Peabody Institute Library Hosts First Ever Local Author Night

The first Local Authors Night held at the yesterday was deemed a success by its planners, despite the competition from the severe weather outside and the first game of the 2011 Stanley Cup. 

A variety of 12 non-fiction authors, sports writers, poets, and more from the North Shore presented their published works from 7 until 9 p.m.

According to Patricia Arrington, head of curriculum, the library receives requests from individual authors to showcase their works all the time.

"We thought this might be a great opportunity to give people to network and sell their books," she said. 

Arrington noted that the tornado watch that was in effect until 8 p.m. and the Bruins Stanley Cup game probably had an affect on the number of attendees at the event. 

Still, Arrington and co-creator Michelle Deschene-Warren, the young adult librarian, said that because of the evening's success they hope to turn the event into an annual happening. 

Stuart Cohen of Marblehead, author of 'The Seventh System: Harnessing the Power of your emotional system,' said that this was the first local author night he had attended.

"People tend to see local authors as doing something of value," he said, noting that it "raises up the standards of a community." 

Danvers resident Janet Lettich attended the event after hearing about it through the library. "I'm fascinated by people who have ideas and are able to have the talent and courage to produce a work," she said. "I wanted to see the authors and meet them."

Many of the authors' work had personal connections to the North Shore. Sharon Love Cook of Beverly Farms, author of the mystery, 'A Nose for Hanky Panky' said the book's fictional town of 'Granite Cove' is based on both Gloucester and Rockport.

'Twenty Hillcrest Road,'by Bernie Balser of Beverly, is a memoir/fiction story based on his childhood in Danvers.