Authors meet their fans at Tinley Park book conference

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Author Marian L. Thomas shows her second book, "My Father's Colors," during Book Clubs Unite at the Tinley Park Convention Center on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media

Updated: August 14, 2011 2:14AM

Readers and writers connected as the third annual Book Clubs Unite conference made its way to the Southland on Saturday at the Tinley Park Convention Center.

Fiction writer Marian L. Thomas, one of Amazon.com’s best-selling rhythm and blues authors, was among the novelists on hand for the event. Thomas’ latest book, “My Father’s Colors,” a sequel to her 2009 debut, “Color Me Jazzmyne,” was released earlier this year.

“It’s great because at this event you have very avid readers,” the Oak Park native said of the workshop. “So these are readers who appreciate a good story, they know a good story, and they come out and really support authors.”

The literary luncheon featured a question-and-answer panel, book signings, author readings, literary games and raffles. This year’s event drew 17 book clubs, bringing them face to face with 15 authors who were on hand to discuss their latest book projects.

The conference provided for an intimate setting as each of the small-member book clubs visited the authors’ booths individually. Clubs from as far away as Virginia participated in the event.

“We like the idea of the interpersonal meetings with the authors,” said Clementine Coleman, a member of Splendor, a book club in Chicago.

It was the event’s second visit to the convention center. Linda Davis, event facilitator for an Illinois chapter of national book club Go On Girl, began the meet-and-greet luncheon three years ago.

“It was an idea that popped into my head,” she said. “I love books, and I love planning events, so I just combined two of my passions.”

Former Drug Enforcement Agency and Secret Service agent Donald Tucker, whose book “The Two-Edged Sword” chronicles his struggles climbing the ranks as a black federal narcotics officer, made an apearance. Tucker, a Chicago native who currently lives in Arizona, was among the locally bred authors at Saturday’s event.

“I enjoy it,” he said. “It gives me an opportunity not only to connect with my fans and the people who are buying the book, but it also gives me a chance to express how tough it was being black and working in the federal law enforcement system.”

Thomas said she has toured the nation attending book signing events in Arkansas, Memphis and Atlanta. She called Book Clubs Unite a way to meet one of the backbones of her fan base.

“Some people say that authors are the heart of the book industry,” Thomas said. “Really, to us, it takes all of our members to make it work. And so book clubs play a huge role in making authors’ hearts beat, so to speak.”