It took all kinds at Texas Author Day and Phil Irwin took his place at the helm of this eclectic event. With an easy laugh and casual manner, this “Whiskey Rebel” entertained fellow authors and fans alike. (Photos by Brenda Stewart)
Writer, historian and folk musician Laurie E. Jasinski regaled the crowd on Sunday with vintage photography, a guitar solo entitled “Dinosaur Waltz,” tales of Texas backroads and the founding of Dinosaur Valley State Park. Jasinski holds an original Texas road sign created by the WPA.
by BRENDA STEWART
Hot on the heels of the internationally lauded Texas Book Festival in Austin, the San Marcos Public Library continued the tradition of showcasing the Lone Star’s wordsmiths and illustrators on Sunday, hosting the 7th annual Texas Author Day.
At this moderately sized event, 34 authors and illustrators seated behind tables that snaked throughout the rear of the library, greeted readers and curiosity seekers.
Heralding everything – from coffee table books rife with stunning photographs of Texas rivers, small chapbook-like travel guides and ghost tales from around the state – the authors drew the literati in with stacks of shiny new books and the promise of a good read.
Librarian Robin Wood, who coordinated the event, said that the concept of the Texas Author Day arose as requests for local book signings climbed. Throughout the years, the event has hosted up-and-coming authors as well as established writers and national prize winners.
Several years ago local middle school hero, Rick Riordan, was a featured author just before his blockbuster “Lightning Thief” was published, and read a selection from it. Celebrated novelist and screenwriter Sarah Bird has also been a guest in years past.
On Sunday, Diane Gonzales Bertrand, winner of several Latino Literary Awards, read from her work and implored the audience to take note of their family history and customs and make a record of it so that it is not lost and forgotten. Tom Grimes, director of the MFA program in Creative Writing at Texas State University, read from his latest work, “Mentor: A Memoir.”
Bill Soyars took the audience on a journey through his Texas past reading from “A Passionate Trail”, and author and musician Laurie Jasinski presented a slide show of vintage photographs chronicling early transportation and the discovery of dinosaur tracks in her newest book, “Dinosaur Highway: A History of Dinosaur Valley State Park.”
Reflecting the audience in attendance, the books seemed to span the generations running the gamut from children’s literature to a how-to guide for dealing with aging parents.
The event showcased genres ranging from Texana to romance, politics to Christian inspirational, attracting an impressive array of authors and artists from across the state and providing a venue for them to connect with fellow authors and bibliophiles alike.
