Book Festival Draws Bibliophiles to Punta Gorda History Park

The weather warmed up today just in time to welcome some 40 local Florida authors to the History Park for what was touted as the 1st Annual Punta Gorda Book Festival.  From historical fiction, to pets, to real life stories and more, authors came from various parts of the County and other nearby towns to talk with visitors to the Park about their books.

Punta Gorda author Sally Simon was cheerfully promoting her Daniels family saga, a series of novels based in Charlotte County.  The on-going characters in her three current novels--Country Pride and Joy, Punta Gorda Dreams, and Punta Gorda Storms--are all members of the fictitious Daniels family and its friends and affiliates.

Carol Mahler, humanities scholar and teacher, professional storyteller and singer-songwriter and founder of the Peace River Center for Writers immediately captivated us with her tales of Guy LaBree, folk artist and former member of the Guitar Army (the local musicians group that meets at Gilchrist Park).  Her magical book on LaBree and his story paintings of the Florida Seminoles was on display.  Always in storyteller mode, she told us about the self-made Florida artist who recently died relating how he told the story of  the Seminoles' traditions in his painting.  She described the meaning behind one of the beautiful paintings of a Seminole woman reproduced in the book.

Finding freedom stories irresistible, I quickly purchased "No Paved Road to Freedom," from the true story's main character, Cornel  Dolana, who escaped from Communist Romania in the late 50s.  The book is now being scripted for a movie.  

Ray Hazel now an Englewood resident chatted with us about his novel of life and times in a small upstate New York town, The Dusty Trail.  

This event should only get bigger and better with more Punta Gorda authors please.  I know they are out there.