Mesa Library's local author fair celebrates diverse writing talent

Local authors at the Mesa Public Library Red Mountain Branch on Saturday, June 3.Photo bySuzy Jacobson Cherry

On Saturday, June 3, the Red Mountain Branch of the Mesa Public Library hosted this year’s Local Childrens and Young Adult (YA) Author Fair. Books at the June fair targeted children, tweens, teens, and families. This annual fair, which traditionally takes place at the Main library branch, provides space for authors to connect with new readers and with one another.

Authors at the fair on Saturday offered books on a variety of subject matter. There were 18 writers in attendance.

Beth Lewis, author of The Boy Who Burped; Emily Cooper, who wrote her first book, Magia, at the age of 14; Linda Smock, whose dogs were the inspiration for her dog books for children, including Puppy Love and Norbie, The Service Dog Loves His Job; Helen Krueger, author of Bucky Bear WAS A Bully; Tina Hammon Robertson, whose book Granny and Papa: A Teenie Tale tells the story of a farming couple through most of the twentieth century; Kathie McMahon, whose chapter books for elementary level readers feature a moose named Mortimer and begins with Mortimer and Me.

Srianthi Perera is the author of A Maiden's Prayer: A Family Story Set in 1970s Sri Lanka, literary fiction for readers from mid-teens through adult; another book for mature young adults and adults is Madeleine Elizabeth’s fantasy romance, Castle Witch; Paula Goldsmith writes award-winning poetry and inspired verse, many of which are included in Nursery Rhymes and More: By International Award-Winning Poet Paula Goldsmith; H.R. Chambers’ first book, Sydney & Sakura: Inferno Rift was released in March, 2023; Rachel ReNee’s book, Happy Being Me, is about loving oneself just as you are; Jeff Lang's book, Winter Solitude, is beautifully illustrated by Jade Lang.

Also attending were Betty Mermelstein, whose children’s books include Water Play, Wagon Wheels, and Desert Sensations. Patricia Curran, author of the Young Adult Kendra Morgan mystery series and Wrongful Death, a murder mystery for adult readers. New author Heidi Baker shared her YA dystopian fiction, The First Glitch, which debuted in 2022 and Li? which was released in March of 2023. Finally, this writer, Suzy Jacobson Cherry, attended, though the only children’s and YA titles completed so far are only available as Kindle Short Reads. They include A Gift for the Princess and Poor Annabella, Vampire.

The Mesa Public Library maintains a collection of works by local authors. Writers who take part in Local Author Fairs are invited to donate a copy of their books for the collection, which is kept at the Main library. Local authors are defined as those with an active and current community connection within Arizona. Materials must meet the Library’s Selection Criteria Policy. If the author’s book is accepted, a single copy of the work is added to the collection.

The Mesa Public Library hosts two Local Author Book Fairs each year. These fairs support local authors by providing them an opportunity to share their works with readers from around the valley. The next one will take place at the Red Mountain branch the first Saturday in December, and will feature authors of all genre for all ages.

All branches of the Mesa Public Library are open with staff Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm and Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. Patrons may enter the library to use computers and check out books using the self-check machines from 9 am to 10 am Monday through Saturday. Computers are available with a library card.