Only four more weeks until Book ‘Em North Carolina comes to Robeson County. Book ‘Em is the brain child of Lumberton’s own award-winning novelist, Trish Terrell, and she has put together a tremendous slate of authors, publishers and activities that you will not want to miss.
Book ‘Em is scheduled for Feb. 25 at the Robeson Community College A.D. Lewis Auditorium (building 15). Events will begin at 9:30 in the morning and continue throughout the day until 4 p.m. Attendance is free and open to the public.
There will be book readings and events scheduled for children from pre-school to teens. Also planned are panel discussions and talks for writers trying to break into the field or working to increase their sales or exposure. There are talks and events for readers of various genres, including mysteries, romance, true adventure, historical, biographical, and many others.
Dozens of writers will be present to meet the public, autograph books and participate in panel discussions. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carla Neggers writes thrilling, heart-stopping romantic suspense novels that keep you riveted until the very last page. Her newest book, “Secrets of the Lost Summer,” is coming out this month. Michael Palmer, a practicing medical doctor, is the author of over 17 New York Times bestselling medical thrillers. Scheduled for release in February, “Oath of Office” is a medical and political thriller based on the unknown consequences of corporate food giants producing genetically modified food.
The purpose of The Book ‘Em Foundation and this event is to raise public awareness of the link between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. Publishers and authors pledge a minimum of 40 percent of the proceeds of sales at Book ‘Em will be donated to support literacy and reduce crime in Robeson County.
Here are some very interesting statistics provided by the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Labor Statistics that illustrate the importance of reading and education. More than 60 percent of the prison population is functionally illiterate. Ninety percent of welfare recipients are high school dropouts. The national unemployment rate for persons without a high school education is almost double the rate for persons with some college.
Book ‘Em North Carolina is sponsored by a number of Robeson County businesses and organizations including the Friends of the Robeson County Library. I want to thank everyone involved for their work and I hope to see you there.
— Catie Roche is the director of the Robeson County Public Library. You can reach her at croche@robesoncountylibrary.org.
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