Best-selling author David Baldacci to speak in Bradenton
It began with Stephen King, followed by Stephen King and John Grisham together. Then last year it was Nicholas Sparks.
The Manatee County Library Foundation announced Friday that it’s continuing its series of appearances from some of the country’s top-selling novelists with “An Evening With David Baldacci.” The event is set for 7 p.m. March 13 at the Neel Performing Arts Center at State College of Florida in Bradenton.
The event will benefit the Manatee County Library’s “I Am a Lifelong Learner” literacy program, the same program that the appearance by King, Grisham and Sparks raised money for.
“He is a strong advocate for literacy programs,” said Jaymie Carter, who is co-chairing this year’s event for the Manatee County Library Foundation. “He’s the founder of the Wish You Well Foundation. So we thought he’d be a perfect fit for what we’re doing.”
He is a strong advocate for literacy programs. So we thought he’d be a perfect fit for what we’re doing.
Jaymie Carter
Baldacci and his wife Michelle started the Wish You Well Foundation in order to support “adult and family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs,” according to the foundation’s website.
Audiences will likely be more interested in hearing about Baldacci’s novels than his philanthropy.
He’ll have plenty to talk about. Baldacci has written dozens of best-selling novels, including “Absolute Power,” which was adapted into a film starring and directed by Clint Eastwood, and “Wish You Well,” which was made into a film that starred Ellen Burstyn. One of his series of novels was the basis for the TNT series “King & Maxwell.”
Baldacci is best known for crime novels and thrillers, but he has also written several books for young readers, including “Days of Doom” and the “Freddy and the French Fries” series.
Tickets for “An Evening With David Baldacci” are not available yet. Carter said they will be available on Dec. 1 through a website. The website address is not known at this time.
Tickets will be $75 general admission and $100 for reserved seats.
This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Best-selling author David Baldacci to speak in Bradenton."