We are so fortunate to have so many gifted authors living in our area,” said Brenda Compton, development director for the Bentonville Library Foundation. “It is going to be such a fun Saturday as we celebrate ‘Love Your Library’ this month!”
At the luncheon, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, authors Nancy Dane, Amy Collins, Mark Lloyd, Deb DeShields, Jim Fairbanks, Nancy Hartney, Jennifer McClory, Sandi Olson and Don Willis will be exhibiting their books as well as discussing their personal experiences in writing and publishing.
Here, several of the authors share their thoughts with Our Town readers:
Q. How would you describe your books? Genre?
Age level? Audience?
NANCY DANE: My series is on the Civil War in Arkansas. The novels, two from the Confederate perspective and two from the Union, tell of the conflict in vivid, factual details as experienced by soldier and civilian. The series won the 2011 Fiction Award from the Arkansas Library Association.
My books are adult, young adult, historical fiction. My readership has been more male than female, but as more women read the books, they are becoming die-hard fans.
My latest novel, A Reasonable Doubt, is to be released this summer. It is set in Arkansas during the time of Reconstruction.
JENNIFER MCCLORY: My books would typically be filed under “chick lit.” Four out of five of my published books I would consider good beach reads. The fifth, By Grace Alone, is more literary and dramatic. These would be good for high school age and up.
SANDI OLSON: Medical thrillers for adults.
MARK LLOYD: My book, Dragon Chaser: A Memoir, is a story of war, justice and duty. My journey starts when I entered the army at age 19. After surviving as a Green Beret in Vietnam, I served as a policeman for the Los Angeles Police before becoming an undercover narcotics agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, spending over 30 years chasing the dragon of illicit drug trafficking. My book is suitable for teenagers and older.
NANCY HARTNEY: My book is a collection of short stories for adults - all of the tales end on a note of hope or redemption but the stories are gritty and adult oriented.
DON WILLIS: My book Tale of the Penitent Thief is a biblical fiction story. It would be a good read for anyone 15 and up.
AMY COLLINS: For Every Girl is actually my first book. My husband and I are currently working on For Every Boy. Basically the books I write are self-help books for children from third grade through sixth grade. As the series expands, I will be directing my writing towards teens and adults.
JIM FAIRBANKS: My books fall into two very different genres - nonfiction inspirational and snarky humor. They reflect both sides of my personality and life experience. My nonfiction book, What Didn’t Kill Me Made Me Stronger: How I Found Hope While Surviving Diabetes, Vision Loss, and Organ Transplant, is for anyone who likes a true story of someone overcoming numerous setbacks. It is a look at growing up with Type 1 diabetes and life after a kidney/ pancreas transplant which ended dialysis and allowed me to live as a nondiabetic-My book, The Newcomers Field Guide to Hill Folk, is a fun look at Northwest Arkansas by someone who grew up here and has moved away and returned more than once. I use mostly made-up terms for the various types of people now living in the Ozarks. It’s more for people age 14 and up, but the memoir is for anyone.
Q. What inspired you to write? Why do you write?
DANE: Even as a child, I was a voracious reader. At age 6, I longed to create stories like Laura Ingalls Wilder. One of my favorite reads is Gone With the Wind. I’m sure this led to my desire to write the story of the war in Arkansas.
MCCLORY: I started writing simple short stories and plays around kindergarten. When I’m not able to write, all the stories and characters take over my every thought. Putting them on paper keeps me sane.
OLSON: I have so many stories to tell, I had to write them down.
LLOYD: My children urged me to write about some of my adventures in public service.
HARTNEY: My fingers itch to write - what else can I say?
WILLIS: I’ve been writing as long as I can remember.
COLLINS: I am a school counselor, and my inspiration came from my interactions with students.
FAIRBANKS: I like to inspire two different reactions in people: hope and laughter.
Q. What is the first book you remember loving?
DANE: The “Little House” books.
MCCLORY: Black Beauty and Little Women. Some of the first books I remember truly loving were Stephen King’s.
OLSON: The “John Carter of Mars” series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
LLOYD: The “Tarzan” series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
HARTNEY: I love horses and animals, so all of the Jack London and Walter Farley books were favorites.
WILLIS: The “Casca” series written by Barry Sadler.
COLLINS: The first book I absolutely loved was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
FAIRBANKS: When I was about 6 or 7, my dad read Tom Sawyer to me almost every night after supper. That made me want to read things for myself.
Q. What do you read now?
DANE: My first love will always be historical fiction, but I love a good mystery, as well as action-packed books of any genre. I’m currently reading a mystery by Sibella Giorello.
MCCLORY: I read everything I can get my hands on.
I average about one book every two or three days. I read horror, chick lit, comedy, fantasy, non-fiction. I love it all. Terry Pratchett, Margaret Atwood and Stephen King are my go-to authors, though.
OLSON: Murder and mayhem stuff, some science fiction and mysteries.
LLOYD: I like to read a variety of books, usually crime novels, memoirs and historical novels.
HARTNEY: I read international authors - they give me windows on different worlds and cultures. I also read Wiley Cash, Tom Franklin, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas McGuane, Annie Proulx - the list is endless.
Southern authors and writers of the West continue to be favorites.
WILLIS: I’ve caught myself recently reading George R.R. Martin’s “Songs of Ice and Fire” series. I’m fascinated with how Martin creates such an interesting tapestry of characters and develops them all into characters everyone can relate to.
COLLINS: I love reading inspirational books and devotionals, poetry, the classics and biographies. I also love reading children’s books with my son and observing him as he discovers the magic of reading.
FAIRBANKS: I read a wide variety - nonfiction, humor, self-help, southern.
Carl Hiaasen is my favorite.
I also read Robert K. Tannenbaum and have recently started reading John Irving’s books. I’ll find a book that I really like and then read the rest of that author’s work.
Q. What role do you think books play in the age of i-Pads, smartphones, Kindles, etc.?
LLOYD: If electronic readers phase out books, so be it. What is important is that reading must endure.
AT A GLANCE
‘Love Your Library’
Author Luncheon & Book Sale
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bentonville Public Library
Cost: $25, includes a box lunch and beverage from The Cycle Café; books will be available through the authors
Reservations: 271-2464 or 936-6924
Style, Pages 34 on 02/13/2014