Over the years, Lunch with the Authors has helped support the Junior League of Morristown’s mission and the impact it has on the community through its program and partner agencies. Photo courtesy of Morristown Junior League
The longest running event of its kind in the state, a major fundraiser and highly anticipated social event will soon take place.
The Morristown Junior League will hold its 20th Annual Lunch with the Authors Friday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone. The lunch includes presentations from nationally acclaimed authors who will share their insights, answer questions from the audience and sign their books. “The event is a great way to mingle, listen, eat and buy books from our guest authors,” said Shannon Gausepohl, event chair. “It’s also New Jersey’s best kept secret. What better way to go out, celebrate spring and participate in a great cause! The authors generously share their time and knowledge with our guests, making this a unique experience.
The event offers attendees the opportunity to gain insight into the life and work of some of the most prominent and popular authors of our time while supporting the mission of the Junior League of Morristown and the impact that she has on the community. Participants can also enjoy a raffle and a 50-50. “As a voracious reader, like most of our guests, it’s really special to sit down and talk with such brilliant and interesting minds,” Gausepohl said. “But more than that, they are the benefactors of the event. It’s really great to see.
Best-selling novelist Martha Hall Kelly, center, is one of countless authors who mingled with guests at the event. Photo courtesy of Morristown Junior League
The authors of 2022 are:
• Jamie Brenner: Brenner grew up in suburban Philadelphia reading novels by Jackie Collins and Judith Krantz. After college, she moved to New York to live like the heroines of her favorite books. His next book, “GILT,” will be published in June by Putnam. Brenner has two daughters and divides her time between Philadelphia and New York.
• Jane Kelly: Kelly is originally from Philadelphia. Yet no matter where her career has taken her, at least once a year she’s visited the Jersey Shore where the “Meg Daniels” mysteries are set. Kelly is a graduate of Chestnut Hill College, holds an MA from Drexel University in Library and Information Science and an MA in Popular Literature from Trinity College Dublin. She lives in the Philadelphia area where her ‘Writing in Time Mysteries’ and ‘Widow Lady Mysteries’ are set.
• Eric Smith: Smith is a literary agent and young adult author from Elizabeth. An agent for the PS Literary Agency, he has worked on New York Times bestselling and award-winning books. His recent novels include “Don’t Read the Comments” (Inkyard Press, 2020), “You Can Go Your Own Way” (Inkyard Press, 2021) and the anthology “Battle of the Bands” (Candlewick, 2021), co-published with author Lauren Gibaldi. Her other books include the IndieBound bestseller “The Geek’s Guide to Dating” (Quirk), the “Inked” duology (Bloomsbury), and “The Girl and the Grove” (Flux). His writings have been sold in eight languages. He holds a BA in English from Kean University and an MA in English from the University of Arcadia, where he currently mentors MFA students. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and son, and loves video games, pop punk and movies.
Proceeds from the event support the JLM Voluntarism Scholarship Program, which rewards university students who exemplify the spirit of volunteerism, and the Women Moving Forward Scholarship program, which rewards women 40 and over who return to school to further their education and future. To date, the Junior League of Morristown has provided over 140 scholarships totaling over $270,000 in scholarships. “The opportunity to help educate the teens in our community is what drives the league,” Gausepohl said. Visit Morristown Junior League to learn more about the event and the organization.
Stacey Feintuch is a freelance writer for print and online publications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from George Washington University and a master’s degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University’s SI Newhouse School of Public Communications. She grew up in Morris County and currently lives in Bergen County.