult and teen authors will be presented.

November 1, 2012 | 2 min reading time

This article is 12 years old. It was published on November 1, 2012.



The St. Louis Public Library is proud to present eight adult and teen authors during November including Frank Absher, Terry Baker Mulligan, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Andrew Smith, andVanessa C. Williams.

In addition, there will be a special Panel Discussion on Young Adult Literature and Writing for Teens featuring Heather Brewer, Antony John, and Fiona Paul.  All events are FREE and open to the public.

 

· Vaunda Micheaux Nelson discusses and signs her books at the Buder Branch, 4401 Hampton Ave., on November 1 at 7 p.m.

 

Nelson makes history come alive. When she talks about Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, U.S. Marshall (winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award), she dresses the part—boots, cowboy hat, badge… even handcuffs.

 

In September 2012, she accepted the Boston Globe– Horn Book Award for Teen Fiction for No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller, which is based on the life of her great-uncle. Nelson explains, "When a white banker told Lewis to sell fried chicken, not books, because 'Negroes don't read,' Lewis took five books and one hundred dollars and built a bookstore. It soon became the intellectual center of Harlem, a refuge for everyone from Muhammad Ali to Malcolm X."

 

Both Bad News for Outlaws and No Crystal Stair are illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.

Left Bank Books.

 

 

· Andrew Smith discusses and signs his book, Ghost Medicine at the Carpenter Branch, 3309 S. Grand Blvd., on November 5 at 6 p.m.  Smith's appearance is part of the Fall 2012 edition of Read It Forward, the Library's popular reading initiative for teens.

 

After his mother dies, 17-year-old Troy and his father barely speak, communicating instead by writing notes on a legal pad by the phone. Mostly, Troy hangs out with his friends. They don't want trouble, and he and his friends want to disappear. Instead, they become what they least expect—brothers, heroes, and ghosts.

 

Voice of Youth Advocates calls Ghost Medicine "A pitch-perfect coming-of-age tale destined to be held aloft alongside other classics of young adult literature. The story flows like stark, lovely poetry shared by best friends around a mountainside campfire."

 

Left Bank Books.

· Vanessa C. Williams presents "Nutrition and Holistic Health: What's on Your Thanksgiving Day Table?" and signs her book, The Breath of Life Detox, at the Baden Branch, 8448 Church Rd., on November 10 at 11 a.m.

 

Don't just eat this Thanksgiving; eat healthy. Nelson offers tasty tips on how to prepare delicious dishes that ensure optimal health.

 

Vanessa C. Williamsis a holistic nutrition expert.

the author.

· Frank Absher discusses and signs his new book, St. Louis Radio and Television at the Buder Branch, 4401 Hampton Ave., on November 17 at 10 a.m.

 

Absher's book explores the history of broadcasting, which in fact began in St. Louis when the great Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla demonstrated the first true "broadcast" in 1893.

 

Frank Absher is a former St. Louis broadcaster who set out to preserve St. Louis' media history in 1987. In 2011, he founded the St. Louis Media History Foundation.

 

the author.

· Celebrate the 121st birthday of the Julia Davis Branch's namesake with a special book discussion and signing featuring St. Louisan Terry Baker Mulligan, author of Sugar Hill:  Where the Sun Rose Over Harlem—A Memoir.  The event takes place at the Julia Davis Branch, 4415 Natural Bridge Ave., on November 24 at 2 p.m.

 

Mulligan writes about weathering adolescence while history unfolds around her. The story resonates with humor and warmth as she chronicles her life among evangelists, curly-haired doo-wop boys, snuff-dippers, Fidel Castro's entourage, interracial marriage, chitlin' parties, and testy interactions between West Indians and Southern blacks.

 

· Heather Brewer, Antony John, and Fiona Paul are the participants in a Panel Discussion: Young Adult Literature and Writing for Teens.  A book signing follows.  The event takes place at the Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., on November 29 at 7 p.m.

 

Ø     Heather Brewer is the author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod and The Slayer Chronicles. An anti-bullying advocate, she has connected personally with her fans, who call themselves her Minions.

 

Ø     Antony John has written Busted, Five Flavors of Dumb, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and his newest book, Elemental.

 

Ø     Fiona Paul's recent debut novel, Venom, is a tapestry of beauty, romance, and mystery that takes place inVenice.

 

 

For more information, call 314-206-6779.

 

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