Novelist Luanne Rice will be the guest author at the Random House Book Fair to Benefit the Carroll Community College Foundation from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at the college.
The sixth annual event will feature book sales, local guest authors, exhibitors, children's activities and a silent auction of signed books.
Rice is the author of Random House books such as Summer Light, Dream Country, Follow the Stars Home, Cloud Nine, Stone Heart and Crazy in Love. She will speak at 11 a.m. in the Great Hall.
Honorary chairwoman of the event is Mary Beth Marsden from WMAR-TV (Channel 2) News. She will welcome visitors at 10 a.m.
New paperback and hardback books from many publishing houses will be available at up to 20 percent off cover price, including a children's bookstore offering sales of holiday gift books. The auction will feature signed first edition and limited edition books, such as The Shelters of Stone by Jean Auel, Death in Holy Orders by P.D. James, From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz, and Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler.
Local authors who will greet patrons and sign books include Kathleen Adcock, Christina Collins-Smith, Linda Joy Burke, Anne K. Edwards, Thomas G. Dorwart, Margaret Harless and Henry Ditman. Exhibitors from businesses, clubs, literary and literacy agencies, publishers and writers' groups will offer information.
Children's activities will be held throughout the day.
They include: strolling storybook characters; face painting; interactive programs at the Baltimore Zoo Mobile at 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.; storytelling with the Carroll County public library at 10:30 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.; meetings with children's authors from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and, weather permitting, a moon bounce.
The Poetry Place at the Coffeehouse will feature local poets reading from their works.
Winners of the children's and adults' writing contests will have a chance to read from their short stories and poetry.
The Encore Community Music Association will perform. Food also will be available throughout the day.
The event is free. The college is at 1601 Washington Road in Westminster.
Information: 410-386-8155.