Spend an enjoyable evening after hours in the library with three favorite authors while helping raise money and awareness for Tulsa City-County Library’s Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service.
In conjunction with National Literacy Awareness Month, Tulsa City-County Library and the Tulsa Library Trust are offering “Chapters: A Casual Evening of Books, Bards and Bites” on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd St. The cost is $50 per person. Deadline for reservations is Sept. 2.
Attendees will get to enjoy food and wine from some of the area’s favorite restaurants while listening to authors Marisa de los Santos, Lauren Smith and Keija Parssinen.
Marisa de los Santos is the author of three New York Times best-selling novels for adults – “Love Walked In,” “Belong to Me” and “Falling Together.” Her latest work is “The Precious One,” a captivating novel about friendship, family, second chances and the redemptive power of love. She also co-wrote with her husband, David Teague, two middle-grade novels, “Saving Lucas Biggs” and “Connect the Stars,” to be released Sept. 22, 2015. De los Santos lives in Wilmington, Del., with her husband; their two children, Charles and Annabel; and their Yorkies, Huxley and Finn.
Amazon best-selling author of “The League of Rogues” series and “The Surrender” series, Lauren Smith has been writing her stories since early childhood. At the tender age of 9 she wrote her first story, entitled “Deadly Shadows.” This romantic suspense story about two reporters investigating the disappearance of the local brown bat population was selected by her school to allow her to attend the Tulsa Youth Writers Conference. She is an attorney by day, traveling the country roads to small-town courthouses and has participated in hearings in 66 of the 77 counties of her native Oklahoma. She’s an author by night, who pens adventurous and edgy romance stories by the light of her smartphone flashlight app. Her latest novel is “The Gilded Cage,” from “The Surrender” series. Smith lives in Tulsa with her three pets: a feisty chinchilla, a sophisticated cat and a dapper little schnauzer.
Saudi-born, Texas-raised author Keija Parssinen is a graduate of Princeton University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote fellow. Her first novel, “The Ruins of Us,” won a Michener-Copernicus Award and was long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize. Her second novel, “The Unraveling of Mercy Louis,” was just released by Harper Books. The New York Times calls it “deliciously dark and sumptuously gothic.” This fall, Parssinen will join the faculty of the University of Tulsa as an assistant professor of English.
“Chapters” is sponsored by TulsaPeople Magazine, Charles and Marion Weber Foundation, Gelvin Foundation, Lauren Liles and Dick Ekdahl, Linda and Douglas Farquharson, Susan and Bob Mase, Lynn and Bill Peacher, Dr. Bernard and Marcy Robinowitz, Dr. Bruce and Beverly Dieterlen, Donna and Will Farrior, Terry and Mike Fenner, Janie and Earl Funk, Margaret and Curt Holdridge, Robert J. LaFortune, Total Pilates, Lacy and Al Whitehead, Paul Woodul, Kathie Coyle, Loretta Raschen, Donna Redyke and Farryl Stokes, with additional support provided by the Mary K. Chapman Foundation and George Kaiser Family Foundation.
Appetizers, wine and dessert are provided by Barnes & Noble, Bodean Seafood Restaurant, Creative Catering by Sherian, HoneyBaked Ham of Tulsa, India Palace, KEO Asian Cuisine, Napa Flats, Oklahoma Joe’s, Oliveto Italian Bistro, Panera Bread, Pepper’s Grill, Ranch Acres Wine & Spirits, Reasor’s, Sweet Devotion Cakery, Toni’s Flowers & Gifts, Tulsa Library Trust, Whole Foods Market, The Wild Fork and Yokozuna.
Authors’ books will be available for purchasing with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the literacy service. Sponsorships for the fundraiser are available. Call 918-549-7494 for more information or to make a reservation.