Jacksonville, FL

Dorothy K. Fletcher heads into a Washington, D. C. hotel. Fletcher and I read together at the U.S. Library of Congress for “Florida Poets Arrive.” Fletcher appears at Barnes and Noble in St. John’s Town Center on Saturday as part of a Literacy Pros event.

Literacy Pros celebrates a dedication to adult literacy at Barnes and Noble in the St. Johns Town Center (10280 Midtown Parkway) on Saturday, June 16. The Bookfair runs from opening to closing, 9 a.m.-11 p.m., when a percentage of every sale made will be donated to Literacy Pros. Jacksonville authors Dorothy K. Fletcher (Zen Fishing and Other Southern Pleasures) and Victor DiGenti (Windrusher series) will talk with guests and sign books from 4-6 p.m.

That evening features music by Damien Lamar and Laurel Lee from 7-8 p.m. Lee has a great Web site; you can find out about the new CD Why don’t we get married featuring Laurel Lee and the Escapees. Lamar is well-known in Northeast Florida, and his selections offer a variety of styles. Visit Lamar’s Web site to learn more.

I’ve read with Fletcher on many occasions, and her poetry and prose weave stories of the past and present, illustrated by specific events and happenings in the South. She has a low-key sense of humor; she loves to talk writing. DiGenti is a key figure in writing events around Northeast Florida because he’s regional director for the Florida Writers Association. DiGenti’s first novel was praised by actress Betty White and it’s popular with cat lovers of all ages. Both are award-winning authors with several books in the marketplace and they enjoy talking to people.

The Web site for Literacy Pros says the organization was founded in 2003 by “a local group of dedicated literacy volunteers. These trainers and tutors were interested in finding new ways to deliver literacy training to the community.” A recent success story is the Prison Literacy Program in conjunction with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s office.

Events like this provide a great way to help worthy organizations and have some fun at the same time. So pick up a book, sip on some coffee or tea and enjoy the music on Saturday.

You’ll need a voucher to be sure the sale is tagged for Literacy Pros; for convenience, you may print one from the Web site. (photo and text by Kay B. Day)

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