With 400 books written by Lexingtonians in our town’s 300-year history, the women who are putting together the author panels for LexCelebrate! Incorporation Weekend were overwhelmed with riches.  “When we began to think about a Lexington Authors events for Incorporation Weekend, we had so many wonderful options to choose from,” says Betty Gau, one this panel’s trio of organizers. “We decided to focus on specific aspects of writing that are sure to appeal to many people. We’ve chosen storytelling, mysteries, and how to get published.”

“We’re ready to unveil the names of the authors leading our panels,” adds Becky Sue Epstein, Gau’s co-organizer. “Best-selling novelist and Lexington High School graduate Juliette Fay will head our The Art of Storytelling panel. Fellow LHS graduate and author Arthur Fleischmann and Lexington resident, author and writing professor Marjan Kamali will join her.  We are also very lucky to have secured Lexington’s own Regie O’Hare Gibson, National Poetry Slam Individual Champion, as the storytelling panel’s moderator. Lexington writers and publishers Jack Rochester and Peter Shapiro are two of the participants in a panel on How to Get Published: Traditional and Self-publishing.  They will be joined by Lexington residents Deborah Swiss, Guy Jarvis and LHS graduate Taryn Roeder.  A Mysterious Lexingtonians panel features mystery writers Nancy Gardner, Andrew McAleer, Jamie Katz and Barbara Shapiro.”

Cerise Jalelian, the third member of the group, notes, “Both aspiring authors and avid readers will find plenty of inspiration at these three panels. They will be held at Lexington High School, starting at 10 a.m.  Bring your questions too; there will be time set aside for discussion at each presentation.”

Gau has collaborated with Jessie Steigerwald, organizer of LexCelebrate!’s Mock Town Meeting for eighth-graders, on a special presentation for young people.  Steigerwald, together with the 300^th Committee, had commissioned Bentley Boyd to create a colorful book illustrating 300 years of Lexington that traces the development of town meeting.  Mr. Boyd will give an interactive presentation geared for young people on sharing history through the art of graphic novels. 

Throughout the day, visitors can explore the Authors’ Corner in the high school lobby. There, two dozen Lexington authors will be on hand to answer questions, sign and sell their books.

Check the Lexington 300^th website for further details as they are released: http://www.lexington300.org. Questions may be directed to: Betty Gau (betty.lex300@gmail.com).