Author’s Shelton Visit Will Benefit Library

CONTRIBUTEDLocal fans of Cotton Malone, the hero of author Steve Berry’s thriller series, will get a special treat at a fundraiser on May 19 for the Friends of the Shelton Libraries.

Not only can they join the author to hear about his writing, but they can also get a copy of his latest Cotton Malone novel, The Lincoln Myth,” a day before it is released officially — and get Berry to sign it as well.

And it is all for a worthy cause — money raised at the event will go toward buying an elevator for the Plumb Memorial Library.

Friends of the Shelton Libraries President Megan Allen said the event came about after she heard Berry makes appearances free of charge to raise money for libraries.

He’s not charging us a dime,” she said.

The elevator will be a welcome improvement at Plumb Memorial, a venerable, but 120-year-old, Romanesque building.

Allen said the library barely meets the of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

People with physical disabilities must navigate the stairs or detour around the outside of the building to get from the main floor to the lower floor.

Berry’s discussion and book signing will take place May 19 at the Hyatt House, 830 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton.

Doors open for the event at 6:30 p.m. There will be a special reception for a limited number of library patrons, followed by the discussion, a question and answer period, and a book signing.

Admission for the special reception, costing $150, which includes the rest of the event, will be limited to only 20 people.

Admission to the discussion and book signing, which costs $50, will be open to only about 100.

All patrons who attend the event will also receive a copy of The Lincoln Myth” at no extra cost.

CONTRIBUTEDFor him to come to Shelton is absolutely marvelous,” Allen said of Berry’s generosity.

Berry said he is pleased to do it.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, have set up a private foundation dedicated to aiding libraries and historic preservation causes.

In an interview, Berry said it has raised about $750,000 since 2009.

It’s there to help and support the local libraries, and we’re happy to be there,” he said.

Cotton Malone, the main character of his series, is a former agent with the Magellan Billet, a special division of the U.S. Justice Department that focuses on international investigations. He’s not a spy, but his activities get him into the same kinds of dangerous situations in exotic locations around the world.

The Lincoln Myth” is the ninth novel in the series. Although Malone is retired, happily running a rare books shop in Copenhagen while he pursues a new romantic interest, he is called back into action by his former boss at the Justice Department to investigate a mystery involving the historic legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Mormon Church.

It seems that during the Civil War, Lincoln made a secret deal with the Mormon Church to help prevent the western states from taking advantage of the situation and seceding to form their own country.

Berry said this is actually an historical fact, not his own fictional invention. As in his other novels, history plays a central role. It is a longtime interest of his, he said.

He had a 30-year career as a lawyer in Camden County, GA, where he also served as an elected county commissioner and a school board member.

But I had a little voice in my head that kept telling me to write,” he said.

His first novel was rejected 85 times before it was purchased by a publisher, and 13 books later he is a top-selling author in the thriller genre, with more than 17 million books in print.

Allen said a number of local businesses are also supporting the event.

The Hyatt House will donate the use of the event room and a suite for the special reception.

Written Words Bookstore is purchasing 100 copies of The Lincoln Myth” at a reduced cost, and a member of the Friends of the Shelton Libraries is purchasing half of them.

Other local businesses have provided flower arrangements and refreshments, Allen said.

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