Wakefield Books Spring & Summer Author Series Kicks Off May 2

Wakefield Books is pleased to announce our 2023 Spring & Summer Author Series. Rhode Island is home to so many wonderful authors, and we are delighted to be hosting several of them, as well as authors from neighboring New England states. Each event begins with an author talk, followed by Q&A and a book signing. We are thrilled to be working with The Contemporary Theater Company for this series. The theater is a mainstay of downtown Wakefield, and provides a wonderful setting that allows for great interaction and conversation between authors and audience.

Our first event on May 2 features Rhode Island authors Deborah Goodrich Royce and Julie Gerstenblatt. Royce is a well-known author of thrillers, her most recent being Reef Road, which was inspired by a real-life unsolved murder. A former actress, Royce (along with her husband) has overseen numerous Main Street revitalization projects in Rhode Island, and serves on the advisory board of the Preservation Society of Newport. Gerstenblatt made her historical fiction debut with Daughters of Nantucket, centered around three strong women and the great Nantucket Fire of 1846. Gerstenblatt’s debut has garnered rave reviews from such outlets as The Boston Globe and BookBub.

On June 5, we host Rhode Island native and bestselling author Ann Hood. Ann is the author of over a dozen novels, including the bestsellers The Knitting Circle and Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine; and several memoirs. Her most recent book, Fly Girl, a memoir about her years as a TWA flight attendant, was published in May 2022.

On July 10, our guest is Lenore Skomal, author of The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter, the story of Ida Lewis, keeper of the Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport. The book celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and Lenore will speak about the upcoming major motion picture being made by filmmaker Nico Raineau, and their goal to bring this remarkable heroine back into the national consciousness.

Our August 8 author is Beatriz Williams, who comes to us from Connecticut to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Beach at Summerly. Williams is the internationally bestselling author of Our Woman in Moscow, The Golden Hour, A Hundred Summers, and several other works of historical fiction. Beatriz’s books have won numerous awards, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and appear regularly in bestseller lists around the world.

South Kingstown native and local favorite Don Winslow returns on August 21st to discuss City of Dreams, the second book in his epic crime trilogy. Don has written twenty-one novels, including The Border, The Force, The Kings of Cool, Savages, The Winter of Frankie Machine and the highly acclaimed epics The Power of the Dog and The Cartel. His novels have attracted the attention of filmmakers and actors such as Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio. Twentieth Century Fox has optioned his next novel about a NYPD cop as well as The Cartel and The Power of the Dog.

We may have a few last-minute additions for June and July, so be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook (@wakefieldbooks) for the latest event news.

All events are free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Seats can be reserved by emailing michelle@wakefieldbooks.com or calling 401-792-0000. Books by the authors will be available for sale at each event.

Wakefield Books is South Kingstown’s locally-owned, independent bookstore, located in the Wakefield Mall. www.wakefieldbooks.com