Sanibel Public Library Author Series Ticket Lottery Opens

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

The Sanibel Public Library announced its 2024 Author Series lineup. For more than a decade, the Library, partnering with the Sanibel Public Library Foundation, has connected local readers to award-winning authors by bringing in high caliber writers for an intimate evening, followed by a champagne reception. Past guests include Joyce Carol Oates, Sue Monk Kidd, Jodi Picoult, David Baldacci, Dennis Lehane, Amor Towles, Erik Larson, and Margaret Atwood.

This season’s Author Series begins with Lauren Willig. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty works of historical fiction, including Band of Sisters, The Summer Country, The English Wife, and Two Wars and a Wedding the RITA Award-winning Pink Carnation series, and four novels co-written with Beatriz Williams and Karen White. Their most recent bestseller, The Lost Summers of Newport was a “Good Morning America” pick. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly says of Lost Summers, “Three stories elegantly intertwine in this clever and stylish tale of murder and family lies from Williams, Willig, and White…This crackerjack novel offers three mysteries for the price of one.” Willig’s newest novel, Two Wars and a Wedding was published in March 2023. She will speak at the Sanibel Public Library on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. Ticket requests for Willig’s evening run from Dec. 11 to Dec. 22. During that time, there will be a link on the Library’s homepage where patrons can enter their contact info to request tickets. Patrons can also call the Library at (239) 472-2483, or come in to the SPL to enter the ticket lottery from Dec. 11-22.

The next speaker in this season’s Author Series is Marie Benedict—a lawyer who writes historical novels including The Other Einstein, Carnegie’s Maid, The Only Woman in The Room, Lady Clementine, and The Mystery of Mrs. Christie and The Personal Librarian. Marie Benedict will be speaking at the Library on Feb. 7, 2024. The lottery for Benedict tickets is open from Jan. 8-13.

Major funding for the Author Series is provided by the Sanibel Public Library Foundation, Inc. and its generous donors.

The Sanibel Public Library will continue to utilize a “lottery system” ticketing procedure to meet high demand and to ensure as many as possible have the opportunity to attend an Author Series event. Requests for Author Series tickets may be made at the Library, by calling or in person. Names of those requesting tickets will be placed in a lottery and selected at random, and then be notified by email. Requests made before or after that time will not be honored. Tickets are distributed at no charge to Sanibel Public Library cardholders; one card per person; two tickets per card.

Patrons need to have a current library card before requesting tickets. Library cards are available to Sanibel and Lee County residents at no charge. Visitor cards may be obtained for a $10 annual fee.