Meet the Author
Lectures, Q&A's, interviews and more with famous authors from around the world.
Joy Johnson, author of the BOOB Girls novels, speaks to the book club at the Southwest Branch Library of the Orange County Library System about the series, which chronicles the raucous adventures of a group of friends living together in a retirement home.
(3:36)
Olympian Gabrielle Douglas, winner of two gold medals for women's all-around individual and team artistic gymnastics at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, spoke at the Orlando Public Library about her inspirational story, her training regimen, and her life outside of gymnastics. Douglas recently released her first book,
Grace, Gold and Glory.
(22:40)
Authors featured in Burrow Press' short story collection, "15 Views of Orlando," read their work at the Orlando Public Library. (21:41)
Jessica Martinez, author of Young Adult novel "Virtuosity," speaks to teens at the Orlando Public Library about writing from experience and the creation of book covers. (15:59)
Famed attorney, media commentator, and author Marcia Clark visits the Orlando Public Library to talk about her new novel,
Guilt by Degrees, and her transition from prosecutor to novelist. (10:26)
New York Times bestselling author Harvey Mackay joins Orange County Library System patrons and moderator Terry Brock via Skype for a discussion about his new book,
The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World, his writing process, and his philosophies about life. (10:55)
Florida author and documentary filmmaker Bill Belleville reads selections from his new book,
Salvaging the Real Florida: Lost & Found in the State of Dreams, and explains why Florida in its natural state is more beautiful and magical than any theme park or man-made attraction. (12:10)
Author and NBA executive Lucas Daniel Boyce visits the Orlando Public Library to tell the inspiring story of his journey from foster care to the White House and beyond. (18:03)
Accomplished philanthropist, model, mentor, and spokesperson Jaclyn Stapp visits the Orlando Public Library to talk about her new children's book,
Wacky Jacky, and what it was like growing up different from all the other kids. (4:33)
Professor, author, traveler, and urbanologist Max Grinnell speaks at the Orlando Public Library on what urbanology actually is, how he became interested in urbanology, and the two biggest problems facing American cities today. (12:30)
Lifetime Disney fan Jim Korkis explains how he became a Disney Historian and shares how he discovered the stories he tells in his new book,
The Vault of Walt. (11:47)
Lucille O'Neal, author and mother of NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal, visits the Orlando Public Library on Mother's Day to talk about her life, her trials, and her new book,
Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go. (10:22)
Poet Linda Everett Moyé visits the Orlando Public Library and tells the story of a dream that became a poem, and a poem that became reality. (9:25)
Jeff Zaslow, columnist for
The Wall Street Journal and author of
The Girls from Ames, talks about co-writing
The Last Lecture with famed Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch during the final months of Pausch's life. (3:57)
Author, comedian,
Essence columnist and former
Saturday Night Live cast member Finesse Mitchell visits the Orlando Public Library to talk about his new book,
Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much. (5:17)
Author Rosalie Turner visits the Orlando Public Library to speak about
Freedom Bound, her historical fiction novel about Anna Kingsley, a slave who later became a slave owner herself. (7:11)
Dave Isay, founder of StoryCorps, speaks about StoryCorps' history, its future, and its importance at the Orlando Public Library in Orlando, Florida. (10:29)
Tim Dorsey,
New York Times bestselling author of
Hurricane Punch and
The Big Bamboo, stops by the Orlando Public Library to talk about the life of an author, Florida's quirky locales, and the various real-world inspirations behind his characters and their stories. (9:38)
Rick Yancey, author of
The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp visits the Orlando Public Library and reveals how he writes action scenes for his novels, why you should research your main character's name closely before going to press, and why you should never give up on your dreams. (12:38)
Former film critic for the
Orlando Sentinel, Jay Boyar, discusses his new book,
Films to Go, and how both travel and moviegoing have changed over the years. (5:50)
Bestselling author John P. Strelecky discusses the origins of his hit novel
The Why Cafe and his experiences in the book publishing industry. (11:41)
Central Florida personality and historian Ben Brotemarkle discusses his book,
Crossing Division Street, and gives us fascinating insight into African-American history in Central Florida. (16:39)
Les Standiford, author of
Last Train to Paradise, discusses his book, its origins, and the tumultuous history of the Key West Railroad. (7:48)
Witty and wise astrologer William Lamb answers common astrology questions, gives personal readings, and dispels popular myths about horoscopes and astrology. (10:40)
An interview with Bill Belleville, documentary filmmaker and author of the 2005 Central Florida Reads book selection,
River of Lakes. (18:35)
An interview with Connie May Fowler, author of
Before Women Had Wings, which was chosen for the Central Florida Reads program in 2004. (19:52)
An interview with Patrick Smith, author of
A Land Remembered, the selection for the Central Florida Reads program in 2003. (5:29)
