Hill Country Author Series

February 9, 2012 - Jim Hornfischer 

February 9, 2012 Jim Hornfischer to speak at Hill Country Authors Series

Jim Hornfischer promises to be an interesting speaker at the Hill Country Authors Series on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2 PM. He has a unique view of the publishing industry, having written three books on naval history, worked as a New York trade book editor, and he is currently a literary agent for many non-fiction authors through his company, Hornfischer Literary Management in Austin, TX.

His talk, "The Adventurous Journeys of a World War II Historian", will reveal an insider's view of the publishing business and his writing career which grew out of a lifelong interest in the Pacific war. His books include Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour and Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of Her Survivors.

He has appeared on television on The History Channel, Fox News, and C-SPAN's "BookTV." In sixteen years as an agent, Hornfischer has handled thirteen New York Times bestsellers (including three #1's) and several winners of and finalists for major book prizes. His impressive list of clients includes H. W. Brands, Fred Burton, Ron Powers and George Friedman.

A native of Massachusetts, and a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Texas School of Law, Hornfischer lives in Austin, TX with his wife and three children.

The Georgetown Public Library at 402 W. Eighth Street will be the setting for Mr. Hornfischer as he discusses his books on February 9, 2012. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 2:00 p.m. Barnes & Noble will be on hand to sell Mr. Hornfischer's books, which the author will be happy to sign; a portion of the book sales will be donated to the Friends of the Library by Barnes & Noble.

Ticket prices include delicious desserts and coffee or tea. Advance purchase tickets are $13.00 and event day tickets are $15.00. They may be purchased in Second-Hand Prose on the second floor of the Georgetown Public Library, or by calling Barbara Elrod at 512-931-2484. The Hill Country Authors Series is sponsored by the Friends of the Georgetown Public Library; proceeds will be used to fund unbudgeted library purchases and projects.

 November 10, 2011 –  Paul Harper

November 10th Hill Country Authors Series Speaker - Paul Harper

Paul Harper has created a new hero in his latest mystery series. Marten Fane works in the shadowed and secret private intelligence industry. And if you think you have never heard of Paul Harper, think again. It is the pseudonym chosen by David Lindsey for this exciting new series. Lindsey is the New York Times best-selling author of thirteen mystery/thriller novels which range from homicide detective stories to the world of criminal intelligence. A longtime Austin resident, Harper/Lindsey took seven years off to pursue writing documentaries and TV series before publishing Pacific Heights in 2011. He changed his pen name to Paul Harper to introduce a new serial novel to his readers, featuring San Francisco based intelligence officer Marten Fane, who has connections to the CIA and other intelligence agencies.

Harper/Lindsey became fascinated by the post 9/11 astonishing rise of the of the government's outsourcing of national intelligence. The focus of this new series is the multi-billion dollar industry of privatized spying where private contractors now suck up $42 billion annually of our national security budget, and the regulatory oversight of these corporate contractors is woefully lacking. Today's intelligence world has no boundaries, is more complex, and hidden deeper in the shadows than ever before.

Come and meet Paul Harper (or David Lindsey, if you prefer) on November 10th at the Hill Country Authors Series at the Georgetown Public Library at 2 PM. He promises to be a fascinating speaker. Tickets to the Authors Series are on sale from October 6th in Second-Hand Prose on the second floor of the Georgetown Public Library, 402 West 8th Street. They are $13.00 if purchased in advance and $15.00 at the door. Delicious desserts, coffee and tea from The Red Poppy will be served. If you can't make it to the library for your tickets or need additional information, you can call Barbara Elrod at 931-2484. The Hill Country Authors Series is sponsored by the Friends of the Georgetown Public Library; proceeds will be used to fund unbudgeted library purchases and projects.

 October 6, 2011 –  Sarah Bird

Sarah Bird to bring her wit and human understanding to next Authors Series!

If you have ever sent a child off to college or even if you haven't, you will love best-selling author Sarah Bird's latest novel about that last year before a daughter flies the nest. It is as hilarious as it is heartbreaking. The novel explores all the emotions of letting go between a single mom and her daughter…pride, grief, relief, anticipation and more. 

The Hill Country Authors Series events are held at the Georgetown Public Library and Sarah Bird will be there on Thursday, October 6. Doors open at 1:30 and Sarah's talk begins at 2:00 p.m.

Sarah Bird is not new to the Hill Country Authors Series. Her previous appearances have delighted audiences. 

Tickets go on sale on August 28 and can be purchased at Second-Hand Prose in the Library or by calling Barbara Elrod at 512-931-2484. Book Clubs may request to be seated together if they purchase a block of tickets. Tickets are $13.00 if purchased in advance. Each ticket holder will be served delicious desserts and drinks from the Red Poppy.

 April 28, 2011 – Woodsburner, by Dr John Pipkin

Dr. John Pipkin - Woodsburner

Author John Pipkin, the Writer in Residence at Southwestern University, will be featured at the next Hill Country Authors Series sponsored by the Friends of the Georgetown Public Library on April 28, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. His first novel, Woodsburner, earned the Center for Fiction's 2009 First Novel Prize and was picked by several newspapers as one of the best 100 books of 2009. It centers on the year before Henry David Thoreau began living at Walden Pond. As winner of the Dobie-Paisant Fellowship awarded by the University of Texas, John Pipkin has been granted a six months residency on J. Frank Dobie's ranch to complete his second novel, The Blind Astronomer's Atlas. This story is set in Ireland around the time of the Irish Rebellion.

Writers in Texas may know John Pipkin as the Executive Director of the Writers' League of Texas, a non-profit, literary arts organization. At the Hill Country Authors Series presentation, he will be sharing his expertise on what it takes to work as a writer in the current publishing environment along with insight into his historical research for his novels. The Dallas Morning News reviewer said of Woodsburner that it is "an exemplary illustration of how fiction can illuminate the past, bring history to life and make it feel as fresh and relevant as the present day."

In addition to his work at Southwestern University, John Pipkin has taught writing and literature at Saint Louis University, Boston University, and the University of Texas. He did undergraduate and graduate work at Washington and Lee University and the University of North Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in British Literature from Rice University in 1997.

Tickets for the Hill Country Authors Series will go on sale at the Georgetown Public Library in the Second Hand Prose bookshop on March 14. Tickets are $13.00 and include desserts and coffee at the event. For questions or additional information, you may call 512-868-0445.

 January 13, 2011 – American Colossus:  The Triumph of Capitalism, by H.W.Brands

On January 13th, over 150 people heard Dr. H. W. Brands, the latest in the Hill Country Authors Series.  Dr. Brands has received many awards for his writing and was twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.  He discussed his latest book,  American Colossus:  The Triumph of Capitalism, 1865 - 1900.   Dr. Brands explained that he gets ideas for his books from the classes he teaches at the University of Texas in Austin and was able to entertain his audience with interesting stories about his experiences in the classroom as well as anecdotes about J. P. Morgan and the financial meltdown that solidified capitalism as the economic system for the United States.
You won't want to miss our next speaker in the series, Dr. John Pipkin, who is Author in Residence at Southwestern University.  His topic will be Researching Historical Fiction and he will speak on April 28, 2011