Local readers and fans of J. Judson Lacko got the chance to meet the author when he visited Bowlby Library Monday night to discuss in depth his newest book, “Final Mission.”
Lacko, a former airman for the United States Air Force, wrote the first book of his trilogy in 2015, and “Final Mission” is the final installment. A Ruff Creek, Pennsylvania, native, used his military background as inspiration for his trilogy.
The first book, “A Breath Away: Life’s Final Chapter” follows the main protagonist, Chris, and follows him for 50 years, showing the various ups and downs of his life.
The second installment of Lacko’s trilogy, “The Four Apostles: A Breath Away” is set in the second half of the 20th century during the Cold War.
The historical fiction novel follows a rescue mission in the Middle East in pursuit of a captured physicist, and the many complexities of international relations in such a politically high-strung time in history.
“Final Mission” is the last installment of the trilogy and concludes Lacko’s “A Breath Away” series.
Bowlby Library is used to hosting Author Showcases. About once a month, the library opens its doors to a local author, to reach out to readers and promote their new books.
Members of the public are invited to engage with the author and support local writers.
Typically, the author is also able to sell his or her book during their time at the showcase. They will also typically sign copies of their book for the public.
Bowlby uses the Author Showcase platform to promote local authors, whether they are published through a publishing firm, or self-published.
Kathy Douglas, Bowlby librarian, coordinates the author spotlights, and spoke positively about the effectiveness of the program.
“We try to promote the local authors so they can be here and try to do some sales,” said Douglas
Typically, during the author showcase, authors get to interact with the readers, Ms. Douglas stated.
“They can talk about their book, the history, the writing, the writing process, and getting published,” said Douglas. “If there are questions from the audience, they can certainly ask, things like that.”
For the author, it’s an opportunity to promote their book and reach out to the community according to Douglas.
“It’s an opportunity for the authors to introduce their book to the patrons of the public library and to the community members,” said Douglas. “It’s a great way to promote our local authors.”
Bowlby library will be the host of “Friends and Authors” Oct. 17, where a collection of local authors will be celebrated. Any fan of literature is welcomed to come, in addition to writers in the area.
All three of J. Judson Lacko’s books from the “A Breath Away” series are currently available for purchase on Amazon.