St. Louis Public Library

ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS BESTSELLING AUTHORS DURING THE JUNE AUTHORS @ YOUR LIBRARY SERIES

The St. Louis Public Library is proud to present bestselling authors including Maureen Footer, Dr. Christi Griffin, Mary Munroe, Kimberla Lawson Roby, and Heather Webb during the June installment of its Authors @ Your Library series.

All events are FREE and open to the public.

* New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby discusses and signs her new book, Prodigal Son, the eleventh entry in the Reverend Curtis Black series. The event takes place at the Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave.,on June 3 at 7 p.m.

Reverend Curtis Black hasn't spoken to his son, Matthew, in over a year; not since Matthew dropped out of Harvard to marry his girlfriend and become a full-time father. Meanwhile, the reverend's long-lost son, Dillon, has settled in as a member of the family and has no intention of going anywhere.

As jealousy builds and secrets pile up, Matthew and Dillon are pushed over the edge and forced to take drastic action. Can these two troubled young men find their way back into the family fold, or will their ties be undone once and for all?

Roby has published 19 novels. Her books have made numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence Magazine, Upscale Magazine, Emerge Magazine, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, and The Austin Chronicle.

Books available for purchase courtesy of Amber Books.

* Maureen Footer discusses and signs her book, George Stacey and the Creation of American Chic. The event takes place at Central Library, 1301 Olive St., on June 4 at 7 p.m.

This is the first book to chronicle the life, far reaching aesthetic legacy, and historical context of the groundbreaking American designer, George Stacey. In the 1930s, Stacey shot to prominence with projects from fashion icon Diana Vreeland and commissions from socialites with last names such as Astor, Paley, Harriman, and Whitney. Footer spent four years researching her book, which is equal parts biography, design history, and social chronicle.

Footer holds degrees from Wellesley College and Columbia University and studied French 18th century decorative arts and design at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris.

Books available for purchase courtesy of Left Bank Books.

* New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe discusses and signs her new book, Family of Lies.  The event takes place at the Carpenter Branch, 3309 S. Grand Blvd., on June 5 at 7 p.m.

Monroe weaves a stunning portrait of a family immerged in deceit…and of women whose happiness depends on the secrets they keep. Vera Lomax used every gold-digging trick in the book to land a rich husband. Now that she has, it's easy for her to balance a life of shopping and affairs with young men. But will her secret be her downfall?

Mary Monroe has written short stories since the age of four and has never attended college or writing classes. She resides in Oakland, California.

Books available for purchase courtesy of Amber Books.

* Heather Webb discusses and signs her debut book,  Becoming Josephine.  The event takes place at the Kingshighway Branch, 2260 S. Vandeventer Ave., on June 7 at 11 a.m.

Webb creates a sweeping historical story about the Creole socialite who transformed herself into an empress. The novel follows Rose Tascher as she sails from her Martinique plantation to Paris, eager to enjoy an elegant life at the royal court. Once there, however, her aristocratic soldier-husband dashes her dreams by abandoning her amid the tumult of the French Revolution. After narrowly escaping death, Rose reinvents herself as Josephine, a beautiful socialite wooed by an awkward suitor. Little does she know that he would become the most powerful man of his century—Napoleon Bonaparte.

Webb grew up as a military brat, becoming obsessed with travel, culture, and languages. She taught high school French for nearly a decade before turning to full-time novel writing and freelance editing.

Books available for purchase courtesy of Left Bank Books.

* Dr. Christi Griffin discusses and signs her book, Incarceration in Black and White: The Subjugation of Black Americans.  The event takes place at Central Library, 1301 Olive St., on June 28 at 2 p.m.

The book explores the economic continuum of slavery from emancipation through convict leasing and peonage to the U.S. prison system in the 21st century.

Griffin graduated Webster College with a BA in Sociology and went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University School of Law.  She is a 2010 recipient of the President's Call to Service Award and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award. She has also been named one of five 2011 Classic Outstanding Women of Achievement Award by the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation.

Also, there will be a display featuring images by Griffin, Jessica Hildebrew, and award-winning photographers Wiley Price and Maurice Meredith.

Books available for purchase courtesy of the author.

For more information, call 314-880-8759.

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