Local authors were on hand to sell, sign, and discuss their works
The Veterans Memorial Library hosted its annual Florida Author Fest on Saturday, Oct. 5. Over 30 authors from across Florida were on hand to sell, sign, and discuss their works.
Several authors from the Kissimmee-St. Cloud area were in attendance. Dinah Jordan of Kissimmee is the author of “Defying Disability: One Couple’s Journey of Fierce Love and Unwavering Faith.” The book details the struggles of her uncle Bert, who was struck down with polio as a teenager. He fell in love with Darlene when they were both in a rehabilitation center in 1952. The couple married and despite the odds, lived fairly long lives relying on their faith to see them though their disabilities and inspire others.
James Warda, who was a columnist for the Chicago Tribune before relocating to St. Cloud, has always been fascinated by the Disney “magic.” In his latest book, “How Does Disney Do That?” he dives headfirst into the mechanics of how Disney can induce the emotional, life-changing connection it makes with its legions of fans across the world. Hint: It all starts with a story.
Bob Grenier lives in Lake County and is the author of several books relating to veterans in Central Florida. In 2017 he worked with Kissimmee resident and World War Two Army Air Force veteran Bernard O. DeVore to write “From Farm to Flight to Faith.” The book is Devore’s story as a B-17 bomber flight engineer in the perilous skies over Nazi Germany.
In addition to the authors and their book displays covering the bottom floor of the library on Saturday, upstairs Matt Vogler was teaching children how to develop and draw characters. Vogler is a character designer, animator, and illustrator, including illustrating the book series “Katie Ladybug” by Kelly Wiseman. Using his laptop computer and the smart screen in the Robert Fisk room, Vogler took the children through the process of creating and developing character, emphasizing the steps of research, and thinking through the process before putting pencil to paper.
The Osceola Library System maintains a Local Authors collection, as well as collections on Florida and local history, both for adults and children. For more information on the Osceola Library System, go to https://bit.ly/3Y5KTIh.
