“On hot, sticky days in South Louisiana, the fire ants swarm.” That was the sentence Walter Mosley wrote in his mid 30s — a line he never used, but one that convinced him he might become a writer. Then working as a computer programmer in Los Angeles, Mosley, now 74, liked the sound and cadence of the sentence and decided to try his hand in fiction and mystery writing. … [Read more...]
Author Wald explores roots of American music in South Florida appearances
Even if the name of author, musical artist and historian Elijah Wald (elijahwald.com) doesn’t necessarily ring a bell, chances are that you’ve experienced or at least heard of something he’s associated with. A recent example is the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (Searchlight Pictures), which starred Timothée Chalamet and was directed by James Mangold. The film was … [Read more...]
‘3 Shades of Blue’ brings us close to three jazz titans, masterfully
If the best books indeed put readers in the mind’s eye of their authors, then James Kaplan’s 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and the Lost Empire of Cool (Penguin Press) qualifies as an audiovisual masterwork. That’s because the author also puts readers in the mind’s eye of the three great jazz figures present in the title and beyond. Kaplan … [Read more...]
Season Preview 2024-25: Books events show printed word still a strong draw
We may live in an increasingly digital age, one now further complicated by the rise of AI. But the printed word in books still exerts a powerful draw, as these festivals show: Miami Book Fair International The 41st Miami Book Fair — Nov. 17-24 — will feature a wide variety of authors in both fiction and nonfiction genres and celebrate the love of reading and love of … [Read more...]
Delray art gallery owners publish major study of Central American modernist art
It was the love of Central American art that brought co-authors Suzanne Brooks Snider and Mark Morgan Ford, of Ford Fine Art, together more than a decade ago. A labor of love and passion project for the two, Snider and Ford spent eight years writing and researching their new book, Central American Modernism/Modernismo en Centroamérica. A large, coffee table-sized 7-lb. … [Read more...]
Book arts specialist opens artisan-goods store in Lake Worth Beach
After years of searching for a space and as a way to organize his treasure-trove of unique artisan goods and ephemera, John Cutrone, the director of the Jaffe Center for Book Arts at FAU Libraries and his husband, Seth Thompson, an IT support specialist, have decided to pull the trigger and open a retail outlet: Convivio Bookworks. The store, at 1110 North G St. in Lake … [Read more...]
Delray author’s backstage-music novel sincere, revealing, but overlong
By Sharon Geltner Lightning struck for Delray Beach resident Kelley McNeil when popular fantasy author Barbara Davis posted a positive review of McNeil’s debut novel, A Day Like This. The fledgling author’s book hit number one on its first day and was a best seller in the United Kingdom and in three days was No. 1 in the United States. It stayed in the Top 5 of an Amazon … [Read more...]
‘Gator Country’ brings us the real story of the Everglades
By Sharon Geltner Gator Country opens with an authentic Florida adventure. A 7-year-old Central Florida girl explores a swamp by herself. Rebecca Renner’s dad tells her: “When it starts getting dark, come back.” Family dinner could be alligator meat, breaded in cornmeal, fried in peanut oil. Orlando resident Renner writes: “I hadn’t quite grasped the majesty and … [Read more...]
Palm Beach Book Festival returning for 10th year
If there was a book out this year titled “Perseverance,” it would be authored by Lois Cahall, founder of the Palm Beach Book Festival and a former newspaper reporter. Hitting its 10-year milestone, the festival, scheduled for Saturday, March 16, at Florida Atlantic University, brings New York Times-bestselling authors to South Florida and has endured, despite challenges. … [Read more...]
Author Raymer finds living the writer’s life her true path
By Sharon Geltner Very few people have a movie made about their life, let alone one starring Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Rebecca Hall. Wellington High School grad Beth Raymer (played by Hall) had sold the book and film rights to Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling by the time she was in her late 20s. Raymer, author of the new novel Fireworks … [Read more...]