Concord Authors Hold 'Conversations' About Their Books And Writing On Wednesday

CONCORD, NH — A free event in Concord on Wednesday brings together four authors to discuss their books which range from historical fiction, set in Granite State communities, to actual history of the capital city.

The event, organized by author Paul Brogan, also features Margaret Porter, Virginia Macgregor (who writes as Nina Monroe), and Mark Okrant. Former host of NHPR's "The Exchange," Laura Knoy, will moderate the talk.

Concord NH Patch asked Brogan some questions about the event.

Has an event like this ever been done before in Concord? In the past, there has been an author at an event, maybe even two. But not anything like four, from one geographical area, on stage at one time, that I can recall.

Gibson's is, as I like to say, "An author's best friend." I believe all of us have done events at Gibson's but as far as I know, nothing like this has been done previously. It's sort of a variation of NHPR's "Authors on a NH Stage" that they do at the Music Hall in Portsmouth. However, having someone like Laura Knoy moderate a discussion with four local authors is remarkable.

• Event Info: Conversations with Concord-area Authors

What made you decide to put something like this together? How difficult was it?

Margaret and I chatted about doing some kind of awareness event. Too often, people walk by the shelf labeled, "Local Authors." We wanted to create some excitement around the talent that is here in the greater Concord area.

When Margaret approached Laura, she was immediately on board. Margaret and Virginia have both been on my Concord TV show, so I knew them and have read several of their books. Mark was a new name to me but his mystery books, set in the region, caught my fancy.

Once we committed to doing this, it was relatively easy and we made the decision, early on, to make it a free event. We genuinely want people to discover our local voices.

A lot of people are familiar with your work. “Was That A Name I Dropped” has been sold out for a long time; “The Concord Theatre” was a walk down memory lane for many who grew up here or loved cinema. Many are familiar with Margaret Porter, too, who was a former state representative and involved in the early 2000s with a blogging group here in the city. Can you share a little bit about Virginia (Nina) and Mark, for those who may not know them?

Margaret has a skill in writing historical fiction that makes a reader truly believe she was there and witnessed everything up-close and personal.

Virginia's most recent title (written as Nina Monroe), "The Children's Secret," was one of the most gripping books I've read in recent years. Set in a fictional NH town, it grabs you from the first paragraph and never lets you go. She's relatively new to our area and captures every nuance of small-town New Hampshire.

Mark's mystery novels are set in various New Hampshire locales, and his writing makes you instantly feel familiar and intrigued by the way he uses those locations to great effect.

An event like this shows that literature is not really dead no matter what anyone may think about the state of book sales, online readers, or other issues with the publishing industry. It has just changed a lot like the music business, etc.

I could not agree with you more. For so many people, nothing beats the genuine pleasure of holding a book in your lap, turning the pages, and being taken to another time or place.

Having this event, too, at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, is kind of special. Not only is it an impressive new performance space in the city but it is also where the old Concord Theatre used to be.

That was the easiest part. When we first talked about it, I told Margaret my dream was to do something at the Bank of NH Stage. Being in that setting always feels like coming home again. It's the right place for this and I hope that anyone who hasn't checked out the place, will give it a try because the event is free. You need a ticket, but there are no costs associated with this evening.

Anything else readers need to know about the event?

If you've only heard Laura on her legendary program, "The Exchange", this is a chance to see her in person. The evening will be funny, insightful, and hopefully enlightening. For anyone who's ever pondered sitting down and writing something, here's the chance to find out how it's done. There will be time for audience questions, and Gibson's will have books by the four authors on sale in the lobby after the event.

Conversations with Concord-area Authors will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6, at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage on South Main Street in Concord. It is a ticketed event but the tickets are free. Visit the Capitol Center for the Arts website, linked here to reserve a ticket.